Sign and Trade?

[ColoradoCub]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Believe it not, this is about JUAN CRUZ
Posted on February 15th, 2009 – 9:55 PM
By La Velle

I touched on this in my story for Monday’s ink-on-paper editions.

A new wrinkle has come up that could make it easier for the Twins acquire someone like righthander Juan Cruz, who’s considered one of the best set up men of the free agent class - and someone the Twins have talked about internally.
Cruz, 30, was 4-0 with a 2.61 ERA last season for Arizona and has struck out 535 batters in 515 career innings - although he’s been known to walk a couple more batters than he should. Cruz also is a Type A free agent, which means any team that signs him would have to give up their first-round pick in the June draft - and the Twins aren’t willing to do that.
There have been rumblings that Major League Baseball, which is aware that Type A free agents like Cruz and infielders Orlando Hudson and Orlando Cabrera have been hindered by the compensation rules, are willing to make it easier for teams to sign then trade those free agents. For example. Arizona could sign Cruz to a contract that the Twins are willing to take on. The Twins and Diamondbacks would then work out a trade for Cruz. The Twins could land Cruz without losing a draft pick.
“I have heard the rumor,’’ Twins GM Bill Smith said about the sign-and-trade possibility. “I It’shave not received anything official from Major League Baseball.’’

I’ll repeat that a couple hoops would have be to jumped through for the Twins to pull off a transaction for Cruz. But if a sign-and-trade possibility exists, there’s no reason why the Twins can’t at least have a talk with the D-Backs about Cruz.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Of course, this is coming from La Velle E. Neal III, so it's probably bullshit, but it cracked me up, thinking of when what's-his-face-that-thought-murton-could-play-2b would bring up the sign and trade even though it wasn't possible.

[rok]

I thought you couldn't trade FA signings until mid-season.

[Coldneck]

FA acquisitions can't be traded until after May 1 is the current rule I believe.

[ruby23]

A newly signed FA can be traded with their consent at any time, I do believe.

[Ace]

<!--quoteo(post=18076:date=Feb 16 2009, 08:53 AM:name=ruby23)-->QUOTE (ruby23 @ Feb 16 2009, 08:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->A newly signed FA can be traded with their consent at any time, I do believe.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Of course, if these teams are relying on that, they better be certain that the player doesn't really want to come back. It's kind of like giving these guys a no-trade clause.

[BT]

<!--quoteo(post=18076:date=Feb 16 2009, 07:53 AM:name=ruby23)-->QUOTE (ruby23 @ Feb 16 2009, 07:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->A newly signed FA can be traded with their consent at any time, I do believe.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->


That is correct. I'm wondering why the DBacks would do this? Unless they are getting something of value back.

[ColoradoCub]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->MLB may amend Type A free agent rules
by Ken Rosenthal

Updated: February 16, 2009, 3:04 PM EST


Relief could be on the way for right-hander Juan Cruz, a Type A free agent whose market failed to develop because teams were reluctant to part with a high draft pick for signing a middle-inning reliever.


Major League Baseball, the players' union, the Diamondbacks and Cruz's agents are in discussions to facilitate a sign-and-trade involving Cruz that adheres to the collective-bargaining agreement.

Free agents cannot be traded before June 15 without their consent, but the union will permit Cruz and other Type A players to waive that right in advance, according to Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice-president of labor relations.

Such a waiver would enable the Diamondbacks to trade Cruz immediately after signing him. The D-backs would need to strike a deal within a set amount of time, probably 48 hours, major-league sources say. If no trade were completed, Cruz would remain a free agent.

"Historically, the union has been reluctant to allow advance waivers on blocking trades," Manfred said. "They've expressed a willingness to allow it. We've given clubs advice on how to operate given the union's willingness."

The increased flexibility in the procedure also could apply to second baseman Orlando Hudson and shortstop Orlando Cabrera, two other Type A free agents who face diminished markets because of draft-pick compensation.

However, the Diamondbacks are not engaged in sign-and-trade discussions with Hudson's agents, and it is not known whether the White Sox are trying to work out such a deal with Cabrera, sources say.

Middle infielders are more coveted than middle-inning relievers; Hudson, in particular, might generate enough late interest to sign with another club despite being attached to a draft pick.

Teams backed off Cruz after the Diamondbacks offered him salary arbitration, ensuring their right to a top pick plus a supplemental pick between the first and second rounds if he signed with another club.

Cruz rejected arbitration, but draft-pick compensation would disappear if he remained on the market after the June draft. Thus, the Diamondbacks are motivated to execute a sign-and-trade, though reaching a trade agreement might not be easy.

While the D-Backs likely recognize that they could not get the value of two high picks for Cruz, they surely would want a meaningful return. They could not ask an interested team to sign off on Cruz's contract; that would be collusion. They also could not include more than $50,000 in the trade under the rules of the collective-bargaining agreement.

The Dodgers and Brewers were among the teams that showed early interest in Cruz, but backed off in part because they did not want to lose a high draft pick. The Diamondbacks likely would not want to trade with the Dodgers, who play in the same division. But other teams are believed to be interested.

The Twins are one of those clubs; La Velle E. Neal of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune was the first to suggest Monday that MLB might be willing to ease the rules of compensation for Type A free agents such as Cruz. Other clubs also could enter the mix once the draft pick became less of an obstacle.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[rok]

What's good for Rob Manfred is good for baseball.