Archives for March 2010

Odds & Ends: Cardinals, Brewers, Willis, Guardado

By Luke Adams 2 | March 21, 2010 at 2:23pm CDT

Links for Sunday….

The Cardinals are considering Adam Ottavino, their 2006 first-round pick, as an option for the bullpen, writes Derrick Goold. The 24-year-old has improved his delivery and hurled 8.1 innings so far this spring, allowing just one run with five strikeouts, though he also has five walks to go along with them.
The Brewers will have some decisions to make this week on players such as Jim Edmonds, Matt Treanor, and Scott Schoeneweis, writes MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Each signed a minor league deal with an out clause. McCalvy opines that "it would be a surprise" if Edmonds didn't factor into the Crew's 2010 Major League plans.
Lynn Henning of the Detroit News thinks that the Tigers will release Dontrelle Willis in the near future.
Eddie Guardado hasn't officially announced his retirement, but he tells Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas "I think I'm done." Durrett reports that, even if Guardado doesn't pitch again, the lefty would like to stay in baseball in some capacity.
The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo has a few interesting notes in his latest column. He names Jake Westbrook as an intriguing trade-deadline pitching option, and says that Mark Mulder could still work toward a comeback this season.
The Rangers may try to trade for a utility infielder, according to Anthony Andro of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post doesn't think it's a foregone conclusion that Adrian Gonzalez will be playing in Fenway Park by August.
Heath Bell, another Padre who has been the subject of trade rumors, is staying in San Diego for the time being, according to Dan Hayes of the North County Times. The Bell-to-Minnesota rumors have been swirling lately, following the news of Joe Nathan's season-ending injury.
For the latest updates on Bell, and the rest of the closing situations around baseball, be sure to follow our @closernews account on Twitter.

Red Sox Sign Alan Embree

By Tim Dierkes | March 21, 2010 at 12:59pm CDT

The Red Sox signed reliever Alan Embree to a minor league deal that could pay the lefty about $1.1MM if he makes the major league roster and reaches his incentives for games pitched. Embree will earn $500K for making the big league club, and he'll have the chance to opt out of his contract on April 15th to reassess his situation. This marks Embree's second stint with the team, as he joined the Red Sox in a 2002 trade and pitched for them until his '05 release.

Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe added the opt-out details; Alex Speier of WEEI.com added the salary Embree will earn if he's on the major league roster and Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston added specifics about the incentives (Twitter links).

Embree, 40, posted a 5.84 ERA, 4.4 K/9, and 4.4 BB/9 in 24.6 innings for the Rockies last year. His season ended in July when a line drive fractured his tibia. Checking Embree's FanGraphs splits, his recent work against lefties has been spotty.

The Sox already have lefty relievers Hideki Okajima and Fabio Castro on the 40-man roster and Brian Shouse in camp on a non-roster invite.

The Latest On Mike Lowell

By Luke Adams 2 | March 21, 2010 at 10:16am CDT

Although a Mike Lowell trade isn't the sure thing it once seemed, there's still a chance that a deal could be completed, according to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald.

Silverman mentions four teams that are possible landing spots for Lowell: the Astros, Marlins, Rangers, and Twins. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wonders if the White Sox could be added to that list as well. Each of these teams has potential question marks at first base or designated hitter, or just could use another right-handed bat.

Alex Speier of WEEI speculates that the Marlins' willingness to return Jorge Jimenez to the Red Sox could signal that Florida's need for a corner infielder isn't that strong. If the team feels confident enough in either Gaby Sanchez or Logan Morrison at first base that they'd cut Jimenez, that could mean a diminished interest in Lowell as well.

Lowell will, of course, have display good health before any club thinks about acquiring him. Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston tweets that the Rangers, among other teams, are scouting Lowell today. The 36-year-old is scheduled to play third base for the first time this spring.

Joe Nathan To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

By Luke Adams 2 | March 21, 2010 at 9:03am CDT

Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, according to Kelsie Smith of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter). Nathan played a game of catch today, and decided afterward that his right elbow required surgery.

Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune writes that Nathan hasn't decided yet where or when he'll have the surgery, but hopes to get it done as soon as possible, aiming to be ready to pitch by Opening Day 2011.

In the meantime, the injury will leave the Twins with a gaping hole in the ninth inning, a spot Nathan had dominated over the past few years. Since joining Minnesota, Nathan has been perhaps the most effective closer in baseball, recording a 1.87 ERA since 2004, with an average of 41 saves per season.

To replace Nathan, the Twins could use an in-house candidate such as Jon Rauch or Matt Guerrier. Or, they could look to make a trade. We've already heard that they might be interested in Heath Bell and Jason Frasor. Now that there's no question that Nathan will miss the 2010 campaign, the team's search for a replacement could become more aggressive.

Odds & Ends: Alvarez, Strasburg, Church, Rays

By Zachary Links | March 20, 2010 at 9:18pm CDT

Links for Saturday…

Pirates' GM Neal Huntington said that Pedro Alvarez will remain in the minors so he can get more at-bats against lefthanded pitchers, though Dejan Kovacevic of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette mentions that it could have to do with pushing his service time clock back.
ESPN's Keith Law broke down Stephen Strasburg's demotion to the minors, and says that "what he does need to improve is only going to improve in the big leagues."
Ryan Church spoke to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo about his opportunity with the Pirates, saying that "It's either reestablish yourself and be one of the main guys or just be a fourth outfielder from here on out."
Rays Executive VP Andrew Friedman says the club will explore internal and external options to replace J.P. Howell, tweets Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. Tampa Bay hopes to have the lefty back by May.
Most players never shed the dreaded "4A" label, but the Pirates' Garrett Jones did, writes Tyler Kepner of the New York Times.
Tom Tango will be a big part of the Blue Jays' front office, writes Robert Cribb of The Toronto Star.
Indians closer Kerry Wood could miss up to two months with a strained back muscle. Brady Gardiner of SIRIUS XM tweets that this is a blessing for the Tribe as Wood's option for 2011 likely will not vest. The 32-year-old would make $11MM in '11 with 55 games finished in 2010.
Dodgers manager Joe Torre has confidence in Ronnie Belliard's ability to play first base, writes Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com. This will likely leave first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz on the outside looking in as he jostles with Garrett Anderson for the club's left-handed pinch hitting spot. However, Belliard still must weigh in at 209 pounds or less at some point during Spring Training to guarantee his deal.
At the age of 47, Jamie Moyer has no interest in retiring, writes Jayson Stark of ESPN. Moyer is entering the final season of a two-year, $13MM deal.

The Dodgers’ Fifth Rotation Spot

By Mike Axisa | March 20, 2010 at 5:33pm CDT

The front of the Dodgers' rotation is pretty well set, with Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda, and Vicente Padilla set to occupy the first four spots. There's no shortage of candidates for that fifth spot, but as Steve Dilbeck of The Los Angeles Times notes, most of the contenders have unfavorable contract situations.

Eric Stults and Charlie Haeger are both out of options, Carlos Monasterios is a Rule 5 pick, and both Ramon and Russ Ortiz are believed to have out clauses in their contracts. The one rotation candidate that doesn't have any strings attached is James McDonald, but it doesn't help that he has a 20.25 ERA and a 3.56 WHIP in just over five innings this spring. Regardless of who LA picks for that last spot, there's a chance they'll lose some depth as the other guys succumb to roster limitations.

Let's open this one up for discussion. Who do you think the Dodgers should put in their last rotation spot, and what should they do with the other players? Essentially your choices are a) put them in the bullpen, or b) risk losing them to waivers/out clause/Rule 5 rules. Here are the Spring Training stats, not that they mean anything.

Mets To Release Josh Fogg

By Zachary Links | March 20, 2010 at 1:18pm CDT

The Mets are expected to grant Josh Fogg's request to be released from his contract, writes Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News. Fogg hurt a side muscle and never appeared in a Grapefruit League game with the club this spring.

The 33-year-old hurler signed a minor league deal with the Mets in January after spending 2009 with Colorado. In nine big league seasons, the righty has an ERA of 5.03 with a lackluster 4.9 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9.

Revisiting The Manny Ramirez, Jason Bay Trade

By Mike Axisa | March 20, 2010 at 11:50am CDT

It's been nearly 20 months since the Red Sox, Dodgers, and Pirates completed the three-team blockbuster that sent Manny Ramirez to Los Angeles, Jason Bay to Boston, and four prospects to Pittsburgh. Alex Speier of WEEI.com spoke to Pirates' GM Neal Huntington about the trade, who noted that the book is still out on their end of the deal.

Here are the highlights, but the whole article is well worth the read…

Huntington suggests the Pirates now believe that they had a better offer on the table for Bay than the one they ultimately accepted, though it's not fair to look back using hindsight. The Marlins and Rays were both rumored to be interested at the time.
He also recognizes that he might have received a better package if he waited until the offseason to deal Bay.
If the deal had not been made, the Red Sox were unsure about how to proceed with Manny's $20MM club option for 2009, and it was unclear if they would have been willing to risk offering him arbitration to recoup draft pick compensation.
They were, however, confident in offering Jason Bay arbitration at the time of the trade.
Meanwhile, the two players Pittsburgh received from Boston haven't delivered as expected. Brandon Moss is out of options, and might be put through waivers after hitting .232/.300/.381 since the trade, while Craig Hansen apparently went unclaimed after being designated for assignment. Both players have dealt with injuries.
Huntington says that if Andy LaRoche's power comes on, it would be a good trade for them since they acquired six years of him for a year and a half of Bay. If Bryan Morris develops into a middle of the rotation starter, he would consider it a great deal.

Nationals Option Strasburg To Double-A

By Mike Axisa | March 20, 2010 at 10:19am CDT

The Nationals have optioned 2009 first overall pick Stephen Strasburg to Double-A Harrisburg according to a team press release. He performed as expected in Spring Training, striking out 12 and allowing just two runs in nine innings pitched.

Strasburg would have to remain in the minors for approximately two weeks to have his free agency pushed back one year, and about two months to push his arbitration years back. His salaries are already set for the next three years by the Major League contract he signed out of the draft, so in 2013 the Nats would not be able to offer him less than 80% of the $3MM he will earn in 2012, even if he is still in his pre-arbitration years.

ESPN's Keith Law has also mentioned that the Nationals could be helping out their minor league affiliates, as a Strasburg start would surely drive up attendance.

Tigers Sign Casey Fien To A Minor League Deal

By Mike Axisa | March 20, 2010 at 9:12am CDT

It's back to where it all started for Casey Fien, who has signed a minor league deal with the Tigers according to MLB.com's Jason Beck.

The 26-year-old has been a transactions all-star this past month. Detroit designated him for assignment back in February, and the Red Sox claimed him off waivers a few days after. Boston waived him a few days later, and the Blue Jays claimed him. Toronto then released him this past Thursday.

Fien posted a 3.41 ERA, 10.2 K/9, and 2.3 BB/9 in 58 Triple A relief innings this year, though he struggled in 11.1 big league innings, his first taste of the show.

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