When the Padres were talking about a James Shields trade with the White Sox, they threw out a few more names. Actually, more than a few. “They’re offering everybody,” is the way one club official with a different team that’s recently dealt with the Padres put it.
That may be an exaggeration, but the point is, the Padres are open for business.
“I’m always going to listen on anybody. You’ve got to,’’ Padres general manager A.J. Preller said.
The reason is simple enough.
“We’re not good enough,” Preller also said.
Preller, who helped build the Rangers into a perennial power via player procurement, especially in the international arena, is a risk taker who won’t play things safe. So all bets are off on what might happen next.
At least Matt Kemp was allegedly also brought up by the Padres in White Sox talks that yielded the first big trade of the trading season (below are 30 more name players from all around the game who could go), a trade that occurred even before the traditional start of trading season, the annual amateur draft, which begins Thursday. However, the White Sox were singularly focused on Shields, the man they figured would fill their hole in the rotation. It seemed like an unusual choice by the White Sox; they were second best in in the A.L. in ERA and second worst in OPS.
In any case, it soon became clear the White Sox were focused on Shields, and the sides had a deal within 10 days. The White Sox will reportedly pay about $9 million of his $21 million salary each year. The Padres can save close to $27 million, and both teams can save even more in the unlikely event Shields opts out after the year (not much chance of that the way he’s going).
People involved in the deal insist it had nothing to do with Padres owner Ron Fowler’s public opinion that the team was “pathetic” and “an embarrassment,” thoughts that were publicized after a game in which Shields allowed 10 runs in 2 2/3 innings. (Shields disagreed with those assessments, and I’d agree that the owner’s words were a tad strong, though Shields was little better in his awful ChiSox debut Wednesday.)
Anyway, the Padres exchanged names with two other teams regarding Shields but the financial arrangement was best with the White Sox, whose 23-10 start was becoming all but a memory (they were down to .500 by the time Shields made his first start for them Wednesday night).
So the Padres started trade season with a bang in what may become an extensive sale for them. Kemp’s value isn’t what it was – “probably untradeable,” one rival GM called him – but while his defense is regularly criticized, he’s still among league leaders in homers and RBI. Plus, he’s posted big second halves the last two years, as Preller pointed out.
None of these guys are literally untradeable, but some are becoming tougher. Andrew Cashner has become a frustrating talent. Padres people suggest he could become “the next Arrieta,” referring to Cubs superstar Jake Arrieta, a great talent who struggled even more in Baltimore before going to Chicago’s North Side and winning a Cy Young for the Cubs.
Tyson Ross is starting to throw after missing time with a shoulder concern, so even if he returns early next month, as hoped, it’s possible the Padres may have “missed their window” to cash in when the Cubs and others were calling last year. Wil Myers is hitting again so that’s a big plus, yet his value may be mitigated by the fact he’s at first base. They’ve also gotten calls on third baseman Yangervis Solarte and catcher Derek Norris, and Jon Jay and perhaps even a better Melvin Upton Jr. could help someone.
29 May 2016: San Diego Padres starting pitcher Drew Pomeranz (13) [8334] warms up during the Major League Baseball game between the Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. Arizona leads 6-2 in the sixth inning. (Photo by Carlos Herrera/Icon Sportswire)
The most coveted Padres player may actually be emerging left-hander Drew Pomeranz, whose strikeout percentage is among league leaders and who may finally may be fulfilling his potential after he was hurt by a lack of focus earlier in his career. Pomeranz is with his fourth team, but he’s still only 26. For him, the price would be suitably steep; three young players is the word.
The pen also contains some gems, led by closer Fernando Rodney, who has been near to perfect, and his contract contains a team option for a reasonable $2.5 million next year, a plus.
Here are 30 good names from around baseball who could go …
1. Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers C. He’s putting together a big year, enhancing a trade value that seemed surprisingly low over the winter. He’s a terrific all-around catcher, a rare commodity indeed. The Rangers have made the most sense, and the Mets could, as well, depending on Travis d’Arnaud’s return (he’s a week to 10 days away), and possibly the Cubs, depending on Miguel Montero’s health. Lucroy has seemed interested in being traded, but he’s still only 28, with a year and a half to go before free agency. “We owe it to the organization to explore all possibilities, and that includes keeping Jonathan,” GM David Stearns said by phone.
2. Ryan Braun, Brewers OF. After his big start, he suddenly has trade value, though there are obviously concerns, including the contract, his health and the way his PED story unfolded. Still, he’s a marvelous talent in his prime at a time when hitters like this are becoming rare (every team seems to have one or two regulars hitting .200). He has an extensive no-trade list but can be dealt to some west coast teams (Dodgers, Angels, Padres, Giants and D-backs plus the Marlins). Stearns says they haven’t yet broached the subject of which other clubs he might consider. The Giants could make some sense, though Hunter Pence is expected back in about two months. The Angels definitely could use him, and ex-Brewers manager Ron Roenicke is their third-base coach — though owner Arte Moreno has been adamant about staying under the luxury tax threshold and he’s said to be taking a hawk position regarding CBA talks.
3. Kemp, Padres OF. He’s still a threat with the bat, but he’s been offered around by the Padres and they may have some trouble finding takers. A year and a half ago, they got the rival Dodgers to chip in $32 million, and considering the defensive decline, it won’t be as easy as it seems.
4. Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies OF. The reason he’s so far down the list is that the Rockies just haven’t seemed anxious to move him, though one Rockies connected person says not to be surprised if this is the time. The Orioles and White Sox are among teams that showed interest in the winter but the Angels may be the team that needs him most now.
(Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire)
5. Jay Bruce, Reds OF. Terrific for a team and a provider of instant power, he could be revitalized by a trade. The Jays and Orioles were the interested team in the winter, and a Jays deal fell through due to the medical failures of two other players.
6. Josh Reddick, A’s OF. There hasn’t been much buzz about a Reddick trade, but he’s playing for a small-market team that’s struggling and is a free agent at the end of the year. Logical.
7. Julio Teheran, Braves SP. The Braves are saying they fully expect to keep him, but they expected to keep Shelby Miller, too. In a market almost bereft of starters and at a time he’s showing positive signs, he could bring a haul (not a Miller haul, but some sort of haul).
8. Rich Hill, A’s SP. The A’s’ $6-million signing of Rich Hill after just a few good starts seemed like a boon for Hill, but it turned out to be genius. He’s been absolutely brilliant for Oakland and should have terrific trade value, with the only question being how he holds up throughout the season. He’s said to possibly be going on the DL with a groin setback (via Jane Lee of MLB.com).
9. Andrew Miller, Yankees RP. The Yankees say they aren’t considering trades until July, but if they do, he among the No Run DMC trio (hat tip, Jack Curry of YES Network for the nickname) would draw frenzied interest. He’s been unhittable, and he has two years to go at a reasonable $9 million per. The Rangers and Nats are among contenders with closer questions (in case you’re interested, Texas says it wouldn’t surrender Joey Gallo straight up for Miller).
10. Brandon Phillips, Reds 2B. He’s insisted on an extra year being added to his deal for a trade to occur, killing chances all over the league (Yankees, Nats) but he’s still playing fairly effectively for a non-contender that would like to make room for Jose Peraza.
11. Sonny Gray, A’s SP. He’s only low on this list due to the unlikelihood of a trade. If the A’s put him out there, there’d be a feeding frenzy, starting with the Red Sox, who made a just-in-case call soon after Dave Dombrowski took over as GM there. At the least, the A’s could subtly gauge interest since Hill will be out there, points out a rival GM.
12. Wil Myers, Padres 1B. He’s hitting and he’s young, but since the Padres appear to be in major trade mode, he probably could go, too.
13. Danny Valencia, A’s 3B. He’s shown amazing power in somewhat limited at-bats and appears to be coming into his own. Could be a valuable pickup for someone.
14. Aroldis Chapman, Yankees RP. The game’s hardest thrower might actually bring back more than the Yankees gave up, as the ban is in the past. Don’t you think Nats manager Dusty Baker would love a reunion?
15. Fernando Rodney, Padres RP. He’s been fantastic in San Diego.
16. Jed Lowrie, A’s INF. He’s batted third for Oakland and his .300-plus batting average should be a draw. So should his versatility, as he can play any infield position. How about the Mets?
17. Nick Markakis, Braves OF. He gets on base, but where has the power gone? (The same could be said for just about all the Braves players.)
18. Ricky Nolasco, Twins SP. You wouldn’t think there’d be interest, but he’s done OK lately and the starting pitching market is practically non-existent, especially if the A’s and Braves hold Gray and Teheran, as is quite possible. The Twins would have to pay down much of the $49-million, four-year deal, of course.
(Icon Sportswire)
19. Freddie Freeman, Braves 1B. Yes, I know, Freeman is the one player the Braves have said they want to hold onto. But word is, they are concerned about his recent production, and we know Braves people will consider anything.
20. Dellin Betances, Yankees RP. His youth, price tag and talent would bring quite the haul. Unlikely to go, though.
21. Jeremy Hellickson, Phillies SP. He’s done a solid job his first year in Philly and could draw interest considering limited rotation options.
22. Jay, Padres OF. After bouncing back with a nice year, there’d have to be takers.
23. Carlos Beltran, Yankees OF. The man can still hit – he’s been the Yankees’ best and most consistent offensive performer – but he’d need to waive his no-trade clause. He’s probably best as a DH at this point, however.
24. Cashner, Padres SP. Notice the litany of Padres players here. Cashner hasn’t yet lived up to his alleged talent, and he’s a free agent after the year. Ross may not be back in time to mount a market.
25. Jeremy Jeffress, Brewers RP. He hasn’t allowed a run or walk on the road. Good to see him getting his career back on track.
26. Derek Norris, Padres C. His name has come up. Also, Alexei Ramirez is only there on a one-year deal. How about his old team? (Probably not.)
27. David Freese, Pirates 3B-1B. He could be seen as a luxury for the Pirates. The Mets have injuries at both spots and could make sense.
28. David Hernandez, Phillies RP. He’s done a superb job in the Phillies’ pen.
29. Jeanmar Gomez, Phillies RP. Makeshift closer Gomez has, too, and just about every contender could use pen help.
30. Arodys Vizcaino, Braves RP. The Braves could also trade Alexi Ogando.
***
Arizona Diamondbacks
The D-backs “are not giving up,” GM Dave Stewart vows. However, this start has been very disappointing for a front office used to winning. Chief baseball officer Tony La Russa had winning years 24 of 33 seasons managing, Stewart won 14 of 16 years as a pitcher in the bigs and VP De Jon Watson came from the Dodgers. Stewart noted, however, “You’d like to see better signs. We need to start pitching better and playing better. The signs are not real good right now.” … They are still hoping A.J. Pollock will be back in September. “Hopefully, we’re still in it,” Stewart said … The D-backs have seen inconsistencies from Yasmany Tomas. They have been impressed by Archie Bradley recently, however … With Rubby De La Rosa out, D-backs higher-ups see $206.5-million ace Zack Greinke as their only consistently reliable starter at the moment. They vow not to rush Shelby Miller back, in any case. The hope is that De La Rosa (elbow inflammation) can be back in six weeks or so, incidentally … Stewart has sold his old agency to the New York-based Decade, which is trying to make its mark in the sports agenting business. Stewart’s wife Lonnie has remained to run the operation, and they lost only two players – Kemp, who likely won’t get another contract past his current deal, and Tigers minor-league OF Wynton Bernard.
Atlanta Braves
The team is concerned about the slump of Freddie Freeman. Poor Freeman, ill in San Diego, vomited during the team’s 11th straight loss at beautiful Petco Park.
Baltimore Orioles
GM Dan Duquette minces no words when it comes to Yordano Ventura: “He needs to get himself under control before somebody gets hurt.” … The trade of backup catcher Steve Clevenger for Mark Trumbo may turn out to be one of the best deals in Orioles history … Brad Brach was another very nice pickup for the O’s. Got him for a minor-league pitcher … Hyun Soo Kim made adjustments from his awful spring training, and it paid off. He also got himself into better shape … The pairing of Duquette and manager Buck Showalter makes for a very interesting mix. But while they don’t always see eye-to-eye, they are quite the talented tandem. Duquette’s deals have put the Orioles back in contention, and scouts marvel at the detail-oriented Showalter. “No one’s more prepared,” says one A.L. scout … One scout said Manny Machado is only OK at shortstop but remarked, “I’ve never seen two arms for a DP combo better than Machado and Jonathan Schoop.”… For Schoop to be a star, the scout said, he needs to stop chasing pitches … The Orioles will likely need a starting pitcher.
Boston Red Sox
David Ortiz continues to confound baseball watchers, as he’s putting together a monster year in his the very twilight of his career. His 1.153 OPS is tops in the game. No word on whether he might reconsider his announced retirement, but as one associate pointed out: “He’d have to return quite a few going-away gifts.” … Xander Bogaerts is amazing. But he is also a team player. With a 26-game hitting streak going and the Red Sox down in the ninth, Bogaerts took a borderline 3-and-0 pitch in an effort to get the walk. The pitch was called a strike and Bogaerts would strike out, but the kid has rare maturity. … The Red Sox were absolutely right to show their faith in Travis Shaw, whose father Jeff was an Indians teammate of Red Sox manager John Farrell. So if it was nepotism, it was a good kind of nepotism … Steven Wright has three different knuckleballs, which are thrown 60-63 mph, 64-70 and 74-78. Charlie Hough always said you have to change speeds to be an effective knuckleballer, and Wright does that.
Chicago Cubs
Former No. 1 pick Albert Almora always had major-league skills to be a defender in center; the Cubs were just waiting for his offense to catch up … This wasn’t a great time for Jorge Soler to go down, as he was just getting started. In his last 17 games, he had a slash line of .318/.434/.591 … Triple-A slugger Dan Vogelbach (.938 OPS) would benefit from a trade. He is blocked forever by Anthony Rizzzo. He is probably more an American League player anyway … The Cubs wouldn’t trade Kyle Schwarber straight-up for Andrew Miller, Joel Sherman of the New York Post and MLB Network reported … In an age of versatility, Kris Bryant may been most impressive of all. He can play shortstop and center field, it turns out … Pitching coach Chris Bosio may not get enough credit.
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox have stopped beating AL Central opponents in a brutal slump that’s also seen them lose eight straight games stated by the big two of Chris Sale and Jose Quintana. They’ve lost 11 of their last 13 games against AL Central foes, including nine straight … The Padres asked for shortstop prospect Tim Anderson, but even though he isn’t having a great year, the White Sox never considered giving him up for Shields.
Cincinnati Reds
Raisel Iglesias, who’s been perhaps their best starter, will have to go to the pen upon his return from a shoulder injury, as he hasn’t shown he can carry a starter’s workload. That’s a big blow … Anthony DeSclafani is expected back this weekend … Homer Bailey is throwing off flat ground, as Cincy seems to be taking it slowly with him. He’s not ready to go yet, come the reports.
Cleveland Indians
Both reports on Michael Brantley are conceivably right. There is concern about him, yet there is also hope. There is also no timetable yet, which is of course a bit disheartening … Marlon Byrd made $16.7 million between his two PED failures, which makes one wonder how much of that was legit. (The guess here: little of it.)
Colorado Rockies
Among others, word is manager Walt Weiss isn’t anxious to have Jose Reyes back. There was a feeling among Rockies people that Reyes didn’t really want to be there after the surprise trade from Toronto last year. Reyes would seem to be a threat to be cut if there are no takers … Scouts rave about Jeff Hoffman, who came with Reyes in the Troy Tulowitzki deal … Jon Gray, who flunked a drug test just before he was picked No. 3 overall, right behind all-everything Bryant, is looking like a future star.
Detroit Tigers
While Yoenis Cespedes has been brilliant for the Mets, Michael Fulmer, who came in the deadline deal, is 6-1 with a sub-3 ERA. He was originally offered to the Padres for Justin Upton, but Detroit capitalized … Victor Martinez is back.
(Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire)
Houston Astros
They are going to have to learn how to win against their home-state rival; the Stros have lost 11 straight at Texas … Some scouts were said to have warned about Carlos Gomez’s health and occasional lapses. But no one expected him to play poorly. One positive note about Gomez’s horrible year (.543 OPS): hard to see how the team extends the qualifying offer at this point (especially after their lesson with Colby Rasmus, who took it when the team didn’t expect it).
Kansas City Royals
Ventura may want to calm down. It was reported he was already being offered to teams in trade, even before his brawl-starting throw at Manny Machado. a Royals exec responded to that report: “All lies.”
Los Angeles Angels
Some Angels observers wonder where the “spark” is, others just don’t think they are quite good enough. One scout says he estimates the lineup includes 3.5 threats (Mike Trout, Kole Calhoun and Albert Pujols plus C.J. Cron sometimes) … Left field looked like it had the potential to be a black hole for the Angels, and expectations have become reality: Angels left fielders’ .572 OPS is by far the worst in the majors.
Los Angeles Dodgers
There are hints of dissatisfaction with the Dodgers’ 32-29 start this year. There’s obviously plenty of time to go, but Dodgers higher-ups expected better, much better … The Dodgers were never involved in the Shields mix. They hope Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy will return in coming weeks, and Brett Anderson maybe by summer’s end … Trayce Thompson is winning admirers for his demeanor as well as his talent. “His makeup is off the charts,” one Dodgers person says … Signing Hector Olivera doesn’t look like it was a good idea, but they turned it into Thompson, hard-throwing Frankie Montas and Alex Wood (they used Jose Peraza in the deal for the last two) … Alex Guerrero never really was a fit with the Dodgers, but he’s a good enough bat that someone should find room for him now that he’s a free agent. The release was necessitated when Guerrero declined to go to the minors after getting off the DL, as his contract allowed … Good thing Andrew Friedman’s request while Rays GM for Corey Seager or Joc Pederson for David Price was rebuffed by his predecessor Ned Colletti a couple years ago. Seager already is the Dodgers’ best position player.
Miami Marlins
Jose Fernandez is 6-0 with a 0.66 ERA over six starts … Giancarlo Stanton is going the opposite way. He was 4 for his last 48. “Looks lost,” is the way one scout put it a few weeks ago … Derek Dietrich has filled in nicely in Dee Gordon’s absence. “He’s hit, and he hasn’t hurt them defensively,” says a scout … The Marlins haven’t tried lately to reopen contract talks with shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, who’s a brilliant defender and worth keeping around.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Gomez trade may turn out to be one of the best in franchise history. For Gomez, who hasn’t played to expectations in Houston, Milwaukee got Domingo Santana, Brett Phillips, Josh Hader and Adrian Hauser. Stearns, who was with Houston when the deal was made “absolutely” credits his predecessor Doug Melvin and other Brewers execs for identifying some prime Astros talent, and procuring it … Jonathan Villar, who also came from Houston, is establishing himself as a viable starting shortstop. The Brewers may have a good problem soon as Orlando Arcia is a terrific shortstop prospect, and he isn’t far off. Some may wonder whether the arb clock is in play here, but Arcia still has some “finishing touches” to put on, Stearns said. Plate discipline will be key to his development. As for whether Villar could be a trade chip, Stearns said, “We are looking to acquire players like that.” … Condolences to the friends and family of Donny Everett, the big prospect and hard thrower picked in the 29th round by the Brewers before he honored his commitment to Vanderbilt who died in a tragic drowning accident. Everett, 19, was seen as a big major-league prospect who wanted to go to college first. It’s a tragic story but Everett, the Clarksville, Tenn. product, got to realize his dream of pitching for Vandy.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins have had “breakdowns in all facets,” is the way one rival executive put it … John Ryan Murphy is down in the minors after a slow start, but the Twins “aren’t giving up on him.” They need him next year … The Twins need to let Max Kepler, Byron Buxton and the other kids play to see what they have. Alex Meyer and Jose Berrios will be back up before too long, too.
(Photo by Bennett Cohen/Icon Sportswire)
New York Mets
Curiously, the Mets have yet to approach Noah Syndergaard or even Jacob deGrom about a long-term contract. Mets people say they have plenty of time. But that was probably true about Matt Harvey, and now time is practically up with Harvey. “He’s gone,” says one Mets-connected person. Maybe deGrom and Syndergaard wind up sticking around, but it wouldn’t hurt to find out what their appetite for a deal would be. You never know when you can make a long Chris Sale or Madison Bumgarner-type deal … Bringing back Kelly Johnson makes sense with David Wright and Lucas Duda out. If they want to make a bigger play, they might try for Lowrie or Trevor Plouffe, though those specific names haven’t been heard much around the Mets yet. Valencia and Solarte are two more who could work … It makes sense for Wright to rest his bad neck rather than go for immediate surgery. Surgery would mean a season ender whether he did it now or in August … Mets people credit Matt Harvey for getting himself out of his slump.
New York Yankees
Yankees higher-ups have determined they are having no selloff in the immediate future, but will instead re-evaluate at the end of July … Aroldis Chapman’s free agency should be an interesting one. There hasn’t been a closer of this magnitude who’s free in decades. Two closing stars to sign in the last decade include Francisco Rodriguez ($37 million, three years) and Jonathan Papelbon ($50 million, four years), but Chapman potentially could top those deals. That could be especially big for him considering spending habits that have become legendary in South Florida. Besides his spread in Davie, a Fort Lauderdale suburb, Chapman also is said to have the penthouse at Miami’s Epic Hotel (which happens to house many major-league teams). Some familiar with the situation say that while few said no to Chapman in the past, international star Marc Anthony, Chapman’s new agent, should have no trouble telling him no. According to people in the know, someone needs to … It’s time Joe Girardi gave Rob Refsnyder a chance. Not sure what he was waiting for, but some others around the Yankees were espousing this for weeks … The Yankees “can’t call up Aaron Judge,” says a scout. It would a stretch, anyway, as he’s batting .220 at Triple A Scranton-Wilkes-Barre. Meantime, another scout said of Greg Bird, who’s out for the year, “He’s going to be a star.”
Oakland Athletics
Khris Davis is having a nice first year in Oakland, with 14 home runs. But he doesn’t seem like their kind of Moneyball player. He has six walks and 201 at-bats.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies are said to have narrowed their choices to five or so players for the No. 1 pick overall, including: Florida left-hander A.J. Puk, Mercer’s outfielder Kyle Lewis, California prep outfielders Blake Rutherford and Mickey Moniak, and Louisville outfield Corey Ray. They have apparently ruled out the local kid, Barnegat (N.J.) lefty Jason Groome (it’s a gamble to take a prep pitcher No. 1, and he’s young even for his class, at 17). Outfield is a need, so it’s fortunate they have four good ones under consideration. They also have come to believe that if you don’t grab a hitter early, you may not have the chance to get one. Lewis, who’s been moving up boards, may be most logical. He’ll almost surely be taken by the Reds or Braves at No. 2 or No. 3 if the Phillies don’t snap him up. Top scouts Pat Gillick, Charlie Kerfield, Bart Braun and ex-manager Charlie Manuel all are involved as Philly needs to keep its streak going. They’ve tabbed J.P. Crawford and Aaron Nola in recent drafts after a decade-long dry spell … Groome, the local, is seeking close to $5 million, which may have something to do with his seeming drop down the board … The rising Crawford means the Phillies would listen on Freddy Galvis if anyone calls … Vincent Velasquez will have an MRI on his elbow Thursday after exiting Wednesday’s game after two pitches. Bicep tendinitis is suspected … Tommy Joseph (5 HR in 20 games) is expected to get the lion’s share of the at-bats at first base as struggling veteran Ryan Howard tries to regain some semblance of his old form. Though Howard is well below the Mendoza line, he has given no indication he is considering retiring after the year … Shane Victorino has sought a big-league job here and elsewhere but is still looking. Great guy for a club … Apropos of nothing (stolen category from the Boston Globe): has anyone noticed that Cameron Rupp’s name combines the two most famous college basketball arenas in the U.S.? … The Phillies played the Cubs tough their first five games, and they finally won the fifth game against the N.L. leaders. The Phillies may be a bit short on talent but they’ve shown as much heart as anyone.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Jameson Taillon made the majors after six years. The No. 2 overall pick was selected between Bryce Harper and Machado. It may show the risk of taking a high school pitcher. But he’s still only 24, so it may work out OK … Jung-Ho Kang at $11 million for four years may be one of the better free-agent signings in recent years.
St. Louis Cardinals
Kolten Wong’s demotion wasn’t just about a numbers game. He wasn’t hitting, and he was making mistakes in the field. This could be a wake-up call.
San Diego Padres
While it’s generally been a rough year, Pomeranz looks like he may be a real find (8th in MLB with 2.22 ERA). Pomeranz is on his fourth team after being drafted just ahead of Matt Harvey, but he finally may be maturing … Interesting that Kemp was offered to the White Sox, as he revealed to Harold Reynolds of MLB Network that Frank Thomas was his favorite player growing up. He claims that as a kid he was called Little Big Hurt.
San Francisco Giants
When ex-Giants Pablo Sandoval changed agents, letting go Gustavo Vasquez for Rick Thurman of Beverly Hills Sports Council, he also let go his brother Michael Sandoval, a former Giants organization player and Vazquez partner … The Giants plan to give Mac Williamson and Jarrett Parker at-bats in the outfield and don’t seem inclined to go for one of the big outfielders who may be available (i.e. Braun or Kemp). Williamson hit his first career homer last night … The pen likely will be the Giants’ main area of focus. They were linked to Miller by Ken Rosenthal, but they’ve also been good at finding “hidden gems,” in the past, a la Javier Lopez and Jeremy Affeldt …Bumgarner’s offer to be in the Home Run contest is silly. It’s nice that he has 13 homers but his lifetime slugging percentage is .306, eight points lower than Brendan Ryan’s.
Seattle Mariners
The team that perennially struggles to score runs has eight players with an OPS of .800 or better. Maybe an Edgar Martinez effect?
(Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire)
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays are one team known to be using virtual reality to aid player performances. It may be working as the Rays lead all of baseball in home runs with 88, out of nowhere. However, club higher-ups will not talk about it, and they have ordered employees not to talk about it, either. No surprise, GM Matt Silverman didn’t return texts … Logan Morrison was one of the worst players in the majors in April, and he’s been one of the best since. Manager Kevin Cash has told Rays people he’s never seen a player so unaffected by a slump as Morrison; the low-key stance seems to be working … It’s amazing the Rays have even hung in there with their three best starters Matt Moore, Chris Archer and Drew Smyly – the heart of the team – all toting ERAs over 5 … Best-case scenario for Alex Cobb is a late-July return. That would be about 14 months since Tommy John surgery … Alex Colome is 17-for-17 in save opportunities, including a stretch recently where he saved games four straight days. Pretty amazing … They must know Brad Miller isn’t a great defensive shortstop. He hits enough where he could be a super utilityman though … They are hoping to get Logan Forsythe back next week … Desmond Jennings has been struggling, but there’s no word yet of interest in bringing Carl Crawford back. He certainly thrived there … The suspicion is that Evan Longoria played with a bum wrist most of last year, though he didn’t say anything. That’s probably the best explanation for his stark turnaround.
Texas Rangers
Texas remains very interested in locking up Rougned Odor, which might make him happy. One Rangers insider says Odor has seemed upset a lot of the year, and he theorizes that the lack of a long-term deal could be the reason … The Rangers wouldn’t trade Joey Gallo, who’s blocked there, straight-up for Andrew Miller … Manager Jeff Banister handled the Prince Fielder situation delicately and appropriately. Jurickson Profar (19-for-50) should be getting at-bats the way he’s hitting … Yu Darvish appears to be back in top form of 14 months away. Give the Rangers credit for handling him very delicately … The Rangers might be unbeatable if they solve their late-inning pen situation. Sam Dyson’s ascension to closer may help.
Toronto Blue Jays
Manager John Gibbons is thought to be safe for the foreseeable future. But it seems like a long shot that he’d be brought back for 2017, barring a huge year. Eric Wedge, who’s already serving as a Jays consultant, and Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo would be perhaps the two most logical candidates for a Mark Shapiro-run team. Wedge was the Indians’ long-time manager, and Lovullo the Indians’ long-time Triple-A manager. Lovullo got a nice deal to remain in Boston so It’s uncertain how available he’d be. I’d love to see Sandy Alomar Jr., another Indians guy, get a chance somewhere … Matt Dominguez, recently DFA’ed, erred badly when he didn’t take the Astros’ multi-year offers a few years back. Now he is a quad-A player … Good to see Pat Venditte back. Amazing young man.
Washington Nationals
The Nats thought about replacing Wilson Ramos (.345 BA, 8 HR) over the winter, but they made the right call to stick with him based on what he’s done so far …The Nats are getting a historically-low .184 batting average from the leadoff hitter. Which seems to beg for a promotion for speedy shortstop Trea Turner. It’s uncertain whether there are arbitration considerations, but since he was up last year for a month, if there are, he may not be up to the middle of July. He figures to be a major offensive improvement over Danny Espinosa.
The post Heyman: 30 name players who could be traded appeared first on Todays Knuckleball.