Jason Michaels Rumors

Astros Sign Jason Michaels

According to MLB.com's Alyson Footer, the Astros signed outfielder Jason Michaels to a one-year deal worth $750K. Michaels, 33 in May, hit .228/.300/.382 in 254 plate appearances for the Pirates this year while earning $2.15MM.   Continue Reading

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Odds and Ends: Michaels, Greene, Prior

Links for Saturday... Jason Michaels is confused by the lack of interest from the Pirates, who have said they want him back. Khalil Greene says he's frustrated to have let the Padres down and Tim Sullivan writes that it wasn't for lack of intensity. The Padres still won't be dropping their grievance against Greene. Buster Olney expects Mark Prior to sign a minor-league deal with the Padres. Jason Beck writes that the Tigers could afford to trade either Jeff Larish or Matt Joyce in a deal for Jack Wilson. Detroit has other weaknesses to address though, so Beck thinks they...   Continue Reading

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Pirates Rumors: Wilson, Paulino, Byrd

Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is back on the scene to get us up to speed with the latest Pirates rumors. Let's start with the team's five veteran trade candidates: Jack Wilson: The Tigers and Dodgers are said to be the main suitors. The problem is that neither team wants to send the Pirates top prospects while paying all of the $7.85MM Wilson has coming. Additionally, the Pirates do not view Dodgers shortstop prospect Chin-Lung Hu as a possible trade centerpiece. The Bucs have spoken to at least two other clubs about Wilson, but Kovacevic rejects the previously reported...   Continue Reading

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Options Declined: Taguchi, Gordon, Counsell, Embree

Alright, time to lump today's remaining options together in one post. The Pirates declined Jason Michaels' $2.6MM option. He could re-sign for less. The Phillies declined their options on So Taguchi ($1.25MM with a $150K buyout) and Tom Gordon ($4.5MM with a $1MM buyout). The moves may have been Pat Gillick's last as GM. The Brewers declined Craig Counsell's $3.4MM option, paying a $400K buyout. The Athletics declined Alan Embree's $3MM option. As a Type B free agent, the A's could offer him arbitration. Susan Slusser spoke to Embree, who didn't mind having the option declined.   Continue Reading

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Pirates May Re-Sign Michaels, Mientkiewicz

According to MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch, the Pirates would like to re-sign veteran role players Jason Michaels and Doug Mientkiewicz (Dejan Kovacevic reported this a few weeks ago). Langosch says Michaels' $2.6MM option will be declined, but he could re-sign for less to stay on as the team's fourth outfielder. Michaels, 32, hit .224/.292/.360 in 321 plate appearances this year. There are better ways to spend a million bucks. Mientkiewicz, 34, hit .277/.374/.379 in 334 plate appearances. He's a fine defensive first baseman and even pitched in at third. He also provided spark to the Pirates' clubhouse. Bringing him back makes...   Continue Reading

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Odds And Ends: Mientkiewicz, Michaels, Greinke, Soria, Scheppers

Some links for Saturday lunch, I'll add some more as the day progresses: The Mariners may sign the first woman general manager, Dodger's assistant GM Kim Ng. Pirates GM Neal Huntington says the team will approach Doug Mientkiewicz and Jason Michaels about resigning with the club, but has yet to do so. Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star ruffled some feathers by quoting a scout on the possibility of the Royals trading Joakim Soria and Zach Greinke. The discussion devolved into a debate on whether to move Soria to the rotation. A Tanner Scheppers sighting: The Pirates draft pick...   Continue Reading

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Pirates Acquire Jason Michaels, Brewers Mull Turnbow

After being designated for assignment back on May 5, Jason Michaels has been traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for, what else, a player to be named later. As Tim noted on Monday, Michaels has been pretty terrible so far this year. Not that he was so hot during his tenure in Cleveland. He wasn't able to get his OBP above .330 or his SLG above .400. Not so hot for a corner outfielder. The Pirates options OF Nyjer Morgan to Triple A to make room for Michaels. The Bucs now have two open spots on the 40-man roster. Feel free...   Continue Reading

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Odds and Ends: Botts, Red Sox, McLouth

Roundup of links! According to Jamey Newberg, Jason Botts has cleared waivers. He probably won't get another chance with the Rangers though. Gordon Edes notes that the Red Sox have five picks in the first three rounds of the June draft. Even though they don't start until the 30th pick, the Sox have had much success in recent years. No extension talks have begun with Nate McLouth, but Dejan Kovacevic does expect it to happen. I updated the fantasy baseball closers depth chart over at RotoAuthority. SI.com's Jon Heyman says Freddy Garcia is "progressing nicely" in rehab and will throw...   Continue Reading

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Indians Designate Jason Michaels

2:31pm: According to Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com, Michaels will be designated. 10:30am: Outfielder Ben Francisco will join the Indians for Tuesday's game against the Yankees. The Tribe will have to make room for him by then, and Mike Harrington believes the jobs of Andy Marte and Jason Michaels are at risk. Marte could be designated for assignment, while Michaels might just be released. Michaels, 32, has been awful in 21 games this year. He earns $2.15MM this year. Michaels typically hits lefties well, but he's been an easy out this year. Marte, 24, is out of options and would have...   Continue Reading

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Ocker On Blake, Marte, Dellucci, Borowski And Lee

Sheldon Ocker of the Akron Beacon Journal does some speculating on the Indians' third base, left field, and closer situations. Casey Blake's contract expires at the end of the season, and at age 35, Ocker doesn't believe that Indians' GM Mark Shapiro will re-up for him. Ocker points to two reasons why Andy Marte probably won't work out as the in-house solution to Blake's potential absence: he could be lost on waivers if he doesn't make the team as a utility man coming out of Spring Training, and he shows no sign of figuring things out and becoming an impact...   Continue Reading

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