Archives for June 2011

Prospects Dealt In July Of 2009

By Tim Dierkes | June 13, 2011 at 9:35am CDT

Aaron Poreda being designated for assignment prompted me to wonder what's become of all the notable prospects dealt in July of 2009. Let's take a look.

Al Alburquerque, acquired by Rockies from Cubs for Jeff Baker. The Rockies cut Albuquerque loose, and he signed a Major League deal with the Tigers in November. He's worked around a high walk rate to produce very strong results in 20 2/3 relief innings this year.
Ryan Webb, acquired by Padres from Athletics in Scott Hairston deal. Webb became the key player for the Marlins in the November 2010 trade that sent Cameron Maybin to San Diego. He's been useful for Florida, racking up groundballs, though a mid-90s heater often generates a K/9 above 6.5. Sean Gallagher, the player to be named later in that trade, was later acquired by the Pirates and has struggled.
Roque Mercedes, acquired by Diamondbacks from Brewers in Felipe Lopez deal. Lopez was a pretty valuable player two years ago. Since the deal, Mercedes toiled with Arizona's Double-A club and eventually returned to the Brewers in December by way of a waiver claim. The Brewers designated him for assignment in February and he cleared waivers.
Brandon Allen, acquired by Diamondbacks from White Sox for Tony Pena. The D'Backs let Allen compete for the first base job this spring, but he's remained at Triple-A. The 25-year-old has shown a propensity to draw walks in the hitter-friendly league and awaits a shot at a starting job.
Daniel Cortes, acquired by Mariners from Royals in Yuniesky Betancourt deal. Cortes hasn't gotten much of a big league look in the Mariners' pen yet; he's had issues here and there with hits allowed and walks in the minors since the trade.
Hunter Strickland, acquired by Pirates from Red Sox in Adam LaRoche deal. Strickland appears to be on the DL for the Pirates' High-A team; he hasn't pitched this year. The Bucs also acquired infielder Argenis Diaz in the deal; he signed with the Tigers after being non-tendered.
Connor Graham, acquired by Indians from Red Sox for Rafael Betancourt. Graham is currently on the disabled list for the Indians' Double-A team and hasn't pitched this year.
Brett Wallace, acquired by Athletics from Cardinals in Matt Holliday deal. The A's later sent Wallace to the Blue Jays for Michael Taylor, who eventually sent him to Houston for Anthony Gose. He's found a home as the Astros' starting first baseman and owns a .304/.376/.440 line this year.
Scott Barnes, acquired by Indians for Ryan Garko. The lefty is part of the Tribe's Triple-A rotation.
Nathan Adcock, acquired by Pirates from Mariners as part of the Ian Snell/Jack Wilson deal. The Royals snagged Adcock in the latest Rule 5 draft, and he's trying to stick as a member of their bullpen.
Tim Alderson, acquired by Pirates from Giants in Freddy Sanchez deal. The Pirates drew praise for the acquisition, but Alderson was demoted to High-A in July of last year. He made it back to Double-A this year as a reliever and has been useful statistically.
The Indians' Cliff Lee haul from the Phillies: Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, and Lou Marson. Knapp missed much of last season with a shoulder injury. The Indians are handling him carefully, but he'll begin his season at High A soon and remains highly regarded. The others have reached the bigs, and Carrasco is a member of the team's big league rotation.
Josh Bell, acquired by Orioles from Dodgers in George Sherrill deal. Once considered Baltimore's third baseman of the future, Bell was unimpressive in the Majors last year and hasn't done enough at Triple-A.
Kevin Hart and Jose Ascanio, acquired by Pirates from Cubs in John Grabow/Tom Gorzelanny deal. Hart is recovering from a torn labrum, while Ascanio was designated for assignment this month.
Zach Stewart, acquired by Blue Jays in Scott Rolen deal. Stewart has been OK as a member of the Jays' Double-A rotation and still seems to have big league potential.
The Indians' haul from the Red Sox for Victor Martinez: Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone, and Bryan Price. Masterson owns a 3.18 ERA as the ace of Cleveland's rotation. Hagadone was converted to the bullpen and has scuffled a bit since being promoted to Triple-A. Price works out of the Double-A team's bullpen.
The Mariners' return from the Tigers for Jarrod Washburn: Luke French and Mauricio Robles. French is struggling in the team's Triple-A rotation, while Robles is on the DL for elbow surgery.
Ryan Mattheus, acquired by Nationals from Rockies in Joe Beimel deal. Mattheus was outrighted in November but added back to the 40-man roster a few days ago and is a member of Washington's bullpen.
The Padres' haul for Jake Peavy from White Sox: Aaron Poreda, Clayton Richard, Adam Russell, and Dexter Carter. Poreda was designated for assignment today. Richard had an excellent 2010 in San Diego's rotation and remains a useful starter. Russell was sent to Tampa Bay in the Jason Bartlett deal. Carter was cut by the Padres during the spring and signed back with the White Sox.
Aaron Thompson, acquired by Nationals from Marlins for Nick Johnson. The former first-round pick was claimed off waivers by the Pirates in December and now pitches for their Double-A club.

List Of First Round, Supplemental Draft Picks To Sign

By Tim Dierkes | June 13, 2011 at 7:58am CDT

Below is our list of first round and supplemental draft picks who have signed. The deadline is tonight at 11pm central time.

Last updated 8-16-11 at 1:06am CDT

First round

Pirates – Gerrit Cole – signed for $8MM
Mariners – Danny Hultzen – signed five-year, $8.5MM Major League deal
Diamondbacks – Trevor Bauer – signed four-year, $7MM Major League deal
Orioles – Dylan Bundy – signed five-year, $6.225MM Major League deal
Royals – Bubba Starling – signed for $7.5MM
Nationals – Anthony Rendon – signed four-year, $7.2MM Major League deal
Diamondbacks – Archie Bradley – signed for $5MM
Indians – Francisco Lindor – signed for $2.9MM
Cubs – Javier Baez – signed for $2.625MM
Padres – Cory Spangenberg – signed for $1.86MM
Astros – George Springer – signed for $2.525MM
Brewers – Taylor Jungmann – signed for $2.525MM
Mets – Brandon Nimmo – signed for $2.1MM
Marlins – Jose Fernandez – signed for $2MM
Brewers – Jed Bradley – signed for $2MM
Dodgers – Chris Reed – signed for $1.589MM
Angels – C.J. Cron – agreed to sign for $1.467MM
Athletics – Sonny Gray – signed for $1.54MM
Red Sox – Matt Barnes – signed for $1.5MM
Rockies – Tyler Anderson – signed for $1.4MM
Blue Jays – Tyler Beede – did not sign
Cardinals – Kolten Wong – signed for for $1.3MM
Nationals – Alex Meyer – signed for $2MM
Rays – Taylor Guerrieri – signed for $1.6MM
Padres – Joe Ross – signed for $2.75MM
Red Sox – Blake Swihart – signed for $2.5MM
Reds – Robert Stephenson – signed for $2MM
Braves – Sean Gilmartin – signed for $1.13MM
Giants – Joe Panik – signed for $1.116MM
Twins – Levi Michael – signed for $1.175MM
Rays – Mikie Mahtook – signed for $1.15MM
Rays – Jake Hager – signed for $963K
Rangers – Kevin Matthews – signed for $936K

Supplemental round

34. Nationals – Brian Goodwin – signed for about $3MM
35. Blue Jays – Jacob Anderson – signed for $990K
36. Red Sox – Henry Owens – signed for $1.55MM
37. Rangers – Zach Cone – signed for $873K
38. Rays – Brandon Martin – signed for $860K
39. Phillies – Larry Greene – signed for $1MM
40. Red Sox – Jackie Bradley Jr. – signed for $1.1MM
41. Rays – Tyler Goeddel – signed for $1.5MM
42. Rays – Jeff Ames – signed for $650K
43. Diamondbacks – Andrew Chafin – agreed to sign for $875K
44. Mets – Michael Fulmer – agreed to terms for $937.5K
45. Rockies – Trevor Story – signed for $915K
46. Blue Jays – Joe Musgrove – signed for $500K
47. White Sox – Keenyn Walker – agreed to terms for $795K
48. Padres – Michael Kelly – signed for $718K
49. Giants – Kyle Crick – signed for $900K
50. Twins – Travis Harrison – signed for $1.05MM
51. Yankees – Dante Bichette Jr. – signed for $750K
52. Rays – Blake Snell – signed for $684K
53. Blue Jays – Dwight Smith Jr. – signed for $800K
54. Padres – Brett Austin – did not sign
55. Twins – Hudson Boyd – signed for $1MM
56. Rays – Kes Carter – signed for $625K
57. Blue Jays – Kevin Comer – signed for $1.65MM
58. Padres – Jace Peterson – signed for $624,600
59. Rays – Grayson Garvin – signed for $370K
60. Rays – James Harris Jr. – signed for $490K

Other notable signings

Pirates – Josh Bell – signed for $5MM
Nationals – Matt Purke – signed four-year, $4.4MM Major League deal
Padres – Austin Hedges – signed for $3MM
Blue Jays – Daniel Norris – signed for $2.5MM
Cubs – Dillon Maples – signed for $2.5MM
Indians – Dillon Howard – signed for $1.85MM
Cubs – Dan Vogelbach – signed for $1.6MM
Orioles – Nicky Delmonico – signed for $1.525MM
Royals - Bryan Brickhouse - signed for $1.5MM
Cardinals – Charlie Tilson – signed for $1.275MM
Cubs – Shawon Dunston Jr. – signed for $1.275MM
Pirates – Clay Holmes – signed for $1.2MM
Yankees – Greg Bird – signed for $1.1MM
Giants – Andrew Susac – signed for $1.1MM
Reds – Amir Garrett – signed for $1MM

Padres Designate Aaron Poreda For Assignment

By Tim Dierkes | June 13, 2011 at 7:11am CDT

The Padres designated lefty Aaron Poreda for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for starter Anthony Bass, reports Sarah Trotto of The Arizona Daily Star.

Poreda, 24, had a 7.31 ERA, 9.6 K/9, 9.3 BB/9, and 0.3 HR/9 in 32 innings for the Padres' Triple-A club this year. Most of the innings came in relief, a role he's been in for the majority of his Padres career. The former first round pick was the key component in Kevin Towers' July 2009 deal that sent Jake Peavy to the White Sox, though Clayton Richard has emerged as the more valuable piece. The Padres also received Adam Russell, who was later sent to the Rays in the Jason Bartlett trade.

Poreda was ranked tenth among Padres prospects prior to the 2010 season by Baseball America. Even then there were concerns about his delivery and control, but he was still considered worthy of a late-inning bullpen future. Since then Poreda has walked more than a batter per inning.

Pirates Designate Wyatt Toregas For Assignment

By Zachary Links | June 12, 2011 at 11:10pm CDT

To make room for catcher Mike McKenry, on the 40-man roster, the Pirates have designated Wyatt Toregas for assignment, writes MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch. Toregas was on the Bucs big league roster for just four days.

In 135 career Triple-A games, Toregas has a .235/.301/.355 slash line with eleven homers. Prior to this season, the 28-year-old catcher had just 19 major league games to his credit, all of which came with the Indians in 2009.

Pirates Acquire McKenry From Red Sox

By Zachary Links | June 12, 2011 at 10:30pm CDT

The Pirates have acquired catcher Mike McKenry in a trade with the Red Sox, a source tells Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Boston will receive a player to be named later or cash considerations, according to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com (via Twitter).

Pittsburgh has been in search of a catcher ever since losing Ryan Doumit and Chris Snyder to the disabled list. Manager Clint Hurdle recently admitted that the club was having a hard time acquiring a catcher as clubs were looking to take advantage of their situation. The club could potentially be without Doumit until the end of July and without Snyder all season.

McKenry, 26, spent the first five years of his career with the Rockies organization before being dealt to the Red Sox in late March. In 127 career Triple-A games, McKenry has a slash line of .268/.337/.425 with 13 homers.

Quick Hits: Pirates, Millwood, Astros, Gamel

By Zachary Links | June 12, 2011 at 9:50pm CDT

Here are some Sunday evening Quick Hits as the Reds take on the Giants..

The Astros have been dominating the rumor mill over the last several weeks in Major League Baseball, writes Stephen Goff of Examiner.com. Teams have been calling GM Ed Wade about deals but even he isn't safe from rumors as he's said by some to be on the hot seat.
The Pirates are actively looking to acquire a catcher after losing their top three catchers to injury. Meanwhile, they don't feel that top catching prospect Tony Sanchez is ready for a big league promotion, writes Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com.
Kevin Millwood, who recently signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox, says that he's progressing with each Triple-A outing, writes Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal. The veteran signed a minor league deal with the Yankees earlier in the year but opted out on May 1st.
Stephen Goff of Examiner.com (via Twitter) tips his cap to Astros scouting director Bobby Heck for already getting 26 out of their 50 Draft picks signed.
The Brewers are thinking about a mid-week promotion for Mat Gamel, but the club won't have to designate anyone for assignment to make the move, writes MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Relievers Marco Estrada and Tim Dillard both have a minor league option remaining.

MLBTR Originals

By Zachary Links | June 12, 2011 at 7:34pm CDT

Here's a look back at some of the analysis and reporting MLBTR's writing team delivered this week..

As the losses kept piling up, A's GM Billy Beane realized that he had to make a change and fire his friend, manager Bob Geren, writes Ben Nicholson-Smith.
Tim Dierkes reported that the Yankees claimed pitcher Jeff Marquez off of waivers from the White Sox. This year in nine starts for Triple-A Charlotte he posted a 3.97 ERA, 6.8 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, and 0.9 HR/9 in 47 2/3 innings.
Did you miss this week's chat? Don't worry, you can check out the transcript right here.
Steve Adams profiled the remarkable run of Giants pitcher Ryan Vogelsong.
Astros first-round pick George Springer credits genetics and gymnastics for his athletic ability.
Ben-Nicholson Smith brought us an update on Super Two candidates.
There were a ton of great pieces featured in this week's edition of Mike Axisa's Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
Draft picks Archie Bradley and Trevor Bauer are both excited about their futures with the Diamondbacks.
Howard Megdal took a look back at top picks who have been traded by their original teams.
Here's a rundown of all of MLBTR's regular features.

Jason Marquis Wants To Stay With Nats

By Zachary Links | June 12, 2011 at 5:57pm CDT

Nats right-hander Jason Marquis is in the final year of a two-year, $15MM deal and he says that he wants to continue his career with the club beyond this season, writes Bill Ladson of MLB.com. The two sides have not talked about a contract extension, but Marquis is looking for a multiyear deal.

"Anybody would want a multiyear deal. That's how the game works," the veteran said. "I don't think anyone would turn down a four for a one."

Marquis has long been looked at as a trade candidate due to the expected lack of top-notch arms to be available at the trade deadline. Last week, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote that Marquis could be had in a deal if Washington received enough young talent in return.

In 13 starts this season, Marquis has a 3.67 ERA with 5.2 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9.

Week In Review: 6/5/11 – 6/11/11

By Steve Adams | June 12, 2011 at 4:56pm CDT

This year's draft has come and gone, and it led to plenty of news. Let's recap the past week:

The Pirates selected Gerrit Cole with the first overall pick in the draft. Cole and GM Neal Huntington discussed the move in a conference call, with Cole stating that his 2011 season wasn't up to his standards and Huntington saying they selected the player they feel will help the team most in the long haul.
The results of the first round and supplemental round were also tracked here on MLBTR.
Several draft picks have already signed. The Giants agreed to terms with first rounder Joe Panik, the Blue Jays signed supplemental first rounder Joe Musgrove for $500K, and the Padres signed their first pick, Cory Spangenberg, for a $1.86MM bonus and inked supplemental rounder Jace Peterson for $624,600.
The Athletics fired manager Bob Geren this week, replacing him with former Mariners and D'Backs skipper Bob Melvin. General manager Billy Beane explained his difficult decision later that day.
Commissioner Bud Selig voiced his continued support for the slotting system and a worldwide draft.
The Nationals have long been searching for a center fielder, and that search has led to their interest in B.J. Upton, whose some believe would benefit from a change of scenery.
Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said this week that the addition of a bat to their lineup before the trade deadline is unlikely. Amaro feels the team has plenty of power, and simply hasn't hit up to its capabilities yet.
Another move you shouldn't expect to see is a trade of Aramis Ramirez. The long-time Cubs third baseman said this week that he won't waive his no-trade clause for a deal this summer, and that he hopes to remain in Chicago beyond 2011.
The Giants continue to look for catching options following Buster Posey's injury, but we heard definitively this week that Ivan Rodriguez is not the answer they're looking for.
The reigning world champions also signed Bill Hall to a minor league deal this week after the utility man was cut loose by Houston last week.
Another offseason addition who was released by his team was Jose Lopez, who received his walking papers from the Rockies on Tuesday after being designated for assignment in late May. Lopez latched on with the Marlins on a minor league deal later in the week.
It's officially Mike Moustakas time for the Royals in Kansas City. The top prospect was called up to the big leagues this week with Kevin Pucetas being designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. Moose hit his first big league homer last night.
To keep up with all of the minor moves throughout the week, such as Felipe Lopez being designated for assignment by the Rays, be sure to use our Transactions tag, follow @mlbtrtrans on Twitter, and/or use MLBTR's Transaction Tracker.

Trade Candidate: Michael Cuddyer

By Steve Adams | June 12, 2011 at 4:15pm CDT

The Twins are currently one of the hottest teams in baseball, but despite a 9-2 stretch, they find themselves nine games out of first place in the American League Central. In a weak division, it's not unthinkable that they can make up enough ground to avoid selling this July, especially with Joe Mauer, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, Jason Kubel, and Jim Thome all nearing returns from the disabled list, but the odds are stacked against them.

Amidst lineups of career journeymen and minor leaguers, Michael Cuddyer has quietly heated up and is a name that could draw interest should the Twins ultimately fail to sneak back into contention. The Twins' swiss army knife entered play today hitting .303/.363/.462 since May 1, and that was before he belted his ninth homer of the year this afternoon — a three-run shot that raised his overall slash line to .273/.339/.432.

On top of his solid offensive production, Cuddyer has appeared all over the diamond, seeing time at third base, second base, first base, and in right field. His versatility and solid production from the right side of the plate make him a good comparable for two recent midseason trade commodities: Mark DeRosa and Casey Blake.

Blake was traded from the Indians to the Dodgers in 2008 after hitting .289/.365/.465 for the Tribe in the first half of the season. Cleveland sent DeRosa to the Cardinals in 2009 after hitting .270/.342/.457. Both overall lines are similar to Cuddyer's, and both players offered defensive versatility paired with solid right-handed production The Indians picked up Jon Meloan and Carlos Santana for Blake, and received Chris Perez and Jess Todd for DeRosa.

Cuddyer's $10.5MM salary is noticeably higher than that of either Blake ($6.1MM) or DeRosa ($5.5M) at the time of their trades, so Minnesota would likely have to kick in some money if they were to look for similar packages. Another deterrent could also be the fact that Cuddyer has played his whole career in a Twins uniform, and has become the heart and soul of that team as well as a fixture in the Twin Cities community.

Still, another month of hot hitting will likely lead to lots of calls for GM Bill Smith regarding the long-time Twinkie, and could force him into making a tough, and probably unpopular business decision. With his salary as high as it is though, the Twins wouldn't offer Cuddyer arbitration this offseason, so getting something for him this summer might make the most sense if they can't turn things around. And, they could always call Cuddyer up this winter and re-sign him if they so desired.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

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