Sporting News staff reports
ESPN’s Jayson Stark reports the Royals have "no interest" in making a multiplayer trade with the Mets.
Stark quotes an unnamed source who shot down reports the teams were contemplating a swap of bad contracts before Saturday’s nonwaiver deadline. Players such as Jeff Francoeur, Oliver Perez, Luis Castillo, Gil Meche, Jose Guillen and Kyle Farnsworth were mentioned in the reports.
Kansas City, though, has expressed interest in acquiring Francoeur, who was drafted by the Braves when current Royals general manager Dayton Moore was in charge of Atlanta’s farm system.
Sporting News staff reports
ESPN’s Jayson Stark reports the Royals have "no interest" in making a multiplayer trade with the Mets.
Stark quotes an unnamed source who shot down reports the teams were contemplating a swap of bad contracts before Saturday’s nonwaiver deadline. Players such as Jeff Francoeur, Oliver Perez, Luis Castillo, Gil Meche, Jose Guillen and Kyle Farnsworth were mentioned in the reports.
Kansas City, though, has expressed interest in acquiring Francoeur, who was drafted by the Braves when current Royals general manager Dayton Moore was in charge of Atlanta’s farm system.
Alabama head football coach Nick Saban recently raised eyebrows when he bluntly compared some pro football agents to pimps. NFL agent, and former NFL player, Ralph Cindrich joined The Morning Show on 93.7 the Fan in Pittsburgh to discuss Saban’s comments, and agents’ role in the college football world.
To listen to the interview, go to Sports Radio Interviews.
Responses below have been edited for clarity and brevity.
What does Cindrich think of Saban’s wondering how agents are "any better than a pimp"?
Cindrich: First off, that’s taken a little bit out of context, because he said, "some of them." Certainly, I would agree with him in some respects. At the same time, any time Nick Saban wants to put his record up against mine, I’m happy to do that in any form.
Is there a difference between how college coaches and agents recruit players?
Cindrich: No. And old Nick knows that. I’ve seen him out on the road a time or two. He’s maybe contacted a client of mine, or a family member of a client of mine. I know what goes on out there, and he knows that I know. The bottom line is that to stand up on a pulpit and start preaching that way – and maybe I’m doing it, take a shot at me – that bothers me, especially when it comes from a guy like Nick Saban.
Look, this is a billion dollar business, college sports, and it has an unbelievably strong congressional lobby. You’re not going to change it, and there’s no empathy for the agents, nor should there be.
Should the University of Florida be held responsible if allegations former player Maurkice Pouncey accepted money from an agent are true?
Cindrich: Could they have known, or reasonably known, with any diligence on their part? If so, yes. Why shouldn’t they be responsible? Urban Meyer got up on his pulpit, too.
People know what goes on. The guys that are on the recruiting trail out there know where all the dead bodies are… The commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a joke when it comes to enforcing rules. I screw around with them every year just to jerk them around and say, "Look, why should I be paying my fee? You are not doing anything. I’ve reported problems to you before." All they do is shuffle back and forth. If there is one state that needs Viagra it’s Pennsylvania.
Is this concern about agent relationships with players new, or has it been building over time?
Cindrich: It’s been building. And hey, don’t put USC in your rear view mirror. There is a lot more going on there. Those guys out there, from neighborhoods that are deprived, who are driving Range Rovers and the Mercedes and all the rest, they just earn that on their own on the weekends in the off-season.
What is Cindrich’s policy for approaching NFL prospects?
Cindrich: First off, I’ve not had an allegation of impropriety. Not one allegation in 33 years. To be competitive nowadays, you really can’t operate within the framework of all the rules. I’m talking about state laws, the NCAA and the NFL Players Association…
In a lot of states, you have to pay a $1,000 fee before you contact a guy. You don’t know if he is bought already, whether he is interested or not. And then you have to contact the athletic director to get permission, and the head coach to get permission. That’s just not going to happen. So what you invite is that you invite parasites…
If you really want to clean it up, make the agents liable under criminal law like they are right now. Make it a felony like it is right now. But also include the boosters, who are dirty, the head coaches, who are dirty, the others associated with the player, the parents if they joined in and received money, the runners for the financial people. All you have to do is a simple amendment. If you want to know what’s going on or what has just gone on, all you have to do is go to the former high school stars who didn’t make it in college, the college stars who didn’t make it in the pros, and you pay a bounty… If you want to clean it up, that chills the guys out there who want to break the rules.
More from SRI
Marvin Lewis talks about getting through to the Bengals
Jason Campbell discusses the upcoming season with the Oakland Raiders
Alabama head football coach Nick Saban recently raised eyebrows when he bluntly compared some pro football agents to pimps. NFL agent, and former NFL player, Ralph Cindrich joined The Morning Show on 93.7 the Fan in Pittsburgh to discuss Saban’s comments, and agents’ role in the college football world.
To listen to the interview, go to Sports Radio Interviews.
Responses below have been edited for clarity and brevity.
What does Cindrich think of Saban’s wondering how agents are "any better than a pimp"?
Cindrich: First off, that’s taken a little bit out of context, because he said, "some of them." Certainly, I would agree with him in some respects. At the same time, any time Nick Saban wants to put his record up against mine, I’m happy to do that in any form.
Is there a difference between how college coaches and agents recruit players?
Cindrich: No. And old Nick knows that. I’ve seen him out on the road a time or two. He’s maybe contacted a client of mine, or a family member of a client of mine. I know what goes on out there, and he knows that I know. The bottom line is that to stand up on a pulpit and start preaching that way – and maybe I’m doing it, take a shot at me – that bothers me, especially when it comes from a guy like Nick Saban.
Look, this is a billion dollar business, college sports, and it has an unbelievably strong congressional lobby. You’re not going to change it, and there’s no empathy for the agents, nor should there be.
Should the University of Florida be held responsible if allegations former player Maurkice Pouncey accepted money from an agent are true?
Cindrich: Could they have known, or reasonably known, with any diligence on their part? If so, yes. Why shouldn’t they be responsible? Urban Meyer got up on his pulpit, too.
People know what goes on. The guys that are on the recruiting trail out there know where all the dead bodies are… The commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a joke when it comes to enforcing rules. I screw around with them every year just to jerk them around and say, "Look, why should I be paying my fee? You are not doing anything. I’ve reported problems to you before." All they do is shuffle back and forth. If there is one state that needs Viagra it’s Pennsylvania.
Is this concern about agent relationships with players new, or has it been building over time?
Cindrich: It’s been building. And hey, don’t put USC in your rear view mirror. There is a lot more going on there. Those guys out there, from neighborhoods that are deprived, who are driving Range Rovers and the Mercedes and all the rest, they just earn that on their own on the weekends in the off-season.
What is Cindrich’s policy for approaching NFL prospects?
Cindrich: First off, I’ve not had an allegation of impropriety. Not one allegation in 33 years. To be competitive nowadays, you really can’t operate within the framework of all the rules. I’m talking about state laws, the NCAA and the NFL Players Association…
In a lot of states, you have to pay a $1,000 fee before you contact a guy. You don’t know if he is bought already, whether he is interested or not. And then you have to contact the athletic director to get permission, and the head coach to get permission. That’s just not going to happen. So what you invite is that you invite parasites…
If you really want to clean it up, make the agents liable under criminal law like they are right now. Make it a felony like it is right now. But also include the boosters, who are dirty, the head coaches, who are dirty, the others associated with the player, the parents if they joined in and received money, the runners for the financial people. All you have to do is a simple amendment. If you want to know what’s going on or what has just gone on, all you have to do is go to the former high school stars who didn’t make it in college, the college stars who didn’t make it in the pros, and you pay a bounty… If you want to clean it up, that chills the guys out there who want to break the rules.
More from SRI
Marvin Lewis talks about getting through to the Bengals
Jason Campbell discusses the upcoming season with the Oakland Raiders
Sporting News staff reports
Rays manager Joe Maddon says the club could use top prospect Jeremy Hellickson in the bullpen down the stretch, not the rotation, much like it did David Price in 2008. Hellickson is 12-3 with a 2.51 ERA for Triple-A Durham. His future is as a starter but he could have an immediate impact on the bullpen.
"You saw he had a little taste of it in spring training; he came out with guys all over the place and he got out of it (against the Yankees)," Maddon told the St. Petersburg Times. "Very casually in a sense, he was not offended by the moment or overwhelmed by the moment. You’re going to see the same kind of approach from him.
"Out of the bullpen, that’s a possibility, and I would not be opposed to that at all. But eventually he’s going to be one of the starters, there is no doubt. To get a taste, I think he could do it, and it would serve him well, and us."
Sporting News staff reports
Rays manager Joe Maddon says the club could use top prospect Jeremy Hellickson in the bullpen down the stretch, not the rotation, much like it did David Price in 2008. Hellickson is 12-3 with a 2.51 ERA for Triple-A Durham. His future is as a starter but he could have an immediate impact on the bullpen.
"You saw he had a little taste of it in spring training; he came out with guys all over the place and he got out of it (against the Yankees)," Maddon told the St. Petersburg Times. "Very casually in a sense, he was not offended by the moment or overwhelmed by the moment. You’re going to see the same kind of approach from him.
"Out of the bullpen, that’s a possibility, and I would not be opposed to that at all. But eventually he’s going to be one of the starters, there is no doubt. To get a taste, I think he could do it, and it would serve him well, and us."
Sporting News staff reports
A 2-9 West Coast road trip may cost at least one Mets coach his job Monday, and it may also result in a roster shakeup.
New York general manager Omar Minaya on Sunday would not guarantee the coaching staff would be intact when the Mets resume play Tuesday.
"I don’t want to talk about that," Minaya told reporters after Sunday’s 1-0 loss to the Dodgers in Los Angeles. "I feel everybody here is trying hard. I could tell you the staff is trying hard. If you ask me [about] the overall performance that has happened, of course I’m not happy. Nobody is happy.
"Guys are doing the best they can. But we’re going to continue to sit down with Jerry and continue to evaluate how we can get better."
Media speculation is growing that hitting coach Howard Johnson could be on his way out. The Mets were shut out four times during the trip and scored 23 runs in the 11 games.
"We’re going to get back on the plane, me and [manager] Jerry [Manuel], and talk some," Minaya said. "Everything is fair when you have a trip like this. You have to sit down and assess how you’re going to get it right and what needs to be done to get it right. We’re just not going to sit back. All of us are going to work hard, and we are working hard to find a way how to get it straight."
As for who will be playing at Citi Field on Tuesday, FOXSports.com and SI.com report the Mets and Royals may be discussing a multiplayer swap of bad contracts. Both sites report the Royals have interest in right fielder Jeff Francoeur, and that he could be packaged with left-hander Oliver Perez and second baseman Luis Castillo for right-handers Gil Meche and Kyle Farnsworth and right fielder Jose Guillen.
FOX adds the deal might not be a straight 3-for-3 swap and not all of the players being mentioned may be included in the deal. In fact, the New York Daily News reports Kansas City might be interested in Francoeur only if it ships out Guillen in a separate trade to another team.
Sporting News staff reports
A 2-9 West Coast road trip may cost at least one Mets coach his job Monday, and it may also result in a roster shakeup.
New York general manager Omar Minaya on Sunday would not guarantee the coaching staff would be intact when the Mets resume play Tuesday.
"I don’t want to talk about that," Minaya told reporters after Sunday’s 1-0 loss to the Dodgers in Los Angeles. "I feel everybody here is trying hard. I could tell you the staff is trying hard. If you ask me [about] the overall performance that has happened, of course I’m not happy. Nobody is happy.
"Guys are doing the best they can. But we’re going to continue to sit down with Jerry and continue to evaluate how we can get better."
Media speculation is growing that hitting coach Howard Johnson could be on his way out. The Mets were shut out four times during the trip and scored 23 runs in the 11 games.
"We’re going to get back on the plane, me and [manager] Jerry [Manuel], and talk some," Minaya said. "Everything is fair when you have a trip like this. You have to sit down and assess how you’re going to get it right and what needs to be done to get it right. We’re just not going to sit back. All of us are going to work hard, and we are working hard to find a way how to get it straight."
As for who will be playing at Citi Field on Tuesday, FOXSports.com and SI.com report the Mets and Royals may be discussing a multiplayer swap of bad contracts. Both sites report the Royals have interest in right fielder Jeff Francoeur, and that he could be packaged with left-hander Oliver Perez and second baseman Luis Castillo for right-handers Gil Meche and Kyle Farnsworth and right fielder Jose Guillen.
FOX adds the deal might not be a straight 3-for-3 swap and not all of the players being mentioned may be included in the deal. In fact, the New York Daily News reports Kansas City might be interested in Francoeur only if it ships out Guillen in a separate trade to another team.
Sporting News staff reports
Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski said Sunday he won’t trade top prospects — specifically, pitchers Andy Oliver and Jacob Turner — to fill holes created by the team’s recent injuries.
"Other clubs look at us and say, ‘Well, they are desperate so maybe they will trade us Oliver and Turner,’ " Dombrowski told MLB.com. "Well, we aren’t. I’m not meaning to say that anyone is untouchable. I’m not going to give away blue-chip young players for a guy for two months. It just doesn’t make sense. Will we be active in talking to people? Yes. If there is a deal that we think can be made that can help us, will we? Yes. Are we going to mortgage our future? No."
Detroit lost right fielder Magglio Ordonez (broken ankle) and second baseman Carlos Guillen (calf strain) on Saturday and third baseman Brandon Inge (broken hand) earlier in the week. The team also is without reliever Joel Zumaya (broken elbow). The Tigers are third in the AL Central, 2 1/2 games behind the White Sox pending the second game of Detroit’s doubleheader with Toronto.
Rumors surfaced Sunday that the Tigers are looking at Nationals first baseman Adam Dunn, while reports Saturday said Detroit may have interest in Red Sox infielder Mike Lowell as a fill-in for Inge.
Sporting News staff reports
Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski said Sunday he won’t trade top prospects — specifically, pitchers Andy Oliver and Jacob Turner — to fill holes created by the team’s recent injuries.
"Other clubs look at us and say, ‘Well, they are desperate so maybe they will trade us Oliver and Turner,’ " Dombrowski told MLB.com. "Well, we aren’t. I’m not meaning to say that anyone is untouchable. I’m not going to give away blue-chip young players for a guy for two months. It just doesn’t make sense. Will we be active in talking to people? Yes. If there is a deal that we think can be made that can help us, will we? Yes. Are we going to mortgage our future? No."
Detroit lost right fielder Magglio Ordonez (broken ankle) and second baseman Carlos Guillen (calf strain) on Saturday and third baseman Brandon Inge (broken hand) earlier in the week. The team also is without reliever Joel Zumaya (broken elbow). The Tigers are third in the AL Central, 2 1/2 games behind the White Sox pending the second game of Detroit’s doubleheader with Toronto.
Rumors surfaced Sunday that the Tigers are looking at Nationals first baseman Adam Dunn, while reports Saturday said Detroit may have interest in Red Sox infielder Mike Lowell as a fill-in for Inge.
Sporting News staff reports
The Diamondbacks have traded right-hander Dan Haren to the Los Angeles Angels for left-hander Joe Saunders, two minor league pitchers and a player to be named.
The trade was announced today during Arizona’s game against the Giants at Chase Field.
Right-hander Rafael Rodriguez and left-hander Patrick Corbin are the minor leaguers headed to Arizona along with Saunders. The Arizona Republic reports 19-year-old minor league left-hander Tyler Skaggs, an Angels supplemental-round choice last year, is the PTBN. Skaggs cannot officially be dealt until he has been in pro ball for a year. He signed last Aug. 7.
Dan Haren returns to the AL West with Sunday’s trade to the Angels.
Haren was one of the top available pitchers ahead of the July 31 nonwaiver deadline. L.A. was not considered one of the favorites to land him — the Yankees and the Phillies were — but it met one of Arizona’s reported conditions by providing a major league starter in return.
Angels general manager Tony Reagins told reporters Haren is "a top-of-the-rotation guy that’s going to help us not just this year but years down the road. … The addition of Dan gives us five guys that are really talented." Reagins spoke with reporters in Arlington, Texas, where the Angels were wrapping up a series against the AL West-leading Rangers. A loss Sunday night put L.A. seven games behind Texas in the division race.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia echoed Reagins’ statements about the long-term aspect of the deal, and he noted that Haren knows about pitching in pennant races. He made seven postseason appearances with the Cardinals (2004) and A’s (2006).
"He’s definitely a guy who has pitched in big games. He has terrific stuff and he’s a young veteran," Scioscia said. "This guy still has his stuff and it gives us a deeper front end of our rotation and that’s what every championship-caliber team is really striving to do."
Los Angeles’ acquisition of Haren helps counter the Rangers’ recent pickup of left-hander Cliff Lee, and it’s the second move in four days for the Halos. They acquired third baseman Alberto Callaspo from the Royals on Thursday.
And, Reagins said he isn’t done trying to add pieces. "There are still opportunities out there. We’re not done trying to improve our club," he said. FOXSports.com reported Sunday night the Angels may be looking at Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee and Pirates first baseman/outfielder Garrett Jones.
Haren, 29, is 7-8 with a 4.60 ERA in 21 starts this season. He leads the National League with 141 strikeouts. Saunders, 29, is 6-10 with a 4.62 ERA in 20 starts. Rodriguez appeared in one game for the Angels this season. Corbin was pitching for advanced Class A Rancho Cucamonga in the California League.
Haren is signed through 2012, at $12.75 million per year, and his contract also includes a $15.5 million club option for 2013 ($3.5 million buyout). He is making $8.25 million this year.
Arizona gets back an established starter, Joe Saunders, for Haren.
Saunders will be under the D-backs’ control through 2012. He is earning $3.7 million in 2010 and will be eligible for arbitration in the offseason.
"(Saunders) brings an element to our club that I think we need," Arizona interim GM Jerry DiPoto told reporters. "The prospects in the deal bring us talent that we need to build with. Therefore, I felt that this deal checked a lot of boxes for the Arizona Diamondbacks."
Saunders took a positive approach to leaving a contender for a team that’s on the road to rebuilding.
"I’ve been in trade talks in the offseason and stuff like that but you never really think it’s going to happen," said Saunders, who lives in Arizona. "They obviously think highly of me, so it will be a new challenge."
Haren, a Southern California native, had said he’d prefer to remain on the West Coast if the D-backs were to trade him.
"This point in my career, being on the West Coast has a lot of value for me," Haren told reporters after learning of the trade. "Being near family and going to a ballclub that’s dedicated to winning not just this year but for a lot of years, I’m very excited for the opportunity."
Haren also returns to the AL West; he pitched three seasons with Oakland (2005-07) before being traded to Arizona in December of ’07.
Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Sporting News staff reports
The Diamondbacks have traded right-hander Dan Haren to the Los Angeles Angels for left-hander Joe Saunders, two minor league pitchers and a player to be named.
The trade was announced today during Arizona’s game against the Giants at Chase Field.
Right-hander Rafael Rodriguez and left-hander Patrick Corbin are the minor leaguers headed to Arizona along with Saunders. The Arizona Republic reports 19-year-old minor league left-hander Tyler Skaggs, an Angels supplemental-round choice last year, is the PTBN. Skaggs cannot officially be dealt until he has been in pro ball for a year. He signed last Aug. 7.
Dan Haren returns to the AL West with Sunday’s trade to the Angels.
Haren was one of the top available pitchers ahead of the July 31 nonwaiver deadline. L.A. was not considered one of the favorites to land him — the Yankees and the Phillies were — but it met one of Arizona’s reported conditions by providing a major league starter in return.
Angels general manager Tony Reagins told reporters Haren is "a top-of-the-rotation guy that’s going to help us not just this year but years down the road. … The addition of Dan gives us five guys that are really talented." Reagins spoke with reporters in Arlington, Texas, where the Angels were wrapping up a series against the AL West-leading Rangers. A loss Sunday night put L.A. seven games behind Texas in the division race.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia echoed Reagins’ statements about the long-term aspect of the deal, and he noted that Haren knows about pitching in pennant races. He made seven postseason appearances with the Cardinals (2004) and A’s (2006).
"He’s definitely a guy who has pitched in big games. He has terrific stuff and he’s a young veteran," Scioscia said. "This guy still has his stuff and it gives us a deeper front end of our rotation and that’s what every championship-caliber team is really striving to do."
Los Angeles’ acquisition of Haren helps counter the Rangers’ recent pickup of left-hander Cliff Lee, and it’s the second move in four days for the Halos. They acquired third baseman Alberto Callaspo from the Royals on Thursday.
And, Reagins said he isn’t done trying to add pieces. "There are still opportunities out there. We’re not done trying to improve our club," he said. FOXSports.com reported Sunday night the Angels may be looking at Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee and Pirates first baseman/outfielder Garrett Jones.
Haren, 29, is 7-8 with a 4.60 ERA in 21 starts this season. He leads the National League with 141 strikeouts. Saunders, 29, is 6-10 with a 4.62 ERA in 20 starts. Rodriguez appeared in one game for the Angels this season. Corbin was pitching for advanced Class A Rancho Cucamonga in the California League.
Haren is signed through 2012, at $12.75 million per year, and his contract also includes a $15.5 million club option for 2013 ($3.5 million buyout). He is making $8.25 million this year.
Arizona gets back an established starter, Joe Saunders, for Haren.
Saunders will be under the D-backs’ control through 2012. He is earning $3.7 million in 2010 and will be eligible for arbitration in the offseason.
"(Saunders) brings an element to our club that I think we need," Arizona interim GM Jerry DiPoto told reporters. "The prospects in the deal bring us talent that we need to build with. Therefore, I felt that this deal checked a lot of boxes for the Arizona Diamondbacks."
Saunders took a positive approach to leaving a contender for a team that’s on the road to rebuilding.
"I’ve been in trade talks in the offseason and stuff like that but you never really think it’s going to happen," said Saunders, who lives in Arizona. "They obviously think highly of me, so it will be a new challenge."
Haren, a Southern California native, had said he’d prefer to remain on the West Coast if the D-backs were to trade him.
"This point in my career, being on the West Coast has a lot of value for me," Haren told reporters after learning of the trade. "Being near family and going to a ballclub that’s dedicated to winning not just this year but for a lot of years, I’m very excited for the opportunity."
Haren also returns to the AL West; he pitched three seasons with Oakland (2005-07) before being traded to Arizona in December of ’07.
Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Sporting News staff reports
MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan reports the Rangers are making a push to acquire Marlins infielder Jorge Cantu or Orioles infielder Ty Wigginton before the trading deadline to bolster their bench.
Cantu and Wigginton are both right-handed hitters with power who can play multiple positions. Sullivan reports Texas is looking for someone to primarily back up first baseman Chris Davis, a left-handed hitter, Sullivan reports.
Sporting News staff reports
MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan reports the Rangers are making a push to acquire Marlins infielder Jorge Cantu or Orioles infielder Ty Wigginton before the trading deadline to bolster their bench.
Cantu and Wigginton are both right-handed hitters with power who can play multiple positions. Sullivan reports Texas is looking for someone to primarily back up first baseman Chris Davis, a left-handed hitter, Sullivan reports.
Sporting News staff reports
A source tells ESPNBoston.com the Tigers are a suitor for Red Sox infieleder Mike Lowell. Detroit may be looking to Lowell as a short-term replacement for injured third baseman Brandon Inge.
"Tigers are interested" in acquiring Lowell in a trade, the unnamed source told the website. "Not sure how serious the interest since Inge’s injury is not as severe as they thought."
CBSSports.com reports the Tigers have "some" interest in Lowell.
Inge is on the disabled list with a broken hand suffered Tuesday. Lowell is on the DL with a hip injury. He was 4-for-4 with two RBIs Saturday in a rehab game for Triple-A Pawtucket.
Red Sox manager Terry Francona said he has gotten good reports on Lowell from Pawtucket manager Torey Lovullo.
"Torey said [Lowell] took a bunch of ground balls at third the other night, and actually looked really good," Francona said. "He moved around real well and threw real well."
Sporting News staff reports
A source tells ESPNBoston.com the Tigers are a suitor for Red Sox infieleder Mike Lowell. Detroit may be looking to Lowell as a short-term replacement for injured third baseman Brandon Inge.
"Tigers are interested" in acquiring Lowell in a trade, the unnamed source told the website. "Not sure how serious the interest since Inge’s injury is not as severe as they thought."
CBSSports.com reports the Tigers have "some" interest in Lowell.
Inge is on the disabled list with a broken hand suffered Tuesday. Lowell is on the DL with a hip injury. He was 4-for-4 with two RBIs Saturday in a rehab game for Triple-A Pawtucket.
Red Sox manager Terry Francona said he has gotten good reports on Lowell from Pawtucket manager Torey Lovullo.
"Torey said [Lowell] took a bunch of ground balls at third the other night, and actually looked really good," Francona said. "He moved around real well and threw real well."
Sporting News staff reports
Although the Diamondbacks say no team has the lead in the chase for Dan Haren, it’s clear they plan to move the right-hander, and soon. According to reports, Arizona wants to trade Haren before his next scheduled start, which would be Tuesday
The Yankees, Twins, Tigers, Phillies and Cardinals, who traded Haren to Oakland in 2004 for Mark Mulder, appear to be the teams with the most interest.
According to SI.com, the Yankees rejected a request from the D-backs to include right-hander Joba Chamberlain. Arizona also reportedly asked the Tigers for young pitchers Andy Oliver and Jacob Turner.
The Cardinals and Phillies seem, for the moment, more focused on acquiring Astros right-hander Roy Oswalt, although there was little movement on that front Saturday. AOL FanHouse’s Ed Price reported scouts from both teams, as well as from the Yankees and Dodgers, were in Houston on Saturday to watch Oswalt’s start against the Reds. Oswalt allowed six runs in five innings and took the loss in a 7-0 Astros defeat.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the Astros rejected a proposal from the Cards earlier this week that would have sent Brendan Ryan and one other player to Houston.
Astros owner Drayton McLane told MLB.com’s Brian McTaggert on Saturday, "Nothing’s imminent right now. We’re having a lot of discussions."
Sporting News staff reports
Although the Diamondbacks say no team has the lead in the chase for Dan Haren, it’s clear they plan to move the right-hander, and soon. According to reports, Arizona wants to trade Haren before his next scheduled start, which would be Tuesday
The Yankees, Twins, Tigers, Phillies and Cardinals, who traded Haren to Oakland in 2004 for Mark Mulder, appear to be the teams with the most interest.
According to SI.com, the Yankees rejected a request from the D-backs to include right-hander Joba Chamberlain. Arizona also reportedly asked the Tigers for young pitchers Andy Oliver and Jacob Turner.
The Cardinals and Phillies seem, for the moment, more focused on acquiring Astros right-hander Roy Oswalt, although there was little movement on that front Saturday. AOL FanHouse’s Ed Price reported scouts from both teams, as well as from the Yankees and Dodgers, were in Houston on Saturday to watch Oswalt’s start against the Reds. Oswalt allowed six runs in five innings and took the loss in a 7-0 Astros defeat.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the Astros rejected a proposal from the Cards earlier this week that would have sent Brendan Ryan and one other player to Houston.
Astros owner Drayton McLane told MLB.com’s Brian McTaggert on Saturday, "Nothing’s imminent right now. We’re having a lot of discussions."
Stan McNeal, Sporting News
The Cardinals have the flexibility to add a front-line player such as Roy Oswalt, Cardinals president Bill DeWitt told Sporting News.
"I’m not getting into specifics, but I’ve said all along that we have flexibility," DeWitt said.
But he added, "just on that (Oswalt) subject, that’s highly speculative. There’s nothing imminent there at all. I’m not saying we wouldn’t. I don’t know how that word is floating around."
Taking on the remainder of Oswalt’s salary would require considerable flexibility. He is owed what is left of his $15 million salary this season plus $16 million in 2011. And he has a $16 million option for 2012 that he reportedly wants picked up if he accepts a trade. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, however, Oswalt has indicated he might defer the option if traded to the Cardinals.
The Cardinals already are on the hook for several hefty salaries in 2012, including Matt Holliday at $17 million and Kyle Lohse at $11.875 million. They hold a $15 million option on Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright at $9 million (plus more with possible incentives).
Then, of course, there’s Albert Pujols. He will be a free agent after 2011 and figures to command close to $30 million a season.
If the Cardinals were to keep all four of those starting pitchers plus Holliday and Pujols in 2012, they would be paying more than $95 million for six players. The club has said it wants to maintain a payroll of $100 million.
Another consideration is whom the Cardinals would send the Astros. Houston is looking for a first baseman and starting pitcher who can play in the majors. The Cardinals lack proven first basemen behind Pujols, but they do have a top young pitcher in Jaime Garcia. Including him in an Oswalt deal, however, would not make sense because Garcia is 9-4 with a 2.21 ERA and remains under club control for five more years.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Stan McNeal, Sporting News
The Cardinals have the flexibility to add a front-line player such as Roy Oswalt, Cardinals president Bill DeWitt told Sporting News.
"I’m not getting into specifics, but I’ve said all along that we have flexibility," DeWitt said.
But he added, "just on that (Oswalt) subject, that’s highly speculative. There’s nothing imminent there at all. I’m not saying we wouldn’t. I don’t know how that word is floating around."
Taking on the remainder of Oswalt’s salary would require considerable flexibility. He is owed what is left of his $15 million salary this season plus $16 million in 2011. And he has a $16 million option for 2012 that he reportedly wants picked up if he accepts a trade. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, however, Oswalt has indicated he might defer the option if traded to the Cardinals.
The Cardinals already are on the hook for several hefty salaries in 2012, including Matt Holliday at $17 million and Kyle Lohse at $11.875 million. They hold a $15 million option on Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright at $9 million (plus more with possible incentives).
Then, of course, there’s Albert Pujols. He will be a free agent after 2011 and figures to command close to $30 million a season.
If the Cardinals were to keep all four of those starting pitchers plus Holliday and Pujols in 2012, they would be paying more than $95 million for six players. The club has said it wants to maintain a payroll of $100 million.
Another consideration is whom the Cardinals would send the Astros. Houston is looking for a first baseman and starting pitcher who can play in the majors. The Cardinals lack proven first basemen behind Pujols, but they do have a top young pitcher in Jaime Garcia. Including him in an Oswalt deal, however, would not make sense because Garcia is 9-4 with a 2.21 ERA and remains under club control for five more years.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
