The Athletics, Orioles, Pirates and Indians are pursuing Chase Headley most aggressively, ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark reports. The Pirates and Indians seem less motivated to complete a deal now, but the A’s and Orioles haven’t backed off. The Diamondbacks, Phillies and Yankees checked in on Headley, and the Dodgers were seriously interested until they traded for Hanley Ramirez. Here are the rest of Stark’s rumors…
- The Braves are telling teams they’re shifting their focus away from the rotation to possible bullpen and bench upgrades, Stark reports.
- The Marlins are working hard to trade Carlos Zambrano and Carlos Lee, Stark writes. Ricky Nolasco is also available.
- The Rangers are mainly focused on Zack Greinke and James Shields, but the odds of a trade involving Shields are diminishing because Evan Longoria is on his way back to the Rays’ lineup.
- The Cubs are offering to absorb all but $2MM of Alfonso Soriano’s contract, Stark writes. The left fielder earns $18MM per season through 2014 and the Cubs might take it all on for the right prospect.
- The Phillies are still considering trading Shane Victorino, but they are likely to wait a few days before making a decision on his future.
- The Padres have told teams they are likely to trade Huston Street if they can’t sign him to an extension. The Padres are expected to attempt to lock Street up to a one-year extension.
- Reds GM Walt Jocketty "feels a need to do something" and has asked around for a middle-of-the-order hitter, Stark reports.
If they eat all of Soriano’s contract, they should get something decent.
If the O’s can’t get Headley, I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up with Soriano in return for something similar to what the Mariners got for Ichiro.
I’d rather not lock up LF beyond this year, though I wouldn’t mind the immediate impact. I think LJ Hoes or Xavier Avery will lock up LF in spring training next year.. Hoes could be a real ROTY candidate.
Sure. If Hoes or Avery grabs the spot, either DH Soriano or move him again.
With the Cubbies paying 90% of that contract, it would be a cinch to flip Soriano to someone else during ST.
If the Cubs are paying all but $2MM of Soriano’s contract, then it only costs the O’s $2MM to release him when he stops being useful.
True enough.
What, nothing?
Yep.
Replacing Wilson Betemit with Chase Headley, and concurrently dropping J.J. Hardy from second to seventh in the lineup, would probably be the most impactful non-pitching move that any team in the game can make this weekend.
As long as it can be done without trading Machado or Bundy, get it done, O’s!
It can’t.
yes. yes it can. it would be moreso quantity than quality, but it can be done.
you don’t think the padres would listen to an offer of jonathan schoop, one of Tillman/Matusz, and two lower level guys (Nick Delmonico?)?
i mean, someone else could top it, and I don’t know the lower levels of the Orioles’ minor league system, but its doable.
I think thats very close to what the package would be…. matusz, schoop and 1 or two low level prospects that have high upside
no, i dont think that’s enough
Headley is the best bat on the market and plays a highly desired position in this market.
The Padres got Volquez and three prospects (who were 2, 4, and 10 in Reds organization and all former 1st round picks) for Latos. Think one of your young starting pitchers (Hammel, Britton?), Machado or Bundy, and another top prospect.
There really are no outstanding prospects in the Orioles organization past Schoop and he is having a disappointing season at AA Bowie.
i dunno, putting headley in the lineup over inge would be a pretty big upg
At least Inge can field.
Betemit went out to third base without his glove in the fourth inning of yesterday’s game against the Rays. John Russell pointed it out to Buck Showalter and Buck reportedly said, “We’ll be better off if anything Hardy can’t get to just goes through to left field.”
Headley has a 9.0 UZR/150 and Inge has a 7.7 UZR/150 over the past 3.5 seasons and at least Headley can hit.
Would a Machado for Headley and a prospect make any sense? The O’s haven’t won in a decade and you’d think the fans and owner are now clamoring like never before for a shot at the playoffs. Prospects are not guarantees, no matter how highly they are thought of, and getting a proven player at a position your team is strongly lacking at might make sense.
I am a Padre fan and of course want the best return possible for Headley, but back in ’98 when the Padres traded Lee and Medina for Brown, Lee was their best prospect and it was well worth it with a trip to the World Series. I’m just saying sometimes teams need to go all in and the O’s seem like a team that should do just that.
If the O’s were a third baseman away from turning themselves into a World Series caliber team, I would trade Machado for Headley in a hearbeat.
But they’re not. They’re a third baseman, a first baseman, a second baseman, a left fielder and two or three starting pitchers away from the World Series.
The only reasons it makes sense for the O’s to trade for Headley are because he’s fairly young and he’s controllable beyond this season. The O’s have a shot at the Wild Card play-in game this year, but they would be a long-shot to win it, and an even longer shot to win a full playoff series. If they acquire a Headley while holding on to Machado and Bundy, and then upgrade first base and the pitching staff this winter, they could be a true contender in 2013 or 2014.
I see what your saying, but anything can happen once your in. If I remember correctly everyone on this site, including me, thought the Rasmus deal last year was a joke, but Repczynski and Dotel paid huge dividends for the Cards and did more than Rasmus ever could have for them.
Well Headley will be under control through 2014, so it wouldn’t just be an all in move for this year. It would be all in for this year, 2013, and 2014 when you expect to be a true contender.
Nothing like trading a guy you just got.
Wow c’mon Frank Wren!! i got news for you. You can save Teheran but this is it for Chipper. Atleast we know Teheran will be in next years rotation otherwise this doesn’t make the Braves good
i could see the pirates putting together mini Latos esque package for Headley. The pirates could package Correia/Karstens along with prospects (of course the centerpiece being a top prospect not Correia/Karstens). Gonna be an interesting next few days for the padres.
oh yea correia, who the padres didnt want to resign lol.
they didn’t resign him because they thought they benefit more from the draft pick they’d receive than spend $ on him, not necessarily because of his performance. Oh yeah and the guy we drafted with that pick was jace peterson- not a bad decision imo so far.
Why in hell would you want Correia back. I know you’re not saying as a centerpiece but..
he’ll benefit from being back in petco. He’d be more of a throw in nothing more- the pirates want to get rid of him and we need pitching, plus to top it off he’s pissed they moved him to the bp. If the pirates try and use him as leverage to get the asking price down they can keep him.
karstens/correia, mcgehee, justin wilson, mid tier prospext for headley
HA!
Why is Headley so wonderful? He’s batting 268 with 11 hr and 50rbi he has similar stats to Garrett Jones? I hope someone overpays for him because he’s not an all star and hes not much of a power hitter, he’s not anywhere near as great as you all think
Oh boy… Using batting average and RBI is a terrible way to judge a player’s value. Garrett Jones is only a 1.0 WAR player, where Headley is a 3.7 WAR player. Headley’s OBP is over 70 points higher than Jones’ OBP. Headley’s defense at 3B is fantastic as well. The only thing Jones is better at is slugging, but PNC is a much nicer place to hit than Petco. Also, when you look at Headley’s home and road splits, you’ll see that Headley has an OPS of .871 on the road. This is why Headley is so valuable and so much more valuable than Garrett Jones.
Wait until he’s out of PETCO full time and then tell me he’s not as great as everybody thinks. He’s a top-10, maybe even top-8 3B playing half his games at Camden Yards or Yankee Stadium.
its a combination of headley’s ability outside of petco, the trade market for hitters, he’s controllable and the timing of a possible trade (a team might have to give up more than they want before the deadline and get nothing.) And to top it off the padres don’t have to trade him. This is why the Padres are asking for so much.
I’m not saying I wouldn’t want him on the Pirates, I just don’t wanna give up an Alen Hanson or a Marte, and of course not Cole and Taillon.
alen hanson has to be considered
For a player like Headley at least one of those four is gonna be the starting point. Probably one of them + Hanson.
LIKELY 2+ of them, maybe 3.
one can only hope. having one of tallion/cole along with erlin, kelly, and a healthy wieland might give us the best pitching in the minors.
The Padres would laugh at that offer…
no.
The Padres are not going to accept a 30 something pitcher in return. ESPECIALLY one who is going to be a free agent at the end of the season as BOTH Correia and Karstens will be.
Think Taillon, Marte or Bell, and a couple of other top 20 prospects. Locke and Hanson?
The Pirates just dont have a ML pitcher they can send San Diego’s way so more high prospects will be necessary to make it happen.
Remember, Headley is a guy who has hit .300 away from Petco, .330 last season. Not a lot of 3b like that in the league.
everything your saying i already know, correia was a suggestion as a “throw in” nothing more. But this is definitely not one of my better suggestions, as soon as i posted it i wanted to delete it- but what can you do.
The O’s need a guy like Headley. There is nothing at 3B in the pipeline until you get to low-A ball. The current plan is to play Betemit there until Machado is ready, then move Hardy over to third. I definitely like the Headley plan better.
Keeping Betemit at third until Machado is ready will most likely result in at least another 30 errors at the hot corner in Baltimore. Not to mention all of the non-plays that a real third baseman would at least attempt to make, as well as the mental lapses that allow runners to move into scoring position.
Seriously… I’m only 30, so I don’t have as many years under my belt as a lot of fans, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a major leaguer as ill-suited for his position as Betemit is for third base. Well, aside from the brief Javy Lopez at first base experiment…
I guess you haven’t seen Ty Wigginton play 3B yet this year then
Oh you forget, the Orioles had Wigginton before the Phils, he is a major upgrade defensively at 3rd.
I’m not saying I agree with the plan, it’s just what I have read on more than one occasion.
So are the braves conceding? Might as well bring teheran up.. The current rotation has no chance at post season success. more than likely will be playing in the wildcard game. So who is going against the opposing teams number 1? Huddy maybe in hopes he channels is inner carpenter. Or maybe let hanson pitch his max 5 inning game walking 7
This makes no sense for the Braves. They’re just not good enough and this is Chipper’s last season. If it’s true Wren should be fired – now.
you can’t trade away a huge chunk of the future for a small chance at the now… rumored asking price for the Braves for a Greinke rental last week was Teheran, and another major and minor prospect… we’ve seen the Braves do that before, we still hear the fans crying about it now. If FW were to give away say Teheran, Delgado and Salcedo for less than 3 months of Greinke, then FW should be fired
Soriano for 2mil/year??? that is a HUGE BARGAIN! the way he has been playing of late!!!
I hope O’s get him and not A’s… I don’t see him being much better than Inge if at all.. sure, Inge has a low average but he still knocks in runs and his defense is awesome… can Headley play short? haha
Ya, I agree. Inge is the one that is helping this team with his attitude and demeanor. Inge has helped this team’s chemistry as well. Headley is not much of an upgrade over inge. I say we use the prospects that we would use to get headley and go out and get a long term option at shortstop like starlin castro with those propsects.
You don’t see Headley being better than Inge? LOL
He could be better… or he could turn into Kevin Kouzmanoff
Wren is downplaying his desires for a starting pitcher to hopefully bring the asking prices down…If everyone knows we are in desperate need for a starter, they will use that to their leverage and jack up the price.
If fans know that the Braves are desperate for a starter, don’t you think competing GMs know as well? Just a thought…
true, but you’re also talking about a team with the 3rd most runs scored in the NL… they could instead try to boost their offense if the cost of SP is too ridiculous, and attempt to make a run with a potent offense, mediocre starters, and a great bullpen. Atlanta takes a lead out of the 7th, they’re most likely keeping it.
ya and there are even fewer high-caliber position player trade candidates than there are starting pitching trade candidates.
true, but the Braves don’t need a high caliber position player upgrade, just a decent one… and I think a LF (which is why I’ve said elsewhere if the Cubs are willing to pay most of Soriano’s contract, it would be a prudent to at least look into) would be a great route to go…
it allows Prado to be a super utility for the remainder of the year, playing primarily 2b while Uggla struggles and 3b to continue to keep Chipper rested, and to fill in elsewhere as needed, keeping his bat in the lineup on an everyday basis. Plus the move increases the viability of the bench this year and solves the problem of finding a LF next year when Prado moves to 3b full time.
Add an extra solid bullpen arm, and this team has the potential to make a nice run this year without an elite SP staff, or breaking the bank for the next 2-3 years
agreed, and with the ridiculous amount these teams seem to be asking for for a rental SP, it’s just not worth it. Why trade away multiple top prospects for Greinke when you have a decent chance tat signing him in the offseason and keeping the top prospects you already have?
And there’s no reason to trade for a 4 or 5 pitcher when we have middle of the rotation guys we can plug in already (I’m looking at you Meds).
It’s not worth trading away a huge chunk of the future for a maybe this year.
There’s also a decent chance that you lose this bidding and you have no chance to sign him come November.
but if you lose the bidding, you lose the bidding either way, whether he’s on the team this year or not.
And it’s just not worth giving away 2-3 top prospects for 2+ months and potentially hurting the team for the next 2-3 years
And that’s where you ask yourself whether this player can win you a World Series. For Texas, I’d say yes. For Atlanta, I’d say no.
Typical FW. Oh well fellow Braves fans, maybe next year.
Tampa Bay makes the most sense for Soriano. Tampa would get Soriano for just 2 million dollars and mid level prospects at best and would instantly add pop to that lineup and upgrade the DH spot.
I Think he makes sense for a lot of teams at that price.
As an A’s fan I’d much rather have a decent SS than a 3b. Inge is starting to turn a corner and he is apparently a pretty important clubhouse guy.
He can be an important clubhouse guy on the bench too.
I’d rather have a decent SS than 3B because SS is a bigger hole than 3B right now.
but if they can’t get a SS, they should absolutely be in on headley, and brandon inge’s clubhouse leadership shouldn’t stop that, period. (also: he can back up 2B, 3B, and C)
Reds GM Walt Jocketty “feels a need to do something” and has asked around for a middle-of-the-order hitter, Stark reports
Well Jocketty could push some papers around his desk or plant a garden and help the environment?
In all seriousness what middle of the order hitter is available? Unless you consider Soriano a middle of the order kind of player. Also, there is CRAWFORD! :p
As for Headley possible heading to the Orioles, it would be nice, problem is he will cost a bunch. I think we need a pitcher first (ahem, cough Liriano) and I would like Morneau, apparently no other Oriole fan does, but I do.
Personally, I would rather call up Schoop and see what he can do at third rather than trade him and someone else for Headley.
Kind of a misleading MLBTradeRumor heading. The actual article talks more about the Reds need for an OF that can lead off and a LH bench bat. The middle of the order part is more of an afterthought in the Stark’s column.
If I were the Braves FO, I’d seriously be looking at what Soriano would cost if the Cubs are indeed willing to pay most of his salary. Adds a solid bat to the lineup this year (allowing you to use Prado as a super utility with a big chunk at 2B while Uggla struggles) and covers LF next year when Prado moves to 3b full time.
I think i read that the Cubs would be willing to pay all but 2mil of his contract
Demp is apparently willing to listen to more teams than LAD now. If Im Theo, I offer Demp, Sori and 46mil to the Braves for Delgado. I have a feeling that the Cubs would need to “sweeten the pot” over the previous offer.
I don’t understand why so many Braves fans are freaking out over the Braves shifting their focus. They had Dempster and he blocked the trade, the Rangers can offer more than the Braves can for Greinke. James Shields and others aren’t even really on the trade block and the Rays would need position players in return, which the Braves don’t really have in the minors. The Braves could focus on putting Kris Medlen in the rotation and trading for a reliever to replace him in the bullpen.
If you think the Braves can trade for an “ace” just by giving up Julio Teheran and scrap pieces, you’re insanely oblivious. The Rangers can dangle guys like Mike Olt, Martin Perez, and even Jurrickson Profar if they really want an “ace”. The Braves simply can’t match and shouldn’t try to blow up their farm system just because it’s Chipper’s last season. It’s not worth hurting the franchise 2-3 years down the line to make a splash move for a guy that possibly won’t re-sign in Atlanta.
They’ve had a terrific season with the pieces they have in place and giving up team control for a young starter like Delgado isn’t worth a rental piece like Ryan Dempster.
Adding a capable backup infielder and a solid reliever would do wonders for this team. If you can’t add a top starter, why not look for a decent reliever? The Braves are constantly burning out Medlen, EOF, and Kimbrel because Venters, Durbin, Avilan can’t really be trusted at this point.
If the Braves would be able to sign Zack Greinke to an extension like many on this site believe (with the contracts off the books they could make a decent offer) why not just make an offer for him when he becomes a FA? They could get him without having to surrender a prospect. (He probably wouldn’t want to pitch in the huge markets like New York or Boston and the risks of being outbid are the same if they were to trade for him.)
So, I’d be totally fine with the Braves adding to the bullpen and finding a capable player off the bench.
Well put, and agreed (well, mostly, as Venters has looked great since returning from the DL, though it’s only two games… still, reminding me of 2011 Jonny, which I hope keeps up), and can’t believe so many people would down vote this.
With Moylan coming back, add another solid bullpen arm and bat, move Meds into the rotation, and this team could definitely make a push…
Don’t see the Orioles matching up unless they’re willing to part with Machado. Their next best piece is Schoop who is a borderline top 100 prospect. And he would only be interesting if he played SS. I know that was his original position, but in the offseason K Law said he has no shot at staying at SS. If he’s a 2b then no thanks, the padres have amarista and Forsythe with the big league club, and a very comparable prospect in Spangenberg who would be blocked by Schoop.
Perhaps if the Padres were willing to throw in more parts or prospects, they could convince the O’s move Machado. The Pads have about 7 top 100 prospects or could throw in a guy like Joe Thatcher as Baltimore is said to be looking for LH reliever.
yeah the Os are weird they have two guys that they value higher than acquiring headley and from then on there’s a huge gap between prospects. if the padres do trade with the Os its probably gonna be for 4-5 players- major leaguers and prospects mixed. If i were the Os i would just look for a cheaper upgrade, a playoff run isn’t worth mortgaging their future imo.
Agreed. I don’t think the O’s have the fortitude or are willing to give up the talent needed to make a trade like this. They may be on the cusp of the playoffs, but with the roster they have, if they do make it, they look more like a one and done team.
Completely agree. Machado for Headley, Thatcher and a prospect. It’s win-win.
would love that trade, but in other news Lindors available in a “exceptional” offer- so who knows.
Cleveland has to know they’re not a contender by now right?
What? A win-win? for who?
A double-A prospect for a proven MLB level 3B controllable for 2 more years AND Thatcher AND a prospect? Not a chance. That would be like me proposing Headley for Adam Jones, Chen and a prospect.
Machado straight up for Headley wouldn’t even be close enough…
Machado is a Potential Star. A top 10 prospect in all of baseball. You give up proven guys for star potential.
A MLB level 3B who is blocking one of your best prospects, a left handed reliever and a 11-15 prospect in your system for a top 10 prospect in all of baseball would be a good deal for the Padres.
KLaw is an O’s hater with an agenda. He is the analyst version of Rosenthal.
The O’s will not trade Machado in any deal for Headley, unless it’s Headley and Alonso. Even that might not be enough to get Machado.
Lol well he’s pretty high on Bundy and Machado. Maybe he’s wrong about them too.
If he wasn’t, then he would have no credibility with the rest of the baseball world. Notice, however, that he kept Bundy out of the #1 spot on his list while Baseball America (who I respect much more highly) didn’t. In fact, according to Jim Callis, they were going to put Profar ahead of Bundy but they contacted a large number of scouts who almost to a man said that Bundy was the #1 prospect in all baseball.
Ok I agree, everyone is high on those two, but schoops value has decreased this season and thats pretty much consensus and not just Law. I find it unlikely that someone with such a high profile position would get where they are by misrepresenting his opinion and the opinions of the other scouts he gets his information from, because of an agenda to devalue Orioles minor leaguers.
He isn’t misrepresenting his opinion. He’s stating it very clearly. I just believe he has an anti-Oriole bias. Remember, this is the guy who has ripped the organization for 6 months because they started Bundy in low-A ball instead of double-A.
What’s the likelyhood of a Aramis Ramirez trade to the Reds? Scott Rolen has struggled to a 212 average and only 4 bombs this season. Ramirez has spent his entire career in the NL Central and this trade would keep him there. Jocketty says they’re in the market for a middle of the order bat and he surely fits the bill. A Ramirez to the Reds for a package centered around SS Billy Hamilton to the Brewers could make sense for both sides.
Absolutely makes zero sense. Frazier was already getting some of Rolen’s playing time at 3B before Votto went down and wouldn’t surprise many if Frazier plays the majority of the time when Joey gets back. Putting Hamilton in any deal would get a quick hangup from the Reds … much less a package
No way they’re trading Hamilton…unless it’s for a better bat than Ramirez. They are perfectly happy with Todd Frazier at 3rd base full time after this season. That being said…I’d like to see them go after either Hunter Pence of the Phillies or possibly Josh Willingham of the Twins (considering he’s on the block of course)
I don’t think the Marlins will get a good return on Carlos Zambrano. He is in a slump and he does have a history. I see him finishing the season with the Marlins and getting signed, by the Marlins or some other team, during spring training.
Carlos Lee could be easier to move, and he should be moved by the Marlins. Carlos Lee won’t be staying after this season, and any return the Marlins can get for him will be good. They should also think about trading Gaby Sanchez. They should move Logan Morrison to 1B where his knee will have an easier time.