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Draft Notes: Pirates, Blue Jays, Reds, Harper

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Some links from around the majors with less than a week to go before the MLB draft:

  • Pirates' president Frank Coonelly chatted with fans at the team's official site, with most of the questions involving prospects and the team's plans for Monday's draft.
  • MLB.com's Jordan Bastian spoke to Blue Jays' director of amateur scouting Andrew Tinnish about the upcoming draft. Among other things, they discussed what the team's strategy will be with all of their extra picks. The Jays own ten of the first 126 picks.
  • Reds scouting director Chris Buckley told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer that the Reds are considering Christian Colon, Alex Wimmers, Deck McGuire, Gary Brown and Kolbin Vitek.
  • In 2009, the Reds drafted Mike Leake in the first round. One year later, Bob Nightengale of USA Today shows that the 22-year-old is fitting in with older, more experienced teammates and impressing the opposition.
  • Jon Heyman of SI.com hears that Bryce Harper and Scott Boras will seek a record bonus this year. However, Heyman says most people expect the Nationals to sign Harper for more than Mark Teixeira's $9.5MM bonus and less than Stephen Strasburg's $15.1MM bonus (if they draft him, as expected).
  • The Mets won't pick Yasmani Grandal seventh overall, according to Heyman (via Twitter).
  • Heyman has the Mets taking right-hander Matt Harvey in his mock draft.

Ken Griffey Jr. Announces Retirement

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Ken Griffey Jr. has announced his retirement effective immediately, reports John Hickey of AOL FanHouse. He did not report to Safeco Field for the Mariners' game against the Twins tonight, saying "it's over." Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times provides a transcript of Griffey's statement. 

Griffey has been in the news quite a bit this season, but not for the reasons the team hoped. There was talk that the Mariners could release him last month following an incident in which he slept through a pinch hitting appearance, and overall he hit just .184/.250/.204 on the year.

Regardless of what happened in 2010, Griffey was one of the greatest players to ever play the game. He retired as a .284/.370/.538 career hitter with 630 homers, good the fifth most all time. During his prime years from 1993-1998, Griffey hit .300/.388/.620 and played a Gold Glove caliber center field, which is the definition of a superstar.

After spending the first 11 seasons of his career in Seattle, Griffey was traded to the Reds for a four player package headlined by Mike Cameron. He signed a nine year, $116.5MM contract shortly thereafter, though his time in Cincinnati was plagued by injury. After a short stint with the White Sox, Griffey returned to the Mariners last season.

Junior earned more than $151MM during his career according to Baseball-Reference.com. The next stop for him is Cooperstown.

Nationals Release Eric Bruntlett

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The Nationals have released infielder Eric Bruntlett according to Baseball America's Matt Eddy. They originally signed him to a minor league deal back in December.

The 32-year-old Bruntlett had been playing with Triple-A Syracuse, though he hit just .210/.308/.302 in 187 plate appearances. At the very least he provided some versatility, playing every position on the field except for pitcher, catcher, and center field. The former Astro and Phillie has hit just .215/.295/.279 in his last 521 big league plate appearances dating back to 2007.

Cardinals Agree To Deal With Carlos Matias

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The Cardinals have come to an agreement on a $1.5MM deal with 18-year-old Dominican righthander Carlos Matias, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America. Matias was one of the best pitchers available on the international market this year.

As Badler explains, Matias is under contract with the team, but he still has to clear some hurdles before receiving his money. MLB must first verify his age and identity, and the U.S. consulate must grant him a visa before the deal can be made official and the bonus paid.

Matias had previously reached an agreement with the Red Sox for $160K, but he was suspended for a year after failing an MLB investigation. The suspension may turn out to be a blessing in disguise, because the righty added velocity to his fastball during the layoff and now routinely sits at 97-99 mph, which has drastically improved his stock. 

ESPN's Jorge Arangure reported in March that both the Yankees and Diamondbacks had interest in Matias.

Indians Not Engaged In Any Trade Talks

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Despite owning the second worst record (19-31) and run differential (-64) in the American League, Indians' GM Mark Shapiro is under no orders from CEO Paul Dolan to make trades and cut payroll like he has during the last two seasons, according to The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes. 

"We are not actively engaged in talks about anyone right now," said Shapiro. "The season's natural cycle will dictate when we consider some alternatives. We're not mandated to make any trades for monetary reasons.

"We'll look at each trade (possibility) as an opportunity to acquire talent and it's budgetary impact. But the acquisition of talent will be the primary driver."

Shapiro indicated that he could explore trades involving "anyone in the last year of their contracts," so that includes Russell Branyan, Austin Kearns, Mark Grudzielanek, Jhonny Peralta, Mike Redmond, Jake Westbrook, and Jamey Wright. Even if they move Westbrook, the Indians feel they may have a chance to re-sign him after the season as a free agent.

Top prospect Carlos Santana is expected to be up at some point this season, but Shapiro did make sure to mention that his defense needs to improve, particularly his throwing. They plan on taking advantage of every day possible in the minors to help him develop, which shows that the team is looking for production on both sides of the ball, not just at the plate.

The Indians figure to be a prominent player at the trade deadline this year given their inventory, with Westbrook representing to be their most desirable chip. Even though he's still owed about $7.6MM this season, his 4.36 ERA in 11 starts might be a big enough upgrade to justify the cost for some teams. 

DeWayne Wise Opts Out Of Phillies Contract

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DeWayne Wise is a free agent after opting out of his contract with the Phillies, according to the Allentown Morning Call. Wise, a 32-year-old outfielder best-known for saving Mark Buehrle's 2009 perfect game with a memorable catch, was playing in Triple A. The Phillies signed Wise last fall after he declared free agency.

He was hitting .272/.317/.515 in 145 minor league plate appearances. Wise never made it to the majors with the Phillies, but he has played at the highest level for parts of seven seasons. In total, he has a .216/ .255/.380 line with the White Sox, Reds, Braves and Blue Jays.

Adam LaRoche’s Trade Value

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The Diamondbacks are 10.5 games out of a playoff spot and they aren't scheduled to play a team with a losing record for more than a month. If you suspect they might become sellers, you're not alone. As ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports, executives expect the D'Backs to move payroll early this year.  

Adam LaRoche has makings of a trade candidate. He's on an affordable one-year deal and he's hitting well. Last month MLBTR's Tim Dierkes suggested that the Rangers, Mariners and Marlins could inquire and we can now add the Angels to the list of possible suitors. LaRoche was traded twice last summer, so we can start to determine his current trade value by looking back at last summer's deals. To figure out what the D'Backs can get for LaRoche, let's consider the players he was traded for, what has stayed the same since last year and what has changed:

Who LaRoche was traded for:

What has stayed the same:

  • LaRoche is in the final year of his contract.
  • His team is out of contention.
  • He has a reputation as a second half hitter (career .300/.363/.546 line in the second half).
  • His defense remains about average, according to UZR.

What has changed:

  • LaRoche's contract is more team-friendly this year. He was making 7.05MM last year. Now, LaRoche's salary is just $4.5MM, but if a team trades for him, they'll have to buy LaRoche out for $1.5MM or pick up his 2011 option for $9.5MM. 
  • He's hitting better this year. When the Pirates traded him last year, LaRoche had a .247/.329/.441 line. Now, he's hitting .266/.362/.485 with seven homers.
  • LaRoche, now 30, is a year older.
  • A contender has a clear need for a first baseman this year. The Marlins, Giants and Braves all wanted upgrades at first base last year, but none of those teams had a hole like the Angels do now.

The verdict:

  • LaRoche brought the Pirates a couple secondary prospects last year and could reportedly have brought in a similar return from another team. Now, he's under a more desirable contract and hitting better in a market where one team clearly needs a first baseman and few clubs appear ready to sell. D'Backs GM Josh Byrnes seems better-positioned to acquire prospects for LaRoche than Neal Huntington was a year ago.

Mariners, Rangers, White Sox Interested In Lowell

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The Angels are not going to trade for Mike Lowell, but a couple of their division rivals are interested. Joe McDonald of ESPNBoston.com hears from a Red Sox source that the Mariners, Rangers and White Sox are among the teams that have contacted the Red Sox about Lowell. Nothing is imminent, but if the Red Sox deal Lowell, they will almost certainly pay most of the $8MM or so remaining on his contract.

The 20-31 Mariners have not seen Casey Kotchman and Jose Lopez provide much offense at the corners, though Lopez homered yesterday and has been hitting better recently. Their designated hitters have combined for a .207/.266/.318 line, so Lowell's numbers (.239/.329/.358) look good in comparison, even though his power and on base percentage are lower than usual.

The Rangers, who are in a virtual tie for first place in the AL West, have seen Justin Smoak struggle through 136 plate appearances this year (.190/.301/.353 line). They had interest in Lowell last winter, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see them pursue him once again.

White Sox GM Kenny Williams says he doesn't expect to start making moves, but third baseman Mark Teahen is out with a broken finger, so the Sox are short an infielder. The White Sox could bring Lowell aboard to play third if they aren't comfortable with Jayson Nix, Omar Vizquel and Brent Lillibridge at the hot corner.

Millwood, Wigginton Open To Playing For Mets

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Kevin Millwood and Ty Wigginton told Dan Martin of the New York Post that they are open to playing for the Mets if the Orioles become sellers. Though Hisanori Takahashi and R.A. Dickey have been effective for the Mets recently, the club may look for starting pitching depth later this summer. That idea that appeals to Millwood.

"I woludn't mind pitching in New York," Millwood said. "It's a great city, but it's not really up to me whether I do or don't."

That's not quite true, since Millwood has a limited no trade clause. If the 15-37 Orioles start selling, Millwood, who makes $12MM this season in the last year of his contract, would appeal to teams in search of veteran starters. Though he's still winless, the right-hander has a 3.89 ERA this year with 7.1 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9.

Wigginton, who makes $3.5MM this year, is also in the last year of his contract. He has played first, second and third for the Orioles in 2010, but his versatility isn't his only appealing trait. The former Met has 13 homers already (partly since 25% of the fly balls he hits leave the park). Like Millwood, Wigginton says he would be open to playing in New York.

Several Teams Interested In Luis Heredia

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Seven teams are interested in Mexican right-hander Luis Heredia, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The 6'4'' teenager is part of this year's July 2 class, so he will be able to sign exactly one month from today if the Mexican team that controls Heredia's rights makes him available. The Pirates, Yankees, Dodgers, Giants, Blue Jays, Rangers and Mariners are interested, but acquiring the 15-year-old pitcher could cost as much as $2MM.

The Pirates have pursued international free agents aggressively under GM Neal Huntington. The club nearly signed Miguel Sano last summer, before the Dominican signed with the Twins. Alex Anthopoulos has also pursued international talent aggressively since taking over as Blue Jays GM last fall.

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