Orioles Rumors

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Lee, Orioles, Gomes, Loewen

By Mike Axisa | June 18, 2010 at 11:05am CDT

On this date back in 1996, catcher Chris Anderson delivered a run scoring single for the Hudson Valley Renegades of the short season New York-Penn League. It was the first hit ever recorded by a member of the then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays organization. Anderson was the team's 66th round draft pick that year, but he never made it out of A-ball and hit just .170/.236/.298 in 432 plate appearances before calling it a career in 1999. Every team starts somewhere.

Here are a few links from the baseball blogosphere…

U.S.S. Mariner dubs the Twins as the favorites to land Cliff Lee this summer.
Camden Chat likes the Orioles' draft haul, but thinks it could have been better.
Bernie's Crew uses Milwaukee's roster to show that the later rounds of the draft can be productive as well.
More Hardball looks at the bang Jonny Gomes has provided for the Reds' buck.
Liam McGuire's Blog wonders if Adam Loewen is the second coming of Rick Ankiel.
1 Blue Jays Way interviewed Tom Filer, former big leaguer and current pitching coach for the Altoona Curve, Pittsburgh's Double-A affiliate.
Baseball Opinion examines the best and worst picks of the 2005 draft.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Odds & Ends: Maybin, Blue Jays, Orioles, Oswalt

By Luke Adams 2 | June 17, 2010 at 9:46pm CDT

Links for Thursday night, as interleague play keeps Dan Haren's 1.000 OPS out of Arizona's lineup….

Following tonight's game, the Marlins optioned Cameron Maybin to the minors, tweets Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. As MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith noted yesterday, the team might avoid having Maybin become a super two player after 2011 if they keep him in the minors for a few weeks.
Not many draft signings to pass on today, but the Blue Jays announced that they've signed their 16th-round pick, Canadian Dalton Pompey. Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun says (via Twitter) that Pompey gets a $140K bonus.
While the Orioles have yet to discuss such a plan, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports explains why he thinks the club could hire a manager and not immediately put him in the dugout.
Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News believes the Rangers are the frontrunners for Roy Oswalt if the sale of the team moves forward by early July.
In a Q&A with MLB.com's Bill Ladson, Nationals manager Jim Riggleman says Roger Bernadina's performance is convincing the team they don't need to acquire a right fielder.
Cody Ross tells Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post that he hopes the Marlins become buyers rather than sellers: "We want to get somebody to help us rather than see some of us gone."
Pirates president Frank Coonelly met with reporters today and addressed Akinori Iwamura's DFA, Pedro Alvarez's promotion, and the team's recent trades. MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch has the details.

O’s Aren’t Looking To Shed Payroll

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 17, 2010 at 3:47pm CDT

The Orioles may be 30 games under .500, but they’re not going to make deals for the sake of making deals. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail told MLB.com’s Brittany Ghiroli that the club is open to making trades this summer and that’s a good thing, since opposing general managers regularly call to ask about his players.

"You can imagine the guys that are popular," MacPhail said. "Our young pitching is popular, but that's part of the cornerstone of what we are trying to do."

Jeremy Guthrie, who has a sub-4.00 ERA and won’t become a free agent until after the 2012 season, could be one of the appealing arms MacPhail is referring to. Some of Guthrie’s teammates – Ty Wigginton, Miguel Tejada, Kevin Millwood, Cesar Izturis, Will Ohman and Luke Scott – could be easier to obtain. But that doesn’t mean they’re going anywhere.

"We wouldn't [trade] just for the sake of moving payroll," MacPhail said.

If the Orioles determine that they can get something back for Millwood, he is “open" to the idea of switching teams, though he will not demand a trade. Last summer the O's traded Aubrey Huff, Gregg Zaun and George Sherrill away.

Odds & Ends: Lee, Orioles, Cubs, Oswalt, Chipper

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 16, 2010 at 2:56pm CDT

Links for Wednesday, before Pedro Alvarez makes his MLB debut…

Jack Curry of the YES Network (via Twitter) hears from a baseball official that the Phillies are interested in adding a starting pitcher. Curry specifically names Cliff Lee, though I can't imagine the team re-acquiring him just a few months after shipping him to Seattle.
The Orioles have contacted Buck Showalter about managing the team, according to Tim Kurkjian of ESPN.com.
The Cubs hired a statistical analyst for the team's baseball operations department, according to ESPN.com's Bruce Levine.
Jon Heyman of SI.com hears that it's an "extreme long shot" that the Rangers acquire Roy Oswalt.
One GM told ESPN.com's Buster Olney that teams are now demanding big returns for players who will eventually be traded for less.
DJ Bean of WEEI.com introduces us to Red Sox fourth rounder Garin Cecchini, who told every major league team he wouldn't sign for less than mid-first-round money. Specifically, Cecchini wants $1.75MM, according to Bean.
White Sox GM Kenny Williams told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune that he hasn't given up on his team and wants to see how it fares over the course of the coming week.
Chipper Jones' agent, B.B. Abbott, told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that Chipper will "absolutely not" retire during the season.
The Yankees released David Winfree from their Triple A team, according to Donnie Collins of the Times-Tribune.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post points out that the Yankees won't have to pursue free agents Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth if Brett Gardner, Nick Swisher and Curtis Granderson keep playing this well.

Amateur Draft Signings: Tuesday

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 15, 2010 at 5:08pm CDT

We'll probably have to wait a little while for Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and Jameson Taillon to sign, but teams have agreed to deals with some of the players selected later on in the draft. The players listed below signed today. Click here for the list of picks to sign yesterday and here for the updated list of first rounders to sign:

The Rangers signed four picks, reports ESPNDallas.com, including third-rounder Jordan Akins and fourth-rounder Drew Robinson.
As reported earlier, Toronto signed 14 picks, including supplemental rounders Aaron Sanchez and Noah Syndergaard.
Thirteenth-rounder Robby Price is the highest-drafted of the five Rays picks who signed today, reports Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.
Eight more Orioles picks have signed, says Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Riley Hornback (12th round) is the highest selected of the new signees.
The Brewers have signed fourth-rounder Hunter Morris and two other draft picks, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
LoHud.com's Chad Jennings reports that the Yankees have signed 13 picks, with eight-rounder Kyle Roller the highest-drafted of the bunch.
The Padres signed second rounder Jedd Gyorko and fourth rounder Chris Bisson pending physicals, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock (via Twitter).
The Royals signed seven more draft picks, including eighth rounder Michael Mariot.
The Pirates signed six late round selections, according to MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch (via Twitter).

Mark Polishuk also contributed to this post.

Odds & Ends: A’s, Reds, Murton, Maya, Chipper

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 15, 2010 at 4:00pm CDT

Links for Tuesday, as Andy Pettitte and Tim Lincecum celebrate birthdays…

A's assistant GM David Forst tells MLB.com's Jane Lee that the club would like to add depth to its lineup, even after the Conor Jackson trade (Twitter link).
Reds GM Walt Jocketty tells John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer that the club would consider trading for or signing a reliever.
The Hanshin Tigers will pick up Matt Murton's option for 2011, according to Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker (via Twitter). Jack Moore of FanGraphs recently updated us on Murton's success in Japan.
Ben Badler of Baseball America hears that the Mariners will likely sign right-hander Jose Torres for $800K (Twitter link).
MLBTR has an internship opportunity for a limited number of regular readers. Any skilled and experienced writers with an eye for detail should describe their experience as writers and editors in a couple sentences and e-mail mlbtrintern@gmail.com by the end of the day.
Yunesky Maya was already unblocked, but he can sign with anyone now that he has been cleared by the FAC office, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPNdeportes.com (link in Spanish).
Chipper Jones could announce that he will retire after the season, according to Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle says Nationals GM Mike Rizzo misread Stephen Strasburg and should have called him up early on in the season.
From what Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog gathers, the Mets and Mariners have talked a lot about Cliff Lee.
Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik declined to comment on whether the team would trade Lee now, according to Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com.
Jay Greenberg of the New York Post says the Mets seem likely to keep relying on R.A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi, as tempting as Roy Oswalt may be.
Buck Showalter and Phil Garner both told MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli that the O's have yet to contact them about managing the club.
Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times suggests the Cubs could benefit from becoming sellers. – it just wouldn't be an easy sell to the fan base.
David Ortiz tells Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he misses Manny Ramirez, though the two didn't socialize much beyond the ballpark.

Orioles Release Tony Butler, Jake Smith

By Mike Axisa | June 14, 2010 at 2:24pm CDT

The Orioles have released lefthanded pitching prospects Tony Butler and Jake Smith according to MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli (via Twitter). Both had been playing with Baltimore's Low Class-A affiliate.

Butler, 22, was the Mariners' third round pick in the 2006 draft, and was traded to the Orioles as part of the Erik Bedard deal. He battled injury and ineffectiveness after the trade, posting a 5.91 ERA in 112.2 innings with the organization, including a 7.66 ERA in 44.2 innings this season. Baseball America ranked him as the team's 24th best prospect as recently as last season.

Smith, 24, was Baltimore's 45th round pick in 2007, and pitched to a respectable 4.01 ERA in 112.1 innings. In 33.2 innings in 2010, he posted a 4.54 ERA with unimpressive peripherals. Neither he nor Butler made it out of A-ball.

Odds & Ends: Pierzynski, Yankees, Orioles, Fox

By Zachary Links | June 13, 2010 at 9:33pm CDT

Ted Lilly doesn't get the no-hitter, but he does get his first win in a while. Some links for tonight..

A.J. Pierzynski is looking forward to not having to talk about the possibility of being traded, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
There have been noticeable changes for the Yanks since their last showdown with the Phillies in the Bronx, writes MLB.com's Tim Britton.
If asked, the Dodgers aren't likely to grant the Orioles permission to interview third base coach Larry Bowa, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.
The recently DFA'd Jake Fox told MLB.com's Jane Lee (via Twitter) that he wasn't too surprised by the move.
The Tigers are unlikely to go through lengthy negotiations with catcher Patrick Leyland, son of manager Jim Leyland, writes Chris Iott of MLive.com. Detroit took Leyland in the 8th round of the draft.

Cafardo’s Latest: Red Sox, Brewers, Mariners, Oswalt

By Mike Axisa | June 13, 2010 at 11:14am CDT

In today's notes column, Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe wonders if the Red Sox would move closer Jonathan Papelbon after the season to open up the closer's role for Daniel Bard. He speculates that the Brewers, Twins, Rays, Braves, and Phillies could be in the market for a closer this winter. Papelbon is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2011 season.

Let's round up the rest of Cafardo's rumors…

Scott Boras said he undervalued Stephen Strasburg last year, even though he eventually signed the largest contract in draft history. Boras added that being around San Diego State coach Tony Gwynn helped Strasburg become prepared for what lied ahead.
Cafardo says that New England isn't a high priority area for scouts before the draft because by time they can get out to see the players in the region, it's too late in the game for a cross-checker to confirm anything.
Cafardo predicts that Jacoby Ellsbury will be traded this offseason. He'll arbitration eligible for the first time after 2010, though he's been battling rib issues basically all season.
He also remarks that the Red Sox would have to play Mike Lowell if they want to showcase him for a trade. Lowell has received just 50 plate appearances since the end of April.
Kevin Millwood should become major trade bait as the deadline approaches because he's pitched well and is in the final year of his contract.
The Brewers would love to make Randy Wolf available, but no one would take him on with more than two years and $24MM left on his deal. Meanwhile, Milwaukee still isn't sure if they'll try to improve their catching situation or become sellers and look towards next season.
The feeling is that once Seattle trades Cliff Lee, pretty much everyone on their roster not named Ichiro and Felix Hernandez will be available as well.
Diamondbacks' CEO Derrick Hall isn't happy with his team's performance and has talked about re-evaluating his management staff. They could be major players at the deadline, with Justin Upton representing the only untouchable.
Cafardo says that the feeling among big league executives is that the Dodgers will not give up the prospects necessary to acquire Roy Oswalt, but they would be okay taking on the money.
Adam Dunn would be a perfect fit for the Red Sox if they let David Ortiz go after the season, assuming the Nationals don't re-sign him.

Odds & Ends: Lee, Rockies, Orioles, Matthews

By Zachary Links | June 12, 2010 at 10:57pm CDT

Some links for Saturday night as we take in some night games..

Yankees special assistant and former Padres GM Kevin Towers was at Petco Park tonight with Cliff Lee pitching, tweets Corey Brock of MLB.com. However, Brock points out that Towers still lives in San Diego.
The Rockies have agreed to terms with 11 draft picks, according to Steve Foster of Inside The Rockies. Three of their top ten selections are now in the fold as well as 22nd round pick Mark Tracy, son of manager Jim Tracy.
Jon Heyman of SI (via Twitter) wonders aloud if Bobby Valentine will want to manage the O's if he's watching them play.
A major league source told Andy Martino of the New York Daily News that the Angels and Red Sox agreed to swap Mike Lowell for Gary Matthews Jr. last December. However, the Angels changed their minds over concerns about Lowell's thumb.
After a breakout season in 2009, Wandy Rodriguez is struggling mightily in 2010, writes Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. McTaggart writes that if Rodriguez is unable to rebound, the Astros may have to consider his future with the club after this season.
O's GM Andy MacPhail says that the club may not finish its managerial search before the end of this season, writes Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore has interviewed Bobby Valentine and ex-Indians skipper Eric Wedge thus far.
Brandon Webb could be valuable trade bait for the D'Backs if he returns healthy, writes USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

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