Odds & Ends: Pirates, Cardinals, Padres, Oswalt
Some links for Thursday, a day that has even the most intense baseball fans wondering about LeBron James' decision…
- MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reviews all of the players Pirates' GM Neal Huntington has acquired after they were designated for assignment by another team. The best of the lot: Delwyn Young.
- Tony LaRussa is happy with the Cardinals' recent bullpen additions, according to MLB.com's Matthew Leach. St. Louis added Mike MacDougal today and Renyel Pinto about two weeks ago.
- Padres GM Jed Hoyer confirmed to Jim Bowden of Sirius XM Radio that the Padres have payroll flexibility and would like to add a well-rounded hitter and a starting pitcher (all Twitter links).
- Peter Gammons notes a Corey Hart–Mike Minor rumor (via Twitter). The Braves are interested in Hart and other right-handed hitting outfielders, but Hart tells MLB.com's Adam McCalvy that he wants to stay in Milwaukee.
- The Mets, Phillies, Rays and Dodgers are among the teams watching Roy Oswalt today, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart (Twitter link).
- Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog hears that the Mets, Phillies and Rangers are among the many teams eyeing Ben Sheets.
- Yahoo's Steve Henson dials the clock back to 1999 and takes a look at the little league team that included Stephen Strasburg and Mike Leake.
- Cubs draftee Matt Szczur has a deal that will give him an additional $500K if he gives up football, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America.
- Jamey Newberg says the Rangers should seriously consider trading Chris Davis or Justin Smoak if there's a real chance to improve the club.
- Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the D'Backs will listen to offers for Dan Haren, but will likely have to be blown away to deal him (Twitter link).
- Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun asks Orioles fans: should the O's have any untouchable players in trade talks this year?
- Billy Wagner repeated something he said earlier in the year, telling Ray Parrillo of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he intends to retire after 2010.
- Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer says the Phillies – like every other team in baseball – would be better with Cliff Lee.
- David Ortiz tells John Tomase of the Boston Herald that he hopes to talk to the Red Sox about staying in Boston after this season. The Red Sox hold a $12.5MM option for Big Papi in 2011.
Odds & Ends: Padres, Young, Diamondbacks, Yankees
Some links on the night Atlanta became the NL's first 50-win team…
- Dan Hayes of The North County Times says (via Twitter) the international market has been slow for the Padres, and he doesn't expect any "major splashes." San Diego did sign Duanel Jones for $900K back in January.
- Meanwhile, AOL FanHouse's Tom Krasovic sheds some light on the insurance on Chris Young's contract. The Padres' righty will earn $6.25MM this year, though he made just one start before a shoulder issue forced him to the disabled list.
- MLB.com's Jason Beck and Alex DiFilippo report that the Tigers have signed their sixth through eight round draft picks.
- The Diamondbacks have signed 16-year-old Venezuelan center fielder Yorman Garcia to a six-figure bonus, reports Baseball America's Ben Badler.
- ESPN's Buster Olney says that the Yankees are currently focusing on adding a veteran player who can play third base and provide some power (Twitter links). Alex Rodriguez has been dealing with an on-and-off hip issue all season.
- Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com tweets that it is possible the Red Sox will pursue Chris Snyder after the season, though he doesn't think they'll go after him before the deadline.
- MLB.com's Peter Gammons tells us what to watch out for in the second half of the season, specifically with regards to the trade deadline and August 16th draft signing deadline.
- MASNSports.com's Ben Goessling reports that the Nationals have adjusted their plan to manage Stephen Strasburg's innings this season. The phenom will now remain on a regular schedule and be shut down when the time comes in September.
- The Athletics have called up righthander Ross Wolf according to a team press release. Oakland acquired Ross from the Orioles in exchange for Jake Fox late last month.
Odds & Ends: Peavy, Tigers, DeJesus, D’Backs
Links for Wednesday, as the Red Sox keep getting banged up…
- The White Sox announced that Jake Peavy is going on the DL with a detached muscle in his right shoulder. ESPN.com's Buster Olney says it looks like Peavy's season could be over (Twitter link).
- Tigers manager Jim Leyland told MLB.com's Jason Beck that he wouldn't mind if Santa delivered a reliever to the Tiger 'pen. GM Dave Dombrowski may bring Leyland the present he's hoping for; the Tigers are interested in relievers.
- Matt Klaassen of FanGraphs argues that the Royals should be looking to trade David DeJesus, even though he projects to be a Type A free agent.
- Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun hears that Dodgers assistant GM Logan White and former Padres GM Kevin Towers are in the running for the D’Backs GM job. However, Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer, tops the D’Backs' wish list (Twitter links).
- The Orioles have scouted the Padres' system recently, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
- Alex Speier of WEEI.com takes a year-by-year look at the in-season bullpen moves the Red Sox have made under GM Theo Epstein.
- Paul Konerko tells Ben Bolch of the LA Times that he doesn't want to be traded. Now that the White Sox are in contention, a trade seems unlikely.
- Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News says Rangers GM Jon Daniels should be creative and trade for starting pitching this summer.
- Indians GM Mark Shapiro tells ESPN.com's Buster Olney that Matt LaPorta is hitting better because his toe has healed and he has less pressure than he did earlier in his Indians career.
Rosenthal On D’Backs, Dunn, Blue Jays, Morgan
In his latest column, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports argues that it's unlikely the Diamondbacks make a huge splash before the trade deadline. With interim GM Jerry DiPoto not expected to hold the position past this season, Rosenthal is skeptical that the D'Backs would give him the reins to blow up the roster. Although Arizona could trade potential free agents like Adam LaRoche, Chad Qualls, and Aaron Heilman, Rosenthal thinks the team probably won't move Dan Haren, Kelly Johnson, or Stephen Drew. Here are a few other notes from the piece:
- According to a rival club offical, the Nationals were asking the White Sox for either Gordon Beckham or Carlos Quentin in exchange for Adam Dunn.
- If the Blue Jays don't receive satisfactory offers for their free-agents-to-be, the club may take the same approach they did last year, when the departures of Marco Scutaro and Rod Barajas earned them draft picks. Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, and John Buck all project to be Type As or Bs, and could potentially net the Jays multiple 2011 compensation picks.
- When teams call the Jays to talk trades, Toronto's young starting rotation is the most frequent topic of conversation.
- Some members of the Nationals organization wouldn't mind trading Nyjer Morgan to open up center field for Roger Bernadina.
- Within seven to ten days, the Marlins should make a decision on whether or not to be sellers.
- If Buck Showalter lands the Baltimore managerial job, former Orioles such as Bill Ripken and B.J. Surhoff would be candidates to join his staff.
D’Backs Designate Dontrelle Willis For Assignment
The Diamondbacks have designated Dontrelle Willis for assignment, per a team press release. The move clears a roster spot for Jordan Norberto, who was recalled from Triple-A.
The D'Backs traded for Willis just over a month ago, acquiring the left-hander shortly after the Tigers had designated him for assignment. Although Willis got off to a promising start in Arizona, tossing six shutout innings in his debut, control issues plagued his later outings. He walked 27 hitters in just 22.1 IP for the D'Backs.
After Willis' last DFA, there were reportedly four teams interested in the 28-year-old, so we'll see if one of those other clubs gets involved now that his time in Arizona appears to be over.
Cafardo On Hart, Farnsworth, Dunn, Guillen
The Red Sox' ability to plug holes in their roster following a slew of injuries can be attributed in large part to Allard Baird, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. After discussing Baird's importance to the Sox and listing his All-Star picks, Cafardo shares a few hot stove items….
- The Giants are "very interested" in Corey Hart, but with Milwaukee not entirely out of the NL Central race, the Brewers haven't yet elected to become sellers.
- Although it's unclear whether or not Boston would have any interest in Kyle Farnsworth, Cafardo thinks he could be an option for the Sox. Farnsworth's strikeout rate is down to 6.8 K/9 this season, but a National League scout opines that the right-hander's stuff is as strong as ever.
- Cafardo speculates that the White Sox would part with a promising prospect or two in exchange for Adam Dunn, and suggests that the Braves, Giants, and Rays could be fits for Jose Guillen.
- After being told by a couple potential suitors that they needed to see him play, Wily Mo Pena is attempting to earn another shot at the bigs by playing in the Atlantic League.
- A friend of D'Backs interim general manager Jerry DiPoto tells Cafardo that he thinks DiPoto may not have total freedom to make moves this month: "I get the feeling the major shots will be called above Jerry. If Jerry gets a chance, he’ll do some interesting things, but we’ll see whether he’ll have some reins on him."
Odds & Ends: Dunn, Phillies, Crisp, Molina, Fielder
Saturday linkage..
- Adam Dunn had hoped to hammer out an extension before the All-Star break to avoid trade talk, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- The Rays' director of scouting in the Dominican Republic believes that Yoel Araujo can develop into a "five-tool type player", writes Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.
- The Phillies initially called up Brian Bocock over Cody Ransom because Ransom was experiencing knee trouble, writes MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. Earlier today, the club DFA'd Bocock and promoted Ransom.
- ESPN's Buster Olney speculates that Coco Crisp and the Padres could be a great potential trade match (Twitter links). San Diego tried to sign Crisp this past offseason.
- Bengie Molina didn't find out he was traded to the Rangers until his teammates told him, according to Henry Schulman of The San Francisco Chronicle.
- Andrew Baggarly of The San Jose Mercury News spoke to Barry Zito, who indicated that the team's rift with Prince Fielder following last year's elaborate walk-off homerun celebration wouldn't be an issue if they acquired the slugger. Olney tweets that there has been no recent discussion between the two teams about Fielder.
- Brayan Pena told Jeffrey Flanagan of FSKansasCity.com that he hopes to retire as a Royal.
- Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic spoke to Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick about the dismissal of Josh Byrnes, who said he consulted "respected baseball people" from around the league and heard that the team's farm system is devoid of top-shelf talent.
Hinch ‘Disappointed’ D’Backs Did Not Succeed
Nine walk off losses. A bullpen ERA approaching 7.00. Zero innings from Brandon Webb. There are lots of negatives for the 2010 Arizona Diamondbacks and A.J. Hinch knows his club could have done better, but he is not going to focus exclusively on the team’s failures.
“There were a lot of high times in the last couple of years,” he told reporters on a conference call Friday. “We just didn’t find those high times enough and weren’t able to maintain that momentum enough.”
For a manager who lost 34 more games than he won and found himself under scrutiny from the day he won the manager’s job to the day he lost it, Hinch recalled a whole lot of highlights: Edwin Jackson’s no-hitter, informing Dan Haren and Justin Upton that they made the 2009 All-Star team and seeing Barry Enright win at the major league level. But a 31-48 start to the season and an overall mark of 89-123 under Hinch have a lot of Diamondbacks fans wondering ‘what if.’
“I try not to play the ‘if’ game,” Hinch said. “I’m not into ifs or moral victories. Certainly things could have been different and I’m disappointed that it wasn’t. I’m grateful for the opportunity I was provided and I’m glad that I accepted the challenge.”
Josh Byrnes, the GM who offered Hinch the challenge, got fired along with his manager last night. When Byrnes hired the longtime catcher as a 34-year-old rookie manager last year, many questioned the decision to hand an important position to such an inexperienced candidate. But Hinch, who worked under Byrnes in Arizona’s front office after an eight-year playing career, says he was ready for the job – the wins just weren’t there.
“Not everything ends well in sports,” Hinch said.
Hinch’s career in sports is almost certainly not over. He’s still just 36 and though he says he needs some time to ‘digest’ all that has happened since his playing career ended in 2004, he knows one thing about his future.
“I’m very confident that it’s going to be in baseball,” Hinch said, adding that he could return to a front office role. “I love baseball.”
The Diamondbacks have a more certain future than their former manager. Tonight Kirk Gibson takes over as interim manager against the Dodgers, and Edwin Jackson starts for the first time since he threw 149 pitches in his no-hitter. And even though Hinch plans to slow down soon, he won’t relax until tomorrow.
“I’ll be watching carefully tonight,” Hinch said.
D’Backs Called Red Sox About Chris Snyder
The Diamondbacks called the Red Sox today, attempting to trade Chris Snyder, tweets Peter Gammons of MLB.com and MLB Network. Today was the first day on the job for interim general manager Jerry DiPoto, who seems to have wasted no time in preparing for the July 31st trade deadline.
Though Gammons doesn't indicate the Sox' level of interest in Snyder, it's probably safe to say that the D'Backs are more interested in moving the backstop than Boston is in acquiring him. Snyder has about $2.4MM left on his 2010 salary, and is owed $5.75MM next year, along with a $750K buyout for 2012's $6.75MM club option. With Miguel Montero healthy and raking (.375/.444/.563), Snyder has been relegated to backup duty for the D'Backs.
However, the Sox were rumored to have interest in Snyder earlier this season, and could be interested again with Jason Varitek and Victor Martinez both on the disabled list. In April, Gammons thought that the club would prefer to spend any excess money before the deadline on "a big piece," rather than taking on Snyder's salary.
Odds & Ends: Tracy, Braves, Brewers, Phillies
Links for Friday, as the international signing period begins…
- Chad Tracy's agent told MLB.com's Bill Ladson that his client has interest in playing for Mike Rizzo's Nationals, since Rizzo, Arizona's former scouting director, drafted Tracy in 2001 (Twitter link).
- You can listen to MLBTR's Tim Dierkes talking trades on the YES Network's Off the Wall podcast right here.
- Earlier in the week we heard that the Braves weren't crazy about David DeJesus and that remains true, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Morosi says the Braves are not pursuing DeJesus or Jose Guillen.
- The Brewers would listen to offers for Todd Coffey and Carlos Villanueva, according to Ed Price of AOL FanHouse (via Twitter).
- Assistant GM Scott Proefrock told Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer that the current edition of the Phillies has to perform. Chase Utley will miss eight weeks or more and Placido Polanco will miss three to four weeks, so the Phillies’ depth will be tested if they don’t make a trade.
- As expected, the Yankees promoted Dustin Moseley, according to Conor Orr of the Star Ledger. Some teams called the Yankees to inquire about the righty's availability as his opt-out date drew nearer.
- One GM who just did an overview of the Royals' farm system told ESPN.com's Buster Olney that he's impressed by the team's prospects.
- D'Backs president Derrick Hall says the team won't likely start searching for a permanent GM until the offseason, according to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times (via Twitter).
- Not surprisingly, the D'Backs have yet to ask the Dodgers for permission to interview assistant GM Logan White, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
- Red Sox supplemental rounder Anthony Ranaudo is looking to be paid like a top-ten pick, according to Amanda Comak of the Cape Cod Times. Check out the complete list of first rounders to sign right here.
- The Brewers released Triple A outfielder Trent Oeltjen, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.