Eli's MLB Rumors - Old

Eli's MLB Rumors Update

2009-04-27T17:01:00.003-05:00

After 9 months and seven days, Google has returned the www.mlb-rumors.blogspot.com domain to its rightful owner. After the hacking, I was forced to create a new website, which hasn't made a full comeback in terms of views and comments since July of 2008. It has been a very long process to get the blog back, which involved a third party law firm communicating between myself and Google.

After the hacking, the new site struggled to find readers. But after months of hard work, the site starting gaining momentum. Over the past 9 months, the site has had over 1.3 million hits, not to mention the 2.2 million hits the site logged prior to the hacking. It was nice watching my old posts load onto to the new site and to know that justice had run its course.

Please continue reading Eli's MLB Rumors.

Holliday and Fuentes in Package for Phillies?

2008-07-19T11:12:00.002-05:00

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports is reporting that a proposed deal for Matt Holliday and Brian Fuentes to go to the Phillies for a package of players, including Of Shane Victorino, LH J.A. Happ, Double A RH Carlos Carrasco and Double A catcher Lou Marsen has been called off. Talks are not expected to resume.

The Closer Market

2008-07-19T10:58:00.002-05:00

ESPN's Buster Olney took a look at the market for closers heading into the trade deadline and sees it like this: Fuentes, Sherrill and Street. While Colorado's Brian Fuentes seems like the top pick here, the Rockies are, at the moment, asking for the moon in return. Olney points out that one reason Baltimore's George Sherrill or Oakland's Huston Street might be more attractive is that neither one of them is eligible for free agency until 2010 for Street and 2011 for Sherrill and Fuentes is a free agent this year. While Fuentes and Street have more experience, Sherrill may be most attractive because he's left-handed and can be locked in for longer.

Pirates Unreasonable about Nady and Marte?

2008-07-19T10:29:00.002-05:00

Word is circling around the MLB that the Pirates are making unreasonable demands regarding their most prized assets, Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte, as the trade deadline nears. The New York Post cited one front office executive saying the Pirates demands were "exorbitant". With top prospects being held out of most deals not involving star players, the Pirates will be hard pressed to pry away any blue chippers for either Nady or Marte.

Listen Up Cubs Fans

2008-07-18T18:30:00.004-05:00

This is by no means anything definitive but it is interesting. Of the three other NL teams to have ever sent 8 players to the All-Star game, two; the 1943 Cardinals and the 1960 Pirates made it to the World Series, with the Pirates winning it. The other team, the '56 Reds finished the season in third place. Does any of this make you feel more or less confident? Me either.

Quick Hits

2008-07-18T17:31:00.002-05:00

-The Phillies and Rockies held talks about a possible deal for OF Matt Holliday but talks have cooled for now.

-Francisco Liriano is apparently very frustrated with the Twins for keeping him in Triple-A. He is considering filing a grievance.

-Long time hurler Hideo Nomo has retired at the age of 39.

Cashman Says: No Bonds

2008-07-18T09:28:00.002-05:00

Despite numerous reports yesterday that the Yankees were in the process of negotiating a deal with Barry Bonds, GM Brian Cashman reiterated his position on the matter saying, " We have had no discussions regarding Barry Bonds." Check out MLBnewsonline.com where, this morning they are still standing by the story and citing an unnamed source inside the Yankee organization as their source.

BREAKING NEWS: Phillies Acquire Blanton

2008-07-17T19:22:00.002-05:00

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Phillies have acquired Joe Blanton from the A's for Josh Outman, Adrian Cardenas, and Matt Spencer. "Outman, 23, was 5-4 with one save and a 3.20 ERA in 33 games (5 starts) for Double-A Reading. Cardenas, 20, was hitting .309 in 67 games for Single-A Clearwater. Spencer, 22, was hitting .249 with six home runs and 41 RBIs in 84 games for Clearwater." The A's were considered to be in contention at this point -- but after trading their two best players, I expect them to fall off as the season winds down. Nevertheless, the A's have made some great trades that should help them down the road.

Tony Clark to the Diamondbacks

2008-07-17T12:38:00.004-05:00

The Arizona Republic is reporting that a deal between the Diamondbacks and the Padres for Tony Clark is expected to be official later today. In exchange, the Padres will receive a prospect, to be named.

UPDATE: Another first basemen is on the move. The Yankees have agreed to a deal with struggling first basemen Richie Sexson. Sexson is hitting .344 against lefties this year, making him a good complement to Jason Giambi.

Who's Most Likely to be Traded at Deadline?

2008-07-17T09:00:00.003-05:00

Anyone who watches our website and others is, undoubtedly seeing the same names being floated as trade bait leading up to the deadline two weeks from today. While the Cubs and Brewers have made big moves, others are holding off, trying to maximize whatever leverage they have. That is true for the buyers and the sellers. Here are the names that keep getting mentioned as most likely to be traded: Mark Teixeira, AJ Burnett, Joe Blanton, Milton Bradley, Matt Holliday, Brian Fuentes, Erik Bedard, Xavier Nady, Raul Ibanez. It will be an interesting two weeks as the positioning and posturing pick up.

Update: Blanton was moved today for 3 minor league prospects. See post above.

Quick Hits

2008-07-16T16:00:00.002-05:00

-The Giants have signed 16 year old outfielder Rafael Rodriguez, giving him a 2.55 million dollar signing bonus. This would be the largest ever had the A's not given Michael Inoa over four million earlier this month.

-Indians OF Matt LaPorta and Cardinals OF Colby Rasmus have both been named to the Olympic team.

-The Twins are considering putting Francisco Liriano in the bullpen upon his return to the majors.

Saito Out Until Late August

2008-07-16T12:54:00.002-05:00

Dodgers closer Takashi Saito will be sidelined until late August with a sprained elbow ligament in his pitching arm. Saito has 17 saves in 20 chances for the Dodgers and this appears to be a tough blow for them. General Manager Ned Colletti said as much, saying "As far as trading for a closer, it's a lot like trying to acquire a shortstop -- it's a premium position and most teams don't carry an excess". Jonathon Broxton will take over at closer for the time being.

ESPN's Jayson Stark Hands Out 1/2 Season Honors

2008-07-16T10:53:00.003-05:00

Check out ESPN contributor Jayson Stark's picks for the best and worst performances of the first half of the season. Look it over and weigh in on your thoughts:
NL MVP- Cards Albert Pujols
Honorable Mention-Utley, Ramirez, Jones, Berkman, Uggla, Holliday
AL MVP- Rangers Ian Kinsler
Honorable Mention-Hamilton, Bradley, ARod, Quentin, Youkilis, Mauer, Drew
Least Valuable NL Player-Dodgers Andruw Jones
Runners-Up-Tulowitzki, F. Sanchez, Francoeur, K. Greene
Least Valuable AL Player- No Longer Mariner Richie Sexson
Runners-Up-E. Renteria, J. Vidro, K. Johijima, R. Cano
NL Cy Young-Giants Tim Lincecum
Runners Up-Volquez, Webb, Sheets, Zambrano, Haren, Lidge
Al Cy Young-Yankees Mariano Rivera
Runners Up-Duchscherer, Lee, R. Halladay, J. Saunders, KRod, J. Danks
NL Rookie-Cubs Geovany Soto
Honorable Mention-Votto, DeWitt, Jurrijens, Parra, Fukodome
AL Rookie-Rays Evan Longoria
Honorable Mention-Ellsbury, D. Murphy, G. Smith, J. Chamberlain, N. Blackburn, J. Johnson, A. Aramirez

Will Cashman Break Down and Hire Bonds?

2008-07-16T07:42:00.002-05:00

With both Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui injured and Matsui possibly facing season-ending knee surgery, Brian Cashman is not ruling out the possibility of hiring Barry Bonds. He spoke to reporters before the All-Star game last night and said, in part, "I would say rampant speculation on us involving a player of that magnitude would be extremely premature."

All-Star Marathon

2008-07-16T07:32:00.002-05:00

It looked like the National League might actually win one last night but it was not meant to be. After a 15-inning marathon that lasted until almost 2 AM, the AL snatched victory away and won 4-3. The real story of the low-scoring game was the dilemma faced by the managers as they ran out of pitching. Ken Rosenthal already has a plan to avoid this next time. He suggests naming an additional 4 pitchers per team to be used as reserves only in this scenario.

Quick Hits (Pre All-Star Game Edition)

2008-07-15T17:20:00.002-05:00

-Tim Lincecum will miss tonight's all-star game after being taken to the hospital and treated for dehydration and flu-like systems.

-Espn.com is reporting that both Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui could be out longer than expected after both revealed setbacks in their rehab.

-A Babe Ruth cap was auctioned off for a reported 328 thousand dollars

-Enjoy the game tonight, post your predictions of winner, MVP and the score!

All-Star Break Quick Hits

2008-07-15T12:04:00.004-05:00

-The Orioles' George Sherrill may be on the block. Even with an ERA at 4.08 and six blown saves, he's still been impressive enough that the Orioles may try to get the most they can for him before the trade deadline.
-Roy Halladay expressed his frustration to reporters at the All-Star press briefing last night. While he expressed an obligatory desire to stay where he is, he also acknowledged that it's very frustrating to not see improvement within the club from year to year. He went as far as comparing the situation to the movie "Groundhog Day" where things never change.
-Agent Scott Boras is dropping hints about an extension for RH Kyle Lohse but so far, the Cards have made no contact with him on that subject. He's 11-2 with a 3.39 ERA. He signed a one-year deal last winter for $4.25 million.

Breaking News: Josh Hamilton is Really, Really Strong

2008-07-14T21:36:00.001-05:00

Wow.

Update: Rangers Josh Hamilton fell short in the final round of the home run derby after hitting a record 28 in the first round and was beaten by Minnesota's Justin Morneau 5-3.

Quick Hits: Marte, Rauch, Fuentes, Mahay

2008-07-14T18:41:00.006-05:00

-Interest in Pirates reliever Damasco Marte is growing by the day. Teams with a professed interest, as of now are the Yankees, Cards, Mets, Rays and Boston.
-The Nationals are shopping closer Jon Rauch, who may be of more interest than others because he is under contract until 2010.
-With Royals LH Ron Mahay and Rockies Brian Fuentes also being offered up as the trade deadline approaches, it will be interesting to see who goes first among all these available relievers and for how much.

Cubs Express Interest in Khalil Greene??

2008-07-14T18:32:00.003-05:00

The San Diego Union-Tribune has a report that the Cubs contacted the Padres about shortstop Khalil Greene. After they passed on pursuing Brian Roberts last winter, their plan to go with what they had, that being a combination of Ryan Theriot, Mark DeRosa, Mike Fontenot and Ronny Cedeno seemed like a risky decision. However, it seemed to pan out just fine. Theriot is hitting around .310 and backup SS Ronny Cedeno hitting well in limited at bats. Greene is slumping and his average has fallen to .216.

K-Rod to Test Market?

2008-07-14T18:20:00.003-05:00

Espn.com is reporting that Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez intends to file for free agency after this season. Rodriguez is quoted as saying, "If I wait six years, why not wait 2 and half more months?" K-Rod currently leagues the lead in saves with 38 heading into the all-star break, an astonishing number. He is likely to command a huge deal in free agency, but as we wrote earlier this summer, it is up to the market to determine how much a closer is really worth in comparison to a starter. With the amount of money mediocre players have been receiving in free agency, anything seems possible now.

All-Star Lineups

2008-07-14T13:24:00.002-05:00

AL Lineup:

1. rf Ichiro Suzuki

2. ss Derek Jeter

3. cf Josh Hamilton

4. 3b Alex Rodriguez

5. lf Manny Ramirez

6. dh Milton Bradley

7. 1b Kevin Youkilis

8. c Joe Mauer

9. 2b Dustin Pedroia

P Cliff Lee

NL

1. ss Hanley Ramirez

2. 2b Chase Utley

3. 1b Lance Berkman

4. dh Albert Pujols

5. 3b Chipper Jones

6. rf Matt Holliday

7. lf Ryan Braun

8. cf Kosuke Fukudome

9. C Geovany Soto

P Ben Sheets

Tigers Willis Giving Up Trademark Leg Lift Delivery

2008-07-14T09:17:00.002-05:00

Tigers LH pitcher Dontrelle Willis told reporters over the weekend that he is trying to revamp his pitching delivery. He is working with coaches on it but did not go into detail on what those changes might be. As detailed here last week, he's been plagued with knee issues, has an ERA over 10.00 and has been sent to Lakeland to rehab. An MRI on his knee showed there was no structural damage but some tendinitis. Time will tell whether he can return to his old form with a new delivery.

LaRussa Asking Front Office for Help

2008-07-13T21:03:00.002-05:00

Cardinals GM Tony LaRussa is hoping the front office is not writing off their 2008 playoff chances by keeping their "hands in their pockets" as the trade deadline nears. GM John Mozeliak has stated publicly that he is not interested in giving up future potential starters for a playoff race that seems unlikely, given the competition of the Brewers and Cubs, who have recently made blockbuster deals to improve their pitching.

Teixeira to be Traded?

2008-07-13T13:12:00.000-05:00

The Braves continue to slip in the standings and it is possible that the Braves would look to trade him for a pair of prospects and prepare for 2009. The Yankees may be interested, but I see a team looking to win in 2008 to take a chance on him. The Rays could jump in if they don't jump in on Bonds, but that too, appears unlikely.