Mets Sign David Aardsma
The Mets announced that they have signed David Aardsma to a minor league deal. The right-hander will report to the club's Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas.
Aardsma, 31, was with the Marlins on a minor league deal but exercised his opt-out clause in mid-May. The veteran posted a 2.57 ERA with 12 strikeouts and eight walks across 14 innings of work for Triple-A New Orleans. Aardsma has had bad luck with injuries in recent years, having undergone surgery to repair the labrum in his left hip followed by Tommy John surgery in 2011.
Late last week, we heard that Japan's Hanshin Tigers had interest in bringing Aardsma aboard after he parted ways with Miami. For his career, Aardsma owns a 4.22 ERA with 9.1 K/9 and 5.1 BB/9 across parts of seven big league seasons.
Central Notes: Pirates, Royals, Cubs
With 40% of their innings coming from relievers, the Pirates' bullpen has been worked the hardest among all National League teams. The onus is on GM Neal Huntington to add depth at the trade deadline, writes Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, who notes that the NL Central is "tougher than many of us expected" due to the Pirates playing .591 ball so far. Elsewhere in baseball's central divisions…
- The Royals are the frontrunner to sign 15-year-old Italian shortstop Marten Gasparini, sources tell Ben Badler of Baseball America, with the Dodgers and Cubs also showing interest. Gasparini, who turns 16 on Friday, is "expected to sign the biggest contract ever for a European amateur player," according to Badler. The speedy switch-hitter may top the $800K the Twins gave to German outfielder Max Kepler in 2009. Be sure to check out Badler's full profile of Gasparini.
- Josh Vitters is the future at third base for the Cubs, president Theo Epstein told Ian Stewart, Stewart explained to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat. That means playing time will be hard to come by for Stewart at Triple-A Iowa, where he landed after being removed from the Cubs' 40-man roster this month. Stewart wondered if the comment was Epstein's way of trying to get him to give up his contract, but the third baseman told Muskat, "It wouldn't really make sense for me to take a release or ask for free agency, because then I'd be giving up my contract, and that doesn't make sense for me financially or for my family." Stewart signed a $2MM deal to remain with the Cubs after being non-tendered in December, and hoped to be with the big league club after rehabbing a February quad injury.
- Matt Garza will make his season debut tomorrow with the Cubs in Pittsburgh, and he's eligible for free agency after the season. Jesse Rogers and Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com discussed Garza's future, with Levine suggesting, "I believe if he stays healthy the Cubs will offer him a short-term extension that could be a plus for both sides."
- The Twins "will get a close approximation of what it would be like to have Mike Trout and Bryce Harper in the same lineup" when top prospects Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano reach their primes, writes Jim Callis of Baseball America. Asked to rank prospect tandems in terms of potential five years down the road, Callis ranked Buxton and Sano ahead of Oscar Taveras and Shelby Miller of the Cardinals, Jose Fernandez and Christian Yelich of the Marlins, and Dylan Bundy and Manny Machado of the Orioles, among others.
Quick Hits: Gose, Dodgers, Relief Market
The Blue Jays announced today they've recalled 22-year-old outfielder Anthony Gose, who has a .227/.343/.325 line playing center field at Triple-A. Gose, who played in 56 games for the Jays last year, ranked #59 on Keith Law's top 100 prospects list for ESPN prior to the 2012 season and 39th on Baseball America's list. Gose was surprised by the promotion, reports Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca, while Jays manager John Gibbons said he will not be used in an everyday role at this time. On to today's links:
- The Dodgers have "no plans" to fire manager Don Mattingly when the team returns home Thursday or before then, a club official tells Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. Last night, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports put forth a guess that Mattingly will be fired if things don't go better for the Dodgers in this week's three-game set in Milwaukee.
- With a 4.61 ERA, the Dodgers' bullpen ranks 14th in the National League, and they're tied for third with eight blown saves. After yesterday's problems with Kenley Jansen and Brandon League, Mattingly said to reporters, "We had guys get away early who seemed to fit." Mattingly was seemingly referring to the Cubs' Kevin Gregg, who was released by the Dodgers' front office in April after they couldn't find a bullpen spot for him.
- "Non-existent" was the word one American League executive used to describe the relief pitching market, writes WEEI's Rob Bradford. Here in May, the market looks short on sellers with quality relief pieces.
- Speaking of relievers, are you following @CloserNews on Twitter? Win the saves category in your fantasy league by following our updates on all things closer-related.
Trade Market For Lefty Relievers
Having lost veterans Jonny Venters and Eric O'Flaherty to elbow injuries, the Braves are expected to be in the hunt for a lefty reliever, confirmed Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal notes that Miami's Mike Dunn would be ideal; Atlanta traded him to the Marlins in the Dan Uggla deal several years ago. Dunn, who turns 28 on Thursday, has pushed his walk rate down a bit and is getting more groundballs, which partially explains his 1.74 ERA. He's under team control through 2016, and the Marlins should be able to command a strong return on the trade market. Which other lefty relievers might become available this summer?
- Darren Oliver and Brett Cecil, Blue Jays. Oliver, 42, hasn't been effective against left-handed hitters this year, allowing 14 hits out of 36 batters faced. Cecil has dominated same-side batters, but he is under team control through 2016 and would be much harder to acquire.
- J.P. Howell, Dodgers. Howell and his 87 mile-an-hour heater have been extremely effective against lefty hitters. He has a $2.85MM base salary plus incentives.
- Wesley Wright and Travis Blackley, Astros. Erik Bedard is another name to watch here, though he's currently in the Astros' rotation and might be needed there. Wright has been ineffective against lefties, while Blackley has been OK.
- Brian Duensing, Twins. Glen Perkins could be very popular on the trade market, but he's signed potentially through 2016 and I'm not sure the Twins would be willing to trade their closer. Duensing has been very good against left-handed hitters and is under team control through 2015.
- James Russell, Cubs. Russell may be the prize among left-handed relievers. His numbers have moved in the right direction this year. He's dominated lefty hitters and is usable against right-handed ones. He's under team control through 2015, so the Cubs will be in no rush to move him.
- Tom Gorzelanny and Mike Gonzalez, Brewers. Gorzelanny has a 2.30 ERA on the season, a deceptive number given his low strikeout rate, high walk rate, and proclivity toward the longball. Signed through 2014, the Brewers would do well to clear his contract. Gonzalez, also signed as a free agent during the offseason, needs to be kept far away from right-handed hitters. His 4.5 K/BB ratio against left-handed batters is promising, but he has been hittable.
- Charlie Furbush and Oliver Perez, Mariners. Walks have been a problem for Furbush, who is under team control through 2017. Perez has at least limited free passes against lefty batters, whom the impending free agent has dominated.
- Antonio Bastardo, Phillies. Bastardo has allowed a pair of home runs among his 25 left-handed hitters faced, which continues to be a problem for him given his inability to get groundballs. He's under team control through 2015.
- Scott Downs, Angels. The L.A. teams certainly aren't ready to punt on the season, but one or both may be in two months. Downs, 37, is earning $5MM in the last year of his contract. He's got one of the best groundball rates you'll find, and remains tough on left-handed hitters.
- Matt Thornton, White Sox. Unlike most left-handed relievers, Thornton sits around 94 miles per hour with his fastball. The 36-year-old earns $5.5MM this year and has a $6MM club option for 2014. He battled elbow inflammation in February and strikeouts have eluded him so far, depressing his trade value.
- Joe Thatcher, Padres. Thatcher has been hittable against lefties, but otherwise effective. He's under team control through 2014.
- Marc Rzepczynski, Cardinals. Rzepczynski had his fire questioned by GM John Mozeliak, and despite a $1.1MM salary he and his 7.88 ERA were demoted to Triple-A in late April. Lefties have hit him well at that level too, so the Cardinals would be selling low to move him this summer.
Latest On Nationals, Mike Rizzo
In an April 29th poll of over 28,000 MLBTR readers, 3.25% voted for the Nationals' Mike Rizzo as the best GM in baseball. That placed Rizzo 13th overall; only Billy Beane received more than 9% of the vote. A few days prior, the Nationals had exercised Rizzo's 2014 club option. On the face of it, that move was seen as a show of support from ownership for the GM, as they were not obligated to make a decision until after the season. At the time, it was reported that the two sides were working on an extension beyond 2014, and also noted that the Nats still retain a 2015 club option.
Upon deeper examination from Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, exercising Rizzo's club option may not have been a generous move by the team. The move "may have created a potential fissure between ownership and its general manager," writes Kilgore. Since Rizzo signed on in 2010 with no experience as a full-time GM, his contract was quite team-friendly, putting him in the bottom third in salary for his position and allowing for the pair of club options. As we've seen with players with less than a year's service time, such as Matt Moore and Salvador Perez, the team has all the leverage at that point.
Nationals owner Mark Lerner seemed to admit Saturday that extension talks with Rizzo have not yet taken place, despite earlier statements to the contrary. Lerner still expressed optimism for a deal, while Rizzo told Kilgore, "I’d like to be here for the long term. I hope the Lerner family feels the same way."
Which Players Will Be Traded This Summer?
Last summer, the biggest names traded were Zack Greinke, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett, Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, Omar Infante, Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino, Ryan Dempster, Paul Maholm, Ichiro Suzuki, Wandy Rodriguez, Kevin Youkilis, Francisco Liriano, J.A. Happ, Jeremy Guthrie, Brett Myers, Kurt Suzuki, Joe Blanton, Brandon League, Marco Scutaro, Stephen Drew, Joe Saunders, Edward Mujica, and Chris Johnson.
As always, the vast majority of trades will take place in July and August. Perhaps we'll see a handful of All-Stars dealt, and surely a slew of solid veterans (often in contract years) and decent prospects. With over two months remaining until the trade deadline, several of the more interesting speculative trade candidates, such as Chase Headley, David Price, Giancarlo Stanton, and Cliff Lee, appear unlikely. Weigh in with today's poll – check all the names you expect to be traded this summer. You can click here to view the results.
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MLBTR Originals
A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR this past week:
- Tim Dierkes updated MLBTR's 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings. Robinson Cano is still the top ranked free agent, but eight of the nine other positions changed hands.
- Charlie Wilmoth tabbed the Pirates' Starling Marte as an extension candidate even though he has less than one year of service time.
- Steve Adams listed five minor league pitchers who are nearing the opt-out date in their contract. The Padres took notice selecting Tim Stauffer a mere four days after Steve's post.
- Mark Polishuk examined the trade candidacy of Astros ace Bud Norris.
- Steve broke down the 2014 free agent pitchers with the best command by starters and relievers.
- Tim asked MLBTR readers which 2014 free agent will receive a qualifying offer. A majority surveyed believe the Yankees will tender both Robinson Cano (88%) and Curtis Granderson (53%). Approximately two-thirds of you also believe Jacoby Ellsbury and Shin-Soo Choo will receive a qualifying offer.
- Edward Mujica was not included in Tim's survey, but Steve is very bullish about the Cardinals closer in the lastest Free Agent Stock Watch.
- MLBTR was the first to report the Mets' signing of right-hander Matt Fox from the independent league York Revolution.
- MLBTR broke the news Cardinals right-hander Trevor Rosenthal changed agencies leaving Full Circle Sports Management for the Boras Corporation.
- MLBTR was the first to learn of the Twins' signing of outfielder Jordan Parraz and his assignment to Double-A.
- Tim hosted this week's chat and emptied the MLBTR Mailbag.
- MLBTR contributor Marc Hulet updated the Prospect Rumor Roundup.
- Zach Links compiled the latest edition of Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
NL West Notes: Mattingly, Goldschmidt, Gregorius
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly will soon be fired, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal argues. "My guess is that Mattingly gets this series, and if things don’t go better, that’s it," Rosenthal says. "The Dodgers are off Thursday, then begin a five-game homestand against the Cardinals and Angels. You can look it up — managerial changes often occur on off-days before a homestand." The Dodgers are currently 17-25 after being swept by the Braves. Rosenthal notes that GM Ned Colletti might find himself on the hot seat as well, but that the typical pattern is for the manager to be the first out the door. When asked recently whether Mattingly would remain with the Dodgers through the end of the season, team president Stan Kasten replied, "I assume so," but noted that he expected the team to play better. Here's more from the NL West.
- Despite his hot start, Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt isn't worried about money he might end up losing as a result of his recent extension, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports. "You make the best decision at the time," says Goldschmidt. "I love it in Phoenix. I was happy we got a deal done. And I'm happy to get it done in spring training, so it didn't become a distraction." Heyman cites an anonymous agent who says that the extension could cost Goldschmidt $75MM. That seems like an exaggeration, but Goldschmidt could easily make his five year, $32MM deal look like a bargain from the Diamondbacks' perspective if he continues hitting anything resembling his current .335/.418/.645 pace.
- Didi Gregorius' surprising hitting so far in the big leagues is making the Diamondbacks' end of the Shin-Soo Choo / Trevor Bauer deal with the Reds and Indians look better with time. But Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic wonders whether Gregorius' hitting can last. No one in the last ten years has posted a career minor-league OPS below .725 (minimum 1,900 plate appearances) and a career major-league OPS above .741 (minimum 500 plate appearances). Gregorius had a .694 career minor-league OPS; his major-league OPS through 106 plate appearances is .884.
- Rockies pitcher Roy Oswalt will join the Double-A Tulsa Drillers on Tuesday and will make his first start on Friday, ROOT Sports' Tracy Ringolsby notes (on Twitter). Ringolsby projects Oswalt would make his fifth minor-league start June 14. Oswalt can opt out of his contract with the Rockies on either June 18 or June 28 if he has not been added to the big-league roster. Oswalt's command was strong in extended spring training, MLB.com's Thomas Harding notes (on Twitter).
East Notes: Braves, Brignac, Cabrera
After the team's loss of Eric O'Flaherty to injury, the Braves appear likely to trade for a lefty reliever before the trade deadline, writes David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). A trade is unlikely to occur anytime soon, however, since the deadline is more than two months away. Here are more notes from the East divisions.
- Reid Brignac has mixed feelings about recently being traded to the Yankees, Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily news reports. The Rockies designated Brignac for assignment in favor of DJ LeMahieu. "It’s one of those business type things in baseball that happens. I understand some of it, so that’s fine," says Brignac. "But to be traded for by the Yankees is a great experience and I’m very excited to get started and help this team continue winning, because that’s what this team does." The Yankees believe Brignac is better suited to an infield bench job than Alberto Gonzalez, who they designated for assignment to clear space for him.
- The Giants' recent series against Blue Jays was the first time many of Melky Cabrera's former teammates had seen him since the previous August, when he was suspended for performance-enhancing drugs, Richard Griffin of The Star writes. At that point, Cabrera left without addressing his teammates. But Giants pitcher Jeremy Affeldt sounded neither particularly excited nor upset to see Cabrera again. "For me, it didn’t bother me. When you see him . . . I gave him a hug in the weight room. I said, 'Is it good.' He said, 'It’s great, man.' Then we walked away," said Affeldt. "It might have been more awkward for him than it was for us. The reality is that we were out there trying to win a game." Cabrera is hitting .283/.319/.376 after signing a two-year, $16MM contract with the Jays in the offseason.
Week In Review: 5/12/13 – 5/18/13
Here's a look back at the week that was at MLBTR.
- The Cubs signed first baseman Anthony Rizzo to a $41MM extension.
- Reid Ryan became president of the Astros after George Postolos stepped down.
- The Mets signed outfielder Rick Ankiel to a big-league deal.
- The Yankees acquired infielder Reid Brignac from the Rockies for cash, and designated Alberto Gonzalez for assignment.
- The Angels claimed infielder Chris Nelson from the Yankees, and designated outfielder Scott Cousins for assignment.
- The Blue Jays claimed pitcher Thad Weber after the Padres designated him for assignment.
- The Marlins designated Jon Rauch for assignment.
- The Athletics designated first baseman Daric Barton and reliever Chris Resop for assignment.
- The Angels designated pitcher Barry Enright for assignment, then outrighted him to Triple-A Salt Lake. To clear space on their Triple-A roster, the Angels released utilityman Bill Hall.
- The Cubs will designate reliever Michael Bowden for assignement.
- The Astros outrighted pitcher Philip Humber to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
- The Padres released pitcher Fautino De Los Santos.
- The Phillies signed pitcher Carlos Zambrano to a minor-league deal.
- The Rangers signed pitcher Scott Richmond to a minor-league deal.
- The Dodgers signed pitcher Jonathan Sanchez to a minor-league deal.
- The Rockies signed pitcher Sean Gallagher to a minor-league deal.
- The Mets signed pitcher Matt Fox to a minor-league deal.
- The Rays signed pitcher Cory Wade to a minor-league deal.
- The Braves signed lefty reliever Joe Beimel to a minor-league deal.
- The Yankees signed infielder Josh Bell to a minor-league deal.
- The Padres signed outfielder Mike Wilson to a minor-league deal.
- The Marlins signed infielder Gil Velazquez to a minor-league deal.
- The Twins will sign outfielder Jordan Parraz to a minor-league deal.
- The Twins released lefty Rafael Perez.
- The Marlins released pitcher David Aardsma.
- The Nationals acquired catcher Brian Jeroloman from the Pirates.
- Reliever Blaine Boyer of the Royals exercised his out clause and became a free agent.