Archive for July, 2008

« Older Entries

Manny Delt to Dodgers in 3 way trade, Red Sox get Bay

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

Manny Ramirez was traded to the Dodgers in a three-team deadline-beating blockbuster Thursday, sending the disgruntled future Hall-of-Famer out of Boston right as the pennant race starts to heat up.

The Red Sox will receive Pirates outfielder Jason Bay in the deal, while Pittsburgh gets third baseman Andy LaRoche and Class-A right-hander Bryan Morris from the Dodgers and outfielder Brandon Moss and reliever Craig Hansen from the Red Sox.

The Red Sox will pay all of the approximately $7 million remaining on Ramirez’s contract.

Ramirez should provide a major boost to the Dodgers’ offense, but his arrival will add to the crowd in the Dodgers’ outfield, which already includes Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones.

Moss, Hansen and LaRoche all have played in the majors. Morris, 21, was the Dodgers’ first-round pick in 2006.

The deal could significantly tilt the balance of power toward the Dodgers in the hotly contested NL West race. The Dodgers began the day one game behind the Diamondbacks, whose only pre-deadline addition was reliever Jon Rauch.

For the Red Sox, meanwhile, the addition of Bay amounts to a coup, considering their need to replace Ramirez’s offense. Bay, who turns 30 on Sept. 20, is six years younger than Ramirez, and his .894 on-base/slugging percentage is nearly as high as Ramirez’s .927 mark this season.

The Red Sox also will retain Bay through next season at an affordable salary of $7.5 million. After that, Bay becomes eligible for free agency.

Ramirez will be a free agent at the end of this season. He waived his no-trade clause in exchange for the elimination of the two $20 million club options in his contract.

The Red Sox were fiercely determined to trade Ramirez, whose behavior on and off the field had become a significant distraction in recent weeks. After a proposed three-way trade involving the Marlins collapsed on Thursday, the Dodgers quickly emerged as the leading suitor for Ramirez.

Ramirez paved his way out of town, perhaps intentionally, by a recent series of actions unprecedented even in his checkered history.

Ultimately, the Red Sox decided that wasn’t worth the power Ramirez brought to the lineup — a .299 batting average with a team-high 20 homers and 68 RBIs this season. For his career in Boston, he was fifth in team history with 274 homers, sixth with 868 RBIs and ninth with a .312 average.

Tags: ,
Posted in Dodgers, Pirates, Red Sox | No Comments »

Marlins trade prospect for LHP Rhodes

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

Rhodes, 38, has been traded by the Mariners to Florida for pitching prospect Gaby Hernandez.

On Wednesday, with the Mariners’ game against the Rangers tied at 3, Rhodes (2-1) loaded the bases in the eighth with one-out walks to David Murphy, Josh Hamilton and Marlon Byrd, all on full counts.

After the go-ahead run scored, Rhodes was being removed from the game by manager Jim Riggleman. As he walked toward the dugout, Rhodes yelled at home plate umpire Paul Nauert because Rhodes didn’t get two close pitches on 3-2 counts, and Nauert ejected Rhodes.

Rhodes, in his 17th season, has a 2.86 ERA in 36 games for the Mariners this season with 26 strikeouts in 22 innings. Left-handed hitters are hitting just .200 against him in 2008.

The 21-year-old Hernandez went a combined 5-8 this season with a 6.47 ERA in 17 starts for Triple-A Albuquerque and Double-A Carolina.

Posted in Marlins | No Comments »

Manny trade talks are “dead”

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

As of 1:30 p.m. ET, the Manny Ramirez trade was “dead,” according to an executive with one of the three teams involved in the discussions.

However, the deal has taken numerous twists and turns over the past 24 hours, and the Red Sox can continue attempting to trade Ramirez until the non-waiver deadline at 4 p.m. ET.

The Red Sox, Marlins and Pirates have been talking seriously for the past 24 to 36 hours about a deal involving Ramirez.

The collapse of the talks will spur further discussions between the Pirates and Rays over a deal involving Pirates left fielder Jason Bay.

In the proposed Manny blockbuster, the Marlins were to trade outfielder Jeremy Hermida and a prospect for Ramirez, and the Red Sox would then flip Hermida and prospects to the Pirates for Bay.

The Pirates’ return for Bay, sources say, was the apparent holdup in the deal. The Pirates are seeking an “appropriate return for an All-Star caliber left fielder” — and one who is affordable at $5.75 million this season and $7.5 million in 2009.

The Red Sox sought additional prospects from the Marlins in their attempt to satisfy the Pirates, sources say, but the Marlins would not budge from their initial offer.

Tags:
Posted in Red Sox | No Comments »

Blue Jays Interested in Ibanez

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

The Blue Jays, a team on the fringes of contention, are discussing a trade for Mariners outfielder Raul Ibanez.

The Jays are 9 ½ games back in the AL East, but only 6 ½ games back in the wild-card race.

If the Jays acquire Ibanez, a potential free agent, they likely would offer him salary arbitration at the end of the season.

If Ibanez accepted arbitration, the Jays would retain him for another year. If he signed with another club, they would receive two high draft picks.

Tags:
Posted in Blue Jays | No Comments »

Rays hoping to get Jason Bay

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

The Rays are again deep into discussions with the Pirates over a deal that would bring outfielder Jason Bay to Tampa Bay, according to major-league sources.

Shortstop Reid Brignac and right-hander Jeff Niemann are among the players the Rays have offered, sources say, but the Pirates are looking to replace Niemann with another pitcher while adding other prospects.

Bay, sought by the Red Sox in the proposed Manny Ramirez blockbuster, would give the Rays the impact hitter they are seeking, a right-handed threat who likely would play right field.

The addition of Brignac by the Pirates would lead to the eventual departure of shortstop Jack Wilson, who is earning $6.5 million this season and $7.25 million next season with an $8.4 million club option for 2010.

The Dodgers attempted to trade for Wilson earlier this month, but the talks failed to progress and have failed to revive.

Tags:
Posted in D-Rays | No Comments »

Astros ger RP Hawkins from Yankees

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

The Yankees have traded reliever LaTroy Hawkins to the Astros for Class A second baseman Matt Cusick, according to major-league sources.

Hawkins was designated for assignment last Saturday after the Yankees acquired reliever Damaso Marte from the Pirates. He was 1-1 with a 5.71 ERA in 41 innings this season.

Cusick, 22, was batting .285 with nine home runs and 38 RBIs in 94 games for Class A Lexington. He was the Astros’ 10th-round pick in the 2007 draft, and the Astros’ No. 29 prospect according to Baseball America.

Tags:
Posted in Astros | No Comments »

Reds Trade Griffey to White Sox, await Griffey’s approval

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

The Reds have traded Griffey to the White Sox, pending his approval. Griffey will decide Thursday morning whether he will approve the deal, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. It is not known what the Reds would receive in return.

Griffey, as a player with at least 10 years of major-league service, five with the same club, has the right to block any deal. The White Sox attempted to acquire him from the Reds at the trade deadline in 2005, but the trade reportedly was nixed by Reds ownership for financial reasons.

The White Sox, leading the American League Central by a game and a half, would use Griffey mostly in the outfield, the source said. However, they do not have an obvious spot for him unless they make another deal.

The Sox are set at the corners with Carlos Quentin in left and Jermaine Dye in right. They could play Nick Swisher at first to open center for Griffey, a move that would reduce the playing time of first baseman Paul Konerko and designated hitter Jim Thome. But Griffey has not played center regularly since 2006.

Griffey, earning $12.5 million this season in the final year of his contract, is owed more than $4 million in salary. The Reds could pay a portion of that sum to acquire better players in the deal. The White Sox also could be seeking to acquire one of the Reds’ available relievers, right-hander David Weathers or lefty Jeremy Affeldt.

Griffey, 38, is batting .245 this season with a .355 on-base percentage, 15 home runs and 53 RBIs in 359 at-bats. Earlier this season, he hit his 600th home run.

Tags:
Posted in Reds, White Sox | No Comments »

Marlins in Serious Talks with Red Sox about Manny

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

With less than 24 hours before the trade deadline, the Red Sox are engaged in serious conversations with the Marlins and other teams to trade Manny Ramirez. If the Red Sox were to make a deal with the Marlins, they likely would kick in money to offset Ramirez’s salary, and they would look for three young players in return — perhaps outfielder Jeremy Hermida or outfielder Josh Willingham, plus pitchers.

The Red Sox have gone down this road many times before with Ramirez, seriously discussing a deal before pulling back. But what might be different this time is that Ramirez apparently has just a few months remaining with the Red Sox, and Boston could be asking itself how invested Ramirez will be in the last days of the season

Tags:
Posted in Marlins, Red Sox | No Comments »

Rockies still after starting pitching

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

The Rockies, searching for a starting pitcher, remain interested in re-acquiring right-hander Josh Fogg, who left the team for the Reds last off-season as a free agent. Fogg shares a unique bond with the Rockies’ players, drawing confidence from their confidence in him.

Rockies have also inquired about As Duchscherer and the Nationals Redding

Two straight losses in Pittsburgh could leave the team more open to trading potential free-agent closer Brian Fuentes. But the Rockies, seeking a young starting pitcher with upside for Fuentes, have struggled to find a proper match.

Posted in Rockies | No Comments »

Marines having trouble trading Ibanez and Washburn

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

The Mariners may be facing the same problem with left fielder Raul Ibanez that they are with left-hander Jarrod Washburn. The trade market for both players appears limited.

Stalemated with the Yankees over Washburn, the Mariners are trying to stir interest in other clubs, including the Rockies. Lots of luck when the M’s want to purge the remainder of Washburn’s $9.85 million salary this season and $10.35 million salary next season and get legitimate players in return.

Ibanez, a free agent after this season, is owed only about $2.2 million. But the M’s want two quality prospects from the Mets for a two-month rental. The Cubs also are interested, but perhaps not as motivated as the Mets.

The Diamondbacks had early interest in Ibanez, but their need for him has diminished — they’re playing Conor Jackson in left field and Chad Tracy at first base while awaiting the return of right fielder Justin Upton from a left oblique strain in 7 to 10 days.

The Mariners do not want to move Ibanez for less than the value of the two premium draft picks they would receive if they offered him arbitration and he left as a free agent. But Lee Pelekoudas, the team’s interim general manager, surely does not want to get shut out at the unrestricted trade deadline when he is trying to earn the job permanently.

Tags: ,
Posted in Mariners | No Comments »

« Older Entries