Dodgers Trade Rumors

Penny might be back soon
1 Comment
September 9
L.A. Daily News
 
"Dodgers right-hander Brad Penny, who threw a 40-pitch side session and a 30-pitch simulated game on Monday at Petco Park, could be activated from the 15-day disabled list as soon as Friday. But he won't be rejoining the club's starting rotation. Dodgers manager Joe Torre told Penny that when he does return, it will be out of the bullpen, where Penny has made just two appearances in nine major-league seasons. "He was fine (with it)," Torre said. "In explaining the bullpen to him, the fact we don't look for him to come into the middle of an inning (was emphasized). We'll have it pretty well mapped out whether it will be the sixth, the seventh or the eighth inning, and we'll only have him ..."
Time is right for M's to look closely at Ng
0 Comment
August 31
Seattle Times
 columnist Larry Stone
"A woman may be elected vice president of the United States in November. Another woman nearly became the Democratic nominee for president, winning primaries in 21 states. Few would argue those aren't landmark achievements in the annals of gender equality. And as the political buzz over John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate continues to reverberate, it's fair to wonder: Is baseball finally ready to break the glass ceiling in the general manager's office? Could it happen in Seattle? The Mariners are expected to intensify their GM search in September, and conduct interviews in October, after the regular season. Lee Pelekoudas, the interim GM, will get consideration but is ..."
Seattle may make historic selection for GM spot
0 Comment
August 31
East Valley Tribune
 
"A woman may be elected vice president of the United States in November. Another woman nearly became the Democratic nominee for president, winning primaries in 21 states. Few would argue those aren't landmark achievements in the annals of gender equality. And as the political buzz over John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate continues to reverberate, it's fair to wonder: Is baseball finally ready to break the glass ceiling in the general manager's office? Could it happen in Seattle? The Mariners are expected to intensify their GM search in September, and conduct interviews in October, after the regular season. Lee Pelekoudas, the interim GM, will get consideration but is ..."
Fuentes, Taveras on waivers
0 Comment
August 27
Denver Post
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"A National League source confirmed Taveras and closer Brian Fuentes were placed on waivers to inspect their trade value. Fuentes went on Monday and would clear today, though it's almost certain he will be claimed. Taveras is eligible to clear Thursday and might since Boston is heading in another direction for an outfielder and Washington, which likes Taveras, will not add payroll.

The Dodgers are likely to claim Fuentes, along with the St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays, the two teams that pushed hardest to acquire him last month. If Fuentes is claimed, the Rockies can work out a trade or pull him back. They have made it known they want a premium young starting pitcher, which they ..."

Five free-agent pitchers on Braves' wish list
0 Comment
August 10
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"Now that the trading deadline is passed, free-agent shopping days aren't far off. The Braves have significant holes to fill this winter: in the outfield, where they need power, and the starting rotation, now that Tim Hudson will miss most of 2009 following elbow surgery. With $30-40 million to spend, here are five free-agent starters the Braves might add to their wish list. Next week we'll look at five free-agent outfielders. 1. LH CC Sabathia (Age 28; 2008 salary $11 million). Who wouldn't want the 2007 American League Cy Young award winner? Last year at 27, he became the youngest pitcher to win 100 games since Greg Maddux in 1993. He won a career-high 19 games, led the majors with 241 ..."
Manny A Yankee?
14 Comment
August 9
New York Post
 
"Having successfully orchestrated his divorce from Boston and his landing in with the Dodgers, Manny Ramirez would like to make life miserable for the Red Sox during the next few seasons. According to people who have spoken to the eccentric outfielder since he was dealt to L.A. on July 31, Ramirez wants to sign a free-agent deal with the Yankees this offseason and get 19 chances a year to punish Boston. "He wants to play for the Yankees so he can get at the Red Sox," a close friend of Ramirez's told The Post. Of course, every free agent says he wants to play for the Yankees. They pay well, will always have a chance to make the postseason, and when they show an interest in a free agent, ..."
Brad Penny says he's ready to go
0 Comment
August 6
Los Angeles Times
 
"The wait is almost over for Brad Penny. "Boring" is how the Dodgers' opening day starter described his seven-plus weeks on the disabled list, a stretch that will end Friday when he is activated to start in San Francisco. Penny, who was 5-9 with a 5.88 earned-run average when he was sidelined because of a sore right shoulder, hadn't been in the same clubhouse with new teammate Manny Ramirez until Tuesday. Penny was in his home state of Oklahoma over the weekend to make a start for triple-A Las Vegas in a rehabilitation assignment. Penny said he was told by teammates about the increased energy in the Dodgers' clubhouse that accompanied Ramirez's arrival. "That's definitely the biggest move ..."
Jones stays put
2 Comment
August 4
Orange County Register
 
"If Andruw Jones is to come out of his season-long slump, he will have to do it mostly from the bench. Manager Joe Torre re-iterated Sunday there are no plans to demote him to the minors, where he could play every day and get plenty of at-bats, to work out his troubles. "You're taking him away from the people who could help him," Torre said. "That's not something we're comfortable with right now. We have the people here to help him." The Dodgers say they aren't giving up on Jones, and Jones is spending plenty of time working on his swing. Torre is frustrated that given Jones' work ethic, there has been no change. Jones, who has 370 career home runs, is batting .161 with two home runs and ..."
Andruw Jones needs a minor adjustment
2 Comment
August 3
Los Angeles Times
 
"It is sobering to realize how quickly Jones has fallen from greatness. He turned 30 just last year. His career might be over. Jones and the Dodgers owe it to each other to do their best to find out. The Dodgers ought to ask Jones to go to the minor leagues, and he ought to say yes. He was supposed to be the Dodgers' big bat. He hit a career-low .222 for the Atlanta Braves last season. He hit 26 home runs, which would have led the Dodgers but represented his lowest total since his rookie season of 1997. In desperate need of a power hitter, the Dodgers signed him to a two-year, $36-million contract last winter, essentially betting he would maintain his pop even if his batting average did not ..."
Boras says report of call untrue
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August 3
Boston Herald
 
"Amid the inevitable he-said, she-said that results during the breakup between the Red Sox and a star player, agent Scott Boras denied a published report early yesterday that Manny Ramirez lobbied to return to the club up to an hour after Thursday’s trading deadline. According to a published report, Boras called Red Sox officials about an hour after the 4 p.m. deadline and said Ramirez was having second thoughts about being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The story suggested Ramirez promised to give the team an honest effort over the final two months of the season if the Sox backed out of the trade. “Completely inaccurate,” Boras said by phone from his home on the West Coast yesterday. ..."
Boomer Admits He's Probably Done
1 Comment
August 3
New York Post
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"David Wells admitted at Old-Timers' Day that he's basically done playing. "I'm not going to officially do it," he said of retiring. "I'm just going to just ride off into the sunset." The 45-year-old Wells pitched last year for the Padres and Dodgers but said yesterday he didn't get any takers this season. He claimed when you're finished playing "you want them to kick you out and I guess they did." As for the new Yankee Stadium being built, Wells said, "It looks good, but it's not Yankee Stadium. ... Maybe it'll put the baseball gods to rest. I don't think they can have as much success in that one as they did in this one.""
Ramírez lobbied to stay
3 Comment
August 2
Boston Globe
 
"Of all the Manny moments in Boston, the last ranks as one of the most confounding. Within an hour after Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein informed Manny Ramírez he had been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers Thursday, Ramírez's agent, Scott Boras, called the Sox back, according to a source with direct knowledge of the negotiations. If the Sox dropped the option years on his contract - which they had agreed to do if they traded him - Boras said Ramírez would not be a problem the rest of the season. For the Sox, the source said, Ramírez's pledge of good behavior only served as a tacit admission that his disruptive conduct of the last couple of weeks had been calculated, and they had had ..."
Manny traded to Dodgers, Bay headed to Boston
7 Comment
July 31
SI.com
 
"The Red Sox traded embattled slugger Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers late Thursday afternoon, SI.com has learned. Jason Bay is headed to Boston as part of the deal, SI.com has learned. Pittsburgh gets pitcher Craig Hansen and outfielder Brandon Moss, both from Boston, as well as third basem