Hey guys, and welcome to today’s rumor mill for Major League Baseball!
We’ll be discussing some pretty good rumors around the MLB, so you may want to stick around to catch the excitement.
Will Cliff Lee be traded back to his old team, the Philadelphia Phillies?
Will Pedro Martinez join him? Or will he go to a different team?
All of these rumors and a lot more on today’s MLB Rumor Mill!
So check out the rumors.
Hope you enjoy them.
As we near the All Star Break, divisions begin to take shape and the contenders and pretenders begin to separate. At this time, general managers begin to look over their teams in search of what they may need for the stretch run.
In this three part series, I will examine the best available talent at this year’s trading deadline. I will outline salaries and future status as well, giving you an idea of their worth going forward.
As the MLB trade deadline is quickly approaching, we have a greater idea of which teams will be buyers and which will be sellers.
One of the biggest commodities during the trade deadline will be starting pitching.
No team can have enough pitching and with all six divisions being decided by six games or less, the races are closer than ever.
A good starting pitcher can mean the difference between a team ending its season in disappointment and a team reaching the playoffs.
Besides Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt, two of the more interesting pitching options on the market are Jake Westbrook of the Cleveland Indians and Ben Sheets of the Oakland Athletics.
Both of these pitchers have the talent to be a second or third starter and will cost considerably less than Lee or Oswalt.
It is very likely that both of these pitchers will land in the National League East.
The Mets, Braves, and Phillies are all in a tight playoff race and all three teams lack depth in their starting rotations.
If I had to guess, I would predict Ben Sheets will end up in New York and Jake Westbrook will have a new home in Philadelphia.
The Mets expressed interest in Ben Sheets during the off-season and he could provide the team some much needed pitching depth.
It is unlikely R.A Dickey and Hinsori Takahashi will continue their hot starts while John Maine and John Niese are still injury risks.
Signing Ben Sheets would give the Mets a pitcher with great raw talent.
The Mets realized Sheets isn’t a polished pitcher but his potential down the stretch, combined with his recent successes, will make him a viable option for New York.
Ever since losing J.A. Happ to an early season injury, the Phillies have been looking for pitching help.
The team has recently contacted Pedro Martinez about returning for the second half of the year.
Although Pedro Martinez has plenty of playoff experience,he does not have a great deal of velocity. I question his ability to pitch quality starts week after week without breaking down.
For the right price, Pedro may be worth a chance but Jake Westbrook is a much safer bet for the team.
Westbrook has a career ERA under four and is less of an injury risk.
The reason why I don’t see the Braves landing Westbrook or Sheets is because I think they are the front runners to land Cliff Lee.
Unlike the Mets and Phillies, the Braves lack a number one starting pitcher (the Mets have Johan Santana and the Phillies have Roy Halladay). Cliff Lee can be that answer.
Lee pitched brilliantly last year in the playoffs and would provide the relatively young Atlanta Braves roster with some much needed postseason experience.
Although Roy Oswalt is a likely target for all three of these teams, it is doubtful any of them will get the Astros hurler.
Oswalt is a long-term commitment, unlike the aforementioned three starters and has a no trade clause.
This combination of factors will most likely not land him in the National League East.
It will be interesting to see how the NL East shapes up in the next few weeks.
It will be a tight race until the end and all three contenders will look to the pitching market to gain a competitive advantage.
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World Cup betting players don’t have to worry about a trade deadline, like most professional leagues around the world in all sports. In Major League Baseball, the big name that everyone is saying will be on the market is Seattle’s Cliff Lee, who was traded from Philadelphia in the Roy Halladay deal.
So, where could Lee end up, providing that Seattle doesn’t break out its chequebook?
Boston
The Red Sox are eighth in the American League in ERA and quality starts, and their starting pitchers have been hit by a combination of injuries and plain old poor pitching.
Josh Beckett has a 7.29 ERA and is struggling with a back injury. Clay Buchholz is the best pitcher they have, but this is his first full season as a starter in the majors. As far as need goes, the Red Sox may be the most desperate.
New York Yankees
A reunion with former Cleveland teammate C.C. Sabathia would be welcomed by Lee. Being on the Yankees would also give him a good chance at getting revenge on Philadelphia, as he claimed to be shocked to be part of the three-team deal that took Halladay from Toronto to Philly.
Plus, the Yankees definitely have the money to sign Lee, whose contract is up after this year. This would be like Brazil picking up a superstar in hopes of getting to the final World Cup contest of the tournament.
New York Mets
The Mets aren’t struggling for pitching right now, as they’re fifth in the National League in ERA. Atlanta is right behind them in sixth, and the Phillies are 10th , but they have the talent to get better.
Adding Lee to the rotation would give the Mets a pair of southpaws that could rule the division as he would join Johan Santana in the Big Apple. They have the money, and again, there’s the revenge factor.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Like the Mets, the Dodgers are in a pitching-heavy division out West as San Diego (first), San Francisco (third) and Colorado (fourth) are all ahead of the ninth-place Dodgers in ERA. Not to mention, they were depending on Chad Billingsley, who was shaky after last year’s second-half collapse, and who is now hurt.
If you bet on MLB odds, you know that Lee, in all likelihood, would tear apart the National League West.
Texas
This is probably the least likely scenario, as the Mariners would want to trade Lee out of their division, but it’s not like the Mariners have any shot of catching the Rangers this season.
The Rangers have improved their pitching dramatically since Nolan Ryan took over the team, and he’s an aggressive player who thinks a guy like Lee could make them a strong betting dark horse in the American League. Don’t be surprised if this happens.
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With the trade deadline looming over the next month-and-a-half of baseball, it’s about time for teams to get serious trade fever.
The Minnesota Twins have a few trade chips and are definitely in need. Surely, the front office will address a few issues before we see the end of July.
Let’s start talking about what the Twinkies could use.
Third Base: Third basemen in Minnesota are hitting a combined .211 through this point in the season. Kind of reminds me of a black hole. Little Nicky Punto has proven to have stellar defense, but he still can’t hit. Danny Valencia has added a little (I stress, little) pop to the hot corner as well as some nice defensive plays, but I can’t imagine him having an everyday spot until at least this time next year.
Who Makes Sense: Kevin Kouzmanoff is hitting .294 with six dingers and 35 RBI for the Athletics so far this year. He may be the best bet for the Twins, but its unclear how much they would want for him. Kouzmanoff would add a nice bat to the bottom half of the order, and make some nice plays on defense. He could also provide the first concrete third baseman for the Twins since…Corey Koskie?
Who Doesn’t: Mike Lowell. It’s as simple as that. Lowell is hitting around .220, barely above the Punto line. With Punto’s incredible defense, it makes absolutely no sense for the Twins to give up a prospect for the old and decrepit Lowell. Don’t get me wrong, for Lowell’s bat will probably pick up later in the season, but he’s still a health risk and rental player at best.
Starting Pitching: The Twins have a very good staff, as they always do, but it’s not great . Liriano has shown shades of brilliance and looks to be the club’s only candidate for bona fide ace. The Twins have a pretty little trade chip in Wilson Ramos, so it will be interesting to see if he goes in a package for a pitcher.
Who Makes Sense: Cliff Lee does. I know you think I’m crazy, but he might be a great rental for only a couple prospects. I would think a starter like Pavano and a prospect like Ramos could help land Lee in Minnesota for the rest of 2010. But here’s why it really makes sense: After the season, the Twins could shop Lee for some top draft picks and continue to bolster their unparalleled farm system. Cliff Lee would give the Twins a great veteran southpaw to take the number one spot (and maybe a little pressure) off young Francisco Liriano.
Who Doesn’t: Roy Oswalt is a phenomenal pitcher, but he has a steep $27 million price tag at the moment. There aren’t a lot of teams without the name “Yankees” or “Red Sox” that would be willing or able to absorb such a sum.
So the Twins are sitting about where they were in the offseason: Barring Orlando Hudson, they have no third baseman or staff ace. They definitely have the trade pieces to get there, so it will be very interesting to see who they start calling up.
Positions that were once in question seem to be doing just fine now. Delmon Young has exploded recently, upping his average to .295 and nearing the team lead in RBI. With a continued surge like this, it certainly wouldn’t be too much to ask to see him in the All-Star game. (Too bad he’s not from New York.) JJ Hardy and Hudson should return to health soon and give a significant boost to both offense and defense.
I think a veteran starting pitcher like Lee or Dan Haren (who the Twins have already shown interest in) and a Kevin Kouzmanoff at third base would put the Twins over the top, and well on their way to a successful playoff run in 2010.
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There are rumors that the New York Mets and the Seattle Mariners have been in discussions regarding pitcher Cliff Lee.
Lee obviously will not bring back the package he did the past two times he was traded. He will be a half season rental and has stated that he wants to test the waters of free agency after the year. This is a smart move by Lee as he is likely to get more money on the open market with this winter’s weak free agent class.
The Mariners would most likely be able to bring in one or two young players or big league ready prospects plus a mid-level prospect for Lee. There is one player in particular on the Mets that has caught the Mariners eye: pitcher Jon Niese.
It has been reported that the Mariners have lots of interest in Niese. He has been a solid starter this year and appears to have a bright future ahead of him. So far New York has been reluctant to include Niese in a deal for Lee.
It appears that the Lee’s price will drop the longer the Mariners hold on to him. The Mets can attempt to play hardball, wait it out until the deadline and then put together a package for Lee that does not include Niese. This may work, but New York will be bidding against more teams who want Lee’s services.
With all that being said, Lee would be… (to read the rest of the article click on the link below)
This article was also posted at www.mrmetsdaily.com
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As we inch closer and closer to Major League Baseball’s trade deadline at the end of July, the rumors will start flying fast and furious.
There have already been a few rumors shot down in the last few weeks, including one that was about to send an ace to a team that wouldn’t have any way of picking up his remaining salary because of their financial trouble.
Why some of these rumors get started is beyond me, but that’s what makes baseball, and the trade deadline, fun. We can talk about players, possible moves that our teams should or shouldn’t make, and how those potential trades could affect said team in the playoff race.
So who are the hot names making the rounds on the rumor sheets right now?
I’m glad you asked, let’s get to it.
Well, the Yankees are looking to make a big splash. Again. With rumors surrounding the Yankees and Cliff Lee in a possible trade, you cannot help but wonder two things:
1. Who do the Yankees trade away?
2. Who is out of the starting rotation?
First, you need to remember that this might not necessarily happen through a trade. Lee is in his final contract year and is preparing to hit the winter slopes of free agency.
Let’s assume, for now, that he is traded to the Yankees. You’ll hear many rumors along the lines of “trading Robinson Cano” or “trading Phil Hughes.” Those rumors need to be dispelled now. The Yankees will never give away one of those two top young stars for a player that is soon to enter free agency anyway. The Mariners are also smart enough to not expect that much value in return.
So what would the M’s want? Many people are assuming SS Eduardo Nunez is on the table. This is one player I would miss if it meant getting Cliff Lee. Derek Jeter still has a couple of years in him, and I believe that the Yankees’ 2010 first round draft pick, SS Cito Culver, is underrated. He could be polished in time for when Jeter retires.
The Mariners are also rumored to want a catching prospect as well. I do not believe that this means Francisco Cervelli. He looks to be the official Jorge Posada replacement, as the latter has been plagued with injuries as of late (for this season anyway). Looking at the Yankees’ current prospects, I would expect that Jesus Montero or Austin Romine would be shipped west for Lee.
I’m not a supporter of trading for him though. The best bet for the Yankees is waiting until the winter.
As for the starting rotation, this deal would beg the question of “Who would be out?” The Yankees have room for improvement in their rotation…though it is not much.
CC Sabathia would be bumped down to the No. 2 spot in the rotation. This may sound crazy to some, but there’s a good reason for this. This season, Lee has a better ERA and a better BAA. He’s 4-2 on a Seattle team that does not offer much run support. CC is only 6-3, and Yankees fans have been crying for better production from him.
A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte would both be bumped down a spot as well. Phil Hughes would stay in the fifth spot in the rotation.
The odd man out? Javier Vazquez. Yes, he’s been picking up the pace lately with four wins in his last five starts. However, Pettitte is 7-1. Hughes is 8-2. Sabathia and Burnett are much more reliable.
If Lee comes to the Yanks in a trade, Vazquez is relegated to the bullpen or Triple-A. If the Yanks wait until free agency, Vazquez will be a free agent anyway. I don’t think the Yankees will re-sign him unless they are desperate. The only way I think the Yankees even consider him is if Pettitte retires, which I deem unlikely due to this year’s production.
What’s the impact? Well, you get a second true ace added to a rotation that would be a combined 31-11 at this moment. You also get another pitcher that can pitch deep into games, which will rest the bullpen a bit.
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The New York Yankees are playing great right now, thanks to their stellar pitching and slugging offense.
Yet they are still two games out of first, behind the Rays who own the best record in the Majors heading into tonight, and appear to be the real deal.
Now there is no reason for concern right now with the majority of the season yet to be played and the Yankees leading the Wild Card standings.
But problems could be on the horizon for the Yanks very soon.
The Yankees best pitcher this season has been Phil Hughes and unfortunately, he has an inning limit this season which will possibly force him to miss some starts down the stretch in August and September.
And if the Bombers make the post season, then who knows what their rotation will look like? Javier Vazquez might be the fourth guy in the rotation if the Yankees don’t feel that Pettitte, Sabathia, and Burnett can carry them again.
In the long term, the Yanks are probably going to lose two of their current starters after this season ends. Javier Vazquez’s contract is up after this year and he will likely not be back in pinstripes in 2011. Andy Pettitte is also a free agent after the season, and might be walking off into the sunset this off season, but you never can tell for sure with Andy.
What is the solution to these potential problems?
Cliff Lee, who is a dominant left-handed starter with ace-like stuff almost every time out. He also happens to be a free agent this coming off season, but with the Mariners eight games out of first and currently sitting in last place, Lee is more than likely to be traded this season.
The Yankees fit the equation of having elite prospects and money to spare. Right now the Yanks have an overflowing amount of catching talent on the farm with Jesus Montero, Austin Romine, Gary Sanchez, and J.R. Murphy leading the way.
If Cliff Lee were to be traded to the Yankees right now, they would have the best rotation in all of baseball, and quite possibly baseball history. Lee would make up for the lost starts from Phil Hughes, and Javy could be moved into an effective long relief role and spot start form time to time.
And as all Yankee fans know, Lee has proven his greatness in the post season, dominating the Yankees in last year’s World Series by going 2-0 against them and getting the Phillies their only two wins in the Fall Classic.
As mentioned before, Lee will be a free agent, so the Yankees would have to either extend his current deal during the season, or risk letting him walk into free agency. But if they could strike up a deal with him, then he would replace one of the two starters we are possibly losing this offseason.
Lee makes perfect sense for the Yankees right now and could be headed to New York at this year’s trade deadline.
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This morning, I passed along a rumor that the NY Post reported today. According to the Post, the Mariners were scouting Yankee minor leaguers in anticipation of dealing LHP Cliff Lee to the Bronx.
I wrote this story reluctantly because the Yankees boast a full five-man rotation. They really don’t need another starter.
This afternoon, the Daily News published a more sensible report. The Daily News actually contacted the Yankees to see if the club had any interest in dealing for the Mariners ace.
It turns out, there is none.
“There is no urgency to do anything with the rotation,” a Yankees official told the Daily News. “That’s not an area that we’re focused on.
“Seattle may be doing its prep work by scouting a bunch of different teams,” the official said. “But it sounds like they’re doing more prep work than we are on this one.”
The Yankees will likely be interested in Lee at some point. But that won’t happen until he becomes a free agent this offseason.
Nothing about general manager Brian Cashman’s past dealings indicates he would make a move like this.
George King, the Post reporter who initially broke this story, has been around long enough to know this—or at least he should.
I’m still surprised that he ran with this story. He could have at least contacted a Yankee official to find out if there was any substance regarding a possible trade.
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