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Archives for May 2011

Stark On Giants, Padres, Pence

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Now that Buster Posey is on the disabled list for the foreseeable future, the Giants are looking around for catching, according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark. Ivan Rodriguez, a player the Giants have asked about, and Bengie Molina, a player who would like to return to San Francisco, are the team’s most viable options at this point. Here are the details from Stark, plus other notes from around the league:

  • The Nationals have been shopping Rodriguez since Spring Training and one executive says they would love to move him.
  • The Padres are starting to give indications that they’ll be willing to move Heath Bell, Ryan Ludwick and Chad Qualls in a few weeks.
  • However, rival teams say the Padres are “not motivated” to talk about players who are under control through 2012 or later, such as reliever Mike Adams.
  • The Astros keep saying that they imagine Hunter Pence on Houston’s next winning team, which would presumably make him difficult to obtain this summer.

Quick Hits: Gonzalez, Cardinals, Posey

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On this date in 1968, MLB announced two new expansion teams: the Montreal Expos and the San Diego Padres. The Expos’ ancestors (the Nationals) and the Padres occupy last place in their respective divisions this year. Here’s the latest from the Major Leagues: 

  • Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hears that the Tigers kicked around the idea of trading for Adrian Gonzalez when he was with the Rangers in 2004-05 (Twitter link). However, talks never got very far and the Rangers dealt the first baseman to San Diego.
  • A rival GM told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he expects the Cardinals to make a “major push” to acquire talent this summer, since this could be St. Louis’ last playoff run with Albert Pujols.
  • Giants catcher Buster Posey would be “infinitely safer” at first base because he’d stay fresher, according to Gwen Knapp of the San Francisco Chronicle (she acknowledges that Posey adds plenty of value as a catcher).
  • An NL executive who could benefit from Posey’s absence was rattled by the catcher's injury because he's good for baseball, according to EPSN.com’s Buster Olney.

Tigers Acquire David Purcey For Scott Sizemore

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The Tigers have acquired left-hander David Purcey from the Athletics for second baseman Scott Sizemore, the teams announced. The move provides the Tigers with another left-handed relief option and gives the A's second base depth behind the struggling Mark Ellis. In related moves, the Tigers called Danny Worth up and the A's called Bobby Cramer up.

Purcey, a 2004 first rounder, arrived in Oakland last month, after the Blue Jays designated him for assignment. He has a 3.60 ERA for the A's and Blue Jays this year with a 10K/7BB ratio through 15 innings. Last year, the 29-year-old posted a career-best 3.71 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 34 innings out of Toronto's 'pen.

Sizemore has been Detroit's everyday second baseman since getting the call to the Majors in early May. He has a .222/.329/.238 line in 74 plate appearances this year, which is similar to the batting line he produced as a rookie in 2010 (.224/.296/.336). A fifth round pick in 2006, Sizemore has a .301/.387/.453 line in the minor leagues.

The Tigers currently have three left-handed relievers on the active roster: Daniel Schlereth and recent additions Charlie Furbush and Adam Wilk (Brad Thomas is on the DL). Wilk and Furbush debuted this week and Purcey has pitched more MLB innings than Schlereth and Thomas combined, so he'll provide manager Jim Leyland with something of a known commodity.

Mets Designate Pat Misch For Assignment

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The Mets designated Pat Misch for assignment to create roster space for Dale Thayer, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter). In related moves, the Mets optioned Fernando Martinez to the minor leagues and promoted Thayer.

Misch, 29, made six relief appearances this year and has allowed 11 hits and four walks in 7 innings, striking out five. The left-hander has a 4.80 ERA with 5.2 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in six seasons with the Giants and Mets.

Thayer, a right-hander who had brief stints with the Rays in 2009-10, has been pitching for the Mets' Triple-A affiliate. He has a 2.05 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in 26 1/3 innings with Buffalo. A 47th round selection in 1999, Thayer has struck out nearly a batter per inning over the course of his nine minor league seasons.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Posey, Astros, Beltran

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The Indians pulled off the rare triple steal on this date three years ago. Jamey Carroll got caught in a rundown after being picked off first by Ehren Wassermann, but Paul Konerko threw home to try to cut down David Dellucci, who broke from third. Dellucci was safe at home after beating the throw and Carroll advanced to second, all while Grady Sizemore (who was originally on second) scooted over to third. It was the first triple steal since 1987, when the Braves victimized the Astros.

Here are the best links the blogosphere had to offer over the last week…

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here. Only one email per week, please.

Owners Say The Darndest Things

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Much of the baseball world was abuzz this week over the comments Fred Wilpon made in The New Yorker about his players and team. The attention is understandable, since the comments appear to be both wrong on the merits and antithetical to Wilpon's own self-interest. But ill-advised comments are nothing new for baseball owners.

After all, as Bill Veeck once said, "Baseball must be a great game, because the owners haven't been able to kill it." I thought it would be fun to see what the closest historical comparables are for each of Wilpon's gaffes this week (by all means, let me know in the comments section if I'm missing any – these are far from scientific conclusions).

On Carlos Beltran: “We had some schmuck in New York who paid him based on that one series. He’s sixty five to seventy per cent of what he was.”

Closest comp: When George Steinbrenner said of Dave Winfield: "Where is Reggie Jackson? We need a Mr. October or a Mr. September. Winfield is Mr. May."

Similarities include criticizing a player for only coming through during a specific time of year. Naturally, Beltran hasn't had much chance to come through during postseasons for the Mets. Even his famous 'failure' – a strikeout to end Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS – came in a series in which he hit three home runs.

On Jose Reyes: "He thinks he’s going to get Carl Crawford money,” Wilpon said, referring to the left fielder's seven-year, $142MM contract with Boston. “He’s had everything wrong with him,” Wilpon said of Reyes. “He won’t get it.”

Closest comp: When Reds owner Bill DeWitt sent Frank Robinson to Baltimore for pitchers Milt Pappas and Jack Baldschun and outfielder Dick Simpson in January 1966, he defended the trade by explaining that Robinson was "an old 30." Robinson went on to win the triple crown for Baltimore in 1966, and starred with the Orioles for many seasons to come.

Similarities include a shocking misread of the market for a player, and an attempt to denigrate an in-prime star. DeWitt was wise enough to wait until after he traded his player, of course.

On David Wright: "He’s pressing,” Wilpon said. “A really good kid. A very good player. Not a superstar.”

Closest comp: Charlie Finley said to Vida Blue after the 1972 season, "So you won twenty games? Why didn't you win thirty?"

Similarities include a failure to recognize elite talent right in front of him. However, Finley had a larger purpose: to pay Blue less in ongoing contract negotiations. With Wright signed through 2013, Wilpon's motivations are far less clear.

On the Mets: “Good hitter,” Wilpon said in reference to first baseman Ike Davis. “S***** team—good hitter. Lousy clubs — that’s what happens.”

Closest comp: Anything George Steinbrenner ever said after the Yankees lost in the playoffs.

Similarities include the disparaging of the very team each man owned. The difference was that in Steinbrenner's case, the Yankees had usually won well over 90 games and made the playoffs.

Cubs Designate Robert Coello For Assignment

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The Cubs announced that they designated Robert Coello for assignment to create 40-man roster space for Rodrigo Lopez. The Cubs optioned Justin Berg to Triple-A to create 25-man roster space for Lopez, who was acquired from Atlanta yesterday and will be in uniform for Chicago today.

Coello, 26, appeared in six games for the Red Sox last year before Boston traded him to Chicago for Tony Thomas this February. In 48 1/3 innings at Triple-A Iowa, Coello has a 7.82 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9. The 6'5" right-hander has a 3.78 ERA with 10.1 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 127 minor league appearances, most of which have come in relief.

Heyman On Sandoval, Mets, Dodgers, Rangers

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Pablo Sandoval has catching experience, but the Giants won’t attempt to re-position him behind the plate when he returns from the disabled list, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. Here’s Heyman’s latest from around the league:

  • Mets minority owner David Einhorn is expected to have a say in major team decisions, though he won’t have the final call. If the Wilpons have to sell the team, Einhorn will have the first opportunity to buy it.
  • The Dodgers have not explored possible trades for Andre Ethier or Matt Kemp and rival teams haven’t called to express interest in the outfielders, according to Heyman. The Dodgers would like to lock both up long-term instead of allowing them to hit the open market after next year.
  • One Dodger who won’t be getting a long-term contract offer: James Loney. The first baseman is a likely non-tender after the season, according to executives around the league.
  • The Rangers are looking for a reliever and would prefer a right-hander. Heyman hears they’ll consider Francisco Rodriguez of the Mets.
  • The Cubs don’t plan to exercise Aramis Ramirez’s $16MM option for 2012, according to Heyman.

The Indians’ Approach To The 2011 Draft

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Yes, the Reds are scuffling. But the Indians aren’t the only first place baseball team in Ohio this year. The Columbus Clippers lead the Triple-A International League with a 33-14 record thanks to a roster that includes some of the Indians’ top prospects. The person who drafted many of them, director of amateur scouting Brad Grant, says it’s rewarding to see the players he’s selected approach the Major Leagues.

“It’s a good feeling,” Grant told MLBTR. “Our scouts have done a very good job at identifying talent that’s going to move through the system and up to the Major League club and that’s what we hope to continue to do. From Lonnie Chisenhall to Jason Kipnis, Drew Pomeranz, Alex White and a bunch of others, our scouts have done a very good job at identifying what fits for us .”

Cleveland’s system boasted the seventh-best group of prospects in the game entering the season, according to Baseball America. And so far in 2011, they’re performing like top prospects. 

White posted a 3.60 ERA through three MLB starts after climbing through the Indians’ system in less than two years (he’s now on the disabled list). Chisenhall, selected when Grant was a rookie scouting director in 2008, has an .825 OPS at Triple-A and Kipnis, a 2009 selection, has an .856 OPS with the Indians’ top affiliate.

There’s a legitimate chance that Chisenhall and Kipnis make an impact for the Tribe in 2011. But when the Indians start selecting their next wave of talent on June 6th, Grant will be looking for players who will help the future teams, not ones that can bolster the AL Central-leading Indians this year.

“Those two things are separate,” he said. “They always have been in terms of our drafting philosophy. We’re looking again to try to get the best player available and try to get the player that fits best for us, but things change constantly at the Major League level and it’s changing for us right now, so to try to draft based on what the Major League team is doing is not the right thing to do.”

Instead of looking for short-term fixes, the Indians will rank over 700 players and determine which ones could contribute most in the long-term. The Indians figure to have lots of choice, as the consensus around the game is that the 2011 draft features a better collection of prospects than usual. 

“Just looking at it in terms of the power pitching that’s out there this year, there are a lot of guys with power arms and there are position players as well,” Grant said. “It’s a very good draft.”

The Indians select eighth overall before selecting 67th, 97th and 128th. It doesn’t compare with the bevy of early picks held by the Rays, Blue Jays or Padres, but the Indians still figure to have a shot at an elite prospect with their top pick.

“I think we’ll have a good choice and I think it’ll be something where it comes down to a choice between multiple players that we like a lot,” Grant said.

Last year the Indians selected Pomeranz, a left-handed pitcher who has a 2.09 ERA with a 54K/15BB ratio in Class A. The price: $2.65MM, or nearly as much as the Indians spent on Major League free agents before this season’s surprise run. 

All told, the Indians spent $9.4MM on draft bonuses a year ago, fifth in baseball and considerably more than large-market teams like the Angels, Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Cubs and White Sox. This year, the Indians will approach players with imposing price tags on a case-by-case basis.

“As we go through the draft we’ll make those decisions depending on what’s available at the time of each selection,” Grant said. “As we get to those decisions, we’ll consult with ownership and with Mark Shapiro, our president, and see where we are, but those will be decisions we make as we go through the draft.”

Deciding which players to draft won't be simple, since the Indians will weigh reports on the hundreds of amateurs they have evaluated since last June. And the decisions probably won’t have an immediate impact at the Major League level. But the way current Indians prospects like Kipnis and Chisenhall are playing, there could be some job openings in the minors for the 2011 draft class before long.

Blue Jays Notes: Lawrie, Super Two, Escobar

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Shaun Marcum has been Milwaukee's best starter this year, but Brett Lawrie is doing his best to make Blue Jays fans forget about the pitcher he was traded for. The 21-year-old infield prospect has a .343/.403/.632 line at Triple-A with 12 home runs. GM Alex Anthopoulos and Jeff Blair of Sportsnet Radio FAN 590 discussed Lawrie's hot start and a number of other issues pertaining to the Blue Jays this morning. Here are the details:

  • Lawrie has improved his strikeout to walk ratio in Triple-A this month, a development that’s encouraging for the Jays’ front office.
  • Super two status is a moving target at the best of times and Anthopoulos points out that over 80% of players who become eligible for arbitration are optioned to the minor leagues at some point. Players like Travis Snider and Brett Cecil don’t have continuous Major League service, which means projecting whether minor leaguers are on track for super two status is mostly futile.
  • The Blue Jays have a record of not manipulating service according to Anthopoulos. He points to J.P. Arencibia and Kyle Drabek, both of whom got the call late last year.
  • Anthopoulos has been on the phone with a few GMs, but he doesn’t expect trades to kick into high gear until after the draft, which starts June 6th.
  • Anthopoulos saw the rumor linking Jose Reyes to the Blue Jays and though the GM declined to comment on another team’s player, he praised the Jays’ current shortstop, Yunel Escobar. “He’s young, he’s everything we want,” Anthopoulos said of Escobar, who is under team control through 2013. “Shortstop is not an area we need to improve. We think it’s a strength.”

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