"I'd have a little concern about him," one scout said. "Actually, I'd have more than a little concern. He's had a lot of wear and tear, and he's got a bad medical history."
He also has bad recent numbers. Street's blown save Saturday in New York was his second in a row, and in his last 10 appearances he has allowed nine earned runs on 16 hits in 11 2/3 innings.
3. Is A.J. All Jays? Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi told Toronto reporters that he now doesn't expect to trade A.J. Burnett. But Burnett's Friday night start at Tampa Bay attracted more than a dozen scouts, including two from the Yankees. Several of the scouts in attendance didn't stay for the rest of the weekend series, a clear indication that they were in town strictly to watch Burnett.
Even so, Ricciardi could be right, because the opt-out clause in Burnett's contract seems to be an issue with several teams that might otherwise be interested in a deal. The way they see it, they might just be trading for a two-month rental. Worse yet, if Burnett pitches poorly, he could opt against opting out, forcing the acquiring team to keep an expensive pitcher it doesn't want.
4. The Phils get Blanton: Maybe you weren't excited by the idea of the Phillies trading for a pitcher who was 5-12 with Oakland. And yes, it's true that Blanton had a 6.75 ERA in his last eight starts for the A's.
But here's one reason to like the Phils' trade, courtesy of a NL scout.
"Remember, he's going to the National League," the scout said. "Think Kyle Lohse. Blanton throws the ball over the plate, and the Phillies can catch it. He'll stay in the game until the sixth inning, and they should be able to score some runs."
5. The Tigers get headaches: The Tigers split their four-game weekend series in Baltimore, but Saturday night's 11-10, 10-inning loss could stick with them. As John Lowe pointed out in the Detroit Free Press, Saturday's game was the second this year in which the Tigers lost after taking a 6-0 lead in the first inning.
"11-10, that's exactly what a lot of people thought might happen to that team," a rival executive said Sunday. "This is what the doubters thought would happen."
It didn't help that the starting pitcher Saturday was Nate Robertson. With Jeremy Bonderman out for the year and Dontrelle Willis likely not returning, either, the Tigers will need Robertson to become a winner.
"Look, he is what he is, a fifth starter," said one scout who doubts Robertson can do it. "And fifth starters aren't that good."
6. Looking for help: The Rangers wouldn't seem to have a chance in the American League West, but baseball officials said over the weekend that Texas is looking to add rather than subtract this month. The Rangers no longer seem interested in trading outfielder Milton Bradley, but would apparently deal some of their outfield depth if they could get a young starting pitcher they could control for a few years.
7. Sadness in the BBWAA: It was a tough week for baseball writers, with two of the nicest guys in the business passing away within days of each other. Condolences to the families of Matt McHale, who covered the Dodgers for various Southern California newspapers, and Neil Hohlfeld, the longtime Astros writer for the Houston Chronicle.
