Archives for March 2011

Poll: The Next Winning Royals Team

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | March 3, 2011 at 8:43am CDT

They've had a winning season more recently than the Pirates, but the last quarter century has not been kind to the Royals. The only Royals team to finish at or above .500 since 1994 was the 2003 club that finished 83-79. And it's been so long since Kansas City made the playoffs that 16 players on the Royals' 40-man roster weren't even alive to see George Brett, Bret Saberhagen & Co. win the I-70 series in 1985.

But Dayton Moore has improved the team's farm system since taking over as GM early in the 2006 season and the Royals now boast the best group of prospects in baseball. So although Billy Butler, Alcides Escobar and Joakim Soria aren't expected to lead the Royals to a winning record this year, it won't be a surprise if the Royals are winners again before long. They were once one of baseball's model franchises – when will they become winners again?

Rangers May Explore Long-Term Extensions

By Zachary Links | March 2, 2011 at 10:06pm CDT

Rangers GM Jon Daniels says that the club still may explore long-term extensions with some players before Spring Training ends, writes MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. The club currently has four notable players who could be candidates for new deals.

Even though he won't be a free agent until after the 2015 season, Elvis Andrus could be in line for an extension. As Sullivan points out, the Rangers worked out a multiyear deal with Ian Kinsler at a similar point in his career to skirt future arbitration years. Rightfielder Nelson Cruz has three years left before he can test the open market but a multiyear deal would mean avoiding two years of arbitration.

Club officials have suggested that an extension is unlikely with left-hander C.J. Wilson, who is a free agent after this season. Same goes for slugger Josh Hamilton who recently signed a two-year, $24MM deal to avoid arbitration. Even though Hamilton is the biggest name in the quartet, Sullivan writes that because the deal was just completed, the two parties probably aren't in a rush to hammer out a new one right away.

Meanwhile, the Rangers would also like to get a deal done with Daniels. Club president Nolan Ryan is confident that the two sides will work out an extension, though he won't put a timetable on it.

Quick Hits: Hall, Young, Feliz, Burnett, Buck

By Zachary Links | March 2, 2011 at 9:38pm CDT

Links for Wednesday night..

Longtime major leaguer Juan Castro told MLB.com's Ken Gurnick that he never considered retirement at any point this winter. The 38-year-old is trying to hook on with the Dodgers in 2011 for what would be his fourth stint with the club.
Earlier today, Yankees GM Brian Cashman told versatile Astros veteran Bill Hall that the club was "this close" to signing him, tweets Jack Curry of the YES Network.
A source close to the Rockies told Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated that the Rangers sought a "very good player" for Michael Young, but didn't elaborate on who that player might be.
Some in the Rangers front office feel that Neftali Feliz could develop into the type of starter that would otherwise cost a bundle in a trade, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.
Yankees fans have been hard on A.J. Burnett, who is set to earn $16.5MM annually through 2013. However, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes that Burnett's career numbers are not all that different from Boston's Josh Beckett.
Outfielder Travis Buck views his arrival in the Indians locker room as a fresh start, writes MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.

Mariners Notes: Laffey, Kelley, Lawson, Ackley

By Zachary Links | March 2, 2011 at 8:00pm CDT

Some links pertaining to the Mariners and their newest acquisition..

The newly acquired Aaron Laffey will have a shot to compete for both a rotation and bullpen job, GM Jack Zduriencik told Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times. Jack Z also told Baker that Laffey has a minor league option left, meaning that he can be bumped down to Triple-A in favor of a non-roster player.
The M's won't have to cut or release anyone to make room for Laffey on the 40-man roster, as they have placed right-hander Shawn Kelley on the 60-day disabled list, according to Greg Johns of MLB.com (via Twitter). Kelley is on the mend from from partial Tommy John surgery and isn't expected back until June.
A fun fact from MLB.com's Jordan Bastian: Following the Laffey deal, the Indians now have five players who were traded for Cliff Lee. Infielder Matt Lawson was involved in trade that sent Lee from Seattle to Texas last July.
Larry Stone of The Seattle Times writes that the potential Super Two status of second baseman Dustin Ackley and pitcher Michael Pineda will likely impact when they are called-up to the bigs.

Mariners To Acquire Aaron Laffey

By Zachary Links | March 2, 2011 at 6:51pm CDT

6:51pm: The Indians will receive infielder Matt Lawson in return for Laffey, according to a team press release. Seattle will also send cash considerations to the Tribe, according to their Twitter feed.

Lawson has mostly played second base, but has also seen some time in the outfield as well as at shortstop. The Indians' press release refers to the 25-year-old as an "infielder/outfielder". In 118 games at the Double-A level last season, Lawson hit .293/.372/.439 with nine homers.

6:13pm: The Indians have reportedly traded Aaron Laffey to Seattle, writes Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer. There's no word yet on what Cleveland will recieve in return for the soon-to-be 26-year-old.

Cleveland had planned to use Spring Training to decide whether to put the left-hander in the bullpen or at the back of the rotation. Recently, Laffey said that while he was amiable towards whatever the Tribe decided on, he was very much looking forward to knowing what role he would take on in 2011.

"That's something I haven't had in a couple years," Laffey told Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. "That consistency in knowing you're going to start the year in one position, and you're going to stay there, I haven't had that yet."

In four big league seasons, Laffey has a 4.41 ERA with 4.4 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9. Trading the left-hander is likely the move to open up a spot on the Indians' 40-man roster for the recently signed Chad Durbin, Bastian tweets.

East Notes: Lackey, Crawford, Dickey, Buck

By Zachary Links | March 2, 2011 at 6:01pm CDT

Some links from the East – both AL and NL..

After disappointing in the first year of his five-year, $82.5MM deal with the Red Sox, John Lackey is looking forward to putting 2010 behind him and meeting expectations, writes Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.
More from Bradford as Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez recognize that the paths of Jayson Werth and Mark Teixeira helped lead them to Boston.
Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey doesn't take his new found security for granted, writes David Waldstein of the New York Times.
After dealing Dan Uggla to the Braves this winter, the Marlins are counting on catcher John Buck to help replace some of his power, writes MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.

NL West Notes: Zito, Byrnes, Kershaw, Roberts

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | March 2, 2011 at 4:23pm CDT

There's a lot going on in Giants camp and their division rivals are making headlines, too. Here's the latest…

Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote today that Barry Zito is "walking a thin line" within the organization and that there's "exasperation" with Zito. Jenkins reported that Zito doesn't have a guaranteed rotation spot and wrote that Zito would not be wearing a Giants uniform by 2013, the last guaranteed year on his contract.
As Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports, Zito was stunned by the report. Giants manager Bruce Bochy told the left-hander that the Chronicle report was the first he'd heard of the team's frustration. Zito walked five of the 13 hitters he faced in his spring debut.
Ever gone on vacation only to keep checking out what's going on around MLB? I certainly have and, as MLB.com's Corey Brock explains in this must-read piece, so has Padres executive Josh Byrnes.
The Dodgers agreed to terms with Clayton Kershaw on a one-year, $500K deal, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. That's more than usual for a pre-arbitration eligible player, but the 22-year-old has a 3.17 ERA and 9.3 K/9 in 483 innings of work, so he's not your average pre-arb player.
D'Backs GM Kevin Towers told MLB.com's Steve Gilbert that he has been most impressed with utility player Ryan Roberts this spring (Twitter link).

Draft Prospect Q&A: Matt Purke

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | March 2, 2011 at 3:18pm CDT

As the 2011 Draft draws closer, MLBTR will be introducing you to a handful of the top eligible prospects with a series of Q&As. The series debuted last week with one of the top college pitchers in the nation and continues today with another.

Matt Purke pitched well enough as a high schooler to go in the first round of the 2009 draft. He didn't sign with the Rangers, who selected him 14th overall, and instead joined the TCU Horned Frogs. He led the team to its first ever College World Series appearance last year with a shiny 16-0 record and 142 strikeouts in 116 innings.

The 20-year-old sophomore is draft eligible once again and, according to Baseball America and ESPN.com's Keith Law, should go in the first round once again, possibly first overall. Baseball America called Purke "a bona fide ace with a lively 91-94 mph fastball and a wipeout slider" that can overmatch hitters. Purke calls his breaking ball a curve, but he isn't going to get into an argument about semantics with the publication that named him the 2010 Baseball America Freshman of the Year.

Purke talked to MLBTR this afternoon. Here's what we discussed:

Ben Nicholson-Smith – Can you describe yourself as a pitcher – what pitches you throw and what your approach is on the mound?

Matt Purke – I’d just say I’m a normal pitcher like any other. I just throw three pitches: fastball, curveball, change-up and my approach to pitching is to be very aggressive and get guys out as quick as possible.

BNS – What about your off-speed pitches. Which one would you be more likely to throw in a go-to situation?

MP – I’d say I’m equally confident with both [the curve and the change] at any point in time.

BNS – You say you’re like any other pitcher, but do you think you resemble any current major leaguers or past major leaguers in the way that you go about pitching?

MP – I’d say I get compared to Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers, a young kid, and Cole Hamels of the Phillies. I have kind of the same body build, the same arm action, things like that.

BNS – Two pretty good pitchers that you just named. When people compare you to those guys is that a comparison that you like to hear?

MP – Definitely, definitely. Any time that you get compared to someone playing professional baseball it’s definitely a compliment that you take pride in.

BNS – Do you watch those guys during the season as fellow left-handers and see how they go out and attack hitters?

MP – I watch baseball when I’m not playing baseball, so I’ll catch them every now and then. So I try to watch them and just use some of the stuff that they do to help me out.

BNS – You’ve been through the draft before as a first rounder before, so does that make it any easier having already experienced the rigors of being drafted?

MP – Yeah. The experience is nothing you can take away – it just helps. I know what to expect with the months coming and know what to expect the few days before. That’s already transpired, so obviously I’m in a more comfortable state than I was when I was first drafted out of high school.

BNS – You have the whole rest of the season ahead of you here, but what is there to expect once that draft actually comes around?

MP – I don’t have any control in it, I have no say in what happens. All I can do is sit there and watch … It’s definitely an opportunity to be drafted and have the opportunity to play professional baseball, but really it’s another process you’ve got to go through. So it’s an exciting time and a stressful time, but it’s nothing that you wouldn’t want.

BNS – Can you compare Matt Purke the 2009 pitcher and Matt Purke the 2011 pitcher?

MP – I’d say now I’m definitely a lot more seasoned [now]. I learned a lot more, not only on the field but off of the field. After ’09 I was a young high school kid that really just played baseball and I only knew what I had done in the summer with team USA and in high school. And now I’m in college, I’ve been able to travel and learn how travel and also have a social life and be able to take care of my academics as well. So I’ve definitely learned a lot more, have a lot more experience now and I’m a lot more prepared for the travel that’s in the future.

Photo courtesy Michael Clements.

Dodgers Renew Ronald Belisario’s Contract

By Zachary Links | March 2, 2011 at 2:07pm CDT

The Dodgers have renewed Ronald Belisario's contract and have placed him on the restricted list, tweets Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. For the third straight season, the right-hander's arrival at Spring Training has been delayed by visa problems.

Belisario, 28, failed to report to camp by February 26, giving the Dodgers the right to remove him from the 40-man roster while retaining his rights by placing him on the restricted list. It was reported a few weeks ago that Belisario would probably have to miss the season due to the problems. However, the reliever claimed that he had lost his passport and was working to get it replaced.

The hurler posted a 2.04 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in his rookie campaign but was unable to find similar success in 2010. Belisario missed a month of action last year, reportedly due to a stint in substance-abuse rehab.

AL Notes: Royals, Miller, Chavez, Napoli, Vizquel

By Zachary Links | March 2, 2011 at 2:02pm CDT

Let's take a look at some items related to the Junior Circuit..

A rival executive described the Royals' young talent as "an embarrassment of riches" to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
Speaking of Kansas City, Jonah Keri of Fangraphs examines the one-year, $2.5MM deal given to Jeff Francoeur. Even though the deals given to Francoeur and fellow outfielder Melky Cabrera (one-year, $1.25MM) are puzzling for many reasons, Keri notes that the one-year deals don't block any of the club's prospects.
The Red Sox are hopeful that Andrew Miller will resurrect his career after signing a minor league deal with the club this winter writes Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal. According to Miller's agent, the lefty recieved big league offers from three other teams but preferred the BoSox.
Two ex-Mariners, Endy Chavez and Brett Tomko, are looking to make it back to the majors with the Rangers, writes Kirby Arnold of The Daily Herald.
Now in Texas, Mike Napoli says that he knew that the Angels would trade one of their talented catchers, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. The Halos had a glut at the position with Napoli, Jeff Mathis, Bobby Wilson, and Hank Conger waiting in the wings.
White Sox veteran Omar Vizquel Is a reminder of what might have been for the M's, writes Tyler Kepner of the New York Times.
The Pirates are likely still in search of two lefties out of the 'pen, writes Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

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