Major League Baseball’s owners have voted to approve the recent sale of the Mariners from Nintendo to a group led by new chairman and CEO John Stanton, as Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports. That step was largely a formality to finalize the major transaction, which also transfers the team-owned Root Sports network. The sale placed the value of the franchise at $1.4B.
Here’s more from the American League:
- Angels pro scouting director Hal Morris is leaving the organization, according to Keith Law of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The big league veteran had held his position since the fall of 2011, when he was hired by then-GM Jerry Dipoto. Much has changed since that time, of course, as Dipoto left his post last summer and the organization ended up replacing him with Billy Eppler over the offseason.
- Of the five young Red Sox international signees who were recently returned to the open market as a penalty for the team’s signing violations, only one — righty Cesar Gonzalez — had failed to sign with a new organization in the immediate aftermath of the move. As Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald recently reported, Gonzalez has now found a new home with the Padres. The 17-year-old was not considered a significant prospect, and landed only $25K from San Diego, per MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (via Twitter), though he’ll also get to hold onto his original signing bonus from Boston and will get a fresh start with a new organization.
- The Tigers are looking to just-acquired infielder Erick Aybar for a boost, though they won’t necessarily install him as the regular shortstop, George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press writes. It seems that the 32-year-old is likely to share time up the middle with Dixon Machado for the time being, and presumably he’ll move into more of a utility role upon the anticipated return of Jose Iglesias and Nick Castellanos from the DL later this year. Aybar got off to a hideous start with the Braves, though he had hit much better leading up to the trade. “I know it’s been a down year,” manager Brad Ausmus said of Aybar’s season to date. “He’s not necessarily here to replace anybody. If he comes in here and plays well he’ll play. Simple as that. We’re in the business of winning baseball games. If he helps us win baseball games he’ll play.”
Halos an organization going nowhere fast.
Thanks NES for saving baseball in Seattle. Now the new ownership needs to take the next step and win a WS. NES would never go get the last piece or two we needed when Lou wasvhere hopefully Dipoto can continue to build the team so we can compete for the long run. Not make dumb trades that might help short term but hurt long term like the last two GMs. It is time to build a winner in Seattle they have the money with the new TV deal so use it to build the team.
Dipoto has already done a great job. They are winning without the team spending much in new money. Their biggest signing this offseason was to resign Iwakuma, which was a great move. Cannot imagine the rotation without him.
And now Seattle has a great 1B by trading away Mike Montgomery, a relief pitcher, which still blows my mind. But Seattle dealt from depth and also dumped Wade Miley off in Baltimore without absorbing his contract.
The only move I disliked was trading away Mike Trumbo for nothing more than a contract dump and a backup catcher. He was due $9MM this year but Dipoto had to make room in the budget for other players. Sad circumstance for a player who had 30 HR power albeit not much else.
All in all, loving the new GM in Dipoto. He knows how to build a club with the right resources and did a great job in LA even with all the overbearing decision-making of the owner there.
Whether he pans out or not; Padres should be happy to add a 17 year old prospect for 25k.
I’m suprised the Braves were able to even get a bag of old, wirn-out balls for Aybar, much less a pretty solid catching prospect, and I’m not even going to try and spell his name…All I know is the catcher’s name looks like it is pronounced like ceviche…lol
Either way, he looks like he has the floor of a solid back-up catcher to a possible fringe starter, and for Aybar I will take that any day of the week and twice on Sundays lol…
Although I will give some credit to Aybar. For him to raise his batting average to almost .240, well that is simply none other than a miracle!!
To be part of that clown car Angels organization…… Why would anybody with credible MLB experience want to work for them? Example: Not a credible MLB GM in the game wanted the open position, this leading to a puppet for a GM.
Those are all media narratives. Not facts. Again, you try and you fail. Present intelligent arguments instead of looking like a troll.
It’s not an argument Ryan. You are that guy who must have got picked on through school and this is your way of trying to get back at bigger, stronger men then yourself…. I feel sad for you man, I train MMA classes. If you need your man card or a boost of confidence let me know. I’d be happy to train you and make you a stronger person mentally and physically. I hope your day gets better Ryan. Head up!
Wow, DiPito was told he could no longer sign players with out approval from Moreno after the Hamilton deal bit him on the ass. He bailed, leaving the Halos to Moreno to COMPLETELY fuk the club up. Eppler has done nothing to help this broken franchise. Moreno has no one to blame but himself. He’s refused to allow any significant player be signed. 25% over the major league minimum is the biggest contract signed. They have cut,released, or void 8, yes EIGHT of these minimum signings. They have 0 prospects rated in the top 100 in their depleted and decimated farm system. This doesn’t count for 2016 drafted players. They are ranked differently than assigned players. The consensus is it will take three (3)years to bring the farm system up to a level of repleting major league players with suitable and competitive ballplayers. Moreno should sell the club, then pay the fans back for their season tickets in 2015 and 2016. Then beg Trout to not leave at his first year of free agency.
Boston needs to release Tazara……..