Ronny Paulino Rumors

Minor Moves: Paulino, Mets, Jeroloman

We'll keep an eye on the minor moves today right here. 

• The Mariners have released catcher Ronny Paulino, MLB.com's Greg Johns reports (on Twitter). Paulino, who collected 63 at bats with the Orioles in 2012, was in Mariners camp on a minor-league deal. He has hit .272/.324/.376 in parts of eight seasons with the Pirates, Marlins, Mets and O's.
• The Mets have released a host of minor leaguers, tweets Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. The released players are: Brad Holt, Daniel Herrera, Craig Hansen, Mike Wilson, Corey Patterson, Pedro Zapata, and Brandon Brown. Herrera has a 3.72 ERA over 101 2/3 big league innings for his career, but has not pitched in the majors since 2011 and was working back from injury. Patterson, of course, has an extensive MLB track record but spent last year with the Brewers' Triple-A affiliate, posting a .251/.285/.410 line in 387 plate appearances. Hansen had not played at the major league level since 2009, and Wilson saw only very limited action with Seattle in 2011. None of the other players released have played above the minor league level.
• Catcher Brian Jeroloman has been traded from the Indians to the Pirates in exchange for cash, reports Quinn Roberts of MLB.com. Jeroloman, now 27, advanced to Triple-A as a 23-year-old but has yet to see big league action. He spent last season primarily in Double-A, where he hit .195/.308/.195 in 137 plate appearances. Jeroloman was destined for Double-A with Omir Santos in Triple-A, so the Indians instead shipped him to Pittsburgh where there was an opening at the higher level, tweets Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer.

Charlie Wilmoth contributed to this post.

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Minor Transactions: Paulino, Johnson

We'll track the day's minor moves here... 

• The Mariners have signed Ronny Paulino to a minor league deal, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman (via Twitter) reports.  The M's were known to be looking for veteran catching depth after dealing John Jaso last week, and Paulino will be in the mix to provide backup behind Jesus Montero.  Paulino, 31, posted a .567 OPS in 64 PAs with the Orioles last season and elected to become a free agent in October.
• The Yankees signed first baseman Dan Johnson to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training, Sweeny Murti of WFAN reports (on Twitter). Johnson, 33, appeared in 14 games for the White Sox in 2012. He spent most of the season with Chicago's Triple-A team, where he posted a .267/.388/.492 batting line and hit 28 home runs. As Murti notes, Johnson hit a game-tying home run in the final game of the 2011 regular season to help the Rays reach the playoffs.

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Carroll, Paulino, Eveland, Thomas Hit Free Agency

We'll track the day's minor moves here...

• Outfielder Brett Carroll and catcher Carlos Maldonado also elected free agency, Matt Eddy reports (on Twitter). Carroll appeared in five games for the Nationals this past season and Maldonado appeared in four.
• Catcher Rob Johnson is a free agent after being removed from the Mets' 40-man roster, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports. Johnson, 30, appeared in 17 games for the Mets this year plus 45 contests for their Triple-A affiliate. 
• Orioles catcher Ronny Paulino and left-hander Dana Eveland also elected free agency, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (Twitter links). Eveland appeared in 14 games for the Orioles, posting a 4.73 ERA, and Paulino appeared in 20 games.
• Yankees left-hander Justin Thomas also elected free agency, according to Eddy. The Yankees outrighted Thomas to Triple-A earlier in the month.
• Blue Jays reliever Juan Abreu has also elected free agency, Eddy reports. Abreu posted a 6.80 ERA in 42 minor league relief outings this past season.
• The Brewers announced that Livan Hernandez and Yorvit Torrealba elected free agency after refusing outright assignments to Triple-A. The moves are procedural, as Hernandez and Torrealba were expected to hit free agency.

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Orioles Designate Eveland, Outright Paulino

The Orioles have designated Dana Eveland for assignment and outrighted Ronny Paulino to Triple-A, the team announced. The moves create room on the roster for Miguel Socolovich and Taylor Teagarden. Paulino can refuse the assignment and become a free agent, but he would forfeit the remainder of his $1MM salary.

Eveland, 28, made two starts and a dozen relief appearances for Baltimore this season. He pitched to a 4.73 ERA with 5.0 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 32 1/3 innings. His 2.21 ERA in 36 2/3 Triple-A innings earned him a call-up in the first place. The 31-year-old Paulino has hit .254/.266/.302 in 64 plate appearances for the O's this season while missing time with a fractured toe.

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Orioles Sign Pat Neshek, Ronny Paulino

The Orioles announced that they signed right-hander Pat Neshek and catcher Ronny Paulino to minor league contracts. The team also signed Korean left-hander Seong-Min Kim to a minor league deal.

Neshek, 31, pitched 24 2/3 innings for the Padres in 2011. The sidearmer posted a 4.01 ERA with 7.3 K/9 and 8.0 BB/9 and was granted free agency after the season. The Mets non-tendered Paulino in December after he posted a .268/.312/.351 line in 248 plate appearances last year. The seven-year veteran stopped 20% of stolen base attempts against him in 2011. He'll provide depth behind Matt Wieters and Taylor Teagarden.

Kim, who turns 18 in April, stands 5'11" and throws a fastball, curveball, change-up and slider, according to the team. “We are glad to sign a player that our scouts feel is one of the top amateur left-handed pitchers in South Korea,” Orioles executive VP of daseball operations Dan Duquette said in a statement. “Kim has an excellent curveball and very good control.”

The Orioles also signed former Braves right-hander Oscar Villarreal, former D'Backs catcher John Hester and former Athletics utility player Steven Tolleson to minor league deals.

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National League Non-Tenders

Here are this year's National League non-tenders. You can also keep track of all teams with our non-tender tracker and check out our list of non-tender candidates:

• The Braves non-tendered Peter Moylan, according to Ronald Blum of the AP. They also non-tendered Brooks Conrad, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reports (on Twitter).
• The Mets non-tendered Ronny Paulino and Mike Baxter, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link).
• The Cardinals will non-tender Ryan Theriot, according to B.J. Rains of FOXSportsMidwest.com (Twitter link).
• The Giants will non-tender Jeff Keppinger and Eli Whiteside, according to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News (on Twitter).
• The Pirates announced that they're non-tendering infielder Pedro Ciriaco and catcher Jason Jaramillo.
• The Padres announced that they non-tendered Jeremy Hermida.
• The Marlins non-tendered Clay Hensley, according to Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post (on Twitter).
• The Dodgers announced that they non-tendered Hong-Chih Kuo (Twitter link).
• The Rockies announced that they non-tendered outfielders Ryan Spilborghs and Cole Garner (Twitter link).
• The Cubs non-tendered Koyie Hill, according to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat (Twitter link).
• The D'Backs will non-tender Joe Saunders and Micah Owings, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Arizona will try to re-sign both pitchers. The team has confirmed the moves.
• The Nationals will non-tender left-hander Doug Slaten, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post (Twitter link).

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Mets May Replace Paulino, Inquired On Jack Wilson

It's been a quiet offseason for the Mets to this point, but we can expect them to pursue help at shortstop whether or not Jose Reyes returns. They'll also look for depth in the rotation, the bullpen and potentially the outfield. Here’s the latest on some possible offseason moves...

• Some Mets officials were displeased with Ronny Paulino’s defense, offense and work habits in 2011, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. “He was supposed to hit for power, and all he did was hit singles,” one Mets person told Martino. Some Mets executives would like to part with Paulino, rely on Josh Thole to catch about 60% of games and add a veteran to handle the remaining catching duties. MLBTR projects a $1.6MM salary for the arbitration eligible Paulino in 2012. 
• Agent Page Odle confirmed to Mark Hale of the New York Post that the Mets have expressed interest in free agent infielder Jack Wilson. The Mets’ interest level in Wilson will depend on whether Reyes re-signs. If Reyes obtains better offers elsewhere, as expected, Wilson could provide depth in case Ruben Tejada's transition to shortstop doesn't go as smoothly as the team would like. 
• Agent Paul Kinzer told Mike Puma of the New York Post that he hasn’t heard from the Mets about possible interest in Matt Capps since the GM Meetings took place two weeks ago (Twitter link).

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Mets Rumors: Lawsuit, Reyes, Offseason

The Mets close out their season this afternoon at Citi Field, with Miguel Batista facing the Reds' Edinson Volquez.  The latest on New York's National League club...

• Manhattan federal judge Jed Rakoff tossed out nine of the 11 counts in Irving Picard's $1 billion complaint against Mets owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz, reports Kaja Whitehouse of the New York Post.  Rakoff set the ceiling at $386MM in an order issued today, according to the Associated Press.
• Mets manager Terry Collins had this to say to David Lennon of Newsday on impending free agent shortstop Jose Reyes: "I think he'll be back."  Reyes presents a lose-lose scenario for the Mets, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post, because the fan base would be upset if the shortstop leaves but he does not necessarily represent a sound investment.  Sherman is of the opinion that Reyes "will receive nothing less than six years for $114MM in free agency," which equates to $19MM per year.
• Reyes was pulled after singling in his first at-bat today, to preserve an NL-leading .3370577 batting average.  Strange way to end what could have been Reyes' last game as a Met.  Ryan Braun could top Reyes' mark tonight by going 3-for-3 or 3-for-4.
• ESPNNewYork's Adam Rubin analyzes the Mets' upcoming offseason.  He believes Mike Pelfrey will return and Angel Pagan will not, and the Mets are also displeased with the recent performance of catcher Ronny Paulino.  For estimated salaries on all five arbitration eligible Mets, click here.
• Though the Mets would like to re-sign Chris Capuano, Rubin believes the lefty would have to fight for a rotation spot.  I'd be surprised if Capuano is willing to do that.
• Rubin expects the Mets to go outside the organization for a closer, and sign a second lefty as well.

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Non-Tenders Contributing With New Teams

Every winter teams non-tender players when they would rather risk losing them to another team than go through the potentially expensive arbitration process. Most non-tenders don’t come back to haunt their former clubs, but they definitely have the potential to do so.

Teams non-tendered over 50 players last offseason and a handful of them have added value for new organizations. Here’s a breakdown of which 2010 non-tenders are contributing in 2011:

Outfielders

• Tony Gwynn Jr., Dodgers (non-tendered by Padres) - Gwynn has a .255/.312/.333 line with 15 stolen bases in 252 plate appearances for the Dodgers and has played all three outfield positions.
• Scott Hairston, Mets (non-tendered by Padres) - Hairston has a robust .264/.331/.527 line with seven homers in a part-time role for the Mets.

Infielders

• Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays (technically non-tendered by Athletics) - Encarnacion has a .277/.326/.446 line this year, including an .894 OPS since June 1st.

Catchers

• Ronny Paulino, Mets (non-tendered by Marlins) - Paulino has been a serviceable part-time backstop for the Mets, posting a .293/.328/.374 line in 187 trips to the plate.
• Russell Martin, Yankees (non-tendered by Dodgers) - Martin has 12 homers and a .228/.324/.383 line in 349 plate appearances. He's tenth among all MLB catchers with 2.1 wins above replacement.

Right-Handed Relievers

• Matt Albers, Red Sox (non-tendered by Orioles) - The right-hander has a 2.31 ERA with 9.1 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 46 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. Albers is easily having his best season yet and all he cost was $875K. He's under team control through 2013.
• Todd Coffey, Nationals (non-tendered by Brewers) - The big righty has a 4.40 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 45 innings so far in 2011. The numbers are solid, but not so good that the Brewers have much to second-guess themselves on.
• Alfredo Aceves, Red Sox (non-tendered by Yankees) - Aceves has a 3.18 ERA with 5.3 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 76 1/3 innings as a swingman for the Red Sox this year. Considering the injuries the Boston pitching staff has sustained, you could argue that Aceves has been one of their best offseason additions.
• Jose Veras, Pirates (non-tendered by Marlins) - Veras has a 3.19 ERA with 9.2 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 53 2/3 innings this year and has been a key weapon in Clint Hurdle's bullpen.
• Dustin Moseley, Padres (non-tendered by Yankees) - Moseley has a 3.30 ERA with 4.8 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 20 starts. Now on the DL, Moseley has completed a career-high 120 innings.
• Taylor Buchholz, Mets (technically non-tendered by Red Sox) - When healthy, Buchholz has been effective, posting a 3.12 ERA with a 26K/7BB ratio in 26 innings. He has been on the disabled list since June.
• Joel Peralta, Rays (non-tendered by Nationals) - The 35-year-old leads the American League in appearances (55) and has a 3.68 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 after 51 1/3 innings in Tampa Bay.

Left-Handed Relievers

• George Sherrill, Braves (non-tendered by Dodgers) - Sherrill has a 3.38 ERA with a 36K/11BB ratio in 32 innings for his new club. He has mostly faced left-handed hitters.

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Rosenthal On Mets: Paulino, Pelfrey, Capuano

In his latest blog post regarding Carlos Beltran, Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com also has some interesting notes on some of the Mets' other potential trade candidates. Rosenthal cautions, however, that the Mets will proceed carefully leading up to the deadline, because they don't want to give up on their season altogether.

• The Mets are likely to retain catcher Ronny Paulino and right-hander Mike Pelfrey. Paulino, a righty, has split time with left-handed-hitting Josh Thole behind the plate this season. He's under team control through 2012. Pelfrey's trade value, meanwhile, is down, according to Rosenthal, and he's under team control through 2013, so the Mets are less inclined to move him.
• The Mets will be more willing to move some of their free-agents-to-be, like lefty Chris Capuano, lefty reliever Tim Byrdak, outfielder Scott Hairston and utility man Willie Harris. Each of these players were signed to one-year deals prior to this season and could be useful, if unspectacular, additions for teams looking to patch minor holes.
• Jason Isringhausen is likelier than the others to stay in New York because he has value to the Mets as a late-inning reliever and in helping to develop setup man Bobby Parnell into a closer. We heard last night that Izzy would like to remain with the Mets but would be receptive to returning to St. Louis, where he still has "unfinished business," per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Jon Heyman of SI.com first tweeted of the Mets' preference to hold Isringhausen yesterday. For the fantasy implications of closers on the move at the deadline, be sure to check out CloserNews.com.

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