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Archives for June 2014

Phillies Designate Zach Collier For Assignment

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The Phillies have designated outfielder Zach Collier for assignment, the team announced via press release. The move was needed to open a 40-man roster spot for catcher Koyie Hill, who was called up to replace Carlos Ruiz (7-day concussion DL) on the active roster.

Collier, a 23-year-old left-handed hitter, was taken by the Phils with the 34th overall pick in the 2008 draft. He was added to the 40-man after the 2012 season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.

Since that time, Collier has failed to make the jump to Double-A. Over 513 plate appearances in 2013, he put up a .222/.310/.348 line with eight home runs and 17 stolen bases. It has been more of the same this year, as Collier has slashed .228/.307/.316 in 154 trips to the plate, and he has also taken a step back on the bases (he has been caught six times and successfully swiped only three bags).

Reds Sign Raisel Iglesias To Seven-Year Deal

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The Reds announced that they have signed Cuban right-hander Raisel Iglesias to a seven-year contract. The deal will guarantee Iglesias $27MM (including a signing bonus in the range of $5MM to $6MM) once he obtains a work visa. It also allows him to opt into arbitration if he becomes eligible. While the deal is for seven years, Iglesias’ free agency will not be delayed, as one of those years includes the 2014 season, during which he will not accrue a full year of service time anyway.

Iglesias, who is represented by Bart Hernandez and Praver Shapiro Sports Management, was said last week to be nearing a deal with the Reds. At the time, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports relayed a report from Cuban baseball expert Peter Bjarkman, who has seen the 24-year-old Iglesias pitch extensively and thinks he could be in the Majors after just a month or so in the minor leagues (Twitter links).

Iglesias’ name has been on the rumor circuit for months following his defection from Cuba last November (after one previous failed attempt). Ben Badler of Baseball America provides a scouting report on the 5’11, 165 lb righty, noting that he pitched at 88-92 mph in the 2013 World Baseball Classic but had pitched more in the 92-95 mph range in previous international tournaments. Iglesias also features a sweeping breaking ball in the 76-81 mph range, per Badler.

The 24-year-old Iglesias’ stats are available over at ObstructedView.com, which shows that in his past 82 2/3 innings in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, he posted a 3.05 ERA with a 74-to-30 K/BB ratio (five of those walks were intentional). His new contract means that he will be controlled through the 2020 season.

Most evaluators peg Iglesias as a quick-to-the-Majors bullpen arm, but the report of MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon notes that the Reds believe he is capable of starting. According to a tweet from MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez, Iglesias has added a changeup and otherwise tightened up his offerings. Cincinnati held a similar belief about fellow Cuban signee Aroldis Chapman before eventually settling Chapman into the closer’s role, where he has become arguably the best reliever in baseball. The club has also used several valuable draft picks on college relievers with the intention of trying them as starters, such as Tony Cingrani, Michael Lorenzen, and Nick Howard.

Depending on the annual salary structure and his ultimate usage, the ability to go to arbitration could convey a good bit of upside to Iglesias. Certainly, he would have greater earning capacity if he is used a starter or closer. Sheldon tweets that Iglesias will take the 40-man roster spot of Roger Bernadina, who was designated for assignment earlier this week.

MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon and colleague Jesse Sanchez (via Twitter) reported the financial details of the deal. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweeted that that Iglesias could opt into arbitration. 

Vote On A’s New Coliseum Lease Canceled

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FRIDAY: Approval of the lease did not go through as expected today, reports Carolyn Jones of the San Francisco Chronicle, because four representatives of the city of Oakland boycotted the meeting. Without their presence, a quorum could not be reached, and therefore the vote could not pass.

Jones spoke to sources close to the negotiations and was told that the Oakland City Council met behind closed doors on Wednesday and barred two members — both of whom are also members of the Coliseum Authority — from attending Friday’s meeting. Other members of the Coliseum Authority were “livid,” according to Jones, including Authority chair and Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley: “I’m shocked and upset and very disturbed. We feel like we’re being hampered from doing our business because the city has taken this position. At this stage, it’s just shocking.”

Jones also notes that Oakland mayor Jean Quan stated on Wednesday, following the initial news that an agreement had been reached, that no such deal was actually in place, as the city had yet to have a chance to review the team’s latest proposal.

Miley added that if the city has a problem with the proposal, it should address that problem when the new lease comes before the city council — not when it comes before the Coliseum Joint Powers Authority (JPA). As was reported on Wednesday, the lease required approval from the JPA, the city of Oakland, and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.

WEDNESDAY: The A’s have agreed to a new 10-year lease with the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority to remain at O.Co Coliseum, according to a report from the Associated Press.

The new lease would run through 2025 and still needs to be approved by the Coliseum Joint Powers Authority, which will vote on the extension this Friday, the AP reports. The lease is also subject to the approval of the city of Oakland and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.

The Athletics are still hopeful of securing a new stadium, but owner Lew Wolff told the AP via email that both MLB and the A’s rejected a proposed site near Jack London Square. Commissioner Bud Selig denied to the AP that the committee formed to deal with the Athletics’ stadium issues suggested that site as the best location for a new facility. He added that he “continue[s] to believe that the Athletics need a new facility” and that he is supportive of the team’s belief that the best site for them in the city of Oakland is the Coliseum site.

The A’s are the only team that still shares a facility with an NFL team, though the Raiders are in the final year of their lease and are hoping for a new facility of their own following the upcoming NFL season, per the AP report. The Athletics’ new lease is expected to contain out clauses, presumably included in the event that a new location can be agreed upon.

Previously, the A’s had rejected a 10-year lease extension from the Coliseum Authority, stating that the proposal did not address all of their needs. The stadium issue has been an ongoing one for the A’s for years, with a move to San Jose suggested on multiple occasions. The city of San Jose even filed a lawsuit against Major League Baseball just over a year ago, claiming that the city was being illegally blocked from importing the A’s.

Stark On Yankees, Brown, Astros, Papelbon, Dodgers

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ESPN’s Jayson Stark hosted a chat with readers today and touched on a number of hot stove topics with the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline roughly a month away. Here are some highlights, though the entire thing is worth a read-through for those interested in next month’s deadline…

  • Stark has received no indications that the Yankees are shopping for a third baseman. He hears that they’re prioritizing the rotation over everything else at this time.
  • Domonic Brown’s trade value is dropping by the day, says Stark. Scouts have been watching Brown (and the Phillies in general) over the past couple of weeks, and Philadelphia is trying to bill Brown as “a guy who did it once before so he can do it again.” However, Stark has a hard time seeing Brown fetching anything more than another change-of-scenery candidate.
  • Jeff Luhnow and the Astros view most relievers as interchangeable parts, making it likely that they’ll be very willing to move names like Chad Qualls and Tony Sipp next month.
  • Right-hander Ken Giles has impressed so much that Stark expects the Phillies to ratchet up their efforts to trade Jonathan Papelbon, and with Papelbon pitching better than he has in years, this is the perfect time to do it, he opines. Giles has thrown just seven innings for the Phils, but he’s averaged 97.1 mph on his heater with a 12-to-3 K/BB ratio and a ground-ball rate north of 55 percent.
  • The Dodgers have been telling teams that they won’t move Joc Pederson or Corey Seager this summer, according to Stark. If that’s indeed the case, that should take them out of the running for David Price (in my opinion).
  • Stark doesn’t get the sense that the Tigers are shopping for a closer, which meshes with yesterday’s comments from GM Dave Dombrowski. Detroit doesn’t think Joe Nathan is finished yet.

Draft Signings: Daniel Mengden

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Here are Friday’s notable mid- to late-round draft signings, with all slot information coming courtesy of Baseball America…

  • The Astros announced that they have officially signed fourth-rounder Daniel Mengden. The agreement was first reported earlier this week by Tyler Stafford of the Associated Press and the Texas A&M Battalion (Twitter link). According to Stafford, Mengden’s deal is worth $470K, which is a bit south of the $494,800 slot value of the No. 106 overall selection. The A&M right-hander ranked 143rd on BA’s Top 500 list and 101st on MLB.com’s Top 200. BA notes that Mengden features an above-average slider with a fastball that has touched 95 mph and a changeup that is solid-average to above-average. However, BA also notes that he has dealt with back issues that prevented him from throwing his slider much this past season.

AL East Notes: Yankees, Sox, Hazen, Jays, Murphy

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In his latest piece, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News looks at some of the Yankees’ most tradeable assets and discussed their stock with scouts around the league. Martino notes that many scouts aren’t high on Gary Sanchez due to a lack of fire, questionable defense and the fact that he doesn’t do early work before games. Right-hander Luis Severino, on the other hand, is seeing his stock rise. The Class-A Advanced hurler threw six no-hit innings Wednesday and drew praise from a scout who spoke with Martino. He also notes that catcher Peter O’Brien and second baseman Rob Refsnyder have been knocked for their defense. A scout Martino spoke with shared the opinion of many in stating that O’Brien doesn’t really have a position.

Here’s more out of the AL East…

  • Red Sox COO Sam Kennedy appeared on WEEI’s Dennis & Callahan show yesterday morning, and Conor Ryan of WEEI.com has the highlights from the discussion. Kennedy said it’s too early to determine whether they’re buyers or sellers, but it’s certainly possible that the ultimate plan of action is to trade veteran pieces and promote prospects like Mookie Betts, Christian Vazquez and Garin Cecchini. He added that he feels Boston’s fans are knowledgeable enough to understand, should that approach necessitate itself.
  • Kennedy also discussed the possibility of Red Sox assistant GM Mike Hazen drawing interest for the Padres’ GM opening. While he joked that they weren’t interested in helping out former BoSox COO and current Padres CEO Mike Dee, he acknowledged how desirable Hazen is to other clubs: “I think [Hazen] will definitely be a candidate atop any club’€™s list who might need a general manager. … Hopefully, Mike Hazen will be with us for a long time, but we are realistic and recognize that when you have talented people, other organizations come knocking.”
  • WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford writes that it’s time for the Red Sox to make changes. The team cannot keep relying on struggling veterans Jake Peavy and A.J. Pierzynski, he opines. Rather than “grasp[ing] at what might possibly pan out” with their veterans, they should be embracing young talent. He notes that while there are more apparent replacements for Peavy than Pierzynski, Vazquez could be given a trial and at least provide strong defense if he doesn’t hit.
  • The Blue Jays continue to monitor the trade market for infielders, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). While the team would like to add a starting pitcher, they’re open to upgrades at any position. Specifically, the Jays are looking at second basemen and third basemen, knowing that Brett Lawrie can man the position that isn’t addressed via trade once he is healthy.
  • Jon Heyman of CBS Sports adds, also via Twitter, that while the Blue Jays are looking at second base options, they’re not considering Daniel Murphy of the Mets. Toronto is looking for more defense that Murphy offers at the position. It’s been reported that the Mets could extend Murphy rather than trade him. I examined what a Murphy extension might cost the Mets yesterday.

Diamondbacks Release J.J. Putz

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JUNE 27: The D’Backs have released Putz, according to the team’s transactions page on MLB.com. They’re still on the hook for the remaining $3.86MM on his contract, and he is now free to sign with any team. Given Putz’s track record and his solid strikeout, ground-ball and swinging-strike rates, I’d imagine he and his agents at LSW Baseball will have multiple interested parties.

JUNE 20: The Diamondbacks announced that they have designated righty J.J. Putz for assignment and reinstated outfielder Ender Inciarte from the seven-day disabled list.

The 37-year-old Putz missed more than a month with a forearm strain this season and was only recently activated from the disabled list. He’s allowed three runs in 3 2/3 innings since coming back, causing his ERA to balloon to 6.59 on the season, though it’s come in a small 13 2/3 inning sample size.

Putz’s velocity has dipped to an average of just 89.6 mph this season, but his ground-ball rate to this point is a career-best 55 percent, and he’s posted a solid 14-to-6 K/BB ratio in his limited action. He’s also still generating whiffs, as evidenced by a 10.8 percent swinging-strike rate.

Putz is earning $7MM this season after signing a one-year extension with the Snakes, meaning that Arizona is on the hook for the remaining $3.86MM on his deal. They’ll have 10 days to trade, outright or release Putz. A team in need of bullpen help could have some interest if Arizona picks up some of his remaining salary.

AL West Notes: Correa, Holland, Shoemaker, Otero

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Top Astros prospect Carlos Correa will miss the rest of the year after undergoing surgery on a broken fibula, reports Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle. “The surgery went very well,” said GM Jeff Luhnow. “We expect him to go through a rehab process and return to exactly the point he was at when he got injured.” The 19-year-old shortstop had been close to earning a promotion to Double-A, says Drellich. He owns a robust .325/.416/.510 triple-slash with six long balls and 20 stolen bases in his first 293 plate appearances at the High-A level.

As Astros fans deal with this tough news, here are a few more notes from the AL West…

  • Rangers lefty Derek Holland will have his minor league rehab assignment pushed back, reports Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News. Holland participated in fielding drills today but wasn’t ready to progress to pitching in games, manager Ron Washington tells Fraley. GM Jon Daniels tells Fraley that the club hasn’t given consideration to shutting Holland down for the season at any point and won’t do so unless there’s significant risk that he could re-injure his problematic knee.
  • Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports looks at the journey of Matt Shoemaker from undrafted college arm to Angels starting pitcher. After Shoemaker went undrafted, his college coach called Major League teams to tell them that they missed a prospect, and he eventually signed with Anaheim for a modest $10K bonus. Brown’s story also chronicles Shoemaker’s journey and his close relationship with his father and the work the pair put into baseball throughout Shoemaker’s childhood.
  • Dan Otero has gone from unheralded waiver claim to one of the most valuable relievers in the league, writes Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Assistant GM David Forst — the driving force behind acquiring Otero — tells Slusser that Otero’s command attracted the A’s. Scout John McLaren gave a strong review of Otero after seeing him pitch with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate. When Otero was waived by the Giants, the Yankees claimed him and tried to sneak him through waivers, only to lose him to the A’s the next day. Since that time, Otero has posted a 1.79 ERA with 5.1 K/9, 1.4 BB/9 and a ground-ball rate north of 57 percent.

Jeff Todd contributed to this post.

Minor Moves: DePaula, Exposito, Snyder, Smith

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Here are the day’s minor moves…

  • Britt Ghiroli of MLB.com reports that the Orioles have signed right-hander Julio DePaula to a minor league deal and assigned him to Double-A Bowie (Twitter link). The 31-year-old hasn’t appeared in the bigs since a 2007 stint with the Twins. He’s bounced around since that time, appearing at Triple-A, pitching in the Korea Baseball Organization and also pitching in independent ball. This season, he had a 2.48 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 29 innings with the Atlantic League’s York Revolution.
  • The Athletics have signed catcher Luis Exposito to a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple-A Sacramento, tweets Melissa Lockard of OaklandClubhouse.com. Exposito, 27, spent time with the Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate earlier this season, hitting .177/.252/.313 with three homers in 107 PA. The longtime Red Sox farmhand is a career .260/.317/.408 hitter in the minors and appeared briefly in the Major Leagues with the Orioles in 2011.
  • After being designated for assignment by the Rangers on Tuesday, outfielder/first baseman Brad Snyder has cleared waivers, reports Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest (via Twitter). The 32-year-old is still deciding whether or not to accept his assignment or instead become a free agent.
  • The Padres have signed righty Chris Smith away from the indy league Sugar Land Skeeters, reports Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com (via Twitter). Smith, 33, threw 67 2/3 MLB innings between 2008-09, and last played in the minors in 2011. But he has tossed 50 1/3 frames of 2.13 ERA ball for the Skeeters, with 9.8 K/9 against 1.8 BB/9.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

Xavier Nady Opts Out Of Deal With Mariners

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10:15pm: Nady actually exercised an opt-out clause in his deal with the Mariners, reports Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto (on Twitter).

6:11pm: The Mariners have released first baseman/outfielder Xavier Nady from their Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma, reports Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune (on Twitter).

Nady began the season with the Padres after inking a minor league deal in the offseason and surprising many by making the club’s Opening Day roster. However, while the former second-rounder showed some pop with the Friars, he batted just .135/.238/.405 overall in 42 trips to the plate before being released.

Nady was designated for assignment and eventually outrighted, after which he elected free agency rather than heading to the minors for the Padres. He quickly latched on in Seattle and was assigned to Tacoma. In 98 plate appearances with the Rainiers, the Scott Boras client batted .236/.296/.337 with a pair of homers and three doubles. While those numbers don’t inspire much courage, Nady did hit well against Triple-A pitching in 2013, batting a strong .296/.360/.456 with 15 homers in 495 PA between the Triple-A affiliates for the Rockies and Royals.

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