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Quick Hits: Rizzo, Bauer, Mets, Lillibridge

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R.A. Dickey's streak of not allowing an earned run came to an end during the third inning of Sunday night's game against the Yankees. With 44 2/3 innings of earned run-free baseball, Dickey's performance pales in comparison to Orel Hershiser's record 59 consecutive innings of scoreless baseball set in 1988 while with the Dodgers. What makes Hershiser's feat even more impressive is that he actually continued the streak into the playoffs as he threw eight more run-free innings to give him 67 in total. Here's the latest news from around the league…

  • Anthony Rizzo is expected to make his Cubs debut this Tuesday against the Mets at Wrigley Field, writes David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com. The franchise's top prospect has mastered the art of hitting Triple-A pitching as he's currently the owner of a .349/.410/.710 batting line.
  • Trevor Bauer, the third pick in the 2011 amateur draft, will make his Major League debut for the Diamondbacks on Thursday after enjoying extensive success at the minor league level, according to Jack Magruder of FOXSportsArizona.com. The right-hander has a 2.79 ERA, 10.9 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9 at Triple-A this season.
  • The Mets are in desperate need of bullpen help, but will probably have to wait until after the All-Star break to make a move as there are currently very few sellers, tweets ESPN.com's Buster Olney.
  • Utility man Brent Lillibridge tweets his gratitude to the White Sox organization and his love for the city of Chicago as he looks forward to the next chapter of his career with the Red Sox. Lillibridge, 28, is headed to Boston after being traded with Zach Stewart in exchange for Kevin Youkilis and cash earlier on Sunday.

Week In Review: 6/17/12 – 6/23/12

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In case you missed it the first time around, here's a look back at the week that was here on MLBTR…

  • The Twins signed supplemental first round pick Luke Bard for $1.227MM. Bard, a right-hander out of Georgia Tech, was the 42nd overall pick earlier this month and is the brother of Red Sox right-hander Daniel Bard.
  • With the arrival of Roy Oswalt from Triple-A, the Rangers designated Mark Hamburger for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot for the right-hander.
  • The Rays designated infielder Drew Sutton for assignment. Sutton, 28, posted a .271/.314/.354 batting line in 51 plate appearances for Tampa Bay this year.
  • The Brewers designated infielder Edwin Maysonet and left-hander Juan Perez for assignment. One of the roster spots will be used for Livan Hernandez, who has officially joined the team after being released by the Braves.
  • After reinstating Kosuke Fukudome from the 15-day disabled list, the White Sox designated the outfielder for assignment. The 35-year-old appeared in 24 games for Chicago and posted a .171/.294/.195 batting line in 51 plate appearances while playing all three outfield positions. 
  • The Braves signed reliever D.J. Carrasco to a minor league deal. The Mets released the 35-year-old right-hander in late May after he allowed six hits, including two home runs, in 3 2/3 innings.
  • The Blue Jays acquired minor league right-hander Sean O'Sullivan from the Royals for cash considerations. O'Sullivan, 24, has a 6.75 ERA with 4.4 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 53 1/3 innings at Triple-A this season.
  • Supplementary first round draft choice Lance McCullers signed with the Astros and will receive a $2.5MM bonus.
  • The Rays claimed Brooks Conrad off of waivers from the Brewers, who designated the infielder for assignment earlier in the week. Conrad, 32, has appeared in 25 games for Milwaukee this year, playing all four infield positions. 
  • Jamie Moyer asked for and received his release from the Orioles after it became clear Baltimore had no plans to promote the veteran to the big leagues anytime soon.
  • The Yankees signed Cuban left-hander Omar Luis Rodriguez to a minor league contract worth $4MM.
  • After being designated for assignment by the Angels, David Pauley finds himself heading north of the border after being claimed by the Blue Jays.
  • The Rangers released Brad Hawpe from Double-A Frisco at the veteran's request. Hawpe, 33, posted a .260/.382/.382 line in 152 PAs while with the Rangers' minor league affiliate.
  • Supplementary first-round pick Matt Olson signed with the A's and will obtain a bonus just over $1MM.
  • The Rangers signed right-hander Willie Eyre to a minor league deal.
  • Catcher Koyie Hill is headed to Triple-A Syracuse after signing a minor league deal with the Nationals. Hill elected free agency after being designated for assignment by the Cubs and outrighted to Triple-A.
  • The Nationals designated Brad Lidge for assignment. The right-hander appeared in just 9.1 innings this year, allowing ten runs with ten strikeouts and 11 walks.
  • The Blue Jays signed right-hander Shawn Hill to a minor league contract. The 31-year-old Hill has a 4.74 ERA, 5.7 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and 48.9% groundball rate in 239 big league innings.
  • First round draft pick Deven Marrero signed with the Red Sox and will obtain a $2.05MM bonus.
  • The Tigers released Brad Eldred from their Triple-A roster as he has elected to sign with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
  • The Royals designated Roman Colon for assignment. Colon, 32, allowed six runs on 12 hits in eight innings for Kansas City.

Kevin Youkilis Trade Reactions

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The Red Sox agreed to send Kevin Youkilis and cash to the White Sox for Zach Stewart and Brent Lillibridge in a deal that was announced earlier today. The trade provides the White Sox with much needed stability at the hot corner and gives the Red Sox the opportunity to play Will Middlebrooks on a daily basis. Here are some reactions to the deal:

  • The emergence of Middlebrooks as a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate made a struggling Youkilis expendable in the eyes of the Red Sox front office, writes Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal.
  • Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington told reporters, including MacPherson, that it was pretty clear Middlebrooks needed to be in the lineup every day (via Twitter).
  • The White Sox are getting a player in Youkilis who was an All-Star third baseman last season in exchange for cash and two replaceable players, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com. 
  • The legacy of Youkilis was built upon his ability to will himself into a player who far exceeded his natural talents, says Scott Miller of CBSSports.com.
  • The Indians, Dodgers and White Sox were the finalists for Youkilis as of Saturday evening, reports Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. The White Sox separated themselves Sunday morning with the inclusion of Stewart in the trade.
  • By acquiring Youkilis, the White Sox are making the statement that the Tigers are vulnerable and not a guarantee to win the division, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
  • White Sox manager Robin Ventura expects Youkilis to be a strong fit with Chicago given how the veteran plays hard and has a reputation as a good teammate (video link).
  • A change of scenery for Youkilis may prove to benefit the former All-Star considering his strained relationship with manager Bobby Valentine and the series of injuries that kept him off the field, writes Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.

Diamondbacks, Hernandez Agree To Extension

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The Diamondbacks have agreed to terms with right-hander David Hernandez on a two-year contract extension, according to a team release. Hernandez, 27, has posted a 4.32 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 in four big league seasons spent with the Orioles and Diamondbacks.

The former 16th round pick is a hard-throwing flyball pitcher who has developed into a reliable setup man for Arizona since arriving in Phoenix prior to the 2011 season. Hernandez would have been arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason.

Rockies, Blue Jays Discussing Guthrie Deal

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4:01pm: The Rockies and Blue Jays are still discussing Guthrie, Renck reports (Twitter links). There's a potential fit, but the Rockies would like someone other than McDade. As many as four clubs are interested, Renck reports.

MONDAY, 7:57am: The Rockies are looking to move Guthrie's salary for one prospect, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports (on Twitter). Renck confirms that the Rockies and Blue Jays have discussed a possible deal.

SUNDAY: The Rockies are ready to part ways with Jeremy Guthrie and have informed the rest of the league that the right-hander is available immediately, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com. Count the Blue Jays as one of Guthrie's potential suitors as Toronto has contacted Colorado to discuss the framework of a possible deal, report Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. One trade scenario would have the Jays assuming a major portion of Guthrie's contract as the Rockies would receive only a lower-tier prospect such as Double-A first baseman Mike McDade.

The former Orioles ace has struggled both on and off the mound since arriving in Colorado during the offseason. Known for his propensity to ride his bicycle to the ballpark, Guthrie landed on the disabled list in April when the chain on his bike popped, causing him to fall on his pitching shoulder. After pitching to a 4.12 ERA in five seasons with the O's, Guthrie has been prone to the home run in Denver as he's posted a 6.91 ERA with 4.5 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 10 starts. 

First And Supplemental Round Picks Yet To Sign

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With myriad players currently in search of a College World Series title or holding out for an over-slot bonus, here are the first round and supplemental round draft picks who have yet to agree to terms:

3. Seattle Mariners - Mike Zunino, C, Florida

4. Baltimore Orioles - Kevin Gausman, RHP, Louisiana State

6. Chicago Cubs - Albert Almora, Mater Academy (Fla.)

8. Pittsburgh Pirates - Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford

9. Miami Marlins - Andrew Heaney, LHP, Oklahoma State

16. Washington Nationals - Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard-Westlake High School (Calif.)

18. Los Angeles Dodgers - Corey Seager, SS, Northwest Cabarrus High School (N.C.)

22. Toronto Blue Jays - Marcus Stroman, RHP, Duke

23. St. Louis Cardinals - James Ramsey, OF, Florida State

25. Tampa Bay Rays - Richie Shaffer, 1B/3B, Clemson

30. New York Yankees - Ty Hensley, RHP, Santa Fe High School (Okla.)

31. Boston Red Sox - Brian Johnson, LHP, Florida

42. Minnesota Twins (for Jason Kubel) - Luke Bard, RHP, Georgia Tech

44. San Diego Padres (for Aaron Harang) - Travis Jankowski, OF, Stony Brook

47. Oakland Athletics (for David DeJesus) - Matt Olson, 1B, Parkview High School (Ga.)

55. San Diego Padres (for Brett Austin) - Walker Weickel, RHP, Olympia High School (Fla.)

57. Cincinnati Reds (for Francisco Cordero) - Jeff Gelalich, OF, UCLA

Week In Review: 6/10/12 – 6/16/12

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As we tip our caps to Matt Cain and R.A. Dickey for providing Wednesday's evening of historical pitching, let's catch up on the week that was here on MLBTR…

  • The Dodgers signed Andre Ethier to a five-year, $85MM extension. Ethier boasts a solid .291/.363/.482 slash line for his career, but has a less-than-stellar defensive reputation. 
  • Jorge Soler is headed to Wrigley after the Cubs won the bidding and signed the Cuban outfielder to a nine-year deal worth approximately $30MM. 
  • The Twins signed second overall pick Byron Buxton. The high school outfielder will receive a bonus of $6MM, which is $200K below MLB's recommended figure of $6.2MM. Supplemental first round draft pick J.O. Berrios also signed with the Twins and will receive a $1.55MM bonus.
  • Veteran infielder Aaron Miles retired from baseball on Wednesday after hitting .235/.297/.338 in 18 games for Triple-A Albuquerque this season. 
  • The Athletics granted Manny Ramirez his outright release after the former Red Sox star hit .302/.348/.349 for Triple-A Sacramento in 69 plate appearances this year. 
  • Vladimir Guerrero is a free agent as the Blue Jays released him at his request after failing to be promoted to the big leagues. 
  • Livan Hernandez's lengthy career may be coming to a close after the Braves designated the right-hander for assignment. He posted a 4.94 ERA with 5.5 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in 31 innings out of the bullpen for Atlanta.
  • A's first baseman Kila Ka'aihue cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Sacramento.
  • Donnie Murphy's poor hitting has him headed to the minor leagues after the Marlins outrighted the utility infielder to Triple-A New Orleans. Murphy posted a .136/.250/.318 batting line in 52 plate appearances this season. 
  • The Cubs designated catcher Koyie Hill for assignment. Hill appeared in 11 games for the Cubs this year, collecting six singles and a double in 39 plate appearances. 
  • Esmil Rogers hopes a league change will remedy his pitching woes after the Indians acquired the right-hander from the Rockies for $150K. In a related move, the Indians outrighted catcher Luke Carlin to Triple-A after designating him for assignment.
  • Catcher Omir Santos signed with the Rockies after cutting ties with the Tigers. The 31-year-old elected free agency last week after Detroit designated him for assignment. 
  • The Red Sox released Marlon Byrd after designating the outfielder for assignment earlier this month. 
  • The Red Sox signed supplemental first rounder Pat Light, who agreed to a bonus of $1MM.
  • The Blue Jays signed first round draft pick D.J. Davis. The team also announced the signing of supplementary first round selections Mitchell Nay and Tyler Gonzales.
  • The Indians signed first round pick Tyler Naquin, who will obtain a bonus of $1.75MM.
  • The White Sox signed first round draft pick Courtney Hawkins. The outfielder will obtain a bonus of $2.475MM. Foregoing his scholarship to the University of Miami, supplementary first round pick Keon Barnum also signed with the White Sox
  • Thanks to a busy front office, the Rangers signed their top five selections from the draft. 
  • First round selection Addison Russell signed with the Athletics as did supplementary first round pick Daniel Robertson. 
  • The Phillies signed supplemental first round pick Shane Watson, who will receive a bonus of $1.29MM. 
  • The Mets signed supplemental first round draft pick Kevin Plawecki. He'll obtain a $1.4MM bonus.
  • First round draft pick Michael Wacha signed with the Cardinals and received a $1.9MM bonus. The Cardinals also‬ signed supplementary first-round pick Stephen Piscotty, who will receive a $1.4MM bonus.
  • The Reds signed first round pick Nick Travieso. The right-hander, selected 14th overall, will receive a $2MM bonus.
  • The Pirates signed supplemental first round selection Barrett Barnes, who will obtain a $1MM bonus.
  • Supplemental first round selections Paul Blackburn and Pierce Johnson signed with the Cubs.
  • Supplemental first round draft pick Mitch Haniger signed with the Brewers and will obtain a $1.2MM bonus.
  • The Padres signed first round selection Max Fried, who will obtain $3MM.
  • The Rockies signed first round pick David Dahl. The high school outfielder, selected 10th overall, will receive a $2.6MM bonus. The Rockies also signed supplemental first round selection Eddie Butler for $1MM.
  • The Giants signed first round pick Chris Stratton, who will receive the full $1.85MM slot bonus for the 20th overall selection..
  • The Dodgers signed their supplementary first round draft choice Jesmuel Valentin. 

Quick Hits: Tigers, Bryan LaHair, Red Sox Draft

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The Yankees completed a sweep against the Nationals on Sunday afternoon in Washington D.C. with a 4-1 victory. The win marked New York's third consecutive sweep of three games or more for the first time since 1998. With the Yankees taking three from the Nationals, the Reds (7-5) are now the lone MLB team with an all-time winning record against the Bronx Bombers. Here's the latest from around the majors…

  • Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski has already conceded his interest in acquiring a right-handed bat before the non-waiver trade deadline, but any potential move hinges on the health of Victor Martinez, writes Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. “The possibility (of Martinez returning) exists in a strong enough fashion that you have to give it some thought, but I don’t really know where that stands – and I don’t know that we will know until July,” Dombrowski said in an interview Sunday morning. “We may get Martinez and (Al) Alburquerque back. Those would be two pretty good acquisitions, and our bullpen actually has pitched pretty well in recent times.”
  • ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (via Twitter) that the Dodgers are not interested in Cubs first baseman Bryan LaHair but are talking with Chicago about right-hander Ryan Dempster. Los Angeles may want to reconsider its stance as LaHair has a slash line of .297/.380/.560 as compared to .261/.322/.368 for the Dodgers' first basemen.
  • According to calculations by Baseball America, the Red Sox will face increased penalties from MLB if they continue spending at their current pace to go 5% over their draft budget as pointed out by Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal. When a team exceeds its budget by 5% or less, it is penalized by paying 75% on the amount over the threshold. Teams that go over by 5 to 10% are mandated to pay a luxury tax of 100% on the excess spending and forfeit their next first round draft pick.

Red Sox To Sign Deven Marrero

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The Red Sox have agreed to terms with first round draft pick Deven Marrero, tweets Jim Callis of Baseball America. The Arizona State shortstop will receive a $2.05MM bonus, significantly higher than the $1.75MM recommended by MLB.

The selection marks the third consecutive draft in which the Red Sox selected a college player with their first pick. Marrero, selected 24th overall, is noted for his slick fielding. 

White Sox To Sign Keon Barnum

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MONDAY: Barnum has agreed to a $950K bonus, reports Keeley. The contract will become official once he passes his physical.

SUNDAY: The White Sox will sign supplementary first round pick Keon Barnum pending a physical on Monday, reports Laura Keeley of the Tampa Times. Barnum, a high school first baseman out of Tampa, will forego his scholarship to the University of Miami to join the White Sox organization after being selected 48th overall. 

The White Sox were close to reaching an agreement with Barnum on draft night, according to Chicago's director of amateur scouting Doug Laumann. The recommended bonus for the selection is $1.05MM.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

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