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Rosenthal’s Latest: Correa, Olivera, Hamels, Ramirez

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Here’s the latest from Ken Rosenthal, via a video at FOX Sports:

  • With Jed Lowrie out, the Astros could soon promote Carlos Correa even if that risks making him Super Two-eligible, Rosenthal says. Correa is currently dominating at Double-A Corpus Christi, hitting .370/.452/.716 at the tender age of 20.
  • The Dodgers continue to receive reports on Cuban infielder Hector Olivera, who’s playing simulated games while waiting for his visa. The Dodgers agreed to sign him to a $62.5MM deal in March, although the deal isn’t official due to the visa issue. Once Olivera gets that visa, Rosenthal says, he could be ready to play in the big leagues within three to four weeks.
  • The Giants and Phillies discussed a deal for Cole Hamels this past offseason. They could revive those talks at some point, although the Giants might not have the kind of elite prospect the Phillies seem to be seeking as a centerpiece.
  • Aramis Ramirez’s contract with the Brewers has a limited no-trade clause, but Ramirez’s agent says his client would likely approve a deal to a contender if the Brewers were to strike one. Ramirez hasn’t hit well this year, but if he can improve his trade stock, the Giants could have interest, due to Casey McGehee’s poor performance this season.

Athletics Claim Alex Hassan, Designate Cody Ross

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The Athletics have claimed outfielder Alex Hassan from the Rangers, the Rangers have announced. Also, the Athletics have designated Cody Ross for assignment, according to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser (on Twitter). The A’s also promoted righty R.J. Alvarez and outfielder Billy Burns, placed Eric O’Flaherty on the DL (shoulder), and optioned Hassan to Triple-A Nashville.

If the news about Hassan sounds somewhat familiar, it’s because Hassan has spent the past several months in a waiver loop that’s rather comical (unless you’re him, presumably). Originally a Red Sox farmhand, he’s been claimed by the Athletics, Orioles, Athletics (again), Rangers, and Athletics (for a third time), all in the past seven months. The Rangers and A’s engaged in a similar waiver battle with infielder Adam Rosales last year. Hassan was hitting .267/.343/.350 in a small sample at Triple-A Round Rock, although he has a career .394 on-base percentage in the minors.

The 34-year-old Ross went 2-for-25 in nine games with the Athletics, who signed him after the Diamondbacks released him last month. The Diamondbacks are still on the hook for the bulk of Ross’ $9.5MM 2015 salary, plus a $1MM buyout on his 2016 option. Ross has played parts of 12 MLB seasons, suiting up for the Tigers, Dodgers, Reds, Marlins, Giants and Red Sox in addition to the Diamondbacks and Athletics, and hitting .262/.322/.445.

Reactions To Blake Swihart’s Promotion

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Injuries to Ryan Hanigan and Christian Vazquez led the Red Sox to promote top catching prospect Blake Swihart ahead of schedule, a move that became official today. Here are a few notes on Swihart’s call-up.

  • Swihart started catching full-time only after being drafted in 2011 and still has more to learn about calling pitches and working with pitchers, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe writes. “I think we’re starting to see him recognizing that a little bit more, reading swings, understanding where these hitters are at, and making the attack from them. You can obviously have a pitch plan on paper. That’s nice. But these hitters, they adjust,” says Kevin Boles, Swihart’s manager at Triple-A Pawtucket. “The window that we had last year, he’s very athletic but there still remained quite a bit to work on. There still is, but he’s showing a little more polish at this point.”
  • Scouts also think Swihart’s work behind the plate needs additional work, although they think he’s ready offensively, Speier writes. “He will have some defensive lapses just from a lack of total development time, but his athleticism, arm, and makeup will help him survive,” says one scout.
  • Swihart isn’t ready to start in the big leagues yet, but a source tells Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald that the Red Sox don’t seem interested in re-acquiring Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who the Marlins recently designated for assignment.
  • Swihart possesses considerable upside, with tools reminiscent of Buster Posey, Vince Lara-Cinosomo of Baseball America writes. While Swihart’s work behind the plate will make his transition to the big leagues a tough one, his athleticism should help him.
  • The loss of Hanigan, who will require surgery to treat a fracture in one of the knuckles of his right hand, will be a tough one, Sox starter Justin Masterson tells Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal. “It’s a big loss,” says Masterson. “He’s a big part of helping things come together.” Hanigan, acquired last offseason after being traded from the Rays to the Padres and then to Boston, was already making solid progress in getting to know the Red Sox’ pitching staff, manager John Farrell says.

Brewers Open To Trade Proposals

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The Brewers have let other teams know they’re willing to listen to trade proposals, ESPN’s Buster Olney tweets. Olney’s note is consistent with recent reporting from CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of the New York Post, who have both written that other teams expect the Brewers will become sellers after their awful start.

Of course, 5-18 teams typically don’t have many high-performing players, and many of the players the Brewers will have to offer will be of the buy-low variety. Olney doesn’t say who the Brewers might shop, but Kyle Lohse and Gerardo Parra are both free agents after the season. They are, however, both off to poor starts (although Lohse’s peripherals are still reasonably good, which means other teams might view him somewhat favorably, particularly as a rental). Aramis Ramirez, a free-agent-to-be who plans to retire in the offseason, hasn’t played well, either. Reliever Jonathan Broxton’s contract and performance make him more of a liability than an asset. At least, however, that contract is short-term — Ryan Braun’s lengthy and expensive deal should make him difficult to trade. Matt Garza, who is signed through 2017 with a vesting option for 2018, might be a reasonably attractive trade candidate, although his performance in five starts this season hasn’t been stellar.

On the other side of the ledger, Neal Cotts is a decent lefty relief option who’s a free agent after the season. Closer Francisco Rodriguez, who is signed through 2016 with a 2017 option, has pitched well so far. Adam Lind, who is off to a terrific start and is signed to a deal with a reasonably priced 2016 option, might be a nice trade piece as well. Carlos Gomez recently returned from the disabled list and would surely fetch a very nice return, although it’s unclear whether the Brewers would want to trade a superstar. Jonathan Lucroy would fit into the same category if he were healthy.

Yankees Notes: Luxury Tax, Pirela, A-Rod

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MLB’s luxury tax has not kept pace with rising MLB revenues, Nathaniel Grow of FanGraphs explains. The luxury tax threshold grew from $117MM in 2003 to $178MM in 2011, but held steady there for three years before a modest increase to $189MM in 2014, where it remains today. The threshold was once set at 90 percent of the average team’s revenue, but now it’s only 63 percent. That threshold has clearly disincentivized heavy spending for several teams. For example, the Yankees’ payroll has stayed roughly the same since 2005 (hovering at around $210MM-$220MM), even as their revenues have skyrocketed. The luxury tax appears, then, to be limiting player salaries, which means the MLBPA could try to change the system in the next round of CBA negotiations, perhaps aiming to have the luxury-tax threshold tied specifically to each year’s overall league revenues. Here’s more from New York.

  • The Yankees are closely watching infielder Jose Pirela as he continues his rehab assignment at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com writes. Pirela suffered a concussion in Spring Training. “I think he is doing better,” says Yankees manager Joe Girardi. “It’s something that we have discussed about what we might possibly do with him or not do with him, but obviously I think at-bats are important. He was out a month.” Last offseason, Pirela appeared likely to compete with Rob Refsnyder for the Yankees’ second base job, although those plans changed when the team signed Stephen Drew. The 25-year-old Pirela hit a solid .305/.351/.441 at Scranton last season before making a good impression by going 8-for-24 in his first cup of coffee in the big leagues.
  • The Yankees ought to pay Alex Rodriguez his $6MM bonus for tying Willie Mays’ career home run mark, Steve Wulf of ESPN The Magazine writes. The team has kept its championship banner from 2009, a year when Rodriguez posted a .933 OPS in the regular season and hit six postseason home runs while taking PEDs. To deny A-Rod his bonus because of PED use would therefore be hypocritical, Wulf argues.
  • The battle between the Yankees and A-Rod will be an argument about whether Rodriguez’s milestone 660th home run is about him or about the number itself, writes ESPN’s Jayson Stark. The Yankees’ position will be that the home run isn’t marketable because of A-Rod’s troubling legacy, while Rodriguez’s camp will say that the meaning of the number 660 (and the numbers 714 and 755) in baseball history and in American sports culture more broadly are bigger than A-Rod himself.

International Notes: Ibanez, KBO, Park

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The Yankees held a private workout for Cuban infielder Andy Ibanez this week in Florida, Dan Martin and George A. King of the New York Post write (via Mike Axisa of River Ave Blues). Ibanez is already eligible to sign and could receive a bonus of up to around $10MM. (Ben Badler of Baseball America recently noted that Ibanez has outperformed fellow infielder Roberto Baldoquin, who received $8MM from the Angels.) The Yankees would also have to pay a 100 percent tax, since the team that signs Ibanez will be subject to international bonus pool restrictions, and the Yankees have already exceeded theirs. In addition to the Yankees, the Dodgers and Padres have been most strongly connected to Ibanez. Here’s more on baseball throughout the world.

  • Global Sporting Integration has a summary of how foreign players are doing in the Korea Baseball Organization so far this season. Many of these players will, of course, be familiar due to their histories in the Majors. Former Dodgers and Phillies reliever Josh Lindblom has pitched well as a starter for the Lotte Giants, posting a 2.81 ERA in six outings, and former big-league infielder Yamaico Navarro is hitting .224/.361/.612 for the Samsung Lions while leading the league with 11 home runs. Eric Thames, Andy Marte, Brett Pill, Henry Sosa and Nyjer Morgan have also performed well so far.
  • Pirates infielder Jung-ho Kang would love to be reunited with former Nexen Heroes teammate Byung-ho Park, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports. “We communicate a lot,” says Kang through an interpreter. “I told him to challenge himself and strive to get better.” Park, a 28-year-old first baseman, hit 52 home runs for the Heroes last year and was the KBO MVP in 2012 and 2013. He is eligible to be posted after the season, and has already been connected to the Pirates (and a number of other teams). The intensity of the Bucs’ interest in Park could depend on a variety of outside factors, including Pedro Alvarez’s performance at first base this season and the development of top prospect Josh Bell.

Brewers Designate Luis Jimenez For Assignment

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The Brewers have announced that they’ve designated infielder Luis Jimenez for assignment. They also activated center fielder Carlos Gomez (hamstring) from the 15-day disabled list.

The Brewers claimed the 27-year-old Jimenez from the Angels in October. He made the team out of Spring Training but played infrequently, making only two starts and hitting just 1-for-15. Jimenez played second and third base for Milwaukee, although he’s mostly been a third baseman in recent years. He hit .286/.321/.505 in 501 plate appearances for Triple-A Salt Lake in 2014, generally in line with his minor-league track record of hitting for good average and power but drawing few walks.

Week In Review: 4/25/15 – 5/1/15

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Here’s a look back at this week at MLBTR.

Key Moves

Top Prospect Promotions

Trades

Designated For Assignment

Claimed

Outrighted

Retirements

Released

Key Minor League Signings

Other

Blue Jays Designate Matt West, Andy Wilkins

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The Blue Jays have announced that they’ve designated righty Matt West and first baseman Andy Wilkins for assignment. The moves clear space on the 40-man roster for righty Scott Copeland and outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, who the Jays are promoting from Triple-A Buffalo. They also optioned lefty Andrew Albers and outfielder Dalton Pompey to Buffalo.

West, 26, pitched four innings for the Rangers last season. He had pitched 12 1/3 innings or relief at Double-A New Hampshire this season, striking out 17 batters and walking four while allowing just one unearned run. A strong performance at Double-A should perhaps be expected from an older pitcher with experience at higher levels, although West has only four years of pro experience as a pitcher, having initially come through the Rangers’ system as an infielder.

Wilkins, also 26, appeared briefly in the bigs for the White Sox in 2014 before the Jays claimed him in March. He was off to a .264/.353/.319 start in 85 plate appearances for Buffalo, although he hit .293/.338/.558 with 30 home runs for Triple-A Charlotte last year.

The 22-year-old Pompey rates as one of the Jays’ top young talents, but he has struggled in the bigs so far this season, batting .193/.264/.337. Carrera, a minor-league signee in December who had a .407 on-base percentage at Buffalo, will take his place on the active roster for now.

AL Notes: Fields, Holt, Hamilton

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Center fielder Roemon Fields went undrafted out of college and spent the summer of 2013 working in a mall and delivering mail, but a former coach’s invitation to play in the World Baseball Challenge led to him being signed by the Blue Jays, Shi Davidi writes for Baseball America (subscription-only). Roemon’s brother Anthony urged him to play. “He kept telling me, ’Just go,’ and I kept telling him, ’I think I’m done with baseball. I gave it a try in college,'” says Fields. “I hadn’t hit in months, hadn’t thrown, went out there and I guess played pretty good.” Now that Fields is in the Jays’ system, it’s unclear whether he’s a prospect, but if he does get to the big leagues, it will probably be due in large part to his speed — he stole a remarkable 48 bases in 328 plate appearances in short-season Vancouver last year, leading the Jays to promote him all the way up to Class A+ Dunedin this season. Here’s more from around the American League.

  • GM Ben Cherington says the Red Sox want to draft and develop more players like the versatile and effective Brock Holt, Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald writes. “There are guys who are good players and talented but have a harder time staying productive if they’re moving around in the field a lot and there are other guys who seem able to do it, and Holt’s one of those guys, clearly,” says Cherington. “(Holt’s skillset) has always been important, but with the challenges everyone faces of keeping teams and players healthy through a season and getting through the grind, those guys are becoming more and more important.” Cherington notes that it’s crucial to get players rest, so players who can man several positions while hitting reasonably well are especially valuable. The Red Sox are considering the possibility of drafting a player this June, likely after the first round, who they might develop with the goal of turning into the next Holt. So far this season, Holt has played second base, shortstop, third base, left field and center field while getting 14 hits in his first 33 at bats.
  • The Rangers likely represent Josh Hamilton’s last clear chance of reestablishing himself in the big leagues, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes. The Rangers appear likely to be getting Hamilton at such a steep discount that he can be a good value for them even if he’s just a bench player. Meanwhile, though, they’ll also have to try to help him as he battles addiction issues that have now caused problems at several points in his career.

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