The Phillies announced that they have outrighted veteran catcher Koyie Hill off the 40-man roster and designated center fielder Tony Gwynn Jr. for assignment. The team also announced that Cesar Hernandez has been optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The series of roster moves creates space for Cliff Lee, Wil Nieves and Reid Brignac to be activated from the disabled list.
The 35-year-old Hill appeared in 10 games and collected 22 plate appearances this season with Nieves on the disabled list. He hit .238/.273/.286 in that brief sample. As a player who has been outrighted in the past, he will have the ability to reject the assignment in favor of free agency, though Hill is no stranger to playing at the Triple-A level, so he may simply accept.
The 31-year-old Gwynn batted .163/.284/.204 in 119 plate appearances and played his typical brand of solid defense in center field (a few misplays in left field appear to have created some negative defensive marks for his brief, 33-inning sample there). It’s been a rough few weeks for Gwynn, who tragically lost his father — Hall of Famer and Padres legend Tony Gwynn Sr. — to cancer last month.
Lee will come off the disabled list to start tonight’s contest, meaning that he should be able to make at least two starts in the trade deadline (his third start would currently project to fall on the day of the trade deadline, though he could make one earlier than that if he pitches on short rest). The Philadelphia ace last pitched on May 18 and has been sidelined by a left elbow strain. He’s posted a 3.18 ERA with 8.1 K/9, 1.2 BB/9 and a career-best 49.1 percent ground-ball rate in 68 innings this season. If you subtract a disastrous Opening Day outing, he’s been even better this year, pitching to a 2.29 ERA in 63 innings (nine starts). Though Lee can block trades to 20 teams, some reports have indicated that he’d be open to waiving his no-trade rights in order to move to a contending team. His name figures to be heavily discussed in the coming 10 days, though he could also be an August trade candidate.
I wish they would designate Brown and/or Revere, who both have options remaining.
They wouldn’t designate them, they would just option them and designate someone else.
Revere really isn’t too much better than what he is now, so optioning him wouldn’t help too much. He’s a fourth/fifth outfielder type. However, Brown might benefit from some time in Lehigh, and Leandro Castro should be getting the call soon.
Getting ready to make a trade? Need that 40 man spot to take on some roster spots? As an M’s fan, I would prefer Ruf over Byrd.
Give us Taijuan Walker and you can have both! Come on, it’s two-for-one!
Sounds like a good deal. 😀
While Ruf may may have team control for the next few years, I don’t think he will equal what Byrd will give you for the next 1.5 years, especially in Safeco.
I just haven’t followed Byrd enough. Just a little leery paying him for 2 more years after this one. Not that he wouldn’t make a nice DH 2 years from now. Having to pay him that extra year guaranteed just makes him worth less to the M’s than other teams.
Yeah, does not look good for a team like the M’s as is, but the Phils should eat some and maybe even pay his option if we get a return like Guerrero/Wilson or better. (I still really, really want DJ Peterson, but that will never happen.)
Wilson I could live with, Gabby? Gives me goosebumps thinking of giving up that kid already. If he fills in that frame, look out.
Yeah, Peterson isn’t going anywhere right now. He’s exactly what this club needs right this very minute.
Gwynn really needed to go, especially now that Sizemore’s been hitting well in his first few games. Hill was all right, but Nieves is a lot better and he’ll be back in the rare event Chooch is traded. Hernandez just did not hit and was average-below average in the field. Brignac, to me, seems like Kevin Frandsen 2.0 and which is great from him. Wasn’t expecting him to even make the team. Really nice to have Lee back, hope he pitches well and we can get some decent prospects for him.
Glass half empty: TGJr only has 381 hits.
Glass half full: TGJr has 381 more hits than pretty much everyone posting in comments sections everywhere.
Glass half full pt. 2: My dad isn’t TGSr.
Tough month for the Gwynn family. First Tony Sr. Dies and now Tony Jr. has no job.
Jr. may well have been DFA earlier had his father not passed
Should look to trade Nieves soon before Ruiz returns. Rupp has played fine and probably should’ve been the back-up going into the season.
Ehh, Rupp has slashed .180/.220/.270 this season (and not much better in AAA). We always knew Rupp had the defensive game, the question was his bat. I was fine with the Nieves signing – just got unlucky that him and Chooch went down at the same time. I would look to deal Nieves though – maybe the Cards (he’s only signed through this year), but I’m not sure what they are getting out of the catcher spot since Yadi went down.
Nieves has turned out to be a pretty great signing this year. He’s been an above-average backup catcher, and hasn’t cost as much as some of the other guys who were available this past off-season.
Same goes for Roberto Hernandez, actually. Although there’s enough season left for him to totally blow it, if he’s so inclined.
I would trade Chooch if they can get a decent return on him. Why not at this point? Let Rupp and Nieves split time 50/50 to finish the season. Rupp has a good arm. Maybe his hitting comes around. If it doesn’t, what did you lose? The team isn’t in contention and probably a couple of years away. They can keep those two guys for cheap for a couple of season. If anyone bites on Chooch for a couple of 2nd tier prospects, I’d pull the trigger.
Ruiz will be next to impossible to move. He’s still owed some $20M through 2016 and has been on the DL in I think 6 consecutive seasons. Such a bad contract, but that’s the staple of an Amaro deal.
I’m sure you’re right. I was hoping that maybe the Cards would be interested, but like you said, that’s a tough contract to move. They’d really only need him for this season. One can dream though…
I’m sure you’re right. I was hoping that maybe the Cards would be interested, but like you said, that’s a tough contract to move. They’d really only need him for this season. One can dream though…
Personally, I’d want Chooch around when the next round of arms come up. For all the credit that Halladay gave Chooch, I think he’d be great to have around when Biddle, Nola, possibly Morgan, and whatever else we can get back at the deadline come up. Unless you can get a huge return for him (which I don’t think is possible), I think he’ll be a real help to the younger pitchers.
I’d bet someone makes a claim on Gwynn Jr. He plays good enough defense and can still run well. Sad to see him go if he doesn’t accept or make it back to AAA. Seemed like a good dude – and tough to cut ties with a guy after his father dies.
I didn’t have a problem with the Nieves signing either, just would’ve preferred giving the backup spot to a younger player the has shown some promise.
I think the idea was to start him in AAA, give him “starter” time, and see if he could improve the bat. Unfortunately, he got hurt (I think) – so he saw his time behind the plate split after he came back. I think they’ll roll with him as backup to start next year (especially if they trade Nieves this year) because they’ll see he’s not going to improve his bat that much.
I loved the Bert signing – it showed that the analytics guy had some pull around the office. He’s a SABR darling, who looks to be pretty much on pace with what they are paying him. He’s issued a few more walks this year than probably projected – but has made up with it by allowing fewer hits and HR (per 9).
He’s outperforming his pay, in my mind. He’s a solid #4.5, but he’s getting paid like a long reliever out of the ‘pen.
There was an earlier rumor about moving Kendrick, personally I would have moved him last year. I would like to see a trade with him and Brown for either another right-handed starter or long reliever out of the pen. Oh and Howard for another starter pitcher or bullpen help, granted the pen hasn’t been doing that bad lately.