Odds & Ends: Millar, Yankees, Royals, Darvish
Links on a memorable Thursday afternoon for Brooks Conrad and the Braves…
- Kevin Millar will join NESN as an analyst, according to Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). Millar signed with the St. Paul Saints earlier this month.
- The Yankees signed utility player Jeff Natale and assigned him to Triple A, according to Pete Cava of the Times Leader via River Ave. Blues. The 27-year-old posted a .298/.432/.446 line in five seasons in the Red Sox organization.
- Royals GM Dayton Moore says winning the World Series is an eight or ten year process, according to MLB.com's Dick Kaegel.
- Sam Miller and Dan Woike of the Orange County Register run through some players the Angels could target, including Miguel Tejada and Will Ohman.
- Top Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish says his father has known agents like Arn Tellem and Scott Boras for years, according to Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker who translated from Chunichi. Darvish says he wants to keep playing in Japan.
- Tom D'Angelo of the Palm Beach Post wonders if the Marlins should trade Hanley Ramirez. It's a hypothetical question as the Marlins aren't looking to move their shortstop.
- Gene Collier of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says Pirates manager John Russell deserves an extension, especially now that some top Pirates prospects are nearing the major leagues.
- ESPN.com's Rob Neyer understands why Ken Griffey Jr. wants to play, but questions whether Junior deserves a roster spot on the Mariners.
- Adam LaRoche explained in March that he didn't reject a two-year $17MM offer from the Giants, even though they were interested in him last winter. He repeated as much to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, adding that he has no hard feelings towards the Giants.
Behind The Scenes Of The MLB Draft
What happens before your team announces its first-round pick
For many baseball fans, it’s just another day, but for MLB’s scouting corps, the amateur draft is a full-time job. Just ask Indians amateur scouting director Brad Grant what his staff did after last year’s draft.
“The focus turns immediately towards the 2010 draft,” Grant says. “We begin to scout right away.”
It’s not much different for the Indians’ AL Central rivals, the Tigers.
“For us it starts right after the draft of the previous year,” says David Chadd, the team’s amateur scouting director. “Preparation for the draft starts immediately after the previous draft.”
That means non-stop scouting for the Tigers. And the Indians watch more than 1000 amateur players per year and rank about 800 of them. Because they see so many players, major league teams have nation-wide scouting networks that are more complex than you might think.
“We’re kind of set up like a sales force,” Grant says. “Each area scout has a territory or region the same as a salesman would have. So for example our scout here in Ohio has Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky.”
The Indians’ Ohio scout is one of 15 the team has scattered across the U.S.. In addition to that group, four cross-checkers compare players from various regions and a national cross-checker sees players from across the country. Like the Indians, the Tigers have a conventional setup, with 16 area scouts, four regional cross-checkers and two national cross-checkers.
The regional scouts are the ones who first identify players with major league tools. And scouts rely on more than their eyes and ears to find the best players around.
“With an area scout it’s a car first off,” Grant says. “That’s his office, that’s where he is, that’s where he spends the majority of his time. The second thing is a BlackBerry.”
Grant makes notes on game cards and uses a stopwatch, radar gun and video camera. Chadd relies on computers and cell phones to keep up-to-date on the prospects the Tigers are watching.
Combine cameras and smart phones with traditional scouting gear like stopwatches and radar guns and you have the tools of the trade. Multiply that by twenty or so scouts watching players every week of the year and you have lots of information by June.
This year, on June 7th, the Indians pick fifth overall and Grant says the club is eyeing a few players particularly closely.
“We’ve been able to narrow it down and we’ve got multiple looks from multiple different scouts.”
The Tigers, who lost a pick to the Astros for signing Jose Valverde, don’t make their first selection until the supplementary round. Chadd has led the Tigers to power arms like Justin Verlander, Rick Porcello, Andy Oliver and Jacob Turner in recent years, but says the Tigers are not necessarily going to draft more high-upside pitchers this year.
“Players change. Talent level changes, but at the end of the day, we’re going to take the best player that we think is on the board at that time,” Chadd says.
But determining who’s best means watching hundreds of players and hearing from many different scouts.
“That’s the hardest part,” Chadd says.
He can take solace in the fact that the Indians don’t find it any easier to rank amateur players in time for the draft.
“You have so many different voices,” Grant says. “You have so many different pieces of information that you’re trying to balance and you’re trying to use to ultimately make the decision.”
It takes year-round scouting to make that choice. And once the Indians reach theirs, another non-stop process begins.
“You’re constantly evaluating [the draft]” Grant says. “We sit back as soon as the draft is over. We sit down, our GM, our assistant GM and just kind of walk through our process … and then we continue to evaluate it for the next three to four years.”
Stark On Hanley, Royals, Astros, Rays, Pedro
Teams called about Hanley Ramirez after this week's drama, but the Marlins informed them that they have no interest in dealing their superstar, writes ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. The Marlins will hold onto Hanley, at least until their new ballpark opens in 2012. Here are the rest of Stark's rumors:
- Teams have expressed interest in some Royals, but the Royals have told them to call back in a month. Teams are hearing that Alex Gordon and Joakim Soria are not available. Jose Guillen would be easier to obtain than those two, but Stark hasn't heard of a single team with interest.
- Ned Yost would have been a candidate to replace Bobby Cox in Atlanta after the season, had he not taken over in Kansas City. Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez could also manage the Braves next year, in the opinion of one person close to the team.
- Astros GM Ed Wade insists that he wants to win now, but says he'll "pay attention to any opportunity" that makes the team better if the 14-26 Astros fall further out of contention. In other words, the Astros could be sellers if they don't win soon.
- Rival clubs say they don't expect the Rays to trade for a reliever just because J.P. Howell is out for an extended period of time. One executive thinks the Rays would love to add a couple of power arms to their 'pen eventually.
- Executives disagree on Pat Burrell's future. One exec says Burrell could fit in Seattle and another one doesn't see any good fits for the free agent.
- The Phillies have had discussions with Pedro Martinez, GM Ruben Amaro Jr. acknowledged. There's mutual interest in a deal and the sides continue communicating.
- One official says top amateur pitcher Jameson Taillon is "way overpriced."
- Two of Stark's sources are uneasy with MLB's attempt to hurry along the Rangers' sale.
D’Backs Sign Luis Ayala
The D'Backs signed Luis Ayala to a minor league deal, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). D'Backs relievers have combined for a 7.90 ERA this year, so GM Josh Byrnes added a low-risk arm to his 'pen. The club added Saul Rivera earlier in the week, only to see him surrender five runs in his first appearance.
Ayala signed with the Dodgers this winter and appeared in 14 Triple A games this year, where he posted a 4.50 ERA with 6.4 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9. As Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic notes (via Twitter), the 32-year-old right-hander was recently released.
Ayala posted a 5.68 ERA with four major league clubs over the course of the last two seasons. Last year, he mixed a low 90s fastball with sliders and the occasional change to strike out about twice as many batters as he walked. Ayala has had much more success against right-handed batters over the course of his career.
Buchholz Hopes To Stay In Boston Long-Term
Clay Buchholz, arguably Boston's best starter this year, told Alex Speier of WEEI.com that he hopes to be wearing a Red Sox uniform for a while. It's hard to imagine the Red Sox dealing Buchholz now, but it wasn't long ago that his name appeared in trade rumors constantly. The righty, who has a 3.26 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 so far in 2010, says he didn't like being trade bait.
"Every time there was a big bat that was available and the Red Sox might be able to go after him, I definitely heard all that stuff on TV and in the media, through the news," Buchholz said. "It's hard to deal with sometimes."
It doesn't appear that the Red Sox are going to deal Buchholz any time soon, and the 25-year-old likes the idea of staying in Boston long-term. Buchholz, who is arbitration eligible after 2011 and eligible for free agency after 2014, told Speier that he's open to an extension.
"I would love for that to happen," he said.
If the Red Sox lock Buchholz up through his arbitration years after the season, the extensions that Scott Baker, Adam Wainwright and Nick Blackburn signed could become points of comparison for Buchholz and Red Sox GM Theo Epstein. Buchholz will be four years away from free agency after 2010; Baker ($15.25) Wainwright ($14.25MM) and Blackburn ($14MM) will make about $15MM each over the course of that chunk of their respective careers.
Brewers See No Reason To Replace Macha
Brewers GM Doug Melvin told 620 WTMJ that the Brewers aren't about to replace manager Ken Macha, despite the team's nine game losing streak and 15-25 record.
"I don't see any reason," Melvin said. "I see reasons to work together and try to get some wins."
Melvin, who said he feels "fine" about his own job security, explained that the Brewers don't want Macha to take full responsibility for the team's disappointing start. Melvin and Brewers owner Mark Attanasio talk every day about turning the team around.
Melvin's vote of confidence doesn't mean much, though. Last week, Royals GM Dayton Moore said then-manager Trey Hillman was doing a "terrific job" just days before Hillman was fired. It would not be a surprise to see Macha fired soon if the Brewers don't start winning. As Jon Heyman of SI.com noted yesterday, bench coach Willie Randolph could take over as Brewers manager.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Austin Kearns
Austin Kearns turns 30 today, and his value has never been harder to peg. Kearns' Indians will host the Royals in a few hours, but let's kick the celebrations off a little early by taking stock of the birthday boy's value.
Kearns is off to a torrid .302/.380/.491 start. That's an impressive line for any player, and especially impressive for somene who didn't get on base or hit for power or average in 2008-09. Even when Kearns wasn't hitting, his outfield defense was above-average, according to UZR, and it still looks strong (though he's played just 244.2 innings there this year).
Kearns appears to be well on his way to re-establishing some value, but his .420 batting average on balls in play suggests his stats are inflated. Kearns may not be able to keep hitting like this, but he has been hitting more line drives than ever. If that continues, he may be able to cash in on 2010 and earn more than the $750K he'll make on his current minor league deal.
Kearns' 2008-09 seasons linger in the memories of potential suitors, and that extended slump will likely limit his value. But he could be in position for a major league deal this winter, especially if his bat stays hot. Even if Kearns doesn't hit like this all year, his defense could help land hm a deal in the $1MM range. It worked for Randy Winn and Ryan Church, last winter, why not Austin Kearns?
Red Sox Designate Schoeneweis For Assignment
The Red Sox designated Scott Schoeneweis for assignment, according to Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). In 13.2 innings with the Red Sox this year, the 36-year-old lefty posted a 7.90 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and 6.6 BB/9.
The Red Sox signed Schoeneweis not long after the Brewers released him this spring. Earlier in the month, Daniel Barbarisi of the Providence Journal wondered if Boof Bonser could take Schoeneweis' roster spot at some point soon. Now, Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald wonders (via Twitter) if the Red Sox will call on an infielder. Schoeneweis' average fastball was 87 mph so far this year, the slowest it has been clocked at in recent years.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Garrett Atkins
Assuming the Orioles choose to buy Garrett Atkins out for $500K instead of paying him $8.5MM next year, he'll hit the free agent market once again. This time, he and his agent will have a harder time securing a guaranteed contract, unless Atkins' production surges.
That's not out of the question for the 30-year-old, even though he's hitting .227/.261/.291 without any home runs. Atkins, who makes a base salary of $4MM this year, hit at a nearly identical clip (.194/.270/.285) through the first two months of last season before posting a more respectable .254/.341/.392 line for the remainder of the season. That improvement, plus the not-so-distant memory of his 2006-08 production added up to a $4.5MM payday for Atkins.
This year, he'll need a more pronounced second-half surge to obtain that kind of guarantee. It's been a while since he was a difference-maker at the plate and his defense is below average, according to UZR. Atkins is in the lineup for now, since Rhyne Hughes hasn't hit as well as the Orioles would like. But Andy MacPhail recently told Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun that the O's will continue looking at internal and external options as the club attempts to find more production at first base.
If the Orioles don't replace Atkins and he rebounds this season, he could find a modest one-year deal this winter. If he loses playing time, he'll have a hard time signing more than a minor league deal this offseason. And if the Orioles release him, there's no guarantee another team would have a roster spot for Atkins.
Phillies Not Interested In Burrell
The Phillies don't have interest in bringing Pat Burrell back to the city he established himself in, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. Burrell, who cleared waivers today after the Rays designated him for assignment over the weekend, is a free agent and can now sign with any team for $300K. The Rays would pay the bulk of the $9MM Burrell will make this year, but not surprisingly, that is not enough for the Phillies.
"We just don't have a role for him right now," Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "There isn't a fit."
Burrell, who posted a .202/.292/.333 line with the Rays this year, doesn't appear to be a fit for the Giants, either. Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle hasn't heard of any interest from the Giants (Twitter link).