Draft Notes: Bell, Stilson, High School Pitchers
It was just three years ago that the Astros drafted right-hander Jordan Lyles in the supplemental first round of the 2008 draft (38th overall), but now the 20-year-old will make his big league debut in place of the injured Wandy Rodriguez on Tuesday. Some team will draft the next Lyles nine days from now, so here are some news and notes for the meantime…
- Conor Glassey of Baseball America reports that high school outfielder Josh Bell sent a letter to the Major League Scouting Bureau informing teams that he doesn't want to sign a professional contract and will instead follow through on his commitment to Texas. Bell, who is being advised by Scott Boras, is "a surefire first-rounder on talent" according to Glassey.
- Jim Callis of Baseball America reports that Texas A&M righty Josh Stilson will miss the rest of the season due to a SLAP tear in his shoulder. Callis notes that Stilson, a likely first rounder before the injury, has been worked hard during his college career.
- MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo wrote about the top high school pitchers available this year, including Dylan Bundy, who "some claim he's the best pitcher, period, in this class."
Mets Agree To Sell Minority Stake In Team
7:23pm: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that the Mets have shot down this morning's report, issuing a statement saying "[there] is uninformed speculation regarding terms of a potential deal." Rubin points out that the team has made a series of misstatements in the past.
ESPN's Buster Olney wonders how MLB will respond since the deal is "seemingly a body blow to [the] perceived franchise value of team," and the league could be wary about how future investors perceive the club's worth (Twitter links).
SATURDAY, 8:54pm: Adam Rubin of ESPN New York has learned the terms of the purchase, which sound extremely favorable for Einhorn. The $200MM buys him 30-35% of the team, and he has an option to increase his stake to 60% in three years. If the Wilpons do not want to give him a majority (and controlling) share at that time, they can refund the $200MM while Einhorn still gets to keep his 30-35% stake.
THURSDAY: The Mets have agreed to sell a minority share of the club to David Einhorn, president of Greenlight Capital Inc., according to ESPN's Karl Ravech. The Mets confirmed that Einhorn is their preferred partner, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. MLB has not yet approved the deal, but the Mets stand to obtain $200MM from Einhorn. The Mets expect to enter into definitive agreemets within a month.
Though the Wilpon family has had its share of financial troubles, the Mets say they're going to continue spending. They are prepared to exceed the commissioner's recommended bonuses in this year's draft and expect to maintain a payroll in the $100-145MM range next year. The influx of cash figures to help the Mets pay their bills.
Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Red Sox, Capps, Padres
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has a new Full Count video up, so let's dive in…
- If the Red Sox have one need, it's a right-handed hitter that can play multiple positions and come off the bench. Jeff Baker of the Cubs fits the bill, but Yamaico Navarro could be an in-house solution. He's on the minor league disabled list with an oblique issue, however.
- The Twins usage of Matt Capps could impact the way teams view him at the trade deadline and as a free agent after the season. The righty has thrown multiple innings six times already, and is dealing with some forearm issues.
- Team are calling the Padres about not just Heath Bell, but also Mike Adams and Luke Gregerson. They will listen to offers for all of their relievers, but they have to get the right bats in return to move them.
- Mitch Talbot will get a few more starts for the Indians following his elbow issue, but righty Zach McAllister represents an alternative. They acquired him from the Yankees for Austin Kearns last year.
Closer Notes: Rodriguez, Bell
Happy 23rd birthday to Braves' closer Craig Kimbrel, who has struck out 78 of 192 batters he's faced as a big leaguer (40.6%). Make sure you follow @closernews for all the latest on fantasy's most unpredictable category, the save. Here are some notes on the ninth inning…
- Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated tweets that the Rangers will consider K-Rod along with other top right-handed relievers, though he doesn't see them accounting for his $17.5MM option.
- Andy Martino of The New York Daily News explains why Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez might be more tradeable than we think. "Instead of signing someone like (Jonathan) Papelbon or(Heath) Bell this winter for three or four years, a team could pick up that option and have K-Rod for a year and a half," said one NL executive. "That could be very tempting, and the Mets might actually get a prospect back in that case."
- In today's Insider-only blog post, ESPN's Buster Olney says it would make sense for the Cardinals to try to acquire Padres closer Heath Bell to solve their ninth inning woes. Olney wonders if they would attempt to expand a deal to include Jason Bartlett, who St. Louis had interest in over the winter.
- Dan Mennella looked at both K-Rod and Bell as trade candidates recently, and Tim Dierkes listed some potentially available relievers.
Rodriguez Open To Setting Up
Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez doesn’t want to be dealt to a team that would use him as a setup man, though he would be willing to fill that role under the right conditions, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. If a team were willing to sign him to a contract extension and return him to the closer’s role next season, K-Rod says he wouldn't object.
“That would be great,” the 29-year-old said. “That would be no problem.”
Teams, of course, are wary about the clause in Rodriguez's deal that would guarantee his $17.5MM option for next season if he finishes 55 games. The veteran is currently on pace to finish 62 games.
The Rangers could be interested in Rodriguez under such conditions, says Rosenthal. They could use Rodriguez as a setup man for the remainder of the year then make him the closer in 2012 and move Neftali Feliz to the rotation.
Yankees Notes: Trade Calls, Myers, Scouts
The Yankees cut ties with Randy Winn on this date last year. The outfielder hit just .213/.300/.295 in 71 plate appearances, seemingly getting exposed when an injury to Curtis Granderson forced him into regular duty. Here are some notes from the Big Apple…
- GM Brian Cashman told George A. King III of The New York Post that he isn't getting any calls about trades just yet. "I am not getting calls," said Cashman. "We have the farm system and money, but no calls … The headache stuff is available. The quality stuff is not available."
- Within the article, King notes that the team could look for upgrades at DH, in right field, and for the pitching staff. He says the Astros "will listen" to offers for Brett Myers, but the Yankees "don't have a match." King speculates that Carlos Beltran, Michael Cuddyer, and Vladimir Guerrero could be potential trade targets.
- Dan Barbarisi of The Wall Street Journal wrote about the club's pro scouting department, which helped unearth Bartolo Colon and others this offseason. "It's easy to recommend a guy when the numbers are there," said scout Tim Naehring. "The most difficult thing is feeling confident and putting in a report when the production isn't there. The biggest challenge is sticking your neck out and saying,'I know there's more in there. I know there's better performance coming.'"
Quick Hits: McCourt, Abreu, Sizemore, Purcey
A night after striking out four times in four plate appearances, Adam Dunn walked in all four of his plate appearances in Friday's 4-2 loss to Toronto. If we're sticking to a pattern of Dunn's "three true outcomes," then theoretically, Dunn should hit four home runs against the Blue Jays tomorrow. Set your fantasy lineups accordingly!
Some news from around the majors as we go into the weekend…
- Frank McCourt will be able to meet the Dodgers' May 31 payroll, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. One of Shaikin's sources says McCourt is still looking to secure the funds to meet the next payroll deadline on June 15. If McCourt fails to meet payroll, Major League Baseball will seize control of the team from the embattled owner and cover the payroll itself.
- With Bobby Abreu on pace to easily reach 433 plate appearances and cause his $9MM option for 2012 to vest, the Angels will owe $48MM in 2012 to Abreu, Vernon Wells and Torii Hunter. Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com thinks allowing Abreu's option to vest "would be just another poor long-term decision for a GM [Tony Reagins] that seems to be specializing in them," and wonders why the Halos would tie so much money up in the outfield when their top prospect (Mike Trout) is an outfielder and Peter Bourjos is in the picture.
- In his analysis of today's Scott Sizemore-for-David Purcey trade, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports notes that the Tigers first contacted the Athletics about Purcey on the very day that Oakland acquired the left-hander from the Blue Jays. The deal was a natural match since "the A’s long have had interest in Sizemore," and plan to convert him to a third baseman.
- Matthew Eddy of Baseball America wraps up the week's minor league transactions.
- Joe Girardi said he could move Nick Swisher into a platoon with Chris Dickerson if Swisher doesn't pick up his hitting from the left side of the plate, reports Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com. Swisher still has four months to get on track, but right now it looks like there's no chance the Yankees will pick up his $10.25MM option for 2012.
- Ryan Drese was granted his release by the Orioles earlier today, and Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reports the veteran righty is expected to sign a minor league deal with the Astros.
Outrighted To Triple-A: Delaney, Tomko, Boggs, Rivera
A few minor moves…
- Rob Delaney has cleared waivers after being designated for assignment by the Rays on Wednesday and has been outrighted to Triple-A Durham, reports Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times (via Twitter).
- The Rangers outrighted Brett Tomko to Triple-A Round Rock and Tomko has accepted the assignment, reports Anthony Andro of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). Andro also tweets that Tomko has an out clause in his contract for June 1, though Andro isn't sure if Tomko plans to exercise it. In the corresponding move, Texas called up Michael Kirkman.
- The Brewers have outrighted catcher Mike Rivera to Triple-A Nashville, reports MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. It is expected that Rivera will accept the assignment.
- Also from McCalvy, Brandon Boggs has accepted his assignment to Nashville after being outrighted by the Brewers two days ago. This is the third time Boggs has been outrighted by Milwaukee in the last three months. Rivera and Boggs were outrighted to create roster space for Josh Wilson and Nyjer Morgan.
Draft Notes: Cole, Hultzen, Meyer
Eleven former first overall picks are currently on MLB rosters (DL included): Chipper Jones, Alex Rodriguez, Pat Burrell, Josh Hamilton, Adrian Gonzalez, Joe Mauer, Delmon Young, Justin Upton, Luke Hochevar, David Price and Stephen Strasburg. Here are some draft-related links in anticipation of this year's top pick:
- Anthony Rendon played his first games in the field since suffering a shoulder injury in March, and interestingly, Rendon played second base, reports John Manuel of Baseball America. Rendon made an error in his second game but according to one scout, "handled his routine chances just fine." While Rendon has displayed a strong third base glove in his college career, some executives have wondered if he is better suited to play second in the majors.
- Jim Callis of Baseball America has Rendon going first overall to Pittsburgh in his latest mock draft.
- The Pirates are open to taking any of the top three or four players with the first overall pick, and they don't even have a "front-runner" for the pick, tweets Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney hears that the Pirates continue to consider Gerrit Cole as a candidate for the first overall pick in the draft. Cole’s struggles have scared some teams off to an extent, but not Pittsburgh. Cole hit the 101-mph mark on the radar gun during a start tonight, according to ESPN's Keith Law (Twitter link).
- MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo lists the draft's top college arms, including Cole, Trevor Bauer and Danny Hultzen. The 2011 draft class stands apart from others thanks in large part to the deep, talented crop of college hurlers.
- As Mayo explains, 6'9" right-hander Alex Meyer has developed from a hard thrower into a more polished college arm.
- Reed MacPhail of FanGraphs offers more on the Kentucky starter and his “tantalizing combination of size and stuff.”
- Hultzen is "probably" the Diamondbacks' most wanted player, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic and he thinks the D'Backs would pass on Cole if he's still available when Arizona makes the third overall pick.
MLBTR's Mark Polishuk also contributed to this post
East Notes: Marlins, Anderson, Encarnacion, Phillies
Here's the latest from the eastern side of the baseball map…
- Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest tells MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez that the team wants to "concentrate on the season right now" and wouldn't comment on whether the Fish would offer Edwin Rodriguez a contract extension before the year is up. Rodriguez, who took over as Florida's manager last June, is only on a one-year deal.
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The Yankees released Trenton Thunder reliever Brian Anderson, according to Thunder reporter Mike Ashmore (on Twitter). The former outfielder was on the DL with a biceps issue.
- The Yankees also released southpaw Andrew Sisco, according to the International League's transactions page. Sisco posted a 5.18 ERA in 151 relief appearances for the Royals and White Sox between 2005-07 and hasn't been back to the majors since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2008. Sisco, 28, had a 1.88 ERA and a 9.4 K/9 rate in 16 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, though he'd also allowed 12 walks in 14 1/3 innings pitched.
- Dave Cameron of Fangraphs calls for the Blue Jays to release Edwin Encarnacion or at least permanently relegate him to the bench. "[Encarnacion is] an absolute disaster in the field, and his bat simply doesn’t even come close to making up for it," Cameron writes.
- J.C. Ramirez, one of the prospects the Phillies received in the Cliff Lee trade, has pitched well at Double-A this season, writes Jim Salisbury for Baseball America.
- It looks as if Domonic Brown will remain with the Phillies when Shane Victorino returns from the DL, reports Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. This could mean the Phils send John Mayberry Jr. down to the minors, or perhaps Rule 5 draft pick Michael Martinez, who would of course have to be offered back to the Nationals.
- The Orioles are expected to release right-hander Ryan Drese, reports Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com. Drese, 35, last pitched in the majors in 2006 and currently has a 6.55 ERA in nine games (six of them starts) for Triple-A Norfolk.
- Overpaying for a designated hitter is "a new market inefficiency," writes Jason Collette of the DRaysBay blog. Collette suggests the Rays (and other teams) should look to fill the DH spot with the same low-cost approach that the Rays used to rebuild their bullpen this winter.
MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith also contributed to this post