Elias Rankings Update
After the season the Elias Sports Bureau will take all players over the 2010-11 period, divide them into five groups for each league, and rank them based on various statistics. Then each player will be labeled a Type A, B, or none. Those designations and the possible accompanying arbitration offers determine draft pick compensation (click here for a refresher).
Eddie Bajek has reverse-engineered the Elias rankings, and he's providing that information exclusively at MLB Trade Rumors. Here's a look at how the players rank for the period beginning with the 2010 season running through July 2nd, 2011. Please note: We have fixed an error since this post was published in the afternoon.
Rays Sign Eric Otanez
The Rays have agreed to sign Dominican catcher Eric Otañez, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America. Terms of the deal were not immediately available.
Otanez, a right-handed hitter, was considered to be one of the top Dominican catching prospects in this year's pool of July 2nd-eligible players. The 6-foot-2, 195 pound backstop comes out of La Academia and boasts a strong arm.
White Sox Agree To Deal With Keenyn Walker
6:21PM: Walker's deal is worth $795K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (via Twitter).
5:00PM: The White Sox have agreed to terms on a minor-league contract with their first pick in the 2011 draft, outfielder Keenyn Walker, according to a team press release. Walker was selected 47th overall out of Central Arizona Junior College.
Terms of Walker's deal were not disclosed but slot would put his deal at roughly $740K. Walker hinted that he was close to an agreement with the White Sox on Wednesday with an enthusiastic tweet.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder was drafted previously by the Cubs in the 16th round of the '09 draft and by the Phillies in the 38th round in 2010. Walker was recommended by White Sox scouts John Kazanas and Derek Valenzuela according to the team.
Marlins Acquire Mike Cameron
The Marlins have acquired outfielder Mike Cameron from the Red Sox, according to the Marlins' official Twitter page. Boston will receive a player to be named later or cash considerations in return.
The Red Sox will likely receive some cash back for Cameron rather than a PTBNL, a team source tells Alex Speier of WEEI.com. When all is said and done, the Red Sox will pay about $3MM of the $3.6MM owed to Cameron, tweets Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com. As of right now, however, Florida will be responsible for less than $200K of Cameron's remaining salary, tweets Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel.
Cameron, 38, was designated for assignment by the Red Sox on June 30th. The veteran was expected to hit left-handed pitching this year, but he posted a .143/.214/.302 line in 70 plate appearances against southpaws.
The centerfielder could have a chance to be an everyday player in Florida as Chris Coghlan has struggled offensively this season and will be out-of-action as he rehabs a knee injury. The Marlins are Cameron's eighth career club.
Quick Hits: Orioles, Canseco, Dodgers, Gutierrez
The Yankees obtained Jeff Weaver from the Tigers in a three team deal that sent Ted Lilly to Oakland and Carlos Pena to Detroit on this date in 2002. We've only seen minor moves so far today, so here are some links to check out…
- Matt Vensel of the Baltimore Sun runs through some possible trade candidates on the Orioles, including J.J. Hardy, the hot hitting Mark Reynolds and Jeremy Guthrie.
- Jim Caple of ESPN.com catches up with Jose Canseco, who is now managing and playing for the independent Yuma Scorpions with his brother Ozzie. Not surprisingly, the Scorpions are having a memorable season under Canseco, who has lots to say as usual.
- Bud Selig has argued that the Dodgers would have been in financial trouble again by 2013 had MLB accepted the club's proposed deal with Fox, according to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times (on Twitter).
- The attorneys for Frank McCourt wrote that others teams with financial questions enjoy "the velvet-glove treatment" from MLB, according to Shaikin. McCourt's lawyers are asking for documents relating to the Mets' financial issues to prove their point: that the Commissioner's office is biased against McCourt and the Dodgers.
- Nicaraguan right-hander Osman Gutierrez obtained a $210K bonus from Toronto, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). The Blue Jays announced yesterday that they had signed the prospect.
Outrighted To Triple-A: Chaz Roe
Today's list of players headed for the minor leagues…
- The Mariners announced that they outrighted Chaz Roe to Triple-A. They had designated the 24-year-old right-hander for assignment last Wednesday. Roe, who was acquired for Jose Lopez last offseason, has a 6.41 ERA with 7.0 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 for the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate.
Cardinals Sign Blaine Boyer, Ron Mahay
The Cardinals announced that they signed right-hander Blaine Boyer and left-hander Ron Mahay to minor league deals (Twitter link). Boyer pitched for the Cardinals in 2009 and though Mahay has pitched for eight teams, St. Louis is not one of them.
Both veterans have bounced around in 2011. Boyer started the season with the Mets, who released him in April. The Pirates signed Boyer soon after New York released him, then let him go in June. The Dodgers signed Mahay in February and released him the next month. By the middle of May he had already signed with Arizona and been released a second time.
Boyer, 29, has a 4.81 ERA with 6.2 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in parts of seven MLB seasons. He allowed 14 hits and nine walks in eight innings for the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate earlier this season. Mahay has a 3.83 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 in parts of 14 Major League seasons. The 40-year-old struggled through ten appearances with Triple-A Reno earlier this year.
Nationals Designate Collin Balester For Assignment
The Nationals announced that they designated right-hander Collin Balester for assignment to create roster space for left-hander Ross Detwiler. The move is a formality because Balester has more than three years of service time, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post (Twitter links). Though the move technically vacates a spot on Washington's 40-man roster, Balester will be back on the roster later this week.
Balester, 25, has a 4.61 ERA with an 11K/8BB ratio in 13 2/3 innings this season. In parts of four years with the Nationals, he has a 5.28 ERA with 6.8 K/9, 3.8 BB/9 and a 41% ground ball rate.
Minor Moves: Cesar Valdez
Here's where we'll keep track of today's minor moves…
- The Pirates announced that they traded right-hander Cesar Valdez to the Marlins for cash or a player to be named later. It wasn't long ago that Valdez was a PTBNL himself. The D'Backs sent him to Pittsburgh in December to complete the deal that sent Zach Duke to Arizona. Valdez, who pitched 20 innings for the D'Backs last year, has spent this year at Triple-A. The 26-year-old has a 3.86 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 42 innings at Indianapolis.
Mets Notes: Capuano, Rodriguez, Reyes
The Mets are a game over .500 now, but they were 46-37 on this date last year. Here's the latest on the Mets before they take on the Dodgers in Los Angeles…
- Chris Capuano has started earning incentives, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. The lefty has earned $175K in incentives on top of his $1.5MM base salary and stands to continue making bonus money as the season progresses and he logs more innings.
- Francisco Rodriguez appears to be available and some general managers believe his trade value is at a tipping point, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (on Twitter). The closer has finished 32 games and needs just 23 more games finished for his $17.5MM option to vest for 2012. Since teams don’t like that price tag for Rodriguez, they’re wary of acquiring him in a trade.
- Mets GM Sandy Alderson told MLB.com's Anthony DiComo that yesterday's New York Post report about Jose Reyes was "one man's opinion." Joel Sherman reported that the Mets are unlikely to trade Reyes this summer and are leaning strongly toward authorizing a substantial offer for him after the season.
- Yesterday I compared Reyes to fellow speedster Carl Crawford, who signed for $142MM last offseason.