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Archives for March 2008

Kelvim Escobar’s Season May Be Over

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Kelvim Escobar’s season, and perhaps even career, may be in jeopardy because of his shoulder issue.  A contribution this year is a long shot.  Baseball Injury Report’s Rick Wilton guesses it is related to the rotator cuff.  By the way, Baseball Injury Report was all over this last night; check it out and consider subscribing.

John Lackey’s triceps strain takes on heightened importance with the probable loss of Escobar.  Lackey, Jered Weaver, and Jon Garland is still a competitive front three.  And between Joe Saunders, Ervin Santana, Dustin Moseley, and Nick Adenhart, the Halos can figure out the last two slots.

If Tony Reagins does look externally for more pitching, here are some options off the top of my head: Claudio Vargas, Jason Marquis, Matt Morris, Matt Belisle, David Wells, Jorge de la Rosa, Byung-Hyun Kim, Horacio Ramirez, Anthony Reyes, and Cliff Lee.  In other words, slim pickens right now.

2008 Rookie of the Year Predictions

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Before the 1996 season, I predicted that Derek Jeter and Todd Hollandsworth would win the Rookie of the Year awards.  I believe that was the last time I made an accurate preseason award prediction.  However, requests for award picks were common in yesterday’s chat.  I didn’t post any because I wanted some time to mull it over.  I’ll post more predictions over the next few days. 

Here are my 2008 Rookie of the Year predictions; I’m interested to see yours in the comments.  Tough call in the NL, lot of good choices.

AL: Clay Buchholz.  Runners up: Evan Longoria, Jacoby Ellsbury, Joba Chamberlain.

NL: Kosuke Fukudome.  Runners up: Johnny Cueto, Geovany Soto, Clayton Kershaw.

Royals Acquire Ramon Ramirez

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According to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post, the Rockies traded reliever Ramon Ramirez to the Royals for a player to be named later.  In an accompanying move, the Royals designated Jorge de la Rosa for assignment.

The 26 year-old righty reliever has posted some big-time strikeout rates at various stops.  He’s a former outfielder who has bounced around in the Yankees, Reds, and Rockies organizations.  He even did a stint in Japan.  In 2005, Baseball America described Ramirez’s power repertoire as a 92-94 mph heater, a hard curveball, and a splitter. 

At Least Ten Teams Scout Anthony Reyes

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According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, scouts from at least ten teams observed Anthony Reyes’ fine start against Washington yesterday.  He says the Cards have made Reyes’ availability known.

Reyes, 26, already has 250 Triple A innings and 200 big league innings under his belt.  Despite an awful ERA and record last year for the Cards, his strikeout and walk rates weren’t too bad.  Everyone seems to believe there’s something more here, but the potential won’t be realized in St. Louis.  He’s not getting much encouragement from the Cardinals right now.

Teams that have shown interest in Reyes in the past: the Indians, Padres, and Phillies.

Pirates Acquire Tyler Yates From Braves

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10:23am: Byung-Hyun Kim’s gone, in the accompanying move.  So is Jaret Wright, according to RotoWorld.

8:40am: Dave O’Brien was right – the Braves chose Tyler Yates as the out of options reliever to deal.  They sent him to the Pirates today for a minor league hurler named Todd Redmond.  On Monday, O’Brien said he expected the Braves to trade one of Scott Thorman or Brayan Pena as well.

Yates, a 30 year-old Hawaiin, has a solid 8.3 per nine innings strikeout rate in his 162 inning career.  He needs to work on his control though. Yates was drafted by the A’s and dealt to the Mets in the Dave Justice deal.  Baseball America says he began ’04 as the Mets’ fifth starter but was shortly converted to relief.  He missed the ’05 season with rotator cuff surgery.  His acquisition may push Jaret Wright or Byung-Hyun Kim out of Pittsburgh.

Redmond, 23 in May, was ranked as the Pirates’ #27 prospect by Baseball America.  They note his "outstanding control" but lack of dominant stuff.  BA believes he profiles as a middle reliever in the long term.

Tigers Release Tim Byrdak

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According to MLB.com’s Jason Beck, the Tigers released 34 year-old southpaw reliever Tim Byrdak today.  Byrdak stuck out 49 in 46 innings last year, but also walked 26.  He had a lousy spring, and apparently Jim Leyland’s confidence doesn’t mean much.

The Detroit Tiger Weblog is now wondering what the Tigers will do for a second lefty in the ’pen.  There are various guys floating around (Aaron Fultz comes to mind), but no one markedly better than Byrdak.  Currently there’s nothing imminent in the Tigers’ hunt for bullpen help.

Mets Interested In Vargas

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The Mets are currently considering Orlando Hernandez, Mike Pelfrey, and Jorge Sosa for their fifth starter job.  A little more depth wouldn’t hurt.  According to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post, Omar Minaya said the Mets "will have a strong interest" in Claudio Vargas.  Minaya once traded for Vargas as GM of the Expos.

My gut says Vargas could be solid with the Mets.  His strikeout rate and control never seemed to match up with his ERA.  If Rick Peterson could help him keep the ball in the yard, a low 4s ERA over 180 innings seems possible.  There doesn’t seem to be much downside to signing him.

Benson Stays With Phillies

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Rehabbing starter Kris Benson chose not to opt out of his contract with the Phillies; his window to do so has passed.  According to Todd Zolecki and Jim Salisbury, his contract was restructured yesterday to allow him to opt out on May 15th if he’s not on the Phils’ 40-man roster.

Benson, 33, had surgery a year ago to repair a partially torn rotator cuff.  He signed a minor league deal with the Phillies in February.

Do the Phillies have sufficient depth behind Brett Myers and Cole Hamels?  Kyle Kendrick, Jamie Moyer, and Adam Eaton have the last three slots.  J.D. and Chad Durbin are additional options.  Would it make any difference to add Claudio Vargas to this group?

Brewers Release Claudio Vargas

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According to Tom Haudricourt, the Brewers have released 29 year-old starter Claudio Vargas.  It’s a very surprising move.  The Brewers save $2.7MM with the move.  Just like that, the Brewers’ starting pitching surplus is pretty much gone.

Even if the ERAs haven’t been there, you have to credit Vargas for good peripheral stats (6.43 K/9, 3.48 BB/9 for his career).  To me he’s an affordable #4 starter with the chance to post 175 innings of 4.50 ball.  All sorts of pitching-starved clubs should be vying for his services.  Joel Sherman notes Omar Minaya’s history with Vargas.

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