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Archives for June 2011

MLBTR Originals: 6/12/11 – 6/18/11

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Here's a look back at the original material we published at MLBTR last week:

Minor Deals: Castillo, Vazquez, Gotay, Carter

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We'll keep track of all of the day's minor deals right here:

  • The Diamondbacks have signed left-handed pitcher Alberto Castillo, according to CBSSports.com. Castillo, 35, was designated for assignment by the Orioles on June 10th.  The veteran has a 2.89 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 across four seasons of play at the Triple-A level.
  • The Blue Jays signed infielder Ramon Vazquez to a minor league deal, according to the CBSSports.com transactions page.  The 35-year-old last appeared in the majors in 2009 when he spent the year with the Pirates.  Vazquez has experience playing shortstop, second base, and third base.
  • The Braves signed infielder Ruben Gotay and outfielder Chris Carter to minor league deals and assigned them to Triple-A Gwinnett, according to David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). Gotay last appeared in the bigs with Atlanta in 2008, while Carter played in 100 games with the Mets last season.

Marlins Notes: McKeon, Hyde, Guillen

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Earlier today, Edwin Rodriguez voluntarily stepped down as Marlins manager and bench coach Brandon Hyde was tabbed to fill in for today's game against the Rays.  Here's the latest on who might take over next..

  • McKeon is owner Jeffrey Loria's first choice to take over as interim manager, writes Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
  • Marlins officials will discuss interim manager candidates internally after today's game against Tampa Bay, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  A source tells Morosi (Twitter link) that both Hyde and Jack McKeon are being considered and a decision is expected in the next 48 hours.
  • A source told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter) that the Marlins are not considering Nationals' third base coach Bo Porter. The Fish hope to put an interim skipper in place for the rest of season by tomorrow.
  • Jack McKeon will definitely manage again on an interim basis if asked, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today.  The octogenarian said that he's capable of doing it, though he'd want to talk it over with his wife first.
  • Nightengale also tweets that it would be interesting if the Marlins hire someone to fill-in on an interim basis and then make another run at Ozzie Guillen.

Quick Hits: Kazmir, McKeon, Indians, Gonzalez

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Some quick hits as we take in a full slate of games today..

  • The Pirates have checked into Scott Kazmir, but GM Neal Huntington did not indicate whether the discussions are ongoing or if it's moot issue, tweets Rob Biertempfel of MLB.com.
  • If asked, 80-year-old Jack McKeon says that he's capable of taking over the Marlins managerial job on an interim basis, tweets Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com.
  • The Indians have fired hitting coach Jon Nunnally and will replace him with Bruce Fields, tweets Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.
  • The Cardinals scouted left-hander Scott Kazmir but they do not have interest in pursuing him, a club source told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  While several teams have denied interest in the former All-Star, we learned yesterday that the Mets will consider him.
  • Alex Speier of WEEI.com looks back at the long-term deal that Adrian Gonzalez signed with the Padres and how it ultimately affected his future with the Red Sox.
  • In response to a question, Ken Davidoff of Newsday (via Twitter) said that Carlos Zambrano is unlikely for the Yankees.
  • Baseball's international signing period is quickly becoming one of the most important dates on the calendar for many big league teams, writes Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times.  The international signing period begins July 2nd.

Blue Jays Sign Yunel Escobar To Extension

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The Blue Jays have signed shortstop Yunel Escobar to an extension for the 2012 and 2013 seasons worth $10MM, according to the team's official Twitter page.  The deal includes two club options of $5MM each for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

Yunel

Escobar, 28, was already under team control through 2013.  The possible option years for '14 and '15 represent his first two years of free agency.  The new deal will bring Escobar a significant pay bump as he will earn $2.9MM in 2011 after avoiding arbitration in January.

The Blue Jays acquired Escobar along with Jo-Jo Reyes from the Braves in July of 2010 for Tyler Pastornicky, Tim Collins and Alex Gonzalez.  Since then, Escobar has hit .278/.350/.395 with 12 homers in 126 games for Toronto.

As MLBTR's Transaction Tracker shows, Alex Anthopoulos has extended four of Romero's teammates since becoming Toronto's GM after the 2009 season. Adam Lind ($18MM), Ricky Romero ($30.1MM), Rajai Davis ($5.75MM) and Jose Bautista ($65MM) have all signed extensions since last April.

Fellow Cuban Alexei Ramirez is in the same service class as Escobar and makes a comparable salary in 2011 ($2.75MM). Ramirez has shown more power than Escobar and has a Silver Slugger to his name, though he hasn't reached base as often as a Major Leaguer. Ramirez signed a deal that guarantees him $32.5MM, including nearly $10MM per free agent year.

Photo courtesy Icon SMI. MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.

Braves Designate Joe Mather For Assignment

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The Braves have designated Joe Mather for assignment, according to David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter).  The move was made in order to create space for the returning Nate McLouth.

Mather, 28, has a .228/.283/.384 slash line in parts of three big league seasons.  The former third-round draft pick has seen time at both infield corners and all three outfield positions in the majors. 

Atlanta actually placed Mather on waivers at the end of May but the utility player made it through just two days later.  So far in 2011, Mather is hitting .213/.272/.307 with a home run in 83 plate appearances.

Cafardo On Kazmir, Upton, Broxton, Ramirez

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wonders if roster manipulation is rampant in baseball.  Cafardo points to the pulled quad muscle injury of Red Sox outfielder Darnell McDonald as a possible example.  McDonald wasn't showing any signs of injury and when asked about it, he gave a "no comment".  It's possible that Boston simply wanted to get McDonald more playing time with Mike Cameron eating up the lion's share of the reps.  Things such as this, Cafardo writes, are happening all around baseball.  Let's see what else is happening around the majors:

  • As poorly as left-hander Scott Kazmir has pitched in the last two seasons, there are at least five teams looking at him in the Rockies, Marlins, Padres, Rangers, and Diamondbacks.  It also wouldn't be a surprise if the Yankees jump into the mix considering their pitching needs.
  • There always seems to be a should-we-or-shouldn’t-we-trade B.J. Upton dilemma for the Rays. The Nationals could be a fit as they'd like a young center fielder they can grow with.  The question is: is he available?  All signs point to yes.
  • Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton has been on the shelf since May with an elbow injury, but the club could move him if they're lagging in the standings.
  • The Marlins' recent slide has skipper Edwin Rodriguez on the hot seat and it's no secret that the club has been keeping an eye on Ozzie Guillen for quite some time.  Guillen has one year remaining on his deal with the White Sox.
  • The Dodgers owe Manny Ramirez more than $8MM in deferred payments but the charismatic twelve-time All-Star is collecting a lot more than that.  The BoSox owe him quite a bit of money too, roughly $32MM over 16 years.  Boston will pay Ramirez through 2026, when he’ll be 54-years-old.

Trade Candidate: Ryan Ludwick

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While the Padres' bullpen is well-stocked and will likely draw the interest of trade suitors, left fielder Ryan Ludwick is emerging as an intriguing trade candidate. In last month's piece If The Padres Become Sellers, Tim Dierkes noted that if Ludwick, a free agent at season's end, were to continue his then modest hot streak, he would be one of the better bats available and might yield a decent prospect in a swap.

In fact, Ludwick has pieced together decent offensive numbers (.259/.327/.406) in left field, which has been a weak offensive position in 2011, while batting in a bad lineup and residing in pitcher-friendly PETCO Park. Since April 20, Ludwick has posted a line of .287/.340/.456, which is closer to his career line of .266/.336/.469. He'd be a nice, if unspectacular, addition to a number of different lineups.

Here's a look at some teams that could use Ludwick:

  • Braves: Martin Prado is on the DL with a staph infection, which is a serious ailment and renders his return no sure thing. In the meanwhile, Atlanta is working with Eric Hinske, Jordan Schafer and the recently reactivated Nate McLouth in left and center, with Jason Heyward obviously manning right.
  • Reds: This was rumored earlier this season, though both Cincinnati and San Diego shot down the whispers. Still, the Reds have not been able to tab a starter between Chris Heisey, Jonny Gomes and Fred Lewis. As well, Reds GM Walt Jocketty is familiar with Ludwick from their time together in St. Louis.
  • Mariners: Safeco Field is known to kill right-handed power, but Carlos Peguero is struggling and Greg Halman is unproven.
  • Tigers: Brennan Boesch has played left and right, with Andy Dirks seeing playing time while Magglio Ordonez was on the DL. Ordonez is back but is well into a decline. Detroit could acquire Ludwick and transition Maggs into a reserve role.
  • Indians: Grady Sizemore is an injury risk, and fourth outfielder Austin Kearns has struggled in limited action. The Tribe could find the at-bats for Ludwick by DH'ing him occasionally and spelling any of Sizemore, Michael Brantley and Shin-Soo Choo, all of whom are left-handed hitters.

Yanks Prefer Left-Handers And Rentals

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8:37PM: The Yankees are "watching everyone, focused on no one," a source tells Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger (via Twitter).

2:23PM: George A. King III of the New York Post lists both Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster as two pitchers of potential interest to the Yankees (which we also heard yesterday), but soon after notes that the Yankees would prefer to add a left-handed starter, and that they also prefer players who are only signed through 2011.

King names Wandy Rodriguez as the best available southpaw starter, though he's anything but a rental; his contract is guaranteed through 2013 with an option for 2014. Dempster better fits the criteria of a rental player; he has a $14MM player option for 2012, but after a disastrous start owns a 3.21 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 56 innings of work since May 1. If he continues to pitch that well through season's end, he can likely find more money on the free agent market. Dempster also has full no-trade protection, making him a difficult target.

Left-handed starters whose contracts expire following the 2011 season include Paul Maholm, Bruce Chen, Jeff Francis, and Zach Duke. Of the four, only Maholm is currently pitching well enough to be considered an upgrade. Mark Buehrle is also a free agent following 2011, but a clause in his contract states that he will receive an extra year at $15MM if he's traded this season.

Maholm earns just $5.75MM this year and has a $750K buyout on his $9.75MM option for 2012. To date, he's compiled a strong 3.12 ERA that's supported fairly well by his 3.53 FIP and 3.89 xFIP. Chen has been solid in 42 2/3 innings for the Royals, but is currently rehabbing from a lat muscle injury. Those names, of course, are pure speculation based on the Yanks' stated desires.

New York is currently sixth in the American League in starters' ERA with a mark of 3.89, but that's been largely supported by surprising performances from Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon, who was recently put on the 15-day disabled list. As King points out, the club expects Phil Hughes to return at some point as well. He's set for a rehab start tomorrow.

Central Notes: Zambrano, Francoeur, Astros, Pirates

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A few items of note coming out of the Central divisions as Carlos Carrasco loses his no-hit bid in the sixth in Cleveland:

  • Cubs righty Carlos Zambrano is trending in trade rumors recently, as he has already said that he would waive his no-trade clause. We've also learned that the Yankees have no interest in acquiring the hurler. However, Buster Olney of ESPN.com reminds us that no team has actually checked in with the North Siders on the hurler's availability (via Twitter).
  • Royals outfielder Jeff Francoeur could draw interest at the trade deadline as a fourth outfielder for a contending team, writes Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. However, Francoeur has a strong relationship with GM Dayton Moore and isn't blocking the imminent arrival of any corner-outfield prospects, so the Royals probably aren't feeling any urgency to deal him, according to Dodd.
  • The Astros have signed Arizona State lefty Mitchell Lambson, their 19th-round pick, according to Stephen Goff of the Houston Examiner (via Twitter). Houston has now signed 28 of its 50 selections, per Goff.
  • The Pirates have signed Louisiana Tech lefty Mike Jefferson, their 22nd-round pick, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (via Twitter).

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