Trade Deadline Notes: Closers, Phillies, Buyers
If you are looking for a unique way to occupy your evening, be sure to follow (or re-read) the Dodgers' Twitter feed as unparalleled announcer Vin Scully chats about his incredible memories and observations on today's game. (A sample: Scully says he had to be on his feet watching for foul balls at old Briggs Stadium — better known as Tiger Stadium — because "the booth was so close to home you could hear the hitter grunt.") Also worth reading are the following links looking ahead to the coming trade deadline period:
- The market for closers could focus on Glen Perkins and Steve Cishek if Jonathan Papelbon and Rafael Betancourt are unavailable, tweets MLB Network analyst Peter Gammons. Teams like the Tigers and Red Sox are potentially on the hunt for late-inning help, but Gammons says to expect a high price on Perkins and Cishek.
- Alex Speier of WEEI.com took a look at Boston's closer situation today. GM Ben Cherington did not rule out the possibility of dealing for late-inning help, but also said that the club had internal options.
- Buyers should not expect Papelbon to be available, Gammons further tweets. He cites an unnamed GM as saying that the Phillies are unlikely to deal their closer or star pitcher Cliff Lee given "their pending TV deal."
- Potential buyers include the Giants, Orioles, Padres, Diamondbacks, and Reds, according to Baseball Prospectus. While the O's may join the Giants on the market for starting pitching, BP's Bret Sayre says the club should also be in on a second baseman to address its glaring issues there. Likewise, Cincinnati's shopping list is relatively clear: an outfielder to replace the injured Ryan Ludwick and Chris Heisey. BP further suggests that the Padres have many areas that could warrant an upgrade, while the Dbacks ought to look to add a "star" to compliment the emerging Paul Goldschmidt.
- While the Nationals were quiet at last year's deadline, ultimately acquiring backstop Kurt Suzuki in a post-deadline deal, MLB.com's Bill Ladson suggests that the team could be more active this season. Getting the injured Wilson Ramos and Bryce Harper back is the first order of business, but the Nats could look to add a veteran right-handed bench bat given the struggles of the demoted Tyler Moore. Ladson also wonders whether Washington could look to pick up a fifth starter to replace the inconsistent Dan Haren. But with Haren's salary and track record, Ladson says, the team is unlikely at this point to make such a move. (It is worth noting, too, that the Nats still have Chris Young working at Triple-A on an incentive-laden deal, though Young has struggled to a 7.88 ERA in seven starts.)
- Although the Rangers have struggled at the plate, ESPN.com's Richard Durrett says the team's first order of business should be to shop for starters at the deadline. With the young back of the rotation still looking for consistency, and Colby Lewis and Matt Harrison still major injury question marks, Durrett says the club could look at high-end arms like Cliff Lee. Durrett's colleague Todd Wills, on the other hand, writes (same link) that Texas should focus on finding a left fielder. He suggests that Andre Ethier, Josh Willingham, and Carlos Quentin are viable possibilities. With Leonys Martin and Craig Gentry failing to nail down their roles and Nelson Cruz still potentially a suspension target, says Wills, outfield depth could the the key down the stretch.
- The Padres' recent hot streak has made the team a bubble buyer, writes Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Sanders suggests that starting pitching is the most likely target, as GM Josh Byrnes has said. He says that arms like Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle are potentially available could be a nice fit in the NL West's larger ballparks. Alternatively, if the Pads turn into sellers, the team may be able to find takers for pitchers Eric Stults, Jason Marquis, Edinson Volquez, and Huston Street.
- Other bubble teams include the Dodgers, Giants, and Indians, writes ESPN.com's Jim Bowden (Insider subscription required). Still in contention and with solid enough cores to remain there, Bowden says these clubs are in "reload" mode and gives an in-depth analysis of their trade deadline approach. Los Angeles could use improvements on the left side of the infield and back of the bullpen, and might also look to add rotation or pen depth. San Francisco, meanwhile, could (as noted above) look for rotation help or shop for an outfielder given Angel Pagan's injury. For Cleveland, Bowden says that the team should look to add "at least two more quality arms" while not selling away the team's future. Be sure to check out the link for further analysis and potential trade scenarios.
Draft Signings: Gonsalves, Williams, Monda, Hannemann
Here are today's notable draft notes and non-first-round signings (all slot info courtesy of Baseball America)…
- High school lefty Stephen Gonsalves has agreed to a $700k bonus with the Twins, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter). The fourth-round pick Gonsalves, once considered a possible first-rounder, signed for about $232k over slot rather than attending the University of San Diego.
- The Diamondbacks have signed second-round choice Justin Williams with a roughly at-slot bonus, tweets Callis. The high school shortstop, who is advised by the Boras Corporation, will likely take his raw power to the outfield as a pro.
- The Phillies will not sign sixth-round choice Jason Monda, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports on Twitter. The Washington State junior had initially seemed willing to sign, but elected instead to return for his final year as a collegiate ballplayer.
- Third-rounder Jacob Hannemann has agreed to a $1MM bonus with the Cubs, Callis reports via Twitter. The contract pays the speedy BYU outfielder over $250k more than his recommended slot.
- The Indians have given a well-above-slot bonus to fifth-round choice Sean Brady, tweets Callis. The high-school lefty, who is advised by Tom O'Connell, will receive $800k from Cleveland, over double the $347,100 slot recommendation.
- Yankees second-rounder Gosuke Katoh has signed for the full slot value of $845,700, according to Callis (on Twitter).
- Callis also reports that the Padres signed supplemental second-rounder Jordan Paroubeck for a $750K bonus (Twitter links). The prep outfielder from California has solid tools across the board, according to Callis. He signed for $58K under slot.
- The Padres have also agreed to terms with eighth-rounder Adrian De Horta on a well over-slot deal, MLBTR has learned. De Horta, who is advised by Terry Jones of Reynolds Sports Management, agreed to a $425K signing bonus, which is about $269K over slot value for the No. 238 overall selection. The deal is pending a physical. MLB.com doesn't have a full scouting report on De Horta, though they do offer a scouting video for Padres fans to check out.
Jeff Todd contributed to this post.
Astros Notes: Appel, Free Agency
The Astros today held a press conference to announce the signing of No. 1 overall draft pick Mark Appel. Here are some of the highlights as well as other Astros news (All links below point to Twitter)…
- General manager Jeff Luhnow said at the press conference that negotiations with Appel's adviser, Scott Boras, were smooth because everyone that was involved had the same goal (MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reporting).
- Luhnow also said that Appel does have an innings limit for 2013, but he didn't specify what it was. For now, Appel will head to Florida, and his first minor league stop will be short-season Class A Tri-City (McTaggart reporting).
- Appel could also make his way to full-season Class A Quad Cities and even Double-A Corpus Christi this summer, Luhnow said. Luhnow feels that the Astros are closer to success, as an organization, than most people think. He views Appel as a major factor in taking the next step (Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle reporting).
- In non-Appel-related news, Smith reports that the Astros are already targeting two- to three-year free agent deals this offseason to serve as a bridge to the next Houston contender.
Rockies To Remove Francis From Roster; Promote Oswalt
While the precise roster move to be made remains unknown, starter Jeff Francis will be removed from the Rockies' active roster tomorrow, writes Troy Renck of the Denver Post. The team will promote Roy Oswalt to start tomorrow's game at Washington.
As Renck explains, the club could seek to option Francis, but would need the veteran's consent to do so. Of course, a 40-man roster spot would presumably still need to be cleared under that scenario to make way for Oswalt. Otherwise, Colorado could designate Francis for assignment. Either way, says Renck, the lefty has had his locker cleared out and will not accompany the team to D.C.
Francis, 32, re-signed with the Rockies on a one-year deal with a $1.5MM base salary and another $1.5MM worth of incentives. In 52 innings this season, he's posted a 6.58 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9. The strikeout rate is actually the highest of Francis' career, as is his 50.3 percent ground-ball rate. He's been hurt by a homer-to-flyball ratio (20.4 percent) that's nearly double that of his career mark.
Jeff Todd contributed to this post.
Braves Sign First-Rounder Jason Hursh
The Braves announced (via Twitter) that they have officially signed their first-round selection Jason Hursh this afternoon. Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish was the first to report that an agreement was in place yesterday, adding that the Oklahoma State right-hander signed for the full slot value of $1,704,200. Hursh is advised by SFX.
Hursh was the No. 41 prospect in this year's draft according to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo. Baseball America ranked him 46th, and ESPN's Keith Law ranked him 48th (ESPN Insider required). Mayo noted that Hursh, who had Tommy John surgery in 2011 and missed the 2012 season while recovering, features a 95 mph fastball that he commands well and uses to generate ground-balls. BA had his fastball from 92-98 mph with heavy life and late tail, calling it "one of the most devastating pitches in the draft."
With Hursh's agreement, 24 of the 33 first-round selections from this year's draft have agreed to terms or signed with their new team.
Red Sox Sign Trey Ball
3:48pm: Speier adds that Ball signed for $2.75MM, which represents a savings of nearly $500K for the Red Sox (Twitter link).
2:20pm: The Red Sox have officially announced the signing of Ball.
12:02pm: The Red Sox and Ball have agreed to terms, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (on Twitter). His bonus is still unknown at this time.
8:51am: The Red Sox are in the final stages of negotiations with No. 7 overall pick Trey Ball, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com, and the deal is expected to be completed today. Ball has passed his physical, and his signing bonus is expected to be slightly below the assigned pick value of $3.246MM. Ball is advised by Frontline Athlete Management.
A high school left-handed pitcher/outfielder out of Indiana, Ball was a consensus Top 10 talent among ESPN's Keith Law (No. 8), MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo (No. 8) and Baseball America (No. 9). Law wrote that Ball could be a first-round talent whether drafted as a pitcher or an outfielder but was currently better suited for pitching: "On the mound, his talent is easier to spot — a 6-foot-6 left-hander with a loose arm, a fastball up to 94, and feel for a breaking ball already." Mayo adds that Ball's changeup is his best secondary offering, but he struggles to repeat his delivery at times.
The Red Sox view Ball as a pitcher, with director of player personnel Dave Finley telling Speier, “Trey’s velocity was pretty remarkable throughout the year. Being in a cold-weather state and having that velocity was pretty promising." Finley likens Ball to 2011 supplemental-rounder Henry Owens as well as a young Jon Lester. All three lefties were selected out of high school by the Red Sox.
It is believed, according to Speier, that the savings on second-rounder Teddy Stankiewicz's signing bonus and Ball's signing bonus will be enough to offset the over-slot deal given to third-round catcher Jon Denney.
Twins Sign Kohl Stewart
The Twins have issued a press release to announce the signing of No. 4 overall pick Kohl Stewart. The 18-year-old prep right-hander is advised by Darek Braunecker of Frontline Athlete Management. Stewart signed for the full slot value of $4,544,400, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter).
Stewart was a consensus Top 10 talent in this year's draft, ranking fourth overall according to ESPN's Keith Law, fifth according to Baseball America and seventh according to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo. Law wrote that Stewart has four legitimate pitches, two of which have a chance to end up as 70-grade offerings on the 20-80 scouting scale. Those would be his 92-94 mph fastball (which touches 97) and his 85-88 mph slider with late break. In the above tweet, Callis notes that Stewart has drawn comparisons to Justin Verlander when pitching at his best.
Stewart had a football commitment to Texas A&M, where he would have served as a back-up to Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel at quarterback. He is the second consecutive high school player drafted by the Twins. Minnesota selected outfielder Byron Buxton with the No. 2 overall selection in the 2012 draft.
With Stewart's signing, 23 of this year's 33 first-round selections have agreed to terms or signed with their first professional organization.
Mike Zagurski Elects Free Agency
WEDNESDAY: Zagurski has elected free agency, MLBTR has learned. His dominant numbers at Triple-A Indianapolis this season should lead to some interest from other clubs. In 21 innings, Zagurski pitched to a 2.14 ERA with 37 strikeouts (15.9 K/9) and nine walks (3.9 BB/9). He allowed only 15 hits in those 21 frames as well.
TUESDAY: After being designated for assignment by the Pirates on Saturday, Mike Zagurski cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A today, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes has learned. The left-hander will decide whether to elect free agency tomorrow.
The 30-year-old made six appearances for Pittsburgh this year, allowing ten runs with eight walks and five strikeouts. Zagurski was signed to a minor-league deal by the Pirates in the offseason after posting a 5.54 ERA in 37 and 1/3 innings for the Diamondbacks in 2012.
Back in late May, the Yankees called the Bucs to inquire on Zagurski's availability but were turned down.
Astros To Sign Mark Appel
WEDNESDAY, 12:19pm: The Astros will officially sign Appel this afternoon, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). The club has put out a press release confirming the deal.
SATURDAY, 4:25pm: It appears that the Astros have accomplished what the Pirates could not last year. Houston has agreed to terms with first overall pick Mark Appel on a deal worth $6.35MM. That number falls below the suggested slot value for the No. 1 pick, which is $7.79MM, according to Baseball America. 
Appel, who is advised by Scott Boras, was drafted last year by the Pirates at No. 8 but ultimately did not sign. The right-hander arguably would have gone higher in the 2012 draft if it weren't for signability concerns. It was reported that the Bucs offered the right-hander $3.8MM and from a money standpoint, Boras and Appel have come out on top.
Appel was ranked as the top prospect in the draft by ESPN's Keith Law and MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo. Baseball America had him pegged as the second-best prospect in his class, behind Oklahoma right-hander Jonathan Gray, who went No. 3 to the Rockies.
The Stanford product shows everything scouts look for in a frontline pitcher, according to BA. Appel's fastball sits in the mid-90s and gets as high as 98 mph, and he holds his velocity deep into games. The right-hander has improved in each year at Stanford and figures to move quickly through the minor leagues.
CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman first reported that an agreement was reached while Jim Callis of Baseball America tweeted the value of the deal. Additional details were provided by Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Zach Links contributed to this post.
Suspensions Likely In Biogenesis Case
Major League Baseball has begun interviewing players connected to the Biogenesis PED scandal, and Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that people who have spoken with MLB investigators feel it's likely that some suspensions will be issued.
MLB has yet to interview either Alex Rodriguez or Ryan Braun, according to Heyman, because the league considers them its primary targets and wants to ensure that enough evidence has been built against the pair before conducting those interviews.
Heyman reports that the MLB will claim the Joint Drug Agreement legally allows them to issue suspensions prior to the appeals process, because the names involved have already been leaked. This would obviously be a large point of contention for the MLB Players Association, who will argue that suspensions cannot be issued or announced until a player has had the opportunity to appeal.
MLB is also interviewing Porter Fischer, the former Biogenesis employee who is responsible for leaking Biogenesis founder Tony Bosch's notebooks and records to the Miami New Times. MLB has reportedly interviewed Fischer three times now in an attempt to stockpile evidence. Heyman reminds that there are varying degrees of mentions in Fischer's documents; for example, Rodriguez's name allegedly appears alongside mentions of specific PEDs, while Braun's name only appears next to dollar amounts.
Nelson Cruz, Everth Cabrera, Jhonny Peralta, Jesus Montero and Bartolo Colon were among the other players linked to Biogenesis in the initial report. Earlier this month, ESPN's Buster Olney stated that it could be months before suspensions are handed out due to the appeals process, so the ability to circumvent that process would be a significant step for MLB in this case.