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Roundup: Nakajima talks Yanks

Hiroyuki Nakajima, the Japanese shortstop whom the Yankees’ won the rights to negotiate with this week, appeared thrilled that a powerhouse team went after him.

MLB Trade Rumors posted a translation of a quote Nakajima gave to Nikkan Sports, crediting Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker: “I thought ‘Whoa!’ I got a bid from a great team,” Nakajima said.

  • If Manny Ramirez finds a team that wants him, he can find his way back into a Major League game — after serving a 50-game suspension. ESPN’s Buster Olney reported Saturday morning that the outfielder has been removed from the voluntary retirement list. Ramirez does not have to serve a 100-game suspension, as originally imposed this April when he violated MLB’s drug program.
  • ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reported that Darren Oliver has suitors other than the Rangers, like the Red Sox, while Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram wrote that Ian Kinsler and Texas could be working out a new deal.
  • Albert Pujols, introduced in Anaheim alongside C.J. Wilson on Saturday, still has love for St. Louis and Cardinals fans. “I felt it was time to make a decision, and at the end, I know it was a tough one,” Pujols said during the press conference. “Like I said before, I thank our fans back in St. Louis. What they showed me the last 11 years, not just on the field but off the field, supporting me and showing me the love and the kindness, that’s something I learned in my [early] years in my career.”

– Evan Drellich

July 30 roundup: Ubaldo to Cleveland?

Less than a day remain’s until Sunday’s 4 p.m. ET Non-Waiver Trade Deadline, and one of the best arms in baseball is reportedly close to being moved.

The Denver Post’s Troy Renck reports the Indians are on the edge of bringing in Ubaldo Jimenez from the Rockies, for a package including Drew Pomeranz. The Tigers were also in on the conversation, also thought to prominently include the Yankees.

For for the latest developments with Jimenez, keep up with MLB.com’s Rockies beat writer Thomas Harding here, and MLB.com’s Indians beat writer Jordan Bastian here .

Other moves Saturday didn’t have quite the star pull, but were still significant: Detroit did end up with starting pitching, what they coveted most, in Doug Fister, and got some relief help, too, in David Pauley. To the Mariners went Charlie Furbush, Casper Wells and third-base prospect Francisco Martinez, as well as a player to be named.

  • Texas had been keen on Heath Bell, but the Padres will still have plenty of suitors if the Rangers no longer want to make a deal now that they have Koji Uehara.
  • The Nationals are busy, making two trades on Saturday — one dealing Jerry Hairston Jr., the other dealing Jason Marquis — and reportedly were talking with Minnesota about acquiring Denard Span.
Down to the wire we go.
– Evan Drellich

O’s and Rangers agree on Uehara deal

The Orioles traded reliever Koji Uehara to the Texas Rangers on Saturday afternoon, completing a deal that will net them first baseman Chris Davis and pitcher Tommy Hunter.

The deal, which was first reported by the Baltimore Sun and confirmed by a source to MLB.com, comes in between a doubleheader with the Yankees and gives the Rangers one of the best right-handed relievers on the market. Uehara has pitched to a 1.02 ERA in his last 32 games, allowing just four earned runs over a 35 1/3 inning-span.

A first baseman, Davis gives an Orioles system devoid of upper-echelon position players another option given that veteran Derrek Lee is on a one-year deal and is also considered trade bait. The Rangers’ fifth-round pick in the 2006 Draft, Davis is hitting .250 with three homers and six RBIs in 27 games for Texas.

Hunter is 1-1 with a 2.93 ERA in eight relief appearances for the Rangers. He was a 13-game winner as a starter for the Rangers last year but strained his right groin muscle at the end of Spring Training, missed three months and was never able to regain his spot in the rotation. The Rangers have been using him in middle relief since he came off the disabled list.

The right-hander went 13-4 with a 3.73 ERA in 22 starts for the Rangers last season, and will likely be stretched out in Baltimore. The Orioles starting pitching has been inconsistent and they’ve made it no secret that they were looking for a Major League-ready arm in any deal.

The Rangers had been talking to the Padres about Heath Bell but Uehara has better numbers, he has been successful in the American League and he has a vesting option for next season. If he pitches in 12 more games this season, he becomes a signed player for 2012 at $4 million.

– Brittany Ghiroli

July 28 roundup: Hunting for Hunter

After an intense day on the trading block Wednesday, Thursday was more tame. The Indians made noise early, landing Kosuke Fukudome from the Cubs and bolstering an outfield that’s been stung by injuries, giving way to rumors surrounding the usual suspects — and setting up a potentially frenzied final three days of the non-waiver trading period.

  • The Astros are inclined to part with Hunter Pence, and at least six teams are in the mix, but the Phillies appear to be leading the pack. With two arbitration years remaining for Pence, any deal involving him would likely qualify as a blockbuster, probably the largest that could come up this deadline, unless …
  • … Ubaldo Jimenez is involved. The Yankees appear to be in the best position, The Denver Post’s Troy Renck reported, but the price seems high according to multiple reports.
  • The big game already bagged in Carlos Beltran, Giants general manager Brian Sabean wasn’t giving off the sense that more impact moves are coming down the pipe for his club.
  • The big game already shipped off, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson directly said that more impact moves aren’t coming down the pipe for his club.
  • With Rickie Weeks out for six weeks potentially, the Brewers, of all teams, need a second baseman, and on Friday, they landed Felipe Lopez from the Rays, but he was most recently at Triple-A. Clint Barmes, Adam Kennedy and Omar Infante could be in the mix.
  • The Tigers’ priority is starting pitching, and they’re looking into Jason Marquis, according to FOX Sports. MLB.com’s Jason Beck reports that middle relief could also be on the checklist for Detroit.
  • The Dodgers drawing the most interest are Rafael Furcal and Hiroki Kuroda, despite no-trade clauses for both. Jamey Carroll‘s still a circulated name (Brewers?).
– Evan Drellich

July 20 roundup: Motown Moves

Brandon Inge has been a rock for the Tigers for a long time, but this season, the team needs more from the hot corner. On Wednesday, general manager Dave Dombrowski landed Wilson Betemit from the Royals, sending a pair of prospects back to Kansas City: Antonio Cruz and Julio Rodriguez. Inge was subsequently designated for assignment.

As for Detroit’s potential pursuit of Ubaldo Jimenez — who’s made clear he doesn’t want to be traded — the Tigers are now skipping top prospect Jacob Turner’s next start in the rotation.

“We are monitoring his workload,” Tigers vice president and assistant general manager Al Avila wrote in an e-mail Tuesday.

Whether Turner or Jimenez is available or not, starting pitching is definitely the Tigers’ desire: “Our attention is on pitching,” Dombrowski said before Wednesday’s game.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • The Pirates are nearing a deal with 34-year-old right-hander Jason Grilli. Grilli did not pitch in 2010 because of right knee surgery and signed a Minor League deal with the Phillies this winter.
  • Cubs general manager Jim Hendry points out it’s rather obvious which players he would consider moving and which he wouldn’t: “Why would I trade Sean Marshall?” he said. “Why would I trade Darwin Barney? Those calls kind of stop quickly. It makes no sense.”
  • In St. Louis, Tony La Russa‘s not saying the Cards need a big acquisition to win the tight National League Central.
  • Padres owner Jeff Moorad has offered reliever Mike Adams assurance that he will not be traded, according to Yahoo’s Jeff Passan. Adams is under Padres control through 2012 (he’s arbitration eligible this year).
  • Houston’s Hunter Pence could be had, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney.

– Evan Drellich

July 19 roundup: A pair of deals

The blockbusters, if there are any, haven’t arrived yet. But with 12 days to go before the Non-Waiver Trade Deadline, Tuesday did bring a pair of trades.

One deal sent infielder Jeff Keppinger from his three-year home with the Astros to the Giants for a pair of Minor League arms, Henry Sosa and Jason Stoffel. Top prospect Brandon Belt, whose first stint in the bigs didn’t go as planned to open the season, also subsequently returned to the San Francisco roster.

In a similar move for the Rangers, they brought aboard infielder Nick Green from the Rangers, for Minor League pitcher Zach Phillips.

The rumors flying elsewhere:

  • The Cubs’ Alfonso Soriano isn’t concerned about the possibility he could be shipped off. “I don’t worry,” he said. Soriano, 35, is owed $18 million per year through 2014 and has a full no-trade clause, but said he would not get in the way if the Cubs approached him about a possible deal. Sources told MLB.com there have not been any conversations betweens the Cubs and Yankees about a New York reprise.
  • SI.com’s Jon Heyman reported via Twitter that the Yanks won’t give up a big prospect for a reliever, and that New York does want a starting pitcher, but sees Ubaldo Jimenez as a longshot.
  • The Phillies had a scout attend Tuesday’s Mets-Cardinals game to watch outfielders Carlos Beltran and Scott Hairston and left-handed reliever Tim Byrdak, according to ESPN New York. Beltran had been out with an illness.
  • The Braves are among the teams who have shown an interest in Beltran.  If the Braves acquired Beltran there’s no guarantee he would play only center field — they’re happy with Jordan Schafer’s range at that spot. The Giants are also in on Beltran.
  • Multiple reports indicated that the Yankees and Mets kicked the tires on Beltran, but the idea never went far.
  • The Marlins aren’t expected to part with any major pieces. As the team approaches .500 in a hot July, they will consider adding a third baseman or pitcher, but not at the expense of a core player.
  •  The Padres still need to figure out what to do with relievers Mike Adams and Heath Bell. San Diego’s looking for young, controllable players in any deal, players who presumably are no more than a year or so away from being Major League contributors.
  • FoxSports.com’s Jon Morosi said the Royals and Brewers remain in touch about Kansas City infielder Wilson Betemit but had not made substantial progress in trade talks.
  • Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti has told right-hander Hiroki Kuroda he would inform him if trade talks for the right-hander took place, according to the Los Angeles Times. Kuroda has not decided if he will waive his no-trade clause. The Dodgers also released Marcus Thames.
  • Pirates GM Neal Huntington told MLB Network’s Jim Bowden he is looking to add.

– Evan Drellich

Mike Cameron on the move

Veteran outfielder Mike Cameron was designated for assignment by the Red Sox on Thursday, a move that’s likely to result in Cameron being traded or released after 10 days. He could accept a Minor League assignment, but that’s not a likely scenario, considering his track record and the fact that he could bring something to the table for a contending team that could play him with some consistency.

“We have some time, by virtue of the designation method, to explore a trade for him,” general manager Theo Epstein said at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, before the finale of a three-game series with the Phils. “That’s always a possibility. We’ve talked to him about how he might benefit from playing every day and trying to get on track a little bit. It’s a remote possibility, but there’s always the possibility that he could accept an outright assignment to the Minor Leagues and try to get on track that way. Everything is on the table. We’ll stay in touch and see what happens.”

Cameron, 38, is a free agent after the season and is owed about half the $7.25 million he’s making this year — a high salary for a team to take a gamble on, considering Cameron’s hit just .149 in 94 at-bats this year. The Sox, though, have already committed to eating Cameron’s salary if he ends up being released, so they’re likely prepared to eat most of the money in a trade, too.

Cameron hasn’t adjusted well to a bench role and wasn’t effective against even left-handed pitching this season, going 9-for-63 against southpaws (.143) when he’s historically hit them well. Still, there’s the possibility that regular at-bats could allow him to find his rhythm.

– Evan Drellich

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