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Archives for June 2009

Marlins Have No Interest In Glavine

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According to Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun-Sentinel, the Marlins are at budget, and therefore have no interest in adding Tom Glavine to the rotation mix.

Instead, Florida will look to solve its rotation issues from within, starting with a promotion to the majors for Ricky Nolasco.

Money aside, can you blame Florida? Nolasco is 26, and pitched 212 1/3 innings of 3.52 ERA baseball last season. Tom Glavine is 43, and pitched 63 1/3 innings with a 5.54 ERA last season.

Sure seems like Nolasco is the better bet, regardless of money.

Valverde Closer To Return; Hawkins Expendable?

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With the news Friday that Jose Valverde pitched in a simulated game, pain-free, the Astros should be getting their closer back soon. He's set to begin a minor-league rehab assignment next week.

That means that LaTroy Howkins, who has been terrific for Houston this year, will return to a non-closer role for the Astros. He's certainly excelled in the role, with a 2.38 ERA, seven saves and 22 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings.

With the Astros looking up at everyone, even the Pirates, in the NL Central, does it make sense for Houston to hold onto Hawkins if a contender comes calling? Hawkins makes $3.5MM this season, and if the Astros can turn him into a prospect or two, it is hard to imagine that they won't.

Are Indians About To Become Sellers?

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According to MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince, the Indians may be coming to the conclusion that 2009 just isn't their year. Writes Castrovince, "As much as the Indians have been through this season, they entered tonight a reasonable seven games back in the AL Central. But when you factor in the injuries, the inconsistencies and the general snake-bitten nature of this club, it's hard to imagine a comeback."

But it isn't Castrovince that will make this call, it's GM Mark Shapiro. And he seems to be coming to the same conclusion. As Castrovince puts it, "I got the sense that he's coming around to that concept, too. He didn't repeat the mantra that the Indians are 'one good week away' from being back in contention. Rather, with regard to the still-developing trade market, he said the Tribe is 'one the sideline' right now, 'keeping a pulse' of what's going on. Stay tuned."

With obvious targets like Mark DeRosa, not to mention potentially highly-sought Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee, many teams are hoping Cleveland loses ground over the next week or two, forcing Shapiro's hand.

Who Goes In A Pittsburgh Firesale?

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With Nate McLouth now playing in Atlanta, a number of still-Pirates vented about the decision. Coincidentally, the two players quoted, Freddy Sanchez and Adam LaRoche, are likely to be prime targets for Pittsburgh to deal.

Sanchez is a middle infielder having a typical Freddy Sanchez season: .321/.359/.488, with below-average defense at second base. A number of teams should be interested in Sanchez, and in his age-31 season, Sanchez isn't likely to be part of the next great Pirates' team. He's scheduled to make $6.1MM in 2009, with an $8MM option for 2010 that vests if he reaches 635 plate appearances.

As for LaRoche, a 29-year-old who can hit pretty well and play first base, he's also likely to be shown the door. LaRoche is making $7.05MM in 2009, and teams that acquire him have the advantage of getting the second-half LaRoche. LaRoche is a career .776 OPS hitter in the first half, but .907 OPS in the second half.

While he didn't vent in the linked article, Jack Wilson could also be on the move. Not only does he make $7.25MM, he's also in his age-31 season. However, his .264/.291/.380 line — even with solid defense at shortstop — means the haul Pittsburgh gets for Wilson could be limited.

A Penny For Phillies’ Staff?

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MLB.com's Todd Zolecki is reporting that the Phillies have been following Boston's Brad Penny, and have been told the price for Penny is Jason Donald. Buster Olney had reported this as well.

Donald has struggled early, but it is hard to believe the Phillies would make such a deal. If they see the guy who pitched 208 innings of 3.03 ERA baseball for the Dodgers in 2007, maybe. But Penny is at 6.04 ERA in 149 innings ever since, and it is hard to see Penny as enough of an upgrade to warrant dealing one of your best middle infield prospects.

Zolecki also reports that the Phils don't seem to view Tom Glavine or Vicente Padilla as options. Hard to believe the Phils would take on another Jamie Moyer-like pitcher in Glavine, or deal for a pitcher, Padilla, they dealt away for very little a few years ago.

Realistically, none of these pitchers is likely to pitch better than Antonio Bastardo, who was dominant at Double-A Reading.

Are Mets Too Injured To Deal?

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It is a given that with the news today that J.J. Putz will miss upwards of the next three months, Jose Reyes out an undetermined length of time, and Carlos Delgado still far from resuming baseball activity, that the Mets will be at the center of any number of rumors. But what is unclear at this point is just how New York can make deals, with the depth an organization would trade now missing from the Mets.

After all, it was assumed that any deal the Mets would make for either Nick Johnson of the Nationals or Aubrey Huff of the Orioles would include hard-throwing Bobby Parnell. That's right, the same Bobby Parnell who is taking over the eighth inning for Putz. He's no longer an extra arm.

The same is true of minor-league shortstop Ruben Tejeda, batting .281/.381/.377 as a 19-year-old at Double-A. The Mets can't afford to deal him, with Reyes, Ramon Martinez and Argenis Reyes all on the shelf. He's next in line to play shortstop.

So who would go? Jonathon Niese and his 8.05 Triple-A ERA? Nick Evans, hitting .200 at Double-A Binghamton after an .093 start at Triple-A Buffalo got him demoted? The Mets have holes, but they may have an even harder time cobbling together a package to fix those holes.

Draft Updates: Red Sox, Rays, Angels, Phillies

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Here's what five of last year's playoff teams plan to do with their draft choices…

  • MLB.com's Ian Browne says the Red Sox are happy to be selecting 28th because it means they were successful in the majors last year.
  • Like the Red Sox, the Rays pick late, but they're not used to it, having had the first overall pick the last two years. As MLB.com's Bill Chastain reports the Rays are considering 15 or 20 players with their 30th pick and there's some speculation they could go for a catcher.
  • The Cubs are focusing on doing well deep into the draft according to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat. Their first pick will be the 31st overall.
  • The Phillies' first pick will come after 74 players have already been selected. MLB.com's Todd Zolecki reports that they'd like to add more bats and left-handed pitching.
  • The Angels, on the other hand, have five of the first 48 picks. MLB.com's Lyle Spencer says they'd like to add some power at the corner infield and outfield positions. They're one of many teams interested in high school outfielder Everett Williams.

  And some buzz surrounding the nation's top amateur players…

  • ESPN.com's Jason A. Churchill hears that the Mariners may be intimidated by the demands Scott Boras will likely make for his client, Dustin Ackley. He's considered the best college hitter in the draft, but the Mariners are apparently not willing to offer more than $6MM to sign him. Aaron Crow could be an alternative for the Mariners.
  • ESPN.com's Keith Law believes it would be a mistake for the Padres to take Mike Minor with the third pick. Check the article out for more updates on some top talent.
  • In a separate piece Law tracks the improvements some players- Stephen Strasburg, for one- make between high school and college.

Free Agency And Qualifying Offers

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Here's another one for the MLBTR Glossary…

Once a player has six years of service time, he can become a free agent as long as he isn't under contract for the next season. This gives him the right to negotiate a contract with any team. Players don't typically become free agents until they've served six years in the majors, but some hit free agency earlier if they're released or if their teams choose not to offer them contracts. Here's the timeline for players who hit free agency after collecting six years service time. 

  • Eligible players become free agents at 8am central time on the day following the day that the last game of the World Series had started.
  • From that point up until 10:59pm central time on the fifth day following the World Series, known as the Quiet Period, teams and free agents or their representatives may discuss interest, potential role, the advantages and disadvantages of playing for that team, the length of the contract, guarantee provisions, and no-trade provisions.  During this period, players may not negotiate terms or contract with new teams, but they may negotiate with their former team.
  • The last day of the Quiet Period at 4pm central time is the deadline for teams to make Qualifying Offers to free agents.  A Qualifying Offer is a one-year contract equal to the average salary of the 125 highest-paid players for the prior season.  For 2014, that amount is $14.1MM.  One loophole: any player traded during the season is not eligible for a Qualifying Offer.  Therefore, it is greatly to a player's advantage to be traded during his contract year.
  • A qualified free agent has until 4pm central time on the seventh day following the conclusion of the Quiet Period to accept a Qualifying Offer, which no response counted as a rejection.  Should a player accept, he is a signed player for the upcoming season.  No player has yet to accept in the two years the Qualifying Offer system has been in place.  There is no limit to the number of Qualifying Offers a player may receive in his career.
  • For any player who declined a Qualifying Offer and signed a Major League contract with another club prior to the next Rule 4 draft, the former clubs receive an amateur draft choice in the reverse order of their won-lost percentage in the recently completed season, with the selections beginning immediately following the last regular selection in the first round of Rule 4 Draft.  If a Club is entitled to more than one Special Draft Choice, its selections will be slotted in succession. If two or more Clubs are tied, the Clubs shall select in the reverse order of their winning percentages in the season prior to the recently completed season, with any remaining ties to be resolved based on preceding season winning percentages.
  • Any team that signs a Qualified free agent from another team must forfeit its highest available pick in the next Rule 4 draft, with the first ten picks protected as well as those acquired for the failure to sign a player the previous year.  If a team signs more than one Qualified free agent, it must forfeit its highest remaining pick each time.  Forfeiting a pick requires giving up the associated draft pool money as well.  Picks obtained through assignments and in the competitive balance and forfeited draft pick lotteries are subject to forfeiture.
  • Teams and players may not enter into any agreement, understanding, or contract, or make any kind of promise not to make or accept a Qualifying Offer.
  • Any player who signed a free agent contract may not be traded until June 15th without his consent.

Tim Dierkes contributed to this post, which draws heavily upon the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Mets Claim Pat Misch Off Waivers

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According to Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News, the Mets claimed Pat Misch off waivers from the Giants and assigned him to Triple A Buffalo. Misch, 27, struggled in four games for the Giants this year. He's starting in the minors, but could provide relief at the major league level for a team that just lost J.J. Putz for eight to ten weeks.

Padilla Clears Waivers

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Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Vicente Padilla has cleared waivers. This comes as a surprise to no one, as Padilla still has roughly $8MM remaining on his contract for this year alone. Wilson wonders if Padilla will pitch better now that he knows none of the 29 other teams want to pick him up if they have to pay his salary. He'll be a free agent if the Rangers buy out his option after the season, so Padilla can use the next four months to rebuild his value.

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