Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for March 2011

NL Central Notes: Pudge, Chapman, Szczur

By | at

As Starlin Castro and Corey Hart celebrate birthdays today, here's the latest from the NL Central….

  • Writing for MLB.com, Peter Gammons talks to a number of GMs and scouts about the NL Central contenders.  One general manager thinks the Reds could "be the single biggest favorite in any division going into the season," while three scouts are collectively unimpressed with the Brewers, saying "Milwaukee may be awful" this season.
  • Ivan Rodriguez is "not a fit" for the Astros' catching needs, tweets Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.  The Nationals are known to be shopping one of their catchers, but Kilgore thinks Rodriguez's $3MM salary in 2011 may be too pricey for Houston, though the 'Stros have said they would add payroll for the right catcher.
  • Aroldis Chapman has been working hard in preparation for his first full Major League season, writes MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
  • Baseball America's Matt Eddy looks at the details of the contract Matt Szczur signed with the Cubs in January, and also the revamped deal he signed just last week.

Doug Davis Throws For Eight Teams

By | at

The Angels, Mets, Orioles, Rangers and Rockies were among the eight teams that sent scouts to Doug Davis' throwing sessions in Tempe today, reports MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez (Twitter link).  Davis threw a 45-pitch bullpen session and said his arm "felt great" afterwards, according to Sanchez.  As per recent reports, the three unnamed teams don't include the Astros or Davis' most recent team, the Brewers.

It isn't clear whether Davis expects a Major League or minor league contract, though given his injury history, the latter is much more reasonable.  Of the named teams, Texas is the club with most sudden need for starting pitching, given that Tommy Hunter suffered a groin injury this afternoon and Neftali Feliz has been slotted back into the closer's job.  The Rangers could sign Davis to a minor league deal to see how he performs in regular work, while putting Dave Bush into their rotation as Hunter's temporary replacement.  

AL West Notes: Feliz, Young, Angels, Felix

By | at

Here's the latest from the reigning American League champions and their divisional rivals…

  • After the news broke earlier today that Neftali Feliz would remain the Rangers' closer this season, Nolan Ryan said the team is aiming to have Feliz join the rotation for the 2012 season.  "I think if we weren't in such a need for him as a closer, he would be starting for us this year," Ryan said in a radio interview on ESPN 103.3 FM's Galloway and Company (and reported on by Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com).  "I think what it means is that we have a year to find somebody within our system or through trade or a free agent acquisition to come in and take that role [as closer]."
  • Jon Daniels and Michael Young have met twice this spring to "clear the air," tweets Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  Daniels expressed regret over not communicating better with Young, and also regretted that the veteran infielder received "undeserved criticism" for his trade request, reports T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.  Daniels doesn't think Young will be dealt before Opening Day but "he hasn't ruled out anything."
  • The Angels fired scouting director Eddie Bane last fall, a decision that ESPN's Keith Law criticized in an e-mail to Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com.  Law thought Bane's firing "smacked of internal politics, and furthered Tony Reagins' reputation in the game as a difficult person to work for and someone who only values opinions that match his own." 
  • The Mariners have been adamant that they have no intention of trading Felix Hernandez, and Scott Miller of CBSSports.com commends the M's for their stance.

Indians Sign Jesse English

By | at

The Indians have signed left-hander Jesse English to a minor league deal, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com (Twitter link).  English became a free agent in November when Washington outrighted him off its roster.

The 26-year-old southpaw made his Major League debut last season, posting a 3.86 ERA in seven relief appearances with the Nationals.  English was a sixth-round selection of the Giants in the 2002 amateur draft, and he has a 3.95 ERA and a 9.7 K/9 rate in 139 career minor league games, 69 of them starts.

 

Yankees Notes: Colon, Garcia, Molina, Pitching

By | at

A few items from the Bronx Bombers' camp…

  • Bartolo Colon has looked very good this spring, but lingering doubts about his conditioning and his durability are the only reason the Yankees haven't officially given him a rotation job, writes Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com.
  • The other veteran contender for that open rotation spot, Freddy Garcia, has offered to be a long reliever if it will get him on the Yankees' roster, reports Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger.
  • Also from Carig, he thinks Gustavo Molina could be a legitimate contender to start the season as New York's backup catcher while Francisco Cervelli is on the DL.  Molina, signed to a minor league deal in December may get the nod given that the Yankees' more vaunted catching prospects (Jesus Montero and Austin Romine) haven't stood out this spring.
  • Brian Cashman tells Chad Jennings of the LoHud blog that he's received a few calls from other general managers in regards to the extra pitchers in New York's camp.  "It’s been very quiet for the most part….Everybody’s just picking the phone up and checking in with each other, myself included," Cashman said.

Jose Lopez Drawing Trade Interest

By | at

5:42pm: The Rockies "have [an] open mind about dealing" Lopez, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post, though the club feels "no urgency" to make such a move.

5:19pm: The Rockies have received some trade interest from other teams about infielder Jose Lopez, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.  Lopez is slated to be in the Rockies' second base mix, but if dealt, the job would fall to Ty Wigginton and Jonathan Herrera, Rosenthal notes.

Lopez was dealt to Colorado last December from Seattle, and his name surfaced in trade talks again in February when he was rumored to be part of the package the Rockies had offered the Rangers for Michael Young.  Lopez will earn $3.6MM this season, and since Colorado signed Wigginton to a two-year, $8MM deal in December, Wigginton could take priority as the club's top right-handed utility option.

Given Chase Utley's injury woes, the Phillies leap to mind as a team that could be interested in second base help, their recent signing of Luis Castillo notwithstanding.  While Lopez is best known as a second baseman, he started 142 games at third for the Mariners last season and fielded his position very well — his UZR/150 was an impressive 7.5.  The Marlins may have a hole at third base, though they were "not initiating trade talk about third base options with other clubs" and Lopez's salary is rather high for Florida.

Quick Hits: Marlins, Indians, Boras, Quade, Pirates

By | at

Links for Thursday as the Braves name Brandon Beachy their No. 5 starter…

Brewers, Orioles Return Rule 5 Picks

By | at

The Brewers returned Pat Egan to the Orioles and re-obtained Adrian Rosario from the Orioles, the teams announced. Both Rule 5 selections cleared waivers before the Orioles assigned Egan to Triple-A and the Brewers assigned Rosario to Class-A Brevard County.

Egan, 26, posted a 3.44 ERA with 4.5 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 in 83 2/3 innings of relief for the Orioles' top affiliates last year. In four seasons in Baltimore's system, the right-hander has a 3.24 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9.

Rosario, 21, has yet to pitch above Class-A. He posted a 3.50 ERA with 11.5 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 46 1/3 innings of relief in the Brewers' system last year. Baseball America ranked him 30th among top Orioles prospects this offseason, praising his low-90s fastball and "plus change-up that falls off the table." The Dominican right-hander could become a big league setup man, according to BA.

Diamondbacks Sign Kip Wells

By | at

The Diamondbacks have signed Kip Wells to a minor league contract according to Baseball America's Matt Eddy. Wells had been with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League.

The soon-to-be 34-year-old last appeared in the bigs leagues with the Reds in 2009. Cincinnati re-signed him last February, but ended up releasing him before the season started. Wells then hooked on with the Ducks, and posted a 4.00 ERA with 23 strikeouts and 15 walks in 27 innings (five starts) with them. He owns a 4.71 ERA during a Major League career that has spanned parts of 11 seasons.

Astros Sign Fernando Nieve

By | at

The Astros have signed Fernando Nieve to a minor league contract, reports MLB.com's Brian McTaggart (Twitter links). Nieve has already passed his physical and will report to minor league camp.

Nieve, 28, was released by the Pirates just two days ago after allowing 17 hits in just 7 1/3 Spring Training innings. Last year for the Mets, he posted a 6.00 ERA, 8.1 K/9, 4.7 BB/9, 2.1 HR/9, and 37% groundball rate in 42 innings. 18.5% of his flyballs left the yard, a rate that led all of MLB among those with at least 40 innings. Nieve also made eight starts in Triple-A, posting a 5.63 ERA. Pittsburgh signed him to a minor league pact back in December.

The Astros originally signed Nieve out of Venezuela back in 1999, and five years ago he was their third-best prospect according to Baseball America.

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top