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Randy Ruiz Rumors
Minor Moves: Stange, Ruiz, Carter, Torra
Here's your daily rundown of minor transactions from around the league…
- Right-hander Daniel Stange has opted out of his deal with the Padres' Triple-A affiliate, MLB.com's Corey Brock reports (via Twitter). Stange last pitched in the majors in 2010, appearing in four games with the Diamondbacks, and has been in the minors with the D'Backs and Padres ever since. Stange posted a 4.15 ERA, 9.9 K/9 and 5.5 BB/9 in 39 relief innings at Triple-A this season.
- Jon Heyman of CBS Sports tweets that the Yankees have signed first baseman/DH Randy Ruiz and assigned the slugger to Triple-A. Ruiz, 35, has a monstrous .301/.373/.524 batting line and 232 homers in parts of 15 minor league seasons. He batted .313/.385/.635 with 10 homers in 130 plate appearances for the Blue Jays in 2009 but went just 6-for-40 with the Jays in 2010. He hasn't appeared in the Majors since, though he did total 68 plate appearances for the Twins in 2008.
- The Seibu Lions have reacquired outfielder/designated hitter Chris Carter (not to be confused with the other Chris Carter, who currently plays for the Astros) after releasing him this past offseason, according to a report from Nikkan Sports. Carter, who last saw MLB action in 2010 with the Mets, had been playing in the independent BC League in Japan this season. The 30-year-old appeared in 59 games for the Lions in 2012, compiling a .294/.348/.452 line in 138 plate appearances.
- The Nationals have released Triple-A right-hander Matt Torra, according to the International League transactions page. Torra, 28, had a 5.53 ERA in 27 2/3 innings for Triple-A Syracuse this season. He was selected 31st overall in the 2008 draft by the Diamondbacks but has never cracked the Majors. In 578 1/3 innings at Triple-A, Torra has a 4.64 ERA with 4.8 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9.
- Seven players are currently in DFA limbo: Eric Young Jr. of the Rockies, Ramon Ramirez of the Giants, James Darnell of the Padres, Ramon Hernandez of the Dodgers, Kelly Shoppach of the Mariners, Mike Zagurski of the Pirates and Collin McHugh of the Mets.
MLBTR contributor Aaron Steen provided the translation for the Carter story.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: New York Yankees | Randy Ruiz | San Diego Padres | Transactions | Washington Nationals
Minor Moves: Ruiz, Meloan, Hernandez
Here are the details on the latest minor moves. Unless otherwise noted, Matt Eddy of Baseball America first reported these transactions on Twitter…
- The Diamondbacks signed 34-year-old first baseman Randy Ruiz. He won the 2009 Pacific Coast League MVP and spent the past two seasons in Japan.
- The Rangers signed right-hander Jon Meloan, who has big league experience with the Dodgers, Indians and Athletics.
- The Padres signed right-hander Dennis Tankersley. Baseball America ranked Tankersley ahead of Jake Peavy in its 2002 handbook, but he hasn't pitched affiliated baseball since 2008.
- The Blue Jays signed right-hander Fernando Hernandez, who appeared briefly with the 2008 Athletics. The reliever has a 3.55 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in nine minor league seasons.
- The Cubs released right-hander Kyle Smit, who struggled at three levels in 2011.
- The Dodgers signed right-handed reliever Blake Johnson, their second round selection in the 2004 draft.
- The Mariners released former catching prospect Angel Salome, according to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Arizona Diamondbacks | Chicago Cubs | Jonathan Meloan | Randy Ruiz | San Diego Padres | Seattle Mariners | Texas Rangers | Toronto Blue Jays | Transactions
Odds & Ends: Strasburg, Ruiz, Millwood, Crawford
Links for Wednesday, as we make sense of Angel Pagan's unbelievable night…
- Stephen Strasburg didn't allow a run and struck out nine in 6.1 innings at Triple A tonight, as the AP notes on ESPN.com. It's only a matter of weeks before Strasburg starts striking out big leaguers.
- Cha-Seung Baek appears to have found a home in the Yuma Scorpions' rotation, writes Edward Carifio of the Yuma Sun.
- Randy Ruiz, who signed with a Japanese team after getting released by the Blue Jays, told Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star that he's "set for life" (Twitter link).
- Former big leaguer Mike Gosling retired on Monday, according to the Indians' Twitter. The 29-year-old was pitching well in Triple A Columbus, but decided to focus on his family.
- This should come as no surprise, but the Marlins are not looking to trade Hanley Ramirez, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro (via Twitter).
- Former Ranger Kevin Millwood tells Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com that he has no hard feelings about the deal that sent him to Baltimore last offseason.
- Carl Crawford told reporters that he doesn't really think about his impending free agency, according to Tyler Kepner of the New York Times.
- J.P. Howell had shoulder surgery today, but the Rays are "optimistic" that the reliever will be ready for 2011, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times (via Twitter).
- ESPN.com's Rob Neyer doesn't think the red hot Blue Jays are likely to finish the season above .500.
- Matt Klaassen of FanGraphs reminds us that Alex Rios was an excellent player before 2009 and argues that the White Sox got a "very good player at a reasonable price" when they claimed him off of waivers from the Blue Jays last summer.
- The first-year player draft begins on June 7th. MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo takes a stab at projecting the first ten picks.
- ESPN's Jerry Crasnick runs through nine stories that have been overdone this year.
- Crasnick's colleague Buster Olney talked to couple of rival talent evaluators who'd love to see the Marlins shop Hanley Ramirez in the wake of his recent jogging incident. Instead, ESPN's Enrique Rojas reports that Ramirez will apologize to Fredi Gonzalez and the team today.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Alex Rios | Baltimore Orioles | Carl Crawford | Cha Seung Baek | Chicago White Sox | Cleveland Indians | Hanley Ramirez | J.P. Howell | Kevin Millwood | Miami Marlins | Randy Ruiz | Stephen Strasburg | Tampa Bay Rays | Toronto Blue Jays | Washington Nationals
Blue Jays Release Randy Ruiz
The Blue Jays released Randy Ruiz, tweets MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. Ruiz then signed a contract with Japan's Rakuten Golden Eagles. The Jays called up Jeremy Reed to take Ruiz's place.
Ruiz, 32, raked in his 130 big league plate appearances for the Blue Jays last year but had only 40 PAs this year. The journeyman first baseman/left fielder has logged 11 minor league seasons, and will presumably get a chance to earn more money in Japan.