International Free Agent Signings: Saturday
These signings will trickle in throughout the day, so let's keep track of the notable ones in a single post. Keep checking back in for updates.
- Baseball America's Ben Badler reports that the Padres have signed Dominican centerfielder Yoan Alcantara. ESPN's Jorge Arangure says he received a $135,000 signing bonus. Alcantara is said to be a good athlete with plus speed and a plus arm.
- Arangure tweets that the Rockies signed Dominican shortstop Rosmel Herrera for $550,000.
- Andrew Baggarly of The San Jose Mercury News says that the Giants signed righthander Marvin Barrios out of Panama to a six-figure bonus.
- Badler has another: The Rangers have signed Venezuelan shortstop Luis Sardinas. No word on the exact financial details, but he's expected to receive a singing bonus over $1MM.
- MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan reports that the Rangers have signed 16-yr old Jurickson Profar out of Curacao. Profar stared in the 2004 Little League World Series, and is a legitimate prospect both at short and on the mound.
Twins A Distant Third For Sano
ESPN's Jorge Arangure tweets that the Twins are now just a distant third behind the Pirates and Orioles in the sweepstakes for Dominican megaprospect Miguel Angel Sano. He notes that the Twins don't have unlimited funds, and instead are "simply moving on."
Earlier today we recapped everything we know about Sano, the top prospect on this year international market.
Odds & Ends: Marlins, Brewers, Wang, Mitre, Matzek
Here's some links to hold you over while waiting for the sky to start lighting up…
- Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald says the Marlins have some important decisions to make in the coming weeks, whether they plan to make a trade before the deadline or not.
- MLB.com's Adam McCalvy mentions that the Brewers have some questions of their own to answer, including what to do with the starting rotation and how to handle Mat Gamel, who hasn't played much of late.
- Chien-Ming Wang is headed for the DL after leaving today's game with a shoulder strain and bursitis, and Peter Abraham of The Journal News mentions that Sergio Mitre could be an option to replace him in the rotation. After rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and serving a 50-game suspension, Mitre has a 3.26 ERA and a 2.71 GB/FB ratio in 30.1 Triple-A innings this year.
- Wang's injury basically eliminates any chance he'll be traded by the 31st as well.
- Rockies' top pick Tyler Matzek is the first rounder most likely not to sign according to Jim Callis of Baseball America.
- Bart Hubbuch of The New York Post tweets that reliever Connor Robertson has been demoted all the way to High-A ball. Ouch. Robertson had been designated for assignment about two weeks ago.
Nationals DFA Jesus Colome
According to the Associated Press, via ESPN.com, the Nationals have designated right-handed reliever Jesus Colome for assignment.
Colome, 31, had an 8.40 ERA, 1.93 WHIP and 12/6 K/BB ratio in 15 innings of relief for the Nats this season. He allowed 29 total baserunners during his short time in Washington and will either be traded, released or outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse within the next 10 days. We're thinking he probably won't draw much interest on the trading block.
Talkin’ Miguel Angel Sano
Miguel Angel Sano, a 16-year-old shortstop from the Dominican Republic, has had his name bounced around the pages of MLBTR for weeks. We first checked in on him May 9, when he was still 15 years old and the Pirates were the only club openly talking about signing him. As far as where he'll land? We're all still in the dark. But here's what we know…
- GlobalPost worked up a nice video profile of the kid in May. That's a good place to start.
- Baseball America's Ben Badler opined that Sano would have gone in the first round of this year's draft had he been eligible.
- Major League Baseball is investigating Sano's age and identity, which is expected to delay the presentation of any formal contracts. He'll receive a one-year suspension if he's found to be lying.
- The investigation might not conclude until next week, and may never yield exact findings.
- He's in search of a signing bonus of over $3MM.
- The Twins and Pirates have made offers, contingent on the results of MLB's investigation.
- The Orioles are also thought to have serious interest and might extend an offer in the next few days.
- The Cardinals had interest at one point, but it may have fizzled out with their signing of Dominican outfielder Wagner Mateo to a $3.1MM signing bonus.
- The Yankees also had their eye on Sano in mid-June, but haven't been mentioned in rumors recently.
For MLBTR's full archive of Sano coverage, check here.
Rangers Ink Luis Sardinas
According to Baseball America's Ben Badler, the Rangers have agreed to terms with 16-year-old Venezuelan Luis Sardinas.
Sardinas, a switch-hitting shortstop, was considered one of the best defenders on the international free agent market. Badler reports he has "excellent hands" and "good range." The youngster is expected to receive a signing bonus over $1MM.
To keep tabs on the day's international signings, check MLBTR's constantly updated list. And for more information on the terms we use, there's always MLBTR's "Hot Stove Glossary."
Odds & Ends: First-Half Stars, Padres, Adams
Happy Fourth of July to all of you. Is there a more perfect day for afternoon baseball?
- D.J. Short of NBC Sports' "Circling The Bases" list his "Five Breakthrough First-Half Performers." You can probably guess a few of 'em.
- MLB.com's Corey Brock has a quote from Padres GM Kevin Towers on manager Bud Black's upcoming contract extension: "He warrants an extension. I personally feel he's done his best job this season." The Friars are 34-45, 16.5 games behind the NL West-leading Dodgers.
- Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Dinesh Patel and Rinku Singh, the Pirates' Indian-born pitchers, made their professional debuts this afternoon for Bradenton of the Gulf Coast League.
- Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star believes Russ Adams will opt for free agency on Monday. The utilityman was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Friday after batting .200/.238/.200 in 20 at-bats.
- ESPN's Peter Gammons takes note of the increasing amount of parity in the baseball world, and believes it may make for a slow trade deadline.
- Join MLBTR on Twitter for even more updates and discussions.
Discussion: What Should The Braves Do?
The NL East is baseball's tightest division, with four teams no more than two games out of first place. One of those teams is the 39-40 Atlanta Braves, who wouldn't mind adding a bat even after acquiring Nate McLouth. We've seen Javier Vazquez and Yunel Escobar mentioned as possible trade bait, both of whom could bring back a significant piece or two.
What do you guys think, should the Braves trade for a big bat (Matt Holliday?) and try to make a run for the division crown, or should they sit back and try to compete with what they have while looking towards the future?
Rizzo Has No Plans For A Firesale
Chico Harlan of The Washington Post spoke to Nationals acting GM Mike Rizzo today, who says "he feels no obligation to conduct a firesale," playing down the possibility of a major shakeup before the trade deadline.
"A big transition period? I don't think that," Rizzo said. "We'll make deals based on good baseballs decision. 'Firesale' means you want to dump people. We don't want to dump people."
Regarding first baseman Nick Johnson, the subject of many a trade rumor:
"Nick is probably the one with the most trade rumors, but we're not looking to move him. We'll only move him if we have the right opportunity. I don't want to put names as to who's most likely [to be traded], because we don't really know." Rizzo chuckled. "You know, I didn't know [Lastings] Milledge was the most likely."
The Nats are a major league worst 22-55 coming in to play today, a full six games back in the loss column of the next worst team, but they have several interesting trade pieces in Johnson, Adam Dunn, Joe Beimel and Cristian Guzman, among others.
Olney’s Latest: Atlanta’s Potential Trade Partners
ESPN.com's Buster Olney chimes in with some players and teams that could matchup in a trade with the Braves, who could dangle Javier Vazquez and/or Yunel Escobar as bait. Most of the rumors are just Olney's own speculation, but let's round 'em up anyway.
- The Red Sox have liked Escobar for a while, but don't match up very well for a trade.
- Olney mentions that Jacoby Ellsbury might be the only fit since JD Drew is owed a ton of money and Jason Bay will be a free agent after the year, but that wouldn't work for Boston since they would then need to find another centerfielder.
- Olney speculates that the Red Sox could use their young pitching to engage a third team in a trade, mentioning that Matt LaPorta, Shin-Soo Choo and Corey Hart could be a good fit.
- Boston could eat some of the money left on Julio Lugo's deal to give Atlanta a stop-gap shortstop should they deal Escobar.
- The Red Sox are not interested in Jeff Francoeur.
- If Milwaukee and Atlanta discussed a Vazquez-Hart swap, the Brewers would likely have to kick in another piece.
- The Twins could offer one of their many outfielders in exchange for Escobar. Delmon Young might not be enough to entice the Braves, but Michael Cuddyer or Denard Span could be.
- The Dodgers would love to add Vazquez to their rotation, but Juan Pierre probably wouldn't be enough given his lack of power.
- The A's could package Matt Holliday and Orlando Cabrera, both free agents after the season, for Escobar, who would step in as Oakland's shortstop of the future.