MLB Trade Rumors

"The whispers just won't go away. Halladay is apparently unhappy in Toronto and has let management know it, and management has apparently responded by doing some quiet surveying of teams (such as St. Louis and the Dodgers) that are far, far away from the AL East in an effort to see what it could get for the 2003 Cy Young Award winner. Apparently, the returns other teams are getting for top-talent pitchers such as C.C. Sabathia, Rich Harden and Erik Bedard has inspired the Blue Jays to at least find out what it could get for one of the best pitchers in the American League. It remains unlikely that they'd deal him, but you never know. Key Stat: Halladay has pitched 33 complete games since ..."

"Amid the expected comings and goings on the Cubs' roster Wednesday was the lingering and worrisome issue of closer Kerry Wood's health status. The blister on his right index finger hasn't come close to healing the way the club expected by now, and Wood could be facing another trip to the disabled list after seeing a specialist in Chicago today. That might open the way for hard-throwing prospect Jeff Samardzija to make his major-league debut. Considering the level of tenderness in the finger and the fact Wood hasn't pitched in 13 days, the chances seem remote he could return any sooner than next week in Milwaukee -- if not during the first homestand in August. Wood threw on the side ..."

"Manager Ron Gardenhire said the reports he saw indicated that Class AAA Rochester lefthander Francisco Liriano pitched very well on Tuesday as he shut out Toledo for seven innings on two hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts. Gardenhire said Liriano's fastball ranged from 87 to 93 miles an hour on the radar gun and he got a lot of swings and misses on his slider and his changeup. But there's still no indication that the Twins are ready to promote Liriano, who is 5-0 with a 0.26 ERA in his past five starts. And the Twins don't appear to like the idea of using him out of the bullpen"

"In conversation with Shaun Marcum recently, the subject of Aaron Hill arose. Marcum, who’d spent time with Hill during his rehabilitation in Florida, said he doubted the second baseman would play again this year. Hill collided with David Eckstein during a blow-out victory in Oakland on May 29th, and hasn’t played since. According to Marcum, Hill is still experiencing dizzy spells. And that’s frightening. Hill is a talented young player with a multi-million dollar contract extension, a shiny new wedding ring, and a bright future. One hopes that future is playing baseball, though recent retirements raise a red flag. Take Corey Koskie: The Brewer third baseman back-tracked on a pop-up July ..."

"Mark Ellis sat out a second game with a sore right shoulder, but the second baseman should be back in action Friday night when the A's open a three-game series against the Rangers at the Coliseum. Ellis jammed his shoulder diving back to first base in the sixth inning Monday night. He has been able to take batting practice, but has had some discomfort when throwing. Manager Bob Geren is aware of Ellis' history with that shoulder: Ellis missed the entire 2004 season after injuring it so severely in a collision with shortstop Bobby Crosby that there was some thought he might not play again. Ellis was unable to have surgery to repair the shoulder because there was too much nerve damage. ..."

"As they look for ways to upgrade their starting rotation, the Yankees are considering both internal and external options. Brian Cashman watched Alfredo Aceves pitch for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barres last night, and the team has expressed an interest in Seattle lefthander Jarrod Washburn...the Yankees didn't make serious bids for elite starting pitchers such as CC Sabathia (who went from Cleveland to Milwaukee) and Rich Harden (who went from Oakland to the Cubs), but they do have some interest in Washburn, a lefthander who will turn 34 next month."

"A prominent athlete who is a friend of Barry Bonds recently told me baseball’s all-time home run king, now living in Los Angeles, has made it known he would love to sign with the first-place Angels. Don’t worry, Angels fans. There’s no chance the Angels will sign the indicted free-agent slugger this season, even if there was a sudden glut of injuries and he offered to DH for free. Angels owner Arte Moreno made that clear during an appearance last week on HBO Sports’ latest episode of “Costas Now,” a town hall meeting in New York in which Bob Costas presided over a panel discussion as past and present major leaguers, coaches and club officials debated hot-button issues. During a segment on ..."

"The Rockies are playing an intriguing game of poker with closer Brian Fuentes. The price is high, causing most interested teams — the Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Yankees and Mets, the Boston Red Sox and the Florida Marlins — to consider other options. Colorado wants a premium starting pitcher, a fair demand save for the fact the teams interested in Fuentes see him as a two-month rental, not a long-term solution. All already have closers, and Fuentes is determined to test the market before considering signing somewhere as a setup man."

"Angels GM Tony Reagins laughed off a report Tuesday that the Angels were set to acquire Braves first baseman Mark Teixeira in exchange for Robb Quinlan and Brandon Wood. A year ago at the trade deadline, the Angels offered various packages to the Rangers before they traded Teixeira to the Braves. The Angels were unable to land him with offers that centered around first baseman Casey Kotchman and left-hander Joe Saunders with a mid-level prospect. The pursuit of the proverbial “big bat” at the trade deadline has been an annual (and fruitless) rite of July for the Angels. But Scioscia said he sees no need to pursue such an addition this year."

"With the trade deadline looming a week from Thursday, the Yankees' brain trust will gather Thursday in Tampa to discuss potential moves. The meeting will include co-chairmen Hank and Hal Steinbrenner, president Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman, special adviser Gene Michael, pro scouting director Billy Eppler and senior VP Felix Lopez. Manager Joe Girardi isn't expected to be at the meeting, but he is expected to have some input."

"Mark Ellis sat out a second game with a sore right shoulder, but the A's second baseman should be back in action on Friday night when the A's open a three-game series against the Rangers at the Coliseum. Ellis jammed his shoulder diving back to first base in the sixth inning on Monday night. He has been able to take batting practice, but he's had some discomfort when throwing."

"The Cardinals' pursuit of a lefthanded reliever to fortify their bullpen has intensified as the club has expressed interest in Baltimore closer George Sherrill, sources said. Sherrill, an All-Star who has 29 saves and a 3.89 ERA for the Orioles, has drawn increased attention from several teams, including the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cardinals have declined to discuss specific candidates. They have said lefthanded relief is one area they are looking to improve before the non-waiver trade deadline."

"A source has indicated the Sox have been in discussions with ''more than one'' team about adding pitching help, either in the rotation or bullpen -- or possibly both -- and the major discussion is whether they dare part ways with minor-league third baseman Josh Fields. According to the source, unless they are willing to part ways with Fields, there is no deal to be made. Basically, do they forfeit the future at third base to chase October glory this season?"

"Kerry Wood has been ruled out for the rest of the three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks but no longer appears headed for the disabled list. Because starting pitchers worked into the seventh inning in all three games in Houston, including an eight-inning start by Ryan Dempster on Sunday, manager Lou Piniella decided he can get by without replacing Wood—for the time being anyway. "We're fortunate," Piniella said before Monday's game. "Our starting pitching was working well in Houston, worked the bulk of the innings. Our bullpen is very rested. We can afford to carry [Wood] for a few more days.""

"Out of the major leagues since being released by the Orioles in March, Jay Gibbons is expected to sign a minor league deal this week with the Milwaukee Brewers. An announcement could come as early as today, according to baseball sources. Gibbons, who probably will start in either Double- or Triple-A, was unavailable for comment last night. Gibbons, a 31-year-old outfielder who hit 121 homers for the Orioles over seven injury-riddled seasons, has been playing with the independent Atlantic League's Long Island Ducks. In 27 games for the Ducks, Gibbons hit .280 with five home runs."

"The Orioles and star right fielder Nick Markakis engaged in negotiations for a contract extension in the past week, but those discussions halted Monday and likely will not be rekindled until after the season, according to several baseball sources.Markakis, 24, who is considered the cornerstone of the team's rebuilding plan, is eligible for arbitration after the season and is under Orioles' contractual control through the 2011 season.Asked about the talks between the Orioles and Jamie Murphy, Markakis' agent, club president Andy MacPhail said: "We don't comment on negotiations."Murphy and Markakis also declined to address the topic Monday."

"Right fielder Jermaine Dye initially feared the worst after getting hit by a pitch on the left knee for the second consecutive game Sunday. But X-rays were negative, and trainer Herm Schneider's work has given Dye hope that he'll return to the White Sox's starting lineup Tuesday night. Although manager Ozzie Guillen was upset that Dye was hit in consecutive games, Dye said he didn't think the drillings were intentional."

"Manager Terry Francona understands people’s frustrations with the Red Sox lineup. Yet for now, the only tinkering he plans to do will take place Friday, when he expects to put David Ortiz’ name in the No. 3 spot. From there, everything else should flow. Ortiz, on the disabled list since June 1 with a partially torn tendon sheath in his left wrist, began Part 2 of his six-game rehab stint last night with Portland. The designated hitter could not homer against Double-A pitching like he did in three straight games for Triple-A Pawtucket, but he did manage to go 2-for-3 with a walk, a single to left, a pop-up to first and a bloop single to right in the Sea Dogs’ 8-2 win against ..."

"Fausto Carmona is expected to rejoin the rotation and start against the Twins on Saturday at Progressive Field. Carmona, who has been on the disabled list since May 24 with a strained left hip, joined the Indians on Monday at Angel Stadium after throwing a rehab game for Class AA Akron on Saturday. He was scheduled to throw a bullpen session Monday, which would have put him in line to start Friday against the Twins. Manager Eric Wedge and pitching coach Carl Willis decided to have Carmona throw today so he'll be in line to start Saturday."

"Has there been any discussion of the Pirates bringing back Barry Bonds for a swan song, especially if they trade Jason Bay or another outfielder? Given that it's another lost season, the Pirates would at least combat their sagging attendance by signing Bonds. And why isn't Bonds playing in some independent league to keep fresh and also to put up impressive numbers to further encourage a big league team to sign him? Rickey Henderson and Jose Canseco used it to get back to MLB."

"As long as they remain in the race, the Tigers likely will be among the teams to attend a scout showcase for free-agent right-hander Freddy Garcia during the first week of August. Agent Peter Greenberg initially had expected Garcia to throw for scouts in late July, but Greenberg remains hopeful Garcia will be ready to pitch in the major leagues by Sept. 1."We just felt he needed a little more time in order to impress the clubs," Greenberg wrote in an e-mail Monday.Greenberg said he saw Garcia throw last Thursday. He added that Garcia "is in great shape and is now just working on building back up arm strength.""

"During the previous two seasons, the Tigers' approach to the trade market was apparent long before the July 31 deadline. In 2006, they wanted to add a left-handed hitter and acquired Sean Casey from the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2007, they pursued a number of relief pitchers, including Octavio Dotel and Akinori Otsuka, but did not complete a deal for any of them. This year, the plan is less evident. The Tigers entered Monday as the American League Central's third-place team, with several needs that might or might not be addressed by the end of the month. Manager Jim Leyland said he has "no idea" whether the team will make a trade."

"Raise you hands if you thought that on July 21, the Braves would be opening this series in Florida with the Marlins playing for a share of first place and the Braves contemplating trading away a star this late in the season for the first time since, well, since Dale Murphy was traded away on Aug. 4, 1990? And keep in mind, Murph was nearing the end of his career and didn’t object to being shipped away given the Braves’ situation in that last season before The Run began a year later. Mark Teixeira is not near the end of his career, he’s 28, right in the middle of his peak years."

"Shortstop Omar Vizquel poses a sticky wicket for the Giants. On one hand, they surely want to see prospects such as Emmanuel Burriss and Ivan Ochoa at shortstop for the rest of the season. But with Vizquel hitting .166, he might be difficult to trade. In similar cases, the Giants simply released struggling older players, but they are loath to embarrass a player of Vizquel's stature that way. If a contending team needs a backup defensive shortstop and a strong clubhouse presence for a playoff push, regardless of his hitting, Vizquel would be a great choice. Vizquel said Sunday he prefers to stay in San Francisco for the rest of the season. He will be watching and waiting ahead of the ..."

"Other experienced players could be moved by the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline (or even afterward in waiver deals). Rich Aurilia could be attractive to a contending team that needs a versatile right-handed hitter off the bench. Tyler Walker would be a nice fit for a team that needs help bridging its starter and closer. These, however, are not the type of players who fetch difference-making prospects from other teams. To get those, or better yet, experienced big-league hitters who are not on the verge of free agency, Sabean almost certainly would have to part with the one commodity that gives players such as Rowand so much hope for the franchise's future: young starting pitchers. ..."

"Manuel expects general manager Omar Minaya to make a move before the July 31 trading deadline. "Because of the position we're in I think it's going to be entertained very strongly," Manuel said. "I just think that any team that is where we are or feel like they have a shot at this point in the season with the deadline and kind of the way we've played, I think it will be strongly entertained. "I know Omar loves to do those types of things. What it is I have no idea." The greatest area of need for the Mets appears to be in the outfield, where substitutes Fernando Tatis and Endy Chavez have filled in but don't appear to be long-term, everyday solutions."

"Carl "American Idle" Pavano is back on the Yankees New York Yankees ' radar. Pavano, who has appeared in 19 games in four Yankee seasons and cost them $40 million, is close to going on a minor-league rehab assignment."

"The Marlins will call up pitcher Rick VandenHurk to start Tuesday night against the Braves and will send reliever Jesus Delgado back to Double A Carolina, the team announced late Monday. VandenHurk started the season in the rotation but was demoted after two abysmal starts (0-1, 11.81 ERA). He has been pitching better at Carolina, where he is 3-3 with a 4.22 ERA. The right-hander has pitched well of late and has given up only two earned runs over his past two starts, striking out 10 and walking three in 11 innings."

"The Yankees and Tampa Bay have scouts in town for the Dodgers series, wanting to get another look at left-handed closer Brian Fuentes. During the weekend, Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, Arizona and the Angels all had scouts checking out Fuentes. So far, no concrete offers have been made. There were online reports of a Rockies-Phillies deal that would have sent Fuentes and left fielder Matt Holliday to the Phillies that fell through; however, sources close to both teams say that while the Phillies have interest in both players no offer was made by either team."

"It's unlikely Shapiro would dive deeply into the free-agent pool this winter, but he's going to have to do some wading to put the Indians back together after this disappointing season. "Using free agency to supplement your club is fine," said Shapiro. "Using free agency to sign a player is almost impossible. Not just for us, but for most teams." The Indians are going to need help in the rotation and bullpen. CC Sabathia is already gone and Byrd will be, if not sometime before Aug. 31, then at the end of the year as a free agent. The primary need in the bullpen is a closer and there's no one in the system -- outside injury-prone Adam Miller -- who can fill that job. Shapiro may ..."

"The thick, reddish scar runs vertically along the back of Kevin Frandsen's left leg, maybe five inches in length, beginning at his ankle and heading toward his calf. The evidence of the surgery to repair his ruptured Achilles' tendon looks ugly. "Actually I think it's kind of pretty," he said. "It's a nice, long one." Frandsen was stretched out on a trainer's table. Seven hours before a Giants game and already he was at AT"

"While the Cubs will be playing in the air-conditioned comfort of Chase Field on Monday night in Phoenix, Alfonso Soriano will begin his rehab stint on a minor-league field in 100-degree heat in suburban Peoria, Ariz. "I'm ready to play today," Soriano said. "But they want me to do a rehab, so I want to do a rehab. We'll see where we go from there." The Cubs are almost as concerned about Soriano's legs in the extreme heat as they are about his healed left hand. They don't want him overdoing it Monday morning in a rookie league game against San Diego and possibly pulling a hamstring. There's a slight chance Soriano will be activated Monday night against the Diamondbacks, though ..."

"Just how quickly can Alfonso Soriano get back in the lineup? ''How about [tonight] if he feels good after the three or four at-bats [in a Class A game this afternoon]?'' Piniella said. ''How about that? It's wishful thinking. But put it this way: It's thinking, at least.'' The possible acceleration of Soriano's rehab plan arose out of the leadoff man's encouraging results from aggressive, pain-free batting-practice sessions Saturday and Sunday. He's scheduled to play for rookie-A Mesa in a game this afternoon in Peoria, Ariz., after which a decision will be made about whether to send him to Tucson to play in a Class AAA game Tuesday for the visiting Iowa Cubs."

"The blister on Kerry Wood's right index finger is likely to send him to the disabled list for the 12th time in his career. "We're coming to the point where we're going to have to come to a conclusion about what to do," manager Lou Piniella said Sunday. Wood hasn't pitched since July 11, so the Cubs can backdate him on the DL to July 12, meaning he can return Sunday against Florida at Wrigley Field. That means Carlos Marmol will assume the closer's role in Arizona and for most of the four-game series against the Marlins."

"Johnny Damon admitted he was disappointed and "pretty upset" he couldn't talk his way off the disabled list and into the Yankees' lineup Sunday. Damon took batting practice again and resumed a light throwing program with about 20 short-range tosses to strengthen his strained left shoulder, but GM Brian Cashman wants to remain cautious with his leadoff man. The Yankees still are considering sending Damon on a brief rehab assignment this week before activating him."

"Manuel has made it no secret he'd like to see general manager Omar Minaya pick up a big bat for the outfield. Matt Holliday, Jason Bay and even Xavier Nady are probably out of the Mets' reach, so he might have to "settle" for Seattle's Raul Ibañez or Cleveland's Casey Blake. Manuel said he is still counting on a return from rightfielder Ryan Church, who is out indefinitely with migraines. Church will be re-evaluated today when the Mets return to New York. But even if Church does play and is able to stay on the field - two things that are not certain - the Mets still need a replacement for Moises Alou, who will have season-ending surgery on his left hamstring tomorrow."

"With the July 31 trade deadline less than two weeks away, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire knows he's going to hear a lot of rumors floated about his team. But he isn't interested in speculating about the possibilities, not with his team in the middle of the American League Central race. "All I can control is what I have here in this clubhouse," Gardenhire said. "We're going to play with these guys." Still, he conceded there are potential upgrades that could be made to the Twins. "If they (the Twins' front office) get somebody that can really help us at the end of the game, to set up, to take the place of (injured pitcher Pat) Neshek, that would be really great," Gardenhire said."

"The July 31 trading deadline is 10 days away, and the Red Sox may well wind up sitting it out. That, however, doesn’t mean they’re satisfied with what they currently have, and yesterday’s minor roster shake-up may be just part of their second-half improvements. Justin Masterson was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket to take the place of DL-bound David Aardsma (right groin strain) in the bullpen, the No. 1 area of concern for the team. The arrival of Masterson will be watched closely on a number of levels. If he succeeds, it could prevent the Sox from trading for a reliever at the cost of top prospects. Colorado’s Brian Fuentes and Oakland’s Huston Street are two names frequently ..."

"The bold move isn't always the right move and the Phillies will try to prove that point over the final 2 1/2 months of this season. The bold move would have been to go after right-handed starter Rich Harden and not Joe Blanton. The bold move would have been to go for the pitcher with "ace" stuff and not the guy that is more of a workhorse. The bold move would have been to ignore the medical records and go for it all right now. The bold move would have been to go after right-handed starter Rich Harden and not Joe Blanton. The bold move would have been to go for the pitcher with "ace" stuff and not the guy that is more of a workhorse. The bold move would have been to ..."

"Besides location, the biggest question about luring the Boston Red Sox back to Sarasota is whether a pair of cash-strapped governments can raise the money to pay for a stadium project estimated to cost at least $80 million. City and county governments have laid off hundreds of workers over the last year and have seen virtually every revenue source plummet, from sales to property taxes. But an analysis of city and county finances suggests that there could be more than $120 million in various funding sources to pay for a baseball stadium. Any cost is an estimate at this point, and a final number will depend on the site, said Dave Bullock, the deputy county administrator most involved ..."

"Although lefthanded rookie Jaime Garcia pitched creditably for five innings Sunday, especially after allowing a leadoff home run, the Cardinals are likely to make another roster change involving him before tonight’s start of a showdown four-game series here with the Milwaukee Brewers. After a harder-than-it-might-have-looked four-game sweep of the San Diego Padres on Sunday, manager Tony La Russa is concerned about having enough rested arms for the Brewers series. Since Garcia wouldn’t be able to pitch until at least Friday in New York — and he almost certainly will not make that start anyway — the Cardinals will look once again to Class AAA Memphis. The most likely pitcher to be ..."

"The Giants might start their sale of experienced players as soon as today, with strong indications the team was finalizing a deal that would send second baseman Ray Durham to Milwaukee. Team officials had no comment, but there were several hints of a pending trade. The Brewers are looking for a bench player who hits left-handed and are expected to announce a trade this morning. One of their prospects, a low Class A outfield speedster named Darren Ford, was pulled from the starting lineup Saturday amid indications he soon would be dealt. Durham, a switch-hitter, has not played in either of the last two games, ostensibly with the flu, and has been a rumored target of the Brewers."

"Hideki Matsui's uncertain status for the rest of the year has caused the Yankees to increase their interest in Pittsburgh outfielders Jason Bay and Xavier Nady. A major-league official familiar with the Pirates organization, who asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of trade talks, said the Yankees also have interest in lefty relievers Damaso Marte and John Grabow. "It's going to take a little bit of time," the official said of Pittsburgh's evaluation of Yankees prospects. "I think with recent events, (the Yankees) would like to add a bat." Pittsburgh wants more for Bay than Nady, the former Met; both are right-handed hitters who would help balance the Yankees ..."

"After exploring a trade for Mariners third baseman Adrian Beltre, the Twins came away feeling they won't have a match. Seattle's asking price is steep because Beltre is under contract for next season and is one of the Mariners' better all-around players. On Saturday, there were indications that it might take a package of prospects, like what Oakland got from Philadelphia in this week's Joe Blanton deal. To get Blanton, the Phillies gave up two of their top four prospects, along with a third minor leaguer. For the Twins, that could mean one of their young starters -- Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, Glen Perkins or Nick Blackburn -- along with additional prospects."

"The injury news on leadoff hitter Alfonso Soriano (broken hand) was good -- in fact, so good that the team might consider moving up his return to the lineup by a day, to Wednesday in Arizona. Soriano, sidelined since June 11, took batting practice on the field for the second straight day Saturday, swinging more aggressively than Friday in a longer BP session."

"Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano will begin a rehab assignment on Monday with Chicago's rookie league team in Arizona and is expected to come off the disabled list on Thursday. Soriano has been on the DL since June 12th because of a broken left hand. He took batting practice in Houston on Friday and felt good enough afterward to target a return this week. If all goes well in Mesa on Monday, Soriano will play with Triple-A Iowa in Tucson on Tuesday and could rejoin the Cubs for their four-game series against Florida, beginning Thursday at Wrigley Field."

"Rafael Soriano is expected to be the first in the long list of the injured to return for the Braves in the second half. His elbow came away feeling good from his bullpen session Saturday, Braves general manager Frank Wren said, and after taking a day off, the Braves plan to activate him Monday. "Roger [McDowell] said he threw the ball very well, and Raffy said he felt good," Wren said."

"It’s not going to happen. Well, they sort of suggested as much on Saturday night at Turner Field. That said, if Braves officials do trade Mark Teixeira before the July 31 deadline, they should apologize to everybody on their roster, and then they should give rebates to those entering Turner Field the rest of the season. Surrender never should be rewarded in sports. That’s especially true when you’re part of an underwhelming division, and you’re a medium-sized winning streak from first place, and you have this Teixeira guy who is pretty good as both a cleanup hitter and a first baseman. Teixeira can become a free agent after this season, but so what? If he leaves, the Braves get a ..."

"The trading deadline looms, and those who think Kemp doesn't work as hard as he should and who believe he's a bad influence on the other young players contend the Dodgers and the locker room would be much improved if they could use him in making a significant deal. How do you like the chances of Ned Colletti swinging a significant deal to help the Dodgers? There are some folks around here, Page 2 included, who still think Kemp is going to be a superstar, the best of the best young players on the roster, and it's only a matter of more time and experience. "I don't want to go anywhere," said Kemp, who turns 24 in September."

"Between now and the end of the month, there figures to be at least a few big names being shipped around the league. Unlike in years past, trading partners aren’t waiting until the deadline to deal for big names like CC Sabathia or Rich Harden. But it still is fun to wait and see what happens July 31, when teams have to make moves without the players first clearing waivers. So who could be going to a new team between now and then? Here’s an educated (as in a Texas A&M education) guess regarding six big names who could have a new address by Aug. 1."

"Pedro Martinez rejoined the Mets yesterday, but don't expect to see him on the mound before the end of the week. Martinez threw 33 pitches in the bullpen during last night's 7-2 Mets loss to the Reds, but none at full speed. It was the first time he'd thrown since leaving his last start on July 12 and since receiving a cortisone shot to his right hip on Thursday. Interim manager Jerry Manuel said Martinez will long toss today, then be reevaluated Tuesday. The thought is he will pitch next weekend against St. Louis. "Overall, it was a very positive day," Martinez said. "For 48 hours since I got the shot, I think it was a very positive result.""

"J.J. Putz was one of the first Mariners on the field Saturday morning, but he wasn't taking the field for the Mariners. At least not yet, but that could change today. Manager Jim Riggleman said Putz may be activated from the disabled list, where he has been since June 12 with a hyperextended right elbow. "I'd say there's a good chance we'll activate him," Riggleman said after Saturday's 9-6 loss to Cleveland. Putz pitched a scoreless 1-2/3 innings in Tacoma on Friday night and was at Safeco Field on Saturday morning playing catch in the outfield before his team took the field for batting practice. Riggleman said Putz will either pitch one more game for Tacoma today or he will be ..."

"The player who will complete the CC Sabathia trade is on a list of four Milwaukee Brewers minor leaguers who the Indians are scouting. It was previously reported the list contained only two players. All four players are position players. Class AA outfielder Michael Brantley and Class A third baseman Taylor Green are two of the players. The identities of the other two are not known. General Manager Mark Shapiro, who is on this trip, said the Indians would probably wait until the end of the minor-league season in August to make their choice. "There are some scenarios where we may not wait the entire time," said Shapiro."

"Johnny Damon liked the way he felt during batting practice yesterday and later pronounced himself fit to be activated from the disabled list today. Too bad it's not his call. "I'm ready," Damon said after the Yankees' 4-3 victory over the Athletics in 12 innings. Damon said he's been told by manager Joe Girardi that he won't play today, but it appears he could be in the lineup as soon as tomorrow night against the Twins."

"A month after losing his job, catcher Yorvit Torrealba is losing his patience. The veteran wondered aloud Saturday if he would be better off elsewhere. "I am really happy for Chris (Iannetta). He's done great, but I want to play," Torrealba said. "I am thankful for the opportunity and (contract) they gave me, but if it's time to move on, I will. I completely understand that it's a business and they aren't going to put me in there with Chris doing really well." Torrealba's name has surfaced in trade talks, but there have been no serious conversations. Florida has had interest during the past few weeks. The Marlins, however, don't want to absorb the roughly $5 million remaining on ..."

"Sam Zell and company have made it clear that the pending sale of the team won't affect the Cubs' efforts to chase a World Series this year. But keeping together key parts of the team could be a challenge that could ratchet up during the postseason, depending on the pace of the sale process. And, possibly, depending on who would be the new owner. The best example of that issue is today's starting pitcher, Ryan Dempster, whose All-Star season is one of the biggest surprise success stories in baseball -- and whose contract is up at the end of this season. Dempster, whose three-year, $15.5 million extension before 2006 was a market-value deal for a closer, could be among the top ..."

"Jose Contreras threw a bullpen session Saturday and is expected to make his Tuesday night start against the Rangers, despite what is called remaining stiffness from a line drive. Guillen said he would make a final decision Sunday. "I don't want to put anybody out there to perform just to perform," Guillen said. "If you aren't 100 percent sure you can go, you're not going to go. It's about the team and it's about winning.""

"The initial diagnosis was a left-testicular fracture. Later, Chris Snyder learned that part of his body was just badly bruised. Both made baseball fans cringe. Regardless of medical label, Snyder said Saturday he was sure of one thing: "I don't want anybody to ever experience that. That was the worst pain I ever felt in my life, hands down." After a rehabilitation start Friday night in Stockton, Calif., the Diamondbacks catcher expects to be activated for Sunday's game against the Dodgers."

"Lamb didn't play Friday against Texas, the 22nd time in the Twins' past 33 games he has just watched from the dugout. But ask the veteran infielder if he would like a way out, if the upcoming trading deadline might be a blessing, and the answer might come as a surprise. "This is the best team I've ever played on, one through nine, bench, bullpen and starters," said Lamb, who appeared in the 2005 World Series with Houston. "As close as we are to the playoffs, it would be hard to walk away from that." Which is why he has no plans to ask general manager Bill Smith to trade him in the next 11 days."

"There is little sense of urgency this year among the Royals as the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline approaches. This time, there is no Octavio Dotel to be shopped hard for the best return. “I’d never classify any player as untouchable,” general manager Dayton Moore said, “because I’m always looking to improve our baseball team.” That’s about as specific as Moore gets when questioned about trade possibilities but, yes, the Royals will listen — and have listened — as offers surface for David DeJesus, José Guillen, Zack Greinke and Ron Mahay. Club officials acknowledge privately they are disinclined to trade any of those players, unless overwhelmed by an offer, and see little chance ..."