Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Diamondbacks Rumors

Outrighted To Triple-A: Berken, Albaladejo, Ransom

By | at

We'll keep track of the day's outright assignments right here… 

  • The Padres outrighted right-hander Thad Weber to Triple-A Tucson, according to Corey Brock of MLB.com (via Twitter).  Weber was claimed off of waivers from the Tigers in late August and saw time in two big league games for Detroit in April.
  • The Cubs announced that they have outrighted utility man Adrian Cardenas and right-handers Jason Berken, Miguel Socolovich, and Marcos Mateo to Triple-A.  Socolovich spent the bulk of the year in Triple-A for the Cubs and Orioles, posting a 2.11 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9.  Berken was also claimed off of waivers from the O's and posted a 3.50 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 26 Triple-A starts.
  • The Diamondbacks outrighted Jonathan Albaladejo, Tyler Graham, Mike Jacobs, Joe Martinez, and Cody Ransom to Triple-A Reno, according to the official MLB.com transactions page.  Albaladejo spent the 2011 season in Japan and saw just three innings of work for Arizona this year.  Jacobs, 31, hit .279/.362/.486 with 18 homers for Triple-A Reno.  Ransom was claimed off of waivers mid-season from the Brewers and hit .220/.312/.411 in 90 games.
  • The Mariners announced that they outrighted first baseman Luis Jimenez to Triple-A. The 30-year-old appeared in seven games with the Mariners this past September after spending most of the season at Triple-A. Jimenez hit 20 homers with Tacoma, posted a .310/.394/.514 batting line, and was named his team's Offensive Player of the Year. The left-handed hitter can become a minor league free agent five days after the World Series ends. Seattle now has two open spots on its 40-man roster.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Super Two Cutoff To Be 2.139

By | at

Players with at least two years and 139 days of service time will be eligible for the potentially lucrative arbitration process this offseason, according to the Associated Press (via FOXNews.com). The top 22% of players with between two and three years of MLB service qualify for arbitration under baseball’s new collective bargaining agreement.

Nationals reliever Drew Storen, Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera, Mets catcher Josh Thole, Rays outfielder Sam Fuld, Rockies outfielder Tyler Colvin and Diamondbacks third baseman Chris Johnson are all eligible. 

Mariners outfielder Michael Saunders missed the cutoff by one day. Others, including Justin Smoak, Danny Valencia, Michael Brantley, Jordan Schafer, Giancarlo Stanton, Stephen Strasburg, Daniel Hudson, Dan Runzler, Andrew Cashner, Alex Burnett, Esmil Rogers and Alexi Ogando, came close to super two status without reaching the threshold.

Jonathan Lucroy, whose contract includes escalators related to super two status, will fall three days short of arbitration eligibility. The difference will cost him $2MM, as I explained last month.

Super two status entitles certain players to four years of arbitration eligibility, rather than the usual three. As a result, players who earn the super two designation generally earn more than their peers. The cutoff would have been two years and 144 days under baseball’s previous collective bargaining agreement, according to the AP. In previous years the top 17% of players with between two and three years of MLB service qualified. The players and owners agreed to a new system last fall.

Orioles, Diamondbacks Complete Saunders Deal

By | at

The Orioles and Diamondbacks completed the August 26th trade that sent Joe Saunders to Baltimore for Matt Lindstrom, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports (on Twitter). The Orioles sent cash to Arizona to complete the deal when the sides couldn't agree on a player to be named.

The initial trade sent Saunders and cash to Baltimore for Lindstrom and a player to be named later. Saunders posted a 3.63 ERA with 4.6 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9 in 44 2/3 regular season innings with Baltimore before pitching well in two postseason contests. The left-hander hits free agency after the World Series and could be a target for Baltimore.

Quick Hits: Pagan, Upton, Rodriguez, Yankees

By | at

Many teams now find themselves flush with cash thanks to lucrative national and local TV contracts, making this a promising offseason for free agents, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd).  "There's so much money out there, it's scary," said a highly ranked executive.  Top free agents such as Zack Greinke are obviously in line for major paydays, but other free agents such as Angel Pagan, Ryan Ludwick, and Mike Adams could be in for more money than they ever imagined.  More from around baseball..

  • Even after moving Chris Young, the Diamondbacks could part with Justin Upton and go with an outfield of Gerardo Parra, Adam Eaton, and Jason Kubel with A.J. Pollock in reserve, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Arizona could also move Kubel and keep Upton instead, but financially it would make more sense to move Upton as he is owed $38.5MM over the next three years.
  • Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times imagines that the Rays would have interest in Alex Rodriguez as a DH if the Yankees were willing to eat enough of his contract.  The embattled third baseman is owed $114MM over the next five years and holds a complete no-trade clause.
  • Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News lists some possible destinations for Rodriguez in 2013.
  • Yankees' GM Brian Cashman told ESPN Radio he will listen to offers for Rodriguez (h/t MLB.com's Evan Drellich). "It's not like I'm going to hang phones up on anybody who wants to make any overtures about anything. You're talking about realistic stuff and unrealistic stuff. I don't think it's realistic at all for us to be moving forward with anything but Alex Rodriguez at third base."
  • Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) suggests that the Yankees blow up the team in an effort to get younger and more athletic.  Bowden's proposed plan calls for the club to start by convincing Rodriguez to waive his no-trade clause and filling his spot with the likes of a Chase Headley.
  • The Orioles should have interest in Scott Feldman, if the Rangers decline his $9.25MM option, reasons CSNBaltimore.com's Rich Dubroff. The Orioles need additional rotation depth and a long reliever, roles Feldman has performed before. The right-hander is also liked by manager Buck Showalter, who was the Rangers' skipper when Feldman made his debut in 2005. 
  • The Blue Jays will look to trade Yunel Escobar but it won't be easy because of his reputation, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. 
  • The revival of Mark McGwire's baseball career stems from the opportunity former Cardinals manager Tony La Russa gave the slugger as the team's hitting coach, writes Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com. For McGwire, he's brought staggering results to the St. Louis lineup as the team has led the National League in batting average over the past three seasons under his tutelage.  

Daniel Seco contributed to this post.

Diamondbacks Designate Takashi Saito For Assignment

By | at

The Diamondbacks have designated Takashi Saito for assignment following yesterday's three-team deal, according to their official transactions page.  Saito was already set to hit the open market this winter, so the move essentially just removes him from the 40-man roster in advance.

The D'Backs signed Saito to a one-year, $1.75MM deal last December after the veteran drew interest from at least five other teams.  The right-hander was sidelined for most of the season with a calf injury after a hamstring strain kept him out of action for the bulk of 2011.  Across the last two seasons, Saito has pitched just 38 and 2/3 innings.

Trade Reactions: Bell, D’Backs, A’s, Young, Marlins

By | at

The Diamondbacks bolstered their bullpen today with the acquisition of Heath Bell and they may not be done, tweets Jack Magruder of FOXSportsArizona.com.  General Manager Kevin Towers is still on the lookout for a shortstop, third baseman, left-handed specialist, and a starting pitcher.  Arizona still has an excess outfielder to work with as well and could dangle Justin Upton, Jason Kubel, or Gerardo Parra to upgrade elsewhere.  Here's more on the surprising trade..

  • In Chris Young, the D'Backs owed $10MM to an outfielder whom they felt was redundant, so they are instead redirecting the money to a reliever, tweets Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter) is surprised at how little the Diamondbacks netted in return for Young.  Meanwhile, the A's can now use their new found outfield surplus and trade one, likely Coco Crisp, elsewhere, Rosenthal tweets.
  • Trading Bell, who clashed with manager Ozzie Guillen this year, is one indication that the skipper may return in Miami next year, writes Scott Miller of CBSSports.com.  It has been widely speculated that Guillen would be relieved after a tumultuous first year with the Marlins.
  • The A's came away with the best player in the deal in Young, opines Jim Bowden of ESPN (via Twitter).  Bowden adds that Miami had to move Bell and was fortunate to find a taker while Arizona got a solid defensive shortstop in Cliff Pennington.
  • Pennington being moved out of the picture in Oakland bodes well for Stephen Drew's return, writes Jane Lee of MLB.com.  The shortstop has a $10MM mutual option for 2013.

Diamondbacks Notes: Putz, Bell, Towers

By | at

The Diamondbacks started off the day by finalizing the long awaited decision of exercising J.J. Putz's $6.5MM option for 2013.  It turns out that was small potatoes compared to the move they would pull later in the day – a three-team deal sending Chris Young to Oakland and bringing in Heath Bell from Miami.  Here's more on the D'Backs..

  • Some scouts are already speculating that Putz could be on the trading block after Bell's arrival, tweets Scott Miller of CBSSports.com.  However, Miller notes that General Manager Kevin Towers is a fan of strong bullpens and would relish the chance to have David Hernandez, Bell, and Putz as the club's 7-8-9 relievers (Twitter link).
  • Towers believes that Bell can help "get the ball" to Putz, tweets Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.  That would seem to infer that Putz is still part of the club's plan for 2013, but the closer would absolutely have value if the D'Backs chose to shop him.
  • Prior to the deal being announced, Towers told Jack Magruder of FOXSportsArizona.com (via Twitter) that he will talk to Putz about a contract extension.  "I hope he finishes his career in a Diamondbacks uniform," said the GM.

D’Backs Acquire Heath Bell In Three-Team Deal

By | at

The Diamondbacks announced that they have acquired Heath Bell, infielder Cliff Pennington, and cash considerations from the Marlins in a three-team deal with the Athletics.  Miami will receive minor league infielder Yordy Cabrera from the A's and Oakland will get outfielder Chris Young and $500K from Arizona. 

The Marlins will be picking up $8MM of the remaining $21MM owed to Bell over the next two years, according to Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel (via Twitter).  The veteran was unhappy in Miami as the club was unwilling to restore him as closer and found himself clashing with manager Ozzie Guillen at points during the year. 

The 35-year-old struggled in his first and only year with the Marlins, posting a 5.09 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 73 appearances.  The new-look Marlins signed Bell in December of last year as a part of their spending spree, giving the reliever a three-year, $27MM deal.  The contract includes a vesting option for the 2015 season which will guarantee him $9MM with 55 games finished in 2014 or 100 games finished in 2013-14.

Pennington has been a member of the A's since being tabbed with the 21st overall pick in the 2005 draft.  The 28-year-old was slotted at shortstop until the acquisition of Stephen Drew bumped him over to second base.  For his career, Pennington owns a .249/.313/.356 batting line across parts of five seasons in Oakland.

Young, 29, is set to make $8.5MM in 2013 with an $11MM club option for the 2014 season that comes with a modest $1.5MM buyout.  The centerfielder has been unable to regain his All-Star form of 2010 and posted a .231/.311/.434 slash line with 14 homers last season.  Young played in just 101 games last season, due in large part to a shoulder injury he suffered when he slammed into a wall in early April.  The outfielder now reunited with skipper Bob Melvin, who he developed a bond with during his time in Arizona.

While the Marlins' main reward in the deal is being freed from the bulk of the money owed to Bell over the next two years, they also pick up a former second-round pick in Cabrera.  The 22-year-old, who played high school baseball four hours north of Miami in Lakeland, Florida, made the move to Class-A Advanced in 2012.  Cabrera hit .232/.293/.332 with three homers in 60 games last season.

Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic (via Twitter) first reported that Arizona would send $500K to Oakland in the deal.

Diamondbacks Exercise 2013 Option For J.J. Putz

By | at

The Diamondbacks have exercised their $6.5MM club option for J.J. Putz, the team announced. The right-hander is represented by LSW Baseball and would have been owed a $1.5MM buyout had Arizona declined to bring him back for 2013.

Putz, 35, has pitched to a 2.48 ERA with 10.1 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 in two years with the D'Backs while saving 77 games in 86 chances. Injuries have been a problem for the veteran closer throughout his career, and he missed close to four weeks with elbow inflammation this season. Despite the injury, the net price of just $5MM was far too good to pass up. Arizona signed Putz to a two-year, $10MM contract during the 2010-2011 offseason.

West Links: Adams, Wilson, A-Rod, D’Backs, Rangers

By | at

Rangers right-hander Mike Adams had successful surgery for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome yesterday, reports Anthony Andro of FOXSportsSouthwest.com (on Twitter). The free agent-to-be reliever should be healthy in time for Spring Training. Here's the latest from baseball's two West divisions…

  • "They pay me to be me, and I will be," said Giants closer Brian Wilson to reporters (including Hank Schulman of The San Francisco Chronicle). He is recovering from Tommy John surgery and hasn't thought about his role going forward (Twitter links). Wilson is a non-tender candidate after earning $8.5MM in the second year of a two-year deal in 2012.
  • "I think there will certainly be interest," said Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson to Arizona Sport 620's Burns & Gambo when asked if the team has trade interest in Alex Rodriguez. The D'Backs are said to be seeking a third baseman, and GMs Kevin Towers and Brian Cashman worked together in the Yankees' front office in 2010.
  • The Rangers have hired Red Sox hitting coach Dave Magadan to be their hitting coach, reports WEEI.com's Rob Bradford. Texas has since confirmed the hire.
Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrows scroll to top