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Quick Hits: Ryan Dempster, Jairo Beras, Blue Jays

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Phillies co-ace Cliff Lee finally found himself in the win column on Wednesday after starting the season with 13 consecutive starts without a victory. Lee's drought was the longest by a former Cy Young winner since future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux went 14 starts without a win in 2008 with the Padres. Let's catch up on the latest news and headlines from around the league…

  • Trade candidate Ryan Dempster doesn't want to wait until after the All-Star break to return to the mound and may be ready in time to make a start against the Mets on Sunday, writes Carrie Muskat of MLB.com. "I think they trust me to make the right decisions," Dempster said. "I also don't want to go out there and have a 50-pitch limit, and that doesn't do us any good." The right-hander has been on the disabled list since June 16 with a sore right lat.
  • The Rangers may find themselves without any new prospects from Latin America as the team awaits a resolution from Major League Baseball regarding Dominican outfielder Jairo Beras' contract status, says Evan Grant from The Dallas Morning News. Beras' age at the time he signed with the Rangers has been called into question as Beras claims he was 17 but may have actually been 16. "We put our full budget towards Beras," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "In anticipation of getting the contract approved we’ve had to effectively sit out the signing period."
  • Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos spoke on SiriusXM's MLB Network Radio about his team's performance during the first half of the season and how he plans to be a buyer given Toronto's chances of securing a wild card berth (audio link). Anthopoulos expects to pursue pitching depth outside of the organization to help take pressure off an offense that has carried the team of late, thanks to Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion. 
  • MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith joined the Getting Blanked show on The Score to discuss the Cardinals' plans for the rest of the season given Chris Carpenter's unavailability until 2013 (video link).

Carlos Lee Trade Reactions

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The Astros sent Carlos Lee to the Marlins for prospects Matt Dominguez and Rob Rasmussen in a deal that was announced earlier today. The trade provides the Marlins with much needed stability at first base and gives the Astros two more young pieces as they continue to build for the the future. Here are some reactions to the deal:

  • With the lowest OPS production at first base in the big leagues this season, the Marlins' acquisition of Lee makes for a natural fit given the veteran's reputation as a professional hitter, says Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com (video link).
  • Dominguez and Rasmussen may eventually find themselves playing in Houston, but don't look for the duo to develop into stars, writes Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus.
  • The ceiling for the Astros' newest prospects projects Dominguez as a defensive replacement and Rasmussen coming out of the bullpen, predicts Keith Law of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow spoke with the Marlins about a potential Lee trade for over a week with conversation intensifying on Wednesday morning, reports Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
  • Luhnow says Chris Johnson remains the Astros' third baseman with Dominguez providing insurance for the team given Johnson's health issues, writes Brian McTaggart of MLB.com (on Twitter).

Quick Hits: Jon Daniels, Cole Hamels, Matt Kemp

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Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo has delivered three game-winning RBIs in his five games since being called up from Triple-A last week. Here's the latest news and headlines from around the big leagues…

  • The Rangers will take a business-as-usual approach to the upcoming trade deadline meaning Jon Daniels and his associates plan to consider the best players available, writes Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News. Daniels hopes his team will benefit from getting four pitchers back from the disabled list before the end of the month. "… I’m hoping we’re not big players at the deadline. Hopefully, we get our guys back, get healthy and stay healthy. That’s the biggest thing."
  • The Phillies will make at least one more attempt to sign Cole Hamels to a long-term contract before the team fully commits to dealing the left-hander, reports Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter). As mentioned earlier today, opposing clubs believe Philadelphia has an asking price of four to five prospects for Hamels, which makes a deal unlikely at this point. The 28-year-old was selected for his third All-Star team on Sunday after posting a 3.08 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 through 16 starts this season.
  • Dodgers star Matt Kemp remains confident in his team's ability to be successful on the field after Los Angeles' deal with the Astros for Carlos Lee fell through on Sunday, says Alex Angert of MLB.com. "It's always good to get people to make your team better," Kemp said. "I don't know exactly what people think we need. We did a great job with what we have here. If we get somebody, that's good. But if we don't, it keeps going on and we have to keep playing the way we have in the first half."
  • The Rays, depleted by a series of injuries, will determine how they approach the trade deadline based upon the health of Evan Longoria and Matt Joyce, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. If Longoria and Joyce return from the disabled list shortly after the All-Star break, it would free up the Rays to bolster their weak spots at catcher and shortstop. More likely, Tampa Bay will pursue an offensive weapon that adds power to the lineup, such as Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano, who has 15 home runs since May 15.

Week In Review: 6/24/12 – 6/30/12

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As Boston says goodbye to one former All-Star and Baltimore welcomes another, let's catch up on the week that was here on MLBTR…

  • The White Sox acquired Kevin Youkilis and cash from the Red Sox in exchange for pitcher Zach Stewart and utility player Brent Lillibridge. Youkilis was hitting .225/.311/.359 in 41 games with Boston this season while appearing in 32 games at third base and 13 at first base. 
  • Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler officially signed a nine-year, $30MM contract with the Cubs. 
  • The Orioles acquired Jim Thome from the Phillies in exchange for two minor league prospects. Baltimore designated Zach Phillips for assignment to create room on the 40-man roster for Thome.
  • Cuban outfielder Yasel Puig signed a seven-year, $42MM contract with the Dodgers.
  • The White Sox designated left-hander Will Ohman for assignment. The 34-year-old has a 5.84 ERA with 4.4 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9 in 24.2 innings of work this year.
  • Ryan Doumit's solid start to the season netted him a two-year, $7MM extension with the Twins.
  • The Cubs designated Randy Wells for assignment and then outrighted the right-hander to Triple-A after he cleared waivers.
  • The Yankees claimed right-hander Chris Schwinden off waivers from the Indians and designated Danny Farquhar for assignment in a corresponding move. 
  • First round pick Corey Seager reached an agreement with the Dodgers on a $2.35MM bonus.
  • The Brewers claimed shortstop Hector Gomez off waivers from the Rockies and designated right-hander Brandon Kintzler for assignment in a corresponding move. 
  • Taiwanese shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin signed with the Red Sox and received a $2.05MM bonus.
  • The Red Sox designated Darnell McDonald for assignment to clear space for Josh Beckett's activation.
  • Travis Buck is headed to Triple-A as the Astros outrighted the outfielder to Oklahoma City after he posted a .216/.284/.311 batting line in 81 plate appearances for Houston.
  • The Diamondbacks agreed to terms with right-hander David Hernandez on a two-year contract extension.
  • The Reds signed supplemental first round pick Jeff Gelalich for $825K.
  • Kosuke Fukudome's tenure with the White Sox came to an end as Chicago released the veteran outfielder.
  • The Phillies designated right-hander Chad Qualls for assignment. The 33-year-old reliever posted a 4.60 ERA with 5.5 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 and a 54.5% ground ball rate in 31 1/3 innings.
  • Supplemental first round pick Travis Jankowski signed with the Padres for $975K.
  • The Pirates claimed infielder/outfielder Oscar Tejeda off waivers from the Red Sox. To make room for Tejeda, Pittsburgh designated left-hander Doug Slaten for assignment.
  • The Indians‬ claimed infielder Vinny Rottino off outright waivers from the Mets. Rottino owns a career .188/.282/.319 slash line in 44 big league games.
  • Veteran Jamie Moyer signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays as the 49-year-old looks to continue his career with his third different team this season.
  • The Royals designated Humberto Quintero for assignment. Quintero, 32, hit .232/.257/.341 in 144 plate appearances for Kansas City this season.
  • The Pirates designated Daniel Moskos for assignment. Moskos had pitched to a 3.86 ERA in 14 Triple-A innings this season while battling elbow problems.
  • First-round pick Brian Johnson signed with the Red Sox for $1.575MM. 
  • The Pirates claimed infielder Drew Sutton off of waivers from the Rays.
  • Willie Harris is headed to Triple-A as the Reds outrighted the outfielder to Louisville after he posted a .114/.170/.205 batting line in 48 plate appearances for Cincinnati. 
  • The Nationals released Brad Lidge after the right-hander appeared in just 9.1 innings this year, allowing ten runs with ten strikeouts and 11 walks.
  • The Cardinals signed first round selection James Ramsey for $1.6MM.
  • Miguel Tejada sought and was given his release by the Orioles after hitting .260/.327/.290 in 147 plate appearances at Triple-A.
  • The Royals outrighted Roman Colon to Triple-A after the 32-year-old appeared in three games for Kansas City and allowed six runs in eight relief innings.
  • The Padres claimed right-hander Mark Hamburger off waivers from the Rangers and optioned him to Triple-A.

Braves Notes: Greinke, Liriano, Chipper

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With nearly 81 games in the books, the Braves signed Ben Sheets to a minor league deal earlier today as the team hopes he can help bolster its rotation in the second half of the season. Here's the latest from Turner Field…

  • Look for Atlanta to join the pursuit of Zack Greinke's services if the team can secure him long term for closer to $15MM per season than $20MM, tweets David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Greinke, 28, is enjoying a strong season in his second year with the Brewers after being acquired from the Royals in December 2010. The right-hander has posted a 2.82 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 through 16 starts.
  • The Braves were among a series of teams scouting Francisco Liriano today during his start against the Royals, reports Phil Mackey of 1500ESPN.com (via Twitter). While Liriano failed to turn in a quality start on Sunday, the former All-Star has improved his performance each month of the season thus far. The 28-year-old signed a one-year, $5.5MM deal with the Twins in January and will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2012 season.
  • Count Bryce Harper among Chipper Jones' supporters for his bid to be added to the National League All-Star roster through the Final Vote competition, writes Mark Zuckerman of NatsInsider.com. The 19-year-old rookie, who is competing with Jones for a spot on the team, said that a future Hall of Famer should be able to go to the All-Star Game during his last season. "If I was going to make a vote, I'd go vote for Chip."

Minor Moves: Danny Farquhar

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We'll keep track of today's minor moves right here…

  • Danny Farquhar has cleared waivers and rejoined Double-A Trenton, tweets Mike Ashmore of The Trentonian. The Yankees designated the right-hander for assignment on Friday to clear space on the 40-man roster for Chris Schwinden, who was claimed off waivers from the Indians. Farquhar, 25, made his big league debut this season and appeared in three games for the Blue Jays. 

Cubs, White Sox Both Pursuing Yasiel Puig

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Count the Cubs and White Sox among the teams who are interested in signing Cuban outfielder Yasel Puig, reports Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune. Both franchises have extensive experience with players hailing from Cuba.

The 21-year-old was officially declared a free agent on Tuesday and now has until July 2 to sign with a team to avoid new financial limitations put in place for international players. For the Cubs, signing international free agents out of Cuba is nothing new as the team recently agreed to terms with outfielder Jorge Soler on a nine-year, $30MM deal. On the South Side, the White Sox have a long-term relationship with Puig's agent, Jaime Torres, who has negotiated deals with the team in the past for players such as Jose Contreras and Alexei Ramirez. 

Quick Hits: Dodgers, LaHair, Wedge, K-Rod

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Here's the latest news and headlines from around the league on the day Chase Utley told the world he was back with a home run in his first at-bat since the end of the 2011 season…

  • There are very few viable options for the Dodgers as they look to add a middle-of-the-order bat, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com. Many of the players currently available are either fringe types or vastly overpaid for their services (like this one). 
  • Olney tweets that Cubs first baseman/outfielder Bryan LaHair has been scouted by the Dodgers, among other teams, but Los Angeles has reservations about his defense. Nonetheless, the Dodgers' need for a quality bat could lead to them overlooking LaHair's shortcomings and acquiring the power hitter before the trade deadline.
  • Mariners manager Eric Wedge doesn't like the progress his young team has made this season, but he's not ready to start sending players to Triple-A, writes Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times. "It's frustrating because I know these guys are a much better offensive club than what we're seeing them do here at home,'' Wedge said. "I don't want to hear anything about the fences, or this, that and the other. It's about what they're doing at home plate and putting up good at-bats and hitting the ball hard."
  • The Angels have a special assignment scout watching the Reds–Brewers series to check up on a few players including Francisco Rodriguez, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com. The Angels entered Wednesday night's action four and a half games behind the Rangers for first place in the American League West.

Draft Signings: Marzilli, Randall, Johnson, Encinosa

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Let's keep track of the day's non-first and supplemental first round signings here…

  • The Diamondbacks have agreed to terms with eighth rounder Evan Marzilli, tweets Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. The South Carolina outfielder's season came to a conclusion on Monday after losing to Arizona in the College World Series finals.
  • The Tigers have signed seventh rounder Hudson Randall, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter). The right-hander will obtain a $142K bonus, which is the full slot value for the selection. 
  • The Giants have inked sixth rounder Stephen Johnson, tweets Callis. The collegiate right-hander will receive an above slot $180K bonus.
  • Seventh rounder E.J. Encinosa has also signed with the Giants and will receive a $144K bonus, reports Callis (on Twitter). The Miami right-hander is noted for his size and hard sinker.
  • Yankees second rounder Peter O'Brien, a Miami catcher who signed with the team last week, will obtain a below slot $460K bonus, tweets Callis.
  • The Twins have signed eighth rounder Christian Powell, according to Callis (on Twitter). The College of Charleston right-hander, who features a mid-90s sinker, will receive a $140K bonus.

Central Notes: Jed Lowrie, Jorge Soler, Cardinals

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It was on this day in 1973 that Cardinals infielder Joe Torre hit for the cycle in a 15-4 rout of the Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium. The future Yankees manager would complete the feat by hitting a single with two outs in the ninth inning. Torre would go on to play in the All-Star Game for the ninth and final time a few weeks later. Let's check in on the latest news and headlines out of the National League Central…

  • The Astros have benefited greatly from buying low on shortstop Jed Lowrie as he's found his groove with Houston after injuries plagued his time with the Red Sox, writes Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. New general manager Jeff Luhnow made the trade to get Lowrie upon being hired by the Astros and in his mind, he's acquired a player who can be one of the top five shortstops in the league on an annual basis. 
  • Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com expects the Cubs to add Jorge Soler to the team's 40-man roster upon his official signing after designating Randy Wells for assignment on Wednesday. Soler has until July 1 at 11:59 p.m. to sign the deal with Chicago or he stands to lose approximately $27MM as any international deal signed after that date can only be for a maximum of $2.9MM.
  • The Cardinals are nearing their draft pool bonus cap and don't want to put themselves in a position where they lose a 2013 draft pick as two players remain unsigned, says Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

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