Rumors for July, 2010
Update – Texas Rangers acquire infielder Cristian Guzman from Nationals
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7/30 14:26: Evan P Grant of The Dallas Morning News says that Guzman has 10/5 rights so he has until Saturday to accept the trade to the Rangers. If he goes, Texas will send Tatusko and Tanner Roark to the Nationals.
7/30 12:14: The Texas Rangers acquired infielder Cristian Guzman from Washington Nationals according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com. Guzman will give the Rangers depth at several positions. He’s played second base, short stop and right field this year.
TR Sullivan of MLB.com says the Nationals will receive pitcher Ryan Tatusko in exchange for Guzman.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports has reported several times this month that the Rangers and the Philadelphia Phillies were interested in Guzman.
Guzman, 32, is hitting .282/.327/.361 in 89 games this season for the Nationals. Guzman is making $8 million this season and will be a free agent this winter.
Cody Ross Trade Rumors: Ross is available if price is right
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7/30 14:11: Jayson Stark of ESPN says that one team that asked about Ross was told that the outfielder is “available if price is right”.
7/30 13:36: Frankie Piliere of FanHouse.com says Marlins OF Cody Ross has been taken “off the table”. Braves and the other clubs are looking in different directions now.
7/30 13:25: According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports, the Atlanta Braves are still interested in Florida Marlins’ outfielder Cody Ross. He adds that the Braves have competition in acquiring the Marlins’ outfielder because two other teams are “coming hard” at Ross.
The Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers have been known to be interested in acquiring Ross.
Rosenthal is wondering if Florida is willing to move him. He adds that the Fish would need a big offer to move him.
Update – Boston Red Sox trying to deal Mike Lowell
Posted by: | Comments7/30 13:43: Lowell said he has no idea if or where he might go between now and the trade deadline, but says that best case is that he’s not with #redsox (Alex Speier, WEEI.com)
On best-case scenario: ‘I don’t think anything I can say Red Sox-related would seem unselfish’ Called season ‘terrible’ (Alex Speier, WEEI.com)
“I just wanted to go to Pawtucket and feel good and put myself in a position where I … gave myself a little exclamation point of what I was capable of doing,” Lowell said. “I think I did everything I could have done in Pawtucket. If there’s something out there, whether it’s our team or another team, that they wanted to see more of, there’s not any more left. What do they want me to do? Hit four home runs? I think that’s a little unfair. So I leave it at that. There’s nothing left for me to do.” (Alex Speier, WEEI.com)
7/30 12:12: Boston Red Sox infielder Mike Lowell is expected to come off the disabled list, but Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe tweets, “Sox trying to deal lowell and may not activate him today.”
Lowell has been in Triple-A Pawtucket for a rehab assignment. In the first three games of his rehab assignment, he’s batting .357 (5 for 14). He had attracted the attention of the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers, but it appears that both of the teams may be headed in another directions.
Boston Red Sox checking in on available relief pitchers
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7/30 13:05: Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says “Trevor Hoffman wants to stay with Brewers will not be coming to #Red Sox”
7/30 12:49: Jayson Stark of ESPN tweets, “Sounds like #RedSox have checked in on every reliever between Beacon St. & Belgium. Made a run at Sean Marshall of #Cubs. Shot down. #trades”
7/29 11:20: Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports says that the Boston Red Sox have inquired about Milwaukee Brewers reliever and all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman. The Red Sox unfortunately are one of five teams on Hoffman’s no-trade list, so additional negotiations/compensation will required.
Earlier this morning, we talked about the possibility of the Brewers trading Hoffman despite Rosenthal saying the Brewers are not inclined to trade the right-hander.
Hoffman could be attractive to clubs seeking right-handed relief help. He has a 1.69 ERA in his last 15 appearances. He signed through this season for $7.5 million, and has a club option for 2011 with a $500,000 buyout.
Earlier today Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe said the Red Sox expect to do something to help their bullpen by the July 31st trade deadline.
Some candidates that they could go after include Rafael Perez, Will Ohman, Read More→
Octavio Dotel Rumors: Action has been light on Pirates closer
Posted by: | CommentsJon Paul Morosi of FOXSports tweets, “Action has been light on Dotel so far, source says. But still more likely the #Pirates move him than Hanrahan.”
The Pirates are interested in dealing Octavio Dotel, despite Dotel having no desire to leave Pittsburgh. He is signed for $3.25 million for this season, and there’s a $4.5 million club option for 2011. Earlier this month, the Florida Marlins inquired about Dotel. The 36-year-old is 2-2 with a 4.28 ERA and has 21 saves this season.
Chad Qualls Trade Rumors: Many teams interested Diamondbacks reliever but nothing close
Posted by: | CommentsJon Heyman of Sports Illustrated tweets, “many nibbles on chad qualls for #dbacks. nothing close yet. lots of guts, bad stats this year.”
The Tampa Bay Rays have been interested in Qualls. The Mets had interest in Qualls too, but it is now known if they still are interested.
Earlier this month, Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated said Qualls has a lot of guts and could work as a middle reliever for a contender. The big problem with Qualls is his poor stats. The 31-year-old reliever is 1-4 with 12 saves and a 8.51 ERA this season. He has a horrible WHIP of 2.054.
Pittsburgh Pirates willing to trade starting pitchers Paul Maholm or Zach Duke?
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Pittsburgh Pirates GM Neal Huntington said the team would be willing to trade a starting pitcher if the price is right.
According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Huntington did not identify any starters, but he made reference to players that will soon be free agents. The only players that fit that profile are Paul Maholm and Zach Duke.
“If the package is appropriate for one of our starting pitchers, we are willing to consider a move,” Huntington said in an interview with the Post-Gazette. “If the interest is in one of our starting pitchers who is one year away from free agency, that shifts the tolerance accordingly, as we would be able to reinvest their potential dollars into a major-league starting pitcher — via trade or free agency — and add valuable multiyear pieces to our major-league club and/or system. Again, we will need to feel good about the return to make a move.” Read More→
Toronto Blue Jays acquire Mike Jacobs from New York Mets
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The Toronto Blue Jays acquire first baseman Mike Jacobs from New York Mets for a player to be named later, according to Andy McCullough of The Star Ledger.
Jacobs, 29, is hitting .208/.296/.375 in 28 at-bats this season with the Mets. He is a lifetime .253/.313/.475 hitter with the Mets, Marlins and Royals.
Update – Colorado Rockies Brad Hawpe on the radar for Padres, Tigers and White Sox
Posted by: | Comments7/30 11:01: Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post says that Hawpe is on the radar for the Tigers and White Sox
7/29 19:49: Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports says the Tigers have interest in Hawpe.
7/29 18:32: Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports said the San Diego Padres may not be done shopping. It looks like they may be interested in an outfielder or starting pitcher. Rosenthal emphasizes that the Pads are looking for modestly priced players that could provide a modest impact.
Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated suggests that Colorado Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe would be a good fit for San Diego, but he’s a little expensive. Looking over the PRO Rumors contract database, Hawpe is signed through this year for $7.5 million, so any team that acquires him now will be responsible for about $3 million. There is a team option for $10 million in 2011, but it can be bought out for $500,000.
There were rumors earlier that the Chicago White Sox were one of a number of teams “poking around” on Hawpe. Hawpe could be the White Sox’ Plan B in the event they cannot acquire Washington Nationals’ first baseman Adam Dunn.
