Tagged: Padres
No deal for Angels
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.”
No movement on Gonzalez and Bell for Padres …
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
Brewers mentioned with Pads’ Correia
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
Padres holding onto Gonzalez, Bell … for now
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
What will the Padres do?
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
Trade Talk 