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Archives for August 2009

Odds & Ends: Bannister, Padres, Giants

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A few more links before we call it a night…

Elias Rankings

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At the end of each season, The Elias Sports Bureau ranks all MLB players numerically based on a bunch of stats.  Every player is categorized in one of five position groups and by league.  The rankings cover a two-year time period.  They are used to determine whether free agents are Type A, Type B, or neither.  If you'd like a reminder on how draft pick compensation works, read up here.

Eddie Bajek of Detroit Tigers Thoughts reverse-engineered the Elias Rankings last year.  Eddie's incredible work was made possible in large part due to information provided by ESPN's Keith Law.  Eddie is now providing the rankings exclusively to MLB Trade Rumors.  Today's snapshot covers the beginning of the 2008 season through July of 2009.  The rankings will obviously change over the next two months.  Keep in mind that if players change leagues, they are ranked in their new league.  New Yankee Jerry Hairston Jr. is a Type B in the AL, while Adam LaRoche falls just short of B back in the NL.

Click here to see the latest Elias Rankings.

Brewers Sign Corey Patterson

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MLB.com's Adam McCalvy tweets that the Brewers have signed outfielder Corey Patterson to a minor league deal, assigning him to Triple-A Nashville. The 29-yr old Patterson hit .133-.133-.133 in 15 plate appearances with the Nationals earlier in the year, but spent most of the season in Triple-A. Washington released him last week.

The Yankees had also expressed interest in signing Patterson.

Discussion: Which Players Could Be Trade Targets In August?

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The trade deadline came with went with much excitement and fanfare, but if you're an MLBTR reader you know that the trading doesn't stop there. You can read all about how post-deadline waiver wire trades go down here, but long story short is that player can still be traded if they clear waivers or are claimed.

Last year we saw the likes of Adam Dunn, Greg Maddux, and Matt Stairs (among others) dealt after the deadline, and we're wondering who you think are some players that could be moved this year. Here's a list of players who were on the market but not moved, but that is just a jumping of point. Let us know what you think in comments.

Odds & Ends: More Deadline Reactions

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A few more links in the aftermath of the trade deadline…

  • MLB.com's Bill Ladson says that Nationals interm GM Mike Rizzo "didn't have a choice but to trade Nick Johnson because the latter did not want to negotiate an extension with the Nationals." Johnson is looking for a two year deal according to Ladson.
  • ESPN's Keith Law ranks the prospects traded at this year's deadline. Brett Wallace, acquired by Oakland in the Matt Holliday deal, tops the list.
  • John Sickels of Minor League Ball chimes in with his thoughts on all of this year's deadline trades.
  • The Padres signed sixth rounder James Needy to a $298K bonus according to Baseball America's Jim Callis. Needy is just the second player this year to sign a deal worth more than $100K over MLB's slot recommendation.
  • As exciting as yesterday was, Ryo at NPB Tracker tells us that the trade deadline in Japan went by rather quietly. There has been exactly one trade made all year in Nippon Professional Baseball, and it involved just two players filling supporting roles. Where's the fun in that?

Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Yankees, Dodgers, Pirates

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The tireless Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com has a new Full Count video up. Let's dive in…

  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman told Rosenthal that he was "very aggressive" going after pitching help, whether it be high-end starters, low-end starters, or relievers. "I was on all of it," Cashman said.
  • Cashman specifically targeted Jarrod Washburn, but the Mariners asked for top prospect Austin Jackson in return. The Yankees were also "one of several clubs" to inquire about Felix Hernandez.
  • Rosenthal says Heath Bell was their primary target among relievers, as the idea was to make him the primary setup man for Mariano Rivera, and possibly put Phil Hughes or Alfredo Aceves back into the rotation.
  • The Dodgers "never got close" in their attempted blockbuster for Adrian Gonzalez and Bell. The deal would have helped Los Angeles' rotation by shortening the game from the back end with another elite reliever.
  • They still have issues in the rotation however, as Jason Schmidt topped out at 87 last night. Only two National League clubs have gotten fewer innings out of their starters than the Dodgers.
  • We won't know the true result of the Pirates' firesale until 2011 or 2012, but the early returns on the Jason Bay trade are not good. Rosenthal says the Rays may have been willing to pay more for Bay at the time, possibly including the since-traded Jason Hammel and/or Edwin Jackson in a package.
  • Hitters and relievers will be in "ample supply" during the August waiver period, but quality starting pitchers … not so much. Doug Davis might be one of the best available starters, and the Diamondbacks will need to be realistic about a return since they are unlikely to offer him arbitration after the year.
  • There was "precious little action" on Davis in July. When Rosenthal mentioned to a club official that the offers for Davis might not be much better in August, the official responded "they can't be much worse."

Odds & Ends: Peavy, Pirates, Deadline

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A couple more links for your Saturday evening enjoyment…

  • The White Sox introduced Jake Peavy at a press conference this afternoon and Scott Gregor of the Arlington Heights Daily Herald grabbed a few quotes. "I’ve never been more happy to be in a place where they’re committed to winning," said the former San Diego ace.
  • Evan Grant of Dallas Magazine breaks down the "winners" and "losers" from this season's non-waiver trade deadline, going beyond simply naming teams.  Check it out.
  • According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates have suspended highly-touted pitching prospect Bryan Morris indefinitely for displaying "unprofessionalism" during his Thursday start for Single-A Lynchburg.
  • The trade deadline has passed, but we here at MLBTR are not slowing down. Keep in mind the August draft-pick signing (August 17) and waiver (August 31) deadlines. And if you haven't already, check us out on Twitter.

Odds & Ends: King Felix, Matusz, Johnson

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A hearty batch of links for your Saturday afternoon viewing pleasure…

  • Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times takes a deeper look at the Felix Herandez-Red Sox talks that took place just before the trade deadline yesterday.  It seems like a sensitive subject for most Mariners fans.
  • According to Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun, the Orioles are having a "vigorous debate" about calling up pitching prospect Brian Matusz.  "The service time issue also is largely moot," Schmuck writes, "because no matter how much time he spends up here this year, he's still under reserve for another six."
  • Matthew Pouliot of NBCSports.com's "Circling The Bases," reviews the trade deadline's winners and losers.
  • Bill Ladson of MLB.com reports that Nick Johnson did not want to discuss an extension with the Nationals, thus the trade, and is hoping for a two-year deal when he becomes a free agent this offseason.
  • MLB.com's Corey Brock, a Padres beat writer, has more on the impending release of Mark Prior.

Rays Sign Jeff Bennett

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2:41pm: We have a little more clarity on this situation. According to Dave O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Braves suspended Bennett's pay on June 25, the day after he fractured his hand with an angry punch to a clubhouse wall.  Here's more:

"The Braves didn’t announce it at the time, but they suspended his pay beginning June 25.  He filed a grievance with the players association and continued his rehab, including two recent minor-league appearances," O'Brien writes.

"When the grievance was heard, the Braves were directed to either “cure the default” by giving him his back pay for the period he was suspended, or allow him to become a free agent. Braves media-relations director Brad Hainje said Bennett requested the team release him from his contract, which they did."

1:04pm: Marc Lancaster of the Tampa Tribune reports minor league left-hander James Houser was released to make room for Bennett on the 40-man roster.  Houser, 24, was 4-5 this season with a 5.16 ERA and a 44/50 K/BB ratio in 18 appearances (15 starts) for Triple-A Durham.

12:31pm: According to Ed Price at AOL Fanhouse, the Rays have inked righty Jeff Bennett to a deal. Bennett, 29, had recently asked for his release from the Braves, though it was unclear why. He put up a 3.18 ERA and 23/21 K/BB ratio for Atlanta this season.

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