Jayson Stark: Marlins Expected to Keep Josh Johnson

[dim]

...

Obvious sarcasm was obvious.

I have never complained about Reyes, so the "continue to bitch" comment is a bit out of nowhere.

[Namaste]

A jay/dim cage match could sell tickets.

[Mainge]

Like three of them.

[sports24/7]

Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers likes to refer to the final hours before the non-waiver deadline as “the lightning round.”
On Tuesday, Towers would like to make some thunder.
The Diamondbacks are trying to pull off a blockbuster for a premier starting pitcher, according to major-league sources. The identity of the pitcher is not known.
Towers has the pieces to make such a deal happen – specifically, right fielder Justin Upton and a stable of top pitching prospects.
D-backs officials all but dismissed the possibility of trading Upton last week, but Towers repeatedly has said that he will move any player in the right deal.
By including Upton, who is signed for $9.75 million next season, $14.25 million in 2014 and $14.5 million in ’15, the D-Backs would create financial room for an established veteran starter.
The D-Backs, winners of eight of their last 11 games, are just 3½ games back in the NL West.
-Ken Rosenthal

http://mlbbuzz.yardbarker.com/blog/m...?new_post=true

Could this be for JJ? Would a package of Upton and a pitching prospect get it done for the Marlins?

[Mainge]

I hope so.
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Can he play CF?

[HUGG]

He's never played so much as 1 inning anywhere but RF as a major leaguer.

He did play CF as an 18 and 19 year old in the minors though.

[Anonymous]

What other pitcher could they get? All I can think of are Lee and Johnson.

[HUGG]

While Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee and Seattle Mariners righty Felix Hernandez would be two leading possibilities, it is not clear whether either is the Diamondbacks’ target.

The Mariners, who have consistently and adamantly denied that they will trade Hernandez, inquired about D-backs right fielder Justin Upton earlier this month, according to a source. Those talks, however, failed to progress.

Lee, meanwhile, is clearly available - and one rival executive said early Tuesday that he had received indications that the Phillies and Diamondbacks had discussed a deal involving Lee and Upton.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/t...iff-lee-073012

[Big Z]

If you have a chance to get Upton, you go for it. You stick him in that 3 hole in front of Stanton and you might get some extra pop from him. I guess Upton would play LF and Giancarlo RF.

Man, I'd really love to see this happen. Arizona is a good location for JJ too as it is not too far from home.

Indications are that the deal would be for Lee though :-\

[emkayseven]

I still don't get the infatuation with Upton and his injury history and his Hanleyesque stats and his Hanleyesque contract

[Big Z]

@BNightengale: The #Dbacks say that Justin Upton is def staying and no truth to rumors of Cliff Lee or Felix Hernandez

Twitter

JJ is the only Ace left, I believe. Yet again, scouts don't see him as an "Ace" so I don't know.

I wonder if they mean that the Cliff Lee-Upton rumors are fake, or the ace rumor is fake.

[MiamiHomer]

What difference does it make? It says in that tweet that Upton is definitely staying anyways.

[Big Z]

What difference does what make?

Even if we don't get Upton, they have a couple of nice pieces I'd love to have.

[MiamiHomer]

JJ isn't being moved. I think that's been made clear the last 2 days as much as I want it to happen.

[Big Z]

It's the trade deadline, crazy things happen. Teams get desperate.