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Archives for May 2008

Odds And Ends: Reyes, Colon, Indians, Nationals

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A few notes from the MLBiverse…

  • Anthony Reyes, who has been the object of much trade speculation, made his first start at AAA on Friday night. Reyes pitched 3+ scoreless innings with a strict pitch-count. The Cardinals appear to be reconverting Reyes into a starter in the hopes of increasing his value for potential trade partners.
  • Jim Bowden hinted that he may implement a full-fledged youth movement in the near future, noting that a number of top prospects are close to being ready. Specifically, he mentioned two outfielders which would likely mean that Bowden will seek to move Austin Kearns and/or Wily Mo Pena. Kearns is due $8MM next year and there is a $10MM option for 2010 ($1M buyout). Pena may be easier to move with only a $5MM team option for 2009.
  • Justice B. Hill suggests that the Indians are now paying the price for their inability to swing a deal this past offseason for another offensive weapon at one of the corner outfield spots or third base. The timing of the story was unfortunate as the Tribe laid a 12-spot on the Jays last night.
  • The Red Sox do not have a need for a starting pitcher at this point, but they may soon have one too many arms for the rotation if Bartolo Colon continues to progress. Colon allowed one run in three innings, touching 97 on the radar gun. The obvious move would be to move somebody to the bullpen, but if somebody does go down with an injury, Colon’s availability likely means that the Red Sox will not be in the market for an extra arm down the stretch.

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.

Red Sox Send Corey To Padres

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This morning, Tom Krasovic noted that the Padres were close to acquiring a relief pitcher. That deal has now been finalized with the Pads obtaining Bryan Corey from the Red Sox for either cash or a player to be named later.

Corey, a right-hander who made seven appearances for the Sox this season, was DFA’d on April 30. He cleared waivers and accepted a demotion to AAA.

This is Corey’s second stint in the Padres organization. Corey, 34, has appeared in parts of five seasons with four different major league teams.

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.

Rich Harden Back From DL; Back On Market?

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Rich Harden has been activated from the DL and will make his third start of the season today. John Shea says that the A’s are hoping Harden will stay healthy, as the A’s are better team with him. Billy Beane may be hoping for Harden to stay healthy for an entriely different reason. Before His latest trip to the DL, it was believed that the A’s were marketing the right-hander that has not made more than nine starts since 2005.

After making two strong starts at the beginning of the season, Bruce Jenkins suggested that Harden needed about six strong and healthy starts before other teams would become interested. After the latest setback, that number is probably higher now. Troy E. Renck noted that it would probably take a healthy month before the Rockies would be interested.

Harden is to make $4.5MM this year and the team has a $7MM option for 2009. Harden is scheduled to become a free agent following the 2009 season.

It will be interesting to see if teams show enough interest in a talented pitcher that has made six trips to the DL in six seasons, or if the A’s will be willing to lower their asking price.

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here .

Rosenthal’s Full Count: Bonds, Webb, Hanley

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Let’s hit up Ken Rosenthal’s latest Full Count video:

  • Rosenthal thinks the Tigers should sign Barry Bonds.  Sure, Detroit already has too many DHs, and Bonds wouldn’t help their need for improved defense and speed, but they absolutely need another lefthanded bat.  Rosenthal points out that the team is 11-20 in games started by RHP.  As for the fear of a clubhouse problem, Gary Sheffield – who has feuded with Bonds in the past – has no problem and I would presume that the other players, particularly veterans, on the Tigers would echo that sentiment.
  • The 3-year contract extension for Brandon Webb does not have "a lot of momentum."  Like Jake Peavy last year, Webb is looking for around 3 years, 52 million despite being 2 years older than Peavy.
  • KR loves the Hanley deal.  It keeps them from having to deal another player before his contract becomes too expensive and that there shouldn’t be any concern for Hanley’s production to drop off.

By Nat Boyle

Odds & Ends: Padres, Maddux, Anthony Reyes

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A few Odds & Ends with a San Diego focus:

  • Tom Krasovic of the Union Tribune notes that the Padres are close to completing a trade for a reliever with "good stuff" according to Kevin Towers.  It does not say who it is, but it should be someone better than LHPs Joe Thatcher, who would be sent down, and Glendon Rusch, who was just outrighted yesterday.  Rusch has 3 days to accept his assignment.  He most likely will as he signed a minor league deal after missing all of ’07.  Stay tuned to see who the Padres acquire.  Any guesses?
  • "If [Anthony] Reyes enjoys success as a major-league pitcher, it will likely occur elsewhere," writes Joe Stauss of the St. Louis Dispatch.  This is old news – two years old actually, if you go back to a March ’06 MLBTR post.  We’re just waiting for Cards GM John Mozeliak to lower his price…
  • Tim Sullivan brings us a quote from Jake Peavy, "He can help somebody. It sucks that this is probably the last year of his career and he’s got to sit here and be a part of this and have (this be) the last thing he remembers in baseball — if this thing doesn’t turn."  Sullivan seems to think he could net a couple prospects in a trade, which seems reasonable.  Maddux can certainly reel in some ticket sales, if nothing else – I would love to watch the Professor cap off his legend with my team.

By Nat Boyle

On The Hot Seat: Giambi, Hafner, Sexson, Timlin

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I love lists, and here’s one from Peter Abraham at The Journal News that details who he thinks is in the hot seat.  In other words, who might be traded or released if current trends continue.  There are a number of managers and GMs on the list, but we like to focus on players here.  I’m going to go through the list and take stabs-in-the-dark whether a player is likely to be dealt or if they’re just fluff for Mr. Abraham’s article – and then we can discuss in the comments.

Jason Giambi – An announcer this year said that Giambi’s defensive range extended from his right knee to his left knee.  As a fielder, he’s decent with no range; however, as a hitter Giambi has never been considered a slow starter, as Abraham notes he is a career .281 hitter in April.  Still, like Carlos Delgado, Giambi has shown some recent spurts of life in his bat, and he does have 7 HR (one shy of the league leading 8) and 20 RBI.  PECOTA projects .230-24-73 with a .362 OBP.  If he can bring his average up, he’ll be roughly on target for that projection.  If he can’t, Abraham thinks the Yankees "might as well give someone else a chance."  So far, Joe Girardi’s been supportive and patient calling the slump a product of bad luck.  Prediction: Staying put.

Travis Hafner – Abraham sees .256 with 27 HR in almost 700 ABs and wonders if the Indians would rather trade him to a team who believes he can turn it around than risk eating the remaining $56MM on Hafner’s contract.  At 31, Hafner is an oddity.  Last year the slumping behemoth of a man saw his power drop by almost 20 HR.  He’s currently continuing that trend with his OPS at a mere 640 and w/o a homerun since April 17 (!).  During an ESPN game, they were discussing how his timing – particularly with his front foot-plant – is off making it hard for him to get ahead of pitches.  So his problem seems both perceptual and mechanical – but why can’t Pronk seem to correct this?  I’d be worried because his contract is slowly going from bothersome to disastrous.  PECOTA is not a believer, projecting .275-28-98 – hardly a rebound.  He’s making $6.3MM this year and is on the books for another $70MM until 2013 (with a $2.75MM buyout in his last year).  Is there a batting coach out there on a big-market team that can fix this?  Wouldn’t count on it.  Prediction: Staying put.

Richie Sexson – In the Year of the Slumping First Basemen, Richie Sexson is not at all unlike Giambi or Delgado.  Abraham pulls no punches with Richie, calling him "one of the worst hitters in baseball during the last two seasons and shows no signs of coming around."  He’s making $14MM this year, owed approx. $11.2MM more, and then he’s surely done in Seattle.  I agree with Abraham that $11.2MM will "buy him another month or two" but the Mariners have options and I’d expect them to explore them by trading Sexson and eating some of the contract – maybe sooner rather than later as cutting your losses is (almost) acceptable practice this season.  Sexson has never been the hitter Delgado, Giambi, or Hafner have been and has been intolerably bad for just too long.  Prediction: Shipping off.

Mike Timlin – Making $3MM this year, Abraham notes Timlin has allowed 9 runs in 7 1/3 IP and with a small contract would be an easy piece to move.  But I ask why?  Relief pitching is a commodity, and Timlin – known to the Red Sox as the captain of the bullpen – brings to the team a fair deal of intangible value, particularly as they integrate Craig Hansen and Justin Masterson into their relief corps.  7.1 IP is hardly a sample worth examining as he’s basically still in spring-training-form.  Last year he had a 3.42 ERA in 50 IP and while he’s not the 2.24 ERA Timlin that saved 13 games when Keith Foulke went down, he’s serviceable.  If he fails to progress and becomes a liability then maybe the Red Sox will move him from mop up duty to another team.  Still, I doubt it.  Prediction: Staying put.

Let’s hear your thoughts.  Who did Abraham forget?  Who disagrees?

By Nat Boyle

Thoughts On Hanley’s Deal

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Tim here.  I thought I’d weigh in on Hanley Ramirez’s six-year, $70MM contract.  I’ve seen the $11.66MM average annual value tossed around, but I don’t think that figure helps us evaluate it. It’s not as if this is a free agent contract.

As far as I can tell, Ramirez’s contract starts with the 2009 season.  That would mean it buys out all three arbitration years plus another three free agent years.  What did Hanley stand to make in his arb years?  Miguel Cabrera will have been paid $33.7MM for that chunk of his career.  Given that Ryan Howard received 35% more than Cabrera did for his first arb year, it’s possible that Hanley would’ve earned $45MM for his three arb years.

Under that assumption, there’s only $25MM left to cover the three free agency years.  That’s just $8.3MM a year for 2012-14!  Ramirez figures to be worth at least three times that salary, regardless of his defense or position.  Aside from his superstar performance, Ramirez has been very durable and has shown no ill effects from October shoulder surgery.  As if this deal wasn’t team friendly enough, it appears to lack any no-trade provisions.  This contract seems so favorable to the Marlins that they would’ve had to sign it regardless of their stadium situation.  Of course, nothing has been officially announced yet.

Odds And Ends: Benitez, David Wells, Delgado

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And for my first trick: My very first Odds and Ends.

  • The Toronto Star’s aptly named Blue Jays blog reports the team placed Vernon Wells on the 15-day DL, and they expect him to be out six to eight weeks after fracturing his left wrist during Friday night’s game. The Jay’s also placed reliever Jeremy Accardo on the 15-day DL with a strained right forearm. As replacements, the Jays will call up infielder Joe Inglett and veteran hurler Armando Benitez. With Wells out, do the Jays re-enter the Barry Bonds speculation market?
  • David Wells in Pinstripes? No deal says Joe Girardi. Wells did look comfy during a recent appearance on the not-aptly-called Best Damn Sports Show Period.
  • Mets manager Willie Randolph had penciled slugger Carlos Delgado in the seventh spot before Friday’s game against the Reds (postponed due to rain), marking the lowest spot he’s been slotted at in 12 years. Delgado didn’t see it as a demotion, but still, in light of the recent talk about his release, it raises eyebrows. For the record, Delgado is 6-20 in the last six games, with two doubles, a home run, and four RBI.

When not being a bitter nostalgic journalist, Alejandro Leal writes for UmpBump.com

With Ramirez Inked, Marlins Looking At Jacque Jones

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On the verge of signing (some say signed) shortstop Hanley Ramirez to a six year, $70MM deal, the Marlins are not standing pat.

Citing three team sources, MLB.com beat writer Joe Frisaro says the Marlins remain interested in Jacque Jones, who was released by the Tigers on Monday. And a "high-ranking team source" told Frisaro the Marlins will entertain moves to upgrade if the team continues its strong start.

If the Fish do sign Jones, the Marlins could shift Alfredo Amezaga to the infield (at least as a backup). Jones could also serve as a leadoff man now that Ramirez has been dropped to the third slot in the batting order.

Say what you will about their "fire sales," the Marlins have been active on the trade front in years past, acquiring via trade key players (Ugueth Urbina, Jeff Conine) that had instrumental roles during their last World Series championship.

When not taking final exams, Alejandro Leal writes for UmpBump.com

Isringhausen Wants a Break

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The Post-Dispatch’s Joe Strauss today reports that there is growing concern about the work of closer Jason Isringhausen, who has already blown five save chances this year. After his most recent blow-up, Izzy said he is sick of embarrassing himself and hurting the team. He suggested a meeting today with manager Tony La Russa, pitching coach Dave Duncan and general manager John Mozeliak to find at least a temporary alternative to using him in the ninth inning.

In the short term, Ryan Franklin or Randy Flores could be called on to close games for the Cards, though neither pitcher strikes out many batters. Ron Villone currently has an ERA under 1.00 and is averaging almost one strikeout per inning, but the last time he finished a season with an ERA under 4.00 was 1997. Still, he might prove a capable option while Izzy works to get his groove back.

If Isringhausen can’t correct his mechanics, St. Louis could be in the market for a closer come July. Closers who could be available include George Sherrill, Matt Capps, Chad Cordero and Huston Street (who has had his own struggles of late). Joakim Soria seems a logical trade candidate, though there is talk he could be converted to a starter.

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com.  You can contact him here.

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