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Archives for August 2013

Braves Claim Elliot Johnson

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The Braves have claimed infielder Elliot Johnson off release waivers from the Royals, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). The Royals had requested release waivers on Monday after designating Johnson for assignment last week.

Johnson, 29, batted .179/.218/.241 in 173 plate appearances for the Royals this season after coming over as the player to be named later in the James Shields–Wil Myers blockbuster. He's a career .212/.267/.313 hitter in 704 plate appearances who is a defensive standout at second base but below average at shortstop, according to Ultimate Zone Rating. The Braves have been said to be looking for extra offense at second base with Dan Uggla and Tyler Pastornicky on the shelf, but the addition of Johnson suggests they're content to make a significant defensive upgrade for the time being.

Nationals Release Roger Bernadina

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WEDNESDAY: Bernadina has officially cleared release waivers and expects to sign with a new team shortly, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick (on Twitter).

MONDAY: The Nationals have released Roger Bernadina following the acquisition of David DeJesus, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

Bernadina, 29, is batting .179/.247/.270 with a pair of homers and three steals in 167 plate appearances this season. He's capable of handling all three outfield positions, though he hasn't graded out as a plus defender in center over the course of his career. Bernadina was earning $1.21MM this season after his first year of arbitration eligibility, so a non-tender seemed inevitable given his lack of production.

AL Central Notes: Hoynes, Morneau, Twins, Tigers

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Congratulations to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, who has been selected to join the Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame. "Hoynsie" took the time to answer some questions from Bill Lucey of the blog Newspaper Alum about the 33 years he has spent covering the Indians. Hoynes discusses the transition from print to web, recounts several stories about players and offers his take on instant replay. Lucey's piece is an excellent look at the life of a beat writer and is a fantastic read start to finish. Here's more out of the AL Central…

Cody Eppley Opts Out Of Contract With Twins

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Right-hander Cody Eppley has opted out of his minor league contract with the Twins and is now a free agent, MLBTR has learned. He will look to sign with another team in the season's final weeks.

Eppley, 27, signed a minor league deal with Minnesota back on June 13. After posting a 3.33 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 46 innings for the Yankees last season, Eppley broke camp with the Bombers this Spring. However, he pitched just 1 2/3 innings for New York, allowing four runs before being demoted to Triple-A and ultimately designated for assignment.

In 24 innings for the Twins at Triple-A Rochester, he posted a 4.88 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 4.9 BB/9. Eppley has 302 strikeouts in 272 1/3 career minor league innings, including 138 in 136 1/3 innings at Triple-A. When he's at his best, he generates plenty of ground-balls, as evidenced by his 60.3 percent ground-ball rate in 2012. He was one of 13 big league relievers with a ground-ball rate north of 60 percent in 2012 (minimum 40 innings pitched).

Minor Moves: Arturo Lopez

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Here are Wednesday's minor moves from around the league…

  • The Padres have acquired left-hander Arturo Lopez from the Mexican League's Diablos Rojos del Mexico, according to the Pacific Coast League transactions page. Lopez has reported to Triple-A Tucson. The 30-year-old Lopez has been in the Mexican League for the past three seasons but spent parts of five seasons with the Padres organization previously. He earned a call-up in 2009 but allowed five runs in 2 1/3 innings. In 85 innings for los Diablos this season, Lopez had a 3.50 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9, though he did allow more hits than innings pitched.
  • As can be seen in MLBTR's new DFA Tracker, three players are in DFA limbo: Sean O'Sullivan of the Padres, Wade LeBlanc of the Astros and Jeff Francoeur of the Giants.

Quick Hits: Morneau, Matsuzaka, Red Sox, Padres

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We'll round out the evening with some links from around baseball:

  • With a big night at the plate putting an exclamation point on his torrid run over August, Twins first baseman Justin Morneau is drawing increased attention on the trade market, 1500ESPN.com's Darren Wolfson reports on Twitter. According to a source, the resurgent Yankees are "back in" on Morneau, which could also increase the pressure on the Orioles to make a move on the veteran slugger. The Yanks are now just one game back of Baltimore, though both clubs have significant ground to gain in both the AL East and Wild Card hunt.
  • Recently-released pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka expects to link up with a new team shortly with the hopes of returning to the big leagues, tweets Scott Miller of CBSSports.com. In a series of tweets, Miller quotes Indians GM Chris Antonetti: "We didn't have an immediate opportunity. Dice-K was throwing well in Triple-A and thought he may have a better opportunity." 
  • One team that will not be in on Matsuzaka is the Brewers, reports Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. GM Doug Melvin did say that Dice-K's agent, Scott Boras, had reached out to Milwaukee. "I told Boras I didn't have a spot for him," said Melvin. "We already have six starters for September."
  • Looking ahead at the first base position for the Red Sox in 2014, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says he expects the club to "stay in-house" rather than chasing a new player such as Jose Dariel Abreu. Cafardo opines that the club is most likely to shift Will Middlebrooks to first or employ a platoon of Daniel Nava and Mike Carp. Cafardo finds it less likely that Mike Napoli will be re-signed, but says a big September could lead the club in that direction.
  • Mike Dee, the new president and CEO of the Padres, says that the club is poised to "invest more in the team moving forward," reports MLB.com's AJ Cassavell. Emphasizing that dealing with the team's less-than-perfect TV situation will be "a priority," Dee said that the baseball operations focus will be "to draft well and to develop [the team's] own talent." For his part, GM Josh Byrnes explained that more money did not just mean more big league spending: "Payroll is certainly part of it. But it's also investment spending, whether it's player development, medical or the international side; anything that we can do to give ourselves a better chance to produce talent."

Phillies Notes: Manuel, Rollins, Lannan, Halladay

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In an interview with CSNPhilly.com's Leslie Gudel, outgoing Phillies manager Charlie Manuel spoke frankly about the talent he was given to work with over the last two seasons. Asked whether he had the pieces to win over 2012-13, Manuel left no question of his feelings: "No. I can straight-face tell you that." He says he "always figured we'd add the pieces and things like that," as the team had in years past. "They always went out and they always got pieces and they always put them on our team and gave us a good opportunity to win. They put us in a good position to win and it was up to us to do that." More out of Philly …

  • Starter Roy Halladay says that, while he respects Manuel, a change was needed. As Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports, Halladay thinks that interim manager Ryne Sandberg will "bring back a little more of the Philly baseball style than we've had the last couple of years." According to the veteran righty, "We haven't had that whole team effort, that whole team hustle. … Guys being at places on time; being on the field on time; taking ground balls; taking extra BP. All of those little things that nobody thinks makes a difference."
  • Indeed, Sandberg has already announced his presence by calling out veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins, Gelb reports. "Is he stubborn or [has he] created habits that are hard to change?" queried Sandberg. "I've seen him practice. And what he practices, he takes into the game. I believe there is some tweaking there as far as practice habits and what he practices."
  • Meanwhile, Halladay himself took the hill for an important rehab start tonight. Reviews were not promising, with CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury reporting (via Twitter) that Halladay managed only 52 strikes in 90 pitches, allowing seven hits and three walks while striking out four. According to Salisbury, also via Twitter, Halladay "does not look ready." Gelb concurred with that assessment, though he noted that Halladay seems determined to start for the Phils on Sunday. (Twitter links.) For more details on Halladay's evening, see this piece from David Murphy, Gelb's colleague with the Inquirer.
  • Another Philadelphia starter is headed in the opposite direction, with Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reporting that John Lannan will be shut down for the season and is likely headed for surgery. Assistant GM Scott Proefrock said that he believes Lannan "ruptured [a] tendon" in his left knee. Already a non-tender candidate, the 28-year-old struggled to a 5.33 ERA over 74 1/3 innings in his first year in Philadelphia and could be left looking for a minor league deal for 2014.

NL Notes: DeJesus, Nationals, Cubs, Lambo, Liriano

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Let's take a quick trip around the National League …

  • The Nationals acquired David DeJesus from the Cubs yesterday, only to place him promptly on waivers, leading to speculation about the team's intentions. Whatever the Nats do, the Cubs are likely only to receive "a nominal amount of cash" back in the deal, reports ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine (via Twitter). 
  • Osceola County has decided not to go forward with Washington's planned $98MM spring training complex in Kissimmee, Florida, leaving the club looking for other options. Pete Kerzel of MASNsports.com has all the details on the team's prospects for a new spring home. For now, he says, the organization is content to continue working out of Space Coast Stadium in Viera.
  • With the Nats visiting Wrigley to take on the Cubs, president and GM Mike Rizzo talked to Levine about the work of the Chicago front office. The Chicago native credited president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer with being "so aggressive in the international market place." He explained that the new international spending rules "have put the small-market teams on a comparable level with the richer clubs," creating "a true scouting system" in which "the teams with the better scouts will get the better players." Rizzo analogized the Cubs' efforts to the Nationals' own aggressive, scouting-based spending before the team emerged last season.
  • Recent call-up Andrew Lambo of the Pirates has new representation, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes has learned. The 25-year-old outfielder has chosen Beverly Hills Sports Council to replace his previous agency, Wasserman Media Group. As always, you can reference MLBTR's Agency Database to keep tabs on players' representation.
  • One of the keys to the Bucs' successes this year — low-priced off-season acquisition Francisco Liriano — has excelled due to changes in his delivery that have improved his fastball command, explains Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Liriano's 2014 option appears likely to vest, and Pittsburgh will surely not complain about returning him to their rotation.

Zduriencik Under Contract With Mariners For 2014

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The Mariners have already extended general manager Jack Zduriencik through 2014, according to sources of Ryan Divish of the News Tribune, who says the deal may have been struck before the season. Shannon Drayer of ESPN Radio Seattle writes that multiple sources confirm the one-year extension. 

Zduriencik has been at the helm in Seattle since 2009, but his most recent deal was set to expire after this season. He declined to comment on his contract situation, telling Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times that team chairman Howard Lincoln or president Chuck Armstrong "would be the ones to announce something like that, if there's any truth to it." Armstrong also refused comment, Baker tweets, citing club policy. While we still do not have official acknowledgement, however, all signs point to a return for Jack Z.

While the M's have yet to post a winning season under Zduriencik since his first year in charge, and have scuffled for most of 2013, there have been signs of promise. Seattle's young position players — including three of the first players Zduriencik drafted (Dustin Ackley, Nick Franklin, and Kyle Seager) — have taken on prominent roles across the diamond, with varying degrees of success. Perhaps most encouraging, first baseman Justin Smoak, who headlined the haul Zduriencik returned for ace Cliff Lee back in 2010, has posted by far his best big league season. With the club's top pitching prospects knocking on the door in the upper minors, it appears that Zduriencik will have at least one more chance to turn out a winner.

AL West Notes: Rangers, Ogando, Astros, A’s

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The Rangers have a narrow half-game lead over the Athletics as they seek a third division championship in four seasons. Meanwhile, the news is positive on Mariners manager Eric Wedge, who tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he will come back strong from the stroke he suffered about a month ago. Here's more out of the AL West …

  • Alexi Ogando has hit the disabled list for a third time this season thanks to inflammation in his right shoulder, but Rangers GM Jon Daniels told reporters, including Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, that he's not considering signing a pitcher from outside the organization to replace him (Twitter link). In a follow-up tweet, Wilson adds that Daniels and the Rangers will continue to view Ogando as a starter in 2013, but his future role is a topic of conversation for next year.
  • Following today's DFA of lefty Wade LeBlanc, MLB.com's Brian McTaggart notes that 14 of the 25 players on the Astros' active roster are rookies (on Twitter).
  • The Athletics have extended their player development contract with their Class-A affiliate in Stockton through the 2016 season, according to Janie McCauly of the Associated Press (Twitter link).

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