Angels May Look to Independent Leagues for Pitching Help
According to Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times, Angels manager Mike Scioscia says he might look to independent leagues for pitching help.
"There are some good pitchers that don't have jobs that have major league experience," Scioscia said of independent league pitchers.
According to Baxter, "the team appears unlikely to make a trade and management doesn't believe the big-name free agents still on the market – namely Pedro Martinez and Paul Byrd – can get up to game speed fast enough to help them."
Baxter notes that Jose Lima and Brendan Donnelly are among the players who have resurrected their careers after pitching in the independent Atlantic League. He mentions Ryan Drese as a player who "might be worth a look" by the Angels.
Angels DFA Daniel Davidson
According to Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times, the Angels have designated left-hander Daniel Davidson for assignment. The 28-year-old reliever had allowed one earned run and three walks in 1 1/3 innings this season. He projects as nothing more than a mediocre middle reliever, but it wouldn't be surprising to see another club claim him.
Byrd Would Pitch For Angels
Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times reports that Paul Byrd is interested in pitching for the Angels. Byrd's agent spoke with the Angels recently and heard that they're going to find pitching within their organization until John Lackey and Ervin Santana return. Earlier in the week GM Tony Reagins acknowledged contacting the agents for Byrd, Mark Mulder and Pedro Martinez.
Pedro Martinez May Sign Soon
6:47pm: Just to clarify, Nationals GM Mike Rizzo says the team maintains mild interest in Pedro.
1:41pm: For what it's worth, Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post would like to see the Nationals ink Pedro. He believes the organization has more than enough money, citing the recent Forbes findings, to match the right-hander's high salary demands.
FRIDAY, 8:53am: MLB.com's Bill Ladson has a source saying the Nationals haven't had interest in Pedro since Spring Training. The door remains just a crack open in the event that Martinez becomes amenable to an inexpensive contract. Otherwise, Ladson's Nationals source says, "We are satisfied with our rotation even though there is going to be some bumps along the way. We wouldn't want to make any changes there."
Meanwhile, here's Dodgers GM Ned Colletti talking about Pedro.
THURSDAY: According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, Pedro Martinezcould decide on his next team within two weeks. He's set to begin throwing off a mound tomorrow. Rosenthal says Pedro is open to both contending and rebuilding teams, but continues to demand a $5MM salary. ESPN's Jayson Stark suggested today that Martinez's exorbitant asking price may be a way of delaying his return.
A rundown of possible suitors, from Rosenthal:
- Angels GM Tony Reagins recently admitted to contacting Pedro's agent, but Rosenthal says "the two sides have not spoken in more than two weeks."
- Rosenthal learned from Nationals acting GM Mike Rizzo that the team has mild interest in Pedro and scouted him in March. Martinez's asking price is the issue.
- The Rangers have some interest.
- Rosenthal's Yankees source denies interest in Pedro, despite the pitcher telling friends the opposite. There is a Dominican newspaper report floating about suggesting a Pedro-Yankees union, but we'll trust Rosenthal's source.
- The Indians don't have the money, the Dodgers don't like the price, and the Mets aren't interested.
- Rosenthal does not mention the Orioles, Cardinals, or Pirates, teams that have been linked to Pedro in the past.
Stark’s Latest: Halladay, Vlad, Magglio
Jayson Stark's most recent column over at ESPN.com is absolutely chock-full of rumors and information…
- Marlins president David Samson doesn't anticipate the Marlins ever implementing a fire sale again. "We've put ourselves in a position, with salaries and the performance we're getting from players at a young age, that we don't have to do that anymore," said Samson. The new stadium should help with attendance, which should in turn help with payroll.
- Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi doesn't see his club trading Roy Halladay this season. "I still don't see us doing it," said Ricciardi. "I know ownership doesn't want to do it. And I don't think, in my gut, that Doc really wants to be anywhere else."
- Some MLB officials believe Vladimir Guerrero's recent pectoral injury could severely affect his free agent value this offseason. "He could be a $1 million player in a year, with $4 million in incentives," said an unnamed official of one team. "He's a tough guy to commit to."
- Pedro Martinez continues to demand a $5 million paycheck. It's doubtful any team, no matter how desperate, would commit to that price.
- Some folks in the baseball world think Magglio Ordonez might be made available near the trade deadline. Magglio has vesting options for 2010 and 2011, however, which could complicate a potential deal.
- Teams are also tracking a few other Tigers players, including Carlos Guillen and Placido Polanco.
Dodgers Interested In Mark Mulder
Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times has more information on free agent starter Mark Mulder, after talking to his agent Gregg Clifton:
Mulder is working out and, according to Clifton, could sign in one week and throw 100 pitches in a major league game in another two weeks. The Dodgers, with one starter on the disabled list, are among the "six to eight" teams interested, Clifton said. And how much contact has Clifton had with the Angels about Mulder? "Literally none," Clifton said.
Classic agent-speak – he is somehow not sure whether six, seven, or eight teams are interested in his client. But so much for the report yesterday that Angels GM Tony Reagins contacted Clifton regarding Mulder. Shaikin says Reagins is doing fact-finding on free agent pitchers, with the search even extending to the independent leagues.
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote Sunday that in addition to the Dodgers, the A's and Nationals are extremely interested in Mulder.
More From Torii Hunter
On Sunday, Phil Miller of the St. Paul Pioneer Press had this to say about Torii Hunter:
The longtime Twin grows so sentimental about his former home whenever he’s in Minneapolis, he told Jim Rantz, the franchise’s director of minor leagues, that he would like to finish his career with the Twins. But not until his five-year, $90 million contract with the Angels runs out, of course. "He said, 'I'll come off the bench and pinch-hit,’'" manager Ron Gardenhire said of the 33-year-old center fielder. "He said, 'Save me a spot.’'"
Gardenhire added that "we'll probably work something out" if Hunter is looking for a job after the 2012 season.
Hunter was questioned about his comments by Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Here's what he had to say:
"They asked me, and I said, 'Why not?' That was the place I grew up with, so why not consider that? But at the same time, I'm home. I'm having fun here. That's a long way away. I don't know where my career will take me."
Angels Contact Pedro, Byrd, Mulder
According to Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times, the Angels are now looking outside the organization for pitching help. GM Tony Reagins acknowledged contacting the agents for Pedro Martinez, Paul Byrd, and Mark Mulder. DiGiovanna says nothing is imminent. Reagins may also be considering trades.
Each of the three free agent pitchers has an issue - with Pedro it's price, Byrd it's desire, and Mulder it's health. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote Sunday that Mulder believes he can be ready two weeks after signing, with the Nationals, A's, and Dodgers extremely interested.
The best reinforcements figure to come internally – DiGiovanna says John Lackey and Ervin Santana may begin minor league rehab assignments this week.
Rosenthal On Edmonds, Cooper, Angels
The latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…
- Jim Edmonds still wants to play in 2009. Rosenthal learned from his agent that the outfielder intensified his workouts recently. It still may take him up to three weeks to be game-ready.
- Rosenthal finds the Astros' decision to exercise Cecil Cooper's 2010 option questionable. Rosenthal had wondered earlier in the week if Cooper might be the first manager fired. While we're on the topic, Ron Washington's job in Texas does not seem to be in jeopardy according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.
- Rosenthal notes that calling up Derek Holland now instead of letting him break camp with the Rangers will delay his free agency by a year. The Rangers were willing to make that sacrifice with Elvis Andrus (assuming he's not demoted in the future).
- The Angels could consider several recently-designated pitchers: Steven Shell, Wil Ledezma, Darren O'Day, Nelson Figueroa, and Philip Humber.
Odds And Ends: Wieters, Guerrero, Gonzalez
A few links for Saturday morning…
- Steve Melewski of MASN.com spoke with the Orioles Director of Player Development, David Stockstill, about Matt Wieters, who left last night's minor league game with an apparent right hamstring cramp.
- More bad news for Angels fans, as Vladimir Guerrero is out for at least a month.
- Luis Gonzalez tells Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post that he's already missing baseball and he wouldn't ask for much salary-wise.
- Ozzie Guillen still doesn't have an answer in center field according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Cowley wrote earlier in the week that the Giants are looking to unload Aaron Rowand.
- ESPN.com's Keith Law discusses high school prospect Donovan Tate, who's the son of former NFL running back Lars Tate. Law says Tate is the "top prep position player in this draft."