Rockies Could Trade Cook

Rockies ace Aaron Cook is off to a disappointing start since winning 16 games in 2008. He is 3-2 with a 4.82 ERA in 10 starts, including a complete game shutout. Cook is a solid pitcher, but is playing for a struggling ball club in a hitters heaven. Cook has two years and 18.25 million dollars on his contract, with a mutual option for 2012. The Rockies have several strong young pitchers in the minor league system, and it should only get better after June's amateur draft.

While there is talk that Erik Bedard will be traded, Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik has not said they are going to move him. Peavy is expected to be made available, but his price could take a hit if his ankle injury does not heal. Cook will cost a couple prospects, but nothing like Peavy or Bedard. The Phillies would be smart to ask about Cook has only pitched once at Citizens Bank Ballpark, but is 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in seven innings.


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Rockies Fire Hurdle

MLB.com has confirmed that the Rockies have fired manager Clint Hurdle and replaced him with bench coach Jim Tracy. Hurdle led the Rockies to the World Series in 2007, but owns a .465 winning percentage since 2002. The Rockies decided it was best to let him go after the Rockies started 18-28 this year.

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Rockies Sign Rincon

The Rockies and free agent Juan Rincon have agreed  to a deal, rotoworld.com is reporting. Rincon elected for free agency after he was asked to report to the minor leagues. That was after seven games when he posted a 5.23 ERA. Rincon has a career 3.84 ERA, and might benefit from a switch to the National League.

Rincon will give manager Clint Hurdle another option to use in the bullpen.

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Jake Peavy Rejects White Sox Trade

Padres pitcher Jake Peavy invoked his no-trade clause, rejecting the proposed trade to the White Sox. 

"As of right now, this is the best place for us to be. We made that decision for the time being," Peavy said before Thursday night's game against San Francisco.

Peavy, who is 3-5 with a 3.82 ERA with 69 strike outs, will make his scheduled Friday start versus the Cubs. I wonder if teams now know that the Padres are ready to deal if they will step up and make a big move. The Cubs, Mets, Phillies, Brewers, Astros, Rockies, and Dodgers are the most logical teams based on current situations. 

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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)

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Braves Have Chips For Big Trade

The Braves are off to a 16-16 start and they seemed poised to make a trade soon. Garrett Anderson and Jordan Schafer both are not hitting, and it would make sense that they would go after a power hitting corner outfielder. The Braves top three starters are solid, and the rotation will get deeper when top prospect Tommy Hanson arrives in Atlanta. They are just 1.5 games out of first, and the pitching has proven resilient, being in the top ten in ERA, saves, and strikeouts.

When it appeared that the Braves minor league system had all but dried up, some of their forgotten young arms have started to put it together. Kris Medlen has a 0.96 ERA and 5 wins while Charlie Morton is 3-2 with a 3.44 ERA in six starts. Morton is racking up strikeouts with great consistency, striking out at least ten in two of his six starts. The Braves have already said that Jason Heyward and Tommy Hanson are untouchable, but don't be surprised to see Jo-Jo Reyes shopped around. A package that included Reyes and Morton, along with a low level hitting prospect, could probably land them the hitter they need to challenge the rest of the NL East for the division.

Matt Holliday seems to be an obvious target, but the Athletics would ask for Heyward or Hanson in a package, and the Braves shouldn't make either trade. Hanson has been nothing but dominant since the end of last year and Heyward has scouts raving about his potential. Heyward projects well as a power hitter, and will likely grow into his 6'4'' frame. Brad Hawpe of the Rockies would be a nice option. He is hitting .330 with 4 homeruns, and won't be a free agent until after 2010 (club option for 2011). Hawpe is hitting .306 on the road, compared to .359 at home. The package mentioned above might be able to pull of this trade. Other options include Hank Blalock, Ryan Ludwick, and Brian Giles.

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Time To Trade?

Here are five guys whose team would benefit from trading them sooner rather than later:

5. Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners
- Ichiro is one of the best hitters in the game, and has shown it by compiling a .330 career average in nine seasons. He has had over 200 hits in each of his nine seasons and has scored at least one hundred runs as well. However, teammates have complained about Ichiro and there have been published reports that teammates openly do not like him. Making him available could bring in a couple top prospects, as well as clear up payroll and a problem in the clubhouse. Waiting until you need to trade Ichiro would probably mean the return would not be as good as it would be this season.

4. Derrek Lee, Cubs
- Back in October, I wrote about how it was time to trade Derrek Lee. He doesn't have the range or the power that he once had. Lee has needed more time off in the past season and a half, an opportunity that Micah Hoffpauir is making the most of. Since the All-Star break last season (through today), Lee has hit .250 with 8 homeruns. From the 2007 All-Star game to the 2008 All-Star break, Lee hit .305 with 31 homeruns. We need to give Lee till the All-Star break to turn his season around, but now would be the time to start shopping him so if he does turn it around, more teams will be in on him.

3. David Ortiz, Red Sox
- Ortiz is set to be free agent after the 2010 season (12.5 club option for '11), but really doesn't have any trade value at this point. He is available exclusively to AL teams, mostly because his defense is among the worst. Ortiz is hitting just .224 with 0 homeruns and 14 RBI. He has a .338 OBP, but he isn't having much of an impact on the lineup as pitchers are starting to pitch to him. One possible option would be Adrian Beltre, who is making 12 million dollars this season. Because Ortiz has no buyout for his club option in '11, this trade is possible.

2. Garrett Atkins, Rockies
- While I'm sure the Rockies would rather unload Todd Helton, his contract has a full no-trade clause and he 52.3 million dollars left on his contract, plus a 4.6 million dollar buyout. Atkins is hitting just .210 with 3 homeruns in 27 games. He was shopped around to Cleveland and Anaheim last offseason, and could be moved for young prospects. Going after a young pitcher or two would definitely be beneficial for the Rockies future. Atkins would make for a nice corner infielder in Chicago.

1. Cliff Lee, Indians
- 2008 Cy Young winner Cliff Lee got off to a terrible start, but has started to turn it around. While he is 1-5, he has a 3.45 ERA and had given up just seven earned runs in his last five starts, compared to eleven earned runs in his first two starts. The offense needs to come around for him, but he would make for a good midseason pickup. He could be a fall back to teams who miss out on Jake Peavy, is he is made available again.

Honorable mention: Jake Peavy, Hank Blalock.

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Holliday Has Yankees On Mind

Athletics outfielder Matt Holliday is not even through his first month with the Athletics and reporters are already asking him questions about his interest in playing in New York. "I think a little bit, as a human being, you can't help but to think that if the Yankees are interested I would definitely consider it," Holliday said, as reported on an NYPost.com blog. "I wouldn't be looking around if I were under contract for four years, but I think I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be interested, especially with the Yankees being such a storied franchise." Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon are both free agents following this season, along with Andy Pettitte and Xavier Nady, among others. 


Holliday turned down a five year deal worth 85 million dollars from the Rockies last season, and his price has definitely fallen as the economic problems are still up in the air. Holliday is 29, and could probably sign a 5-6 year deal if he puts up another good season. So far in Oakland, he is hitting just .242 with 0 HR in 66 at-bats. 


It is possible the Athletics will trade Holliday if they fall out of contention early. A small market team in need of an impact player could pursue Holliday. He would bring a powerful bat to the lineup, not to mention two drafts picks if he is Type-A free agent in 2010 MLB Draft. The Marlins could be that team. They nearly acquired Manny Ramirez last season at the trade deadline, and still have the pieces to pull of a blockbuster without significantly impacting them long term. 

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Hurdle On The Hot Seat?

In Ken Rosenthal's latest installment of the Full Count, he mentions the struggling Rockies manager Clint Hurdle's likeliness of being fired. The Rockies are 6-11 this season - second worst in the National League - and could fire Hurdle, who is in the last year of his contract.

It is still early, so I doubt anything happens just yet. Not only that, but Hurdle is thought of well among the players, and he has a good relationship with GM Dan O'Dowd.  But if the Rockies don't start hitting by the end of next month, Hurdle's job could be up in the air.

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Padres Acquire Chris Burke

After learning that shortstop Everth Cabrera has a broken hand, the Padres reacquired Chris Burke from the Seattle Mariners for a player to be named later. The Padres traded Chris Burke to the Mariners just three weeks ago, and is hitting just .237 in 38 at-bats with the Mariners Triple-A team. The Padres acquired Cabrera through the Rule 5 draft from the Rockies, and traded Burke after deciding that Cabrera had earned a spot on the 25-man roster.

Burke probably won't have much impact on the Padres.

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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

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Gaudin Drawing Interest

Free agent pitcher Chad Gaudin cleared waivers today, meaning the Cubs will be on the hook for 1.6 million dollars. Any team can now sign Gaudin, and his agent said that teams have been calling. "We have a lot of teams calling so were taking a step back, " agent Larry Reynolds said. Gaudin has offers as a middle reliever, but he is reportedly looking to start. If he were willing to accept a minor league deal, he might get that opportunity. 

The Rockies, Rangers, Twins, and Padres could all make a move for Gaudin, who had a 6.26 ERA last season with the Cubs in 24 games (Had a 3.59 in 26 games with the Athletics).

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Rockies Acquire Hammel

The Rays have traded pitcher Jason Hammel to the Rockies for minor league pitcher Aneury Rodriguez. "It's a new start, and I'm ready to go," Hammel said. "I really didn't have a role there. I bounced back and forth. [The Rockies] traded for me, so they must have something planned for me." Hammel went 4-4 with a 4.60 ERA with the Rays last season, and had a 2.27 ERA this spring. 

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Cubs Cut Gaudin, Option Samardzija

After a spring where nothing went his way, Chad Gaudin was given his release from the Chicago Cubs. Gaudin, who had a 6.26 ERA in 24 games for the Cubs, gave up 19 earned runs in 16.1 innings pitched. He is 25, so he will probably get picked up really soon. The Rockies, Orioles, and Padres could all look into adding him. The move allows the Cubs to keep Rule 5 pick David Patton, who was taken from the Rockies in December. The Cubs also optioned Jeff Samardzija to Triple-A, allowing them to keep Angel Guzman as well. Guzman is coming off a pretty rough spring having given up 10 earned runs in 12.1 innings pitched. However, Guzman, 27, had loads of potential when he is younger and the Cubs want to see if he that talent is still there as a reliever. 

Sending Samardzija to Triple-A takes nothing away from the fact that he had a terrific spring. He has what it takes to pitch at the next level, it's just that the Cubs just want him to be able to start regularly and get comfortable before they need him full time. I think it is smart move that will pay off for Samardzija and the Cubs in the long run.

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Rockies Close In Hammel?

AOL Fanhouse is reporting that the Rockies and Rays are working towards a deal that would send Jason Hammel to the Rockies for a minor league prospect. The prospect is expected to be from the Double-A level. Brandon Hynick, Keith Weiser, Adam Bright are all options, among others for the Rays. 

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Keppinger On The Block?

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark is reporting that the Reds are dangling infielder Jeff Keppinger to rival teams. The Red Sox and Astros have expressed interest, but they are also interested in the Rockies' Jeff Baker. Keppinger is hitting just .145 this spring, but is a career .287 hitter, hitting .332 in 2007. He can play every infield position, and even has some experience in the outfield. 

Keppinger will be 29 in April.

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Pirates Interested In Baker?

The Denver Post is reporting that the Rockies are shopping catcher Yorvit Torrealba and infielder Jeff Baker. With Sal Fasano having a good spring, the Rockies could clear some payroll by moving Torrealba, who will make 3.5 million dollars in 2009 with a 500,000 dollar buyout for 2010. Although Baker is 5-for-22 this spring, he is very versatile having played first, second, third, and the outfield last season. The Pirates were reportedly on hand Tuesday to watch morning workouts, and a trade for Baker is possible. 

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Beimel Close To Choosing Offer

Free agent reliever Joe Beimel is closing in on an offer, MLB.com is reporting. He is reportedly deciding between the Padres and Athletics, but the Dodgers and Rockies have had interest along the way. Beimel is the top free agent reliever remaining on the market, meaning he will likely receive somewhere between 1-2 million dollars per year.

He went 5-1 with a 2.02 ERA in 71 games last season, and has compiled a 3.03 ERA since 2005. 

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2009 Colorado Rockies Projection

C Chris Iannetta

.256 AVG, 21 HR, 81 RBI

1B Todd Helton

.298 AVG, 17 HR, 64 RBI

2B Clint Barmes

.274 AVG, 8 HR, 42 RBI

3B Garrett Atkins

.294 AVG, 22 HR, 95 RBI

SS Troy Tulowitzki

.288 AVG, 18 HR, 74 RBI

LF Seth Smith

.282 AVG, 13 HR, 53 RBI

CF Ryan Spilborghs

.293 AVG, 11 HR, 57 RBI

RF Brad Hawpe

.277 AVG, 24 HR, 92 RBI

3B Ian Stewart

.274 AVG, 19 HR, 69 RBI

SP Aaron Cook

13-9 W-L, 4.32 ERA, 78 K

SP Ubaldo Jimenez

11-12 W-L, 4.45 ERA, 162 K

SP Jason Marquis

9-10 W-L, 4.73 ERA, 84 K

SP Jorge De La Rosa

8-12 W-L, 4.86 ERA, 123 K

SP Greg Smith

9-11 W-L, 4.62 ERA, 119 K

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Quick Hits: Atkins, Schilling, Pena, Athletics

Quick Hits:

• Rockies third baseman Garrett Atkins could be traded by the Rockies if he does not improve on his numbers, according to the Denver Post. While he 21 homeruns last season, his BB/K has dropped from 1.04 in 2006 to 0.40 in 2008. His extra base hits have dropped significantly, as has his OBP.  As for who would be interested, it is hard to say. The Astros would be smart to take a look at Atkins, despite a weak farm system.
• Free agent veteran Curt Schilling said he would be open to the idea of playing for the Cubs or the Rays, the Orlando Sentinel is reporting. Cubs manager Lou Piniella said he would be open to the idea and GM Jim Hendry said he would be willing to listen. Schilling in a big game pitcher who could help the Cubs at the bottom of the rotation.
• The Nationals are looking to unload some outfielders, and hope to move Wily Mo Pena, among others, by Opening Day. Pena could make for a decent reserve outfielder, but the Nationals would have to eat most of his salary for a deal to be made.
• The Athletics locked up Orlando Cabrera, but are closing in on an agreement with infielder Nomar Garciaparra, Buster Olney is reporting. Not only that, but they are in negotiations with free agent reliever Dennys Reyes. 

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.