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Odds & Ends: Holliday, Putz, Lopez, Teahen, Reds

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It's been a busy first day on the hot stove, so here's another batch of links…

  • Derrick Goold of The St. Lous Post Dispatch says there are eight teams "that have the need and the financial wherewithal" to sign Matt Holliday. It's the usual suspects (i.e. big market clubs), and Goold explains why each may be interested in Holliday.
  • Craig Landis, agent for J.J. Putz, said that his client "hasn't ruled out returning to the Mets with a cheaper, incentive-laden deal," according to Bart Hubbuch of The NY Post. Earlier today we learned that the Mets informed Putz that they wouldn't be picking up his 2010 option.
  • MLB.com's Adam McCalvy says the Brewers are waiting to see whether Felipe Lopez qualifies as a Type-A or B free agent, and that will likely play a role in their decision whether or not to offer him arbitration. Eddie Bajek's work projects Lopez to be a Type-B, but he's right on the cutoff.
  • ESPN's Keith Law loves the Mark Teahen trade for the Royals, noting that they traded one average player close to free agency for two average players with several years of team control left.
  • John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Reds' relievers Nick Masset and Jared Burton are arbitration eligible as Super Two's, but Micah Owings is not.
  • Meanwhile, the Reds are expected to decline Ramon Hernandez's $8.5MM option for 2010, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. 
  • David O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal Constitution has some quotes from Tim Hudson about his contract extension.
  • Did you catch Mariano Rivera saying that he wants to play another five years during the Yankees' World Series celebration last night? It turns out he wasn't kidding. Chad Jennings of The Journal News quotes the Yanks' closer as saying “I’m serious. I hope the organization does whatever it takes to bring me back.”

Royals Rumors: Jacobs, Buck, Olivo, Teahen

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Royals GM Dayton Moore tells Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star that he plans on improving his team's defense this offseason. Moore expects to have about $70MM to work with this winter, but, as Mellinger points out, that doesn't leave the Royals with much flexibility. Here are the details:

  • The Royals figure to look for an everyday outfielder, a catcher and relief help.
  • They will probably have to non-tender some players to stay within their budget.
  • Mellinger assumes the Royals will buy Coco Crisp out for $500k, rather than pick up his $8MM option.
  • Mike Jacobs is a prime non-tender candidate. He has a .692 OPS, but he's making $3.275MM this year and would be in line for at least $2.6MM if the Royals offer him arbitration.
  • Miguel Olivo is likely to pursue free agency. The Royals may need another catcher if they decide that the $3MM or so John Buck would earn through arbitration is too much.
  • Club officials say there's "no chance" they non-tender Mark Teahen.

More August Trade Candidates

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Nobody's been traded so far in August, but deals are sure to go through. ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick considers some trade candidates:

  • Doug Davis and Jon Garland 
  • Heath Bell – An unlikely trade candidate, since he's sure to be claimed, but he could be dealt even if he's claimed (to the NL team with the worst record among all claiming teams).
  • Lyle Overbay – He makes $7MM next year, a deterrent for possible suitors.
  • Justin Duchscherer – Some health concerns remain, as he hasn't pitched in the majors this year.  
  • Kevin Millar, Nomar Garciaparra and Jason Giambi – Veteran bats for the playoffs.
  • Jamey Carroll – Mark Teahen's another utility type, but he's less likely to be dealt than Carroll.  
  • Carl Pavano – Just don't expect the Yankees to come calling. 
  • Arthur Rhodes and David Weathers  
  • Miguel Batista 

  Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times looks into Mariners trade candidates:

  • Russell Branyan won't clear waivers, but the Mariners could consider dealing six weeks of Branyan to the claiming team for a decent prospect.
  • Like Duchscherer, Erik Bedard has to prove he's healthy before anyone will commit to him.
  • Baker expects the Mariners to try to move Adrian Beltre. They won't want to offer him arbitration after the season and risk paying him $14MM or so next year, so now's their chance to get a return for Beltre. They would almost certainly have to pick up salary in the process.

Heyman On August Trades

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Executives tell Jon Heyman of SI.com that we saw the "softest deadline ever" last week because there's still the possibility for trades this month. Here's an explanation of how trades can occur after the deadline and here are the players Heyman deems likely to clear waivers (player who clear waivers may be traded):

  • Bronson Arroyo, Adam Dunn, Jose Guillen, Aaron Harang, Adrian Beltre, Aubrey Huff, Jason Giambi, Melvin Mora, Miguel Batista, Juan Cruz, Ty Wigginton, Ron Mahay, Willie Bloomquist, Lyle Overbay, Willy Taveras.

Some players who could clear waivers:

  • Jon Garland, Doug Davis, Gil Meche, Alex Rios, Carl Pavano, Mark Hendrickson, Jhonny Peralta, Jamey Carroll, Ron Villone. 

And some players who probably won't clear waivers, but who could be dealt to a claiming team: 

  • Roy Halladay, Felix Hernandez, Heath Bell, Adrian Gonzalez, Marco Scutaro, Chad Qualls, Michael Wuertz, Brian Bannister, Josh Willingham, Gary Sheffield, David Eckstein, Jason Frasor, Mark Teahen.

Bannister, Bloomquist, Teahen Drawing Interest

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1:47pm: ESPN's Jayson Stark says the price for Bannister is similar to that of Jarrod Washburn – "big league-ready starter, pitching prospect with upside."  He says the Yanks maintain mild interest.

10:16am: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports say the Brewers made an offer for Bannister but the Royals chose not to counter it.  The Royals would have to be bowled over to move the 28 year-old righty.

FRIDAY, 9:22am: Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel says the Royals rejected overtures from the Marlins on Bannister.  He wonders whether the next best thing for Florida might be to bring Carl Pavano back.  We've heard surprisingly little about Pavano lately.  He projects to fall short of Type B status, so there's no point in the Indians keeping him.

THURSDAY, 7:58pm: Jayson Stark and Buster Olney of ESPN.com report that the Yankees inquired about Bannister, but talks didn't develop because the Yankees asked the Royals to pay the $650k that remains on Bannister's 2009 contract. Since when does $650k stop the Yanks from making a deal? As Stark and Olney say, welcome to the wacky world of baseball 2009.

7:50pm: Teams are inquiring on righty Brian Bannister, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. The Royals weren't close to dealing him as of this evening, but we still have 20 hours before the deadline. Bannister, 28, makes $1.7MM this year and isn't scheduled to become a free agent until after the 2012 season. Here are a few more quick hits on the Royals:

Giants Done Dealing?

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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.

Cubs Acquire John Grabow, Tom Gorzelanny

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4:50pm: The Pirates' return of Hart, Ascanio, and Harrison is confirmed by a press release from the Cubs.  Gorzelanny will head to Triple A Iowa.  The Pirates keep adding arms; I guess this means they like Hart more than Gorzelanny.

4:47pm: ESPN Chicago says the Cubs sent pitchers Kevin Hart and Jose Ascanio to Pittsburgh for Grabow and Gorzelanny.  Ed Price, via Twitter, says the Cubs are also sending third baseman Josh Harrison. 

4:43pm: Finally a possible name as part of the package going to Pittsburgh.   Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, via Twitter, hears pitching prospect Jay Jackson may be in the deal.  Jackson, a starting pitcher, was a ninth-round pick last year and ranked ninth on Baseball America's list of Cubs prospects.

3:22pm: Via Twitter, Kovacevic says Grabow and Gorzelanny to the Cubs is almost or "just about" done, while Chris De Luca of the Chicago Sun-Times says they closed the deal for Grabow. ESPNChicago's Jon Greenberg says the Cubs are "in the process of finalizing" the deal for Grabow.  Heyman terms the deal for both hurlers as "very close."

Gorzelanny, who is from Evergreen Park, IL, has a 2.48 ERA in 15 Triple A starts this year.  He won 14 games in the bigs in '07, but was derailed by back, shoulder, and finger problems in '08.  We still don't know what the Pirates will get back in this deal, but it ought to be something decent.

2:56pm: Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Cubs and Pirates are discussing a deal that would send Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny to Chicago. No deal is in place and other teams remain interested in Grabow. 

2:21pm: Heyman (via Twitter) thinks the Cubs are getting closer on Grabow, and could acquire another pitcher as well.

1:27pm: SI's Jon Heyman says the Cubs and Pirates are in "serious discussions" about Grabow.

11:58am: ESPN's Jayson Stark says the Cubs are "strictly mining the lefthanded reliever market" and not looking for a bat.  Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald concurs.

10:51am: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports say the Cubs prefer Pittsburgh's John Grabow over Washington's Joe Beimel, and they continue to discuss the lefty reliever with the Pirates.  The FOX report suggests the Cubs will stay internal for their Reed Johnson replacement.

Grabow currently ranks as a Type A free agent in the wacky world of Elias, but for his team to have a chance at draft picks they'd have to offer him arbitration and risk paying him more than $2.3MM if he accepts.

9:02am: The Cubs are looking for a left-handed hitter who can play right field, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.  While they're not optimistic about a deal, the plan would be to create a platoon with the disappointing Milton Bradley.  Wittenmyer says the Cubs have about $2-3MM of payroll room to work with.

Two players on the radar: Mark Teahen of the Royals and Jeremy Hermida of the Marlins.  The Royals are looking for a center fielder in return, however.  Teahen has $1.37MM left on his contract.  Hermida has $847K remaining.  Both players can be under team control through 2011.  Either player would still leave some wiggle room for the Cubs to acquire a left-handed reliever.

Heyman Talks Giants

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In a new blog post, SI's Jon Heyman discusses the Giants' plans.

  • The Giants "haven't ruled out trading for more offense" after getting Freddy Sanchez and Ryan Garko.  Heyman says that at some point the Giants scouted Miguel Tejada, Carlos Lee, Josh Willingham, Nick Johnson, Mark Teahen and Marco Scutaro.  We can probably cross Johnson off the list.  And we've seen no sign the Astros would sell.
  • The Giants would like to add a fifth starter, given the loss of Randy Johnson for at least August.  Heyman speculates on a few names such as Bronson Arroyo, Doug Davis, and Jon Garland.

Twins Seek Infielders; No Holliday For Tigers

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The Twins continue their search for infielders and the Tigers don't seem likely to acquire Matt Holliday. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports has the details:

  • The Twins, who could use infield help, have discussed an Orlando Cabrera trade with the A's.
  • The Twins could also pursue Jack Wilson, Freddy Sanchez or Marco Scutaro.  
  • Mark Teahen could be an option, but it's unclear whether the Royals would deal within the division.
  • Ken Rosenthal hears that the Giants and Tigers will not be serious players for Matt Holliday.  
  • The A's gave the Tigers a list of prospects to discuss for Holliday, but talks didn't develop.
  • The Tigers didn't want to discuss lefty Casey Crosby. 
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