Giants Notes: Pill, Zito, Bumgarner
Earlier this evening, first baseman Brett Pill became the first Giants player to homer in his first MLB at bat since Will Clark arrived on the scene 25 years ago. Here are today’s Giants-related links…
- Giants manager Bruce Bochy told MLB.com’s Chris Haft that he isn't sure where Barry Zito fits into the team's long-term plans. Zito, who has pitched 49 2/3 innings of 5.62 ERA ball this year, has $46MM remaining on his contract after 2011.
- Eno Sarris of FanGraphs discusses Madison Bumgarner's transition from rookie to frontline starter. The 22-year-old left-hander has a 3.37 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 this season.
- GM Brian Sabean has said that the Giants could look to win and develop talent at the same time if it gets ugly for the team in September, according to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News. San Francisco trails Arizona by 7.0 games.
Outrighted To The Minors: Neshek, Pope, Walters
Here are the latest players to get outrighted to the minor leagues…
- The Padres outrighted Pat Neshek to Triple-A today, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock (on Twitter). They had designated the reliever for assignment last Thursday.
- The Yankees outrighted Ryan Pope to Triple-A, reports Marc Carig of The Star Ledger (on Twitter). Pope was designated for assignment last week, when the Yankees needed 40-man roster space for Jesus Montero. The 25-year-old righty posted a 5.12 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 45 2/3 innings split between Double and Triple-A this year.
- The Blue Jays outrighted P.J. Walters to the minor leagues, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca (on Twitter). Walters appeared in one game for the Blue Jays after they acquired him in the deal that brought Colby Rasmus to Toronto. In 51 MLB innings, the right-hander has a 7.24 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9.
Orioles Designate Davis, Hendrickson For Assignment
The Orioles announced that they designated infielder Blake Davis and left-hander Mark Hendrickson for assignment to create 40-man roster space for right-hander Jeremy Accardo and left-hander Clay Rapada. Baltimore's 40-man roster remains full.
Davis, 27, appeared in 25 games for the Orioles this year, posting a .254/.323/.390 line in 65 plate appearances. He played short, second and third in the Major Leagues and also appeared in the outfield at Triple-A. Davis posted a .280/.323/.384 line in 252 plate appearances for Baltimore's top affiliate this year.
Hendrickson pitched just 11 innings for the Orioles after signing a minor league deal with Baltimore in January. He posted a 2.87 ERA with 4.4 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 59 2/3 innings at Triple-A.
NL East Front Office Notes: LaMar, Phillies, Marlins
The Phillies announced that assistant GM of player development and scouting Chuck LaMar has resigned. LaMar, the Devil Rays' first GM, joined the Phillies in 2007 and became assistant GM in 2008. Here's the latest on the Phillies and other front office notes from their division…
- Chipper Jones told Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com that the acquisitions of Hunter Pence and Cliff Lee should make Ruben Amaro Jr. of the Phillies an executive of the year candidate. "When he swings moves like those, he throws a gut punch at everyone in the division," Jones said.
- As Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports predicted, the Marlins shook up their front office. Joe Frisaro of MLB.com notes that the Marlins reassigned Jim Fleming, who is now a special assistant to president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest. The Marlins also made former scouting director Stan Meek the VP of scouting and hired Marty Scott as VP of player development.
Mets Designate Mike O’Connor For Assignment
The Mets designated left-hander Mike O'Connor for assignment, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter). The move cleared a 40-man roster spot for September call-ups.
The 31-year-old appeared in nine games for the Mets and 39 games for their Triple-A affiliate this year. He posted a 5.22 ERA with 9.8 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 60 1/3 innings at Buffalo, where he also spent the 2010 season. A year ago, he posted similar strikeout and walk numbers (8.9 K/9, 2.2 BB/9) with an ERA of just 2.67.
GM Candidate: Damon Oppenheimer
MLBTR’s list of general manager candidates introduced 20 people who were identified by their peers as potential Major League GMs. We’re now going to bring you closer to the candidates with a series of pieces. Today the series continues with Yankees executive Damon Oppenheimer.
The Padres were a natural fit for Damon Oppenheimer when his playing career ended in 1985. He was a) a sports-obsessed southern California native b) a former peanut vendor at Jack Murphy Stadium, then the home of the Padres and c) the son of a Padres’ front office employee - Oppenheimer’s mother handled San Diego's minor league operations for decades before retiring a few years ago.
The Brewers drafted Damon as a catcher out of USC in 1985, but it didn’t take long for him to join the Padres as an area scout and begin a career in player evaluation when his playing career ended after one season.
Oppenheimer scouted for the Padres, Rangers and Yankees, both in the U.S. and in Latin America before assuming his current role as the Yankees’ scouting director. Though he continues to scout on special assignments in Latin American and Asia, his primary responsibility is evaluating domestic talent for the amateur draft. Since becoming scouting director in 2005, Oppenheimer has selected the likes of Brett Gardner, Austin Jackson, Ian Kennedy and David Robertson with the help of his scouting staff.
He and I spoke last week; here are some highlights from the conversation:
Nationals Release Carr, Designate Mock
The Nationals announced that they released right-hander Adam Carr and designated right-hander Garrett Mock for assignment (Twitter link). In related moves, they reinstated Stephen Strasburg from the 60-day disabled list, selected the contracts of Brad Peacock and Steve Lombardozzi and transferred Cole Kimball to the 60-day disabled list. Washington's 40-man roster remains full.
Carr, 27, has yet to appear in the Major Leagues. He spent the 2011 season with Washington's top affiliate, posting a 6.63 ERA with 6.2 K/9 and 5.7 BB/9 in 19 innings. Mock, 28, last appeared in the Major Leagues in 2010. He spent this season with four of the Nationals' affiliates, posting a 6.39 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 5.3 BB/9 in 49 1/3 total innings of work.
Yankees Designate Lance Pendleton For Assignment
The Yankees designated right-hander Lance Pendleton for assignment, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch (on Twitter). Though active roster spots are plentiful this time of year, the move opens up a spot on New York's 40-man roster for George Kontos, whose contract was selected from the minors.
The 27-year-old made his MLB debut in April and went on to post a 3.21 ERA with 5.1 K/9 and 6.4 BB/9 in 14 innings for the Yankees. He spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he posted a 3.10 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 66 2/3 innings as a starter and reliever. The Yankees selected the 6'3" Houston native in the fourth round of the 2005 draft.
Quick Hits: Strasburg, Pujols, Wilken
Weather permitting, Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg will make his 2011 MLB debut tonight, almost one year from the day of having Tommy John surgery performed on his elbow. Whether or not Strasmas is cancelled, here are today's links…
- Strasburg still needs to knock a little rust off his command, Nationals GM Mike Rizzo told ESPN's Jayson Stark. Stark takes the stance that the Nationals are not rushing Strasburg back. Stark's colleague Keith Law has a fantastic article discussing the Tommy John procedure and recovery, with help from pitchers Jarrod Parker and Chad Durbin. For a look at what Strasburg did during his down time and how he's changed in the last year, check out Dave Sheinin's article from the Washington Post.
- SI's Jon Heyman hears that the Cardinals are "not completely confident" Albert Pujols will remain in St. Louis, which is one reason they didn't trade Lance Berkman (Twitter link).
- The Chicago Sun-Times talked to Tim Wilken, the Cubs' director of amateur and professional scouting, about the possibility of an extension in the wake of Oneri Fleita's four-year deal. Such a move would quickly sour many Cubs GM candidates, hears Yahoo's Jeff Passan (Twitter link). Wilken recently told Baseball America's Phil Rogers that it's been 20 years since he's had the kind of ownership commitment toward draft and international free agent spending that he had in 2011.
- NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman explains why he's predicted against Yu Darvish being posted in past years, but also outlines why he can see the righty being posted this winter.
- Tigers righty Doug Fister has "basically turned himself into the modern version of Brad Radke," writes Dave Cameron of FanGraphs. Does he represent the best acquisition by a contender this summer? Hunter Pence belongs in that discussion as well.
Indians Claim Jason Rice
The Indians claimed minor league reliever Jason Rice off waivers from the Athletics, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The A's had acquired Rice from the Red Sox in the Conor Jackson deal last Wednesday. The Tribe made room on the 40-man roster for Rice by moving Carlos Carrasco to the 60-day DL.
Rice, 25, posted a 3.69 ERA, 9.4 K/9, 4.4 BB/9, and 0.6 HR/9 in 85 1/3 Triple-A innings this year. The Red Sox had obtained Rice from the White Sox in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft, prior to the '09 season. Red Sox vice president of player development and amateur scouting Mike Hazen talked to Pawtucket announcer Dan Hoard about Rice's arsenal in this post from February.