MLBTR Apps, Features, Functions
An explanation of the many ways to enjoy MLB Trade Rumors:
- Be sure to pick up the MLBTR apps for the latest news and rumors, for iPads, iPhones, and Android devices.
- If you want only the hard news in the form of transactions, our transactions page is the ticket. You can also get only the transactions via Twitter or RSS.
- To return to the main page at any time, just click on the title or the Home button on the navigation bar below the title.
- The navigation bar will cover many of your needs. Use the About dropdown to learn about this site or any of its writers.
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- The Archives dropdown shows you 15 months worth. If you need to go back further, click on Site Map at the very bottom of the page. Site Map also lists out every MLBTR post category, including players, teams, and features.
- The Tools dropdown takes you to a number of different places. The MLBTR Widget allows website owners to easily add a constantly updated box with all of MLBTR's headlines to their sites.
- Also under the tools tab is our Transaction Tracker, which enables you to search about anything and everything to do with baseball trades, signings and extensions.
- Our DFA Tracker helps you monitor the many players who are designated for assignment throughout the year.
- We also have an Extension Tracker, with details on all contracts that include at least one arbitration year.
- MLBTR's Agency Database lets you know which agencies represent which players. It's searchable by team, agency or player, so be sure to check it out.
- Follow Teams is a very useful dropdown. Hover over it to see all 30 teams. Click on the team name to bring up a page of every post containing information about that team, with the latest on top. These are the same pages you'll find if you go to the Rumors By Team section on the sidebar and select A's Rumors, Angels Rumors, etc.
- Also under the Follow Teams dropdown, you'll find RSS and Twitter buttons. Those links allow you to follow a single team's rumors via RSS or Twitter. Did you know we have a separate Twitter account for each of the 30 teams? For example you can follow @mlbtrtigers, where you would get the latest Tigers updates.
- You can also follow Tim Dierkes on Twitter for more MLBTR content.
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- On to the sidebar. It begins with a list of our Top Stories, which our writers update any time major hard news occurs. Go here for a quick update on the most important stories. Below that is the site's Search Box, where you can type in any player's name and get the latest on him.
- MLBTR Features has all kinds of goodies, including our free agent lists. Many of the MLBTR Features are constantly updated by our writers, so be assured that our free agent lists are always fresh.
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East Notes: Bautista, Davis, Mets, Phillies
Here's a look at the latest out of the AL and NL East..
- The Blue Jays tweeted that Jose Bautista has been shut down for the remainder of the season. Bautista left an Aug. 20 game with hip soreness and hasn't appeared in the Jays' lineup since. The club expects him to be ready for 2014 Spring Training, however.
- With Ike Davis shut down for the season, Mets GM Sandy Alderson told reporters Tuesday that the club will use the remainder of the season to evaluate Lucas Duda at first base, according to Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. The 27-year-old has appeared mainly in the outfield across parts of four seasons with the Mets, but says he feels more comfortable at first. In 289 plate appearances this season, Duda has a .240/.360/.434 line.
- As Matt Gelb of The Philadelphia Inquirer notes (Twitter link), it was only two years ago that the Phillies opted not to give a September call-up to first baseman/outfielder Brandon Moss, who hit .275/.368/.509 for the club's Triple-A affiliate that year. Since catching on with the A's in June 2012, Moss has slugged 47 major league homers, and carried a 2013 line of .249/.329/.495 heading into tonight's matchup with the Rangers.
Aaron Steen contributed to this post.
Cubs Claim Daniel Bard, Designate Cole Gillespie
The Cubs announced that they have claimed Daniel Bard off waivers from the Red Sox. To make room for the reliever, outfielder Cole Gillespie has been designated for assignment.
The former top-100 prospect was designated for assignment on Sunday. Bard, 28, emerged as a dominant late-inning reliever in 2010, but didn't respond well when the team attempted to convert him back into a starter in 2012. He's been beset by injuries this season and walked 27 batters in 15 1/3 minor league innings.
Bard will be arbitration eligible for a third time this winter and still has an option remaining. However, because he's only accumulated four days of Major League service time in 2013, he is now controllable through at least the 2016 season instead of the 2015 season, as previously projected. If Bard can rediscover his 2009-11 form, he could be a rare example of a player who is eligible for arbitration five times. In fact, if Bard accumulates fewer than 94 days of service time between now and the end of the 2014 season, the Cubs would gain another year of team control, giving them rights to Bard through the 2017 campaign. In that scenario, Bard would be eligible for arbitration six times. Baseball's collective bargaining agreement states that a player is eligible for arbitration so long as he has between three and six years of Major League service time (or qualifies as a Super Two) and is on a 40-man roster, so theoretically, a player could be eligible an infinite number of times. Of course, all of this assumes that Bard will be tendered a contract for the 2014 season, which is certainly not a guarantee given his 2013 performance.
Gillespie, 29, was claimed off waivers from the Giants in July. In 28 combined big league games this season, the outfielder hit just .203/.294/.237. His Triple-A numbers have been much stronger as he posted a .277/.361/.455 line in 74 games this season.
Steve Adams contributed to this post.
AL Central Notes: Dunn, Bonderman, Twins
Adam Dunn readily admits that he's frustrated with the White Sox's 2013 season, but at the moment, he doesn't anticipate retiring this winter, writes Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com. “I think we went down this road before: the day that I quit having fun and quit enjoying making a struggle to come to the ballpark or not enjoying the competition out there is the day I will go home, whether it be tomorrow, whether it be ten years from now," Dunn said. "I’m still enjoying the competition. It’s just tough losing when you have such high expectations.” Here's more out of the AL Central..
- Tigers pitcher Jeremy Bonderman has left The Legacy Agency and is now represented by SFX, sources tell Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Bonderman, who was moved to the bullpen after signing a minor league deal with Detroit, will be a free agent this winter. You can keep track of everyone's representation using the MLBTR Agency Database.
- The Twins made a run at second baseman/left fielder Kensuke Tanaka last winter, but Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter) would be surprised if they still had interest. The Giants designated Tanaka for assignment yesterday. The 32-year-old hit .329/.400/.397 in 400 plate appearances for San Francisco's Triple-A affiliate this season.
- Earlier today, we learned that Paul Konerko intends to play next season, despite hinting at retirement this season.
Paul Konerko Wants To Continue Playing
There was talk heading into this season that veteran Paul Konerko could make 2013 his final season, but it sounds as though he's not ready to walk away from the game just yet. The first baseman/DH is telling friends that he definitely wants to return to the White Sox in 2014 and believes that he can still be productive, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter).
Konerko, 37, is in the midst of his worst offensive season since becoming a full-time major leaguer in 1999. In 440 plate appearances, Konerko has a .244/.314/.358 slash line with ten homers. No one would blame the veteran for moving on to something else after winning a World Series ring, being named to six All-Star teams, and earning upwards of $127MM over the course of his career, but he seems intent on signing a new contract with the White Sox after his current one expires this winter.
Recently, teammate Adam Dunn said that there was "zero chance" Konerko would retire. Ironically, we learned last night Dunn himself is at least thinking about retirement, even though he's owed $15MM next season.
Cubs Designate Michael Bowden For Assignment
The Cubs announced that they have designated Michael Bowden for assignment. In a related move, fellow right-hander Chang-Yong Lim has been promoted to the big league roster.
Bowden, 27 on Monday, has a 4.30 ERA with 5.5 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 34 relief outings this season. In parts of six big league seasons, the 6'3" hurler owns a 4.51 ERA with 6.7 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9. This marks the second time that Bowden has been DFA'd by the Cubs this season – he was also removed from the 40-man back in May.
With so many players in DFA limbo, there's no better time to get familiar with our new DFA Tracker.
Outrighted To Triple-A: Joe Benson, Eduardo Sanchez
We'll keep track of today's outright assignments here..
- The Rangers assigned outfielder Joe Benson outright to Triple-A Round Rock, according to executive vice president of communications John Blake (on Twitter). Benson was designated for assignment by Texas earlier this week.
- The Cubs sent Eduardo Sanchez outright to their Triple-A affiliate, according to the MLB.com transactions page. Chicago designated the right-handed reliever for assignment three days ago. Sanchez, 24, registered a 1.80 ERA with 10.5 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9 in 30 innings for the Cardinals back in 2011 but has struggled to stay healthy in recent years.
- Those situations are resolved, but there are still a whopping 13 players left in DFA limbo, according to the MLBTR DFA Tracker. Michael Bowden (Cubs), Jordan Brown (Marlins), Edinson Rincon (Royals), Kensuke Tanaka (Giants), Dan Runzler (Giants), Dave Sappelt (Cubs), Hideki Okajima (Athletics), Mauro Gomez (Blue Jays), Daniel Bard (Red Sox), Juan Diaz (Indians), Taylor Teagarden (Orioles), Eric Thames (Orioles), and Tim Fedroff (Indians) are still in flux.
Alderson On Harvey, Offseason, Young, Collins
Losing Matt Harvey for the rest of the year and part of the 2014 season was obviously a tough pill to swallow for the Mets and GM Sandy Alderson told WFAN yesterday that it will change his approach to the offseason, writes Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. Alderson didn't plan on spending big on a pitcher, but losing Harvey means that he'll have to shell out some cash for a starter. Here's more from Alderson's chat, courtesy of Rubin..
- Alderson won't look to trade bats for additional pitching in the wake of Harvey's injury. That wasn't in the cards for the Mets anyway, even if Harvey was available.
- Harvey will make an initial decision on Tommy John surgery in one to two weeks and the decision to go under the knife versus rehab will be his call.
- Harvey's injury may slot Rafael Montero or Jacob deGrom into the rotation out of spring training. If Harvey was healthy, the rotation likely would have been Harvey, Jonathon Niese, Zack Wheeler, Dillon Gee, and an innings-eater from outside the organization – leaving Montero, deGrom, and Noah Syndergaad with Triple-A Las Vegas.
- Alderson sees Eric Young Jr. as one of the Mets' top five outfielders next season but the hope is the Mets can add enough outfield bats to push Young to a fourth or fifth outfielder. Young may be no more than a platoon player anyway because of his lefty-righty splits, Rubin notes.
- The team will wait until after the season to officially announce that Terry Collins is returning for 2014.
Adam Dunn Considering Retirement
Adam Dunn is guaranteed $15MM next season, is within reach of notching 500 homers, and is just 33 years old. However, the White Sox slugger tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says that he will consider retiring this offseason and forfeiting his remaining salary if he no longer is enjoying himself.
“I’m not coming back just to come back for money or because I have one year left (on his contract),” Dunn said. “I’m not coming back to chase home run numbers or whatever. If I end up with 499 and I’m not having fun, see ya – 499 it is.”
Meanwhile, Dunn told Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com (on Twitter) that "as of right now" he doesn't plan on retiring and plans on playing in 2014.
The soon-to-be 34-year-old would probably feel differently if the White Sox were having a good season rather than one that he termed "a great letdown." Manager Robin Ventura acknowledged that Dunn has expressed his frustrations to him, but he doesn't see Dunn walking away from the game. And while Dunn is unhappy with how 2013 has gone, he says that he doesn't blame anyone from the organization in particular.
Dunn's .228/.331/.454 slash line this season may not be up to par with his career numbers, but he hardly looks washed up. If Dunn does decide to walk away from baseball and another $15MM, he won't be hurting for cash as Baseball Reference estimates his career earnings to date to be ~$98MM.
Omar Infante Changes Agencies
Tigers second baseman and pending free agent Omar Infante is now represented by Gene Mato of Mato Sports Management, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Infante was previously represented by Octagon Sports Management.
The move is notable not just because Infante is in his walk year, but because Mato also represented teammate Anibal Sanchez. Both players came over via trade last July from the Marlins.
Infante, 31, is hitting .317/.344/.453 with nine homers in 389 plate appearances this season. it's a slash line that's a marked improvement over his career numbers of .279/.318/.402. While Robinson Cano will obviously the top second baseman on the open market this winter, Infante will find a less crowded market at his position after Chase Utley inked a contract extension with the Phillies.
You can keep track of everyone's representation by using the MLBTR Agency Database.