Quick Hits: Padres, Snider, Wheeler
Let's take a look at some tidbits from around the majors on this Thursday evening..
- Be wary when considering radar gun readings. Former Padres GM (now Diamondbacks GM) Kevin Towers told Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that the club would tinker with the pitch speeds from time to time. Every time Brad Penny pitched for the Dodgers in San Diego, the club would dial down the radar gun to frustrate him.
- The Blue Jays caught some off guard by demoting promising outfielder Travis Snider earlier today. MLB.com's Todd Wills writes that the club sent him to Triple-A to make adjustments to his swing.
- Red Sox newcomer Dan Wheeler is still working to carve out a niche for himself in the bullpen, writes Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal. Last year with the Rays, Wheeler posted a 3.35 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9.
Dodgers Notes: O’Malley, McCourt, Broxton
Here are some Dodgers tidbits, including items on their Tinseltown drama..
- Tom Schieffer said he spoke to McCourt by phone today and expects to meet with him at Dodger Stadium tomorrow, tweets Bill Shaikin of the LA Times.
- A prominent Dodgers executive told David Vassegh of 570 KLAC that former owner Peter O'Malley has two big time investors to buy the Dodgers. The plan would be for O'Malley to run the organization again.
- Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has been on a speaking binge in New York City after spending the last year saying very little to Dodgers fans in Los Angeles, opines T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times.
- Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times tweets that Tom Schieffer on his way to Dodger Stadium for first time since he was appointed as the Dodgers trustee on Monday.
- Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton believes that he can regain his All-Star form, writes Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. The club doesn't neccessarily have to go out-of-house if they choose to go in another direction with the closer role. The Dodgers called on Vicente Padilla to close out a 5-4 win over the Florida Marlins on Wednesday.
Heyman On Lincecum, Cano, Votto, Weaver, Dodgers
Ryan Braun's $105MM, five-year contract extension through 2020 seemed like it came out of nowhere, but a ton of other young stars also appear to be in line for new deals, writes Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated. Heyman runs down the 20-somethings that could get hefty contract extensions and touches on a few other things in today's column..
- Giants ace Tim Lincecum won't be a free agent until after the 2013 season, but San Francisco would be wise to lock him up before his arbitration numbers get out of hand. A third Cy Young season could potentially bring Lincecum from $14MM into the $25MM range and possibly to $30MM in '13. Heyman expects a deal to get done, even if it costs the club a fortune. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes touched on the Lincecum situation here and here, and will have much more on the topic next week.
- Similarly, there's no reason to think the Yankees would let Robinson Cano leave in the prime of his career. The Bombers have options for 2012 and '13 at $14MM and $15MM, respectively, and will obviously exercise them. Look for the Yanks to get a deal done with the second baseman, but only after the Scott Boras client files for free agency.
- Reds slugger Joey Votto will hit the open market after 2013 and it would be wise for the club to lock him up as the youngster continues to improve. This winter he signed a three-year, $38MM to take care of his arbitration years, but his rate will presumably rise after that deal is up. Heyman believes that the Reds will lock up Votto, just as they did with Jay Bruce. This winter, Cincinnati signed the right fielder to a six-year, $51MM deal.
- Even though the Marlins' poor attendance would seem to indicate that the club doesn't have the funds to sign Josh Johnson to a new deal, they are on their way to a brand-new facility in the near future. Putting that aside, they're still in the black. His $39MM, four-year deal goes through 2013 but his next contract should easily top that.
- If you're a Halos fan looking to purchase a Jered Weaver jersey, you may want to reconsider. Heyman writes that the right-hander is all but a goner in two years. Agent Scott Boras is talking his client up and the Angels don't have a history of keeping their top free agents anyway. It's possible that the next Dodgers owner, assuming there is one, could talk the Simi Valley product into a homecoming.
- It may come as a surprise to some, but Heyman predicts that Andre Ethier will remain with the Dodgers beyond 2012. GM Ned Colletti is believed to want to lock up Ethier along with Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw. Even though the Dodgers' situation is probably too messy for anything to get done right away, they have to act fast to keep the 29-year-old.
- You can also expect the Dodgers to work something out with Kemp, who is also a free agent after 2012.
- Of the 33 players that Heyman profiles, he expects most to get new deals done with their respective clubs. Some of the players that we may see elsewhere: John Danks, Shin Soo-Choo, Jonathan Sanchez, Justin Morneau, Grady Sizemore, and Shaun Marcum.
- TV magnate Burt Sugarman is one name believed to be in the mix among potential buyers of the Dodgers. Investment banker Jason Reese and billionaire Ron Burkle are also in the mix. Burkle is teaming with former Dodgers great Steve Garvey.
Quick Hits: Dodgers, Brewers, Sampson, Yankees
Some links for Sunday afternoon..
- The Dodgers have become an embarrassment to the sport of baseball, writes Troy Renck of The Denver Post.
- Brewers right fielder Corey Hart is set to return on Tuesday and the club will have to clear a roster spot, writes MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Unfortunately for Milwaukee, both Erick Almonte and the recently-promoted Brandon Boggs are out of options.
- Although Chris Sampson was somewhat shocked on April 1st when he learned that the Rockies would be releasing him, he was optimisitic that opportunities would likely fall into his lap toward the end of April, writes Stephen Goff of Examiner.com. Sampson signed a minor-league deal with the Marlins yesterday.
- Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald sees Jarrod Saltalamacchia's coronation as the Red Sox's starting catcher as being indicative of the lack of catching depth in the majors.
- Cutter Dykstra isn't exactly expected to accomplish what his father did, writes Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The 21-year-old was recently shipped to the Nationals from the Brewers.
- The Yankees no longer have the largest payroll of any sports team on the planet as a pair of soccer teams have unseated them, according to Nick Harris of Sporting Intelligence.
Week In Review: 4/17/11 – 4/23/11
It's time to take a look back at the week that was..
- The story of the week, of course, was Major League Baseball's decision to take over the Dodgers' financial operations. ESPN's Buster Olney summed up Bud Selig's takeover as "a two-handed shove out the door." Dodgers owner Frank McCourt intends to fight to keep control of his club.
- The Brewers surprised everyone this week when they announced Ryan Braun's monster extension. The Brewers locked up their star left fielder through 2020 with an extension for five years and $105MM. The deal includes a mutual option for 2021 worth up to $20MM with a $4MM buyout. Braun was already under contract through 2015 on a precedent-setting deal. The newest extension drew quite a bit of criticism.
- The Athletics acquired lefty David Purcey from the Blue Jays for minor league reliever Danny Farquhar. Purcey, 29, was designated for assignment by the Jays last week. The former first-rounder is out of options, so the A's must keep him in the majors or attempt to pass him through waivers.
- Where in the world is Brad Emaus? The Mets returned the Rule 5 pick to the Blue Jays on Thursday. On Friday, Toronto shipped Emaus to the Rockies in exchange for right-hander Chris Malone.
- The Pirates claimed Brandon Wood shortly after the shortstop was DFA'd by the Angels. Pittsburgh was first in line in the waiver order and jumped at the chance to add the 26-year-old. Infielder Josh Rodriguez was subsequently designated for assignment.
- The Dodgers designated Xavier Paul for assignment to create roster space for Jerry Sands. The 26-year-old appeared in seven games as a corner outfielder and pinch hitter his year, picking up three hits in his 11 trips to the plate.
- After trading Nyjer Morgan to the Brewers and plugging Rick Ankiel into the starting lineup, the Nationals are on the lookout for a center fielder.
- The Giants optioned first baseman Brandon Belt to Triple-A Fresno.
- The Mets would like to wait on an Ike Davis extension.
- The Blue Jays acquired righty Yohan Pino from the Indians for cash considerations.
- The Marlins agreed to sign reliever Chris Sampson. The soon-to-be 32-year-old was in camp with the Rockies before being released on April 1st.
- Ben Swaggerty signed with the Braves, MLBTR reported. The former Royals' Double-A Pitcher of the Year asked for and was granted his release out of Spring Training by Kansas City.
- The Yankees DFA'd Jose Ortegano on Saturday.
Cafardo On Dodgers, Upton, Doumit, Red Sox
Do not expect Dodgers owner Frank McCourt to go quietly into the night, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. The McCourt-Bud Selig saga could turn out to be one of the great sports legal battles of the 21st century. While he's been silent publicly, major league sources close to McCourt indicate he is flabbergasted by Selig’s actions, and that he has not been able to discuss the issues with the commissioner face-to-face. Here's more from Cafardo's Sunday column..
- A couple of major league evaluators say the Rays could explore moving B.J. Upton if they fall out of contention, or even if they’re in contention. They’d like to make a deal similar to the Matt Garza trade, in which they received good talent, including Sam Fuld.
- The Pirates received calls on catcher Ryan Doumit this winter but the talks eventually petered out. The Red Sox could be in the market for a backstop, but one talent evaluator says that Doumit isn't a great receiver and the club is better off sticking with Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Pittsburgh’s Chris Snyder, who is off to a hot start, could also be available.
- The Nationals are thought to be in the market for a center fielder and/or someone who can add give a boost to the Nats offense.
- The White Sox lead the majors with six blown saves, but one club exec stands by the team's decision to let Bobby Jenks go. Even though Jenks may do very well with Boston, it was the right decision, even if it doesn't look like it right now.
- Cafardo was surprised to see BoSox chariman Tom Werner issue a statement that he wasn’t interested in pursuing ownership of the Dodgers. Werner has Los Angeles roots and was once the owner of the Padres. The chairman himself pointed out that his business and personal relationships with John Henry are too good to walk away from.
Olney On Rangers, Bell, Dodgers
Reds slugger Joey Votto could be on his way to a second-straight MVP award, writes ESPN.com's Buster Olney. Pitchers now work around Votto with extreme wariness and the 27-year-old can no longer predict what's coming. Because of that, the first baseman has adapted and learned to work with what he's given. Here's more from Olney..
- The Rangers bullpen has taken a major blow after losing closer Neftali Feliz to the disabled list. This is a difficult time to land a reliever, especially a closer, because other teams will have a skyhigh asking price. For example, Olney writes that if Texas were to call the Padres about Heath Bell, the Padres would ask for a great deal in return, even though Bell is likely to be dealt this season.
- In the highest offices of a handful of other teams, there is heavy speculation that Brewers owner Mark Attanasio would be the most likely candidate to move from one team to the Dodgers. This can only happen, of course, if Major League Baseball maintains their hold on the club and if they decides to have an established owner take over the Dodgers. Such a scenario, Olney writes, would take months to play out.
Rosenthal On Fielder, Marlins, Yankees, Giants
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports brings us another edition of Full Count. Here are some highlights..
- Prince Fielder is off to a great start and one GM predicts that he'll be one of the most interesting free agents of all-time. The GM says that Fielder runs hard and is more athletic than most people think. He's about to turn 27 years old which means that he's about four-and-a-half years younger than Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols. A team like the Cubs could use Fielder against Pujols, saying that if he doesn't meet their price, they could sign Fielder instead.
- The Marlins are second in the National League in ERA and first in bullpen ERA by a wide margin. Theyr'e going to have to keep winning with pitching as Hanley Ramirez is off to a slow start, Logan Morrison is out with an injured foot and Mike Stanton still hasn't found his form since coming back from a hamstring strain. Last week, Rosenthal pointed out the potential availability of Mark DeRosa and this week he says that the veteran would be a perfect fit in Florida.
- The Yankees will soon face some decisions regarding their rotation. Kevin Millwood has an out in his contract if he's not in the majors by May 1st. The club might have better options such as Adam Warren and possibly Hector Noesi or David Phelps. In addition to those prospects, Carlos Silva is working his way back into shape and Phil Hughes is about to start a rehab assignment this week.
- Miguel Tejada is off to a rough start in 2011 as he looks less-than-sharp in the field and is hitting just .209/.239/.328. The Giants don't have any great internal options at shortstop, so Rosenthal says to keep an eye on Jose Reyes, Marco Scutaro, J.J. Hardy as possible trade targets.
Nationals Designate Lee Hyde For Assignment
The Nationals designated left-handed reliever Lee Hyde for assignment, according to a team press release. The move was made in order to create a roster spot for Brian Bixler, whose contract was recently purchased from Triple-A Syracuse.
This was Hyde's first season with the Nats after spending the previous five in the Braves organization. The left-hander has performed well in Double-A but has struggled at the Triple-A level. In 29 Triple-A appearances, the 26-year-old owns a 5.64 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 7.1 BB/9.
Rangers Notes: Cano, Martin, Webb, Lewis
Let's check out some Rangers items as they take on the Yankees in the Bronx..
- The Rangers will undoubtedly be on the lookout for relief pitching this offseason, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
- Evan P. Grant of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter) wonders what the Rangers would look like had they taken Robinson Cano instead of Joaquin Arias in the Alex Rodriguez trade.
- The Rangers will likely wait to announce the signing of Cuban outfielder Leonys Martin, writes MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. The 23-year-old is still being processed through the customs and immigration, and it could be beyond this week before he is ready to play for the club.
- As he works to rehabilitate his injured shoulder, Brandon Webb tells Sullivan that he would be willing to work out of the bullpen as a reliever if that's what the Rangers need when he gets back. Webb's performance bonuses for 2011 are tied to innings pitched and days on the active roster, but not to number of games started. The right-hander will earn a base of $3MM and could boost the value of the deal to $8-10MM through incentives.
- Colby Lewis will return from paternity leave on Monday but the Rangers won't have to risk losing anyone to create a roster spot, Sullivan writes. It seems likely that either Michael Kirkman or Mark Lowe will be optioned to Triple-A.