Around the Majors: Trade rumors

1) According to ESPN’s Peter Gammons, the Diamondbacks, Dodgers and Angels were discussing a 3 way trade yesterday, involving Randy Johnson. According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, the 3 team trade centered around Steve Finley going to the Dodgers, but could be expanded to include Johnson. Neither report says which California team Johnson would be going to, if that was to be his destination.

2) According to the Arizona Republic, the odds of the Diamondbacks trading CF Steve Finley are greater than them trading Randy Johnson and they are working on a trade to the Dodgers, which is contingent on the Dodgers getting Milton Bradley to agree to change positions. According to the Orange County Register, Angels owner Arte Moreno won’t believe the rumor that Johnson will only accept a trade to the Yankees until he hears that directly from Johnson.

According to Stark, there could be a 3 team trade in which the Dodgers get Finley, Jeff Conine and a pitcher, possibly Brad Penny, the Marlins get Danny Bautista and Brent Mayne from the Diamondbacks and a reliever from the Dodgers and the Diamondbacks get Paul Lo Duca and Jayson Werth.

3) According to the Beaver County Times, the Pirates and Mets are close to a Kris Benson for Ty Wigginton and a minor leaguer deal, while it could also be turned into a 3 team trade involving the Whitesox. The Chicago Daily Herald reports that, if it turns into a 3 team trade, the Whitesox could get Mets LF Cliff Floyd. The Twins efforts to get Benson are reportedly failing because of their unwillingness to trade OF prospect Jason Kubel. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Benson could be going to the Braves for a couple of prospects.

4) Twins GM Terry Ryan denies telling 1B Doug Mientkiewicz he’s going to be traded. Meanwhile, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports Mientkiewicz isn’t getting along with manager Ron Gardenhire, who was the one who said they’ll be a trade.

5) According to the Denver Post, the Marlins can’t acquire Larry Walker, due to financial reasons, so the Rangers and Yankees have emerged as the leading candidates for him. According to Jayson Stark, the Marlins are possibilities for Walker, as well as the Braves, with him not mentioning either of those AL teams. According to the Newark Star Ledger, the Yankees are only a possibility if the Rockies exhaust all other possibilities and the Yankees still have all of their chips after failing to get Johnson.

6) The A’s passed the Rangers into 1st place in the AL West.

7) The Marlins tied the Phillies for 2nd place in the NL East.

8) Barry Bonds watch–hit #684, is 16 away from 700, is 30 behind Ruth, is 71 behind Aaron.

9) Sammy Sosa watch–hit #561, is 2 behind Reggie Jackson for 8th place.

10) Mets CF Mike Cameron reached and passed 150 career HR.

After 13 RCAA/.782 OPS and 3 RCAA/.774 OPS seasons, Cameron is hitting .474 SLG, .331 OBA, .805 OPS, 6 RCAA in his first 93 games. He has a .780 career OPS, compared to his league average of .774, and 47 RCAA in 1145 games.

11) Rangers 1B Mark Teixeria reached 50 career HR.

After starting his career with -4 RCAA/.811 OPS in 146 games in 2004, Teixeira is hitting .573 SLG, .362 OBA, .935 OPS, 15 RCAA in his first 83 games.

12) Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez (4 games) and P Tanyon Sturtze (3 games) and Redsox C Jason Varitek (4 games) and OFs Gabe Kapler and Trot Nixon (3 games) were all suspended for a brawl last Saturday.

They are all appealing.

13) The Tigers activated CF Alex Sanchez from the DL and sent OF Nook Logan to the minors.

After -3 RCAA/.701 OPS and -15 RCAA/.681 OPS seasons, Sanchez is hitting .392 SLG, .337 OBA, .729 OPS, -4 RCAA in his first 70 games. He has a .692 career OPS, compared to his league average of .768, and -27 RCAA in 356 games.

Logan had 0 RCAA/.787 OPS in his first 8 career games.

14) Royals RF Juan Gonzalez is expected to miss the rest of the season, due to a lower back injury.

Gonzalez has been out of action since May 22. After -6 RCAA/.776 OPS and 7 RCAA/.901 OPS seasons, Gonzalez hit .441 SLG, .326 OBA, .767 OPS, -1 RCAA in 33 games. He has a .904 career OPS, compared to his league average of .763, and 277 RCAA in 1688 games.

15) The A’s released 1B Eric Karros. Karros had been removed from the 25 and 40 man rosters when he was designated for assignment on Tuesday.

16) The Rangers re-signed P Francisco Cordero to a 2 year, $8 million contract extension.

After 1.79 ERA/16 RSAA and 2.94 ERA/19 RSAA seasons, Cordero is off to a 1.87 ERA/16 RSAA start in his first 41 games. He has a 3.30 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.66, and 52 RSAA in 232 games.

17) The Rangers released minor league P Nick Bierbrodt.

Bierbrodt has a 6.66 ERA/-32 RSAA in 38 career games, including a 5.82 ERA/-1 RSAA in 4 starts in 2004.

18) According to ESPN’s Peter Gammons, Phillies manager Larry Bowa could be fired in the next few days.

19) The Royals sent P Jimmy Gobble to the minors.

Gobble has a 5.39 ERA/-15 RSAA in 29 career games, including a 5.75 ERA/-18 RSAA in 19 starts (20 games) in 2004.

20) The Giants placed P Wayne Franklin on the 15 day DL and called up P Kevin Correia.

Franklin has tightness in his back. He has a 5.38 ERA/-31 RSAA in 111 career games, including a 5.97 ERA/-7 RSAA in 35 games in 2004.

Correia has a 5.09 ERA/-4 RSAA in 13 career games, including a 13.50 ERA/-7 RSAA in 3 games (1 start) in 2004.

21) The Yankees want to build a $750 million stadium across the street from Yankee Stadium, with $450 million coming from public bonds.

22) The Marlins sent P Justin Wayne to the minors and will activate P Josh Beckett from the DL today.

Wayne has a 6.13 ERA/-15 RSAA in 26 career games, including a 5.79 ERA/-6 RSAA in 19 games (1 start) in 2004.

After starting his career with 4.10 ERA/-1 RSAA and 3.04 ERA/15 RSAA seasons (he also pitched in 4 games in 2001), Beckett is off to a 3.89 ERA/3 RSAA start in his first 13 starts. He has a 3.45 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.24, and 24 RSAA in 64 games.

23) The Rockies released P Turk Wendell. He was designated for assignment, instead of being activated from the DL, on July 20.

24) Tigers C Ivan Rodriguez had to leave yesterday’s game, due to upper back spasms.

25) The Yankees will activate P Kevin Brown from the DL today.

After 4.81 ERA/-8 RSAA and 2.39 ERA/38 RSAA seasons, Brown is off to a 4.13 ERA/3 RSAA start in his first 13 starts. He has a 3.19 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.29, and 319 RSAA in 464 games.

26) The Mariners will call up P Gil Meche today.

After missing 2001-02, due to injuries, Meche had a 4.59 ERA/-4 RSAA in 2003 and is off to a 7.06 ERA/-14 RSAA start in his first 10 starts. He has a 4.71 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.70, and -8 RSAA in 73 games.

27) The Rangers sent OFs Chad Allen and Jason Conti, C Danny Ardoin and P John Wasdin to the minors. They had all been recently been dropped from the rosters when they were designated for assignment over the past few days.

28) The Diamondbacks signed P Jose Silva to a minor league contract.

Silva has a 5.41 ERA/-44 RSAA in 154 career games.

29) The Cardinals acquired minor league OF Armando Rios from the Orioles.

Rios has 7 RCAA/.786 OPS in 419 career games.

30) Wrigley Field was deemed safe enough for today’s game to take place.

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