Results tagged ‘ Dan Haren ’

Haren to Angels for Saunders + 3

Dan Haren, who was rumored to be headed to the Yankees earlier in the
week and had been a hot name throughout July, got his wish to stay on
the West Coast — and also landed in a pennant race. The Angels picked
him up in exchange for pitchers Joe Saunders, Rafael Rodriguez and
Patrick Corbin, along with a player to be named later. More: LAA | ARI

Roundup: Injuries changing Tigers’ needs?

Aside from the big pitching prizes available before next week’s Trade Deadline, there remains a number of complimentary bats and relief pitchers available on the market. The trade winds are blowing strong especially for these type of players, as MLB.com has reported is the case with Jorge Cantu, Ty Wigginton and other similar pieces.

A rash of injuries in Detroit has left the Tigers in a possible situation where they are forced to entertain more trade offers. MLB.com’s Bill Ladson suggested Sunday on Twitter that Detroit is very interested in Nats slugger Adam Dunn as a possible replacement.

Here are a few more updates from around the league on Sunday:

– As an update to the Dan Haren situation, FoxSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal reported on Sunday that the Yanks remain the most likely landing spot for the D-backs hurler. The Tigers, he points out, as another possible suitor for Haren have bigger issues in the wake of the most recent set of injuries.  As many New York beat reporters pointed out on Sunday, though, the Yankees are only willing to acquire Haren on their own terms and won’t give up too much to get him. The New York Post speculated that the Yanks could be holding off on Haren to ensure they can snag Cliff Lee as a free agent this offseason.

– Still many outlets feel Roy Oswalt is more likely to be moved before the deadline. FoxSports.com suggested on Sunday that the Cardinals and Dodgers were having a hard time matching prospects with the Astros for a potential deal. The report also speculates that the Astros asked for a Major League ready position player from the Dodgers such as James Loney or Matt Kemp.

– Nats pitcher Livan Hernandez told The Washington Post that he’d be more than interested in coming back to the club next season and ending his career there.

– As for relievers, Toronto’s Scott Downs has attracted a great amount of attention on the trade market of late, according to a Twitter report from FoxSports.com’s Jon Paul Morosi.  The competition could be ‘fierce’ for the reliever, Morosi reports. ESPN.com’s Buster Olney followed that with another Tweet later in the day, suggesting that there was a lot of interest in the Blue Jays efforts to shop Downs, with rival teams anxious to see what they’ll recieve for him.

– Bailey Stephens 

Roundup: Haren, Oswalt talks still developing

With now exactly a week remaining until next Saturday’s 4 p.m. ET Trade Deadline, it’s a safe bet that trade talks are beginning to heat up. The talk of the baseball world still is whether the D-backs will swap Dan Haren elsewhere and whether the Astros will trade veteran Roy Oswalt.

Both pitchers continued to be the subject of much speculation on Saturday. After it appeared that the Yankees had emerged as front-runners for the services of Haren on Friday night, ESPN.com reported on Saturday that the Yankees are interested, but they hadn’t gotten any farther than exchanging names with Arizona.  The report suggested the D-backs were asking for Joba Chamberlain along with pitching prospect Ivan Nova and two other prospects — an offer the Yanks balked at.

Many reports key in on the Haren’s $33 million salary for this season, namely who will pay the remainder, as a possible deciding factor in any trade. A Twitter report from ESPN’s Buster Olney suggested there had been no talks between the two clubs on Saturday.

The Cards and Phillies have made their desire to land Oswalt well known, but it remains to be seen if either club is willing to give up the prospects and big-league ready talent necessary to land Oswalt. While the Yanks are in play for Haren, they are reportedly not in the mix for Oswalt, according to FoxSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal.

Here’s a look at other happenings around the Majors on Saturday:

-Gary Matthews Jr. officially opted out of his contract with the Reds after a strong showing with Triple-A Louisville hitting .313. Matthews is reportedly looking for a big league job.

- Ben Sheets, who had been the subject of trade fodder earlier this season, landed on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday with right elbow pain. It’s the same elbow that caused him to miss the 2009 surgery after undergoing surgery. His timetable is unknown, but this could eliminate most trade discussions.

- Brewers outfielder Corey Hart, who injured his thumb in last night’s contest against the Nationals, had his MRI results come back negative on Saturday, according to a tweet from Rosenthal. There have reportedly been many teams interested in acquiring Hart as the Trade Deadline approaches so it’s not clear how this may affect his trade value.

– Bailey Stephens 

 

Haren could be a fit for Yankees

Multiple sources have indicated the Yankees are now the front-runner to land Diamondbacks right-hander Dan Haren before next Saturday’s Trade Deadline.
The Yankees, of course, were hot on the heels of Cliff Lee prior to the All-Star Break, but the Mariners dealt Lee to the Rangers instead. In the time since, New York has had to put Andy Pettitte on the disabled list with a strained left groin and has seen A.J. Burnett and Phil Hughes continue to struggle in the rotation.
Arizona team president and CEO Derrick Hall has said the Diamondbacks require “an A-plus deal” if they are going to move Haren this season. Hall identified “Major League-ready pitching” as the team’s desired return, which is a bit different from the reported package of catcher Jesus Montero, second baseman David Adams and right-hander Zach McAllister offered for Lee.
AOL Fanhouse has reported that right-hander Ivan Nova could be the centerpiece of the Yankees’ package. Nova is 8-2 with a 3.06 ERA in 18 starts for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, and he pitched three scoreless innings in relief for the Yankees earlier this year.
The Yankees have not been as open to acquiring a pitcher on the books beyond this season because they plan to pursue a free agent pitcher such as Lee in the offseason. It’s a different matter, though, for a pitcher the caliber of Haren, who has two years and an option year left on his current deal. Haren has a limited no-trade clause, but FoxSportsArizona.com reported that Haren would not have to approve a deal to the Bronx.
According to the New York Post, the Yankees had scout Kendall Carter at Chase Field on Wednesday to scout Haren’s start against the Mets. Haren received a no-decision after allowing three runs on six hits in six innings. Haren is 7-8 on the season with a 4.60 ERA. His best year was his last in the American League in 2007, when he was 15-9 with a 3.07 ERA for Oakland.

Roundup: Haren, Oswalt chatter continues

Many contending clubs are looking for reliable starting pitching (who isn’t really?), and so the attainable Roy Oswalt and Dan Haren are hot topics of discussion with the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline now just eight days away. 

Regarding Oswalt, the Dodgers, Cardinals and Phillies have reportedly all reached out to the Astros to try and work something out. The Cardinals seem like Oswalt’s most desired destination. The 32-year-old right-hander, who has a full no-trade clause, grew up in nearby Mississippii and has said he would not force the Cardinals to pick up his 2012 option for $16 million — something he would reportedly demand of a team like the Phillies. 
The Dodgers, according to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, are also looking into Oswalt and have discussed names with Houston. The Astros, Stark added, would prefer not to trade Oswalt to a divisional opponent. According to The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Astros seek two top prospects, a third Minor Leaguer and a young player who’s Major League ready for Oswalt. Perhaps those demands come down as the Deadline approaches. 
Regarding Haren, D-backs CEO Derrick Hall said he has no urgency to move the right-hander and would need “an A-plus deal” to ship him out. As MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert wrote, the D-backs are hesitant to move both Haren and Edwin Jackson. The Tigers, Yankees, Phillies, Cardinals and Twins have all been linked to Haren. According to FOXSports.com, Haren would have to approve a deal to the Twins and Tigers. 
Here’s more from around the league … 
* The Athletics signed catcher Kurt Suzuki to a four-year extension. The deal runs through 2013, Suzuki’s arbitration years, and includes a club option for 2014. 
* The Giants, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, scouted Jose Guillen on Thursday night. 
* With Carlos Beltran back in the lineup and Jeff Francoeur‘s playing time dwindling, the Mets are looking to trade Francoeur, according to The New York Post. 
* David DeJesus, the subject of much speculation, will miss the rest of the season after suffering a complete ligament tear in his right thumb on Thursday, according to The Kansas City Star. His surgery is set for Monday. 
* The Rays do not expect to acquire Jayson Werth, Yahoo! Sports’ Tim Brown reported via Twitter. 
– Alden Gonzalez

D-backs hesitant to deal both Haren and Jackson

Teams have inquired about RHP Edwin Jackson, but the D-backs would be hesitant to deal both Jackson and Dan Haren.

Jackson’s salary jumps from $4.2 million this year to $8.35 million next year, the final season of his contract. Haren is due $12.75 million in 2011 and 2012 with a club option in 2013 for $15.5 million.

“I think preference would be to keep both or at least one of them,” D-backs team president/CEO Derrick Hall said. “But again anything is possible because if you’re getting enough in return you would have to consider it.”

– Steve Gilbert

What D-backs want in return for Dan Haren

D-backs team president and CEO Derrick Hall acknowledged that the club is listening to offers for ace pitcher Dan Haren, but he made it clear that they did not feel an urgency to move the ace right-hander.

“It would need to be in our opinion an A-plus deal,” Hall said. “I think ideally what we would ask for is Major League ready pitching be it starters and or bullpen and prospects. Volume doesn’t matter, it doesn’t need to be four, five or six guys, it’s really about the quality.”

Hall said that even if the team does trade Haren, it does not mean that it is giving up on contending in 2011.

“I think it depends on what we get in return,” Hall said when asked about possible fan reaction to a deal. “If it appears to be a cash dump, it’s not a good message, which is not what we’re looking to do. As I’ve said before if a deal can’t get done for Haren and he’s on our team next year I’m fine with that. If we can get three or four pieces that can bring value now and are also controllable for a number of years than we’d have to consider it. If we bring in the right pieces and explain ourselves fans will understand that it was a move to improve our team now.”

Haren has two years and an option year left on his current deal. He has a partial no-trade clause that would allow him to reject a trade to 12 teams.

– Steve Gilbert

Tigers still looking at starters, scouting Haren

The Tigers crawled out of their seven-game losing streak the last couple days with help from their two front-line starting pitchers. They would very much love to get another solid start from Rick Porcello Friday night. If they can get another solid starter, apparently, all the better.

That interest doesn’t seem to be going away as the starting rotation stabilizes. But what cost would they pay?

While the Tigers continue to scout the Diamondbacks, including Dan Haren’s most recent outing Wednesday night, they’re reportedly among at least five teams with interest in the Arizona ace. FOXSports.com reports a handful of teams in the running, including the Yankees, Phillies, Cardinals and Twins, and though no deal is apparently close with any of them, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports that Arizona has progressed to exchanging names with clubs on who they’d want and who interested teams would be willing to give up.

While bullpen help remains the top priority for Detroit with Joel Zumaya out for the season, the Tigers have an eye on the starting market. Indications suggest some genuine interest in Haren, despite a contract that runs through at least 2012 at $29 million, including a $3.5 million buyout. A club option for 2013 would run $15.5 million.

Olney characterizes the Tigers’ interest as “serious.” All interest, though, has a price, and it’s unclear how far the Tigers would go with theirs.

Despite injuries, including elbow trouble that has sidelined Casey Crosby for the season, the Tigers still have depth in pitching prospects who have been advanced aggressively. Former first-round pick Jacob Turner is finding his way at Class A Lakeland at age 19, and left-hander Charlie Furbush has seemingly come out of anonymity to led all of professional baseball in strikeouts. Detroit called him up to Triple-A Toledo this week after just a handful of starts at Double-A Erie.

When the Tigers acquired Max Scherzer from Arizona last winter and re-signed Justin Verlander late in the offseason, they touted the idea of a three-man rotation core with Verlander, Scherzer and Porcello under team control through at least 2014, around which prospects could develop. Though Scherzer and Porcello were both optioned to Triple-A Toledo to work out issues at different points this season, that hasn’t dampened the potential.

If the Tigers wanted to change course a little, though, they have the financial flexibility for it thanks to a slew of expiring contracts, including ex-Tigers Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis, plus current Detroiters Jeremy Bonderman, Brandon Inge, Gerald Laird and Johnny Damon. Those salaries add up to more than $50 million this season, though some of that will go to a $6 million raise for Verlander, a $2 million bump for Jose Valverde, plus replacements at those various positions.

The Tigers could go in a shorter-term direction and still add a starter. They’ve been linked in reports to interest in Ted Lilly and Ben Sheets, both of whom are up for free agency this winter, and a short-term option has obvious appeal to them given the finances.

– Jason Beck

Roundup: Buzz says Oswalt in, Werth out in Philly

In need of a starter for Saturday’s game, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. cryptically said Tuesday: “I think we we know exactly what we’re going to do.” Perhaps a starter, like Ben Sheets, Dan Haren, Jeremy Guthrie or Roy Oswalt is headed to Philadelphia? The club optioned Kyle Kendrick to the Minor Leagues that same day, and later that night, veteran Jamie Moyer sustained an injury that will likely put him on the disabled list, so starting pitching is needed in Philly. 

ESPN.com wrote about “indications” that the Phillies were in the midst of a “major deal” to acquire a starting pitcher in hopes of salvaging their season on Tuesday night. But on Wednesday afternoon, they followed-up by reporting that Oswalt “could be on the verge of blowing up a potential deal,” since he wants any team that acquires him to guarantee his $16 million option for 2012. For now, the Phillies are balking at that offer. ESPN.com added that it’d probably be J.A. Happ moving in an Oswalt deal, and the club is also looking to move struggling outfielder Jayson Werth (a free agent after this season). 
Astros owner Drayton McLane told MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart that no deal involving Oswalt appeared imminent as of Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, Oswalt — owner of a full no-trade clause — told reporters he hasn’t been approached about any possible trades. 
With less than two weeks remaining until the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, here’s more buzz from around the league … 
* The White Sox, according to FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal, are “trying to accelerate talks” with the Brewers for slugging first baseman Prince Fielder. The problem, Rosenthal notes, is Milwaukee wants a starting pitcher, and they view trade candidate Daniel Hudson as only a middle-of-the-rotation starter. White Sox GM Ken Williams said recently that the market was not to his benefit. 
* The Mets reportedly signed Chad Cordero to a Minor League contract on Wednesday, but they apparently want even more relief help. FOXSports.com wrote that the Mets are currently focused on the relief-pitching market and are eyeing the Pirates’ Octavio Dotel and the Blue Jays’ Scott Downs. 
* Seeking bench strength, the Yankees are looking into the Indians’ Jhonny Peralta and the Marlins’ Wes Helms, according to Rosenthal, who added that the price for Jose Bautista and Ty Wigginton were too high. 
* Pedro Martinez will not pitch in 2010, his agent, Fernando Cuza, told ESPNDeportes.com. But he has not officially retired. 
* The Giants, Tigers, White Sox and Braves have inquired about Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista, Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan reported via Twitter. 
– Alden Gonzalez

Roundup: Deadline drawing closer

With just over 10 days left to the big day, buzz is starting to populate in all corners of the league as teams decide if they are going to buyers or sellers. Will the Mets pick up a starting pitcher to help carry them down the stretch? Will the Astros send Roy Oswalt somewhere for a big return? Will we see Ted Lilly or Dan Haren on the move soon? We’ll know soon enough, but for today here’s a look around the league on Tuesday:

– Starting pitching buzz has pretty much dominated the talks on the market and a name being tossed around by some clubs is Indians starter Jake Westbrook. But according to Fox Sports.com’s Ken Rosenthal, Westbrook won’t come cheap. The starter has a clause in his contract that says he’ll recieve a $2 million bonus if traded and his salary is set to increase by a pro-rated portion of $1 million. As Rosenthal points out, this could prevent clubs that have salary constraints, such as the Mets and Dodgers, from making a move. Westbrook is also a free agent at the end of the season, so a club could potentially try to lock him up for the long-term, but that seems less likely.

– Rosenthal also touched on the case of Oswalt, Houston’s ace hurler. Major League sources suggested to Rosenthal that the market for the veteran hurler is slow and seeing limited interest. This is presumably because of his large contract, set to pay him $6 million more this season and $16 million next season.

– Heading into the second half of the season, there are a lot of teams that would love to have Nationals veteran Adam Dunn’s bat in the lineup. But all signs coming out of the Nationals have indicated that it was going to take A LOT to move Dunn. The Washington Post added to that on Tuesday, suggesting that Washington needed to be wow-ed to move Dunn. Adam Kilgore of the Post offers the White Sox as a team that could put together a solid offer for Dunn.

– There have been several reports that the Dodgers are being very aggressive on the market this year, despite their budget constraints. First on the wish list? Possibly a left-handed starter as an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Tuesday reports that according to a source, the Dodgers are eyeing Paul Maholm. Maholm is currently the Pirates’ highest paid player on the active roster, with a $4.5 million salary. He looked impressive in his last start, tossing a three-hit shutout at the Astros. Overall, Maholm is 6-7, with a 4.08 ERA. The Dodgers have also been linked to interest in Oswalt and Lilly.

– Add the Phillies to the list of teams looking for starting pitching.  Less than 24 hours after he allowed seven runs in five innings against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, Phillies right-hander Kyle Kendrick was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.  It is unclear if he will take Kendrick’s spot in the rotation or serve as a long man in the bullpen until the Phillies make another move. The Phillies have said left-hander J.A. Happ will help them at some point this season. They also are trying to acquire a starting pitcher in a trade.

 

– Bailey Stephens 

 

« older posts | back to blog home | newer posts »
Theme: MLB “pro” | Get a free blog at WordPress.com
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 415 other followers