southsider2k5 Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 Lots of good trade talk in here The Reds are targeting not only a No. 1 starter, such as Marlins righthander Brad Penny, but also a middle infield/leadoff-type such as Mets second baseman Roberto Alomar or Marlins second baseman Luis Castillo. Oft-injured shortstop Barry Larkin appeared in only 18 games before June 1, and his replacement, Felipe Lopez, is too inconsistent. The Reds could give rookie shortstop Ray Almedo an extended look if they trade for a second baseman rather than a shortstop. Or they could move Aaron Boone to short and play Russell Branyan at third. ... As Barry Bonds' home-run rate decreases, teams are pitching him more aggressively when no one is on base. Bonds' walk rate with none on has dropped from one every 3.8 plate appearances last season to one every 7.4 this season. Bonds is still averaging a walk approximately every two plate appearances with runners in scoring position. He began the week averaging one homer in every 10.9 at-bats, compared with one in every 8.8 last season and one in every 6.6 during his record 73-homer campaign. ... The Padres might begin their offseason restructuring before the July 31 non-waiver deadline, adding payroll if they can acquire a No. 1 catcher and/or top-of-the-rotation starter. The club is deep in prospects, and Class A second baseman Josh Barfield -- the son of former major leaguer Jesse Barfield -- is emerging as the organization's top young position player. ... The Braves begin the week ranked ninth in the NL in rotation ERA, but their depth remains enviable. Relievers Trey Hodges and Jung Bong are viable options, Paul Byrd could return around the All-Star break and Jason Marquis is showing significant progress at Class AAA. Marquis won three straight starts and allowed only two runs over 24 innings. One Braves official likens his demotion to a "refresher course in pitching" and says Marquis has made both mechanical and strategic adjustments. ... Outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds, released by the Brewers, could resurface with the Expos as a replacement for injured right fielder Vladimir Guerrero. Hammonds is close with Expos manager Frank Robinson, who was the Orioles' assistant GM when the selected Hammonds with the fourth pick of the 1992 draft -- two places ahead of Derek Jeter. The White Sox, unsettled in center field, also have expressed interest in Hammonds. ... Virtually every Yankees move these days can be interpreted as a slap at manager Joe Torre, from the handling of Jose Contreras to the naming of Derek Jeter as captain to the trade for Ruben Sierra. Owner George Steinbrenner's subtle jabs are an insult to Torre's dignity. Either fire him or butt out. ... Plate discipline is helping Expos center fielder Brad Wilkerson achieve his offensive breakout. Wilkerson is seeing 4.5 pitches per plate appearance, most in the NL and up from 4.3 last season. Wilkerson also is averaging a walk every 6.7 plate appearances, up from one every 8.2 last season. ... Rangers closer Ugueth Urbina remains in serious demand, with the Cardinals, Giants and Yankees all showing interest. The Red Sox grew weary of Urbina's grating personality last season, but he still would fit in their bullpen. The Sox need to keep Byung Hyun-Kim in the rotation, especially with the physical concerns surrounding Pedro Martinez and Casey Fossum. Urbina would have made $8 million to $9 million if the Red Sox had offered him arbitration, but the Sox would owe him only the pro-rated portion of his $4.5 million contract if they traded for him, keeping him away from the Yankees. ... Rangers first baseman Rafael Palmeiro began the week with an .898 on-base/slugging percentage (OPS), but one major-league executive doubts he will last long enough to get the 313 hits he needs for 3,000. "He has really slowed down," the executive says. "He's a shell of his former self. To me, it looks like he's on his last legs. All he does now is hook every ball. His body doesn't have much life. He can't move at all defensively." ... The Blue Jays begin the week only three games out of first place in the AL East, and they've won eight straight games against the Yankees and Red Sox. They face those teams 12 more times in July, however, and it's doubtful that they'll be buyers at the trade deadline. More likely, the Jays will seek to trade outfielder Shannon Stewart and righthanded pitchers Cory Lidle and Kelvim Escobar. Lidle could emerge as the hottest starter on the market. ... The Yankees expressed interest in the Pirates' Kenny Lofton and Astros' Orlando Merced before trading for the Rangers' Ruben Sierra. Lofton would be a perfect fit with the Phillies, but the Pirates are in no rush to trade him. They don't need to cut payroll, their goal is to finish .500, and Lofton might be their only All-Star. ... It will be a disgrace if Major League Baseball forces the Expos to return to Puerto Rico next season. The Expos not only face the most difficult travel schedule in the history of the game, but they also must endure Hiram Bithorn Stadium, an embarrassing launching pad that wrecks their pitching staff. If relocation is not an option, just keep the Expos in Montreal. ... Phillies rookie center fielder Marlon Byrd isn't the team's only struggling hitter, but he's the easiest to replace. Outside of adding Lofton, the only other way for the Phillies to boost their disappointing offense might be to fire hitting coach Greg Gross and replace him with Charlie Manuel, who is serving the team as a special assistant. ... Some rival executives find it curious that the Devil Rays -- a team in need of immediate help -- chose high-school players with their first six draft picks. The Dodgers took high-school players with their first eight selections, the Braves with their first nine. Both teams are more established than the Rays. ... Orioles center fielder Luis Matos, an above-average defender, is showing signs of becoming a decent offensive player. "The time has sort of come for him," Orioles VP Mike Flanagan says. "He's heading in the right direction at the plate, putting together good at-bat after good at-bat. He has that look about him like he belongs. That's half the battle." ... The Mariners' trade for Red Sox lefthanded pitcher Matt White was a low-risk proposition -- White, a Rule V draft pick from the Indians, is earning the major-league minimum $300,000, and the M's still could pursue a more established lefthanded reliever before the deadline. Mariners righthanded pitcher Shigetoshi Hasegawa begins the week holding lefthanded hitters to a .242 on-base percentage, making him a viable second option against lefties after lefthander Arthur Rhodes. The Mariners tried to acquire White from the Indians before the Rule V draft pick last winter. ... Manager Ned Yost is making a positive impact with the Brewers. The home clubhouse at Miller Park features a plush coaches' room, but Yost ordered the coaches to dress in the same area as the players at the start of the season, increasing accountability. "He doesn't want the players thinking that the coaches are talking about them when they lose," GM Doug Melvin says. "The coaches put their heart and soul into it. He wants to make sure the players put their heart and soul into it, too." ... The Rockies are open to trading outfielder Gabe Kapler after demoting him to Class AAA, but they aren't likely to receive much in return. Kapler might be attractive to a team such as the Brewers, but the Rockies almost certainly will decline to offer him a contract at the end of the season, making him a free agent. ... The Reds keep saying that the mound at Great American Ballpark meets MLB standards, but their own pitchers complain that it is too low. Considering that the team's home ERA is by far the worst in the NL, the stubbornness of club officials is counter-productive. Buy some dirt and raise the mound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elrockinMT Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 Thanks for posting this information. It certainly does have a lot of good trade talk. I am surprised the SoX aren't listed for more than picking up Hammonds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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