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Archives for July 2011

Astros Notes: Wandy, Bourn, Lee, Pence, Myers

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The Astros will likely be sellers at this year’s trade deadline, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Houston has an MLB-worst 29-57 record, so the front office figures to entertain offers for Wandy Rodriguez, Michael Bourn and others. Here are the details from Rosenthal and Morosi’s report, which is a must-read item for Astros fans:

  • Though owner Drayton McLane would like to complete the sale of his club to Jim Crane by the July 31st trade deadline, the deal may not become official until August. MLB isn’t close to approving the sale, partly because of its ongoing conflict with Dodgers owner Frank McCourt.
  • Crane will likely stay quiet until baseball’s owners approve him, but he’ll influence the team’s direction this summer.
  • MLB has not told Crane that he has to agree to move the Astros to the AL West for the sale to go through.
  • Carlos Lee, who earns $18.5MM this year and next year, wouldn’t be easy to trade even if Houston picked up significant salary.
  • The club doesn’t want to trade Hunter Pence, who is under control through 2013. Bud Norris and Jordan Lyles also figure into Houston’s long-term plans, but the Astros will likely listen to offers on most other players, including Brett Myers and Jeff Keppinger.
  • Most baseball people expect Crane to fire GM Ed Wade, but the new owner will likely take his time evaluating Wade’s leadership before conducting a search for a new GM.
  • Houston native and current Rays executive Andrew Friedman is “an almost certain target,” according to Rosenthal and Morosi. Another Tampa Bay exec, former Astros GM Gerry Hunsicker, is also a possibility for Crane. He led Houston to four division titles before joining the Rays.

AL East Notes: Orioles, Jeter, Lackey

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The defending AL East Champion Rays are 47-38, which gives them the third best record in the American League. Unfortunately for the Rays, they're third in the AL East, behind the only two AL clubs with better records, the Yankees and Red Sox. Here's the latest on the division:

Minor Moves: Simons, Miller, Corcoran, Hernandez

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A few transactions from the minor leagues…

  • The Marlins have signed right-hander Zach Simons, MLBTR has learned.  Simons, 26, was released by the Tigers last week.  Simons was drafted by the Rockies in the second round of the 2005 draft and has a 4.06 ERA and a 7.1 K/9 rate in seven minor league seasons in the Colorado and Detroit systems.
  • The Dodgers have signed Justin Miller to a minor league deal, MLBTR has learned.  This is Miller's second stint with L.A. after posting a 4.44 ERA in 19 appearances with the club in 2010 before being designated for assignment.  Miller has pitched for the Mariners' and Rangers' Triple-A teams this season, with a combined 5.31 ERA in 17 appearances.
  • The Dodgers signed right-hander Roy Corcoran to a minor league deal and assigned him to Double-A Chattanooga, according to the Southern League's transactions page.  Corcoran last piched in the Majors in 2009 and has a career 4.17 ERA in 82 appearances with the Expos, Nationals and Mariners between 2003 and 2009.  Corcoran pitched for the Astros' Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock last season.
  • The Yankees released Fernando Hernandez, according to the International League's transactions page.  Hernandez had posted a 5.91 ERA in 33 appearances for Double-A Trenton this season and made just one appearance for Triple-A Scranton before being released.  The right-hander, who turns 27 later this month, has three Major League innings to his name, all with Oakland in 2008.    

Quick Hits: Blue Jays, International Signings, Astros

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A few items of note as the White Sox pick up a rare "balk-off" win over Aaron Crow and the Royals….

  • The Blue Jays have signed Nicaraguan right-hander Osman Gutierrez, reports Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com.  Terms of the deal were not announced.  Gutierrez is only 16 years old but stands 6'4", weighs 200 pounds and has a "power arm."
  • In a mailbag piece, Jim Callis of Baseball America questions the double standard between international signings and draft picks, wondering "why it's OK for the Rangers to give $5 million to Nomar Romaza and $3.5 million to Ronald Guzman, both Dominican outfielders, yet it's a capital offense for any club to exceed MLB's ridiculously low bonus recommendations for the draft."  Callis also discusses the history of draft picks making quick debuts in the Majors and the progress of Angels prospect Randal Grichuk, who was taken 24th overall in the 2009 draft — one pick ahead of Mike Trout.
  • The Astros' signings of Luis Reynoso and Arturo Michelena are the latest examples of the team's renewed focus on Latin American scouting, writes Stephen Goff of the Houston Examiner.

Jon Garland’s Season Could Be Over

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Dodgers right-hander Jon Garland's shoulder injury may sideline him for the remainder of the season, a source tells Tony Jackson of ESPN Los Angeles.  Garland has been on the DL for the last month with inflammation in his throwing shoulder and was looking for a second opinion on his injury, but the source tells Jackson that Garland won't pitch again in 2011 even if he opts to avoid surgery.

If Garland's season is indeed over, it will probably mark the end of his tenure with the Dodgers.  The 31-year-old signed a one-year, $5MM contract with Los Angeles last November that included a club option worth $8MM for 2012 that would have vested had Garland thrown 190 innings.  This looked like a safe bet at the time given that the durable Garland had reached the 190-inning plateau in each of previous nine seasons.  As it happened, the righty made his first two career trips to the DL this year.  Given Garland's health and the Dodgers' financial issues, there is little to no chance the club would pick up that $8MM option for next year.

Garland has a 4.33 ERA and a 1.4 K/BB ratio in nine starts for L.A. this season.  This was Garland's second stint with the Dodgers, as he pitched for the club in 2009 followng an August 31st trade from Arizona.  Garland's strong September (a 2.72 ERA in six starts) helped the Dodgers win the NL West, though Garland was left off the postseason roster.

Next Move For Dontrelle Willis?

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Dontrelle Willis was scratched from his start for the Louisville Bats tonight, leading to speculation that the Reds are calling him up or he's involved in a trade.  Bronson Arroyo has dealt with a back issue this year, so it's possible Willis could take his place in the Reds' rotation for a while.

Willis' agent Matt Sosnick told me tonight that he is aware his client did not pitch, but he has no knowledge of the Reds' short-term plans.  Sosnick added:

"Based on the way that Dontrelle has pitched this year, he probably would've been in the Majors by now if not for the Reds' rotation depth.  I feel strongly that he has turned the corner.  He's in the best shape of his career and is throwing with the highest velocity he's ever had.  I feel very confident that he will be an impact player in the Major Leagues this year and for many years to come."

Willis, of course, was an impact player for the first four seasons of his career for the Marlins.  He battled anxiety and injury problems after that, bouncing around after struggling with the Tigers.  The 29-year-old has a 2.63 ERA, 8.0 K/9, 2.4 BB/9, and 0.6 HR/9 in 13 starts for the Reds' Triple-A affiliate this year.

Cafardo On Dodgers, Hardy, Wandy, Twins

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The latest from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe…

  • The Dodgers are not ready to become sellers quite yet, but Cafardo reports that the team's scouts are already compiling lists of other teams' better prospects.  Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda and Jamey Carroll are among the players who would be made available — Kuroda is already attracting the attention of several teams and MLBTR's Tim Dierkes looked at Carroll's trade candidacy two weeks ago.
  • Cafardo reports that the Indians looked into Casey Blake as a depth option at third base before Lonnie Chisenhall was called up.  Blake, Jonathan Broxton and Jon Garland are all currently on the DL but would be shopped by L.A. if they can prove they're healthy.
  • The Dodgers don't appear to be interested in moving higher-profile players like Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier or James Loney since "the feeling is Dodgers fans would rebel if some of their star players were sold off."  I don't think Loney falls into this category at all — he has just a .678 OPS this season and could be a non-tender candidate after the season, so the Dodgers would love to get something back for him.
  • J.J. Hardy will be "a major trade chip" for the Orioles if the two sides can't work out a contract extension before the deadline.  Hardy would become the top option for shortstop-needy teams, particularly if the Mets don't shop Jose Reyes.
  • "It’s no secret that [Wandy Rodriguez] is being watched closely by the Yankees, who have sent a few people to watch some of his starts," Cafardo writes.  As FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal noted a few weeks ago, the Yankees would want Rodriguez at the back of their rotation while the Astros would want a trade package befitting an ace, so there may not be a fit between the two teams.  Cafardo notes that Brett Myers "also remains on the Yankees' radar."
  • The Twins are more likely to deal Carl Pavano or Francisco Liriano than they would Scott Baker, though "there are teams that would love to get their hands on Baker."
  • The White Sox recently sent assistant general manager Dave Yokum to scout some Braves games for pitching.  Cafardo specifically cites Brandon Beachy as a starter the Sox were watching and says that Beachy or Derek Lowe could be shopped by Atlanta in exchange for a hitter.  I think it's obvious the Braves would prefer to move the expensive Lowe rather than a young, controllable pitcher like Beachy, but if the Braves wanted to pick up a big bat like Carlos Quentin (as Cafardo speculates), Atlanta certainly has the pitching depth to spare.

Mets Open To K-Rod Deal; Yankees “Marginally Interested”

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The "door is wide open" for a team to acquire Francisco Rodriguez as the Mets are shopping the reliever, a Yankees source tells Bob Klapisch of FOX Sports (Twitter link).  The Yankees themselves "are only marginally interested" in Rodriguez, however, since Rafael Soriano is tentatively scheduled to return from the DL after the All-Star Break.

Rodriguez specifically cited the Yankees and Rays as two of the "good teams" he would consider waiving his no-trade clause to join, but the right-hander has been adamant that he would prefer to remain a Met. 

Rodriguez's $17.5MM option for 2012 will vest if he finishes 55 games this year and gets a clean bill of health from doctors once the season is over.  He is on pace to pass that 55-game plateau (Rodriguez has finished 31 games thus far) but obviously wouldn't get a chance to close with the Yankees unless Mariano Rivera suffered an injury.  While the Yankees probably wouldn't have to worry about the vesting option, Rodriguez is still owed roughly $5.7MM in salary this year and even the Yankees don't want to spend that much more on late-game relief when they're already paying Rivera and Soriano a combined $25MM.

Quick Hits: Harper, Knapp, Wilson, Brewers

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The Nationals are promoting Bryce Harper to Double-A in time for tonight’s game. The 18-year-old, who was the first overall selection in last year's draft, had a .318/.423/.554 line with 14 homers and 19 steals at Class A. Here are some fourth of July links in anticipation of Harper’s Double-A debut…

  • Trade talk is picking up, but some teams believe there’s a lack of difference makers available on the trade market, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. The few trade candidates who could make a difference in the pennant race are going to be difficult to obtain, Olney writes.
  • Former Tigers pitching coach Rick Knapp tells John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press that three general managers called him to discuss possible jobs. The Tigers fired Knapp yesterday.
  • Jamey Newberg hopes C.J. Wilson feels like a winner in Texas so that he re-signs with the Rangers this offseason, when he becomes a free agent.
  • Casey McGehee already has two hits today, but he has just a .226/.276/.313 line this season. Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he doesn't plan to demote the third baseman to the minors (Twitter link).

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