Doug Mathis Rumors
Quick Hits: Headley, Fire Sales, Draft Picks
With such notable names as Zack Greinke, Wandy Rodriguez and Hanley Ramirez already dealt, what other big moves could see as we head into the last weekend before the trade deadline? Here are a few items to kick off Saturday...
- The Padres have sent three officials to watch the Orioles over the last two weeks, with senior VP Omar Minaya in attendance at Camden Yards for Friday's Athletics/Orioles game at Camden Yards, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. Of course, Minaya could have also been watching the visitors, given that both Oakland and Baltimore are two of the top suitors for Chase Headley.
- Would-be contenders aren't shying away from dealing away major pieces in an effort to start fresh, opines MLB.com's Terence Moore. "Trades also are now more about trading contracts than trading players, which is part of the bottom line: People in baseball are looking for ways to control those payrolls and budgets," says SiriusXM Radio's Steve Phillips.
- The new CBA rules prohibiting draft pick compensation for teams who acquire "rental players" is having an impact on the deadline movement, writes MLB.com's Paul Hagen.
- The Chiba Lotte Marines announced the acquisitions of left-hander Wil Ledezma and right-hander Doug Mathis, according to a Sponichi news report (passed on by Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker). Ledezma, 31, signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers last winter but posted a 6.99 ERA in 38 relief appearances at Triple-A Albuquerque. The nine-year Major League veteran pitched five games for the Blue Jays in 2011. Mathis, 29, last appeared in the Majors with the Rangers in 2010 and had previously signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox in January.
Red Sox Sign Carlos Silva, Ciriaco, Spears
The Red Sox have announced the signings of minor league free agents Carlos Silva, Brandon Duckworth, Charlie Haeger, Will Inman, Doug Mathis, Tony Pena Jr., Chorye Spoone, Jesse Carlson, Rich Hill, Justin Thomas, Pedro Ciriaco, and Nate Spears. The signings of Spoone, Thomas, Inman, Pena, Carlson, and Hill had been reported previously.
Silva, 32, was released by the Cubs in March of 2011 with $11.5MM remaining on his contract. He signed with the Yankees in April, but was released in July amid shoulder problems after seven minor league starts. The control artist was useful upon his initial change of scenery, posting a 4.22 ERA in 21 starts for the 2010 Cubs after the Milton Bradley trade. As the Red Sox press release notes, "No active hurler with at least 750.0 innings pitched has fewer walks per nine innings than Silva (1.73)." Silva will make a prorated $1MM while in the Majors, reports WEEI's Alex Speier.
Ciriaco, 26, was non-tendered by the Pirates in December. The middle infielder hit .231/.243/.300 in 289 plate appearances in his second career Triple-A stint. Spears, a versatile 26-year-old, spent the last two years in Boston's minor league system. In 2011 he hit .248/.355/.397 in 378 plate appearances, getting his first cup of coffee with the big club.
Haeger, a 28-year-old knuckeballer, spent 2011 with the Mariners' Triple-A club and the Red Sox' Double-A team. He posted a 5.44 ERA, 7.7 K/9, 5.9 BB/9, and 0.92 HR/9 in 97 2/3 innings. Mathis, a 28-year-old righty, last appeared in the bigs in 2010 with the Rangers. As a starter for the Giants' and Athletics' Triple-A affiliates, he put up a 4.27 ERA, 6.7 K/9, 4.2 BB/9, and 0.63 HR/9 in 86 1/3 innings. Duckworth, 35, last appeared in the Majors in 2008. He spent 2011 with Boston's Triple-A affiliate, posting a 3.97 ERA, 6.7 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, and 0.84 HR/9 in 118 innings.
West Notes: Rockies, Padres, Mariners
Baseball's western divisions have the Rangers, Angels, Giants, and Diamondbacks as contenders, with the Mariners, Athletics, Rockies, Dodgers, and Padres looking like potential sellers. Today's links:
- There's little the Rockies could obtain that would justify trading Ubaldo Jimenez, explains Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. It was revealed Saturday that the Rockies will listen on their ace, but Renck says Dan O'Dowd is the rare GM who will engage in trade talk that's headed nowhere just to understand other teams' needs.
- O'Dowd told MLB.com's Thomas Harding that he's looking for a strike-throwing pitcher who's under team control beyond 2011. The Rockies, who have been eyeing pitching for a while, will look for deals that make sense for the team's present and long-term well-being, O'Dowd says.
- The Padres want "impact players in return for their movable pieces," tweets MLB.com's Corey Brock. The Padres' best trade chips are relievers Heath Bell and Mike Adams, though Ryan Ludwick, Aaron Harang, and Chad Qualls should draw interest.
- Dave Cameron of U.S.S. Mariner runs through the Mariners' trade chips, led by Brandon League and Erik Bedard.
- Righty Doug Mathis is headed for Korea to play with the Samsung Lions, tweets Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net. To make it official, he'll need his release from the Athletics' Triple-A club. Kurtz notes that Ryan Garko would be released from the Lions to make room.
Athletics Sign Doug Mathis
The Athletics have signed Doug Mathis to a minor league deal according to the Triple-A Pacific Coast League transactions page. He signed a minor league deal with the Giants back in April, but apparently became a free agent at some point since then.
Mathis, 28, made 13 starts for San Francisco's Triple-A affiliate and posted a 3.60 ERA in 65 innings. He struck out 7.5 batters per nine innings while walking 4.3 per nine. Mathis appeared in 45 games (six starts) for the Rangers from 2008-2010, pitching to a 4.84 ERA in 87 1/3 innings. The Athletics have a full five-man rotation on the disabled list right now (Brett Anderson, Dallas Braden, Rich Harden, Brandon McCarthy, and Tyson Ross), so Mathis will give them some much needed depth.
Giants Sign Doug Mathis
The Giants signed righty Doug Mathis yesterday, according to the Pacific Coast League's transactions page. He's already made a start for the Fresno Grizzlies. The 27-year-old had been released by the Indians last week.
Mathis posted a 5.66 ERA, 5.5 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, and 0.7 HR/9 in 89 Triple-A innings last year, mostly as a starter. He was worse with the Rangers in 22 1/3 relief innings, allowing seven home runs and 30 hits.
Indians Release Doug Mathis
Righty Doug Mathis requested and was granted his unconditional release, Indians GM Chris Antonetti told MLB.com's Jordan Bastian (Twitter link). He'd been reassigned to the minors three days ago.
Mathis, 27, was signed by the Indians to a minor league deal in early January. At Triple-A, mostly as a starter, he posted a 5.66 ERA, 5.5 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, and 0.7 HR/9 in 89 innings last year. He was worse with the Rangers in 22 1/3 relief innings, allowing seven home runs and 30 hits.
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