Rangers Interested In Trading For Utility Infielder
In spite of the deal with Oakland that brought Gregorio Petit to Texas, MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan reports that Petit will probably end up in Triple-A rather than fill the Rangers' need for a utility infielder on their big league roster. Texas has been looking to fill their backup infield void for weeks, and a few new options have appeared on the Rangers' radar for a possible deal.
Augie Ojeda (who we know the D'Backs are shopping) is one option that the Rangers have an interest in, Sullivan says. Sullivan proposes that right-hander Luis Mendoza might be a good fit to be dealt for Ojeda since Arizona wants pitching and Mendoza is out of options. Willie Bloomquist and Kevin Frandsen are also possible options, Sullivan reports. Frandsen is another player known to be on the trade market, and that same MLBTR piece also cites the Giants as a team that could be interested in a player of Ojeda's type.
Former Ranger Ramon Vazquez has been mentioned in trade talks this winter and we know the Pirates want to move him. But Sullivan says Texas doesn't want to acquire Vazquez at the cost of Mendoza, and you have to figure that the Rangers might just pick Vazquez up if Pittsburgh is forced to release him.
Giants Shopping Frandsen, Lewis
WEDNESDAY, 3:09pm: Schulman tweets that the Giants are "not trying to dump Lewis, but hope to deal him for an experienced backup middle infielder who can play shortstop and second base." The D'Backs have one such available player in Augie Ojeda, but there's no indication they're looking to add an outfielder.
TUESDAY, 3:22pm: The Giants are shopping infielder Kevin Frandsen, reports Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. Frandsen has a minor league option remaining, but he's slipped on the Giants' depth chart.
Frandsen, 28 in May, hit .295/.352/.438 at Triple A last year while playing all four infield positions. Three years ago, Baseball America viewed Frandsen as a "solid No. 2 hitter" and potential starting second baseman. However, he was derailed by a ruptured Achilles tendon in March of '08. Earlier this month, Schulman wrote about Frandsen's frustrations and his new attitude adopted while playing winter ball.
San Francisco has been unable to drum up interest in Frandsen as well as outfielder Fred Lewis, tweets Schulman. The 29-year-old Lewis hit .258/.348/.390 with 4 HRs in 336 plate appearances last season. Recently CSNBayArea.com's Mychael Urban speculated that Lewis was likely to be released towards the end of camp as he is out of options.
Odds & Ends: Orioles, Harper, Hanley
Links for Wednesday…
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports presents a slideshow of ten trades he thinks would make sense.
- In another article, Morosi says Bryce Harper is "one terrible role model." Morosi contrasts Harper with Joe Mauer, who he says had an "uncontrived upbringing" but still became a well-paid star.
- The Mariners acquired minor league infielder Edgar Trejo from the Brewers for a player to be named later or cash considerations, tweets Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
- Over at RotoAuthority, I took a look at 2009's top position players and pitchers in terms of fantasy baseball earnings, and what rounds those players were drafted in.
- The Orioles are replacing farm director David Stockstill, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Tony Pente of Orioles Hangout first hinted Monday of impending front office changes.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post notes that March 31st at 2pm is "the deadline to release players with non-guaranteed contracts and owe just 45-day’s pay." The Yankees' Chad Gaudin is one example, though a year ago with the Cubs Gaudin had a guaranteed contract.
- In light of the news that the Giants are shopping infielder Kevin Frandsen, Dave Cameron of U.S.S. Mariner explains why the Mariners acquiring him "seems like the most obvious move ever."
- Marlins president David Samson told Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post he'd like Hanley Ramirez to retire a Marlin. Fortunately, Ramirez is already signed through 2014.
Padres Discussing Kouzmanoff
618pm: Stark hears that the Padres offered Kouzmanoff up for Lewis and Frandsen. That doesn't match with the reports below, which suggest the Padres wanted more. Stark agrees with Nightengale that the Padres wanted more than Glen Perkins in return from the Twins.
WEDNESDAY, 5:21pm: Jayson Stark of ESPN.com hears that the Padres are aggressively trying to move Kouzmanoff. The Twins and Giants are interested.
TUESDAY, 5:39pm: The Twins offered Perkins for Kouzmanoff, but the Padres want more, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
4:50pm: MLB.com's Corey Brock hears that Kouzmanoff has drawn interest from as many as eight teams. The Padres aren't interested in Lewis or Frandsen.
1:47pm: USA Today's Bob Nightengale tweets about an NL West trade discussion: the Giants are talking to the Padres about third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff, but the Padres want more than Fred Lewis and Kevin Frandsen. I'm guessing the Padres would prefer not to pay Kouzmanoff the $3-5MM he'll get through arbitration.
Meanwhile La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says the Padres would like to discuss Kouzmanoff with the Twins. He wonders if they'd be interested in Glen Perkins, who is available. Neal notes that Pedro Feliz's agents would like to talk to the Twins as well.
Giants Done Dealing?
7:47pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hear that the Giants still have some interest in Mark Teahen.
7:38pm: Giants GM Brian Sabean told Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle that he doesn't expect to trade for a starter or a bat today or tomorrow. Here are the details:
- The available starters aren't enticing, considering their cost.
- The bats that interest the Giants aren't available now. Schulman wonders if Josh Willingham might be one of the interesting, unavailable bats Sabean hints at.
- The Giants don't plan on trading Kevin Frandsen. They'd rather keep him in the system as a utility man.