Mariners DFA Denny Stark
Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times notes that the Mariners designated veteran reliever Denny Stark for assignment today to free up a roster spot for catcher Jamie Burke. Stark allowed 23 baserunners in just 11 innings for Seattle, leading to his 6.55 ERA. It was his first big league action since 2004.
Braves Sign Jon Huber
According to a release by the Lancaster Barn Stormers, the Braves have signed righthanded reliever Jon Huber to a minor league deal. Huber had been pitching for Lancaster in the independent Atlantic League this season, where he had a 3.63 ERA and a 10.08 K/9 in 22.1 innings. He has a 2.57 ERA in 28 big league innings, all coming with the Mariners back in 2006 and 2007. The Braves assigned him to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Indians Uncertain About Trade Status
As MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince reports, GM Mark Shapiro and the Indians still haven't decided if they are going to start pawning off their movable pieces for players that can help the team next year and beyond.
"We're on the sidelines right now," Shapiro said. "We're keeping a pulse of the market and not making a decision in either direction."
The Tribe were 24-34 and seven games back in the AL Central coming into today's action, but currently have eight players on the disabled list. Starters Cliff Lee and the resurgent Carl Pavano figure to draw significant interest from contending teams, ditto catcher Victor Martinez. We've certainly heard plenty of rumors about infielder Mark DeRosa already.
With no reason to move players sooner rather than later, the Indians can afford to sit back and see how things play out once they get healthy. They are just one hot week from being right back in thick of things in a winnable division after all.
Odds & Ends: Hart, Bedard, Hanson, Draft
Some bullet points from around the internet:
- Via Twitter, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (@haudricourt) wrote, "Talked to a baseball official who said the Brewers have indicated RF Corey Hart is not available, so forget any trade rumors involving him."
- In response to his name swirling around the rumor mills, Erik Bedard is speaking in clichés, saying in a piece by MLB.com's Jim Street, "I don't really pay much attention to it" and "I love Seattle. You can't complain with this city, the fans, the stadium, the new coaches we've got, the players … it's a lot of fun. I love it here, so if it [contract extension] does happen, I'd be happy."
- Tommy Hanson has been called up to make his Major League debut today against Milwaukee, says the Miami Herald. Casey Kotchman was placed on the 15-day DL with a strained right calf to make space for Hanson.
- The Washington Post reports Nats GM Mike Rizzo says the team is "not drafting on signability whatsoever." Instead, the Nats will take, according to the Post, "the highest-remaining player on their board. That simple."
- According to Keith Law, high schooler and lefty "Matt Purke is looking for 'Rick Porcello's deal' in the upcoming draft, according to industry sources." Law notes Porcello received $7.285MM in guranteed money, including a $3.58MM signing bonus, a record for a high school pitcher previously held by Josh Beckett.
- Law also ranks the best tools in the '09 draft.
Huntington On Draft
Pirates GM Neal Huntington answered fan questions about his draft procedure and approach on MLB.com today. It's a decent read. Said Huntington in one response,
Huntington added that this years draft class "is not nearly as strong" as last year, with less "premium talent", which Huntington explains are "present and future abilities to allow evaluators to project them to develop into All-Star caliber players."
Huntingon also added that what happened with Pedro Alvarez won't dissuade them from pursuing Scott Boras' clients.
Atkins Could Lose Playing Time, Trade Value?
What to do with Garrett Atkins? The cleanup hitter for the Rockies has not been cleaning up, hitting .190 with only 5 homeruns and a mere .579 OPS. He's seen his slugging percentage decline each year since 2006.
Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post says the Rockies have five players for four infield spots and Atkins is likely to be the odd man out. If he can produce at the plate, the Rockies will play him with hopes that he'll regain significant trade value. If he can't, will the Rockies want to use him off the bench? Atkins does have minor league options remaining.
Atkins recently changed contact lenses and has seen recent improvement (albeit in a small sample size), hitting 2 of his 5 homeruns on June 4. Yesterday, Renck wrote, "Atkins has three hits in the past two games, emerging from his offensive coma. The Cardinals are seeking a third a baseman, but like all suitors, are waiting to see if Atkins consistently regains his swing." Atkins is making $7.05MM this season.
What would you do? Choose your own adventure: Send Atkins down to hope he regains his swing in Triple A? Shop him at his current value? Wait until the trade deadline to see if Atkins can demonstrate his power potential?
Price’s Latest: Draft, Red Sox, Astros, Giants
Ed Price of MLB FanHouse has a new article up, with notes on the draft and around the Majors.
- Price writes, "'The bottom line is there is a consensus,' said an industry source who monitors the draft closely, 'and that consensus is: There's no consensus after [Stephen] Strasburg.' The source said he has counted 63 players who could be taken in the 32 choices of the first round."
- Price also gives us an industry insiders "educated guess on the top five: Strasburg to Washington, [North Carolina's Dustin] Ackley to Seattle, Vanderbilt lefty Mike Minor to San Diego, former Missouri right-hander Aaron Crow to Pittsburgh and Georgia high-school right-hander Zack Wheeler to Baltimore."
- Due to free-agent compensation picks and "the rule that gives a team that fails to sign a high choice a corresponding pick the next year", the White Sox have 3 of the first 61 picks. Arizona has 7 of the first 64. Colorado has 3 of the first 34. The Angels have 5 of the first 48.
- The Mets first pick is 72nd overall. The Phillies first is 75th.
- The first three rounds of the draft are this Tuesday, with the first round on MLB Network.
- The Astros are not in "dump mode," says Price. Quoting a person familiar with Drayton McLane, "'His track record is when everybody says you should dismantle [he doesn't]," the person said. 'He's been so lucky.'"
- With Jed Lowrie returning and the ballclub winning, the Red Sox are not looking to add a bat and instead can wait to see if David Ortiz improves.
- The Giants want a bat, but they won't give up premium young pitching.
Vizquel Willing To Play For Boston
Omar Vizquel expressed a willingness to play for the Red Sox, should the opportunity for a trade arise at some point this season, writes John Tomase of the Boston Herald.
In the piece, Tomasse says that Vizquel "wishes the Red Sox made a play for him when they had a chance." Vizquel said the Red Sox had not called. Tomasse says the Red Sox did inquire about Vizquel earlier this year, but that the Rangers are not interested in dealing the veteran shortstop.
Odds & Ends: Zambrano, McLouth, Indians
On this day in MLBTR history: In '08 the Dodgers picked up former ROY Angel Berroa from the Royals, while the Rangers, in a valuable lesson of history repeating itself, DFA'd Sidney Ponson.
A hearty helping of links, cooked up and served (semi-) fresh:
- Paul Sullivan at the Chicago Tribune got Lou Piniella's take on Carlos Zambrano's prophecy of retirement at the end of his current contract: "I like it. We'll see how he feels next week."
- In an open letter to fans, Pirates GM Neal Huntington outlines his reasons for dealing Nate McLouth. This comes on the heels of some hefty criticism from fans, as reported by Laura Keeley at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- Paul Hoynes at the Cleveland Plain-Dealer notes that Indians GM Mark Shapiro has been working the phones lately as the team's injuries mount.
Mets DFA Emil Brown
So says Mike Nichols at MetsBlog, the Mets designated Emil Brown for assignment today to make room for the recently activated Ryan Church.
Brown was just acquired from the Padres on May 29th for a player to be named later. The 34-year-old journeyman outfielder only saw two plate appearances in his cup of coffee for the Mets, but he had previously put up a line of .260/.345/.432 in 41 Triple-A games for the Pads. He might latch on to another team looking for minor league depth.