Red Sox Notes: Albers, Reyes, Westmoreland
Some Red Sox links for Thursday, as Clay Buchholz looks to continue his dominant spring against the Marlins…
- Matt Albers told Alex Speier of WEEI.com that he hasn't talked to any Japanese teams and doesn't know why a report yesterday had him going to Japan. “Don’t know where that came from,” Albers said.
- Dennys Reyes agreed to extend the opt-out date in his contract by one day from Saturday to Sunday, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. The left-hander is battling for a spot in Boston's bullpen.
- As Speier explains in a piece for Baseball America, Ryan Westmoreland, who underwent brain surgery last March, is continuing his attempt to return to the majors. The former top prospect has made impressive strides in his recovery, though his vision hasn't returned completely and he's still working on some fine motor skills. Best of luck to Westmoreland as he recovers.
Olney On Harang, McClellan, Feliz
As Spring Training winds down and teams make their final roster cuts, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney has the latest from around the majors…
- Aaron Harang signed with the Padres because he has family ties to San Diego, but there’s another reason the right-hander’s a good fit for his new club. Olney and Scott Regan estimate that 13 of the 43 home runs Harang gave up in Cincinnati from 2008-10 would not have been home runs in San Diego. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes identified the Padres as a good match for Harang last October.
- The Cardinals like what they’ve seen from Kyle McClellan in the rotation. "It's what we would've expected," GM John Mozeliak said. "He has a strong repertoire of pitches. The big challenge for him is going to be going through a lineup multiple times." For more on McClellan's new role, click here.
- Olney reports that the Rangers will probably decide whether to use Neftali Feliz as a starter or as a closer by the weekend. A week ago, 55% of 6,670 MLBTR readers said Feliz belongs in the ‘pen for 2011.
Mets Notes: Emaus, Alderson, Isringhausen
On this date in 2002, the Mets traded for Jason Bay and Jimmy Serrano, sending Lou Collier to the Expos. Here's the latest on New York's National Leaguers, one year into Bay's second tenure with the organization…
- Though it appears that the Mets are strongly considering Rule 5 pick Brad Emaus for their second base job, the position is up for grabs as the Mets evaluate Emaus and others, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post.
- Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle remembers that Mets GM Sandy Alderson was an outside-the-box thinker back in 1982, when he was an Oakland A's executive.
- Alderson tells Steve Popper of the Bergen Record that he'd like to have veteran reliever Jason Isringhausen on the team. The right-hander heard a pop in his elbow last week and says if he can't pitch he'll play softball, like he did last summer.
So Far, So Good For Lester, Gallardo, Romero
If a team signs a pitcher to an extension and he becomes an Opening Day starter, the club has an indication that the deal is going well. It’s too early on in the extensions for Jon Lester, Yovani Gallardo and Ricky Romero to call them successes or failures, because none of the extensions expire before 2013. But all three starters will pitch this Opening Day, a sign that the deals are going well for the teams so far.
The three extensions, signed within 18 months of one another between March, 2009 and August, 2010, are all for five years with a club option for a sixth year and are all valued within the narrow $30-30.1MM range.
The pitchers signed similar extensions because they were on statistically similar career paths before finalizing the deals. And fortunately for the Red Sox, Brewers and Blue Jays, the pitchers have performed just as well – maybe even better – since accepting their clubs’ multi-million dollar offers.
Lester, the first to sign, has been one of the best left-handed pitchers in the game since 2009 (WAR says Cliff Lee is the only lefty who pitched better in ’09-’10). In 411 1/3 innings (64 starts) since signing, Lester has posted a 3.33 ERA with 9.8 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9.
Gallardo, the lone right-hander in the group, signed last April, a year after the Red Sox locked Lester up. Since the ink dried on his deal with Milwaukee, Gallardo (pictured) has logged 178 innings (30 starts) and posted a 3.84 ERA with 9.9 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9.
Romero broke out last year, posting a 3.73 ERA in 210 innings. That prompted the Blue Jays to lock him up in August, so he has made just nine starts since signing his deal. The 26-year-old posted respectable numbers over the final month and a half of the season: a 4.26 ERA with 6.6 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9.
The trio has stayed healthy and effective so far, but with three to five years remaining on the deals, there’s ample time for the extensions to backfire. All three teams were willing to take that risk when they offered tens of millions to the promising pitchers and, at least so far, the investments have paid off.
Photo courtesy Icon SMI.
Minor Deals: Raynor, Ortegano, McCulloch
The Nationals claimed Lee Hyde off of waivers from the Braves earlier today. Here are the rest of the day's minor moves…
- John Raynor requested his release and the Marlins granted it, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (on Twitter). The outfielder posted a .722 OPS in 41 Triple-A contests last year
- The Braves lost a second player on waivers today, when the Yankees claimed left-hander Jose Ortegano. The Yankees optioned the 23-year-old to Triple-A, according to Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger (on Twitter). In 131 minor league innings spent mostly at Triple-A last year, Ortegano posted a 5.98 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 as a starter.
- The Reds acquired right-hander Kyle McCulloch from the White Sox for cash considerations, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (on Twitter). The 2006 first rounder spent last year in the upper minors, where he posted a 5.77 ERA with 3.7 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 as a swingman.
Quick Hits: Fielder, Braves, Mauer, Astros, Albers
Links for Wednesday as the MLBPA announces that the jerseys for three rookies – Jason Heyward, Stephen Strasburg and Buster Posey – were among the top 20 sellers in 2010…
- Prince Fielder tells Yahoo's Tim Brown that he has "eliminated" distractions about his upcoming free agency, since he realizes it's just baseball and nothing he needs to get nervous about.
- Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said he would like to add a right-handed hitting backup to complement Eric Hinske, according to David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (on Twitter). Back in December, I considered some options that fit that description.
- Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune wonders what might have happened if the Twins hadn’t signed Joe Mauer to a $184MM extension last spring and MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes helps identify some teams that would have been bidding on Mauer as a free agent.
- When the Astros front office constructs its Opening Day roster, options are a factor, GM Ed Wade told MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. For a complete list of out of options players, click here.
- Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald suggests we should "check back often" on Matt Albers (Twitter link). Earlier tonight, the Red Sox shot down a report suggesting that the right-hander is Japan-bound.
Stark On Phillies, Marlins, Young, Morgan, Astros
As ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark points out, the Phillies’ decision to sign Luis Castillo suggests they aren’t overly optimistic about the timetable for Chase Utley’s return. According to Stark, the Phillies heard that there is no guarantee that surgery would make Utley healthy again, so they’re hoping rehab works. Here are the rest of Stark’s rumors…
- The Marlins have decided that Matt Dominguez isn’t ready for the majors, so they’re “actively exploring” outside options. Earlier tonight, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports heard that the Marlins were “unlikely” to look outside of the organization for help at the hot corner.
- Though the Pirates are still shopping Ryan Doumit, teams that have spoken to Pittsburgh say the catcher/outfielder is not drawing much interest.
- Multiple teams, including the Phillies, Marlins and Cubs, appear to be eyeing Michael Young. None of those clubs can afford Young’s annual salary of $16MM and the Rangers expect a “massive” return if they’re going to eat a significant amount of Young’s salary.
- Scouts covering the Nationals say Nyjer Morgan is very much available. “They're trying to give him away," one scout said, before suggesting that the Nationals could release him.
- Scouts watching the Yankees expect the team to add a veteran catcher in the next week.
- The Phillies are looking for a veteran outfielder who’s capable of playing center field.
- Teams that have spoken with the Astros say they’d like to add a veteran catcher, but have very little money to spend.
Indians Notes: Durbin, Rodriguez, Tomlin
A round of Indians-themed links as Cleveland plays Kansas City in Arizona…
- As Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer explains, Indians reliever Chad Durbin was surprised to take a paycut this year given the robust market for relievers. "I didn't think my year dictated it should have been that way. I'm not saying I needed three years for 12 [million] – that's ridiculous – but we were fishing for whatever we could get," Durbin said.
- The Indians expect the Pirates to return Josh Rodriguez, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The Rule 5 pick would be a welcome addition to one of the Indians' top affiliates.
- In a mailbag for MLB.com, Jordan Bastian explains that Josh Tomlin appears to have a good chance of cracking the Indians' rotation.
- On the infield, Jack Hannahan has a chance to be the Indians' Opening Day third baseman, Bastian reports.
New York Notes: Posada, Cano, Mets
The Yankees claimed a minor league pitcher today. Here's the rest of what you need to know about New York's two teams…
- Jorge Posada told Kevin Kernan of the New York Post that he hopes to re-sign with the Yankees after the season, when he hits free agency. If the Yankees don’t want him back, he would consider playing elsewhere, even though he doesn’t want to sign with another team. "I would [leave], if it's the right situation," he said. "It's got to be the right situation."
- As Daniel Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal explains, Robinson Cano is helping young Yankees learn how to deal with the media, even though media relations haven't always been his forte.
- Yahoo's Jeff Passan says that while Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez are gone, the Mets' problems are only beginning. "When the best thing about a team is the hamburger available at its stadium," Passan writes, "it’s bad."
- Be sure to read Tim Dierkes' take on the Mets' offseason.
Rosenthal On Bell, Gonzalez, Marlins, A’s
There are still no signs that the Padres are willing to trade Heath Bell before Opening Day, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Padres have started discussing an extension with their closer, who hopes to continue his career in San Diego. Here are the rest of Rosenthal’s rumors, including more on the Padres:
- The Mariners made a strong push for Adrian Gonzalez last Spring Training, according to Rosenthal.
- The Marlins aren’t likely to look outside of the organization for help if they demote Matt Dominguez, according to Rosenthal. Florida’s front office does not have much payroll flexibility.
- The Padres and A’s are looking for backup infielders who can play short. We heard over the weekend that the Padres are looking at Alberto Gonzalez and Robert Andino. Luis Hernandez of the Mets is also drawing trade interest, possibly from Oakland and San Diego.