Rangers Not Interested In Beltran, K-Rod
TUESDAY, 7:50am: "I can't believe that we have an interest in either," remarked Rangers president Nolan Ryan on Galloway and Company yesterday. Ryan doesn't see K-Rod as an upgrade to his bullpen, and he's worried about Beltran's health and salary.
MONDAY, 12:37pm: The Rangers are interested in Mets veterans Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.
Beltran and the Rangers are not an obvious match, since Texas is set at the outfield corners with Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz. Of course, there are ways to make it work, as Hamilton and Beltran are capable of playing center field. Plus, Hamilton and Cruz are not locks to avoid the DL from here on out. The 34-year-old Beltran is hitting .278/.372/.480 with 10 home runs in 317 plate appearances on the season, in what is likely to become his healthiest season since '08. Beltran's $18.5MM salary and full no-trade clause, as well as the Mets' status as wild card contenders, could be obstacles in a trade.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, has an 8.18 ERA in 11 games this month. He's 26 games finished away from having his $17.5MM option for 2012 vest. That target could be down to 15 or so by the trade deadline, so it's safer to trade K-Rod now. Though a trade would be a clear manipulation of his vesting option, the closer appears open to waiving his no-trade protection. Even teams with established closers would take on risk in acquiring Rodriguez, since he could be thrust back into the ninth inning if the incumbent stopper is injured. A trade agreement might have to address such a scenario. And don't forget, Rodriguez earns a hefty $11.5MM this year.
The Rangers and other teams seeking relief help have plenty of options beyond K-Rod and all his baggage. The Rangers have more trade chips than anybody, in the opinion of one scout who spoke to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
Quick Hits: Mitre, Bedard, Cron, Joaquin
It was an ugly day for the Dodgers off of the field (they filed for bankruptcy), but they defeated the Twins 15-0 in a one-sided rematch of the 1965 World Series today. Here's the latest from around the Major Leagues…
- The Brewers have gotten multiple calls on Sergio Mitre, the recently-designated right-hander, according to MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes (on Twitter).
- Larry Stone of the Seattle Times says the question of whether the Mariners will be buyers or sellers this summer comes down to whether or not they trade Erik Bedard. The lefty has a 2.93 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 83 innings this year after missing the entire 2010 season. He makes just $1MM in '11 and would have substantial value on the trade market.
- Top Angels draft pick C.J. Cron will start his pro career instead of undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder immediately, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times. The powerful prospect took batting practice in Angel Stadium today and hit a number of home runs. Keep track of which top picks have signed with MLBTR's list.
- Waldis Joaquin, a right-hander who pitched for the Giants in 2009-10, can opt out of his contract with San Francisco this Friday if the Giants don't put him back on their 40-man roster, MLBTR has learned. The 24-year-old has recovered from offseason back surgery to post a 2.12 ERA with 3.7 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 17 innings at Triple-A. The Giants have one of the best bullpens in baseball and a full 40-man roster, so finding room for Joaquin won't be easy.
- New Nationals manager Davey Johnson told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that he's open to staying on after 2011 (Twitter link).
Kuroda Requires Compensation To Waive No-Trade
Hiroki Kuroda is drawing interest from multiple teams, but acquiring the right-hander won't necessarily be as simple as out-bidding his other suitors. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported last Tuesday that the right-hander will require "some form of compensation" to waive his no-trade clause.
The Rockies and Reds are among the teams with some interest in Kuroda, who may be having his best season yet at age 36. He has a 3.10 ERA with 6.8 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 and a 44.6% ground ball rate in 101 2/3 innings this year. His $8MM salary could be an obstacle for clubs with limited flexibility; about $2.7MM will remain on the one-year deal at the end of July.
AL East Notes: Bell, Orioles, Bautista
The Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays have had their offensive issues, yet all three teams placed in the top eight in scoring in MLB entering tonight's action. Here are the latest links from the American League East…
- Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues examines Heath Bell as a possible trade candidate before determining that the Padres closer would be a luxury at this point, since the Yankees have more pressing needs. The Yankees have called the Padres about the closer.
- Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail explained that the Orioles consider sabermetrics when acquiring players and evaluating their own team. MacPhail also looks at basic information, salary, traditional stats and scouting reports, according to Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com, who passes along more quotes from the weekend's season ticket holders event.
- The Blue Jays could move Jose Bautista to third base as soon as tomorrow, according to Chris Vannini of MLB.com. The slugger is heading back to the infield, partly because the Blue Jays have had such poor offense from their third basemen this season (combined .183/.243/.308 line).
- Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos, who extended Bautista this spring, has said he only works on one extension at a time, as Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star recently pointed out. Griffin wonders which Blue Jay Anthopoulos will target for an extension next.
- Anthopoulos has done enough since taking over as Toronto’s GM to earn a tribute song from the Bottom of the Fourth Blog.
Minor Moves: Hinckley, Scales, Perez
Here's a summary of the day's minor moves…
- The Blue Jays released former top prospect Mike Hinckley, MLBTR has confirmed. The 28-year-old left-hander posted a 5.68 ERA with 5.7 K/9 and 4.7 BB.9 in the upper minors before the Blue Jays let him go. Hinckley made it to the Major Leagues in 2008 and 2009 with the Nationals. Dave Gershman first reported the move.
- Utility player Bobby Scales is leaving the Cubs for a Japanese team, according to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat (on Twitter). Scales, a 33-year-old with two years of MLB experience with Chicago, has signed with the Nippon Ham Fighters. He had a .304/.424/.535 line in 283 plate appearances at Triple-A Iowa this year.
- The Pirates announced that they have acquired minor league catcher Miguel Perez from the Nationals for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Perez, 27, played for Pirates affiliates in 2008-09 and has two games of MLB experience with th '05 Reds. He has appeared in just two games this year and has a .270/.323/.343 line as a minor leaguer.
Trade Candidate: Ramon Hernandez
The teams in search of catching reinforcements outnumber the teams with catching to spare, so the few clubs with catching depth will be in an enviable position this summer. They can hold onto their backstops while their rivals trot out replacement level players or trade a catcher and obtain a player who can help them in another area.
Walt Jocketty will face that decision this summer, since other general managers surely realize the Reds have more quality catching than most clubs. There's starter Ryan Hanigan, who signed a three-year extension over the winter. There's top prospect Devin Mesoraco, who has a .935 OPS in Triple-A. And there's Ramon Hernandez, a veteran backstop enjoying a career year at 35.
After hitting another home run yesterday (#8), Hernandez has a career-best .316 average, a career-best .379 on-base percentage and a career-best .526 slugging percentage. Hernandez's numbers are noteworthy from a personal standpoint, and they're also impressive in the context of the league. Among MLB catchers with 100 plate appearances or more, Hernandez is third in average, fifth in on-base percentage and second in slugging.
But plenty of bats are available, so Hernandez stands out because of the position he plays. Defensively speaking, he is passable if not spectacular; he has thrown out 35% of would-be base stealers this year and appeared briefly at first base.
The latest Elias rankings project Hernandez as a Type A free agent thanks to his current numbers combined with the .297/.364/.428 line he posted in 2010. As a result, the Reds could end up with two top picks if the catcher signs elsewhere after the season, when his $3MM contract expires and he hits free agency (though they may be better off if he drops into Type B territory).
There's no guarantee that Jocketty will seriously consider trade proposals for Hernandez, but the Giants have already discussed him and there are are lots of reason to believe the catcher will draw more interest this summer. He earns just $3MM and could net his club draft picks next June. Plus, the Reds have enough depth behind the plate to consider parting with Hernandez, despite his career-best numbers. It's hard to imagine that the 35-year-old's trade value will ever be higher given his performance and the league-wide shortage of catching.
Photo courtesy Icon SMI.
Many Clubs Showing Interest In Kuroda
Multiple clubs are showing interest in Dodgers right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Rockies and Reds had scouts at his most recent start.
The 36-year-old right-hander has a 3.10 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 101 2/3 innings for the Dodgers. His average fastball velocity (91.7 mph) and ground ball rate (44.6%) have dipped slightly so far in 2011. Kuroda earns an $8MM base salary this year and his full no-trade clause enables him to veto any deal. MLBTR's Dan Mennella examined Kuroda's free agent stock earlier this month.
Morosi hears from one executive who doubts the Dodgers will trade Andre Ethier or Matt Kemp, who are both under team control through 2012.
Red Sox Hope For More Production In Right
No team in baseball has scored as often as the Red Sox (409 runs), but there’s room for improvement, even in Boston. Red Sox right fielders have the worst average (.220), on-base percentage (.304) and slugging percentage (.326) of any American League team. And as one Red Sox source tells Alex Speier of WEEI.com, the status quo isn’t good enough.
“We need more out of that position,” Speier’s source said.
J.D. Drew hasn’t been as effective as expected against right-handers and Mike Cameron and Darnell McDonald haven’t produced as expected against left-handers, especially recently. Speier says it wouldn’t be surprising if Cameron or McDonald gets cut when Carl Crawford returns from the disabled list.
The Red Sox would prefer for their existing options – Drew, Cameron, McDonald and Josh Reddick – to play so well that no reinforcements seem necessary. But Boston’s interest in right-handed outfielders who can contribute off of the bench appears to be growing, according to Speier.
Brewers Designate Sergio Mitre For Assignment
The Brewers have designated right-hander Sergio Mitre for assignment, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter links). In related moves, the Brewers called up lefty Zach Braddock and first baseman Mat Gamel from Triple-A. Justin James, who was already on Nashville's staff, was officially outrighted to Triple-A, according to Haudricourt.
Mitre, 30, has posted a 3.27 ERA in 33 innings since Milwaukee acquired him from the Yankees for Chris Dickerson in March. The right-hander has a 14K/10BB ratio with a typically high 50.9% ground ball rate in his return to the National League.
Reaction To The Dodgers’ Bankruptcy
The Dodgers are 35-44 in their first season under manager Don Mattingly, but their sub-.500 record is the least of their problems. The historic franchise has filed for bankruptcy as owner Frank McCourt attempts to remain in control. Here's reaction to McCourt's latest move…
- Commissioner Bud Selig says McCourt's move "does nothing but inflict further harm to this historic franchise," according to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times. The Dodgers are in this situation because of McCourt’s “excessive debt and his diversion of club assets for his own personal needs,” Selig says.
- The attorney for Jamie McCourt, David Boies, called the Dodgers' bankruptcy filing "disappointing and disturbing" in a statement at the LA Times. "The rule or ruin philosophy that appears to have motivated today’s filing is bad for everyone who cares about, or has an interest in, the Dodgers," according to Boies.
- ESPN.com's Jayson Stark explains that McCourt's move means the Dodgers will be in "legal limbo" for many months to come. One sports attorney tells Stark that McCourt is simply buying himself time with today's move.