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• A's look to upgrade at shortstop

  July 16, 2012 by KenRosenthal

  The Oakland Athletics are a surprising wild-card contender despite being last in the American League in OPS from shortstop, last at catcher and next-to-last at third base.

  They have tried to upgrade at third, where Brandon Inge is now in an 8-for-58 slump that includes 21 strikeouts and one walk.

  They probably won’t upgrade at catcher, given that Kurt Suzuki is signed for $6.45 million next season and Derek Norris is his eventual successor.

  But general manager Billy Beane would "love" to get a shortstop who could improve upon Cliff Pennington’s .203 batting average and .556 OPS, according to a major league source.

  The A's, who on Tuesday begin a six-game homestand that features the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, are not yet in serious trade discussions, sources say. But their potential targets include the Toronto Blue Jays’ Yunel Escobar and Diamondbacks’ Stephen Drew.

  Escobar, at first glance, would not appear to be much of an upgrade: His OPS has declined from .782 last season to .635 this year. He also comes with makeup questions, though Beane historically is undaunted by such issues.

  The Jays are willing to move Escobar, sources say, in part because of their belief that Triple A shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria is ready to play in the majors. Hechavarria, 23, is batting .314 with an .805 OPS in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

  Escobar, 29, is under contract for $5 million this season and $5 million next season, and his deal includes $5 million club options for both 2014 and ’15.

  Drew, who played for Athletics manager Bob Melvin during Melvin’s tenure with the Diamondbacks, likely would be a rental. He is earning $7.75 million this season, and his deal includes a $10 mutual option for 2013.

  The bigger question with Drew, 29, is his physical condition. He missed nearly 11 months after he broke his right ankle and is only 8 for 39 (.205) with two walks since returning.

  — Ken Rosenthal

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• Sources: Tigers interested in Angels’ Izturis

  November 29, 2011 by JonPaulMorosi

  The Tigers have interest in trading for Angels infielder Maicer Izturis, major-league sources told FOXSports.com, and it’s believed that he ranks behind Atlanta’s Martin Prado on Detroit’s trade wish list.

  The Tigers are looking for upgrades at second base, third base and the leadoff spot. Izturis, 31, has filled all of those roles over an eight-year career.

  Izturis, a switch hitter, isn’t known for his durability. This year marked the first time he has played more than 120 games in a major-league season. But that wouldn’t necessarily be a huge issue in Detroit, where he could split time with the likes of Ryan Raburn, Brandon Inge and Don Kelly at the two positions.

  Izturis is coming off a season in which he posted a .276/.334/.388 line while spending time at second base, shortstop and third base. He is said to be a close friend of Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez, a fellow Venezuelan.

  The Angels aren’t planning on an everyday role for Izturis in 2012; they are looking to upgrade at third base and have Howie Kendrick and Erick Aybar ticketed for second and short, respectively. Izturis is set to earn $3.8 million next season in the final year of his contract.

  It’s believed that Jerry DiPoto has broad license to retool the roster in his first off-season as the Angels general manager.

  — Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal

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• Tigers GM on trade deadline, Turner, Jimenez

  August 01, 2011 by JonPaulMorosi

  Some updates on the Tigers, following baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline:

  * Tigers president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said Monday that he was still talking with other clubs about “a couple” possible deals before Sunday’s deadline. Dombrowski didn’t mention specific players, but sources say those discussions centered on relief pitching, including Joel Peralta of the Rays.

  * The Tigers view Doug Fister, acquired from Seattle over the weekend, as a No. 3 or No. 4 starter. “He’s got a real good feel for pitching,” Dombrowski said. “He moves the ball in and out. He cuts the ball at times. He continues to improve. He’s been better this year than last year. Everything we’ve heard about him is that he has great makeup and is a tremendous individual.”

  A big part of Fister’s appeal is that he won’t become a free agent until 2015. He is set to make his Detroit debut on Wednesday.

  * Dombrowski said the team is “extremely” pleased with how Jacob Turner performed in his major-league debut on Saturday. “It was an indication of how good he’s going to be,” the GM said.

  Dombrowski said Monday that he isn’t planning to have Turner appear in the major leagues again this season, citing an innings limit the team has placed on him. But he didn’t completely rule out the possibility.

  Dombrowski explained that Turner came up to pitch Saturday because scheduled starter Duane Below was needed as a long relief option over the weekend. Charlie Furbush, who had been the long reliever, was unavailable Friday even though he was still on the active roster. Furbush went to Seattle in the trade – which had been agreed upon but not yet announced.

  * Tigers reliever Al Alburquerque — whose elbow inflammation partially explained Detroit’s pursuit of bullpen help at the deadline — will be reevaluated by the team’s medical staff on Tuesday. It’s possible that he will be available for the Tigers’ series against Texas. Alburquerque hasn’t been healthy enough to pitch for more than one week.

  * Dombrowski was aware that the division rival Cleveland Indians were pursuing Ubaldo Jimenez prior to the blockbuster trade Saturday night. “Just from talking to Colorado in general, I knew it was a very steep price. I didn’t know that Cleveland was going to pay it. There’s no question that he has a chance to help them.”

  As for whether Fister or Jimenez will have the biggest impact on the American League Central race, Dombrowski said, “Those things get sorted out on the field. We know that if we play up to our capabilities, we have a real good chance to win the division.”

  * Brandon Inge, sent to the minor leagues last month, has a 1.081 OPS during the first six games of his stay at Class AAA Toledo. “He’s working on some things there, making adjustments,” Dombrowski said. “He’s played outstanding at third base, like he always does. He’s done fine there overall.”

  — Jon Paul Morosi

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• Six reasons the Tigers aren't pursuing Young

  February 09, 2011 by JonPaulMorosi

  At present, the Detroit Tigers aren’t one of the suitors for displaced and disgruntled Texas Rangers infielder Michael Young.

  Here's why:

  • The Tigers are among the teams to which Young, a California native, can block a trade.
  • Detroit has Brandon Inge to play third base, Young’s most recent position with the Rangers.
  
  CAN’T TOUCH THIS
  Records are made to be broken.
  But not these.
  • While the Tigers don’t know who their Opening Day second baseman will be, it’s hard to envision Young as a strong candidate for a position he hasn’t played in a major league game since 2003. Young’s range at third base became a concern for the Rangers. His mobility would become an even greater issue at an up-the-middle position.
  • Dave Dombrowski, the Tigers’ team president and general manager, said Tuesday that the team is “set” with its internal candidates to play second base. Dombrowski said Will Rhymes, Danny Worth, Scott Sizemore and Carlos Guillen are all options for the job, although Guillen (knee surgery) isn’t expected to be game ready until mid-March.
  • The Tigers have made a concerted effort to introduce younger players to their lineup in recent years. The result: After grounding into 144 double plays in a dismal 2008 season, that figure dropped in each of the past two years. Young, however, could send that total in the opposite direction. He grounded into a team-high 21 double plays last year – more than any Tiger.
  • Young is due $48 million over the next three seasons. The Tigers are only now emerging from a period of several years in which their payroll was restricted by bulky contracts.

  — Jon Paul Morosi

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