East Notes: Red Sox, Dempster, Mets, Murena
Items on the Red Sox and Mets..
- Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com has a list of suggestions for fixing the Red Sox and writes that the club should seek out a starting pitcher who can make a difference. Ryan Dempster of the Cubs, Heyman writes, would be a solid fit.
- Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter) wasn't confident that David Wright would be a lifelong member of the Mets a year ago but now thinks that there's a good chance the club will pony up more than $100MM to keep him.
- Mets reliever Tim Byrdak could use support from a second lefty in the bullpen, but pitching coach Dan Warthen told Rubin that the club is unlikely to deal for one. Byrdak has made a league-leading 19 relief appearances.
- The Red Sox signed Pablo Murena, a 17-year-old catcher out of Panama, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Murena became a catcher just a couple months ago and the team was impressed with his arm strength at the position.
Yankees Claim Justin Thomas Off Waivers
The Yankees have claimed left-handed reliever Justin Thomas off of waivers from the Red Sox, Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger confirms (via Twitter). The move was first reported by Maureen Mullen of CSNNE.com (via Twitter).
Thomas, 28, was removed from Boston's 40-man roster earlier this week and has one minor league option remaining. The reliever has a 4.14 ERA with 8.1 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in eight seasons as a minor leaguer.
Olney On Hamels, Victorino, Youkilis, Dodgers
A look at today's column from Buster Olney of ESPN.com..
- The Phillies could have an ulterior motive in exploring trade possibilities for left-hander Cole Hamels and center fielder Shane Victorino. The club could be suggesting that they are willing to trade the two veterans in order to pressure them to come to the negotiating table. However, it both cases, there appears to be a significant gap to overcome.
- Olney speculates that the Dodgers could be a good landing spot this summer for Kevin Youkilis if James Loney doesn't turn things around and the club is in search of an upgrade at first. Youkilis, of course, would have to appear healthy enough to take on for the rest of the season.
- The Blue Jays don't have a master plan for Vladimir Guerrero as they basically signed him for organizational depth, similar to what the Rays did by signing Hideki Matsui. If Guerrero shows in Triple-A that he can be a productive player, and a need arises for the Jays, then he could be promoted. If a need doesn't develop, then the club will allow Guerrero to pursue better opportunities elsewhere.
Pirates Acquire Jeff Larish From Red Sox
The Pirates have acquired first baseman/third baseman Jeff Larish from the Red Sox in exchange for cash considerations, according to a team press release. Larish will be assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis tomorrow.
Larish, 29, last appeared in the majors in 2010 with the Athletics. The veteran hit .240/.330/.449 in 75 games for the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate last season and hooked on with Boston last week.
The move marks the second trade of the day for the Red Sox as they acquired Scott Podsednik from the Phillies earlier this evening.
Red Sox Acquire Scott Podsednik From Phillies
The Red Sox have acquired Scott Podsednik from the Phillies, a source tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The Phillies will receive cash considerations for the outfielder and he will report to Triple-A Pawtucket, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com (Twitter links).
Podsednik, 36, has not appeared in the majors since 2010 when he played for the Royals and Dodgers. The Red Sox were said to be scouting the veteran roughly three weeks ago as they have been on the lookout for a left-handed hitting outfielder.
The outfielder hit .254/.340/.396 in the Phillies' and Blue Jays' farm systems in 2011 and signed a minor league deal with the Phillies last fall. For his big league career, Podsednik owns a .279/.340/.381 slash line.
Valentine: Sox Not Looking To Deal Or Acquire Pitcher
Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said that he is not aware of any trade talks involving either the acquisition or trading of a pitcher, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Major league sources also dismissed the idea that Boston would consider trading Josh Beckett in the wake of his golfing controversy.
“I’m sure that Ben’s looking at every conceivable way of improving our team, but I haven’t been in on any trade conversations about pitching, either coming or going,” said the manager.
Speier writes that Beckett's value would be virtually non-existent and points out that he has given the team more quality outings than any other pitcher so far this year. Beckett, 31, is set to earn $15.75MM each year through 2014.
Valentine also said that no real consideration was given to the idea of sending the struggling Clay Buchholz to the minors. Had Boston made that move, they would have exposed the pitcher to optional waivers.
Quick Hits: Red Sox, Garza, Bartlett
The Mets play the 8,000th game in the history of their franchise tonight, and they're still looking for their first ever no-hitter. Here are some links to read before Johan Santana takes on Mark Buehrle and the Marlins in Miami…
- Red Sox GM Ben Cherington says the team's medical staff doesn't believe Josh Beckett was putting himself at risk by golfing with stiffness in his lat muscle, Alex Speier of WEEI.com writes. Cherington does acknowledge that perception matters when it comes to the team's level of commitment.
- Lines of communication are open between Matt Garza and the Cubs, Jon Heyman of CSBSports.com reports. The Cubs will try to extend Garza, who's under team control through 2013. Heyman suggests a five-year, $80MM deal could work for both sides.
- Some people expect the Padres to release Jason Bartlett, Heyman tweets. The 32-year-old has a .433 OPS in 88 plate appearances and he doesn't appear to figure into the Padres' long-term plans.
Quick Hits: Youkilis, Wang, Twins, Wheeler
Expanded instant replay was included in the new collective bargaining agreement, but Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hears that the league is no rush to implement a new system. MLB executive vice president Joe Torre told Morosi they want to "make the game better without dragging it on."
Here's the latest from the around the league as Thursday turns into Friday…
- "I have no idea," said Kevin Youkilis to ESPN's Gordon Edes when asked what the arrival of Will Middlebrooks means for his future with the Red Sox. Youkilis can become a free agent after this season and is in the middle of a make or break year.
- The Nationals may have a better chance of trading Chien-Ming Wang than John Lannan, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. Wang is currently on the DL with a hamstring issue, but Lannan has a 6.10 ERA in Triple-A.
- "This is just something that we've got to do right now," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire to LaVelle E. Neal III of The Star Tribune following last night's roster shakeup. "We need to make some changes. We need some hits. We need some new life in here, the whole package."
- Dan Wheeler declined to comment when asked if he though about accepting the Red Sox's offer of arbitration last offseason, writes Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal. Wheeler would have received a guaranteed big league contract had he accepted arbitration, but he instead settled for a minor league deal with the Indians.
Make Or Break Year: Kevin Youkilis
The Red Sox are among baseball's most disappointing teams so far this season, due in part to injury. Closer Andrew Bailey, outfielders Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury, and starters John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka are among the players the team has lost for a significant length of time already in 2012. Boston also lost Kevin Youkilis, an important right-handed bat in their lefty heavy lineup.
Youkilis, 33, is currently on the disabled list with a lower back strain. It's his fifth trip to the DL in the last four years, part of a laundry list of injuries that includes an oblique strain (2009), thumb surgery (2010), back tightness (2011), and a sports hernia (2011). Since the start of the 2010 season, Youkilis has played in just 240 of 352 possible games (68.2%).
Prior to being placed on the DL, Youkilis had a .219/.292/.344 batting line in 72 plate appearances. Dating back to last year's All-Star break, he's produced a .205/.307/.345 batting line in 231 plate appearances. His performance during his peak years – .308/.404/.560 from 2008-2010 – appears to be very much a thing of the past right now. A player with injury concerns and declining performance as he approaches his mid-30s usually isn't someone a team tries to keep around.
To make matters worse for Youkilis, the Red Sox have a ready-made third base replacement already in-house. Top prospect Will Middlebrooks has burst onto the scene with three homers and four doubles in his six games with Boston, continuing the hot streak that saw him hit nine homers in 24 games in Triple-A games before being recalled. Baseball America ranked Middlebrooks as the 51st best prospect in the game before the season, and the 23-year-old is doing his best to show the team he deserves to play the hot corner on the full-time basis.
The Red Sox owe Youkilis $12MM this season and hold a $13MM club option for his services next year ($1MM buyout). It's seems very unlikely that they'll exercise the option at this point, though the decision still isn't due for another seven months or so. A lot can change between now and then. Youkilis is in a difficult position as an injury-prone and declining player with a young hotshot rookie ready to take his job. If the Red Sox decline to bring him back in 2013, his stock as a free agent will be poor without a strong return from this latest back ailment.
Photo courtesy of US Presswire.
Red Sox Remove Justin Thomas From Roster
The Red Sox have removed left-hander Justin Thomas from their 40-man roster, Alex Speier of WEEI.com tweets. In corresponding moves, the Red Sox optioned Clayton Mortensen to the minor leagues and selected the contract of Daniel Nava. It's not clear if the Red Sox designated Thomas for assignment or released him.
Thomas, 28, appeared in seven games for the Red Sox this year, allowing ten hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings while striking out four. He has a 4.14 ERA with 8.1 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in eight seasons as a minor leaguer.