Here are some minor moves to start the day:
- The Tigers added southpaw Anthony Vasquez on a minors pact, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network (via Twitter). Vasquez, 30, made seven rough starts for the Mariners back in 2011 but hasn’t returned to the majors since. He was rather effective in the upper minors last year in the Phillies organization, throwing 172 1/3 innings of 3.08 ERA ball with 6.2 K/9 against 2.2 BB/9.
- Righty Matt Carasiti and outfielder Stephen Cardullo will each return to the Rockies on minor-league deals that include Spring Training invites, MLB.com’s Thomas Harding tweets. Both were non-tendered recently (though neither was eligible for arbitration) to clear 40-man spots. The 25-year-old Carasiti had an outstanding year at Triple-A, allowing just ten earned runs on thirty hits over 46 innings and carrying a sparkling 48:9 K/BB ratio, but was knocked around in his 19-game MLB debut. As for the 29-year-old Cardullo, who the Rox plucked from indy ball last year, a big showing at Triple-A (.308/.367/.522) earned him a surprise call to the majors. But he struggled in his 59 trips to the plate, logging a .214/.254/.411 slash with two homers.
- The Athletics have sold the contract of righty Ryan Brasier to the NPB’s Hiroshima Carp, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. Now 29, Brasier reached the majors briefly back in 2013 — and also showed nice peripherals at Triple-A that year — but ended up going under the knife for a Tommy John procedure. Last year, he worked at the highest level of the Oakland farm, throwing 60 2/3 innings of 3.56 ERA ball and posting an impressive 10.4 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9.
Apparently, Vasquez can hit too.
Something I’ve always wondered. When a team sells a contract to a Japanese or Korean league team, does the player have any say in this? If they are unwilling to go play overseas, can they refuse like refusing a minor league assignment and become a free agent?
Yes they do. Usually it’s the players who request their release (or in this case sale of his playing rights) so they can make more money/have a better opportunity over seas.
Well, the A’s sure got that Brasier off their chest.
Is that a blurb on the A’s? Must be a mistake. We haven’t done crap and won’t do crap this offseason. Wish we’d at least try and rehab someone’s value, like Ben Revere
With Justin Wilson being shopped, every lefty provides depth. Perhaps a move to the pen will be beneficial for Vasquez.
I see AA is still getting “has been ” 30 players.
Where is the youth prospects?