White Sox right-hander Danny Farquhar will remain in hospital for at least the next three weeks after undergoing surgery last night to relieve swelling around his brain, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports. Farquhar is in critical but stable condition as he recovers from a ruptured aneurysm, suffered on Friday when he was in the team’s dugout following a pitching appearance. A team source tells Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune that specific information about the treatment isn’t being released at the request of Farquhar’s family. Both pieces from Nightengale and Sullivan contain much praise and best wishes for Farquhar from several teammates past and present, a testament to what a popular and respected figure Farquhar has been over his 11 pro seasons. We here at MLB Trade Rumors join the rest of the baseball world in wishing Farquhar and his family all the best in the recovery process.
Some news from around the league….
- The Mariners’ demotion of Guillermo Heredia raised some eyebrows, both due to Heredia’s strong start to the season and the fact that Seattle had a seemingly more obvious expendable piece in Ichiro Suzuki. Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto explained the move in an interview with MLB.com’s Greg Johns, noting that the left-handed hitting Suzuki was a better short-term fit since the M’s are set to face a long stretch of games against right-handed starters. (Seattle was expected to send down a reliever rather than Heredia to accommodate Erasmo Ramirez’s return from the DL today, though that plan was scuttled by a short outing from James Paxton on Saturday.) Dipoto insisted that Ichiro’s iconic stature didn’t have any bearing on the decision, though he did note that Ichiro’s leadership presence was a factor. “I don’t think people realize the impact Ichiro has made in our clubhouse in one-and-a-half months in mentoring young teammates and even the older players who respect him so much,” Dipoto said. “There has to be a balance in decisions and not solely what you see on the field. And that’s not to take away from the quality of teammate Guillermo is as well. This was not an easy decision, but it’s also not a permanent decision.” Given that Ichiro’s career could be nearing the end, The Athletic’s Corey Brock wonders when the Mariners will finally part ways with the future Hall-of-Famer, and Brock speculates that the team could be waiting for their next homestand to give Suzuki a final appearance in front of the Seattle fans.
- With prospects Austin Slater and Steven Duggar hitting well in Triple-A, the Giants could soon find themselves with an outfield logjam, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. Gregor Blanco and Gorkys Hernandez are both out of options and playing well, though they would be the two most obvious candidates to perhaps be waived if the Giants felt a move was necessary. Andrew McCutchen and (currently on the DL) Hunter Pence aren’t going anywhere, while Austin Jackson is struggling badly but not readily movable given his two-year contract.
- White Sox prospect Micker Adolfo will soon receive another MRI to check on his UCL sprain and a flexor tendon strain, MLB.com’s Scott Merkin reports. The results could still potentially require a season-ending surgery, even though Aldolfo has been playing (only as a DH) and hitting well despite the injuries, carrying a .328/.392/.552 slash line over his first 74 PA for Chicago’s high-A ball affiliate. “I don’t feel anything [sore] when I’m hitting or lifting weights. Hopefully that’s a good sign that it’s getting better,” Adolfo said. The 21-year-old was originally diagnosed with the injury in February and missed much of Spring Training, though the missed time hasn’t kept him from a hot start to the season.
Guillermo Heredia could be a piece teams covet in July
Thoughts and prayers for Farquhar
Farquhar situation a good reminder these are real guys with real lives and real families, not just the stats we love to discuss (I’m as guilty of this as anyone).
Thoughts and prayers.
Well said Halos.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Danny Farquhar and his family.
If Ichiro is such a good influence in the clubhouse, give him a coaching role.
Otherwise, it’s quite obvious this move is driven by name recognition, and not production.
Seattle’s front office is already a bit of a running joke – this doesn’t help the cause.
Coaches and players have a different impact on young guys. There is more respect for a guy like ichiro while he’s still playing, than afterwords. Not to say he shouldn’t coach, but for a bench guy he brings more upside than the tangible stats.
I agree with this 100%. It is the same principle that kids can sometimes learn better from a tutor or peer than a teacher. People have a tendency to learn less from those with authority over them.
Ichiro can’t hit right now. Gammel can’t hit right now. Explanation is BS end of story.
His teammates are pro ballplayers too – they will see Ichiro is under-performing, just like we do. And they will see someone who was performing, sent down.
His peers aren’t suddenly going to go “Oh, you’re a coach now, so I’m far less likely to listen to you now, than when you were an under-performing bench bat”.
Bottom line is, they sent down a 27 year old with a good bat and a good glove, so they could keep a 44 year old with a bad bat and a below-average glove. The difference between the intangibles he provides as the last man on the bench, versus the intangibles he would provide as a coach or instructor, does not even come close to making up for what they are missing out on. There’s simply no argument otherwise.
I’d rather keep Blanco over Pence. 🙁
For real. Nothing against pence, I always liked his style of crazy hustle and effort and his unorthodox throw, but rather time has not been kind. He was done 2 years ago, but giants won’t eat the salary (it’s not what they do) and bochy will keep sending veterans out until they are bleeding from every joint in heir body. Giants have had lots of success with this method but pence needs to hang em up as his success came from his energy and play style.
If the Giants care about winning at all this “thumb sprain” will keep Pence on the DL for the rest of the season.
Giants eat salary when they deem it necessary…Aaron Rowand and Dave Roberts are perfect examples of this.
Pirates should save you 2Mil.. Now that they’re down an OF.
Pence has always heen coveted in Pitt and even as a bench piece would be decent.
wonder what ever happened to that roberts guy
In other news, Ichiro went 2 for 3 with a pair of walks in today’s game.
That sucks for Farquhar. Hope he gets better soon.
May God cover Farquhar and his family with Love and healing.
When is Ichiro going to sell out for power like every other player in the league?
In the latter part of his career. So, when he’s… 52, maybe?
” testament to what a popular and respected figure Farquhar has been over his 11 pro seasons. ”
Farquhar’s only made a little over three million dollars. Darin Ruf will easily surpass him in career earnings this year by playing in Korea.
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So, after your insensitive comment was removed the first time you felt a need to re-post it? Is there really any question as to why you are disdained in the baseball world and your blog is considered a poor joke?
Travis Reinking waves hello.
He is closer to your family tree or social group, not mine. Hey, you could go shoot out some car windows again or steal some more identities’ and when they catch him maybe you two could share living quarters.
Hate breeds more hate and few people on this earth spread hate with great energy like you.
Read you own comments and blog sometime.
I’m confused. Who is this guy, what is his blog, why is he so hated, and what’s his deal?
This comment wasn’t relevant or needed this time as well as the last time you posted it! Seriously , why all the animosity
and anger from you all the time?
The giants need to stop babying their players. To say there is a logjam is reidiculous, they have the worst offense in the league and just need to say bye to pence and either blanco or hernandez once they cool down. Steven Duggar isn’t hitting “well” he’s on a hot streak after hitting .260 last year in the minors. Not sure why people are so high on him, he can’t hit over .250 in the majors and doesn’t have much power. Austin Slater is the real deal though, should have started the season with the giants.
Duggar is a young cf with good defence and a bat that won’t lose you any games. Nobody is saying he’s going to be a piece you build your team around, but he would be a piece any team would love to have.
Bay area sports talk busts a nut over him in the fall and again this spring
When the Giants of was beyond bad last year, having someone who can actually field their position and potentially be league average with the bat is a huge improvement.
Duggar was injured a lot of last year – that is why they didn’t bring him up and his numbers aren’t so good- he had a good showing in spring and is a better defensive fielder than any of blanco, hernandez or jackson.