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Minor Moves: Cunningham, Vizcaino, Moylan, Stutes

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We'll keep tabs on the day's minor moves right here:

  • The Diamondbacks signed Aaron Cunningham to a minor league deal earlier this week.  The 27-year-old outfielder posted a .628 OPS over 501 PA with the Indians, Padres and A's from 2008-12 and spent last season playing with the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate.  Cunningham was released by the Cubs two weeks ago after he signed a minor league contract with them in November. 
  • The Orioles released veteran right-hander Luis Vizcaino from their minor league camp, MASNsports.com's Steve Melewski reports.  Vizcaino last appeared in the majors in 2009 and didn't play any professional baseball from 2010-12 before posting a 1.40 ERA over 45 relief innings for Yucatan of the Mexican League in 2013.  The O's signed Vizcaino to a minor league deal in January.
  • The Astros have released Peter Moylan, the pitcher himself tweets. Last week, it was reported that Moylan had a UCL tear. He was to meet Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion this week. Moylan, 35, pitched 15 1/3 innings for the Dodgers last season. He has a career 2.80 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 276 innings, most of them with the Braves.
  • The Phillies have released reliever Michael Stutes, the club announced. Already outrighted off of the club's 40-man roster, Philadelphia has now parted with a once-promising arm at just 27 years of age. After a solid 2011 rookie year in which he threw 62 innings of 3.63 ERA ball, Stutes struggled with arm issues. Last year, he posted a 4.58 ERA with 4.6 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 17 2/3 big league innings.

MLBTR's Mark Polishuk and Charlie Wilmoth also contributed to this post.

Minor Moves: Vizcaino, Bond, Omograsso

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Here are today's minor transactions, with the latest at the top of the page…

  • The Orioles have inked reliever Luis Vizcaino to a minor league deal, the club announced. Vizcaino, 38, has eleven seasons of MLB pitching under his belt, but last appeared in the bigs back in 2009 and had his career derailed by an achilles tear and PED suspension. Vizcaino reemerged last year with Yucatan of the Mexican League, notching a 1.40 ERA in 45 innings and racking up 25 saves. 
  • Baltimore has also signed infielder Brock Bond to a minor league deal, the club further announced. Bond had spent his entire career in the Giants system. Last year, CSNBayArea.com's Andrew Baggarly profiled the switch-hitting Bond, whose career minor league OBP has hovered around the .400 mark. The 27-year-old spent most of 2010-12 at Triple-A and competed for a roster spot in Spring Training last season. But he started off in the lower minors after a late-spring oblique injury, and never worked his way back up the ladder. After slashing .332/.422/.398 at Triple-A in 2012, Bond ended up with a .240/.339/.324 line at High A last year.
  • The White Sox have agreed to terms with right-hander Brian Omogrosso to a minor league contract, MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports (Twitter link).  Omogrosso elected to become a free agent in October after the White Sox outrighted him off their 40-man roster.  Omogrosso, 29, posted a 9.37 ERA, 8.8 K/9 and 1.78 K/BB rate over in 16 1/3 relief innings with Chicago last season.

Yankees Void Deal With Vizcaino

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The Yankees have voided their contract with reliever Luis Vizcaino, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  The right-hander tore his Achilles tendon late in the Winter Ball season and is not likely to pitch this season.

Vizcaino, 36, signed a minor league deal with the Yanks in December that would have paid him $750K for making the big league roster.  The Yanks saw the veteran as a candidate to work his way to the majors in '11 after he impressed in the Dominican Winter League, throwing consistently in the mid-90s.  Vizcaino's winter performance was crucial as he missed all of 2010 and most of 2009 with arm trouble.

For his career, Vizcaino has a 4.33 ERA with 8.1 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9. 

 

Yankees Sign Luis Vizcaino

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The Yankees have signed right-hander Luis Vizcaino to a minor league contract according to Marc Carig of The Star Ledger (via Twitter). If he makes the team, he'll earn $750K.

Vizcaino, now 36, has not pitched in the majors or minors since being designated for assignment by the Indians back in June of 2009. The former workhorse reliever appeared in fewer than 70 games just once from 2002 through 2007, and he owns a 4.33 ERA with 8.1 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in his career. If we remove intentional walks, that drops all the way down to 3.3 BB/9.

MLB.com's Tom Singer recently listed Vizcaino as one of several players looking to revive his career, noting his effective stint in the Dominican Winter League.

Luis Vizcaino On The Comeback Trail

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Righty reliever Luis Vizcaino, last seen with the Indians in '09, is on the comeback trail.  MLBTR has learned that Vizcaino, 36, aims to sign a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite before year's end.  Interest has been strong in Vizcaino, who has allowed one run in 10 2/3 Dominican Summer League innings.  He has an offer from a National League team in hand.

Indians Release Luis Vizcaino

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According to Anthony Castrovince at MLB.com, the Indians released reliever Luis Vizcaino today. The 34-year-old Vizcaino had been designated for assignment on June 23.

Vizcaino put up a 4.11 ERA and 12/12 K/BB ratio in 15.1 innings between the Cubs and Indians this year. The Rangers were said to be in the mix for Vizcaino before the Indians, and with their decimated bullpen it looks to still be a possibility.

Indians DFA Luis Vizcaino

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The Indians designated Luis Vizcaino for assignment, according to the team's Twitter. Vizcaino was acquired by the Indians earlier in the year to help their struggling bullpen, but walked more than a batter per inning in his 11 games with the club. 

The Cubs DFA'd Vizcaino exactly two months ago, after just four appearances in their 'pen. So who's next for Vizcaino? The Rangers were interested before the Indians acquired him.

Daniels On Sheets, El Duque, Trade Deadline

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Rangers GM Jon Daniels answered questions in an online chat hosted by Richard Durrett of the Dallas Morning News. One thing becomes clear throughout the chat: Daniels will try to win this year:

  • Ben Sheets isn't far enough along to be talking contract, but the Rangers are in touch with his agent.
  • The Rangers could deal prospects away to improve their playoff chances this year, but Daniels doesn't suggest that's likely.  
  • Tom Glavine is "probably not" a fit.  
  • Orlando Hernandez could be ready for the majors by late July. 
  • Daniels says signing Matt Purke and Tanner Scheppers before July 31st wouldn't make him more likely to part with other prospects in a deal.
  • The Rangers talked with Luis Vizcaino before he signed with Cleveland.
  • Could the Rangers pick up a big-time starter? Daniels says "we'll see."  

Shapiro: Indians Looking To Improve ‘Pen

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Indians GM Mark Shapiro spoke with the Cleveland Plain Dealer about the Tribe. Here are the highlights:
  • Shapiro describes his "sense of urgency" regarding the team's shaky bullpen. He suggests he could look to their minor league teams, to the free agent pool or to other teams' minor leaguers to resotre order in the 'pen. So far they've signed Luis Vizcaino.
  • He says he's not looking for a bat or a starter.
  • Shapiro wants to contend this year and believes he can, given that the AL Central's relatively weak.  
  • The Indians can't wait until July to make moves and stabilize the 'pen.  
  • Shapiro says last offseason he had the chance to deal Rafael Perez for a number of players who now hold starting jobs in the major leagues.

Indians Sign Luis Vizcaino

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THURSDAY: 10:45am: Waiting For Next Year writes that the Indians will have to make another move before next Saturday, when Sowers was scheduled to start. Pitchers David Huff and Zach Jackson are the leading candidates for a call-up. "When this decision is made," writes WFNY, "expect the Masa Kobayashi experience to come to an end."

9:38am: According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Indians announced the signing of Vizcaino to a Major League deal today.  Instead of releasing Masahide Kobayashi, the club demoted Jeremy Sowers.

WEDNESDAY: Waiting with bated breath to see what happens with free agent reliever Luis Vizcaino?  You'll have to wait a little longer.  Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer says Vizcaino threw for the Indians a third time yesterday, but the team says they have not signed him.  Vizcaino, however, insists he'll be on the club when they leave for Tampa Bay today (MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince agrees).

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