The Brewers were so close to completing what general manager Doug Melvin called a "big," three-team trade for a pitcher ahead of Friday's nonwaiver Trade Deadline that Ken Macha tuned into the MLB Network in the visiting manager's office at PETCO Park and waited to see the news break.

It never did. 

The deal fizzled, and the pitcher in question wasn't traded. Because of that fact, Macha and Melvin refused to talk about the blockbuster that wasn't -- Melvin did assure reporters that the pitcher in question wasn't Toronto's Roy Halladay -- and the Brewers were left to soldier on with a weakened starting rotation.

Earlier in the week, Melvin thought he might have a shot at Seattle's Jarrod Washburn, but "I didn't think we were ever close," Melvin said.

But Melvin was near to completing, "a much bigger deal," that was so close to happening that within a half hour of the 4 p.m. ET deadline to trade players without first exposing them to waivers, Melvin had principal owner Mark Attanasio waiting near a phone for final approval. When the three-team proposal fell apart, Melvin had another trade possibility in the works within 10 minutes of the deadline. 

"It just didn't happen," Melvin said. "Both of them revolved around what another team was doing. Those are always tough."

So who was involved in the mysterious big one? Macha would only reveal that it was not a pitcher who would have been available to start for the Brewers on Saturday. Melvin wouldn't say, either, even when a reporter presented him with some possible names. One of the names was Atlanta right-hander Javier Vazquez, who had just pitched on Thursday, but a National League scout offered assurances that the Brewers and Braves weren't talking about Vazquez on Friday.

-- Adam McCalvy

We'll have more later at Padres.com about the trade that just went down. Here's a quick look at the deal. Poreda is the prize here and Richard is also very good and likely will join the team first.

Remember to check Twitter @FollowThePadres and Padres.com for more details.

SAN DIEGO - The Padres and White Sox agreed to a trade on Friday that will send 2007 National League Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy to Chicago for a package of four pitchers.

Two months after the two teams agreed to what is believed to be a similar trade, only to have Peavy use his no-trade clause to torpedo the deal - Peavy agreed to this particular trade.

Peavy, who is currently on the disabled list with a strained tendon in his right ankle, will likely be able to pitch again in late August.

Peavy, 28, is 6-6 with a 3.97 ERA this season for the Padres and owns a career mark of 92-68 with a 3.29 ERA in eight-plus seasons with San Diego.

Richard, 25, is 4-3 with a 4.65 ERA in 26 games (14 starts) with the White Sox in 2009.

Poreda, 22, is 3-4 with a 2.72 ERA between Class AAA and Charlotte Class AA Birmingham.

His contract was purchased from Birmingham on June 9, and he went 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in 10 relief appearances with the White Sox before being optioned to Charlotte on July 21.

Carter, 23, is 6-2 with a 3.13 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 19 starts with Class A Kannapolis in 2009.

Russell, 26, is 2-2 with a 3.20 ERA and five saves in 34 relief appearances this season with Charlotte.  He went 4-0 with a 5.19 ERA in 22 relief appearances with the White Sox in 2008.

General manager Tony Reagins said the Angels came up empty in their efforts to make a non-waiver Trade Deadline deal when they were unable to match up with other clubs.

Reagins was not specific about which clubs he was talking with, but reports indicated that the Angels made concerted efforts to acquire Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays and Heath Bell from the Padres.

"It really came down to not being the best fit for either party," Reagins said. "We had a comfort level that we could go in certain situations and were willing to be aggressive. [Owner] Arte Moreno gave us no restraints. We went in with the idea of improving the club. A lot of effort was put into the process. From that standpoint, you move forward. We have business to take care of. Our focus is on Minnesota tonight. Our 25 guys have a comfort level they are going to be here for the rest of the year."

There was one report that the Angels were close to a last-minute deal for Halladay, but Reagins would not confirm that. The Jays reportedly wanted shortstop Erick Aybar, infielder Brandon Wood, starter Joe Saunders and a prime prospect.

"Utimately, you have to find a match," Reagins said. "You may offer talented players, but if the deal doesn't fit for both parties . . . that's the situation we were in. From a personnel standpoint, we made proposals that were very competitive and made sense. But the other side has to feel they made sense as well."

 

    

The Rockies have filled their left-handed bullpen need by obtaining Joe Beimel from the Nationals for two Minor League pitchers. Those names have not been revealed, but a source close to the talks said the Rockies were able to hold onto speedy second baseman Eric Young Jr.

 

Barring some last-minute wheeling and dealing, the Marlins are not expected to swing a trade by the 4 p.m. ET deadline.

A source told MLB.com that the Marlins were not expected to complete a trade by the non-waiver deadline.

Florida had been talking with the Nationals about first baseman Nick Johnson. A possible deal would have included Triple-A right-hander Ryan Tucker. When the Nationals also sought Double-A Jacksonville lefty Aaron Thompson, the deal fell through.

Earlier on Friday, the Marlins ended their pursuit of Padres closer Heath Bell. The asking price was either Sean West or Andrew Miller.

-- Joe Frisaro

 

 

With less than an hour before the 4 p.m. ET trade deadline it's looking more and more like San Diego first baseman Adrian Gonzalez might be staying put.

The Red Sox have moved on, trading for Cleveland catcher Victor Martinez for some players who might have been in the Gonzalez deal had their been one.

FOXSports is reporting the Dodgers might have interest in Gonzalez and/or Bell, though Bell might be the easier piece to move.

The Angels, who have some players who intrigue the Padres -- possibly second baseman Howie Kendrick -- could be another fit for Bell.

A week ago, Padres general manager Kevin Towers said that if nothing got done this week he would have a better idea of what he might get in return for Gonzalez and Bell if the team should decide to move either player in the off-season.

From all the reports out there, it sounds like Towers asked for the moon for Gonzalez and Bell, two players he doesn't have to move by any means.

We'll know more in less than an hour, but don't be surprised if Gonzalez stays put. The same could be said for Bell, though the team could move the All-Star closer a lot easier.

-- Corey Brock

According to a baseball source, the Rockies still have interest in acquiring Nationals left-hander Joe Beimel. The Nationals asked for infielder Eric Young Jr. in return, but the Rockies quickly said, "No thanks."

Colorado is hoping that the Nationals will knock their price down in order to acquire Beimel, who has a 3.40 ERA in 45 games.   

-- Bill Ladson  

The Rockies haven't closed the door on their attempts to acquire Orioles lefty Mark Hendrickson or Nationals lefty Joe Beimel for their bullpen need. Both teams asked for seocnd base prospect Eric Young Jr. originally. We'll see if the asking price comes down before 2 p.m. MT, the deadline. The Jays' Scott Downs is a possibility, but there is a heavy salary burden this year and next that must be addressed before a deal can be completed.

The fact that the Tigers didn't have to give up a lot for Jarrod Washburn, and didn't have to give up highly-rated prospects, means they're still talking with teams about beefing up their offense before today's nonwaiver trade deadline. Foxsports.com reported the Tigers have continued to talk with the Orioles about Luke Scott. They're also believed to be checking around with other clubs to see if asking prices go down on other outfield/DH types before the deadline.

-- Jason Beck

Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd said yesterday he doubts the team will make a deal, even though it could use one more bullpen lefty. Sometimes, a GM saying nothing will happen is a guarantee something will. Then again, sometimes he says it because, well, nothing will happen.

ESPN's Jayson Stark reported today that the Rockies have thus far refused the Orioles' requests for two prospects -- first speedy second baseman Eric Young Jr., then left-hander Matt Reynolds. Young seems useful as a baserunning threat in September. Some have speculated that Reynolds, who has been dominant at Class A Modesto and Double-A Tulsa, could help the Rockies this year.

But Stark reports that the teams continue to talk.

One report had the Rockies interested in Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson as a lefty bat off the bench, but ESPN's Peter Gammons is reporting the Marlins are moving closer to acquiring him.

 

On the morning of the trade deadline, the Rangers chances of acquiring pitcher Roy Halladay appear dead. Perhaps they can be revived in some manner before the deadline passes but it doesn't look good this morning.

The reality is it's somewhere between dead and on life support system.

Certainly money was a factor and how much salary the Rangers could absorb. There was certainly the Rangers refusal to give up Derek Holland.

He was dazzling in a 7-1 victory over the Mariners. The Rangers never had any desire to trade him but that pretty much clinched it. There were multiple issues involved in the deal that could not be overcome but it seems Holland's performance was the clincher.

The Blue Jays had interest in catching, Tommy Hunter, Justin Smoak and Julio Borbon. But Holland seems to be at the top of their list and the Rangers aren't willing to part with him.

-- T.R. Sullivan

Speculation among players inside the Marlins' clubhouse on Thursday had Adrian Gonzalez possibly coming to Florida as part of a blockbuster trade.

By early evening, reports surfaced that the Marlins were pursuing Nick Johnson.

The common theme in both possible trade scenarios is the Marlins are looking for a left-handed hitting, strong fielding first baseman. It also didn't go unnoticed that Jorge Cantu was taking ground balls at third base before the Marlins played the Braves on Thursday night.

Cantu, who was Florida's third baseman last year, has played exclusively at first base this season.

As of Friday morning, it appears the Marlins no longer are in the bidding for Padres closer Heath Bell. MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo has learned the Marlins are out of the bidding for the hard-throwing right-hander.

The Marlins are inquiring about a number of possible trades before Friday's 4 p.m. ET non-waiver trade deadline. Chances are about 50/50 that something gets done.

Johnson appears to be the most realistic option. The Marlins are believed to be willing to trade either Ryan Tucker or Aaron Thompson to the Nationals. Both pitchers were first round picks in 2005.

It's a matter of whether the Nationals would agree on the players in return to complete the deal.

Tucker, a hard-throwing right-hander, is at Triple-A New Orleans. Thompson, a lefty, is at Double-A Jacksonville.

The asking price for Gonzalez is higher. San Diego reportedly is seeking top prospect Mike Stanton and Cameron Maybin. Another rumored trade on Thursday had the Padres seeking Stanton, Maybin and pitcher Andrew Miller for Gonzalez and Bell.

Stanton, 19, is a 6-foot-5 right fielder regarded as one of the top overall prospects in baseball. A National League scout on Thursday said Stanton is another Dave Winfield, and he regards him as one of the top five prospects in all of baseball.

That scout added he wouldn't trade Stanton. The Marlins don't seem to be interested in moving Stanton at any cost. His name also came up in an inquiry for Toronto ace Roy Halladay.

-- Joe Frisaro

 

 

Rangers president Nolan Ryan confirmed that the club is talking to the Blue Jays about Roy Halladay.

"We've had discussions with them yes," Ryan said. "Nothing has been done. It's been going on for awhile and there have been names talked about. There hasn't been a deal struck and it's still premature to make a prediction whether it will happen."

-- T.R. Sullivan

 

The Rangers still haven't given up hope of acquiring Roy Halladay. Word is the Rangers still have significant on-going communications going on between them and the Blue Jays with under 24 hours to go before the Trade Deadline.

There are also indications that the Rangers are not going to let money get in the way if they can land Halladay for a reasonable package.

The Blue Jays are not going to give him away. Some of the names that have been thrown around include first baseman Justin Smoak, shortstop Elvis Andrus, outfielder Julio Borbon and pitchers Neftali Feliz and Derek Holland.

The Rangers have to weigh that against having for Halladay for just 11/2 years. But apparently this going to come down to a baseball decision. The Rangers apparently are not going to let money get in the way of getting this guy.

-- T.R. Sullivan

 

The plug was pulled on Joel Zumaya's 2009 season Thursday, when Dr. James Andrews scheduled surgery for next month to fix the stress fracture in his shoulder. Now that it's official, the question is whether the news, coming hours before Friday's nonwaiver trade deadline, changes the Tigers' approach on dealings.

Reports have pegged Detroit to interest on some relievers on the market over the past couple weeks, but as of Thursday, nothing seemed to be close. Orioles closer George Sherrill, one reliever on which the Tigers reportedly inquired, went to the Dodgers Thursday. Toronto's Jason Frasor and other Blue Jays relievers might not go anywhere if the team decides to keep its team together around Roy Halladay for a run in 2010.

Truth is, though, the Tigers moved on without Zumaya a while back, since they weren't in a position to count on him once he went on the disabled list. His struggles in June and early July prompted manager Jim Leyland to put Brandon Lyon in more setup situations before Zumaya's last outing July 17 against the Yankees. But then, with all the other issues the Tigers have faced, they've had just four save situations since the All-Star break. They could go after some bullpen depth, and there's plenty of depth out there.

-- Jason Beck

Talked with Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd who said he doesn't expect to land a lefty reliever or make any other deals before Friday afternoon's deadline. But FoxSports.com's Tracy Ringolsby is reporting that the Rockies, in addition to continuing their pursuit of Orioles lefty reliever Mark Hendrickson, are attempting to get Nick Johnson from the Natoinals as a lefty bat off the bench.

The Dodgers have acquired Orioles lefty closer George Sherrill to shore up their left-handed setup situatoin, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. Carrie Muskat of MLB.com is reporting that the Cubs are in on Pirates lefties John Grabow and Tom Gorzelany.

So where does this leave the Rockies, who have only Franklin Morales throwing from the left in the bullpen?

The Denver Post mentions the Orioles' Mark Hendrickson and the Blue Jays' Scott Downs as possibilities. The Jays, trying to trim payroll, would be happy to part with Downs, who is due the remainder of his $3.75 million salary this year and $4 million next year. Hendrickson is more economical. He is making $1.5 million this year, and is not signed beyond.

The Rockies, however, are not wanting to disturb the Major League roster, and have been unwilling to deal prospects like second baseman Eric Young Jr. We'll see if an offer they like comes.

-- Thomas Harding

The Cubs have reportedly stepped up their discussions with the Pirates regarding two left-handed pitchers, John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny. Grabow could provide some help in the bullpen, which now has only one lefty in Sean Marshall. Gorzelanny was 4-3 with a 2.48 ERA in 15 starts at Triple-A Indianapolis.

-- Carrie Muskat 

 

The Dodgers shored up their bullpen Thursday by acquiring Baltimore closer George Sherrill in exchange for two prospects, slugging third baseman Josh Bell and riht-handed pitcher Steve Johnson, according to baseball sources.

 

The left-handed Sherrill can serve as a set-up man, or share closer roles with Jonathan Broxton.

 

The Dodgers still are hoping to acquire a starting pitcher and are rumored to still be pursuing Toronto's Roy Halladay in exchange for a package of prospects. -- Ken Gurnick

 

The Blue Jays have more than Roy Halladay potentially up for grabs as Friday's 4 p.m. ET Trade Deadline inches closer. There is reason to believe that Toronto is currently in talks with Cincinnati about a trade that would send third baseman Scott Rolen to the Reds.

After dealing with left shoulder issues for much of the past four years, Rolen's value has never been higher. He is hitting .320 with a .370 on-base percentage, eight homers and 43 RBIs in 88 games for the Jays. Rolen is still a Gold Glove-caliber third baseman, but he is 34 and might not repeat this performance next year.

Reds GM Walt Jocketty and Rolen go back to their days with the Cardinals and, prior to joining the Jays, the third baseman spent his entire career in the National League. Rolen is under contract for $11 million this season and $11 million in 2010, and the Jays may very well be trimming their payroll again next year.

One source said that "it would definitely be wrong" to say discussing a Rolen trade made no sense for Toronto. A person with knowledge of the Jays' thinking would neither confirm nor deny that the Reds and Jays were indeed in discussions -- usually a sign that something is cooking.

If the Jays do trade Halladay, it's likely that Toronto would also be looking to shed some more of its payroll, considering contending in 2010 probably isn't realistic without Doc. Beyond Rolen, various reports have named Lyle Overbay, Alex Rios, Marco Scutaro, Rod Barajas, Scott Downs and Jason Frasor as candidates to be dealt.

One report indicated that the Jays were asking for highly-touted Reds prospect Yonder Alonso (seventh overall in last year's Draft) in a potential Rolen deal. The Rolen/Reds rumors have persisted for a few weeks and Cincinnati third baseman Edwin Encarnacion has had his name come up as the player possibly headed to Toronto.

The Dodgers are reportedly the new favorites to land Halladay, though Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi told the New York Post on Wednesday that he's leaning more toward keeping the ace in the fold through next season.

UPDATE: A source on Scott Rolen discussions with the Reds: "All is quiet. Don't buy into all the other reports."

--Jordan Bastian

With outfielder Reed Johnson sidelined for at least three weeks with a fractured foot, the Cubs are in the market for a right-handed hitting outfielder. Maybe. GM Jim Hendry says they don't want to commit to someone long-term who could get in Johnson's way upon his return. If nothing is done by Friday's deadline, the Cubs will likely recall left-handed hitting Sam Fuld from Triple-A Iowa.

The Cubs' primary goal heading into the deadline was to find another lefty who could help in the bullpen. That was before Johnson was hurt. Hendry said his cell phone has been ringing more than usual in the last 12 hours.

"[Wednesday night], some of the people I'd been calling all of a sudden called back and maybe they were looking at things a little differently," Hendry said. "So, from an optimistic side, we might be able to do something by [Friday]. Some of the people we inquired about, unfortunately, are people other people also want. So we'll see."

There isn't a push to find someone to help in the outfield.

"The way we're going, Reed was starting less than 25 percent of the time anyways," Hendry said. "To be honest with you, off the top of your head, name me all the right-handed hitting center fielders who can really help who would be better than what we have right now who are available? Willie [Mays] is not playing anymore."

-- Carrie Muskat

Although the Dodgers missed on Cliff Lee, the fact that they were willing to offer the Indians a package of their top prospects gives some in the organization hope that they will make a similar late run at Toronto's Roy Halladay, even though SI.com claims the Dodgers have crossed Halladay off their "wish list."

The Dodgers have made it clear they will not trade Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley. But a week ago general manager Ned Colletti indicated that the Blue Jays wanted either two or three players off the Major League club, including one of the two starting pitchers, or a package of five or six prospects. Foxsports.com lists those prospects as "outfielder Andrew Lambo, right-hander Josh Lindblom, third baseman Josh Bell and right-hander Chris Withrow."

With the acquisition of Lee taking the Phillies out of the picture as an acquirer of Halladay, the Dodgers might be in the strongest position to satisfy the Blue Jays with prospects. That deal also could include former Dodgers reliever Jason Frasor, which would also satisfy the club's need to improve the bullpen. Otherwise, Baltimore's George Sherrill remains at the top of that Dodgers wish list. -- Ken Gurnick

 

The Tigers have traded outfielder Josh Anderson to the Royals for cash considerations. Anderson's contract was designated for assignment last week to make room for Carlos Guillen. The Royals and Yankees both had interest, but the Yankees reportedly weren't willing to offer up a prospect in the deal.

Kansas City will be the third team for Anderson this calendar year and the fourth in his career. Detroit acquired him from Atlanta in the final week of Spring Training.

Anderson batted .242 with the Tigers with four doubles, four triples and 16 RBIs in 74 games, covering 165 at-bats. The 26-year-old stole 13 bases in 15 attempts.

-- Jason Beck

The latest pitcher to be mentioned alongside the starter-hungry Brewers is right-hander Kevin Correia of the Padres, who would be a step down from the other players linked to Milwaukee (Roy Halladay, Jarrod Washburn among them) but at least could help plug some holes.

Correia is 7-8 with a 4.75 ERA and would come cheaply, according to the FOXSports.com blog item that mentioned the Brewers as one of the interested teams. No deal is imminent, the report said.

The Brewers' rotation is a bit of a mess, with Dave Bush (triceps) on the disabled list and Jeff Suppan (oblique) in limbo for his Saturday start ahead of a Thursday appointment with the doctor. The Brewers have already tried Seth McClung and Mike Burns as in-house replacements before sending them back to the bullpen (now McClung is on the DL with an elbow injury). The team will give another reliever, Carlos Villanueva, one more chance to start on Sunday in San Diego.

As I reported earlier this week, Brewers GM Doug Melvin will be on the team's chartered flight to San Diego this afternoon, meaning he'll be out of contact with Trade Deadline buzz for a few hours but will be back in the pocket for the final hours on Friday. The deadline to move players without exposing them to waivers is July 31 at 4 p.m. ET. 

-- Adam McCalvy

With less than 48 hours before Friday's nonwaiver trade deadline, the Tigers sounded like a team with a lot of needs but not many solutions.

"To my knowledge, we have absolutely nothing going," manager Jim Leyland said Wednesday afternoon.

Team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski seemed to indicate much the same in remarks to Booth Newspapers.

"I've talked to a lot of different people," Dombrowski told Booth on Wednesday, "but there is not as much going on as last year because few clubs are looking to move players. The difference between this year and last year is more clubs are in contention."

That doesn't necessarily mean the Tigers won't make a deal. Last year's trade that sent Ivan Rodriguez to the Yankees for Kyle Farnsworth, for instance, came together in less than 24 hours. But for a team clearly in contention, yet with more needs, lack of activity isn't a good thing.

-- Jason Beck

MIAMI -- The list of teams inquiring about Padres closer Heath Bell is long. But, according to reports, none of those teams have been as aggressive as the Marlins.

Hours after trading Jack Wilson and Ian Snell to the Mariners and Freddy Sanchez to the Giants, Pirates general manager Neal Huntington was asked if the organization -- which has also already dealt Nate McLouth, Nyjer Morgan, Sean Burnett and Adam LaRoche this summer -- was finally done dealing.

Huntington downplayed the necessity of making any more deals. But at the same time, he didn't close the door.

"We continue to have ongoing dialogue," Huntington said. "We're not looking to make any more trades. We weren't looking to make these trades. We don't need to make other trades. But if the right baseball opportunity presents itself, it's certainly something we take a look at. Again, if it's strong enough, we move forward."

At this point, lefty reliever John Grabow would seem to be the most likely left to go. He's the only player remaining on the roster who is set to be a free agent at season's end. And as prompted the decisions to trade LaRoche, Wilson and Sanchez, the Pirates don't like to lose players to free agency without getting something in return.

The Marlins and Cubs are known to have interest in Grabow, though it may take Orioles lefty reliever George Sherill being dealt before the Pirates get substantial offers from teams looking to add a veteran lefty in the 'pen.

According to a report by FOX Sports, the Rays still consider themselves to be in the mix to acquire Toronto ace Roy Halladay, but they think they are a longshot due to the price in dollars and prospects.  The report goes on to state that the team is looking for bullpen help a day after they were looking to unload members of their bullpen.

Rays officials are mum on any trade developments.

--Bill Chastain

An industry source confirmed the Yankees have shown interest in former Tigers outfielder Josh Anderson, following a report earlier Wednesday from cbssports.com's Danny Knobler. A second team, not yet identified, is also said to be interested in Anderson.

The Tigers designated Anderson's contract for assignment last week to make room for Carlos Guillen to return from the disabled list, so Detroit isn't in a position to ask for much in a trade. Still, the speedy Anderson could be a fit for the Yankees to fill in for Brett Gardner, who's out until mid-August with a fractured left thumb.

The Tigers will have to either swing a deal with another club or let Anderson go if they can't get him through waivers. If he does sneak through waivers, the Tigers can outright him to Triple-A Toledo.

Anderson batted .242 with the Tigers with four doubles, four triples and 16 RBIs in 74 games, covering 165 at-bats. The 26-year-old stole 13 bases in 15 attempts.

-- Jason Beck

General manager Neal Huntington has not ruled out still dealing second baseman Freddy Sanchez before Friday's non-waiver trade deadline even though the Pirates already traded away their other middle infielder early on Wednesday. Jack Wilson was dealt to the Mariners as part of a seven-player deal.

"They're really independent entities," Huntington said when asked if this changed Sanchez's standing. "We would've love to have kept both players. It didn't work out that way. We'd like to keep Freddy, it may or not work out that way. Again, each individual decision is an exclusive decision in of itself because they all come back to our commitment to trying to build a winner here in Pittsburgh."

San Francisco seems to continue to be the main suitor for Sanchez, though the Twins and possibly other teams have also expressed interest. The hold up in a deal already being done could very well be Sanchez's tender left knee. The second baseman has sat for the last three days while nursing the injury.

According to one source, the Giants are reexamining Sanchez's knee on Wednesday afternoon. San Francisco already did an initial MRI on Sanchez's knee on Monday but wanted to take another look before agreeing to any deal, the source added.

The source said that if the Giants are content with the medical reports that the framework of a deal is already in place that would send Sanchez to San Francisco and a package of Minor Leaguers to Pittsburgh. Nothing has been agreed to yet, though.

Apparently making one last attempt to stay in Pittsburgh, Sanchez and his agent sent the Pirates a contract extension offer of three years, $20 million. It was soonafter rejected by the organization.

Sanchez had rejected the two-year, $10 million extension that the Pirates had offered him almost two weeks ago but had not countered until Wednesday.

Speaking to the media just prior to Wednesday's game, Sanchez said that he is not flying back to Pittsburgh with the team after the game this afternoon. He'll instead join his family at his home in Arizona in case he finds out within the next 24 hours that he will be joining a West Coast team.

-- Jenifer Langosch

Oakland's big fish is gone, Matt Holliday having been traded to the Cardinals last week. But a recent rumor suggested that the A's and Cards are talking again, this time about 40-year-old righty reliever Russ Springer, who enjoyed the best two years of his career working for St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa and pitching coach Dave Duncan in 2007-2008.

One of Springer's best friends on the A's, fellow righty Michael Wuertz, has seen his name bandied about in a number of ways over the past few weeks, but given the constitution of Oakland's bullpen, it'll take a solid return package to prompt A's GM Billy Beane to surrender his most reliable reliever.

Shortstop Orlando Cabrera is will being mentioned in trade rumors, too, most notable with the Twins, but Cabrera isn't in any hurry to leave. He's on a one-year deal with the A's and seems to be very happy living in the East Bay, and with no clear heir at the position, Oakland might decide to keep and re-sign him as one of the few veterans to anchor what will almost certainly be an extremely young team next season.

--Mychael Urban

Oakland's big fish is gone, Matt Holliday having been traded to the Cardinals last week. But a recent rumor suggested that the A's and Cards are talking again, this time about 40-year-old righty reliever Russ Springer, who enjoyed the best two years of his career working for St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa and pitching coach Dave Duncan.

One of Springer's best friends on the A's, fellow righty Michael Wuertz, has seen his name bandied about in a number of ways over the past few weeks, but given the constitution of Oakland's bullpen, it'll take a solid return package to prompt A's GM Billy Beane to surrender his most reliable reliever.

Shortstop Orlando Cabrera is will being mentioned in trade rumors, too, most notable with the Twins, but Cabrera isn't in any hurry to leave. He's on a one-year deal with the A's and seems to be very happy living in the East Bay, and with no clear heir at the position, Oakland might decide to keep and re-sign him as one of the few veterans to anchor what will almosyt certainly be an extremely young team next season.

--Mychael Urban

Add the Marlins to the list of teams interested in Pirates lefty reliever John Grabow.

According to a National League source, the Marlins and Pirates have discussed possible trade scenarios that would land Grabow in Florida. 

Upgrading the bullpen remains a priority for the Marlins as they hope to improve their playoff chances.

Grabow, 30, has appeared in 44 games for Pittsburgh, while posting a 3-0 record and 3.57 ERA in 45 1/3 innings. The Marlins bullpen entered Wednesday with the fifth best ERA in the National League -- 3.79.

In second place behind the Phillies in the National League East, the Marlins are in the process of searching for experienced relievers. Grabow broke in with the Pirates in 2003, and he's been in 389 games.

A durable lefty, he was involved in a career high 74 games and 76 innings in 2008.

Pittsburgh's third-round pick in 1997, Grabow has 39 strikeouts and 28 walks on the season. Ironically, left-handed hitters are batting .275 against him, while right-handers have a .246 average. 

Grabow is signed for $2.3 million this year, and he will be eligible for free agency next season.

In recent weeks, Florida's bullpen has added veteran right-handers Brendan Donnelly and Luis Ayala.

-- Joe Frisaro

Acquiring reliever George Sherrill seems to be the most attractive option for the Dodgers because the Orioles are rumored to want a package in return that centers on Double-A slugging third baseman Josh Bell and not any key players on the current Dodgers active roster. To get either of the two front-line starters on the block -- Toronto's Roy Halladay or Cleveland's Cliff Lee -- it is believed the Dodgers must give up either Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley out of their current starting rotation. They could make a push for Lee if the Indians would accept a package of prospects in lieu of either Kershaw or Billingsley. -- Ken Gurnick

The Orioles have been mostly quiet as the non-waiver trade deadline approaches, but multiple news outlets are reporting that the Dodgers are hot on southpaw closer George Sherrill. Sherrill has also been linked to the Angels, which could start an inter-city bidding war.

Baltimore is believed to be looking at teams with infield prospects, and the Dodgers' Josh Bell and Angels' Brandon Wood have both reportedly come up in trade talks. Both of the Orioles' current corner infielders -- Aubrey Huff and Melvin Mora -- could be eligible for free agency next season, and Baltimore wants to get younger at the corners like it did in the outfield.

Sherrill, who was acquired in last season's Erik Bedard trade, was named to the All-Star Game in 2008 and narrowly missed the same honor this season. The left-hander has been strong for Baltimore but could help further kick the Orioles' rebuilding movement into gear.

-- Spencer Fordin

Oh, what a difference a turn in the rotation makes. When Jarrod Washburn made his last start, baffling the Tigers over seven scoreless innings, the Mariners looked like a team that could make a run in the AL West after all. The Mariners didn't win another game from their other four starters, and as Washburn prepared for his next start Tuesday night, rumors heated up about Washburn on the selling block.

The Tigers had as good of a view as anybody at what Washburn could do, and as a team in search of a left-handed starter, they couldn't help but be impressed. If the Mariners as serious about listening to offers for the southpaw in his final year of his contract, look for the Tigers to at least inquire. The challenge for them is that so many other teams are in need of solid, consistent starters that Washburn's value could rise quickly, especially now that a few contenders had injury concerns emerge.

The Tigers had an appealing package for the Mariners in trade talks for J.J. Putz over the winter, including left-handed power hitting such as Jeff Larish. But these Mariners are a different team than last fall.

-- Jason Beck

Pirates second baseman Freddy Sanchez sat out of Tuesday's game against San Francisco because of an achy left knee, not because of an imminent trade. However, according to one baseball source, a trade is apparently very much in the works.

The source, in fact, said that he believes the framework of a deal is already in place for the two clubs to make a trade by Friday's non-waiver deadline. The hold up, the source believed, is Sanchez's knee. The second baseman has missed three of the last five games and is expected to sit out on Wednesday, too, because of left knee soreness.

A source confirmed that Sanchez had an MRI on that knee administered by the Giants medical staff on Monday. While it is often common for the home medical staff to assist with injuries to visiting players, the Giants will at least now have first-hand knowledge of the severity of Sanchez's injury. And by all indications, the injury is not serious enough to deter San Francisco from continuing in its attempts to trade for the second baseman.

Though the Twins are also believed to be in the mix for Sanchez, the Giants seem to be the most likely suitor. The potential for Sanchez's $8 million option for 2010 to automatically trigger is not believed to be as large a concern for San Francisco, which is expected to shed a good amount of its payroll through departing free agents this offseason and therefore have some financial flexibility.

The Giants also have some Minor League depth and can likely afford to offer a package of young players in return.

Still, despite Internet reports that the Pirates are actively seeking a trade for one or both players, Pirates president Frank Coonelly reiterated Tuesday it is not a foregone conclusion that either is traded by the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline.

"We have by no means concluded that we have to or even should trade Jack and/or Freddy," Coonelly said. "To the contrary, both players have significant value to us and we have made it very clear to clubs that have inquired that we will trade Jack and Freddy only if we receive appropriate value in return."

-- Jenifer Langosch

If the Red Sox are going to pull off a blockbuster trade by Friday's deadline to land one of the marquee players they have targeted -- Roy Halladay, Victor Martinez, Adrian Gonzalez or Cliff Lee -- it stands to reason that Clay Buchholz is probably going to have to be included.

Knowing this, Buchholz took the hill for the Sox on Tuesday night for the last time before the deadline and seemed unfazed by the circumstances. He allowed nine hits over 5 2/3 innings, but just two runs. Buchholz would have gotten the win if not for the implosion of the bullpen.

After the game, he seemed unfazed by his name continually churning in the rumor mill. Perhaps this is because Buchholz has been the subject of rumors at this time of year for three seasons in a row.

"Those are things that you can't control and I'm a firm believer in doing the things that you can do to help a team win and not really think about anything else," Buchholz said. "It doesn't matter what I want or what I say, it's what the organization needs. So i just let it go in one ear and out the other until somebody in here tells me something about it. I really don't pay any attention to it."

Yahoo Sports! reported Tuesday that the Red Sox made a couple of proposals to the Jays for Halladay that included Buchholz. However, Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi told the Web site that he is still not close to a deal.

"Nothing is close," Ricciardi said. "Nothing is happening."

In the meantime, enticing highly-touted prospects around the league like Buchholz will have to wait another few days before being sure of their fate.

-- Ian Browne

I just called Brewers general manager Doug Melvin to see if the news of Jeff Suppan's rib-cage strain -- an injury that often sends a pitcher to the disabled list -- changes his plan of attack for Friday's nonwaiver trade deadline.

The answer was no.

"We're still looking for guys who are available," Melvin said. "We'd like to get a starter. We'll have to wait a few days before we find out [about Suppan]. We'll evaluate then."

Even if it's bad news, Melvin will be smart about his aggressiveness on the market.

"I'm not going to go out and give up a better player just because Suppan is out," he said.

Suppan underwent an MRI scan on Tuesday after complaining of tightness in his side. Right-hander Dave Bush is already on the disabled list with a triceps injury, and Seth McClung and Mike Burns were tried out as starters and then bounced from the rotation (McClung is now hurt and Burns is back in Triple-A). Another new starter, Carlos Villanueva, allowed five runs in four innings on Tuesday.

"It's been tough right now even though we've been healthy," Melvin said. "I have confidence in these guys getting better, but we haven't pitched well. When you're not going well, you don't get the breaks, either."

Melvin confirmed that he remains in touch with Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik, who holds a chip in left-hander Jarrod Washburn, who was 8-6 with a 2.70 ERA ahead of his Tuesday night start in Toronto. Washburn, a Wisconsin native, is a free agent after the season, and FOXSports.com speculated that Zduriencik, Milwaukee's former scouting director, might consider injured second baseman Rickie Weeks in return. Zduriencik drafted Weeks in 2003.

Acknowledging that the teams have been linked in published reports, Melvin said, "We'd like to add a starter, but Jack hasn't decided yet if he would move one or not."

-- Adam McCalvy
 

The Roy Halladay saga can still go a long way toward dictating whether or not the Indians trade Cliff Lee. The Phillies are widely believed to be the most aggressive contender for Halladay's services. If they are unsuccessful, they could potentially deliver the knockout package it would take to land Lee.

The Indians and Phillies have a recent history of talking trade, as the Phils were a player for CC Sabathia last summer. But their package centered around prospect Carlos Carrasco (who is once again rumored to be on the block) did not win the Indians over.

Though the possibility of Lee being moved is very real, the Indians still appear more inclined to keep him, exercise his $9 million option for next season, attempt to contend with him at the top of their rotation and, if things don't pan out as planned, shop him this time next year.

The Tribe proved last year in the Sabathia trade with the Brewers that a top-of-the-rotation pitcher, even with just a few months remaining on his contract, can net a decent haul on the trade front. That consideration is on the minds of those in the front office, as the Indians are understandably hesitant to make any moves that seem to sell off any hope of competing in 2010.

But the right package, centered around an impact pitching prospect, could land Lee. The Phillies appear to be the most motivated team in the market, but the Angels, Dodgers, Rays and Rangers have all expressed legitimate interest, as well.

-- Anthony Castrovince

Cubs GM Jim Hendry says he's been busy talking to other teams, but wasn't sure if the Cubs will add any players by Friday's trade deadline. The team should get a "new" player when catcher Geovany Soto returns from his oblique injury sometime in early August. Soto was taking batting practice and expected to get into a game this week. Ted Lilly (inflammation shoulder) also will rejoin the team in mid August. That's two.

However, the Cubs could use some left-hand help in the bullpen. Sean Marshall is the only southpaw.

"I have no idea if we'll do anything by Friday," Hendry said.

The Cubs players have said they feel all the pieces are in place. Hendry appreciated that they feel they're good enough to three-peat in the NL Central.

"I think they know how we do our business," Hendry said. "If we find something by Friday, that's what we'll do."

Some long-rumored deals are never consumated. And, Hendry said he's completed transactions with Oakland GM Billy Beane in five, 10 minutes. Who knows?

"I think some of the best trades we've made, I've put the least amount of time into them," Hendry said.

-- Carrie Muskat

The Rangers aren't ready to give up first baseman Justin Smoak, pitcher Derek Holland and outfielder Julio Borbon for Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay.

Sources said that's what the Blue Jays were asking for in their discussions with the Rangers.

There are financial parameters that handicap the Rangers but they were willing to put those aside for the moment to see of they could get a deal done with the Blue Jays.

But the Blue Jays have set their sights high and so far the Rangers aren't ready to climb that mountain.

The Rangers have also been asking about Indians pitcher Cliff Lee but there doesn't appear anything on that front either.

--TR Sullivan

 

Among the Reds starting pitcher Aaron Harang has figured prominently in trade rumors as July 31 nears. Harang said he has a partial no-trade clause but was hazy on Tuesday with the details about which teams.

"I don't know which teams I put," Harang said. "I put them down a couple of years back."

Harang, who is starting on Wednesday, has one guaranteed left on his contract beyond this season. He's making $11 million this year and $12.5 million in 2010 with a $12.75 million option for 2011.

"You can't let it bother you, especially being a veteran guy, your name is going to come up more times than not," Harang said of the rumors. "You just can't let it affect how you go out and play every day. I'm going to show up at my locker each day. You really don't know. I will know if they ever call me into the office and tell me. I'm not worried about it."

--- Mark Sheldon

Brian Anderson got his wish to be traded, and in the process, the White Sox apparently have added a valuable veteran piece to their bench for the playoff push over the next two months.

Anderson, 27, was traded to Boston in exchange for Mark Kotsay and cash considerations on Tuesday. Kotsay, 33, is a .281 hitter with 110 home runs and 614 RBIs over 13 Major League seasons. He batted .257 with one homer and five RBIs in 27 games for the Red Sox in 2009 before being designated for assignment on July 24.

Kotsay's arrival now makes either Dewayne Wise or Josh Fields expendable for Chicago. Kotsay ranks third among all Major League outfielders with his 113 assists since the start of the 1998 season, trailing Bobby Abreu (117) and Vladimir Guerrero (115), but also can back-up Paul Konerko at first base.

Of even greater importance is Kotsay's .373 career average as a pinch-hitter, an extremely weak area for the White Sox at present. Wise had been serving as a defensive replacement and a left-handed hitting reserve outfielder, while Fields had been spelling both Jim Thome at designated hitter and Konerko at first base.

It was just five days ago when Anderson told MLB.com that he would like to be traded so he could get a fresh start at playing regularly somewhere else. For the moment, that start doesn't look as if it will come in Boston, as the White Sox top pick in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft will be sent to the Minors. He hit .238 with two home runs and 13 RBIs in 65 games before being optioned to Triple-A Charlotte on July 20. Anderson is a career .225 hitter, with 20 homers and 75 RBIs in 334 games.

--Scott Merkin

The Angels reportedly have shifted their attention to Cliff Lee and the Indians in pursuit of a top-shelf starter with Toronto's demands for Roy Halladay apparently too high for their tastes.

Lee is not quite on Halladay's level - only two or three starters are - but Lee would combine with John Lackey to give the Angels a duo that could take the team deep into October after consecutive seasons of early exits courtesy of the Red Sox.

Lee, who will be 31 on Aug. 30, has surfaced, according to Yahoo.com, as the focus of the Angels' pursuit. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, Lee has been much better than his 7-9 record this season, ranking among the AL leaders in innings (152) and ERA (3.17) after going 22-3 last year with a 2.54 ERA.

The concern with Lee - and the reason why he'd require less merchandise in exchange - is that he missed significant time in 2003 and 2007 with trips to the DL.

The Indians have multiple needs and could find a package of Angels athletes, along with a few arms, hard to resist. If Toronto was insisting on Erick Aybar and Brandon Wood along with a starter, presumably Joe Saunders, and a top-level prospect in a Halladay swap, as reported, that was a deal-breaker.

Aybar has emerged as a top-tier shortstop with explosive offense this season, and Wood has star quality that he has been unable to display in limited shots with the Angels largely because of the nature of his swing.

The Angels have another proven, versatile middle infielder in Maicer Izturis along with a power-hitting middle infielder, Sean Rodriguez, at Triple-A Salt Lake who has shown exceptional defensive skills at the Major League level.

The Indians could include Josh Barfield, a gifted talent who was among the NL's best rookies in 2006 in San Diego, in a Lee deal. Barfield, clearly not a favorite of Tribe manager Eric Wedge, is more suited to the Angels' style with his aggressive approach at the plate and on the bases and could replace middle-infield depth surrendered in a Lee deal.

 

Last week's trade with the Indians for right-handed eighth-inning guy Rafael Betancourt brought the Rockies close to a bullpen that can be considered a strength. Despite his struggles in Monday night's 7-3 loss to the Mets, Juan Rincon is more suited for a role other than primary setup guy. Rookie Matt Daley has more room for error.

But there's still the case of the missing lefty.

Franklin Morales is all the Rockies have from the left side. He is electric, but he also has some growing to do. His pitch sequence before giving up a grand slam to the Mets' Fernando Tatis was an example of a guy learning on the job. But that might have been a good spot for a more experienced pitcher. (Of course, it could've been just one of those things that happen: Tatis has a .219 average against lefty pitchers.)

It would be nice, though, to have one more guy with a history of matching up with key left-handed hitters who can also handle the righty pinch-hitter. Some of the relievers have problems with lefties.

Lefties hit .260 with nine walks agaisnt 10 strikeouts against Daley. They hit .250 but with six walks agianst five strikeouts against Rincon. From a batting average perspective, the best option is Josh Fogg, who has held them to a .185 average. But the Rockies have used him sparingly because he is a long reliever on a staff that has its starters going deep in games.

The Orioles' George Sherrill has been floated as an option, but it's unlikely the Rockies could give up the pacakage the Orioles want. The Denver Post citing other clubs executives, point to the Orioles' Mark Hendrickson and the Nationals' Joe Beimel as possibilities. The paper noted the Rockies have gone after both in the past.

The ultimate for the Rockies would be to land one of them or another useful lefty by parting with a prospect, rather than disturbing the roster. They have to think long and hard before giving up outfielder Ryan Spilborghs, who is a strong clubhouse presence and more importantly has a history of providing exactly what the club needs offensively and defensively. Third baseman Garrett Atkins has been speculated about since the end of last season and lost his job to Ian Stewart during an ealry slump. But the at-bats have cleaned up to the point that he is a stategic weapon for manager Jim Tracy.

 

The Cleveland Plain-Dealer suggests that the Dodgers are in better position to obtain starter Cliff Lee from the Indians than the Angels because of the Dodgers' depth of pitching prospects, which the Indians covet. -- Ken Gurnick

The Detroit Free Press reports that the Tigers have shown interest in adding a backup catcher and another reliever for the stretch run, adding to the shopping list for Detroit heading towards Friday's nonwaiver trade deadlines. The goal of the backup catching list would reportedly be for offense to supplement starter Gerald Laird, whose average has fallen to .233 as his workload continues to pile up.

Previous reports this summer have linked the Tigers to catching help, most recently a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report that the Tigers were looking at Pirates farmhand Robinzon Diaz, who backed up in Pittsburgh while Ryan Doumit was on the disabled list but is now catching at Triple-A Indianapolis. Detroit called up catching prospect Dusty Ryan from Triple-A Toledo last month to provide more of an offensive punch than defensive-oriented Dane Sardinha, but amazingly, Ryan has started just six games since his arrival in mid-June.

The Tigers continued to scout potential relief help over the past week even with injured Joel Zumaya looking more and more likely to pitch again soon.

So, add up the various rumors and reports, and the Tigers have spent the last week or two looking with varied interest at starting pitching, relief, designated hitters, outfielders, middle infielders and catching. They have not looked for help at first and third base, but could acquire a hitter from those positions to DH if they wanted to add a bat. That's quite a range for a team in first place.

-- Jason Beck

First baseman Ryan Garko has been traded from the Indians to the Giants for Class A left-hander Scott Barnes

Garko had been in the Tribe's lineup at designated hitter but was yanked about an hour before the first pitch against the Angels at Angel Stadium.

Entering his first round of arbitration this winter, Garko was considered trade bait. He has gotten increased playing time the past month and had hit safely in 20 of his last 23 games, batting .349 with five homers and 11 RBIs and improving his stock. For the season, Garko is batting .285 with 11 homers and 39 RBIs in 78 games.

The 21-year-old Barnes is 12-3 with a 2.85 ERA in 18 starts for Class A San Jose in the California League. He leads the league in wins, is second in ERA and his 99 strikeouts are tied for ninth overall.

Barnes was an eight-round Draft pick in 2008 out of St. John's University. He is listed at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds. Baseball America named him the ninth-best prospect in the Giants' system before this season.

-- Anthony Castrovince

The Cubs currently have one lefty in the bullpen in Sean Marshall and wouldn't mind adding another. Two pitchers the Cubs' radar are Washington's Joe Beimel and Pittsburgh's John Grabow. The Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald reported Monday that Beimel and Grabow have drawn interest from the team. Left-handed hitters are batting .233 against Beimel, while Grabow has fared better against right-handed hitters, holding them to a .243 average.

Several of the Cubs say the team doesn't need to make a move. Lou Piniella deferred to GM Jim Hendry.

"That's Jim's department," Piniella said Monday. "He always likes to do something if he can at the trading deadline. I know he's been talking to quite a few teams but that's his area. I get paid to manage."

-- Carrie Muskat

The Yankees are apparently not satisfied to go forward keeping Sergio Mitre as their fifth starter, not after the recent callup has surrendered 17 hits in 10 2/3 innings over his two starts for New York. While the Yankees have won both of Mitre's starts, there may be better options available on the trade front, and general manager Brian Cashman is checking them out.

AOL Fanhouse reported Monday that the Yankees and Reds are in "serious discussions" about Bronson Arroyo, the former Red Sox right-hander, and that the Bombers have two scouts in Cincinnati who could be on hand for Arroyo's scheduled start on Tuesday.

New York has also engaged the Mariners in discussions concerning Jarrod Washburn, a familiar target - the hurler was linked to the Yankees during the winter as well. The Yankees did scout Roy Halladay's last start in Toronto but are still considered long shots to get involved in the bidding derby.

The Yankees have a void because Chien-Ming Wang is set to visit Dr. James Andrews on Tuesday and faces the prospect of season-ending shoulder surgery, and continue to monitor an innings limit on Joba Chamberlain. They have also been reluctant to extract starters Phil Hughes and Alfredo Aceves from the bullpen, where each has found success in helping the Yankees enter play Monday 22 games over .500 at 60-38.

Cashman said last week: "Offense is not an area right now at all that I'm focused on. We'll continue to look at the pitching. The obvious injury to Wang right now has hurt. Ian Kennedy's aneurysm has hurt. The transferring of Hughes and Aceves to the bullpen has taken away immediate choices for the rotation. There is a depth issue that is real."

-- Bryan Hoch

While Tigers president/general manager Dave Dombrowski continues in earnest his search for a hitter on the trade market, newly-returned Carlos Guillen's limitations aren't expected to limit the Tigers' trade options, just as his return hasn't stopped the Tigers from shopping around.

The normally switch-hitting Guillen, activated from the 15-day disabled list Friday after missing 2 1/2 months with an injured right shoulder, is currently limited to batting left-handed and playing at designated hitter until his shoulder is stronger. However, as Dombrowski and Guillen indicated over the weekend, they don't expect that to last for long.

"We're looking for a bat," Dombrowski said when the Tigers activated Guillen Friday. "As you start talking with clubs in the trade [market], which we've been doing a lot of, a lot of the players that are available are DHs. In our mindset, we think we might have as good of one as anybody, not that he's going to be limited to DH in the long run.

"I do not know when he's going to be ready to play [the field]. It could be a couple days. It could be longer."

Guillen said Saturday he thinks he'll be able to bat right-handed before he can play the field, but he believes he'll be able to do both.

"We're being careful with the shoulder [batting] from the right-hand side," Dombrowski said, "but he is feeling better and better all the time on that."

A corner outfielder, such as Washington's Josh Willingham, Baltimore's Luke Scott or Florida's Cody Ross, would still be an easier fit for the Tigers, who platooned Marcus Thames and Ryan Raburn over the weekend. Even if/when Guillen can play the outfield again, they still could benefit from using him at DH once in a while, which was their plan when the season started. But with DH types such Washington's Adam Dunn and Baltimore's Aubrey Huff still mentioned, not to mention the potential (albeit unlikely) to grab an infielder such as Pittsburgh's Freddy Sanchez, the Tigers aren't necessarily hamstrung.

While a bat has been the primary target for the Tigers, they've continued to look around on the starting pitching market beyond Roy Halladay, who appears out of reach. At this point, they're more likely to get someone to slot in behind top arms Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson than a front-line starter. With Rick Porcello struggling to get out of the sixth inning in his last six starts, and fellow rookie Luke French having lasted six innings only one in his four starts, the Tigers could justifiably worry about the impact on their bullpen down the stretch. While they can watch pitch counts with one starter through the rotation, doing so with two is far more difficult.

The Tigers are believed to prefer a left-hander to balance out a rotation that has French as the lone lefty. They've scouted Pittsburgh, which has left-hander Zach Duke potentially available, and they've been linked in reports with fellow Pirates southpaw Tom Gorzelanny, who has been impressive at Triple-A Indianapolis this year. The Pirates, meanwhile, had a scout at the entire Tigers homestand last week.

-- Jason Beck

A report from AOL Fanhouse says the Reds are looking to sell veterans and cite a source that the team is "close to doing something."

Veteran pitchers Bronson Arroyo, Aaron Harang, David Weathers, Arthur Rhodes and Francisco Cordero were mentioned as possible chips to deal. Arroyo, according to SI.com, has interest from the Yankees if they can't work something out for Roy Halladay.

The Dodgers would also be interested in Arroyo or Harang if they can't land Cliff Lee, according to the AOL story.

Selling rumors about the Reds are not shocking, especially after they just concluded a 0-6 road trip through L.A. and Chicago. They are 44-53, a season-high nine games below .500 entering Monday's game vs. the Padres.

--- Mark Sheldon

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the Cleveland Indians have extensively scouted the San Francisco Giants' farm system. This heightens speculation that the Giants and Indians could be talking about a deal.

The Chronicle reminded that catcher-first baseman Victor Martinez and first baseman Ryan Garko of Cleveland might be targeted by the Giants.

Martinez's $5.7 million salary rises to $6.2 million if he's traded, and his club option of $7 million for 2010 would increase to $7.5 million. Regardless, he's extremely affordable, and he'd give the Giants a presence behind the plate -- assuming they don't re-sign Bengie Molina -- until Buster Posey's ready. And if Posey proves he's ready during the 2010 season, Martinez can play first base. 

Could the Tigers' solution to its offensive woes in a pennant come from a hitter who, once upon a time, provided a brief boost to the Tigers at their lowest point? If that hitter is Cody Ross, it's possible, though not necessarily likely.

Yahoo Sports' Gordon Edes reports that the Tigers have shown interest in Ross, currently manning center field for the Florida Marlins after finally getting a chance to be an everyday player last year. Now 28, he's an experienced, right-handed bat with power and run production for a Florida club that has had an outfield in flux, including an up-and-down season for former Tigers top prospect Cameron Maybin. If the Marlins reverse course and decide to be sellers at Friday's trade deadline, Ross is one player they could shop.

The Tigers have always had high regard personally for Ross, who broke into the Majors with the 2003 Tigers after coming up through Detroit's farm system as a draft pick. He hit his first big league home run, a grand slam, in the same game in which he blew out his knee running out a sacrifice bunt. While Jair Jurrjens has become well-known as the Tigers prospect who got away in a bad deal, trading Ross to the Dodgers for lefty reliever Steve Colyer in Spring Training 2004 was a move the Tigers came to regret, though it took Ross two more organizations before he emerged.

While the Tigers might think a lot of Ross, so do several other teams that have faced him, making Ross a popular trading chip if the Marlins decided to move him. But if anything, the Marlins are looking to upgrade right now, since they're within striking distance of the NL East lead and NL Wild Card.

-- Jason Beck

Astros general manager Ed Wade said again Sunday he doesn't expect his club to make any trades prior to Friday's deadline, citing the inability to take on additional payroll and faith in the talent he sees at Triple-A Round Rock.

"We're having conversations with clubs, but I don't expect us to be doing much of anything," he said. "The key components aren't going to change, and that's the economics and the talent in the system. Those things aren't going to change overnight. If something makes snese we'll pursue it, but there's nothing going on now."

-- Brian McTaggart

With an owner, Arte Moreno, who obviously doesn't worry about rolling the dice - recall the Mark Teixeira acquisition last year at this time -- the Angels remain actively involved in the Roy Halladay sweepstakes. But they can't be too optimistic.

The Jays clearly are asking for the moon and the stars, judging by the package they rejected in the Phillies' counter-proposal according to ESPN.com: southpaw A.J. Happ and three highly-regarded prospects from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, outfielder Michael Taylor, pitcher Carlos Carrasco and shortstop Jason Donald. It is believed the Jays would insist on one of the Angels' young starters - Joe Saunders, Ervin Santana or Jered Weaver - along with Brandon Wood and several other premium prospects.

Weighing against such a dramatic and costly move are several factors. One, the Angels are 20 games above .500 with the third worst team ERA in the American League, but the pitching has been much improved of late with Sean O'Sullivan and Matt Palmer delivering quality work in the No. 5 slot. John Lackey has shown in his past eight starts that he's back in prime form as a lead dog in a rotation

Finally, they don't have to look too far to recall how much valuable talent the Mariners surrendered to land Erik Bedard from Baltimore. All-Star center fielder Adam Jones alone, in reflection, wasn't worth it, and there's a possibility Wood could reach something approaching that level with consistent playing time.

There are other front-line starters who could appeal to the Angels by Friday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, including the Indians' Cliff Lee and the Reds' Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo. The Reds also have several set-up men - veterans Arthur Rhodes and David Weathers and young right-handers Nick Masset and Josh Roenicke - the Angels could find attractive at a lesser price tag than a durable starter. Roenicke, who throws in the mid-90s, is the nephew of Angels coach Ron Roenicke.

The Reds reportedly would be interested in an everyday shortstop and power. Maicer Izturis' brilliant play of late might be taking him out of trade consideration, but the Angels are loaded in the middle infield. Sean Rodriguez, with superior defensive tools and 23 homers in 75 games at Triple-A Salt Lake, could have huge appeal in Cincinnati with his powerful right-handed bat, along with outfielder Terry Evans (21 homers in 94 games at Salt Lake).

-- Lyle Spencer 
  

Tim Dillard joined the Brewers from Triple-A Nashville on Sunday, but that didn't stop manager Ken Macha from wondering aloud whether the team, strapped for starters, might get more help ahead of Friday's nonwaiver trade deadline.

"The trading deadline is coming and Doug [Melvin, Milwaukee's general manager] is trying to help the club," Macha said. "I don't want to try to create expectations, but he's trying to make the club better and I'm sure if he finds a starting pitcher who can help out, it's something he would do.

"Here again, the starters that are available are kind of limited, and expensive."

Macha was asked whether he'd be surprised if the Brewers failed to make an addition before the July 31 deadline.

"I just know how much effort has been put into trying to look at our needs as a whole and fill those needs," Macha said. "Typically, when you get into this, the further away you are from the deadline, the higher the price is. The closer you get to the deadline, [prices drop]. It's a bit of a waiting game."

Of principal owner Mark Attanasio, who was in Milwaukee over the weekend to participate in trade talks, Macha said, "I think Mark is a very competitive guy, and he wants to win. Not only that, but we have a tremendous fan base here and the fans are supporting us. [Attanasio] is very appreciative of that. He showed last year that he's willing to go out there [and make a trade]."

At the same time, Macha cautioned, Attanasio and Melvin want to field a perennially competitive team, and thus they are hesitant to gut the farm system.

"It's a balancing act," Macha said.

The Brewers have been linked in published reports to all of the supposedly available arms, from Toronto's Roy Halladay and Cleveland's Cliff Lee at the top of the list to Arizona's Doug Davis and Jon Garland, Seattle's Erik Bedard and Jarrod Washburn and Kansas City's Brian Bannister.

The deadline is at 3 p.m. CT on July 31. Teams can still make trades after that, but players must pass through waivers first.

-- Adam McCalvy

UPDATE at 2 p.m. CT, when I noticed that Bedard went back on the disabled list with inflammation in his left shoulder. Will that make Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik, whose club is a surprising contender, more or less likely to trade Wisconsin native Washburn?  

What to do with Ian Snell? There may not be any biggest discussion/dilemma in the Pirates' front office right now. One month ago, the right-hander asked for a demotion to Triple-A, certainly not something you hear a player asking about every day. He also has expressed little interest in coming back to Pittsburgh. Since going to Triple-A Indianapolis, Snell has been unbelievable. He has allowed just two earned runs in 32 1/3 innings (five starts). He has 43 strikeouts and 12 walks.

So it's no surprise that a number of clubs have already contacted the Pirates to see what it would take to land Snell.

The Yankees are the latest and have a scout at Indianapolis' Victory Field on Sunday to watch Snell's start. Though their level of interest in Snell isn't known, it's no secret that New York is in the market for a starting pitcher to replace Chien-Ming Wang in the rotation. Obviously, Snell is being looked at as a potential option.

A week ago, GM Neal Huntington made it clear that he does not plan on selling Snell low, even though no one is sure that Snell will ever be able to be successful in Pittsburgh because of the still-present friction between he and the organization based on how he left last month.

"Teams are still hoping to bottom fish and we're still not ready to just give the guy away," Huntington said. "At this point, his four or five strong outings haven't increased his value [externally]. We're not talented enough and deep enough as an organization to just give away a player that has Major League ability, as challenging as it can be sometimes."

Still, the Pirates would prefer not to pay Snell's $4.25 million guaranteed salary next season. And if the Yankees (or any other interested club for that matter) see Snell as a fit, maybe they'll be willing to part with enough of a package to entice Pittsburgh and solve this problem.

-- Jenifer Langosch

Here's a story that will be up live on MLB.com and Padres.com today.

WASHINGTON - Padres general manager Kevin Towers said he is getting a "ton of calls" from other teams regarding the availability of Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell, though he's still opposed to making a deal involving either player.

Towers is a never-say-never kind of guy, which means he won't come out and simply state that the Padres won't deal Gonzalez or Bell, but at this point he's not inclined to move his first baseman and closer as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline nears.

"You're always need to listen, but it would have to be the right deal," Towers said.

Towers wouldn't go into specifics but stated that he's held conversations with several opposing general managers in recent weeks about the two All-Stars. Unless Towers is floored by a proposal, Gonzalez and Bell aren't going anywhere.

"I'm actually getting more calls on Heath than Adrian," Towers said. "That's because most clubs are looking for strength in the bullpen."

Towers said the conversations he's had with other teams could prove valuable if during the offseason the Padres reconsider moving Gonzalez or Bell.

"If nothing happens, it's useful in the offseason," Towers said.

The Padres, who have already traded outfielder Scott Hairston and reliever Cla Meredith this month, might still make a deal or two before July 31.

"I could see a couple of smaller deals," Towers said.

-- Corey Brock

The Twins have two wishes as the Trade Deadline approaches later this week -- to add a middle infielder that can fill the No. 2 spot in the lineup and to add a solid late-inning option to the bullpen.

Joe Crede's recent shoulder injury has only seemed to increase the Twins desire to add another infielder -- one with offensive potential -- and perhaps that's why the club's pursuit of A's shortstop Orlando Cabrera has started making headlines in recent days.

The club has been talking with the A's since earlier this week about Cabrera and both sides have expressed real interest in completing a deal. Manager Ron Gardenhire said publicly on Saturday that he likes Cabrera and that he's asked some of his players about the shortstop -- including Crede who was a teammate of Cabrera's in Chicago last year.

The A's have been eager to deal Cabrera, but one reason a deal has not yet been done is that the Twins also have been trying to add reliever Michael Wuertz into the package. Wuertz has reportedly been coveted by many teams -- including the Angels -- but the A's haven't necessarily been willing to move him. However if they can get a better package back for the two players, perhaps Oakland might be willing to move the reliever as well. Clearly it would be a great move for the Twins since it would address both of their needs.

Cabrera isn't a prototypical No. 2 hitter in that his on-base percentage isn't quite as high as the Twins would like. But the feeling of the club is that he would provide an upgrade from the options the club has now for the spot.

The Twins inquired earlier this month about the Pirates' Freddy Sanchez but Pittsburgh's asking price appeared to be a little higher than the Twins were willing to pay. That hasn't discouraged the Twins have checking in on Sanchez again, as he would be the ideal offensive fit and he plays second base. Still, right now it seems the Twins chances of making a deal are better with a club like Oakland.

There have also been reports that the Twins have inquired about Toronto's Marco Scutaro. But of course that option will hinge largely on whether the Blue Jays are able to move Roy Halladay. Since that might not be known until closer to the deadline, it's no surprise that the Twins appear to be focusing their efforts elsewhere at the moment.

-- Kelly Thesier

Other than Pedro Feliciano, the Met seemingly most likely to be traded would be Gary Sheffield, currently under contract for the league minimum of $400,000.

Sheffield, who is also on the Tigers payroll for vastly more money, signed on with the Mets in April for two reasons: he already had a house in New York, and he wanted to play for a contender.

Three months later, he still has a house in New York -- but he's no longer playing for a contender. And so if the Mets were so inclined to nab a prospect for their $400,000 investment, now would be the time to do so.

Trouble is, the Mets on Saturday placed Sheffield on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain. Any team that takes him would have to stomach that gamble -- though it's admittedly not much of one considering his salary.

Don't assume that Sheffield will be traded, however. In truth, he probably won't. No team is going to give up much for a 40-year-old slugger with injury problems, who can barely play the outfield. Moreover, from the Mets' perspective, trading Sheffield would effectively be waving the white flag. He is their leading home run hitter, and if the Mets have any remaining designs on streaking toward a playoff berth, they'll need him in the lineup to do it. From a marketing perspective, dealing him would be tough.

On the one hand, you have to think that Sheffield wants out. But on the other hand, it's hard to believe the Mets have enough incentive to deal him. For what it's worth, here's Sheffield's take, delivered before he knew he was headed to the DL:

"I don't know. I don't ask those kinds of questions until they happen, because if I say yeah, or if I say no -- either one I say it's going to be controversial."

--Anthony DiComo

The Rangers, who are staying on the fringe of the Roy Halladay sweepstakes, are focused on trying to acquire an experienced starting pitcher before the Trade deadline.

There has been talk that the Rangers are looking for relief help and Orioles left-hander George Sherrill has been mentioned. But the Rangers bullpen has been outstanding of late, even with Frank Francisco on the disabled list with walking pneumonia. The Rangers expect Francisco back at some point later next week.

Sherrill may be considered an upgrade over Eddie Guardado. But Guardado went into Saturday's game against the Royals having not allowed a run in his last 11 appearances.

Yes, the Rangers could use Sherrill but club officials acknowledge the minimal upgrade he represents is not worth the price they would have to give up to get him. That's why, sources said, the Orioles do not view the Rangers as serious trading partners.

If the Rangers can add a starting pitcher, they could move rookie left-hander Derek Holland back to the bullpen and upgrade both areas.

"We could use another experienced starter," manager Ron Washington said.

Rangers players are still hoping the club will get involved with Halladay. That seems like a long-short but the Rangers are still talking with the Blue Jays and still not completely out of the running. The Rangers have the young prospects - especially pitching - but adding payroll and getting Halladay to accept a trade is another matter.

-- T.R. Sullivan

The first major deal of the period leading up to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline took place Friday, with Matt Holliday moving to St. Louis. As far as the White Sox adding a major piece to their playoff pursuit puzzle, or any piece, for that matter, manager Ozzie Guillen doesn't see it happening.

"To be honest with you, we haven't even talked about that," said Guillen prior to Saturday evening's game in Detroit. "What we have is pretty good. We got six, seven starters right now.

"Obviously, people have talked about (Roy) Halladay, but we've got something going good right now, and for the future very good. To break that up now, that's a chance you would have to take if you break that up. Right now, everything is quiet with the White Sox. Unless something crazy happens in the next couple hours, we're going to go with what we have."

Halladay has been loosely linked to the White Sox due to the aggressiveness of general manager Ken Williams and his utter lack of fear in making the big move to help his team. See Williams' attempt to acquire Jake Peavy earlier this season, as an example. But with top young players such as Gordon Beckham, John Danks and/or Gavin Floyd figuring to be part of the return package, don't look for Halladay on the South Side of Chicago.

--Scott Merkin

The Cubs might like to find a new home for Milton Bradley, but it won't be Detroit.

The rumor of Tigers interest in the gifted but much-maligned outfielder began with a Twitter from White Sox broadcaster Steve Stone, then picked up steam quickly with a report from a Chicago web site.

That was news to the Tigers. A source with knowledge of the team's plans said Bradley's name hasn't come up in organizational discussions all year. For a team that has been searching far and wide for offensive help, that speaks volumes.

The reasons are numerous. Though the Tigers lost out on Matt Holliday, there remain several outfield/DH types on the market with better numbers and contracts than Bradley, who entered Saturday batting .242 with six home runs and 22 RBIs and is under contract through 2011 with $21 million over the next two years. Even with money kicked in, it would still be a big commitment for a player who would probably be a full-time DH again in the American League.

While manager Jim Leyland has a reputation for working well with players who have been labeled as difficult, he does not like issues that distract from the team. And Bradley, justifiably or not, would have the potential to be a major distraction.

-- Jason Beck

Tigers manager Jim Leyland tried to dismiss speculation about any interest in Cardinals third baseman Troy Glaus, who is expected to hit the trade block once he's ready to return from his Minor League rehab stint with Matt Holliday.

"With all due respect to Troy Glaus, his name has never been mentioned here, to my knowledge," Leyland said Saturday afternoon. "Hopefully we can nip that right in the bud."

The Tigers are believed to be looking outside the usual outfield/DH types in their search for their bat, but it would be easier for them to slot in a corner outfield and allow Carlos Guillen to spend at least some time at DH, even after his shoulder allows him to play the outfield again.

Foxsports.com reported late Friday night that at least four teams, including the Tigers, were expected to have a scout watch Glaus this weekend during his rehab assignment for Double-A Springfield.

"We're not above making a trade, believe me," Leyland said. "But it's just when it's probably something like that, it's a little more toward the ridiculous side than the realistic side."

-- Jason Beck

If the Brewers are indeed "basically out" of the running for Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay, as one national baseball writer wrote on Twitter, it would be news to Milwaukee's general manager.

"I haven't been told that we're out," Doug Melvin said Friday, when the Brewers began a homestand that takes them to within 24 hours of the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline. "I was never told that we're in, either.

"I don't want to get into who we're talking to and when we've talked. It's all part of the negotiations."

After acquiring second baseman Felipe Lopez from the Diamondbacks on Sunday -- Lopez missed a second straight start Friday because of a hamstring strain but will be installed as the everyday leadoff hitter once he's healthy -- Melvin's focus is bolstering a shaky starting rotation that ranked 15th of the 16 National League teams and 27th of the 30 Major League teams with a 4.96 ERA entering the weekend.

The Brewers entered their homestand with a 48-47 record, in fourth place in the NL Central but just 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Cardinals, who made a splash on Friday by acquiring outfielder Matt Holliday from Oakland. Brewers officials have debated internally whether it's worth digging into the farm system for a second straight season -- CC Sabathia cost four prospects last year including 2007 first-round Draft pick Matt LaPorta -- to acquire a front-line pitcher. That debate is ongoing, Melvin said. 

"It depends what you get, and what you give up," Melvin said. "That's what it really comes down to. What you get, what you give up, and how you're playing at the time that you do it. ...

"We've still got a good team," Melvin added. "We just have to put it together. We have to put some consistency together and have a little winning streak."

- Adam McCalvy
 

For those looking for more evidence that the Mets won't be buyers (or sellers, for that matter), as the Trading Deadline nears, Jerry Manuel had this to say prior to Friday's game:

"I think healthy, we feel very confident that we can be very competitive against anybody. We have to really get healthy. To add a [Jose] Reyes later, or a [Carlos] Delgado or [Carlos] Beltran, that's comparable to going out and getting a big-name pitcher."

Translation: the Mets aren't trading for Roy Halladay (even if they had the chips to do so). Instead, they'll sit back, wait for their nine (and counting) disabled list assignees to heal, and hope that they have some sort of magical run left in them. Their dollars will be better spent come winter.

-Anthony DiComo

Though Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Carlos Guillen could be their big pre-deadline deal if he finds his old hitting form, team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said their search for hitting on the trade market doesn't end now that Guillen is back. They're still looking for help, and they'll still be looking at hitters who would fit at designated hitter, even though Guillen is a DH for now.

"I don't really know that it'll make a significant difference one way or the other," Dombrowski said Friday when asked how Guillen's performance the next week or so would impact their talks. "He's going to be able to hit. I don't know how his timing is going to be, but we know he's a good big-league hitter. We'll still continue to have talks with clubs, one way or the other."

That said, Dombrowski added, "We're looking for a bat. As you start talking with clubs, which we've been doing a lot of, a lot of the players that are available are DHs. In our mindset, we think he might have as good of one as anybody. Not that he's going to be limited to DH in the long run, but right now, he's ready to hit."

The Tigers had interest in Matt Holliday before the A's dealt him to the Cardinals Friday. But at this point, they're looking at a lot of hitters potentially on the market. CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler's reports that a Tigers scout was watching the Nationals, where Adam Dunn ranks as arguably the top bat on the market if GM Mike Rizzo chooses to deal him. Another lower-profile possibility could be Josh Willingham, who fits the power-hitting profile but also fits into a corner outfield spot.

The Tigers are also believed to have looked at hitters outside the outfield/DH types.

That said, Dombrowski emphasized what others have said, that trading for a hitter isn't a cure-all to the Tigers' hitting woes.

"I believe [the offense] is better than what it's been performing. And a lot of it has to come internally. I just think that some guys that we have are better hitters. They're just not swinging real well right now, for whatever reason. We've faced some tough pitching, maybe they're in a slump, some combination of all of it. I think sometimes you get lost in these situations.
"It's not like we're playing bad baseball. We're just in a hitting funk right now. I think we'll be OK. I think with Carlos Guillen, that's a significant addition to your lineup."

-- Jason Beck

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the Washington Nationals are sending a scout to scrutinize the Giants' prospect-laden Double-A Connecticut affiliate.

With the Giants still looking for offense, this could be a precursor to a deal involving Adam Dunn -- if San Francisco is willing to overlook his subpar defense in the outfield and at first base -- or Nick Johnson.

Or it could end up meaning nothing, which is so often the case with developments like this.

 

Following the Blue Jays' game against the Indians on Thursday afternoon, reporters caught up with general manager J.P. Ricciardi to ask about his comments on a Toronto radio station earlier in the day. Ricciardi indicated that Roy Halladay informed the team that he planned on testing free agency after 2010, leading Toronto to explore trading the ace pitcher.

"That's the whole reason we're going down this avenue," Ricciardi told reporters.

Ricciardi was asked when this conversation with Halladay took place. The GM didn't remember precisely when, but noted that Halladay mentioned some time during the season that he was not interested in signing a contract extension before free agency.

Ricciardi was then asked if Halladay gave the Jays a list of teams to which he'd approve a trade.

"Yes," Ricciardi answered.

After being asked a second time, Ricciardi again said, "That's right."

In Friday's Globe and Mail, Ricciardi altered his story slightly, saying that Halladay had not given the team a list after all.

"Roy Halladay has not demanded a trade," Ricciardi told the newspaper. "We know what he wants and he knows what he wants. He hasn't given us a list of teams. We've run teams by him to see if he has any interest in going there - yes or no. There is no secret, hidden agenda. We're not playing divide and conquer ... and, again, my gut tells me that I just don't see anything happening."

After the Jays' game on Thursday, Halladay declined when asked if he'd be willing to address Ricciardi's latest comments, and the pitcher appeared to be a bit irked by the crowd of reporters waiting at his locker the day before his next start.

"I don't want to address it," Halladay replied. "I don't even know what he said. I'll do it after I pitch."

Halladay takes the mound in Toronto Friday night against the Rays in what could be Doc's final outing in a Blue Jays uniform. If anything, it could be his last start at home. Halladay is scheduled to start on Wednesday in Seattle, and the Blue Jays hope to have a trade finalized before then, if Halladay is indeed going to be dealt.

--Jordan Bastian

 

The price in players for Toronto ace Roy Halladay is "two or three players off our current club, including a young pitcher, or five or six prospects," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti told KABC Radio Friday morning. Colletti wouldn't mention names, but presumably the young pitcher is either Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley or Jonathan Broxton. Trading any of them would hardly improve the Dodgers' chances this year, not to mention the other player off the Major League club, not to mention the long term impact. However, a larger deal (or separate deal) could be made with Toronto that would return reliever and former Dodgers farmhand Jason Frasor, according to the Toronto Globe. Frasor would address the Dodgers' other need, a veteran reliever. -- Ken Gurnick

A report in The Seattle Times says Mariners starting pitcher Jarrod Washburn, a popular subject of trade rumors thus far, would like to stay in Seattle.

Washburn will be a free agent at the end of the season, but said he'd be open to an extension.

"If I'm traded, it means something bad happened in the next 10 days," Washburn told The Times. "That's the last thing I want to happen. I love winning, and we're winning here. We have maybe the best group of guys I've ever been a part of, and that's saying a lot. That '02 team in Anaheim (that won the World Series), we were a great team. Everybody loved each other. We had fun. We did whatever it took to win. That's the exact same feel I have with this ballclub. I'm very happy to be a part of it, and yeah, I want to continue to be a part of it."

He also said it's impossible to ignore the looming trade deadline. Nobody can, he said, even if most guys say they don't pay any attention to it.

"Everybody lies," Washburn told The Times. "I've always said what's on my mind and don't sugar-coat anything. I think the guys that say they don't are lying. It's just natural, I think, to pay attention."

--Christian Caple

A Major League source has confirmed that a deal is in place for the Cardinals to acquire Matt Holliday from the A's in exchange for Brett Wallace, Triple-A right-hander Clayton Mortensen and Double-A outfielder Shane Peterson. ESPN reports that Oakland will send some cash to St. Louis to help offset some of the remaining cost of Holliday's contract.

Holliday has long been a target of the Cardinals, who talked trade with Colorado over the winter before the Rockies shipped the three-time All-Star to Oakland. He bolsters the team's outfield and offers the cleanup hitter that manager Tony La Russa has long coveted to slot behind Albert Pujols in the Cardinals lineup.

Holliday, 29, can be a free agent at the end of the 2009 season. His current contract pays him $13.5 million, of which approximately $6 million is still due.

Wallace, 22, was St. Louis' first-round pick in the 2008 Draft and has rocketed through the Minor Leagues. He is currently playing at Triple-A Memphis. Mortensen, 24, is also at Memphis and was a supplementary first-rounder in 2007. Peterson, 21, was a second-round selection in 2008.


--Matthew Leach

Angels manager Mike Scioscia reiterated Thursday that general manager Tony Reagins has been active in discussions with other general managers about trading for pitching depth, specifically in the bullpen.

 

"He's been in contact with GMs the last couple weeks, I'm sure on a daily basis," Scioscia said. "There are a few things he's looking at that can make us better. But there's also some things that could make us better but leave a hole in our big league team that he has to consider."

 

Scioscia didn't name any players the Angels are after but the club has reportedly scouted Toronto's Scott Downs and Brandon League, Baltimore's George Sherrill and Arizona's Chad Qualls.

Scioscia, though, said he wasn't sure if a trade will happen but said he's fine with his current roster as it stands if a deal for a bullpen arm doesn't work out.

 

"It's tough to say right now if we're going to do anything that is going to make us better," Scioscia said. "If we don't, then particularly in our bullpen, we'll have to rely on guys like [rookie Kevin] Jepsen. There's potential there but not the certainty that an experienced power arm could bring to the mix. So if it happens, it happens and even if it doesn't, we're going to play baseball and I like our team."

-- Rhett Bollinger

The Cardinals are still hot on the Matt Holliday trail, and it's being reported that St. Louis might now be willing to part with  Brett Wallace, a hot prospect at third base. ESPN's Buster Olney says the chances of such a deal going down are 50-50.

The Tigers have been scouting Holliday, but a number of sources say Detroit doesn't have enough to move A's GM Billy Beane.

Another ESPN "insider" reported overnight that the Brewers and Yankees will be in attendance when right-hander Justin Duchscherer makes his first rehab start of the year Monday. Duchscherer, who had elbow surgery in March, has chronic back and hip issues, and will be a free agent at the end of the year, hasn't pitched since last season and probably won't bring much in return.

--Mychael Urban

 

The Rockies have a late-innings reliever in right-hander Rafael Betancourt, whom they acquired from the Indians on Thursday for Class-A right-hander Connor Graham. Betancourt gives the Rockies an experienced arm for, potentially, the eighth inning as primary setup man for closer Huston Street.

With the Rockies leading the National League Wild Card race by 1 1/2 games over the Giants, who come to Coors Field on Friday, and with Rockies righty Manuel Corpas undergoing arthrtscopic surgery on his throwing elbow on Friday, the move became necessary. The Rockies also called up their top pitching prospect, Jhoulys Chacin, from Double-A Tulsa, for a right-handed middle role.

The Indians, who had no intention of picking up a $5.4 million option on Betancourt for 2011, add Graham, a Bowling Green, Ohio, native who has a 93 mph fastball.

During a radio interview on The FAN590 prior to Thursday's Blue Jays-Indians tilt at Rogers Centre, general manager J.P. Ricciardi shed a little more light on why Toronto is suddenly willing to shop ace Roy Halladay.

"What's changed is Roy has told us that he's going to test the free-agent market," Ricciardi said.

Halladay is under contract for $14.25 million this season and $15.75 million in 2010, which is the final year under his current deal. The Blue Jays originally planned on discussing an extension with Halladay this coming offseason, but Ricciardi's comments make it clear that's not going to happen.

The chances of Toronto retaining Halladay seemed slim already, considering the fact that the club has trimmed its payroll and the pitcher has expressed that he wants to have a chance to play October baseball. With the Jays in fourth place in the AL East, and a rotation filled with injuries and young arms, contending soon doesn't seem realistic.

Halladay is scheduled to start for the Jays on Tuesday in Seattle and Ricciardi doesn't want the pitcher taking the mound with the thought that he might be traded in the following three days leading up to the July 31 Deadline. Ricciardi said Toronto's internal deadline of Tuesday is flexible, depending on how close the club might be to a deal.

"If we're down the road with something, obviously the deadline can fluctuate," Ricciardi told reporters earlier Thursday morning. "If we're not down the road by the 28th, nothing's going to happen."

The team considered to be the front-runner to land Halladay continues to be the Phillies. Even though Philadelphia is believed to be opposed to including top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek in a possible deal, the Blue Jays sent assistant general manager Tony LaCava to scout Drabek's latest start on Wednesday.

The Brewers are also considered to have serious interest in trading for Halladay. Other teams who have been tied to Halladay in various reports include the Dodgers, Cardinals, White Sox, Rangers, Red Sox and Yankees. Ricciardi said only a few teams have approached him with serious interest.

"Some are serious and some I would say are delirious," Ricciardi said during the radio interview.

--Jordan Bastian

The Rockies called up their top right-handed pitching prospect, Jhoulys Chacin, 21, from Double-A Tulsa to shore up their bullpen, but that isn't all the news on Thursday. Club officials confirm that they're making a trade today for right-handed bullpen help. Stay tuned to MLB.com.

Chacin won 18 games at two Class-A levels last season, impressed the club during Spring Training and pitched well enough at Tulsa to be invited to the Futures Game during All-Star weekend.

The club has been looking to increase its talent level, but also is in need of experience. That need became greater Wednesday when right-hander Manuel Corpas annonuced that he will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips from his throwing elbow.

Depending on what you read or believe, the Indians are either telling teams they are unlikely to move Cliff Lee before next week's Trade Deadline or are engaged in increasingly serious discussions with the likes of the Phillies, Rays, Dodgers and Brewers about the reigning Cy Young winner.

The latest is a report from Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com, who cites a Major League source in reporting that the Indians and Rays have discussed a trade for Lee, with the Rays balking at the Indians' wishes for right-handed prospect Wade Davis to be included.

The Indians, clearly, would be looking for top-end pitching in return for Lee, and it's a difficult equation for both sides. Few teams can fulfill the Tribe's wishes for a substantial return in exchange for the ace of the staff (the Rays, for example, don't have much to offer beyond Davis). And those that could have to ask themselves if less than a year and a half of Lee is worth such demands in a time when prospects are more highly prized than ever, given the economic climate.

On the other side of the equation, the Indians have to know that trading Lee now would be an advertisement to the fan base that not only have the 2008 and '09 seasons been disappointments, but another year out of contention is on the horizon in 2010.

Scouts from the Dodgers, Phillies, Brewers and Red Sox watched Lee toss a complete-game victory over the Blue Jays on Tuesday.

As the Lee speculation continues, the Indians remain more likely to deal the likes of reliever Rafael Betancourt and first baseman Ryan Garko. The Indians have a $5.4 million option on Betancourt that they are not likely to exercise, and Garko is entering his first year of abitration.

-- Anthony Castrovince

ATLANTA -- It's known that the Giants at one time considered Adam LaRoche as a possible acquisition through trade. But despite one fleeting rumor Wednesday, they were never deeply involved in the bidding for the first baseman, who went from Pittsburgh Pirates to the Boston Red Sox.

Multiple news organizations have reported that the Giants have some interest in A's left fielder Matt Holliday. But the Giants don't appear to be pushing hard for a deal. Moreover, it's doubtful that they can put together the package of prospects Oakland would want for Holliday. And a lot of skeptics believe that the A's would never make a deal that might help their cross-bay rival earn a postseason berth.

-- Chris Haft

Considering the Tigers' offensive woes, including another 2-1 loss Wednesday to the M's, perhaps it isn't a Halladay Detroit needs, but a Holliday. The San Jose Mercury News reported Wednesday that several teams had scouts this week in Oakland, where Matt Holliday put on a hitting display over three games against the Twins. The Mercury News names the Tigers and Giants among teams "known to have at least a degree of interest" in Holliday.

The Tigers have had internal discussions about Holliday, but their level of interest likely depends on how much the A's demand in return. The Tigers arguably don't have the depth in their farm system to offer Oakland enough talent to top the two First-Year Player Draft picks the A's would receive if they lose Holliday as a free agent this winter instead of dealing him now.

For now, that doesn't seem to be enough. Foxsports.com's Ken Rosenthal suggests the Tigers would need to include lefty pitching prospect Casey Crosby, which is a deal-breaker for Detroit. Though Crosby was a fifth-round Draft pick in 2007, the same year the Tigers selected Rick Porcello in the first round, they view Crosby with top-round talent.

For now, no deal appears to be close for the Tigers, on Holliday or anyone. Any deal they make will likely come in the final days leading up to the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline, given their history over the past several years.

"Normally if [president/general manager] Dave [Dombrowski] gets something going, he'll fill me in on it," manager Jim Leyland said Wednesday about Tigers dealings in general. "But we haven't had any conversations about that."

Again, Carlos Guillen's situation could impact any decision the Tigers make on offense. He began the Triple-A portion of his Minor League rehab stint Wednesday at Toledo, and he could return as soon as this weekend. That would give Tigers officials at least the three-game series at Texas through next Wednesday to evaluate him and figure out how much he can help. That said, the Tigers could use more offense with or without Guillen.

-- Jason Beck

Reds manager Dusty Baker heard about trades today involving Julio Lugo from Boston to St. Louis and Adam LaRoche going from Pittsburgh to Boston. He was asked if GM Walt Jocketty had brought anything up to him about possible Reds deals in the works.

"No, we're not close on anything. We're looking," Baker said.

Are the Reds still hoping to make additions, rather than subtractions?

"I hope so. That's where my mind is at," Baker said.

Jocketty said the Reds' rough run lately hasn't altered his mood from buying to selling.

"Nothing's changed," Jocketty said. We're still trying to improve the club. We're not looking for any short term fixes. I think if we do anything, it would probably be closer to the deadline because that's where these things seem to develop. I'm going to try and do something that's going to improve the club for the long haul." 

The Reds are still seeking a bat to improve the 14th ranked offense out of the 16-team NL.

"We need someone to help pick up the pace and pick up the production," Jocketty said.

-- Mark Sheldon

The Pirates don't spend much time dominating the baseball headlines, but this is one time of year that they are perennially making headline-grabbing news. Though the Pirates didn't wait until July this season to start making significant trades , they made their latest on Wednesday when Pittsburgh sent 1B Adam LaRoche to the Red Sox for two Minor Leaguers.

The trade wasn't nearly the surprise that the Nate McLouth and Nyjer Morgan/Sean Burnett ones were, and it very well might not be the last.

GM Neal Huntington has made it clear that there are no untouchables on the team, but 2B Freddy Sanchez, SS Jack Wilson and LHP John Grabow remain the most likely to go. Sanchez's $8 million option for 2010, which he is on his way to automatically triggering based on plate appearances, is still an obstacle for a number of teams. Wilson and Grabow will be free agents after the season, so the Pirates are exploring returns that they can get for both now since there is the prospect of losing both this winter.

The Pirates have had a scouting presence following the Mariners recently, with Larry Corrigan, a special assistant to the GM, watching Seattle play at least twice in the past week. The Mariners have had on-and-off interest in both Wilson and Sanchez this season, and after trading Yuniesky Betancourt, they would seem to have the financial flexibility to take on Sanchez's contract if Seattle decides to be a "buyer" at the deadline.

Earlier this month, the Seattle Times had reported that Marc DelPiano, another of Huntington's special assistants, was at a Mariners game. So there is obviously potential for something to develop between these two clubs.

-- Jenifer Langosch

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said starting pitching is the club's top priority in any trade talks that they are having with other teams.

"Yeah," Daniels said. "That's probably the first thing we're looking at...a starter. But that's also the toughest thing to acquire."

The Rangers have asked about a number of starters, most notably Roy Halladay of the Blue Jays and Cliff Lee of the Indians. Halladay has pretty much made it clear to people that he will not approve of a trade to Texas and the Indians have told the Rangers they aren't likely to trade Lee.

The Rangers are also limited in their ability to take on significant payroll with a possible sale of the club by owner Tom Hicks still pending.

"It's part of the equation," Daniels said. "We'll evaluate every situation and every potential opportunity that presents itself, make a baseball decision and present it to ownership. I understand given the circumstances, it will be much more of a challenge than in the past."

Daniels is also looking for offensive help and is not happy with the way the Rangers have been hitting of late. They went into Wednesday's game hitting .214 in their last nine games and were hitting .255 for the season, 12th in the American League.

"The quality of our at-bats needs to improve if we're going to have a chance to contend or win," Daniels said.

-- T.R. Sullivan

 

Last year the Rays appeared locked and loaded to make a deal for then Pirates outfielder Jason Bay, who subsequently ended up with the Red Sox.

This year the Rays should quietly head to the July 31 trade deadline for a number of reasons. The first is that despite not being in first place, they have a better team than they had this time last season. Their bullpen has a lot of moving parts, but it is a strength and likely will get stronger with the return of lefty Brian Shouse. Upon Shouse's return, there's a good chance there won't be a corresponding move to send a pitcher out either, which would mean the Rays could go into any given game armed with three lefties in the bullpen.

Next, the question needs to be answered: what does the team really need?

Ben Zobrist's improvement has made the right field and second base situations look better, while the double-dose of Gabes in right field -- Gross and Kapler -- has begun to look like what the Rays hoped it would prior to the season.  Both are producing when facing either a right-hander in Gross' case or a left-hander in Kapler's.  Finally, a proven closer would be nice, but, again, look at what the bullpen is doing without one and you wonder how much better could the bullpen be with such an addition. Meanwhile, J.P. Howell appears to be taking charge of the closing role.

Last, the Rays' most valued asset is starting pitching at the Major and Minor league levels. Given the fact they have lost Edwin Jackson and Jason Hammel over the last year, it's not likely they will want to deal any of the arms they have. The organization has been fortunate not to have any serious injuries to its starters over the last two seasons, and, unfortunately, that's something that likely won't continue.

So the Rays will listen to all offers and potential deals right up until the trade deadline July 31, but don't expect a deal to be made this year.

--Bill Chastain

The Brewers made a lot of headway last year when they pulled off a deal that brought CC Sabathia to Milwaukee and rode the stud left-hander all the way to the postseason. According to SI.com, the Brewers seem to be in good shape to do that again -- only this time with Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay.

It's been fodder for sports talk radio and made for good conversation, but the idea of the Rockies acquiring Blue Jays star and Denver native Roy Halladay for the stretch run is fantasy. Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd said as much.

"I don't think that fits for us, no," O'Dowd said Wednesday morning. "Both financially and talent-wise, short-term and long-term, it would be devastating for us."

Reports say the Blue Jays, who set a July 28 deadline for making a trade, want prospects and a stellar young arm, such as the Rockies' Ubaldo Jimenez, in return. O'Dowd said building a team from within, then destroying it for one player doesn't make sense.

"Ours has to be a collective sum of the parts, not an individual," he said. "It has to be the whole team."

Also, O'Dowd said he likes the Rockies' lineup, and will not break it up to add another hitter.

The area most pressing need is the bullpen, which sometimes struggles to give leads to closer Huston Street. Franklin Morales, a converted starter, is the only lefty. Manuel Corpas and Ryan Speier are coming off injuries and are not being given full workloads.

The Rockies are trying to be creative. They've signed veteran right-hander Matt Herges, a member of the 2007 team that went to the World Series, and have him at Triple-A Colorado Springs. Veteran righty Mike Timlin threw a bullpen session Wednesday and will throw another Friday, and could be signed to a Minor League deal. Speier and Corpas were key members of the 2007 bullpen during the September stretch run.

The Rockies keep looking and listening on the trade front, but they're hoping the relievers they have form an effective bullpen.

"We keep looking to improve our talent base, and if we can improve our experience," O'Dowd said. "But it's going to be hard. it's an industry where a lot of teams are in contention and the few that aren't, there's not a lot of pitching that's out there."

"Otherwise, it's really up to the guys [with the Rockies] themselves. It's not me. It's not up to Jim [Tracy, the Rockies' manager]. It's how they perform."

 

 

 

Count the Mets out of the teams chasing Roy Halladay. After virtually every news outlet in New York debunked last week's SI.com report that the Mets had rejected (rejected!) an offer of Halladay for Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese, Bobby Parnell and Ruben Tejada, Newsday reported Wednesday that the Mets never even discussed specifics with the Blue Jays.

The Mets are being realistic. With all their injured players, they don't see Halladay as the one piece that will make the difference between making the postseason and missing it. And that's assuming that Halladay, who has gone on the record saying he would only waive his no-trade clause to join a contender, would even approve a deal to the Mets.

Halladay to the Mets just doesn't seem like a realistic option at this point. Instead, Mets fans must hope simply that the Jays do not ship him off to Philadelphia.

--Anthony DiComo

It's unlikely the Angels will make a big, bold, Mark Teixeira-type move again this summer, but they're monitoring every living, breathing reliever who could fill a late-innings role in front of closer Brian Fuentes.

Trouble is, teams in possession of these valuable commodities figure to ask for more than the Angels are willing to deliver. That seems to be the case with Orioles lefty George Sherrill, who would give the Angels a pair of left-handed hammers at the back end. Baltimore knows his value and is looking for a pair of prime-time prospects such as Brandon Wood and lefty Trevor Reckling, according to the LA Times. Hard to imagine the Angels doing something like that.

This could become a moot point if Jose Arredondo makes it back to anything resembling his 2008 form in Triple-A Salt Lake in his recovery from elbow issues.

With John Lackey back in top form and Sean O'Sullivan racking up wins at the back of the rotation, it doesn't appear likely the Angels would give up the farm for Roy Halladay, as appealing as the great right-hander would be. The Indians' Cliff Lee could be more in their ballpark.

The Angels have a surplus of highly athletic infielders and talented young pitchers. But with so many free agents looming this winter -- Lackey, Kelvim Escobar, Vladimir Guerrero, Chone Figgins, Bobby Abreu, Darren Oliver -- they're understandably leery of moving the athletes and arms coveted by other clubs.

-- Lyle Spencer

 

Now that Adam LaRoche has been traded to the Red Sox, it will create the type of redundancy Boston general manager Theo Epstein spoke of last week.

Epstein said the team was actually trying to create redundancy to cover themselves from a depth standpoint down the stretch. The Red Sox have an All-Star first baseman in Kevin Youkilis, but the presence of LaRoche will allow Mike Lowell to rest his surgically repaired right hip more often. Youkilis would play third on days Lowell sat.

Of course, the Red Sox already have a left-handed hitting backup first baseman in Mark Kotsay, but there again is the type of redundancy Epstein was referring to.

"We want to create as much depth and redundancy as we possibly can because if you don't address depth before July 31 or in some cases in August, then you're left without an opportunity to do so down the stretch and into what we hope will be another postseason," Epstein said on July 17. "We're going to read and react based on our health and based on the way some guys are playing and try to build as deep and as strong a position player core as we can."

LaRoche, with 12 homers this season, offers the Red Sox some additional pop, and the offense has been slumping of late.

LaRoche is a free agent at the end of the season and is earning a salary of roughly $7 million this season. He is a possible Type B free agent, which means the Red Sox would get a draft pick if he signs with another organization.

As for the Pirates, they are likely to need a shortstop after this season with Jack Wilson headed for free agency. Hence, the acquisition of shortstop prospect Argenis Diaz -- a terrific defender -- in the deal for LaRoche. Diaz is 22 years old and is a good defender, albeit without much pop in his bat.

Still no word on how the Red Sox will get LaRoche on the 25-man roster.

The Dodgers scouted Cleveland starter Cliff Lee Tuesday night, according to Yahoo Sports and the Toronto Sun. The Dodgers also have been scouting Toronto's Roy Halladay as they hope to improve their starting rotation before the trade deadline at the end of the month. -- Ken Gurnick

Tuesday night's 12-3 blowout win over the Reds provided the Dodgers an up-close look at two of the relievers they reportedly are interested in acquiring. David Weathers pitched a hitless seventh inning with one walk, while Arthur Rhodes threw a perfect eighth inning with one strikeout and a fastball in the low-90s. The Dodgers also have interest in Cincinnati closer Francisco Cordero, who hasn't pitched in the series. By completing a series sweep Wednesday night, the Dodgers could push the Reds a little closer to becoming a seller by the July 31 trade deadline. -- Ken Gurnick

The Indians, staying true to company form, are mum on whether or not Cliff Lee is on the block. But if what Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi said today is true, and Roy Halladay is, indeed, "unlikely" to be traded, that would only serve to make Lee all the more valuable to contending clubs.

Several of those clubs, including the Phillies and Dodgers, had scouts at tonight's game at the Rogers Centre to watch Lee, and they saw the reigning AL Cy Young winner turn in a complete-game gem against Halladay's Jays. Lee improved to 6-9 with a 3.17 ERA in a season in which his record is no indication of how well he's pitched.

The contenders know this, and the Indians have to know their odds of keeping Lee beyond his 2010 option year, in which he'd make $9 million, are slim to none. Of course, trading Lee in advance of that option year, with no top-of-the-rotation starters in the system or on the horizon, would surely be a major blow to any hopes of the Tribe contending next season. But trading Lee with a little less than a year and a half left on his contract would allow the Indians to pull in maximum value for the left-hander.

Teams get desperate for starting help this time of year, and it's not every day that a club can land a bona fide No. 1 of Lee's ilk. If Halladay is pulled from the block, as Ricciardi hints, then the desperation to land Lee only rises -- and with it rises the temptation for the Tribe to pull the trigger on a trade.

-- Anthony Castrovince

Repeat after me: First baseman Adrian Gonzalez and closer Heath Bell, the Padres two All-Star Game representatives, aren't going anywhere.

Not this month, anyway.

If the Padres are going to make a deal before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline it will likely mean sending pitcher Kevin Correia, third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff or possibly their second baseman, David Eckstein, elsewhere.

Here's a link to a story I did on Correia. Still not a whole lot of interest from other teams about Correia, which is a little surprising. He's had 11 quality starts and has generally been pitching better the last two months than he did in April and May.

I've been told the Padres haven't gotten a whole lot of hits from other teams on Kouzmanoff or Eckstein, who has been on the DL with a hamstring injury. He will come off the DL later in the week, which might hamper his chances of getting moved.

The Padres, to date, have traded reliever Cla Meredith to the Orioles for infielder Oscar Salazar and outfielder Scott Hairston to the A's for three pitchers. Are they done? I have a sneaking suspicion they aren't. Stay tuned.

-- Corey Brock

Cardinals fans should not get their hopes up about a reunion with Scott Rolen, manager Tony La Russa said.

Appearing on ESPN Radio on Tuesday, ESPN.com's Peter Gammons mentioned the potential for St. Louis to re-acquire Rolen, who was traded to Toronto before the 2008 season following a falling-out with La Russa.

"The only possibility that's been raised to me [regarding the Cardinals] is that they might get Scott Rolen and bring him back," Gammons said.

However, La Russa brushed off the speculation. When Rolen's name was raised during the manager's pregame media session, he first did a double-take, unsure he'd heard the name correctly. Then he laughed.

Then he shot it down.

"I was never asked about it," the manager said. "I have a long history of not letting anything personal get in the way of anything professional. ... But the answer is that we're very pleased with what we have in Mark DeRosa."

St. Louis acquired DeRosa from Cleveland last month.

--Matthew Leach

If the Blue Jays are going to pull the trigger on a trade that sends ace Roy Halladay to a contender for a blockbuster package of players, the deal isn't likely to be of the last-minute variety. In fact, Toronto may be inclined to set an internal deadline prior to the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline.

"If you ask me today if we're going to trade Roy Halladay, I'd say no," Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi told the New York Times. "Something could happen between now and the Trade Deadline, but this isn't something that's suddenly going to happen with someone on the 30th."

As things currently line up, Halladay is scheduled to start on the road against the Mariners on July 29. According to the report in the NY Times, Ricciardi indicated that he doesn't want Toronto's ace taking the hill in Seattle with the thought that he could be dealt in the two days following his start.

Beyond that aspect, the Blue Jays would likely become sellers in the event that Doc is dealt. If Toronto is blown away by an offer and opts to trade Halladay, doing so before the 30th would give the club more time to shop some of its other players. Other Jays players involved in rumors include Scott Rolen, Alex Rios, Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay, Jason Frasor and Scott Downs.

--Jordan Bastian

Outfielder Matt Holliday is the biggest fish in the pool of available talent in Oakland, and there's been persistent talk of him heading to Atlanta or St. Louis before the deadline, with the Giants and outside possibility. 

Said to have pondered a swap that would bring them Holliday and shortstop Orlando Cabrera in exchange for a package that would be headlined by shortstop Yunel Escobar, the Braves, however, might not be willing to take on the $6 million-plus due Holliday through September.

The Cardinals have been on Holliday the longest, but they'd probably have to part with premium prospects at the very least, particularly left-side infielders, and there's a reluctance to do so given that Holliday will be a free agent at the end of the year.

Holliday would provide the Giants with much-needed pop, but ownership recently suggested that it doesn't want to significantly add to the payroll OR part with any of its young pitching, and San Francisco doesn't have much left-side help to offer the A's.

Oakland relievers Brad Ziegler and Michael Wuertz might be available, and they've been heavily scouted of late, but the buzz is that A's GM Billy Beane would need to be wowed by any proposal that features him parting with one of his top three relievers; All-Star closer Andrew Bailey isn't untouchable, but he's probably in that neighborhood.

--Mychael Urban

 

The Mariners' winning ways are making this whole 'buyers or sellers' thing a lot more complicated than it appeared to be earlier in the season.

That's pretty much the basis of all speculation at this point, as Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik does have a couple of veteran arms he can unload--Jarrod Washburn and Erik Bedard, as well as free agent third baseman Adrian Beltre--if he decides to go the 'sellers' route. Those guys are likely to be the subject of trade rumors even after the non-waiver deadline passes--remember that Washburn was almost moved to Minnesota last year in an August deal.

But with the Mariners in contention, it's not quite as cut and dry. Do you get rid of your free agent vets and try to start over next year? Or, since they're only four games out of first place--and in desperate need of at least one more big bat in the middle of their lineup--do they give up a prospect or two to go after a veteran themselves?

In a report in The Seattle Times,  Zduriencik is quoted at length, mainly as saying that this buyers/sellers thing is a good problem to have.

"We have a nice thing going here. If the right thing fell into place, then certainly as a general manager, it's your responsibility to look at it, and evaluate it, and ask the question: Does this help us get better?

"That's how I look at it. I don't feel pressure because we have 11 days, or 12 days, until the trade deadline. I'm not feeling that. I'm feeling that my job is to get this club better short term and long term," Zduriencik  told The Times.

--Christian Caple

The list of relievers the Dodgers are scouting (Francisco Cordero, David Weathers, Arthur Rhodes of Cincinnati and George Sherrill of Baltimore), as reported here Monday, also includes Pittsburgh's John Grabow and Matt Capps, according to the Los Angeles Times. For all the noise about the Dodgers' pursuit of Toronto ace Roy Halladay, which is true, they are equally focused on bostering their bullpen. Jason Schmidt's winning start Monday night after two years on the shelf does not change management's desire to make deadline acquisitions. -- Ken Gurnick

If anything, the heat in the Roy Halladay kitchen got turned up Monday night, with the performances of three starting pitchers of teams in the Trading Deadline crosshairs.

Right-handed relievers Joel Peralta and Manuel Corpas struggled in the final two innings of Monday night's win over Arizona, which means speculation over the Rockies' trading plans began anew. Actually, the feeling that the Rockies need bullpen help has lingered for more than a month. Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post has linked the Rockies to Arizona's Chad Qualls and Houston's LaTroy Hawkins (who pitched for the 2007 NL Champion Rockies). Renck also reported recently that the price for obtaining Toronto's Roy Halladay -- righty Ubaldo Jimenez and prospects -- is likely too high for the Rockies.

The player to keep an eye on is third baseman Garrett Atkins, who hit .327 in June but has dipped again in July. Teams continue to scout to see if his swing has returned to previous levels.

-- Thomas Harding

 

It's already been an active month in Arizona.

On Sunday, the D-backs traded infielder Felipe Lopez to the Brewers for a pair of Minor League players. Earlier in the month, the club traded reliever Tony Pena to the White Sox for a Minor League prospect.

Are there more trades to come?

"I don't know. As always, a lot of discussion. We have an idea of what it would require for us to make additional trades," D-backs GM Josh Byrnes told The Arizona Republic. "If we don't feel like we're getting that value, we're not going to make the trade. The two we have made" -- Tony Pena to Chicago being the other -- "have made sense to us and we obviously want to continue to play well the rest of this year and with now three prospects we've added have a little bit of momentum and some additional talent into the next year and beyond."

According to MLB Fanhouse, the Phillies sent scouts to St. Louis this weekend to check out D-backs closer Chad Qualls. The 30-year-old righty makes $2.5 million this year and won't be a free agent until after next season. He has 17 saves with 33 strikeouts and five walks.

 

 

-- Jesse Sanchez

 

The Orioles got the trade season rolling on Sunday with a minor deal that sent utility infielder Oscar Salazar to San Diego in exchange for right-handed reliever Cla Meredith, and Baltimore manager Dave Trembley said it could be the start of a hectic two weeks.

Baltimore may look to move veterans like Aubrey Huff, George Sherrill and Danys Baez before July 31, and Trembley said he wouldn't be surprised if his team dramatically changed.

"I think we'll all have to stay tuned to see what happens," said Trembley of the non-waiver trade deadline. "I think it's the time of the year right now when we're not the only team that's doing their due diligence. This is basically the second Hot Stove season. You've got the offseason leading up to Spring Training, when there's all kinds of talk about movement of players. And now, obviously, there's talk about moving players before the trade deadline."

Trembley said he'd continue to talk to Andy MacPhail, the Orioles' president of baseball operations, about the team's prospective moves. And he also said that Salazar's teammates were thrilled to see him get an opportunity elsewhere in the Majors.

"It would've been harder to lose him or send him back to the Minor Leagues," Trembley said. "I thought Andy MacPhail did the right thing. Oscar Salazar deserved the opportunity to go play for somebody in the big leagues. We didn't have a roster spot for him here."

-- Spencer Fordin

With t-minus two weeks until the trade deadline, Red Sox fans shouldn't waste time having thoughts about a postseason rotation of Halladay-Beckett-Lester. The price -- major prospects, not to mention the money to sign Halladay long-term -- figures to be too steep for Boston's taste.

The Red Sox strongly believe in building around their core of prospects instead of dealing them away.

Besides, GM J.P. Ricciardi -- according to several reports -- told both the Red Sox and Yankees that the price for them would be significantly steeper than a non-AL East team, which makes perfect sense.

Here is Epstein's take on trying to trade for an elite starting pitcher, without mentioning Halladay by name:

"It's always tempting but it always comes at great cost. When you do it through the free agent market, it comes at tremendous risk in terms of the years and dollars you have to spend and if you do it through trade, it comes at tremendous cost - your best and most promising prospects - the core of your organization in a lot of ways."

"The only way to do it that seems to make the most sense every time is to develop them from within. We're lucky that we have a talented starting pitching core here that's doing a great job and has kept us where we are in the standings and a lot of talented young pitchers in the Minor Leagues, one of which is going to pitch here tonight for the Big League club, to fortify the organization going forward. We'll see what happens on the trade front. Things are always tempting but those temptations always come at a cost."

-- Ian Browne

His team is the subject of much trade talk in advance of the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, but Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said he has "zero sense" as to whether or not the Indians will get a deal done.

"We're extremely busy and active right now," Shapiro said.

The two names on the lips of fans and writers alike are Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez. The Indians hold affordable options on both cornerstone players for 2010, and trading either or both of them before the '10 season would be a tough sell to the fan base. But the Indians have to be open-minded about all serious offers for the Cy Young winner and the switch-hitting catcher because of the potential returns they could bring in.

That being said, if the Indians are active in the trade department this summer, it appears more likely that guys like Carl Pavano or Jamey Carroll -- both of whom are eligible for free agency at season's end -- would be shopped. Reliever Rafael Betancourt can also be had, as the Indians aren't likely to exercise his $5.4 million option for next season. The Tribe would listen to offers for closer Kerry Wood, but the $10.5 million he's owed next year makes it doubtful that such offers exist.

Third baseman Jhonny Peralta and first baseman Ryan Garko could be deemed expendable by the Tribe, but those names, as well as those of Lee and Martinez, might be names to watch moreso in the offseason than at the deadline.

As far as how the deadline will shake out, Shapiro said the non-waiver component is perhaps less meaningful this year than in years past. Given the financial constraints holding back many teams right now, he expects the trades of very few players being blocked by the waiver system.

"This year, the [non-waiver] deadline is going to be far less relevant," Shapiro said. "[The market] will probably be active all the way through August."

What are the Indians searching for in the trade market? That's easy. It's pitching, pitching and more pitching.

-- Anthony Castrovince

Now that the Royals have traded for Yuniesky Betancourt to fill their shortstop need and Ryan Freel to help in the outfield and infield, nothing seems bubbling.

General manager Dayton Moore was asked if more deals might be in the works before the deadline and he was noncommittal.

"At this time of year, it's active, it's unpredictable and things can pop up nightly as rosters change due to other trades and injuries and so forth. But right now we're just monitoring our team and needs of others," Moore said.

The Royals really need to do is add some offensive production to a club that has been running last in the American League in that vital category called runs scored.

What the Royals are not likely to do is part with the likes of pitchers Zack Greinke and Luke Hochevar, first baseman Billy Butler, third baseman Alex Gordon or closer Joakim Soria - the young core of their club.

"We need to hang on to our good young players as most clubs try to do so any deal we make would be centered around holding on to our good young players," Moore said.

Vet pitcher Gil Meche isn't likely to be on the market either although his current back woes would likely dull any interest anyhow. Brian Bannister has emerged as an effective pitcher and, at 28, he's not really in the "super youth" category. Still, the most common names being floated, as usual, are outfielder David DeJesus and infielder-outfielder Mark Teahen.

"As you know, I won't talk about the specifics but we'll always be open to good baseball deals that help our team today and long-term," Moore said.

--Dick Kaegel

If offense wasn't the Tigers' greatest need already as they scour the trade market, it sure looks so now after Detroit was held to five runs in its three-game series sweep at Yankee Stadium. Tigers batters went 1-for-26 with runners in scoring position for the series, while Tigers pitching held the Bronx Bombers to nine runs.

That doesn't mean the Tigers are pushing towards a deal. Nothing appears close, and might not until the final days leading up to the July 31 nonwaiver deadline, when more sellers could come into play and demands tend to come down. The Tigers should also have a better idea by then about rehabbing left fielder Carlos Guillen, who's 3-for-6 with a double and four walks in his last three games for Class A Lakeland but has also reportedly had some lingering shoulder soreness.

Team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski cautioned against any additional sense of urgency, suggesting that Detroit's offensive struggles appear bigger than one player can solve.

"Scoring runs is a concern, but I don't feel urgent," team president/general manager Dombrowski told the Detroit News Sunday. "If we're gonna win, it's gonna be with pitching and fielding and better timely hitting. And some of that has to come from inside, from the team we have now. I'm not gonna mention names, but if some guys don't drive in runs, you're not gonna win."

Likewise, reports suggest the Orioles don't have an urgency to deal left-handed hitters Aubrey Huff and Luke Scott. Meanwhile, Matt Holliday is batting .252 with a .698 OPS, 10 doubles, one home run and 10 RBIs in his last 36 games.

The Tigers were one of many teams with a scout in nearby Toronto for Roy Halladay's start Sunday, according to Foxsports.com. However, perhaps it's telling that had Halladay been able to throw his nine innings of one-run ball against the Yankees Sunday, Detroit's run support wouldn't have been enough to earn him a win.

-- Jason Beck

Dodgers assistant general manager Logan White and special assistant Vance Lovelace scouted Toronto starter Roy Halladay's victory over Boston Sunday. The need for Halladay is clear in a rotation that lacks a clear ace and the club has enough prospects that it probably could put an enticing package together. The biggest obstacle is whether ownership is willing to take on the salary Halladay will command when all the negotiating over no-trade clauses and contract extensions is done. The team payroll dropped by $30 million this year, even with the money (some deferred) committed to Manny Ramirez. The Ramirez exception aside, this is a franchise committed to developing from within and controlling costs. Depleting the farm system and adding payroll for one player, even a Cy Young winner, runs completely counter to that. Especially with the horrible history the Dodgers have had with their highest-paid players over the last 20 years.

And there's still the issue of acquiring bullpen help, which management considers at least equally important. The Dodgers might make that easier by sweeping the Reds this week and turning that club into a seller, because it has three relievers the Dodgers are watching -- Francisco Cordero, David Weathers and Arthur Rhodes. Among the other veterans they are scouting is Baltimore's George Sherrill. -- Ken Gurnick 

Many on hand at Rogers Centre on Sunday afternoon wondered if they were watching Roy Halladay's last outing as the ace of the Blue Jays. If so, Doc did not disappoint, spinning a complete-game gem en route to a 3-1 win over the Red Sox.

"I was hoping he'd have an unbelievable performance, something I could remember when I look back at my time here in Toronto," Jays catcher Rod Barajas said. "It definitely goes through your head. I hope it's not the last time. Everybody in this clubhouse hopes it's not the last time."

Multiple reports indicated that representatives from the Dodgers, Phillies, Brewers, Tigers, Red Sox, Rangers and Twins were in attendance for Halladay's latest start, which netted his 11th win and lowered his ERA to 2.73. Former Jays GMs Pat Gillick (Phillies) and Gord Ash (Brewers) were in Toronto for the entire weekend series against Boston.

Philadelphia is still believed to be the front-runner to land Halladay, and the Jays and Phils have reportedly already discussed a few of the Phillies' top prospects, including outfielder Michael Taylor, shortstop Jason Donald and pitcher Carlos Carrasco. Top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek likely needs to be included to convince the Jays to pull the trigger on any deal with the Phils.

As far as the other clubs in attendance for Halladay's start, it's possible some were there to take a look at Boston's players, or Toronto's relievers -- Doc's fourth complete game of the year robbed scouts of that chance -- and position players. The Red Sox don't have serious interest in Halladay and the Rangers and Twins appear to be long shots.

It's worth noting that Ash was at the helm in Toronto when the Blue Jays drafted Halladay. According to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com, "Rival teams say the Brewers have enough prospects to make a Halladay deal."

Prior to previous Trade Deadlines, Halladay's name has been tossed around in rumors and reports. This year, though, the speculation is real and Halladay's recent comments indicate that he's more open to the idea of being dealt than he was in the past. On Saturday, Halladay's wife, Brandy, stepped into the radio booth during the Jays' game and the talk eventually turned to the wave of rumors.

"This very well could be our last homestand," Brandy Halladay said on The FAN590. "If something happens before the Trade Deadline, I won't be back. That's difficult. That's more than difficult. I just broke into tears four minutes ago. ... It's very difficult for everybody. ... You're making me cry now."

--Jordan Bastian 

Late last week, the Pirates extended contract offers to Freddy Sanchez (two years, $10 million) and Jack Wilson (two years, $8 million) with the intention of taking them off the trading block if each accepted. However, both have rejected their individual offers and neither has presented the Pirates with a counter offer.

What does this mean? Pirates general manager Neal Huntington sees the absence of a counter offer as a sign that neither of the two middle infielders sees the Pirates' value matching up with their expectations. And if dialogue doesn't reopen between the various sides, the Pirates plan on listening to offers from clubs interested in acquiring either player in advance of the July 31 deadline.

Sanchez has garnered more interest than Wilson, but his $8 million club option -- which will become guaranteed with 600 plate appearances this season -- could be an obstacle, as other teams haven't been overly enthusiastic about taking that on. Unless Sanchez is to get hurt, he will easily surpass those 600 needed plate appearances.

Wilson has a club option worth $8.4 million for 2010, but there is no way he can make that guaranteed. As a result, a club could pick him up as a two-month rental if wanted.

What will the Pirates seek in return? They desperately need some Major League ready or near Major League ready middle infielders. The organization also covets young pitching, so look for that to be high on the priority list as well.

-- Jenifer Langosch

Follow me on Twitter: @LangoschMLB

Astros general manager Ed Wade reiterated his stance Saturday that he doesn't see his club making an impact trade before the July 31 deadline.

Wade said the Astros don't want to give up prospects and aren't in position to add salary. Also, Houston entered play Saturday in a three-way tie for second place in the National League Central, just three games out of first.
 
"We'll have conversations with clubs," he said. "I just don't want to raise undo expectations that we're going to really be active at the trading deadline because that's not going to be the case. We're not going to be in a position to make a deal of significance.

"We've talked about where our payroll is at this point in time and we're going to be very reluctant to give up a lot of young players. But we'll continue to have conversations if there's ways to improve."

The kinds of things Wade anticipates doing are more along the lines of adding inexpensive pieces like Chris Coste, who was claimed off waivers July 10. Relievers Chris Sampson and Doug Brocail could also return from the disabled list soon.

"A year ago at this time we had a real pressing need for starting pitching and bullpen help and we went out and got [Randy] Wolf and [LaTroy] Hawkins," Wade said. "The way Roy [Oswalt] and Wandy [Rodriguez] are pitching at the top of the rotation and the way the other three guys have gotten us deep enough into games, puts us in a position where we're not in dire need to go out and add starting pitching."

-- Brian McTaggart

 

Yes, the Rangers are interested in Roy Halladay. There has been dialogue between the two clubs and the Blue Jays are scouting the Rangers farm system.

The biggest obstacle is the Rangers being able to take on Halladay's salary. Another obstacle is the Blue Jays need a shortstop. Word is they want Elvis Andrus. Who wouldn't? It's unlikely that will happen.

Rangers officials term it a "longshot" in being able to land Halladay.

-- T.R. Sullivan

Starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo wants Reds management to keep this team together and not sell. He knows the situation and it's been reflected in his performance. Arroyo has thrown 16 scoreless innings over his last two starts, including seven scoreless for a 4-0 win over the Brewers on Friday.

"We're on the brink of sliding downhill or fighting our way back into this thing," Arroyo said. "Every game for the rest of the year is going to be huge for us. Everybody knows July 31 is always around the corner and looming. We want to continue to keep this team together. [Manager] Dusty [Baker] said in a meeting the other day that if you continue to win, they can't remove pieces."

When asked about that meeting on Saturday, Baker said ithe Trade Deadline is a natural thing to think about this time of year.

"It's something on every team's mind at this point," Baker said on Saturday. "There are buyers and sellers. The closer you are in the race, the tighter things are, you're more in buying mode than selling mode. Everybody has a budget. Some budgets are larger than other budgets."

Baker wasn't trying to indicate the Reds were on the brink of doing something - either way.

"That's something that I tell every team I'm on, not just this team. I always say that every All-Star break. The Trade Deadline is only two weeks away. It wasn't something that pertains to this team. It's just a fact that's true."

--- Mark Sheldon

While the Tigers continue to search for a spark to their offense, including on the trade market, their best option could still be a healthy Carlos Guillen. He's going through the process of regaining his timing at the plate in his rehab assignment at Class A Lakeland, doubling and walking Thursday, as he nears an end to his nearly two-month stint on the disabled list with inflammation in his right shoulder.

A two-week rehab assignment would bring back Guillen around July 27. Guillen is hoping to return sooner than that, giving the Tigers the end of next week's homestand plus a three-game series against the Rangers to evaluate him and how much he can contribute before the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline. If he can regain his hitting form from 2006-08, he adds quite a bit, possibly more than any hitter on the trading block. If he simply continues his hitting struggles from April and May, the Tigers still have problems.

That's the risk the Tigers have to weigh. But with the trade market moving slowly -- president/general manager Dave Dombrowski continues to say there aren't many sellers right now -- Detroit has time to wait and see.

"Guillen could be our trade," manager Jim Leyland said last week. "Guillen, if he comes back, could be the bat we're looking for. If it's Carlos Guillen, to me, that's a nice bat to have."

-- Jason Beck

Considering they're still in the think of the National League playoff race and they aren't wild about trading away prospects (remember they sent some guy name Ben Zobrist to the Rays for Aubrey Huff a few years ago?), the Astros don't expect to make a splash before the trade deadline.

Astros general manager Ed Wade made two trades last year that wound up having huge impacts, acquiring pitchers Randy Wolf and LaTroy Hawkins. Shortstop Miguel Tejada, closer Jose Valverde and Hawkins -- all of whom will be free agents at season's end -- would be the most likely to get dealt, but not while the Astros are in position for another one of their usual second-half playoff charges.

Wade said any players coming on board to help the Astros in the second half would likely be call-ups from the Minor Leagues, such as pitcher Bud Norris and third baseman Chris Johnson. Norris will be up at some point this season.

The Tigers can't be ruled out as a potential suitor for Roy Halladay, the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo suggests, if for no bigger reason than owner Mike Ilitch's recent track record for spending lots of money to try to win. It was Ilitch, after all, that gave some push to the Tigers to acquire Miguel Cabrera from Florida two years ago, and signed him to an eight-year, $152.3 million contract. Ilitch's willingness has also allowed the Tigers to maintain payroll over $125 million and swallow Gary Sheffield's $13.6 million salary to release the slugger out of spring training.

The Tigers have a question at the back end of their rotation, where lefty Luke French will make his third Major League start coming out of the All-Star break Friday at Yankee Stadium. Detroit has been rumored to be looking for another starter, but not necessarily of the front-line variety.

The problem for the Tigers with any look at Halladay might not be so much financial as much as talent in return. With no Tigers products on Baseball America's midseason top 50 prospects, Detroit's top-level prospect talent essentially begins and ends with AL Rookie of the Year candidate Rick Porcello and reliever Ryan Perry, and Porcello is believed to be about as close to untouchable as the rest of Detroit's young core.

-- Jason Beck