O’s Won’t Risk Losing Pie Through Waivers
Steve Melewski of MASN.com heard that the O's do not plan on sending Felix Pie to the minor leagues because they would have to expose him to waivers to do so. Team president Andy MacPhail says "he'd never get through" so the Orioles will keep him in the majors for now.
Odds And Ends: Eyre, Michael Taylor, Borkowski
Tonight all eyes will be on Randy Johnson as he goes for his 300th win. Here are some links to keep you going until then…
- Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer says the Phillies are in no hurry to deal prospect Michael Taylor, who's slugging over .600 at Double A. Taylor understands that, as a corner outfielder, there's not much room for him in Philly. Could Taylor be a trade chip as the Phillies look to add pitching?
- Andy Martino of the Inquirer reports that Scott Eyre says he's "more than 90 percent" sure he'll retire after this year. Eyre, 37, has pitched for five teams in 13 seasons.
- Roy Halladay threw 133 pitches last night and ESPN.com's Rob Neyer hopes for Halladay's sake that it isn't the beginning of a trend though he doesn't criticize Cito Gaston's decision to let Doc pitch.
- Baseball America has more minor league transactions. Dave Borkowski was released by the Astros after he was designated for assignment.
- John Fay of the Cincinnati Inquirer revisits the Josh Hamilton for Edinson Volquez deal and asks Reds fans whether they like the deal for their team.
Draft Update: Strasburg, Orioles, D’Backs
- Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that Ben McDonald may meet Stephen Strasburg at the draft. It was 20 years ago, but McDonald was once the best pitching prospect anyone had ever seen and he had Scott Boras advising him, just like Strasburg.
- Check out the comparison chart at the bottom of Nightengale's article to see why McDonald was just as highly touted as Strasburg is today. Also, check out our Boras Blast From The Past feature on McDonald from April.
- According to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun the Orioles have scouted college shortstop Grant Green extensively, but it "appears likely" they'll pass and choose between the many high school and college arms that figure to be available when the O's select fifth.
- To be as prepared as possible for the draft the D'Backs had their pro scouts look at amateur players and vice versa, according to MLB.com's Steve Gilbert. Mike Leake and Bobby Borchering are two names to watch for the D'Backs.
- MLB.com's Matthew Leach reports that the Cardinals could go for a younger player this year, as their upper-minors are well-stocked.
- As Colin Dunlap of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, Pitt infield prospect Chris Sedon will be in the dentist's chair getting a cavity filled during the draft because it was the only available appointment.
- On ESPN radio Keith Law says "slot is dead" because ultimately the recommended bonuses from the commissioner's office are "just recommendations."
- Even though Strasburg has leverage with the Nationals, Law says it's in his best interest to sign this year and predicts an eleventh hour agreement between the two sides.
Justin Upton Q&A
Diamondbacks right fielder Justin Upton is currently not among the top 15 outfielders for the NL All-Star Game voting. This needs to change. He's putting up huge numbers as a 21 year-old – .322/.396/.592 in 197 plate appearances with 9 HR and 29 RBI (plus a grand slam tonight). Click here to vote for Upton now! You can vote up to 25 times.
Once you're done with that, how about a Q&A with Upton? He was kind enough to answer questions for MLB Trade Rumors.
MLB Trade Rumors: How much trash-talking goes on between you and B.J.? Who's got more skills as an outfielder?
Justin Upton: Not a lot, we are both very supportive of each other and want each other to do well. When we hang out off the field there is a lot of trash talk and a lot of times it takes place on the golf course. We will trash talk about video games or make fun of each other's clothes, but on the field we are very supportive and only want to see each other do well. As for who is the better outfielder, that is a tough one to answer since we play different positions. But…I'll give that nod to B.J. as of today. He has made some amazing catches so far this year and has made some sick throws…but I am working hard everyday to be a better outfielder and I'm not far behind.
MLBTR: Are you starting to enjoy it out there? I read an article from '04 where you said you did not like the outfield.
Upton: It was an adjustment at first, I mean I played shortstop all my life where you are involved in every play on defense in some way. When I was asked to move to the outfield I was skeptical but the more I played out there the more comfortable I felt and the more I learned about the ins and outs of the position and to be honest I would have played whatever position would have gotten me to the big leagues the quickest. The D'Backs had Stephen Drew at shortstop, so the outfield was the fastest way for me to get to the big leagues. So I was all for it.
MLBTR: You'll be eligible for free agency as a 26 year-old, after the 2013 season. People might draw an Alex Rodriguez parallel, especially with you both being No. 1 picks as well. What are your thoughts on that comparison? Do you think the free agent process will be enjoyable?
Upton: To be honest I don't think that far down the road. I am 21 years old and I am only in my second full season, my goal is to stay healthy and be productive this season. If I do what I know I can on the field, the rest will take care of itself, no use stressing about it now. As far as the A-Rod comparisons, I don't like to compare myself to anyone on or off the field. I can only go out there and be myself, I'll leave the comparing to the media.
MLBTR: Was Larry Reynolds an easy choice to be your adviser, since he was B.J.'s agent? Did you have to fend off a lot of agents coming after you?
Upton: I think most people knew that Larry would be my adviser so I didn't get too many people approaching me. There were a few people that didn't know about my relationship with Reynolds Sports that did approach me but I had been close with them since I was 15 when they were working with B.J. so to me it was a no-brainer. To have that stressful part of the process taken out of the equation it made it easier for me to just deal with playing baseball and getting drafted.
MLBTR: Your first big league at-bat was kind of a low-pressure situation…down 11-0, in San Diego against Wil Ledezma. What was going through your head?
Upton: Low pressure for who? Haha - I was a 19 year old kid in his first Major League at-bat, for me there was a ton of pressure. That was a moment I had waited my whole life for, all the hard work and countless hours of sweat and determination all culminated with that at-bat. It was a dream come true and it was over so fast I don't even remember what I was thinking…I was probably thinking, "get a hit!"
MLBTR: Back in May of '08, Larry Reynolds told ESPN's Jayson Stark he'd worry about your contract stuff the following year. Have there been any preliminary extension talks with the D'Backs?
Upton: I let Larry handle all that stuff, my job is to play baseball. I am not going to worry about the contract stuff, not yet at least. I love playing in Arizona, the fans are great. I love my teammates, we are a close-knit bunch and I know we are going to be competitive for a long time in the NL West. I hope I play here for a long, long time but it's too early to worry about all that stuff. If they wanted to talk long-term deal, I would certainly listen but for now I am just playing the game, having fun and looking to win ballgames.
MLBTR: Your signing bonus was a record at the time, but Stephen Strasburg might quadruple it. What are your thoughts on that?
Upton: Good for him, I hope he gets every penny he deserves. I am very happy with the signing bonus I got and I am only concerned with the D'Backs' draft and getting guys that can help our team going forward.
Odds & Ends: Draft, Nationals, O’s
A few Tuesday night links…
- ESPN.com's Keith Law has version two of his MLB Mock Draft. It's subscriber-only, but an excellent way to get ready for the June 9 First-Year Player Draft.
- If you're not an ESPN Insider, and don't want to fork over the cash, John Sickels of SB Nation's Minor League Ball ranks his own Top 50.
- Chico Harlan of the Washington Post believes the recent firing of Nationals pitching coach Randy St. Claire is part of an overall "philosophical shift."
- Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun outlines the Orioles' draft options. The club is reportedly still considering "seven to nine players" for the fifth overall pick.
- Peter Gammons, Jayson Stark and FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal each appeared on ESPN Radio today. If you'd like to get caught up, here's the audio archive.
- Follow MLBTR on Twitter!
Nationals Content With Catching Depth
It was revealed Tuesday night that Nationals catcher Jesus Flores will miss at least three months, and possibly the entire season, with a stress fracture in his right shoulder. It's terrible news for a Nationals team that has dealt with far too many negatives this season, but, as Zach Berman of the Washington Post writes, don't expect acting GM Mike Rizzo to bring in a catcher from outside the organization.
"Rizzo pledged confidence in the current tandem of Wil Nieves and Josh Bard," writes Berman. "Plus, Flores remains the Nationals' long-term catcher, and it would not be worth sacrificing a prospect for a stopgap during a season that has already gone awry."
Matt Holliday Uncensored
A's outfielder Matt Holliday appeared on SIRIUS XM Radio's MLB Home Plate Channel Tuesday afternoon and let loose about his expectations for the July 31 trade deadline (Quotes courtesy of MLB.com's Mychael Urban).
"They have not approached me or my representation at all," Holliday replied. "I would assume that being a smaller-market team that is into developing young players currently, that they will probably either trade me at some point or take their [compensatory] draft picks [for losing a Type A free agent] at the end of the year.
"It's sort of the understanding that I have. So we'll just kind of see what happens. I'm taking it day-by-day and just trying to go out there and play the best that I can to help our team win, and then move on to the next day.
Asked if he'd rather be traded or spend the rest of the season in Oakland, Holliday offered a lengthy response:
"That's an interesting question. I'd like for this to work out. I've had a great time with my teammates and have really appreciated the way this organization has treated me in this first couple of months. The guys have been great, and I see a lot of potential in this team, but we obviously aren't playing very well.
"We got off to a rough start and we've had some injuries and find ourselves 10 or 11 games back in the race. So I would say if it looks like we're not going to be able to get back into the race or get healthy, I think every player wants a chance to win, and I'm no exception. I'd love to play in the postseason again. That was the time of my life in baseball … getting a chance to play in the postseason in 2007.
Here's where it gets interesting…
"So if it looks like we're not going to be able to make it to the postseason and they can get some good players for me, I'd be OK with getting a chance to go try to make it to the postseason and play in October."
Rosenthal’s Latest: Wilson, Marlins, Acta
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com has a few evening tidbits…
- The Royals are reportedly "kicking around the idea of adding a shortstop." Rosenthal believes the Pirates' Jack Wilson is the best fit, "but only if the Red Sox don't grab [him] first."
- The Marlins "figure to trade [Dan] Uggla and first baseman Jorge Cantu if they fall out of contention," but, as Rosenthal notes, that hasn't happened yet.
- Nationals manager Manny Acta might hang on to his job for a while longer because his "players have not quit on him, nor are they sniping at him." Sure, but a .265 winning percentage won't sit well with upper management all season.
Worth The Riske?
Brewers right-hander David Riske is in the second season of a three-year, $13MM deal inked in December 2007. At the time, and especially in these current economic times, it was a pretty hefty price for a non-closing right-handed reliever. Then again, it'd be tough to argue he didn't deserve it. Riske dominated the competition during the '07 season, with a 2.46 ERA, 52/27 K/BB ratio and 16 holds in 69 2/3 innings. He was rewarded handsomely, but things changed once he signed the dotted line.
White Sox Standing Pat (For Now)
As reported by Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen insisted Tuesday evening that his club is not involved in any sort of trades at the moment. The reason? It's simple. "It's because we're playing good,'' Guillen said.
"When you're playing good it's kind of hard [to think trade]," the manager continued. "You ask me this thing two or three weeks ago, I would have wanted 20 guys out of the ballclub. Listen, if we have to make a move, it will be a move that had to be made. The chairman said yes to Peavy, which had a lot of money involved, then I have no doubt they will say yes to whatever Kenny presents. If there's something out there that will help this ballclub Kenny will do it, because the chairman already said yes with a lot of money involved.''
The White Sox have been linked to several high-talent players in the past few weeks, but all is quiet on the South Side tonight.