Red Sox Rumors

Red Sox Links: Aceves, Napoli, De La Rosa

By Steve Adams | February 18, 2013 at 11:03pm CDT

We learned earlier tonight that the Red Sox are one of several teams interested in recently DFA'ed Mariners first baseman/outfielder Mike Carp. Here's some more on the BoSox…

Alex Speier of WEEI.com runs down a list of the team's options with Alfredo Aceves, who recently garnered some negative attention for himself by lobbing pitches to batters in live batting practice rather than actually pitching (ESPNBoston's Joe McDonald has the details). The Red Sox could trade Aceves, waive him, option him to Triple-A, or cut him for a fraction of his salary depending on the date at which they would theoretically release him.
When ESPN's Buster Olney asked one GM about Aceves, he responded by asking, "Why haven't they cut him yet?" Other GMs think Aceves has some trade value (Twitter link).
The Boston Herald's Scott Lauber interviewed Mike Napoli's agent and friend, Brian Grieper, about the emotional roller coaster that Napoli went through upon learning that he had avascular necrosis (AVN) in both of his hips. Grieper and Napoli were concerned about Napoli's long-term health, first and foremost, writes Lauber. A recent MRI showed Napoli's condition hasn't worsened. He'll have another MRI in three months and will be on medication for the next two years to monitor the condition.
Rubby De La Rosa has one of the best arms in the organization, writes Mike Newman of Fangraphs, which makes Boston's offseason acquisitions a bit surprising. The team added Ryan Dempster, Joel Hanrahan and Koji Uehara, which effectively blocks De La Rosa from having a clear path to the Major League roster. De La Rosa was one of the key pieces in last summer's blockbuster with the Dodgers.

Multiple Teams Interested In Mike Carp

By Steve Adams | February 18, 2013 at 7:34pm CDT

7:34pm: Brewers general manager Doug Melvin has indeed checked in on Carp, writes MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik told McCalvy that there's a good chance that Carp will be dealt in the next 24-48 hours.

7:19pm: The Twins, Red Sox and Astros are among the teams that are interested in Mike Carp, according Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (on Twitter). MLB.com's Greg Johns also speculates (via Twitter) that the Brewers could be a possible landing spot for Carp given Mat Gamel's season-ending injury and Corey Hart's knee surgery.

Carp, 26, has a career .255/.327/.413 batting line in 608 plate appearances. The lefty swinger was designated for assignment by the Mariners last week in order to clear roster space for the recently signed Joe Saunders. As Cafardo notes, Seattle has until Thursday of this week to make a decision regarding Carp's future.

Any team that acquires the first baseman/outfielder would be locking in four years of team control, as Carp won't be eligible for free agency until the 2016-17 offseason.

East Notes: Mets, Red Sox, Aceves, Yankees

By Zachary Links | February 18, 2013 at 3:04pm CDT

In a meeting with his players today, Mets manager Terry Collins told his team that just because they don't have eight players making $20MM doesn't mean that they can't win, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post (on Twitter). Could the Mets surprise people this year? We'll have to wait and see. Here's more out of the AL and NL East..

A rival evaluator told Buster Olney of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that if the Red Sox decide to move Alfredo Aceves, he will have some value in the trade market. Aceves' agent, Tom O'Connell, was in Fort Myers, Florida today and had a chat with GM Ben Cherington, according to Tim Britton of the Providence Journal (Twitter link). However, it's not clear if the two were talking about Aceves.
Mets GM Sandy Alderson has committed to reloading the team's farm system and won't sacrifice the club's future to win the short term, writes Andy McCullough of Baseball America (subscription req'd).
Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano told reporters, including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com (via Twitter), that he's not thinking about his next contract and is only focused on winning another championship. Last week we heard that Cano and the Bombers aren't making much progress on contract talks.
Barring something completely unexpected, Yankees manager Joe Girardi seems like a safe bet to re-sign with the team this winter and lead them for another three years or so, writes Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues.
Pedro Martinez is pitching in to help out the Red Sox in spring training, but he told reporters that he doesn't see himself wanting to be a manager or a pitching coach, tweets Alex Speier of WEEI.com.

Cafardo On Arroyo, Wang, Perez, Dodgers, Oswalt

By Zachary Links | February 17, 2013 at 10:48am CDT

The Rays shed about $28MM of payroll this winter between B.J. Upton, James Shields, Carlos Pena, Jeff Keppinger, J.P. Howell, and Wade Davis, but that's no problem for the confident organization, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. While the team will look different in several areas this season, they'll still have their typically strong pitching. The first four of the rotation are set with David Price, Jeremy Hellickson, Matt Moore, Alex Cobb with a competition between four strong candidates for the No. 5 spot. Here's more from today's column..

Bronson Arroyo has been a consistent pitcher for the Reds, but the feeling from most people and the pitcher himself is that this could be his last year in Cincinnati. One major league source says the Cubs would be a perfect fit as a strong veteran presence in their rebuilding effort.
Agent Alan Nero said he has taken Chien-Ming Wang off the market until he pitches for Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic. If he pitches well, the veteran should have a healthy market for a team in need of depth. The Yankees are keeping tabs on Wang despite already having six starters in the fold.
While there’s more focus on where Alfonso Soriano might be dealt, David DeJesus could also be a nice midseason chip for the Cubs. The outfielder would be a solid fit for a few teams, including the Phillies, Orioles, and Red Sox.
It looks like the Indians will hold on to Chris Perez for now, but the Dodgers had serious interest in him not too long ago. If Tribe gets off to a slow start, L.A's interest could be something to keep in mind.
The Red Sox have discussed first baseman/outfielder Mike Carp, who was designated for assignment last week by the Mariners, as a backup. There may not be room, however, as they are committed to Lyle Overbay. Overbay has asked the Red Sox if he could play some outfield as well this season.
Roy Oswalt still hasn't officially retired and he could be leaving the door open to join a club during the season. Recently, we learned that the Mets tried to sell Oswalt on becoming their closer in 2013, but the veteran isn't interested in the bullpen.
Teams will pay attention to out-of-options Red Sox reliever Clayton Mortensen in spring training. The 27-year-old looks to be the odd man out the way the Sox bullpen could be configured.

AL East Notes: Cherington, Lind, Jurrjens

By Daniel Seco 2 | February 16, 2013 at 8:00pm CDT

Here's the latest news and stories making headlines around the AL East…

Red Sox GM Ben Cherington says that he does not expect Jacoby Ellsbury contract situation to be a distraction at any point this season, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Ellsbury enters his walk year looking to rebound from injuries that have plagued him in two of the past three seasons.
Adam Lind discusses how last year's Blue Jays coaching staff played a role in negatively impacting his numbers over the course of the season, writes Gregor Chisolm of MLB.com. "This year the coaches will be given the freedom to do whatever they want. They have the trust of Gibby so he can just manage and sometimes the type of personalities we had on our staff last year, they micromanaged a lot and sometimes that can affect the way we play and the way we coach."
Jair Jurrjens may have suffered financial setback this offseason, but the veteran right-hander remains confident he can be the pitcher the Orioles were looking for when they first offered him a big league contract, says Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun. "If I'm out there and can stay on the mound, I know what I can do. A lot of people know what I can do. I'm just going to come here and show everybody that i'm healthy and I can pitch again."

East Notes: Red Sox, Duquette, Escobar, LaRoche

By Daniel Seco 2 | February 15, 2013 at 7:14pm CDT

John Lackey's new slim physique marks one of the many signs that the Red Sox organization has taken a step toward rebuilding a positive culture within the clubhouse, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub req'd). The team has added new faces on the field (Jonny Gomes, Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino, among others) as well as brought familiar staff members home (former pitching coach John Farrell returns to Boston as the squad's manager) for what should be a vastly different season than years past. Here's the rest of the news and stories making headlines in both of the East Divisions.

Jair Jurrjens' contract status continues to remain the status quo according to Orioles GM Dan Duquette, writes Britt Ghiroli of MLB.com (on Twitter). "It's time to get it resolved," said Duquette as Jurrjens looks to rebound from a difficult 2012 season where he posted a 6.89 ERA with 3.5 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 48.1 innings.
Yunel Escobar's arrival with the Rays organization has manager Joe Maddon excited about what the shortstop can provide the team this season, says Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). After a suspension marred his final month with the Blue Jays, Escobar was dealt to the Marlins in the November mega deal before ending up in St. Petersburg.
Adam LaRoche says the new free agent compensation system has hurt players like him and is currently keeping Kyle Lohse from finding an acceptable deal, writes Dan Kolko of MASNSports.com (Twitter links). "It shows how important it is to get rid of that rule," LaRoche said to MLB.com's Bill Ladson. "I don't know if that was something the union granted, or they overlooked and didn't realize it could backfire the way it did, or if they were willing to take that risk. In talking with the union a little bit, I think they would love to take that back." For a more in-depth look, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes examines the system and explains why a qualifying offer can be a hindrance for a high-quality, but not elite, free agent.

NL West Links: D’Backs, Torrealba, Crawford, Colletti

By Mark Polishuk | February 14, 2013 at 8:37pm CDT

Diamondbacks outfielder Adam Eaton holds the top spot on Keith Law's top 20 list of prospects (ESPN Insider subscription required) who will have the biggest impact in 2013. Eaton is projected as Arizona's leadoff man and everyday center fielder, and Law believes Eaton can be a Rookie Of The Year candidate given how well his game fits Chase Field. D'Backs left-hander Tyler Skaggs is #4 on Law's list and Trevor Bauer (who the Snakes dealt to the Indians this offseason) ranked fifth. Padres righty Casey Kelly also appears in the top 20, while Padres infielder Jedd Gyorko and Giants reliever Heath Hembree are honorable mentions.

Here's the latest from the NL West…

Derrick Hall, the Diamondbacks' president and CEO, said "our moves are done at this point" during his monthly chat with fans on MLB.com. Hall confirmed that the team would be keeping Jason Kubel, which GM Kevin Towers noted in the wake of the Justin Upton deal last month.
D'Backs GM Kevin Towers said the club didn't require Didi Gregorius to take a physical before they acquired him in December, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. This is significant only because Gregorius is currently suffering from a slightly-strained UCL, as Piecoro notes that it is fairly rare for teams to ask for players to take full physicals before deals unless the player has a particular injury history.
Yorvit Torrealba is back with the Rockies and some team officials have admitted the club erred in not re-signing the catcher as a free agent after the 2009 season, MLB.com's Thomas Harding writes. Torrealba signed a minor league deal with Colorado last month and is battling Ramon Hernandez for the backup catching job.
Carl Crawford feels invigorated by his trade to the Dodgers, the outfielder tells Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. Crawford said he was "in kind of a depression stage" during his troubled tenure in Boston, and he described the environment with the Red Sox as "toxic."
Expectations are high for the free-spending Dodgers but manager Don Mattingly and GM Ned Colletti aren't fazed by the pressure, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register writes.
From earlier today, the Rockies acquired utilityman Reid Brignac from the Rays and we covered some more Dodgers items as part of a Los Angeles Notes post.

Lucchino On Red Sox, Spending, Philosophy, Ross

By Mark Polishuk | February 14, 2013 at 6:37pm CDT

Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino talked with the media (including WEEI.com's Alex Speier) today about a number of topics, with the focus on how the franchise had adjusted in the wake of its disappointing 2012 season. Lucchino declared that the Red Sox were underdogs going into 2013, with the Blue Jays lined up as the new favorites in the AL East. Some of the highlights of Lucchino's talk….

Management is as willing as ever to spend to make the Sox competitive. Lucchino pointed to the team's track record over the last 11 years of spending in all facets of the baseball operations as evidence that "we are in it to win."
In part due to its recent unsuccessful forays into the free agent market, the Red Sox will have a renewed focus on developing homegrown prospects. Lucchino is excited about this development: "…most organizations tend to overvalue their own prospects, and you’ve got to be very diligent about making sure that your assessments are realistic. But I do think there are some talented young players who are going to have an impact. Some may even have an impact, I think, this year.”
As noted earlier today, Lucchino is open to signing Jacoby Ellsbury to a long-term contract and the outfielder is similarly interested in working out an extension.
The Red Sox only managed a .315 team OBP in 2012, which both owner John Henry and Lucchino noted ran counter to the club's franchise-wide philosophy. "We used to have incentives in contracts relating to on-base percentage to show you how important we thought it was. I think there was kind of a deviation from that, somewhere along the way," Lucchino said. "I think it kind of grew gradually, and if you’re not ever-vigilant, that can happen to the organization…Perception that everybody now gets it, everybody now understands it, and don’t we have to look for some new metric or approach? And we in some ways outsmarted ourselves.”
Lucchino admitted he had hoped the Red Sox would re-sign outfielder Cody Ross (who left Boston to sign a free agent contract with the Diamondbacks this offseason) but likes the other new outfielders in the fold, such as Jonny Gomes.

Quick Hits: Valverde, Mets, Ellsbury, Bauer

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 14, 2013 at 3:07pm CDT

Tigers manager Jim Leyland said he is "shocked" and "broken-hearted" that reliever Jose Valverde hasn’t signed yet, according to the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter). Valverde and Kyle Lohse are the only players from MLBTR’s list of top 50 free agents who have yet to sign. Here are some links from around MLB as we await their decisions…

Mets owner Fred Wilpon insists that he's financially solvent and willing to spend. Less than a year from now he'll have the chance to prove it, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post writes.
Jacoby Ellsbury said he loves playing for the Red Sox, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). However, the center fielder has decided to defer to agent Scott Boras when it comes to his contract status. Ellsbury, a free agent this coming offseason, ranks fourth on MLBTR's initial Free Agent Power Rankings.
Red Sox CEO/president Larry Lucchino suggested the team could discuss an extension with Ellsbury this spring, Alex Speier of WEEI.com reports. "We’d very much like to have him here," Lucchino said.
Dave Cameron of FanGraphs believes the low-cost options built into the contracts of pitchers such as John Lackey and Felix Hernandez could represent the beginning of a positive trend for MLB as a whole.
Trevor Bauer told MLB.com's Jordan Bastian that he doesn't have "hard feelings" toward his former team (Twitter link). The Diamondbacks traded Bauer to the Indians in December and Miguel Montero had some critical words for the right-hander earlier this week.

AL East Notes: Haren, Johnson, Blue Jays

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 14, 2013 at 11:00am CDT

On this date in 2007 the Red Sox signed free agent outfielder J.D. Drew to a five-year, $70MM contract. Though Drew hit .264/.370/.455 in Boston, he had trouble staying on the field and faced his share of scrutiny over the years. Here are today's AL East links, as Drew's younger brother Stephen prepares for his first season with the Red Sox…

Dan Haren told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that his agent had a lot of conversations with the Red Sox this past winter (Twitter link). The Nationals ultimately signed Haren to a one-year, $13MM deal.
Blue Jays right-hander Josh Johnson took note of Felix Hernandez's seven-year, $175MM extension, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. "It’s kind of hard not to see that. It’s incredible, he deserves it," Johnson said. He'll earn $13.75MM in 2013 before hitting free agency next offseason. The 29-year-old ranked third on MLBTR's initial Free Agent Power Rankings.
The Blue Jays’ roster includes many players from the 2012 Marlins, but Toronto’s club won’t be so disappointing, Morosi writes at FOX Sports.com.
Infielder Omar Quintanilla seriously considered the Mets and Orioles this offseason before deciding to sign in New York, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports. The Mets traded Quintanilla to Baltimore for future considerations last July then re-signed him in January after the Orioles non-tendered him.

« Previous Page

Load More Posts

Show all

Headlines

Red Sox Rumors

Navigation

MLBTR INFO

Connect