Yankees, Phillies Seek Veteran Lefty Relievers
The Phillies and Yankees are searching for veteran left-handed relievers, reported ESPN's Jayson Stark yesterday. Let's take a look at who might be available.
Five southpaws have been reported to have cleared waivers so far: Chris Capuano, Jason Vargas, Bruce Chen, Tom Gorzelanny, and Ted Lilly. Lilly is certainly not being acquired for a bullpen role, while Vargas is also unlikely. Of the remaining three, Gorzelanny has been sharp against lefties and is currently in the Nationals' bullpen. If the Nationals do not intend to tender him a contract after the season, they could move Gorzelanny now as a way of saving $485K and possibly getting a mildly useful prospect back.
Players do not have to clear waivers to be traded in August, but the Yankees and Phillies are at the bottom of the claiming order in their respective leagues. Their best bet would be to go after an overpaid southpaw who is effective against lefties, as the Twins did with Brian Fuentes a year ago. Examples could be Fuentes again, or Baltimore's Mike Gonzalez.
Otherwise, eight more lefty relievers I could see being available are John Grabow, Craig Breslow, Sean Burnett, Jose Mijares, Tim Byrdak, Randy Choate, Joe Beimel, and J.P. Howell. Byrdak and Choate have been the toughest on lefties, but Choate might be hardest to acquire since he is controlled beyond this year. Howell could be a fit for the Phillies – he's been battered by right-handed hitters but good against left-handed ones in a small sample, and the Rays may be planning to non-tender him after the season anyway.
Stark On Cubs, Red Sox, Yankees, Phillies
ESPN's Jayson Stark posted a new column yesterday; let's take a look.
- Stark speculates on four players the Cubs could attempt to trade Carlos Zambrano for: Carlos Lee, A.J. Burnett, Barry Zito, and Derek Lowe. I posted 11 Zambrano trade scenarios yesterday; check it out. A few baseball insiders Stark spoke to did think that with the right veteran team or manager Zambrano could be useful.
- Cubs players Kerry Wood and Reed Johnson were claimed on waivers and pulled back, reports Stark. Carlos Pena has yet to be placed on waivers, but the Cubs may not be motivated to move him.
- One baseball man who is close to Bud Selig told Stark the commissioner has "basically promised a lot of people he'll get them slotting by next year."
- The Red Sox are poking around for a right-handed bench bat, while the Yankees and Phillies seek veteran left-handed relievers.
Yankees Claim Raul Valdes
The Yankees claimed left-hander Raul Valdes off of waivers from the Cardinals, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com (on Twitter). To create space on the 40-man roster, the Yankees moved Jeff Marquez to the 60-day DL. They're assigning Valdes to Triple-A and won't need an active roster spot for him, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (Twitter link).
Valdes, who was designated for assignment Friday, gives the Yankees extra left-handed relief depth in case an opening emerges in the Majors. Valdes appeared in seven big league games for St. Louis this year, mostly in July. The 33-year-old also has a 4.73 ERA with impressive rates of 9.5 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 in 59 innings at Triple-A Memphis.
Jorge Posada Talks Future With Yankees
Jorge Posada isn’t sure about much when it comes to his future in the Major Leagues but he knows he wants to keep playing. The longtime Yankee, who turns 40 tomorrow, told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News that he’s leaning toward returning for an 18th MLB season after 2011, when his four-year, $52.4MM contract expires.
"To tell you the truth, I really don't know until the season's over and I get home and see what happens during the offseason, all the workouts and stuff,” Posada said. “I haven't really thought about it, but I still think that I will right now."
Though Posada hasn't caught this year, he believes he could return behind the plate as a backup “here and there.” The Yankees, who don’t view Posada as a catcher at this point, are the only team he has ever suited up for and the switch-hitter told Mark Hale of the New York Post that he “could” end up playing for another team in 2012. However, manager Joe Girardi called Posada a “beloved Yankee” and Posada himself admitted that it would be difficult to suit up for another team and for other fans.
It's a possibility that Posada will likely face in the relatively near future, since Russell Martin is under team control for another season and top prospect Jesus Montero is nearly Major League ready.
American League Over Slot Signings
Most teams will exceed MLB's slot recommendations on at least a few players. Here's the latest on such signings from the American League:
- The Mariners signed second rounder Brad Miller for $750K, according to Callis (on Twitter).
- The Orioles signed sixth rounder Nicky Delmonico for $1.525MM, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Earlier on, the Orioles agreed to sign second rounder Jason Esposito for $600K, according to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo (on Twitter). Before that, the Orioles signed 26th round pick Zach Davies for $575K, reports Baseball America's Jim Callis. The high school righty has drawn some Mike Leake comparisons, writes Callis. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun was told last night that this deal isn't done, but it could be headed in the right direction.
- Red Sox seventh rounder Cody Kukuk signed for $800K, according to Callis (on Twitter). Boston also signed fourth rounder Noe Ramirez, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. The right-hander obtains a $625K bonus, according to Speier and Callis.
- The Blue Jays signed seventh rounder Christian Lopes for $800K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter). The Blue Jays also signed 13th round pick Matt Dean, tweets Callis. The high school third baseman signed for $737.5K, tweets ESPN's Keith Law. BA considers him the best prep third base prospect in the draft.
- The Yankees signed Greg Bird for $1.1MM, according to Zoodig, an athlete digital media platform, on Twitter. The Yankees signed sixth rounder Jake Cave for $825K, according to Callis (on Twitter). The Yankees also signed third rounder Jordan Cote for $725K, according to Callis. The high school right-hander has a fastball in the 90 mph range and stands 6'5". Earlier today, the Yankees signed 20th round pick and high school lefty Daniel Camarena for $335K, tweets Kendall Rogers of Perfect Game USA.
- The Indians signed 18th rounder Shawn Armstrong for $325K, according to Rogers (on Twitter). The Indians also announced that they have signed second round right-hander Dillon Howard. He gets a $1.85MM bonus, according to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com (on Twitter).
- The Royals signed 16th rounder Jack Lopez for $750K, according to Callis (on Twitter). The Royals have also signed third rounder Bryan Brickhouse for $1.5MM, reports Callis. The high school right-hander received the second largest bonus outside of the top 18 picks so far. Earlier today, the Royals signed fourth round pick and high school righty Kyle Smith for $695K, reports Callis. The Royals also signed 29th round pick Jake Junis for $675K, reports Callis. Junis, an athletic high school righty from Illinois, is represented by Frontline.
- The Angels have agreed to terms with sixth rounder Austin Wood, tweets Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). The USC righty got $150K.
- The Twins signed tenth rounder Brett Lee for $150K, according to John Manuel and Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter).
- The Tigers signed 15th round pick and high school outfielder Tyler Gibson for $525K, tweets Rogers.
Yankees Notes: Swisher, Sabathia, Soriano, Garcia
With a month and a half remaining in the regular season, Joel Sherman of the New York Post takes a look at a few subplots facing the Yankees as they prepare for the playoffs and the subsequent offseason. Let's check out the highlights….
- Nick Swisher's OPS sat at .649 heading into June, but he's posted a .941 mark since then. Given his improved play, the Yankees will likely view his $10.25MM option for next year as reasonably priced, and bring him back.
- It's nearly a certainty that C.C. Sabathia exercises his opt-out at season's end. Sherman sees the 31-year-old asking for a raise, from the four years and $92MM he'll have left, to no less than the seven years and $161MM he originally signed for.
- Rafael Soriano has allowed one baserunner in six outings since coming off the DL, leading Sherman to wonder if the righty's opt-out could become a factor this winter. Considering how strong the relief market will be, I can't imagine even Scott Boras finding a deal better than the two years and $23MM Soriano has remaining on his current contract.
- There's no guarantee Bartolo Colon or Freddy Garcia are Yankees next season, but Garcia projects as a Type B free agent, meaning the club figures to at least offer him arbitration.
- Speaking of starters facing free agency, Jason Marquis tells Andy Martino of the New York Daily News that he'd love to represent his hometown and pitch for the Yankees or Mets. Taking into account their divisions and home parks, the Mets may be more appealing for Marquis than the Yanks, but either way, Marquis suggests he'll "explore that avenue when the season is done."
Quick Hits: Marquis, Pedroia, Mariners
A few links of note for my fellow night owls …
- Diamondbacks right-hander Jason Marquis may once again rekindle his interest in pitching for either his hometown Mets or Yankees this offseason when he enters free agency, writes Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. “I’m a New York guy, and I have always dreamed of playing for the Yankees or Mets, representing my hometown," said Marquis. The veteran was thought to have talked with the Mets prior to 2010 before signing with the Nationals, although those talks apparently never became serious.
- Rob Bradford of WEEI.com looks at the uniquely structured contract of Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia. There's a lot going on with this deal, but the takeaway is that there are escalators that can kick in depending upon where Pedroia finishes in MVP voting. Check it out here at Cot's Baseball Contracts.
- The Mariners have signed fifth-round pick Tyler Marlette, a high school catcher out of Florida, for $650K, writes Jim Callis of Baseball America. MLB's slot recommendation for the 153rd overall pick is $165.6K, according to Callis. Marlette was ranked No. 72 overall in BA's pre-draft rankings.
Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Wandy, Reds, Rays
Here's the latest Full Count video clip from Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com:
- The Astros may place lefty Wandy Rodriguez on waivers next week, and it's possible but unlikely that Rodriguez will be claimed by another team. He stands to earn $36MM over the next three seasons, which could be a deterrent for teams considering a claim, but if he clears, the Diamondbacks and other teams may show interest in working out a trade.
- The Reds have not seen a significant spike in attendance coming off last season's division title and will likely be relatively inactive this offseason.
- The Rays considered trading center fielder B.J. Upton in July, but they may hold him this offseason and allow him to walk in free agency after 2012. The Rays value Upton highly and think they may not be able to spend his 2012 salary, which Rosenthal estimates will be roughly $7MM, any better on another player or players.
- Tampa might be more willing to trade righty James Shields, who would probably yield a greater return than Upton.
- The Yankees will not release catcher Jorge Posada, which is why they're having trouble squeezing prospect Jesus Montero to the big leagues. The Yanks do not want to go to an 11-man pitching staff, which they'd have to do if they called up Montero.
Yankees Sign Scott Proctor
The Yankees have signed Scott Proctor to a minor league contract, reports Mark Feinsand of The New York Daily News (on Twitter). He'll report to their Triple-A affiliate early next week.
Proctor, 34, was released by the Braves earlier this week. He had pitched to a 6.44 ERA with 5.5 K/9 and 5.8 BB/9 in 29 1/3 relief innings with Atlanta this season before being let go. Proctor spent parts of four seasons with the Yankees, posting a 4.29 ERA in 226 1/3 innings from 2004-2007. That was several arm injuries ago, however.
Yankees To Sign Fifth Round Pick For $1MM+
The Yankees will sign fifth round pick Greg Bird for a signing bonus in the seven figures, reports ESPN's Keith Law (on Twitter). MLB's slot recommendation for the 179th overall pick is just under $132K.
Bird, a high school first baseman/catcher from Colorado, is said to have "good bat speed and [he] gets plenty of loft and backspin on the ball" by Baseball America (subs. req'd). The left-handed swinger is expected to end up at first base long-term. Bird was committed to Arkansas.