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Archives for May 2016

Diamondbacks Place David Peralta On DL, Select Contract Of Michael Bourn

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The Diamondbacks have placed outfielder David Peralta on the 15-day disabled list with right wrist inflammation and selected the contract of Michael Bourn from Double-A Mobile, the team announced.

Bourn, whom the Blue Jays released Monday, quickly latched on with the Diamondbacks on a minor league deal and racked up 23 plate appearances in Mobile prior to today’s promotion. The Braves previously released Bourn last month after they couldn’t find a trade partner for the two-time All-Star.

Bourn owns a career .266/.331/.356 batting line in 4,910 major league plate appearances. In his prime, he was a respectable hitter who served as both a significant asset on the bases (326 career steals) and in the outfield. The 33-year-old hasn’t been particularly productive over the last three seasons, however, since inking a $48MM contract with the Indians in February 2013.

Before landing on the DL, Peralta hit a respectable .260/.321/.439 with three homers in 134 PAs. He had established himself as a greater offensive threat during the previous two campaigns, combining to hit .301/.351/.492 in 865 trips to the plate.

Orioles Place Jimmy Paredes On Waivers

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The Orioles have placed infielder/designated hitter Jimmy Paredes on waivers, reports Rich Dubroff of CSN Mid-Atlantic (Twitter link). Because Paredes has been outrighted in the past, he could refuse a minor league assignment and become a free agent, notes Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).

Baltimore had to make a decision on the out-of-options Paredes, whose Triple-A rehab assignment was set to end today. The 27-year-old had been working his way back from a wrist injury since beginning the season on the disabled list. While Paredes logged extensive time at the plate in 2015, slashing .275/.310/.416 with 10 home runs in 384 trips, the Orioles’ lack of trust in his defense limited him to just 72 2/3 innings over a career-high 104 games. Given his defensive issues and Pedro Alvarez’s presence as their DH, Paredes no longer had a place on the Orioles’ roster.

Paredes, a career .257/.293/.369 hitter in 845 major league PAs, is owed a $520K salary this season and has three years of arbitration eligibility remaining.

Blue Jays Place Brett Cecil On DL With Triceps Strain

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The Blue Jays have placed southpaw reliever Brett Cecil on the 15-day disabled list with a left triceps strain, according to a team announcement. In a corresponding move, Toronto recalled right-hander Dustin Antolin from Triple-A Buffalo.

This injury is the latest to go wrong in 2016 for Cecil, who said he felt “tender” after throwing 2/3 of an inning Saturday in the Blue Jays’ 6-5 loss to the Rangers. Cecil has allowed six earned runs on 17 hits in 10 1/3 innings this season, and his strikeout rate and velocity have both trended in discouraging directions. Cecil was expected to continue serving as a shutdown option for Toronto after posting a 2.67 ERA, 11.55 K/9 and 3.37 BB/9 over 168 1/3 combined innings from 2013-15. He has instead joined right-hander Drew Storen as one of the two biggest disappointments in Toronto’s bullpen.

Antolin, whom the Jays chose in the 11th round of the 2008 draft, could finally step on a major league mound for the first time. The 26-year-old has earned his first Triple-A experience this year, throwing 19 innings with a 2.84 ERA to accompany an 11.37 K/9 and 5.21 BB/9. Antolin throws a mid-90s fastball and recently emerged as Buffalo’s closer, tweets Ben Wagner of ESPN 1520. All told, Antolin owns a 4.38 ERA, 8.8 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 363 1/3 career minor league frames.

NL Notes: Phillies, Urias, Rockies, Cardinals

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At 22-15, the Phillies have been among the standings’ biggest surprises this season, but rookie general manager Matt Klentak isn’t losing sight of the fact that the team is in a rebuild, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Klentak also realizes that the Phillies have one of the majors’ worst run differentials and probably won’t be able to sustain their early success in the win column. “We’re not blind to the fact that our run differential is negative by a significant margin,” he said. “We’re well aware that there has been a lack of offensive production throughout much of the lineup.” Only the Braves’ historically anemic offense has been worse than Philadelphia’s thus far, but the good news on the offensive end is that the Phillies have seemingly found an enviable long-term piece in 24-year-old center fielder Odubel Herrera.

More from the National League:

  • The Dodgers were considering promoting 19-year-old prospect Julio Urias to bolster their bullpen as of last weekend, and the left-handed phenom’s stock has risen even higher since. Urias fired six scoreless innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday, extending his streak to 22 straight frames without allowing a run, according to Vince Lara-Cinisomo of Baseball America. Urias is laying waste to the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, where he has a 1.25 ERA and 39 strikeouts against eight walks in 36 innings, and looks primed to jump to baseball’s highest level soon.
  • Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes is still capable of being a “serviceable” option at the position, though he’s clearly on the downside of his career, a longtime scout told Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. Reyes, who’s suspended until the end of May because of a violation of the league’s domestic violence policy, could be done in Colorado. A trade might be difficult, though, considering Reyes’ contract (he’s still owed roughly $41MM, including a $4MM buyout in 2018), off-field troubles and on-field decline, according to Saunders. That could lead the Rockies to release the 33-year-old, which is a possibility, some close to the team have told Saunders.
  • The Cardinals have taken a tough-love approach with pitching prospect Alex Reyes – who’s nearing a return from a 50-game suspension for a second positive marijuana test – as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch details. The Cardinals could have lifted Reyes’ 50-game ban at any point by putting him on their 40-man roster, but they elected against it and didn’t even invite the right-handed 21-year-old to Spring Training. “There are two things for him to take from this,” stated general manager John Mozeliak. “No. 1, he made a mistake and cannot make that mistake again. No. 2, because of this mistake he has to realize he was risking a lot because of what he can do with his talent. Time will tell the direction this sends him.” Reyes seems to have taken the discipline to heart, saying, “That day, I changed my mentality.”

Red Sox Notes: Ortiz, Buchholz, Front Office

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The latest from Boston:

  • This is supposed to be designated hitter David Ortiz’s final season, but given his remarkable production, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe believes the Red Sox – namely owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski – must do everything in their power to convince the potential future Hall of Famer to return as a 41-year-old in 2017. The Sox should be prepared to offer $20MM-plus million to Ortiz, who’s playing this year on a $10MM club option that could reach $16MM with incentives, writes Cafardo. Although Ortiz has been an excellent hitter for the lion’s share of his career, no one expected him to slash .320/.405/.695 with 10 home runs in the first 148 plate appearances of his farewell campaign. He remains far and away the best offensive player Boston has, which is no small feat considering its lineup’s outstanding production as a whole.
  • Ortiz may be indispensable, but the opposite is true in regards to right-hander Clay Buchholz, offers Cafardo. Buchholz’s stuff and his past moments of brilliance could appeal to teams looking to land a starter, per Cafardo. “He’d be on anyone’s list to acquire if he were made available,” an American League scout told Cafardo on Saturday, when Buchholz allowed five runs in six innings against the Astros and saw his ERA rise to 6.11. The 31-year-old was terrific as recently as last season, though, as he spun 113 1/3 frames of 3.26 ERA/2.68 FIP/3.30 xFIP ball to accompany an 8.5 K/9 and 1.83 BB/9. An acquiring team would have the chance to retain Buchholz next year on a $13.5MM club option.
  • Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald provided a look at how the Red Sox’s front office is operating in its first full season under Dombrowski. The former general manager of the Expos, Marlins and Tigers is thought of as an old-school executive, as Drellich notes, but Dombrowski says Boston’s front office is “very innovative.” That innovation can be found in two areas – Sox Science and Sport Science – according to Drellich. The former focuses on numbers, while the latter is concerned with off-field endeavors and deals with the training and medical fields. “Medical is becoming a huge area that teams are invested in, all the way around, however you slice the medical part of it,” said GM Mike Hazen, who added that the club is “doing a lot of things that are looking to help maximize the performance of our player.” Dombrowski acknowledged that the franchise’s financial clout has a sizable impact on its ability to assemble a deep, forward-thinking front office. “Here, you can put the major league payroll (high) and still do the other things. And I think that really is a difference, and an enjoyable difference,” he told Drellich.

MLBTR Originals

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Here’s a look back at MLBTR’s original analysis and reporting over the past seven days:

  • Charlie Wilmoth spoke at length with Randy Mobley, the president of the Triple-A International League. Mobley addressed the path he took to his current position, how he feels about September call-ups, the rising values of Triple-A franchises, and the impact of implementing pitch clocks, among other topics.
  • Continuing MLBTR’s Draft Prospect Q&A Series, Chuck Wasserstrom interviewed University of Florida center fielder Buddy Reed, a potential first-round pick next month. Reed evaluated his baseball skills, touched on his past as a hockey player and explained why he chose to attend Florida instead of sign with the Rangers, who took him in the 35th round of the 2013 draft.
  • Mark Polishuk polled readers on whether the Angels should consider trading superstar center fielder Mike Trout. The results are fairly close as of now, with over 52 percent of voters supporting the notion. Given that the Angels are highly unlikely to contend this year and might have baseball’s worst farm system, the idea of the team dealing Trout for a massive haul has gained steam lately. It’s unsurprisingly a polarizing issue, however.

Quick Hits: Strasburg, PEDs, Harvey, Draft

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In a piece that’s certainly worth a full read, James Wagner and Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post detailed how right-hander Stephen Strasburg’s mega-extension with the Nationals came to fruition. It helped the Nats’ cause that owner Ted Lerner has both an affinity for Strasburg and his agent, Scott Boras. “They have an incredible relationship,” said Ted Lerner’s son, Mark Lerner, regarding his father’s closeness with Boras. “Scott really respects my dad and what he’s built over the years from nothing.” Prior to inking Strasburg to a seven-year, $175MM deal, Lerner was using the free agent contracts awarded during the offseason to Jordan Zimmermann (five years, $110MM) and Johnny Cueto (six years, $130MM) as comparables. Boras countered with the bigger deals given in recent years to Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and the Nats’ Max Scherzer, and sold Lerner on Strasburg’s similarly elite potential. Ultimately, the two settled on an accord resembling the ones inked by Justin Verlander and Felix Hernandez in past years. Strasburg gave Boras the thumbs up on the seven-year agreement in late April – two weeks and two starts before it was announced – and it was kept under wraps as language was drawn up and Strasburg underwent an in-depth medical exam. Strasburg found out the deal was done when a fan congratulated him after his start Monday. “The light bulb went off,” he said.

Here’s more from around baseball:

  • Blue Jays first baseman/designated hitter Chris Colabello and Phillies reliever Daniel Stumpf both received 80-game suspensions in April after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, and the two remain confused as to how PEDs entered their respective systems, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Colabello’s agent, Brian Charles, organized a conference call earlier this week with doctors, scientists and molecular biologists, all of whom are experts on steroid testing, as he tries to get to the bottom of his client’s positive test. Colabello, Stumpf and ex-UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir also partook in the call. All three tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid Turinabol, and each is without an answer as to how. The players association finds the cases of Colabello and Stumpf “puzzling,” sources tell Rosenthal. “The part that scares me the most is that I don’t know what to change for this not to happen again,” stated Stumpf, who said he only takes fish oil and doctor-prescribed medication. “It’s killing me,” added Colabello. “Everything I do in my life is thought out with careful attention and detail. I don’t do irresponsible things because I never want to make a mistake that could cost me my career.”
  • Speaking of confusion, Mets right-hander Matt Harvey is perplexed by his early season struggles, per David Waldstein of the New York Times. “There’s a lot of unknowns,” he said. Harvey insists he’s physically fine and doesn’t believe his problems are related to his release point, with which he and pitching coach Dan Warthen have been tinkering. After allowing five runs on 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings Friday in Colorado, Harvey saw his ERA rise to 4.93 – more than two runs worse than his career mark of 2.76. His strikeout and walk rates have also trended downward this year, as has his velocity. It’s worth noting, though, that after striking out a meager 14 batters and walking eight during his first four starts (22 1/3 innings), Harvey has fanned 27 against just five free passes in the four outings since (23 1/3 frames).
  • Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis of MLB.com have published their latest mock draft, which is free to all. Within it, the MLB.com duo projects Mercer outfielder Kyle Lewis (who was recently interviewed by MLBTR’s Chuck Wasserstrom) to go first overall to the Phillies. Florida lefty A.J. Puk, who has been projected to go 1-1 by some draft gurus, goes to the Reds at No. 2 in Callis and Mayo’s latest attempt to peg the first round, and they have prep lefty Jason Groome (an oft-speculated 1-1 candidate himself) going to the Braves to round out the top three.

Rays Designate Danny Farquhar For Assignment

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The Rays have designated right-handed reliever Danny Farquhar for assignment, per a team announcement. In a corresponding move, Tampa Bay recalled outfielder Taylor Motter, according to Steve Carney of 620 WDAE (Twitter link).

In an unusual twist, the Rays designated Farquhar for the purpose of sending him to Triple-A Durham and keeping him on their 40-man roster. The team asked for optional waivers, meaning no one puts in a claim, tweets Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Times.

Farquhar, whom the Rays recalled earlier Saturday when they placed second baseman Logan Forsythe on the disabled list, has tossed 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball for the club this year. He spent 2013-15 with the Mariners, for whom he threw 177 2/3 frames of 3.85 ERA/3.05 FIP/3.08 xFIP pitching to go with a 10.54 K/9 and 3.09 BB/9. Seattle then dealt the 29-year-old to the Rays in the offseason as part of a seven-player trade that also saw Nate Karns, Brad Miller and Logan Morrison, among others, switch uniforms.

Minor MLB Transactions: 5/14/16

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Here are today’s minor moves from around the league.

  • The Marlins have placed right-hander Kendry Flores on the 15-day DL with a strained pitching shoulder, per a team announcement. Flores, whom the Marlins recalled from Triple-A prior to their Saturday doubleheader, left his start against the Nationals after three shutout innings because of the injury. It was the first big league action of the year for Flores, who threw 12 2/3 innings of 4.97 ERA ball, struck out nine and walked four with the Marlins last season.
  • Catcher Michael McKenry has opted out of his minor-league deal with the Rangers, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. McKenry was batting .220/.389/.341 for Triple-A Round Rock after agreeing to terms on a minor-league deal in December. He hasn’t yet played in the big leagues this season even as the Rangers have used four different catchers at the Major League level. McKenry, now 31, is a career .239/.319/.407 hitter in parts of six seasons with the Rockies and Pirates.
  • The Braves have released minor-league catcher Ryan Lavarnway, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. The Braves’ recent acquisition of Anthony Recker likely meant the Braves had less playing time for Lavarnway, but given Lavarnway’s career .374 minor-league OBP, he should be able to find work elsewhere. He has appeared in the last five big-league seasons, spending time with Boston and Baltimore in addition to Atlanta.
  • The Indians have announced that they’ve selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Michael Martinez, who also played briefly for them last season. The five-year MLB vet was batting .288/.351/.442 for Triple-A Columbus. Martinez will take the place of Michael Brantley, who is heading to the 15-day DL with shoulder inflammation. Brantley had surgery on the shoulder in the offseason. Via MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian (on Twitter), however, a recent shoulder MRI didn’t reveal any serious problems. Brantley was off to a slow start this season, batting just .231/.279/.282 since making his season debut in late April. To clear space for Martinez on their 40-man roster, the Indians transferred catcher Roberto Perez (hand) to the 60-day DL.
  • The Dodgers have released utilityman Elian Herrera to give him an opportunity to play in Japan, Alex Freedman of the Oklahoma City Dodgers tweets. Herrera was hitting .218/.308/.238 for Oklahoma City while playing shortstop, second, third and left field. He batted .242/.290/.395 with the Brewers last season before signing a minor-league deal with the Dodgers last winter.
  • The Twins have signed utilityman Thomas Field, as Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press tweets. Field has been assigned to Triple-A Rochester. The 29-year-old has played sparingly in parts of four seasons in the big leagues. He began the season with the Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate in Toledo, but he was released after playing just 15 games there. He spent most of last season with Triple-A Round Rock in the Rangers system, batting .247/.347/.439 over 435 plate appearances and playing second base, shortstop and the corner outfield positions.

AL Notes: Astros, Yankees, Choo

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There’s a chance Astros shortstop prospect Alex Bregman, the second pick in last year’s draft, will make his major league debut sometime this season. “I wouldn’t rule out him getting [to the Majors] this year, but we have to see how the rest of the season goes for him and if there’s an opening for him at the big leagues,” general manager Jeff Luhnow told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. If the ex-LSU standout does break in with the Astros this season, it’s unlikely to come at short, where the team already has young star Carlos Correa firmly entrenched. Given Correa’s presence, the Astros had Bregman play third base for the first time Friday with their Double-A team. “I feel like I’ll be very comfortable here really soon — really, really soon,” Bregman stated. Proficiency at the hot corner from the 22-year-old Bregman would bode well for the Astros, whose third basemen have hit a weak .221/.302/.358 this season.

More from two other American League teams:

  • The Yankees’ three-headed relief monster of Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman was in top form Saturday, combining for 3 1/3 innings of eight-strikeout, one-hit ball in a 2-1 win over the White Sox. Chapman’s velocity was particularly awe-inspiring, as the left-hander averaged 100.5 mph on 17 fastballs and topped out at 102.5 mph. Despite the excellence of Betances, Miller and Chapman, Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders how often the Yankees are actually going to be in position to take advantage of having one of the greatest late-game troikas ever assembled. The victory improved the Bombers to just 15-20 on the season, and their below-average offense once again failed to generate much (albeit against premier lefty Jose Quintana).
  • Rangers right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, out since early April with a strained right calf, will begin a Triple-A rehab assignment Sunday and could rejoin the major league club Friday, reports Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Thanks to the emergence of stellar rookie Nomar Mazara, whose promotion came as a result of Choo’s injury, there was once expected to be a corner outfield logjam upon Choo’s return. However, the Rangers have since demoted center fielder Delino DeShields and shifted Ian Desmond from left to center. Once Choo comes back, Mazara is a good bet to move from right to left, writes Stevenson.
  • Though the Yankees placed right-hander Luis Severino on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a triceps strain, they’re not using the injury as an excuse for his highly disappointing start to the 2016 season. “His arm strength is there, but his stuff is not there,” said GM Brian Cashman (via Chad Jennings of LoHud.com). “He doesn’t have command of his fastball. He doesn’t have command of his secondary pitches. His changeup and slider have been inconsistent. It’s not health related.” Manager Joe Girardi backed up Cashman, saying, “You don’t throw 97, 98 (if you’re) hurt.” Severino has averaged 95.5 mph on his fastball, up a bit from last year’s 95.2, but his 7.46 ERA through 35 innings is nearly five runs worse than the 2.89 mark he put up in his 62 1/3-frame major league debut last season. The 22-year-old’s K/9 has also dropped off markedly, going from 8.09 to 6.94, as he’s yielding more contact while generating fewer swinging strikes.

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