Quick Hits: Rays, Pena, Phillies, Dodgers, Royals
Dustin Ackley will make his debut tomorrow, but Blue Jays righty Zach Stewart got his first taste of The Show today against the Orioles. Stewart, acquired by former Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi in the July '09 Scott Rolen deal, ranked 44th on Keith Law's preseason top 100 prospects list for ESPN. On to today's links…
- Baseball America's Jim Callis reports that the Rays are on the verge of signing supplemental first round picks Jeff Ames and James Harris. The team signed two other supplemental first rounders earlier today.
- Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe hears that the Diamondbacks are considering calling up Wily Mo Pena for interleague play (on Twitter). Pena has not been in the big leagues since 2008, but he's hitting .356/.431/.736 with 21 homers for Arizona's Triple-A affiliate, and he could DH in AL parks.
- Andy Martino of The New York Daily News speculates about the possibility of Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran winding up with the Phillies at the trade deadline.
- The Phillies "are making inquiries on established and pricey veterans" as they search for a right-handed hitting outfielder, reports ESPN's Buster Olney. We covered this topic on Monday, under the impression that pricey players were not a fit. If the Phillies do have these types on the radar, players like Michael Cuddyer and Ryan Ludwick could enter the mix in my opinion.
- MLB is interviewing former Dodgers executives as its investigation nears its conclusion, reports Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times.
- The first player from the 2011 draft class could be the Diamondbacks' Trevor Bauer, in the opinion of ESPN's Jason Churchill and Keith Law, assuming they sign him (Insider required).
- I talked Royals with Nick Wright of 610 Sports yesterday; download an mp3 of the audio here.
Outrighted: Poreda, Patterson, Dinkelman
Outrighted to Triple-A today:
- The Padres announced that both Aaron Poreda and Eric Patterson have cleared waivers and accepted their assignments to Triple-A, reports MLB.com's Corey Brock (on Twitter). Patterson was designated for assignment last week, Poreda earlier this week.
- The Twins outrighted second baseman/corner outfielder Brian Dinkelman to open a 40-man spot for Joe Mauer, according to the team. The move also cleared room on the active roster for Mauer.
Cardinals Will Look Into J.C. Romero
The Cardinals had interest in J.C. Romero over the winter, and now a source tells Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch that they will look into picking him up after he was designated for assignment by the Phillies earlier today. Earlier this week we heard the Cardinals have the money to make a midseason pickup.
St. Louis has two lefties in the bullpen at the moment: Trever Miller and Brian Tallet. Miller has done the job (2.92 ERA in 12 1/3 innings), but Tallet's 7.15 ERA in 11 1/3 innings is an eyesore. Romero spent time on the disabled list with a calf injury earlier this year, and he has a 3.86 ERA, 5.5 K/9, 6.6 BB/9, and 52.9% groundball rate this year in 16 1/3 innings.
Rays Sign Draft Picks Blake Snell, Kes Carter
7:06pm: MLBTR has learned that Snell has signed for $684K, exactly slot money. He is represented by Adam Karon and Tripper Johnson of Sosnick Cobbe Sports. Baseball America's Jim Callis tweets that Carter signed for $625K, which is slightly below slot.
5:25pm: The Rays have signed supplemental first round draft picks Blake Snell and Kes Carter, reports Marc Topkin of The St. Petersburg Times (on Twitter). No word on either player's signing bonus, but MLB's slot recommendation for the 52nd and 56th overall picks is approximately $684K and $644K, respectively.
Snell, a high school left-hander from Washington, was the 52nd overall selection, taken with the pick Tampa Bay received as compensation for losing Joaquin Benoit. Baseball America's Advanced Draft Database (subs. req'd) notes that he throws 88-92 with a curveball and changeup that are "just average at best."
Carter, an outfielder from Western Kentucky, was the 56th overall selection and was taken with the pick the Rays received for losing Randy Choate. Baseball America says he flashes all five tools with a smooth lefty swing and good plate discipline. They note that his health and struggles against left-handed pitchers are a concern.
Angels Unable To Spend More Money In 2011
The Angels have lost seven of their last ten games and sit three games back of the Rangers in the AL West, but owner Arte Moreno has told GM Tony Reagins not to spend any more of his money this year according to Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles. This will obviously limit the team's ability to make a splash at the trade deadline.
The Angels released Scott Kazmir yesterday, eating the $9.5MM left on his contract. They are also paying Gary Matthews Jr. $11.4MM to play for the Reds' Triple-A affiliate this year. Reagins was able to add Russell Branyan for the pro-rated portion of the league minimum last month, but he's hitting just .161/.229/.161 in 35 plate appearances since signing.
As Saxon notes, the team doesn't have much immediate help sitting in Triple-A, with the best of the bunch being veterans Paul McAnulty and Jeff Baisley. He wonders if teams would have interest in Joel Pineiro ($8MM salary), Fernando Rodney ($5.5MM, but currently on the disabled list), or Bobby Abreu ($9MM, but his 2012 option is close to vesting), which could potentially free up some cash via trades. Either way, Reagins is going to have to get creative to upgrade his team this summer.
Alderson Talks Reyes, Trade Deadline, K-Rod
Mets GM Sandy Alderson chatted with WFAN's Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts today for about twenty minutes; here are a few highlights.
- Asked when the Mets will make a formal contract extension offer to Jose Reyes, Alderson laughed at the direct nature of the question and responded, "Well, we said that we will reach out to Jose at some point, and I expect that will happen. Beyond that, I can't tell you." Questioned about the possibility of extending Reyes before season's end, Alderson noted that it's a "two-sided process." He said he hasn't gotten to the point of determining limits on what to offer Reyes, and reiterated that the feelings of the fans factor into his decisions.
- Reyes spoke to WFAN's Mike Francesa today, saying right now all he can control is his play on the field. He says he wants to stay but understands this is a business and he doesn't know what's going to happen. He doesn't talk about his future contract with his agent Peter Greenberg.
- Though the Mets have long been considered potential sellers, Alderson says the team playing well closer to the trade deadline is "the best possible situation for us to be in." Later, he guessed that the Wilpons "would do everything they can to make that possible" in terms of creating payroll flexibility to make deadline acquisitions. Alderson, however, feels that getting Ike Davis, David Wright, and possibly Johan Santana back would provide a similar boost.
- Alderson didn't commit much on the Francisco Rodriguez situation, only saying that the hosts had "reminded me of all the difficult propositions we face." He admitted that next year's payroll is a big issue, and said the vesting option situation will be more fully addressed down the road. K-Rod currently has 27 games finished, and it's possible he could reach 55 by the end of August, causing a $17.5MM option to vest for 2012.
Brandon Phillips On His Future In Cincinnati
ESPN's Amy K. Nelson wrote a feature on Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips, focusing mainly on his interactions with fans via his Twitter account, @DatDudeBP. Really cool stuff. But there is an MLBTR-related nugget from a March conversation Phillips had with fans/friends Rachel and Dave Zahniser. Phillips' Spring Training comments on his future in Cincinnati:
"It's going to be hard to keep me here." On whether he'd be willing to take a pay cut to stay: "I'm not trying to break the bank. I'm just trying to be fair. I don't want Jayson Werth money or CC Sabathia money."
Despite that comment, Phillips has made it well-known he'd like to stay in Cincinnati. The first issue will be his 2012 club option, worth $12MM with a $1MM buyout. The $11MM net price feels a bit high, as Phillips' slugging percentage has dipped below .400. His defense remains well-regarded, so some team would probably find the salary palatable even if the Reds don't. Jocketty told Nelson he hasn't had internal discussions or with Phillips' agents at ACES about a new deal.
For fans hoping Phillips stays, Jocketty's dealings with Bronson Arroyo are encouraging. Arroyo's hefty $13MM club option was exercised in November, which was then overwritten as part of a three-year deal heavy on deferrals.
Phillies Designate J.C. Romero For Assignment
The Phillies designated lefty reliever J.C. Romero for assignment, tweets MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. The move drops the team's 40-man roster count to 39 and creates a spot on the 25-man roster for Vance Worley.
Romero, who spent time on the DL with a calf injury this year, has a 3.86 ERA, 5.5 K/9, 6.6 BB/9, and 52.9% groundball rate this year with zero home runs allowed in 16 1/3 innings. The 35-year-old has faced more right-handed hitters than left-handed ones this year, which is never a good idea. He signed a $1.35MM deal to return to the club in January.
Potentially Available Right-Handed Relievers
The Rangers and Cardinals are just a few contenders who might look to add relief help at the trade deadline. Let's take a look at right-handed relievers who could become available soon.
- Nationals: Tyler Clippard, Todd Coffey. Coffey, a free agent after the season, seems most likely to go. I'm not sure why Clippard's name has entered the rumor mill, as he's under team control through 2015 and has been dominant this year.
- Orioles: Koji Uehara, Jim Johnson, Kevin Gregg, Jeremy Accardo. I don't see why any of these guys would be off-limits. Uehara has been particularly nasty, and could close for a lot of teams.
- Padres: Heath Bell, Mike Adams, Chad Qualls, Luke Gregerson (when healthy). Like Clippard, Gregerson would be tough to pry away. Jed Hoyer should get tons of phone calls on Bell and Adams though.
- Dodgers: Matt Guerrier, Mike MacDougal, Jonathan Broxton (when healthy). I'm guessing Ned Colletti doesn't want to subtract relievers from an already-decimated pen. But Broxton is a free agent after the season and there would be teams wanting to rent him if he comes back strong.
- Mets: The Mets are only 3.5 games back in the wild card, so they might not be inclined to trade closer Francisco Rodriguez. However, there is that pesky games finished clause, which triggers a $17.5MM salary for 2012 if K-Rod finishes 28 more games. Jason Isringhausen could become trade bait if the Mets fall out of contention.
- Pirates: The Bucs are three games out in the wild card, so they probably won't be tearing up their bullpen. Still, closer Joel Hanrahan is flourishing and Chris Resop and Jose Veras have huge strikeout rates. It wouldn't hurt to just listen to offers.
- Blue Jays: They're still on the fringe of contention. If that changes for the worse the club has right-handed relievers galore: Shawn Camp, Octavio Dotel, Frank Francisco, Jason Frasor, and Jon Rauch to name a few.
- Marlins: The Marlins are just falling fast. If they decide to fold, righties Leo Nunez, Brian Sanches, and Burke Badenhop could become available. The Rockies could become sellers too if the next 30 days go poorly.
- Cubs: Carlos Marmol, Kerry Wood (when healthy), Jeff Samardzija. There's been no indication Marmol is available, but I wonder if the Cubs would listen. Most likely they prefer to keep him around. For Wood to be dealt, he'd have to be open to the idea.
- Royals: Joakim Soria. Trading Soria now would be selling low, and the Royals have never seemed open to it, though MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan says they're willing to talk about him.
- Athletics: Grant Balfour, Michael Wuertz, Brad Ziegler. All these guys are under control for next year at least, so it's unclear as to whether the A's would move one.
- Twins: The Twins have been playing better lately, but they're still nine games out. Closer Matt Capps would draw plenty of interest, and perhaps Joe Nathan could be dealt in August if healthy and effective.
- Cardinals: Ryan Franklin could be a trade candidate, if he's not released first.
Rangers Hope To Improve Bullpen Soon
Rangers GM Jon Daniels is having "active discussions with other teams" with the aim of improving his bullpen via trade, reports MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. Said Daniels:
"It's something that we're open to, but it's easier said than done. There are not a lot of clubs eager to move quality arms right now. We've got to be able to address it right now."
Sullivan names Koji Uehara, Jim Johnson, Kevin Gregg, Joakim Soria, Kerry Wood, and Heath Bell as several relievers who could become available. He also notes that the Rangers have discussed Todd Coffey and Tyler Clippard with the Nationals. And the Giants are scouting Rangers catcher Taylor Teagarden, so there could be a match.