Trade Winds

Red Sox scouting Braves' Francoeur: Braves GM Frank Wren chose not to comment on a report that the Red Sox were scouting outfielder Jeff Francoeur. Francoeur is hitting .253 with 3 home runs this season, and a lot of local media outlets have been speculating that he could be traded.

Dodgers eyeing Peavy?: The Dodgers are in the market for pitching, despite a pretty strong showing from their pitchers right now. Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said that he has been in contact with the Padres, but hasn't spoken to them since Peavy vetoed the trade to the White Sox. One source I spoke to said he fully expects the Dodgers to get in on the Peavy chase in July.

Davis or Washburn to Minnesota: The Diamondbacks will likely shop lefty pitcher Doug Davis as we approach the trade deadline. Davis is 2-6, but has a 3.77 ERA and had four consecutive double-digit seasons before his season was cut short in 2008. Washburn is another option, probably the more likely option because he is already in the AL and is open to a trade to the Twins.  

Nick Johnson to Mets?: Johnson told reporters he would welcome a trade to the Mets, but who wouldn't if you were playing for the crowded Nationals. The Nats have been shopping Johnson for a couple seasons, and now that he is hitting .337 with 4 home runs, it is a good time to trade him. The Red Sox have been linked to them, but nothing appears serious. 

Pirates' Sanchez to Rays?: The Pirates will likely shop Freddy Sanchez at the trade deadline, and the Rays could be a possible fit. Sanchez is a solid fielder and hitter, and could be a long term option for the Rays. With Aki Iwamura out for the season and a club option for 2010, it would make sense that they would pursue him. 

Sanchez to Marlins or Phillies?: Lefty pitcher Jonathan Sanchez could be moved at the right deal, and if they start shopping him now, they could get a good value for him. They need a second baseman. They need a corner outfielder. The Marlins and Phillies have both. Dan Uggla is available.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Phillies Eye Starters?

The Phillies are in dire need of pitching and need to act fast if they want to stay in contention in the NL East. After Hamels and Myers, the 3-4-5 pitchers all have ERA's over 6.80. J.A. Happ has made a couple good starts, but he has been pitching well out of the bullpen. Top pitching prospect Carlos Carrasco is 0-5 with a 6.31 ERA in 8 starts at Triple-A, and there aren't any other viable minor league options.

On the free agent market, you could probably get Pedro Martinez or Mark Mulder at a bargain rate, but they are no guarantee to be successful. The Phillies do have a lot of options though. They could look to the Mariners and ask about Erik Bedard, who is 2-2 with a 2.64 ERA. They could also inquire about Doug Davis of the Diamondbacks, who is in the last year of his contract and likely won't cost very much.

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Foulke Pitching Well For Newark

Newark Bears closer Keith Foulke is off to a good start this season with a 0.75 ERA in 12.1 innings. Foulke is hoping to receive a major league offer soon so he can get back in the big leagues.

"I hope the phone rings today and it's the Diamondbacks and I can pack my stuff and get out of here."

Foulke is competitive, but he doesn't love some of the behind scenes work that goes with being a ballplayer. 

"Everybody laughs when I tell them I don't like baseball," Foulke said. "I don't like the fact that there's so much downtime and I don't like the downtime. It's not like I show up at 7 p.m. and watch a three-hour ballgame. I'm here at 2:30 p.m."

Foulke says that he is as healthy as he was in 2003, and if his strong play continues, someone could give him a look. 

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Doug Davis and the Diamondbacks

In Friday's game versus the Braves, Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch pulled Doug Davis from the on-deck circle for a pinch hitter with two outs in the seventh inning. Davis, who had only thrown 80 pitches at that point, confronted Hinch in the dugout. 

"We've got seven outs [left] in the game," Hinch said. "Obviously, we're trying to get a guy on base in front of [Felipe] Lopez and [Gerardo] Parra, so with seven outs, I'm going to take a shot at getting a guy on base and hitting a ball in the gap to score him and tie the game. It's a tough decision, but at the same time, it's a decision I made."

Davis is a competitor, and a veteran like him probably hasn't been pulled after 80 pitches in a game like that. But the Diamondbacks have won three of the last ten, and trying to get a runner on base to start a rally with the top of your order coming up is a way to get your team going. I think Hinch made the right move, and I think he handled the situation well by talking with Davis during the game. Davis and Hinch have reportedly cleared the air, but with Davis' impending free agency, it makes you wonder if they would look to trade him. 

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

2009 MLB Draft Order

Here is the order for this years MLB Draft, which is set to take place in June.

1. Washington Nationals
2. Seattle Mariners
3. San Diego Padres
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
5. Baltimore Orioles
6. San Francisco Giants
7. Atlanta Braves
8. Cincinnati Reds
9. Detroit Tigers
10. Washington Nationals*
11. Colorado Rockies
12. Kansas City Royals
13. Oakland Athletics
14. Texas Rangers
15. Cleveland Indians
16. Arizona Diamondbacks
17. Arizona Diamondbacks*
18. Florida Marlins
19. St. Louis Cardinals
20. Toronto Blue Jays
21. Houston Astros
22. Minnesota Twins
23. Chicago White Sox
24. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
25. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim*
26. Milwaukee Brewers
27. Seattle Mariners*
28. New York Yankees*
29. Boston Red Sox
30. Tampa Bay Rays
31. Chicago Cubs
32. Colorado Rockies*

10 - Washington Nationals receive this pick as compensation for not signing 2008 1st Round Pick, Aaron Crow.

# 17 - Arizona Diamondbacks receive this pick as compensation for the Los Angeles Dodgers signing 2B Orlando Hudson

# 24 - Los Angeles Angels receive this pick as compensation for the New York Mets signing Francisco Rodriguez.

# 25 - Los Angeles Angels receive this pick as compensation for the New York Yankees signing Mark Teixeira.

# 27 - Seattle Mariners receive this pick as compensation for Philadelphia Phillies signing Raul Ibanez.

# 28 - New York Yankees receive this pick as compensation for not signing 2008 1st Round Pick, Gerrit Cole.

# 32 - Colorado Rockies receive this pick as compensation for Los Angeles Angels signing Brian Fuentes.

(Courtesy of 2009 MLB Mock Draft)

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Diamondbacks Appoint Hinch As Manager

In a rather surprising move, the Diamondbacks have named A.J. Hinch, currently their farm director, as their new manager. Hinch, a former major league catcher, has no managerial experience. However, he has overseen the development of Justin Upton, Mark Reynolds, Stephen Drew, and others, so you could say he knows the Diamondbacks roster better than anyone. I, like others, viewed Hinch as an soon-to-be GM, like another Front Office executive with the Dbacks, Paul Woodfork.

Hinch will have to find a new hitting and pitching coach, and it will be interesting to see who he goes after.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Dbacks Fire Manager

The Diamondbacks have gotten off to a rough start, and are 8 1/2 games behind the NL West leading Dodgers. The team president, Derrick Hall, called the teams play "unnacceptable," so a shakeup was inevitable. Today the Diamondbacks announced that they are firing manager Bob Melvin. Melvin, who was 337-340 since 2005 with the team, was named NL Manager of the Year in 2007. The Diamondbacks have yet to announce a replacement. 

Kirk Gibson is the teams bench coach, and he is a possibility to replace Melvin on an interim basis. He has never been a manager but he has been a bench coach in Detroit and a TV analyst, not to mention a 17-year veteran with two rings to boast. From the outside, they could talk to Bob Brenly, currently the Cubs color commentator. He was their former manager, and they could turn to him because he brought them a World Series and handled the media very well. Who from the outside could adjust quickly enough to take the reigns of the struggling Diamondbacks?

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Would The Diamondbacks Trade Davis?

The Diamondbacks are 9-13 to start the year, but are without Brandon Webb and Stephen Drew. Not only that, but Chris Young and Connor Jackson are both hitting near the Mendoza Line (sub .200 average). Davis is off to a pretty good start this season with a 2-3 record and a 2.91 ERA. Davis is entering the last year of his contract and will make 8.75 million dollars. That is a pretty respectable salary considering it was backloaded. A team looking for a reliable starter to eat up innings could target Davis, who wouldn't cost much in return.

The Twins seem like a good fit if Davis is made available. The Twins eyed a lefty last season, but a deal could not be struck. They like Jarrod Washburn, but the Mariners are 13-9 and lead the AL West and may look to win the division rather than hold a fire sale. Another possibility is the Mets, who are in desperate need of veteran pitching. A trade involving the Mets could happen soon if Oliver Perez cannot find his form.

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Cubs Ramirez To DL?

Aramis Ramirez took batting practice today, but was unable to accelerate and is likely heading to the disabled list. "He couldn't accelerate at all," Piniella said. "I think the plan is we're going to wait until Thursday and have him run again in Chicago. If it's not any better by then, we're going to have to weigh all our options. We don't have any infielders." Ramirez, who is hitting .358 with 3 HR in 53 at-bats this season, will likely be replaced by Bobby Scales from Triple-A.

The Cubs would be smart to call up Jake Fox instead. Nothing against Scales, but Fox offers the Cubs a power bat that they are missing. While he doesn't play third base, he can play left, right, and first base. He can also serve as an emergency catcher if needed. He is hitting .446 with 12 HR in 74 at-bats, with 31 RBI and 9 extra-base hits.

Another option would be to call up a pitcher, because the Cubs bullpen has been struggling lately. Both Carlos Marmol and Kevin Gregg had no command of their pitches in today's game against the Diamondbacks, and they might want to call up a fresh arm for the weekend series versus Florida. A couple options for them include Jose Ascanio (0.54 ERA, 14 K), Greg Reinhard (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 games), or Jeff Stevens (0.00 ERA, 8 K, 7 games). Expect a roster move to be made Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Webb Has Shoulder Setback

Diamondbacks ace Brandon Webb faced another setback in his attempts to return from the disabled list with shoulder problems. Webb was playing catch when he felt the discomfort, and the Diamondbacks were forced to cancel his bullpen session and shut him down indefinitely. The Diamondbacks were hoping Webb would be ready to go on a rehab assignment sometime next week, but are now forced to wait until the pain subsides. 

The Diamondbacks do not have much in their minor league system, and do not have much money to spend, so they could fall out of contention if Webb is out for an extended amount of time. Pedro Martinez is available. Mark Mulder is available. Paul Byrd, Shawn Chacon, and Tony Armas Jr. are available. The Diamondbacks need to decided if one of those pitchers is worth the investment during these unstable times financially. 

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Indians Shopping Lee?

The Indians may look to shop struggling starter Cliff Lee if he cannot return to 2008 form. Lee, who went 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA last season, is 1-3 with a 5.25 ERA in three games. The Indians have an eight million dollar club option for next season, and may look to trade him to spend that money elsewhere. I think an eight million dollar option on a former Cy Young winner is the type of player you hold on to, especially because their starting rotation is not very strong.

However, if a team comes in and can offer a solid prospect or two and is willing to take on some of the money, it might be hard to pass up. The Diamondbacks, Phillies, and Dodgers could all pursue Lee if he were to become available.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Weekly Roundup

What started as a nice start to another baseball season, we were blindsided with the news that Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in an automobile accident. Off to a promising start with a six inning shutout performance, the top pitching prospect looked to be blossoming into a true major leaguer. The news of his death was a tragedy, not to mention the three other lives that were taken as well. The Angels, already with their three top pitchers on the DL, are now forced to find a replacement. The Angels held a very nice ceremony for the victims before Saturday's game, and were able to beat the Red Sox in his honor. On a lighter note, there were several young players who had nice weeks, and teams are looking to these guys to build off their strong starts.

Jordan Schafer, Braves: .348 AVG, 2 HR, .423 OBP.

- Schafer has put up great numbers at the plate and has shown off his speed in the outfield. 

Emilio Bonifacio, Marlins: .500 AVG, 1 HR, .517 OBP, 4 SB.

- Bonifacio is off to a great start at third for the Marlins. The talent has always been there, it's poor consistency that has been the problem.

Adam Lind, Blue Jays: .400 AVG, 3 HR, 12 RBI, .419 OBP.

- Entering his third major league season, Lind has taken big strides at the plate. He could play a big role in the Blue Jays playoff hopes this season.

Jeremy Guthrie, Orioles: 2-0 W-L, 2.25 ERA, 5 K, 12 H.

- Guthrie has been an Orioles project for the past three seasons, and he might be putting his stuff together. He did put up 10 wins last season, and is off to a good start this year.

Josh Johnson, Marlins: 2-0 W-L, 0.57 ERA, 1 ER, 15 SO.

- Johnson is a big, hard throwing right hander who combines his fastball with a hard slider. He was able to beat Johan Santana today, and is hoping to lead that young rotation.

Here are some other young players whose first week is something they would like to forget:

John Lannan, Nationals: 0-2 W-L, 10.00 ERA, 10 ER, 3 BB, 9 IP. 

- The Nationals hope Lannan can breakout for the Nationals after putting up 10 wins last season, but he hasn't been able to command his fastball early on.

Scott Olsen, Nationals: 0-2 W-L, 14.63 ERA, 8 IP, 13 ER, 2 HR, 6 BB.

- The Nationals hoped that when they traded for Olsen, he would emerge into a solid top of the rotation starter to lead the Nationals. So far, that hasn't been the case.

Chris Davis, Rangers: .045 AVG, 1 H (22 AB), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 10 SO.

- There is a lot of pressure on Davis to put up big numbers after having a breakout 2008 campaign. So far he has struggled mightily and the Rangers could be scrambling if Davis doesn't pick it up.

Injuries

Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks: 15-day DL, shoulder tightness.

Doug Brocail, Astros: 15-day DL, strained rotator cuff.

Rumors

After Cole Hamels struggled through his first outing, several believe that he is showing the effects of an overworked pitching from last season. Hamels told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he is "fine now."

The Angels may be forced to add another pitcher with Escobar, Lackey, and Santana on the DL. Pedro Martinez is available. The LA Times mentions Anthony Ortega and Darren Oliver asi in-house possibilities.

Dodgers outfielder Delwyn Young is out of options, and several scouts have been watching him during his rehab assignment. The Indians, Pirates, and Phillies are interested.

Minor League Update

Juan Miranda, Yankees (AAA): .474 AVG, 2 HR, 11 RBI.

- The Yankees won't hesitate to recall Miranda if Teixeira goes down for an extended amount of time.

Matt LaPorta, Indians (AAA): .625 AVG, 1 HR, 1 SO, .667 OBP.

- LaPorta could be playing for the Indians very soon if he continue to swing a big bat.

Tyler Flowers, White Sox (AA): .417 AVG, 1 HR,  2 RBI, .500 OBP

- Flowers is the young power hitter the White Sox hope can fill the shoes of Jim Thome or Jermaine Dye when there time with the team runs out. So far he is looking really good.

David Price, Rays (AAA): 0-0 W-L, 4.91 ERA, 4 SO, 3.2 IP.

- Price will be pitching for the Rays at the major league level really soon. Once he gets comfortable and into more of a routine will the Rays give him the opportunity. 

What to look for next week...

Interviews will start to be scheduled next week.

Rich Harden, who is coming off a solid 10 strikeout performance, will be making his second start of the season. Some think that Harden is already DL bound, so it will be interesting to see if he can string together back to back strong outings.

The Pirates, Cubs, Nationals, Rays, Dodgers, and Mets all have their home openers. 

Tigers pitcher Rick Porcello will make his second start of the season.

 

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Webb Hits DL

Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Webb has been placed on the 15-day DL with a tight shoulder, Foxsports.com is reporting. "There's no concern," he said. "The MRIs are all good. I mean, if there's no structural damage, there's nothing to worry about." Webb felt the tightness at the end of spring training, and missed his scheduled start Saturday. Webb has pitched in 200+ innings in the past five seasons, so the Diamondbacks really want to be careful with him.

Hopefully Haren, Davis, and Garland can pitch well over the next two weeks to prevent the Diamondbacks from falling too far behind.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

2009 National League Predictions

National League East

1. New York Mets: 86-76  

2. Florida Marlins: 84-78

3. Atlanta Braves: 84-78

4. Philadelphia Phillies: 83-79

5. Washington Nationals: 64-98

The Mets finally have a strong bullpen that will keep them in games late like it has failed to do the past two seasons. 

National League Central

1. Chicago Cubs: 90-72

2. St. Louis Cardinals: 89-73

3. Milwaukee Brewers: 85-77

4. Cincinnati Reds: 80-82

5. Houston Astros: 76-86

6. Pittsburgh Pirates: 69-93

The Cubs will have a tough season, and could fall apart in September facing the Cardinals, Brewers, Giants, and Diamondbacks in the final two weeks. 

National League West

1. Los Angeles Dodgers: 86-76

2. Arizona Diamondbacks: 82-80

3. San Francisco Giants: 76-86

4. Colorado Rockies: 74-88

5. San Diego Padres: 65-97

The Dodgers are the top team in the division and should be able to hold out, especially if they make another run at Jake Peavy.

National League MVP: Albert Pujols, Cardinals

National League Cy Young: Johan Santana, Mets

National League Rookie of the Year: Jordan Schafer, Braves

National League Manager of the Year: Tony La Russa, Cardinals

NLDS: Cubs defeat Dodgers; Mets defeat Cardinals

NLCS: Mets defeat Cubs

National League Champion: Mets

------------------------------

World Series: Red Sox vs. Mets

Red Sox defeat Mets

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Phoenix Will Host 2011 All-Star Game

The East Valley Tribune is reporting that Phoenix will host the 2011 All-Star Game. The Diamondbacks have a nice stadium and Phoenix is a nice city, so this is a good place to have it. The event should bring in an estimated 60 million dollars. July is usually a slow month for hotels and restaurants in Arizona, so the All-Star Week will give Phoenix a good opportunity to showcase itself.  

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Nationals President Kasten In Charge, For Now

Washington Nationals President Stan Kasten is taking over as GM during the Nationals search to find a replacement for Jim Bowden. Kasten has never been a GM, but was the GM of the NBA franchise Atlanta Hawks, and was the Braves' team President in 1999. Kasten has contacted several teams about possible trades, as well as the agent of Ryan Zimmerman to discuss an extension. 

Kasten would be smart to pick Mike Rizzo, who is very qualified and familiar with the organization. His ability to evaluate talent and experience with developing a franchise make him the perfect man for the job. Rizzo, who worked with the Diamondbacks for seven seasons, brought the Diamondbacks minor league system to the top after being ranked 29th in baseball in 2001.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Royals Closing In On Cruz?

The Royals and Juan Cruz are reportedly closing in on a deal, ESPN.com's Buster Olney is reporting. The Royals will lose their second round pick to the Diamondbacks, as well as a sandwich pick between the first and second round. Cruz would be a huge addition to the Royals bullpen, along with Kyle Farnsworth, who signed a two year deal this offseason with the Royals. 

With the additions of Mike Jacobs and Coco Crisp, the Royals have a lineup that finally has shape. With a leadoff hitter, four guys with the potential to hit 20 or more homeruns, and a solid up the middle tandem in Aviles and Callaspo, the Royals could make a serious run at the playoffs.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Twins End Talks With Cruz

The Twins have ended contract talks with free agent reliever Juan Cruz. Cruz rejected the Twins' first offer, and sources don't expect the Twins to reengage Cruz. Cruz posted a 2.61 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 51.2 innings. The Twins have an interest in free agent closer Chad Cordero, but the Marlins and a half dozen other teams are interested in him as well. 

Cruz now has two options. He can either sign at a reduced price with the Diamondbacks and play out the season or he can hold out till after the draft and sign with any team we wants.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Twins Eye Cruz

MLB.com is reporting that the Twins have made a contract offer to Juan Cruz and may try to work out a sign-and-trade with the Diamondbacks. "Obviously, it's tricky," Arizona general manager Josh Byrnes said Monday. "[Another team] would have to work out a deal with someone else and then we would have to get back in player value something that we feel is close to the respective picks." The Twins may land one of the top relievers in the game. He brings experience, a good work ethic, and excellent numbers to the Twins, who could use Cruz to fill in for the rehabbing Pat Neshek. 

Last season, Cruz went 4-0 with a 2.61 ERA and 71 strikeouts, in just 51.2 innings of work. 

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

MLB To Amend Type A Free Agent Rules

According to Ken Rosenthal, Major League Baseball, the players union, the Diamondbacks, and Juan Cruz's agents are discussing a way to do a sign-and-trade, despite that conflicting with the collective bargaining agreement. Once a free agent is signed, they cannot be traded until June 15 without the players consent. This could happen for the remaining free agents as well, but we are a week or so away from seeing anything happen. 

A sign-and-trade works out great for the Diamondbacks, who will sign him for a low price and likely receive a good prospect or two in return. A team like the Cardinals, who are low on cash, are back in play now that it could only cost a prospect or two. 

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.