Filed under: Astros, Rays, Reds, MLB Video, MLB Trade Deadline, Executive Take
The MLB Trade Deadline has come and gone and some teams have seriously improved their chances of playing deep into October.
Then, there are the rest.
FanHouse TV’s Steve Phillips breaks down the have-nots at the deadline and identifies the three teams who needed help the most and didn’t get any.
Click below to watch:
Filed under: Diamondbacks, Rays, MLB Rumors, MLB Inside Scoop, MLB Trade Deadline
The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired struggling reliever Chad Qualls from the Arizona Diamondbacks for a player to be named.
Qualls will be in uniform on Saturday night when the Rays take on the Yankees at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay. Reliever Grant Balfour will go on the disabled list with an intercostal strain, opening a roster spot for Qualls.
The St. Petersburg Times reported Balfour, who is expected to miss several weeks, was hurt in an incident involving horseplay with pitching coach Jim Hickey prior to Friday’s game.
Qualls has late-game experience, with 36 saves since the beginning of 2009, but his numbers this year are ugly — an 8.29 ERA, five home runs allowed and a 2.00 WHIP in 38 innings.
With his strikeout and walk rates still strong, pitching from the stretch appears to be the root cause of Qualls’ struggles. Opponents are hitting .247 against him with no runners on base, but .471 — with an 1.177 OPS — against with men aboard.
Filed under: Nationals, Rangers, MLB Trade Deadline
A day after losing Ian Kinsler to the disabled list, the Rangers moved to add another second baseman — and take on still more salary — by acquiring veteran Cristian Guzman from the Nationals.
MLB.com first reported the deal, which apparently will send Double-A right-handers Ryan Tatusko and Tanner Roark to Washington in exchange for the 11-year big leaguer. The trade likely won’t become official until Saturday.
Guzman, 32, is making $8 million this season and will be a free agent this winter. He hit .282 in 89 games for Washington, playing mostly second but also some shortstop and outfield.
Kinsler is on the DL for the second time this season, with a left groin strain the cause in this case. The injury had bothered him for a while before the Rangers finally pulled the plug Thursday.
Filed under: Astros, Phillies, MLB Rumors, MLB Trade Deadline
The Phillies and Astros have an agreement in place on a deal that would send Roy Oswalt from Houston to Philadelphia, according to multiple reports.
My Fox 26, a television station out of Houston, was first to report that the players in the trade had been agreed upon late Wednesday night, and SI.com confirmed the same early Thursday morning.
Both clubs must now wait for Oswalt’s seal of approval on the deal; the 10-year veteran has a full no-trade clause.
ESPN.com reported early Thursday aternoon that he is “expected” to OK the deal.
Filed under: Indians, Tigers, MLB Rumors, MLB Inside Scoop, MLB Trade Deadline
UPDATE: The Tigers have acquired Peralta, who can fill in at third base, for Single-A left-hander Giovanni Soto.Cleveland sends cash to Detroit to help offset the $2 million or so Peralta has coming. Soto, 19, was 6-6 with a 2.61 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings (25 walks) at West Michigan. The Tigers designated the contract of outfielder Wilkin Ramirez for assignment to create room on the 40-man roster for Peralta.
Having lost third baseman Brandon Inge to a broken left hand, the Tigers are in pursuit of Indians infielder Jhonny Peralta.
One source said Detroit feels it will soon acquire Peralta, who went into Wednesday’s game hitting .246 with seven homers. Peralta, 28, does have a .768 OPS away from Progressive Field and a .720 OPS against leftt-handed pitching.
Filed under: Royals, NL West, MLB Rumors, MLB Inside Scoop, MLB Trade Deadline
According to a major league source, several NL West teams have approached the Royals about left fielder Scott Podsednik, who has been hot lately.
The source would not confirm the interested clubs, but the Giants and Padres have been looking for outfield help, and the Dodgers have Manny Ramirez on the disabled list.
San Diego is last in the NL in OPS from left fielders, .585, and is interested in acquiring someone with speed to get on base in front of slugger Adrian Gonzalez.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that San Francisco was pursuing Kansas City’s David DeJesus before he suffered a wrist injury, and Podsednik, like DeJesus, is a left-handed hitter who gets on base.
Filed under: Royals, NL West, MLB Rumors, MLB Inside Scoop, MLB Trade Deadline
According to a major league source, several NL West teams have approached the Royals about left fielder Scott Podsednik, who has been hot lately.
The source would not confirm the interested clubs, but the Giants and Padres have been looking for outfield help, and the Dodgers have Manny Ramirez on the disabled list.
San Diego is last in the NL in OPS from left fielders, .585, and is interested on acquiring someone with speed to get on base in front of slugger Adrian Gonzalez.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that San Francisco was pursuing Kansas City’s David DeJesus before he suffered a wrist injury, and Podsednik, like DeJesus, is a left-handed hitter who gets on base.
Filed under: Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Indians, Marlins, Mets, Tigers, White Sox, MLB Rumors, MLB Trade Deadline
July 31 is fast approaching, and the MLB FanHouse staff has its ear to the ground for all the latest buzz on who might be moved, where, and when. Get the latest tidbits in our MLB Trade Deadline Roundup.
The Mets are still buyers, but general manager Omar Minaya is reluctant to give in to an anxious fanbase and attempt a major move. Minaya’s thought process, one team official said, is not to panic, because the last time the Mets panicked, they traded Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano.
The front office believes the Mets — who have lost 12 of 15 to fall 7 1/2 games out in the NL East and six back in the wild card — have the talent to make a run at the playoffs but the players simply need to play better.
The Mets could use a back-end starter, a reliever and some bench help, but they seem unwilling to add payroll or depart with top prospects, so any additions would be relatively minor.
“He’s not going to do anything big,” one source said of Minaya.
The rumored deal with the Royals, in which Kansas City would take Oliver Perez, appears to be a no-go. The Mets would like to find a taker for Perez and Jeff Francoeur.
The Mets are interested in buying low on relievers, including Arizona’s Chad Qualls and the Angels‘ Scot Shields, both of whom have had down seasons. – Jeff Fletcher and Ed Price
Filed under: MLB Rumors, MLB Trade Deadline, Executive Take
There is less than a week before the non-waiver trade deadline. A matter of days sounds like very little time, yet so much can happen during this period. The ebb and flow of the final week before July 31 would astound fans. There are so many moving parts to this fluid process that can push or pull a team in any number of directions.
Teams that are buyers can lose several games in a row, tempering their hopes for the playoffs and slowing their pursuit of help. Others can get hot and feel emboldened in their evaluation of their team as a contender.
Buyers and sellers can be affected by the market as well. It is Baseball Economics 101 — all about supply and demand.
As a team’s need increases or as the supply of players that can help decreases (other trades, injuries, etc.) then the compulsion to make a deal grows. If there are three starting pitchers available and one comes off the board for whatever reason, supply decreases and market pressures increase on general managers to make a deal.
Sometimes just the thought of supply shrinking can force a GM to act. If a competitor is simply rumored to be acquiring a major piece of help down the stretch, it may change the sense of urgency to make a deal.
Filed under: Phillies, MLB Rumors, MLB Trade Deadline
The Phillies, according to an official of an American League team, are determined to acquire Dan Haren or Roy Oswalt.
The official expects a Phillies deal to involve a third team that would acquire outfielder Jayson Werth.
The Phillies were among four teams scouting Oswalt’s start Saturday, along with the Yankees, Dodgers and Cardinals.
Those keeping an eye on the right-hander did not see him at his best. The Reds — a team he usually owns, to the tune of a 23-2 career record entering the game — touched him up for six runs in the first three innings. He departed after five innings trailing 6-0, falling short in his bid to tie Phil Niekro’s record 144 wins as an Astro.
One scout in attendance who does not work for one of the aforementioned teams was not impressed with Oswalt’s showing, saying his fastball was straight and his command “slightly below average.”
