Rumors for Texas Rangers
Cliff Lee ready to sign with New York Yankees this winter?
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A baseball man close to Cliff Lee said via ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark, that the left-handed pitcher will go to the New York Yankees this winter despite any attempts the Texas Rangers have on re-signing him. Lee will be a free-agent after this season, and can command a $20+ million per year contract.
Stark says that the reason that Lee will go to New York is because the Yankees are the best bet to “outbid the rest of civilization.”
“Cliff,” Starks’ source said, “would go to Siberia if they offered him the biggest contract.”
Mariners had opportunity to trade Josh Lueke back due to rape and sodomy case?
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Back in July, the Seattle Mariners acquired right-handed pitcher Josh Lueke as part of a package that sent left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee to the Texas Rangers. Shortly afterwards, news reports started to come out regarding Lueke’s involvement in a May 2008 case for sexually assaulting an unconscious 22-year-old woman in Bakersfield, California.
Despite the Mariners insistence that they had no knowledge of the player’s past and there was nothing they could do post-trade, Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times says the team had full knowledge of Lueke’s history and had the opportunity to send him back to the Rangers.
Former Mariners pitching coach Rick Adair said he told general manager Jack Zduriencik about Lueke’s troubles well before the deal.
“I told him everything I knew about every prospect I was asked about, including Lueke, including any court case,” said Adair, who was fired Aug. 9 along with Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu. “Everything I knew to be accurate, I told them.”
Rangers GM Jon Daniels said he made a standing offer that night to take Lueke back.
“We tried that on Friday night,” Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said. “But then, on Saturday morning, the Rangers said, ‘No, we’ve already notified the players. The deal stands as is.’ ”
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Update – Atlanta Braves holding onto Troy Glaus – will recall INF on Wednesday
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8/31 23:16: FOXSports’ Ken Rosenthal says the Braves are not trading Glaus. Rather the team is recalling him Wednesday.
8/29 10:05: Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports says a trade of Atlanta Braves’ infielder Troy Glaus is possible. One Major League source close to Morosi says multiple teams have shown interest in Glaus and he could fit in for teams with needs at first base and/or designated hitter. Candidates for such as need include the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers.
There are approximately two days left before the August 31st deadline to set post season rosters and many of the contenders are trying to round out their rosters in preparation for a World Series run.
Glaus was placed on the disabled list earlier this month, and is currently on a Minor League rehabilitation assignment where he’s hitting .391 with two home runs and 8 RBIs in six games. He’s hitting .239 with 16 home runs and 70 RBIs with the big league club in 115 games this season. He carries a balance of about $300,000 should a team pick him up for September.
Texas Rangers designate Brandon Boggs for assignment
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Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star Telegram says the Texas Rangers have designated outfielder Brandon Boggs for assignment to clear a roster spot for newly acquired Jeff Francoeur.
Boggs, 27, was 0-for-7 in 4 games for the Rangers’ big league club this year. His best year was 2008 when he hit .226/.333/.399 with 8 home runs and 41 RBIs in 101 games for the Rangers.
Update – Texas Rangers acquire Jeff Francoeur for Joaquin Arias
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8/31 19:42: According to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, the Texas Rangers have acquired Jeff Francoeur. He adds per team press release that the Mets have acquired infielder Joaquin Arias.
“When looking at the composition of our 25-man roster, specifically our outfield, we are relatively left-handed,” assistant GM Thad Levine said via Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram. “It gives us an opportunity to pick our spots and platoon with guys like Murphy and Borbon rather than expose them to every left-handed pitcher.”
| Team | Acquires |
| Texas Rangers | OF Jeff Francoeur |
| New York Mets | INF Joaquin Arias |
8/31 16:43: Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman says there are discussions involving Rangers’ infielder Joaquin Arias in exchange for the Mets’ Jeff Francoeur.
8/31 14:11: Sources close to ESPN’s Adam Rubin says the Texas Rangers are considering New York Mets outfielder Jeff Francoeur.
“His name has definitely been talked about,” one source said.
Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman adds, “rangers and mets are indeed talking about francoeur. would give rangers OF flexibility, extra righty bat”
Yesterday, Richard Durrett of the ESPN.com said the team is looking for a right-handed bat via the waiver wire, and at the time suggested Francoeur as possible candidate at the time.
Francoeur, 26, is hitting .236/.293/.369 with 11 home runs and 53 RBIs in 123 games for the Mets this season.
Texas Rangers NOT likely to acquire Boston Red Sox Mike Lowell
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8/31 15:22: A club official close to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan said “Nothing is happening with Lowell.”
8/31 14:26: MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan says the Texas Rangers are in talks with the Boston Red Sox for Mike Lowell. Sullivan says the conversations “have heated up.”
The talks between the Rangers and Red Sox for Lowell started last winter. At the time, the two teams agreed to a deal that would have sent Lowell to the Rangers for catcher Max Ramirez. However, because Lowell needed surgery to his thumb, the deal was called off. The two teams revisited the deal this summer, but they are becoming more serious as the deadline approaches.
Earlier today we heard the Rangers are talking with the Mets for Jeff Francouer, but Sullivan says the Rangers main target appears to be Lowell.
In his limited play this season, Lowell is hitting .234/.309/.373 with 4 home runs and 20 RBIs.
Update – No deal to trade Mike Napoli from Angels to Red Sox
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8/29 14:14: According to a source close to Alex Speier of WEEI says the Red Sox and the Angels did not reach an agreement to trade catcher Mike Napoli despite the Sox being awarded a waiver claim.
A second source close to Speier said the Angels were “not really looking to move” Napoli right now.
8/29 17:21: The Angels will likely pull Napoli back as they can create more of a trade market for him over the winter, a league source told John Tomase of the Boston Herald. The Red Sox had interest in Napoli but also needed to put a claim in to block the Rays from obtaining him.
8/29 14:50: According to ESPN’s Joe McDonald, the Boston Red Sox have claimed Mike Napoli. McDonald adds that is is unlikely the Red Sox will complete a deal.
8/28 23:01: Major League sources close to FOXSports.com say that Los Angeles Angels catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli was claimed on trade waivers by an unknown team. The Angels and the claiming team now have until Monday afternoon to work out a deal.
Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports says the team is probably another American League club. Possible candidates include the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and the Texas Rangers. All of those teams could use help at catcher, first base and/or designated hitter.
Since the return of catcher Jeff Mathis from the disabled list in June, Napoli has spent more time at first base.
Napoli is earning $3.6 million this season and is on track to be a free agent after the 2012 season. He is hitting .249 with 21 home runs and 60 RBIs in 112 games.
Texas Rangers looking for right-handed hitter before August 31 deadline?
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We’re about two days away from the August 31st deadline to set post season rosters, and while many teams are already making winter vacation plans, the Texas Rangers are continuing to work the phones. According to Richard Durrett of the ESPN.com, the team is looking for a right-handed bat via the waiver wire.
Durrett suggests players such as the Colorado Rockies’ Ryan Spilborghs, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Reed Johnson, the New York Mets’ Jeff Francoeur, the Chicago Cubs Marlon Byrd, the Washington Nationals’ Mike Morse or the Baltimore Orioles’ Ty Wigginton as possible candidates the Rangers could pick up.
Ken Rosenthal on Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Here’s the latest from FOXSports’ Ken Rosenthal via his Full Count Video:
The addition of relief pitcher Brian Fuentes to the Minnesota Twins’ bullpen via trade from the Los Angeles Angels adds almost $2 million more to the Twins’ payroll, but it could be well worth it. Fuentes gives the Twins another closing option, but he fits best in left-on-left situations. Fuentes has held left-handed hitters to a .132 batting average. Left-hander Jose Mijares could come back to Minnesota in the last few weeks of the season – giving the Twins three left-handed options out of the bullpen.
Part of the reason the Texas Rangers made a claim on Manny Ramirez this week was to keep him away from two potential playoff opponents – the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees. It’s probably best that the Rangers did not win the claim due to Ramirez’s defensive liability. Rosenthal says the Rangers should be fine with Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler expected to come off the DL shortly. The Rangers had been looking into acquiring a fourth outfielder – somebody like the Dodgers’ Reed Johnson.
If the Los Angeles Dodgers’ decision to part with Ramirez comes down to the outcome of their next three games, then Rosenthal says the pitching matchups will be critical. Rosenthal points out that Monday’s matchup will be between Hiroki Kuroda versus the Philadelphia Phillies Roy Halladay. The Dodgers could let Ramirez go regardless of the outcome of their next three games because he hasn’t really been a factor for the Dodgers’ this season.
With three teams making a claim on Ramirez this week, and the possibility of inheriting the $4 million that he’s due, Rosenthal points out that teams are more robust financial than what we are led to believe.
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