Archives for March 2013

Indians Release Daisuke Matsuzaka

By charliewilmoth | March 24, 2013 at 7:25pm CDT

The Indians report (on Twitter) that they have released pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes (on Twitter) that the Indians will likely try to strike a new deal to keep Matsuzaka in the fold.

The Indians' rotation is expected to contain Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Brett Myers, and Zach McAllister along with either Scott Kazmir or Carlos Carrasco. A calf injury caused Matsuzaka to fall behind in the team's rotation battle. The Indians informed Matsuzaka last week that he would not make the team, but he has said he intends to remain in the organization anyway.

Matsuzaka is an Article XX(B) free agent, so if the Indians had not released him, they would have had to pay a $100K retention bonus if he had accepted their minor-league assignment.

Matsuzaka posted an 8.28 ERA in 45 2/3 innings with the Red Sox in 2012, with 8.1 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9. He signed a minor-league deal with the Indians in February.

Week In Review: 3/17/13 – 3/23/13

By charliewilmoth | March 24, 2013 at 7:02pm CDT

Here's a look back at the week that was here at MLBTR:

The Yankees inched closer to completing a trade for outfielder Vernon Wells of the Angels.
The Astros signed infielder Ronny Cedeno, who had been released by the Cardinals.
The Rockies agreed to terms with starting pitcher Jon Garland, who had been released by the Mariners.
The Pirates acquired shortstop John McDonald from the Diamondbacks for a player to be named later.
Shortstop Edgar Renteria officially retired.
The Cubs signed Cuban pitcher Armando Rivero, who received a $3.1MM bonus.
Adam Wainwright and the Cardinals discussed an extension.
Paul Goldschmidt and the Diamondbacks also discussed an extension.
The Rangers say they will not trade shortstop Elvis Andrus.
The Angels signed catcher Chris Snyder, who had been released by the Nationals.
The Mariners signed outfielder Endy Chavez to a minor-league deal after Chavez was released by the Royals.
The Marlins signed infielder Wilson Valdez to a minor-league deal after Valdez was released by the Giants.
The Phillies released infielder Yuniesky Betancourt.
The Marlins released utilityman Chone Figgins.
The Angels released utilityman Bill Hall.
The Padres released pitcher Freddy Garcia.
The Dodgers released pitcher Mark Lowe, along with infielder Dallas McPherson, plus utility player Nick Evans and catcher Ramon Castro.
The Rays released DH Jack Cust.
The Mariners released first baseman Mike Jacobs.
The Phillies released pitcher Rodrigo Lopez.
The Pirates released outfielder Brad Hawpe.
The Brewers released infielder Bobby Crosby.
The Giants released pitcher Ramon Ramirez.
The Rays released outfielder Nick Weglarz.
The Cardinals released corner infielder Robert De La Cruz.
The Nationals signed lefty J.C. Romero to a minor-league deal.
The Yankees signed pitcher Chien-Ming Wang to a minor-league deal.
The Rangers re-signed reliever Yoshinori Tateyama to a minor-league deal after releasing him on Thursday.
The Rockies signed pitcher Giancarlo Alvarado to a minor-league deal.
The Athletics claimed first baseman Nate Freiman from the Astros.
The Blue Jays claimed pitcher Todd Redmond from the Orioles.
The Rangers claimed lefty Brad Mills off waivers from the Angels.
The Nationals outrighted infielder Carlos Rivero.
The Giants outrighted pitcher Yusmeiro Petit.
The Nationals acquired minor-league lefty Ian Krol from the Athletics to complete the Michael Morse deal.
The Orioles traded outfielder Ronnie Welty to the Phillies for pitcher Julio Rodriguez in a swap of minor-leaguers.
The Brewers traded righty Darren Byrd to the Athletics for third baseman Stephen Parker in a minor-league deal.
The Padres traded minor-league infielder Jose Dore to the Cubs for a player to be named.
The Reds traded utilityman Cody Puckett to the White Sox for a player to be named later.
The Rangers released catcher Konrad Schmidt.
The Rockies returned Rule 5 pick Daniel Rosenbaum to the Nationals.
The Tigers returned Rule 5 pick Jeff Kobernus to the Nationals.

Rockies Sign Jon Garland

By Steve Adams | March 24, 2013 at 6:15pm CDT

6:15pm: Garland has officially signed with the Rockies, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports (on Twitter).

2:25pm: Garland will sign a Major League contract worth $500K with more than $2MM in incentives and he will be in the starting rotation, tweets FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi.

12:41pm: The Rockies have reached an agreement with Jon Garland on an incentive-laden deal, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.The LSW Baseball client was released by the Mariners over the weekend.

Colorado's interest in Garland became known last night, and it was reported earlier today that Garland was in the Rockies' camp to take a physical.

Garland, 33, hasn't pitched in the Majors since 2011 due to a host of shoulder injuries. In 2083 1/3 career Major League innings, he owns a 4.32 ERA, 4.9 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 to go along with a 45.1 percent ground-ball rate. In 12 Spring Training innings with the Mariners, Garland allowed three runs on 10 hits (including a pair of homers), five walks and four strikeouts.

Edward Creech contributed to this post.

Orioles Could Trade Luis Ayala

By charliewilmoth | March 24, 2013 at 5:18pm CDT

The Orioles are contacting other teams to let them know reliever Luis Ayala is available in a trade, the Baltimore Sun’s Dan Connolly reports. The O’s would like to find space on their 25-man roster for Rule 5 Draft pick T.J. McFarland. They might be looking for players in return who aren’t required to be placed on the 40-man roster, Connolly says.

Baltimore is known to be interested in finding depth to back up Matt Wieters and Taylor Teagarden at catcher.

Ayala will make $1MM in 2013. He pitched 75 innings for the Orioles in 2012, posting a 2.64 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9.

Nationals Outright Carlos Rivero

By edcreech | March 24, 2013 at 4:37pm CDT

The Nationals announced they have outrighted infielder Carlos Rivero to Triple-A, but he will remain in the Major League Spring Training camp. The Nationals now have two openings on their 40-man roster.

Rivero is out of options and was required to pass through waivers before being sent down, which surprised one NL scout, according to the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore. Rivero has spent his entire professional career in the minors posting a line of .265/.322/.386 over the course of seven seasons in the Indians, Phillies, and Nationals organizations including last year's .303/.347/.435 with Washington's Triple-A affiliate.

Phillies Release Yuniesky Betancourt

By edcreech | March 24, 2013 at 3:45pm CDT

The Phillies have released Yuniesky Betancourt, tweets MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. The Phillies signed Betancourt to a minor league contract in January.

"It was a very difficult decision," Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told reporters including Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "He played great for us. We had some other guys feel great, and we’re comfortable with where we are as far as those players are concerned."

Those players would be Freddy Galvis and Kevin Frandsen. Agent Alex Esteban told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that Betancourt requested his release by exercising his out clause and there are three teams who are interested in his client (Twitter link). Gelb tweeted the Phillies tried to trade Betancourt, but other teams walked away.

Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com tweets both the Yankees and Cardinals are "poking around" Betancourt. The mention of the Yankees is interesting, as GM Brian Cashman told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News earlier today that he won't be looking outside the organization for a shortstop despite Derek Jeter's ailing ankle (Twitter link). The Giants and Brewers are in the market for an utility infielder and could be interested in Betancourt, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle and Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Twitter.

Betancourt hit just .228/.256/.400 with seven home runs in 228 plate appearances for the Royals last season. The 31-year-old is in the midst of an incredibly strong Spring Training collecting 21 hits in 47 at-bats en route to a .447/.451/.574 batting line with a 1.025 OPS in 51 plate appearances.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

Rockies Return Rosenbaum To Nationals

By Steve Adams | March 24, 2013 at 2:35pm CDT

2:35pm: The Nationals announced, via Twitter, they have accepted Rosenbaum back from Rockies and he will report to minor league camp.

12:58 pm: The Rockies are returning Rule 5 Draft pick Danny Rosenbaum to the Nationals, according to Amanda Comak of the Washington Times (Twitter link). MLB.com's Thomas Harding adds, also via Twitter, that the move will become official once Colorado's signing of Jon Garland is finalized.

The Rockies selected Rosenbaum with the third pick in December's Rule 5 Draft. In eight Spring Training innings for Colorado, Rosenbaum allowed four runs on nine hits and three walks without registering a strikeout.

Last season, Rosenbaum fired 155 1/3 innings over the course of 26 starts for the Nats' Double-A affiliate, compiling a 3.94 ERA, 5.7 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9. The Xavier University product was a 22nd-round selection by Washington in the 2009 draft.

The left-hander ranked as Colorado's No. 22 prospect, according to Baseball America, who said that he "had a decent chance to be a touch-and-feel lefty at the back of a big league rotation" thanks to his ability to command an 84-90 mph fastball and a solid change-up.

Mariners Sign Endy Chavez

By Steve Adams | March 24, 2013 at 2:00pm CDT

2:00pm: Chavez says he will start the year at Triple-A, reports MLB.com's John Schlegel.

11:05am: Not surprisingly, Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times confirms that it's a minor league contract. As Baker writes, the bigger story behind this signing is that it places Casper Wells' future with the Mariners in doubt.

10:40am: The Mariners have signed Endy Chavez, according to agent Chris Leible of the Legacy Agency on Twitter (hat tip: Andy Martino of the New York Daily News). Chavez will report to camp with the Mariners today.

Chavez signed a minor league deal with the Royals earlier this offseason, but Kansas City released the 35-year-old last week.

Chavez spent the 2009 season with the Mariners, appearing in 54 games and posting a .273/.328/.342 batting line before a torn ACL cost him the remainder of the season. Chavez is a veteran of 11 Major League seasons and seven teams. He is a career .269/.306/.367 hitter and a very highly regarded defensive outfielder at all three positions, as evidenced by his career 11.7 UZR/150.

Rangers Claim Brad Mills

By edcreech | March 24, 2013 at 1:26pm CDT

The Rangers have claimed left-hander Brad Mills off waivers from the Angels, tweets Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Jeff Wilson tweets the Rangers created a spot on the 40-man roster for Mills by placing Neftali Feliz on the 60-day disabled list. The Rangers have confirmed both moves.

Mills, who is out of options, was acquired by the Angels from the Blue Jays for Jeff Mathis in December 2011, but appeared in only one game, a spot start, for the Halos in 2012. He spent most of the season at Triple-A Salt Lake compiling a 5.86 ERA with 5.5 K/9, 3.3 BB/9, and 11.0 H/9 in 21 games (19 starts) covering 109 innings. This spring, Mills appeared in three games, including one start, for the Angels pitching six innings allowing four earned runs with two strikeouts and one walk.

Padres Release Freddy Garcia

By Steve Adams | March 24, 2013 at 12:35pm CDT

The Padres have released right-hander Freddy Garcia, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock (Twitter link). Garcia had inked a minor league deal with the Friars earlier this offseason.

The 36-year-old Garcia pitched to a 5.20 ERA, 7.5 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 107 1/3 innings for the Yankees last season. However, from 2010-11 he was able to post a 4.15 ERA over the course of 303 2/3 innings for the White Sox and Yankees — a pair of very hitter-friendly environments.

Garcia drew interest from the Marlins, Rockies, Twins and Reds at various points throughout the offseason before signing his minor league commitment with the Padres.

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