Rangers Expected To Waive Tejeda
The Texas Rangers are expected to place Robinson Tejeda on waivers today, reports Evan Grant in the Dallas Morning News.
It would be Tejeda’s second trip through waiver wires this year. He cleared waivers at the end of spring training, and if he does so again, he can refuse an assignment to Triple-A Oklahoma and file for free agency.
The move is contingent on the Rangers not having to place Joaquin Benoit on the DL.
Tejada is 0-0 with a 9.00 ERA in four appearances this year.
By Alejandro A. Leal. Heard a rumor? Email me: alexo05 [at] umpbump [dot] com
Josh Hamilton Switches Agents
TODAY: The blog It Is About The Money, Stupid got a call from agent Matt Sosnick and learned a little more about Hamilton’s decision.
6-2-08: According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, Josh Hamilton and the Rangers were closing in on a long-term deal until the player decided to switch agents. Heyman says Hamilton switched from Sosnick Cobbe Sports to Moye Sports Associates because he "wanted to be with a Christian stable."
Hamilton, 27, is the early favorite for the AL MVP award. He won’t be eligible for arbitration until 2010.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Kemp, Bradley, Fuentes, Street
New Rosenthal. Seems like he just put a column out a few days ago.
- Rosenthal believes the Dodgers would consider trading a young player (especially Matt Kemp) for a slugger. He discusses what it would take to get Jason Bay, Magglio Ordonez, Adam Dunn, or Matt Holliday. This all seems like a bad idea for the Dodgers.
- There are certainly arguments for the Rangers to keep or even extend Milton Bradley. But Rosenthal thinks he could net "multiple high-end prospects" if Jon Daniels goes the trade route. He says the Rangers could shop some of their veterans while also trying to acquire a controllable reliever.
- Rosenthal’s best guess is that the Pirates will trade Xavier Nady or Jason Bay but not both. He says Neal Huntington is not under pressure to clear salary.
- The Cubs are interested in Brian Fuentes, which is a new one. Rosenthal adds that Jim Hendry plans to pursue the best available starter.
- The Brewers have many quality minor league trade chips, and they may be looking for a starter.
- Minimal trade interest in Huston Street, and the A’s have backed off the extension idea.
- The Yankees are "aggressively" trying to move LaTroy Hawkins.
- The Dodgers wanted to do an Esteban Loaiza–Juan Uribe swap, but the Sox just waited them out and signed Loaiza.
- Rosenthal says the Phillies "lack the prospect inventory" to get an impact starting pitcher, which I don’t agree with. He says they may look for another lefty reliever or bench bat.
Will Any Team Gamble On Ponson?
Sidney Ponson won’t be missed in Texas, despite a 3.88 ERA in nine starts. Ponson coupled good control with a 57.3% groundball rate, compensating for a lack of strikeouts and tons of hits. The Rangers decided after a couple of incidents that it wasn’t worth it.
Nonetheless, a few Astros players asked Houston Chronicle beat writer Jose de Jesus Ortiz to encourage the team to sign Ponson. Ponson sounds like a decent-sized (pun intended) clubhouse distraction, but he keeps getting chances. Barry Bonds must really destroy a clubhouse.
Rangers DFA Ponson
The Dallas Morning News is reporting that the Rangers have designated Sidney Ponson for assignment for "disrespectful and adverse reactions to situations unbecoming of teammates."
Ponson, a non-roster invitee in spring training, was having a solid season for the Rangers with a 4-1 record in 9 starts and a 3.88 ERA. The Rangers have 10 days to trade Ponson.
Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.
Jason Botts Acquired By Nippon Ham
According to Sanspo.com, the Nippon Ham Fighters have acquired Jason Botts from the Rangers. Botts, 27, is hitting .242/.342/.515 in Triple A. He wasn’t able to figure it out in 282 career ABs with the Rangers.
Thanks to Patrick Newman for the tip.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Padilla, Greinke, Hatteberg
Let’s discuss Ken Rosenthal’s lastest column.
- There’s some chatter that the ’09 draft class will be weak. This could motivate teams to trade their impending free agent stars this July rather than collect compensation picks.
- Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson has "fallen out of favor with some in the organization." Rosenthal believes he’d be a hot commodity if fired.
- The Rangers are open to trading Vicente Padilla, as you’d expect. We’ve heard some crazy things about the asking price.
- While the Royals don’t seem to consider Zack Greinke untouchable, they’d have to be bowled over to trade him.
- The Yanks probably don’t have room for Ben Broussard, and the Orioles could swoop in and sign him if he’s granted free agency this month.
- Look for Scott Hatteberg to become a free agent today; interest appears to be tepid.
- The Florida teams are willing to spend money for midseason upgrades. They’re understandably reluctant to trade prospects.
- Doesn’t seem like Orlando Cabrera will be signing long-term with the White Sox.
Draft Roundup
All kinds of good draft info surfacing today. Let’s take a look.
- MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo projects the top 30 picks. College closer Andrew Cashner moves up the rankings to the Rangers at #11, among other changes. Mayo has even heard a rumor that the Marlins could consider Cashner at #6 instead of Kyle Skipworth. Back on May 16th, Baseball America chose the Tigers for Cashner at #21.
- Mayo sees the Rangers at #11 and the Yankees at #28 as possibilities for Boras advisee Gerrit Cole. MiLB.com has compared Cole to Kyle Farnsworth. Baseball America suggested Cole could slip to the Cubs at #19 or the D’Backs at #26.
- Back to the Rangers…beat writer Evan Grant sees them springing for Eric Hosmer or Shooter Hunt.
- Jim Callis notes that raw first-round bats (Aaron Hicks for example) often do not pan out.
- Will the Mets stick to slot this year?
Gammons On Available Pitchers
ESPN’s Peter Gammons names ten starting pitchers who could be available in the coming months. We’ll try to devise a comprehensive list when we get to the position in our Trade Market series.
Gammons’ trade possibilities: Paul Byrd, Jeremy Sowers, Derek Lowe, Rich Harden, Odalis Perez, Brett Tomko, Jarrod Washburn, Zach Duke, Vicente Padilla, and Kevin Millwood. Byrd, Lowe, Perez, and Tomko will be free agents after the season. Sowers and Duke are the kids. Harden is the oft-injured ace. Washburn, Padilla, and Millwood bring burdensome contracts.
Gammons also five "unlikely, but not impossible" scenarios. He suggests A.J. Burnett, Bartolo Colon, Joe Blanton, Greg Maddux, and Ben Sheets could be moved under the right circumstances.
Rangers Talking Long-Term Deal For Hamilton
According to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, the Rangers have discussed a long-term deal for center fielder Josh Hamilton internally as well as with his agent. Hamilton, 27, has to be considered the current frontrunner for the AL MVP award. No pair of teammates in the AL has combined for more offensive production than Hamilton and Milton Bradley.
Hamilton’s arbitration years will be from 2010-12. The Rangers shouldn’t be in a huge rush, as Hamilton will make less than a million bucks in ’09.