Cubs Release Carlos Silva
A day after telling Carlos Silva they'd attempt to trade him, the Cubs have released the right-hander, tweets Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.
A poor spring meant the 31-year-old failed to earn a spot in Chicago's rotation or bullpen. Although the Cubs looked for a trade partner, Silva's $11.5MM salary and his refusal to report to the minors reduced the team's leverage significantly.
Silva had some success for the Cubs last season, recording a 4.22 ERA in 21 starts. However, his spring performance, including a 10.90 ERA in 17 1/3 innings, more closely resembled his 2008 and 2009 campaigns, when he posted a 6.81 ERA in 183 2/3 IP for the Mariners. Even so, another team will likely take a chance on the righty, with the Cubs on the hook for his exorbitant price tag.
Ryan Zimmerman Talks Next Contract
Since being drafted fourth overall in 2005, Ryan Zimmerman has evolved into a cornerstone of the Nationals and one of the game's best all-around players. Zimmerman signed an extension in 2009 that will delay his free agency until after the 2013 season, and he'd like to stay in Washington even longer. Speaking to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, the 26-year-old said he doesn't want to be a player who leaves via free agency after years of losing.
"That’s the dire, last-minute decision if I didn’t think we were going to win," Zimmerman said. "I have a lot of confidence that we’re really close to becoming good…. I don’t think we’re as far away as everyone thinks…. That’s kind of another one of the reasons I want to be here for so long."
While there's no rush for either side to work out a new contract yet, Zimmerman suggested he'd test free agency if an extension wasn't in place by the end of the 2012 season:
"If you get to two years left [before] free agency, you can talk. But if nothing works out, if you have one year before free agency, you might as well play your year out and see what happens…. I think the whole point of the baseball system is, you put your time in, you stay with a team, and you get rewarded with being able to be a free agent."
Zimmerman says he'd prefer not to negotiate during the regular season, though a source indicated to Kilgore that the Nationals would open extension discussions sometime in the coming months. For his part, Zimmerman says he "would take care of it whenever they want to take care of it." Of course, negotiations likely won't be easy. Several baseball people who spoke to Kilgore believe Zimmerman could command an extension worth approximately $200MM.
Brewers Acquire Nyjer Morgan
Nyjer Morgan said on Friday he didn't expect to be a National by Opening Day, and the team didn't waste much time validating that prediction. The Nationals have sent Morgan to the Brewers in exchange for Cutter Dykstra, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson. The Brewers will also send $50K to the Nats in the deal, tweets Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Morgan, 30, was unlikely to crack the Nationals' roster, and told Ladson earlier this weekend, "Maybe I'm not a fit here anymore. It's time to move on." The Brewers, meanwhile, were keeping an eye on Morgan after trading Chris Dickerson to the Yankees on Friday. GM Doug Melvin had denied interest, saying the club was willing to enter the season with in-house options Brandon Boggs and Jeremy Reed, but suggested today that the Nats changed their asking price (Twitter link). Morgan will now take Boggs' spot on the roster, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy (via Twitter).
Dykstra, the son of former major leaguer Lenny Dykstra, was selected by the Brewers in the second round of the 2008 draft. The 21-year-old hit .312/.416/.411 in 353 plate appearances at Class A Wisconsin in 2010.
West Coast Links: Dodgers, A’s, Frandsen, Padres
The Dodgers are off to an unlucky start this spring, with Casey Blake, Jon Garland, and Vicente Padilla expected to open the season on the disabled list. The bad news continued today; Dioner Navarro will head to the DL with a torn oblique, according to Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles, while Tim Redding left today's game with back pain, writes MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. More from the NL and AL West:
- The Dodgers informed Ron Mahay that he won't make the club's Opening Day roster, reports Gurnick. Mahay has an out clause in his contract, so the team is waiting to hear whether the left-hander will accept a minor league assignment.
- Frank McCourt declined comment on the Dodgers' ownership situation today, saying he'll address it at a later date. Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times has the details.
- Given his most talented roster yet, Athletics manager Bob Geren will face increased expectations this season, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- Speaking of the A's, they sent Chris Carter down to the minors today, Jane Lee of MLB.com tweets. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle has more on Carter, who figures to be the DH in Oakland whenever the Hideki Matsui era ends.
- Kevin Frandsen, who was released by the Padres today, is hoping to catch on with another team soon, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock. "We've got a decent amount of interest," Frandsen said. "I showed I was healthy and that I can play. I know I can play in the big leagues."
- With Mat Latos suffering from shoulder troubles, Tim Stauffer will start Opening Day for the Padres, tweets Brock.
Quick Hits: Sabathia, Lopez, Castillo, Rangers
Links for Friday night, as Brandon Beachy continues to impress….
- Speaking to Jack Curry of the YES Network, Yankees ace C.C. Sabathia stuck to his vow to avoid commenting on his opt-out clause until after the season. However, he added "I'm a Yankee" and said he can't see himself "playing anywhere else" (Twitter link).
- Rodrigo Lopez says he has no regrets about signing with the Braves, despite not earning a spot in the rotation, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman and Alden Gonzalez.
- We heard earlier in the week that the Braves were looking to deal Lopez, with MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith running through some potential suitors. Although Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the Braves are more likely to trade Lopez than Kenshin Kawakami before Opening Day, he cautions that there's no rush for Atlanta – Lopez has an out in his contract, but not until June.
- Within Rosenthal's piece, a scout expresses doubt about Luis Castillo's chances of making the Phillies. MLB.com's Todd Zolecki says time is running out on Castillo's spring audition.
- Endy Chavez and Esteban German are among the players the Rangers sent to the minors today, tweets Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Meanwhile, with Tommy Hunter likely sidelined until May, Alexi Ogando could re-enter the Rangers' rotation mix, according to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.
Central Notes: Royals, Indians, Cubs, Brewers
It's been a busy Friday for baseball's Central divisions, which have already featured prominently in a pair of trades and a pair of retirements. But the day's not over yet….
- In addition to acquiring John Whittleman, the Royals finalized two more minor league trades today. The team sent Gaby Hernandez to the White Sox and Alex Caldera to the Nationals, reports Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star (Twitter links). The Royals figure to receive cash in return for both right-handers, according to Dutton.
- The Indians made a few roster decisions, naming Jack Hannahan the Opening Day third baseman and reassigning Doug Mathis and Anthony Reyes to the minors, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the battle for the last spot in the Cubs' bullpen is down to Carlos Silva, Casey Coleman, and Marcos Mateo. Rosenthal figures that, considering his salary, Silva will get the first crack, but notes the Cubs have said they want to open with the best possible team. MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has more on Coleman's quest for the final bullpen opening.
- Zack Greinke is confident that early-season injuries, including his own, won't set the Brewers back significantly, as he tells Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.
Heyman On Emaus, Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers
In a column for SI.com, Jon Heyman discusses the new-look Rays, examining the team's chances in a competitive AL East. While one Rays person candidly acknowledges "we've got a lot of holes," the general consensus around baseball is that it would be a mistake to discount the defending division champs. Here are a few other highlights from Heyman:
- Rule 5 pick Brad Emaus has the Mets' second base job locked up "no matter whether they pretend there's still a competition ongoing."
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia seems ready to become a starting catcher in the bigs, says one scout. Even so, the Red Sox would like to add a third backstop, if one were available via trade, to start the year in the minors behind Saltalamacchia and Jason Varitek.
- Heyman thinks Austin Romine may be the best bet for the Yankees' backup catcher opening. However, as we heard yesterday, Gustavo Molina continues to look like the favorite for the roster spot, according to Ben Shpigel of the New York Times. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports agrees, and suggests the role will be important, given potential concerns about Russell Martin.
- The Rangers made attempts to acquire a closer, but never came close to landing one, which resulted in Neftali Feliz keeping the job.
- Heyman adds Jorge Cantu's name to the list of possible fits at third base for the Marlins.
Red Sox Notes: Gonzalez, Atchison, Kalish, Wakefield
Daisuke Matsuzaka joins a growing list of Japanese players who have made donations to fund disaster relief in their homeland. Dice-K donated $1MM to the Japanese Red Cross Society though the Red Sox Foundation, according to Tim Britton of the Providence Journal. Here are a few other Sox-related notes:
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider-only link) expects the Red Sox and Adrian Gonzalez to get an extension done for the slugger in the second week of the season, sometime during the club's first homestand. Olney points out that it might be in Gonzalez's best interest to nudge the Sox toward finalizing a deal sooner rather than later, since his market value could be hurt by an injury.
- Boston optioned a handful of players to the minors today, including Scott Atchison and Ryan Kalish, as Rob Bradford of WEEI.com writes.
- While the Sox still have a few pitchers whose Opening Day fates are in limbo, it doesn't sound like Tim Wakefield is among them. WEEI's Alex Speier has quotes from Terry Francona discussing how the skipper hopes to maximize Wakefield's effectiveness this year.
Royals Acquire John Whittleman
The Royals have acquired John Whittleman from the Rangers in exchange for a player to be named later, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter).
Whittleman, 24, was selected by Texas in the second round of the 2005 amateur draft, but had yet to play above Double-A in the Rangers' system. In over 2,800 minor league plate appearances, the corner infielder has hit .242/.353/.389.
Nationals Notes: Morgan, Broderick, Maya
Let's check out the latest news and rumors on the Nationals, who will open the season with $126MM man Jayson Werth hitting second….
- Nyjer Morgan, who is reportedly being eyed by a few teams, doesn't expect to open the season with the Nationals. "I just think this place isn't for me," the outfielder told MLB.com's Bill Ladson. "I'm not saying there are bad people here. It's just that, maybe, I'm not a fit here anymore. It's time to move on."
- In the same MLB.com piece, Ladson adds that Brian Broderick, a Rule 5 selection from the Cardinals, is expected to earn a spot on the Nats' Opening Day roster. Broderick figures to be used in short and long relief, though he can also start if needed.
- Yunesky Maya was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse today, the team announced. Washington signed the Cuban pitcher to a four-year deal last summer.