Rays Release Morgan Ensberg
According to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times, the Rays released third baseman Morgan Ensberg today. Ensberg hit .227/.314/.273 in 50 plate appearances this spring. Ensberg has bounced around with the Yankees, Indians, and Padres in recent years.
Rays Payroll Unlikely To Increase
Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times says the Rays payroll, which increased by 40% this offseason, is unlikely to do so again next year. Rays owner Stuart Sternberg says the increase was thanks to saved money from previous years and earned last year. Topkin says Sternberg believes the Rays will have trouble sustaining their $60MM payroll for next year.
An interesting note from Topkin is that the Rays ALCS Game 5 loss to the Red Sox wound up being their "best worst loss ever." Topkin says the increased revenue from playing Games 6 and 7 at Tropicana Field allowed the Rays to go out and sign Joe Nelson, Brian Shouse, and Pat Burrell, and push their payroll past $60MM for the second time in franchise history. That pours some salt on the wounds of Red Sox fans.
Odds & Ends: Strasburg, Cabrera, Waivers
Links for Friday…
- RotoAuthority asks: who is the next Carlos Quentin?
- The Cubs may trade or lose whoever doesn't win their backup catcher job, Paul Bako or Koyie Hill (according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times). By the way, Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker says the Cubs signed a Korean high school outfielder named Don-Yeop Kim.
- Hanley Ramirez was upset about the Marlins' new hair and jewelry policies, but cooled down after meeting with the team's brass.
- Excellent Stephen Strasburg profile by Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated (hat tip to Rob Neyer).
- Rays Index talked to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
- Murray Chass believes suggestions of hostility between the players union and owners are misguided.
- A's shortstop Orlando Cabrera talked to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle about how his reputation unfairly took a hit last year.
- Bart Given explains the four types of waivers.
Odds & Ends: Wieters, Padres, Peavy, Price
LInks for Thursday…
- Chico Harlan of the Washington Post says the Nationals will honor a handshake agreement Dmitri Young made with Jim Bowden, and put the first baseman back on the 40-man roster.
- Catcher Matt Wieters has been told by the Orioles that he'll be optioned to Triple A on Monday, according to Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun. Will the Orioles wait until late May to try to avoid Super Two status?
- Reds assistant GM Bob Miller talked to fans in an MLB.com Q&A.
- Check out an entertaining chat transcript with Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times over at Halos Heaven.
- Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star interviewed Zack Greinke.
- Rangers owner Tom Hicks told Richard Durrett of the Dallas Morning News that the team has not reduced its budget for 2010. The Rangers have yet to set next year's budget, but it's known that some big salaries will be coming off the books. Meanwhile, MLB.com's Barry Bloom notes that Hicks intends to sell a minority share of the team.
- Rays exec Andrew Friedman said the team's demotion of David Price was entirely for baseball reasons, talking to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. R.J. Anderson of DRays Bay supports the decision. Bart Given agrees.
- Tom Haudricourt and Adam McCalvy write about Brewers GM Doug Melvin's irritation with the bogus Jake Peavy rumor.
- Purely speculative, but Mike Berardino of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel wonders if Dontrelle Willis could get his career back on track with the Marlins.
- Rockies infielder Jeff Baker, unaffected by the trade rumors, homered twice yesterday.
- John Moores says the Padres sale to Jeff Moorad is "awfully close," talking to MLB.com's Barry Bloom. As you know, Sandy Alderson will step down as CEO when the deal closes (possibly today).
- Padres pitcher Shawn Hill had offers from six teams, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock.
- The Red Sox signed reliever Rocky Cherry to a minor league deal.
- MLB.com's Alyson Footer says reliever Danny Graves asked for and received his release from the Astros.
Odds & Ends: Gregerson, Hanley, Strasburg
Links for Monday…
- Matt Eddy of Baseball America has the minor league transactions, including the Dodgers' signing of J.D Durbin.
- Marc Lancaster of the Tampa Tribune says Rays Rule 5 pick Derek Rodriguez, a reliever, has been returned to the White Sox.
- Yahoo's David Brown talked to Carlos Pena about many topics, including his agent Scott Boras.
- According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Padres received pitcher Luke Gregerson as the player to be named later in the Khalil Greene deal. The other player the Padres received, the now-injured Mark Worrell, was also a minor league closer. Given the state of the Padres' pen, Gregerson could reach the Majors this year. UPDATE: Here is Paul DePodesta's take on Gregerson.
- MLB.com's Ken Gurnick noted yesterday that the Dodgers cut pitcher Shawn Estes, and he's yet to decide whether to accept a Triple A assignment. UPDATE: Estes will head to the minors and attempt to reinvent himself as a lefthanded specialist.
- Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald quizzed Hanley Ramirez about Boston's attempt to reacquire him in November.
- MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan wonders about Frank Catalanotto's future. Useful player, but the Rangers would have to eat most of his $6MM to move him.
- Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post talked to Nationals president Stan Kasten about the six-year, $50MM Stephen Strasburg rumor. We all know how Boras works…if he wants $25MM for Strasburg, he starts at $50MM.
- South Side Sox and Sox Machine comment on the Gavin Floyd extension, as well as the offers to John Danks and Carlos Quentin.
- Talking to David Lennon of Newsday, Tom Glavine responded to Pedro Martinez's distaste for signing a "Glavine-like" contract.
- Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun spoke to Aubrey Huff, who "doesn't even understand the concept of a contract push."
- Ivan Rodriguez explained to MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez why he didn't sign with the Marlins.
Rays Take Eduardo Morlan Back
According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the Rays reclaimed pitcher Eduardo Morlan today. Morlan had been a Rule 5 pick by the Brewers. To keep a Rule 5 pick you have to keep him on the Major League roster all year, so it can be tough for a contender to pull off. The Rays paid $25K to take Morlan back; a deal could not be reached to keep him with Milwaukee.
Morlan, 23 in March, posted solid numbers in Double A last year for the Rays.
Price Could Force Rays To Make Trade
Marc Topkin and Joe Smith are reporting that the Rays still think ’07 first-overall pick David Price is “in need of minor-league development,” and could be headed to triple-A Durham to start the season. Price is hoping to force the Rays’ hand and make the opening day roster.
“It’s not very fun if I’m not here competing for a job,” Price said Monday. “That’s what I came here for, to compete for that fifth spot, and that’s what I want to do. … I want them to not be able to look me in the eyes at the end of spring training and tell me I’m going to (Triple-A) Durham.”
If Price can win the final spot in the rotation, the Rays would likely only have room for one of Jeff Niemann and Jason Hammel as a long reliever in the bullpen. Both players are out of minor league options and both would certainly be claimed if the Rays try to sneak them through waivers. If Price impresses in spring training, the Rays may be forced to deal prior to opening day.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.
Price Could Force Rays To Make Trade
Marc Topkin and Joe Smith are reporting that the Rays still think ’07 first-overall pick David Price is "in need of minor-league development," and could be headed to triple-A Durham to start the season. Price is hoping to force the Rays’ hand and make the opening day roster.
"It’s not very fun if I’m not here competing for a job," Price said Monday. "That’s what I came here for, to compete for that fifth spot, and that’s what I want to do. … I want them to not be able to look me in the eyes at the end of spring training and tell me I’m going to (Triple-A) Durham."
If Price can win the final spot in the rotation, the Rays would likely only have room for one of Jeff Niemann and Jason Hammel as a long reliever in the bullpen. Both players are out of minor league options and both would certainly be claimed if the Rays try to sneak them through waivers. If Price impresses in spring training, the Rays may be forced to deal prior to opening day.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.
Cubs Rumors: Schilling, Peavy
Let’s talk about the Cubs’ connection to starters Curt Schilling and Jake Peavy.
- Schilling is undecided on pitching in 2009, but if he does he’d be interested in the Cubs and Rays, among other teams. As a reminder, here’s Schilling’s list of ten preferred teams from October of 2007. Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times finds it a "long shot" that the Cubs would pursue Schilling, while Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune thinks the Cubs "probably would take a flier on him, at the right price."
- Wittenmyer and Sullivan have quotes from Peavy, who denied singing "Go Cubs Go" at a Vegas bar in December. Peavy had kind words for the Cubs, but the two teams are not talking trade currently.
- In a related story, Sullivan’s heard that Padres CEO Sandy Alderson could take a similar role with the Cubs once new owner Tom Ricketts takes over. Alderson declined comment.
Schilling Would Pitch For Cubs, Rays
SUNDAY, 2:05pm: Schilling clarifies his thoughts about the Cubs on his blog. He reminds us that he hasn’t decided whether to return, but if he does he says he’d consider pitching for the Cubs. Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune heard from a Cubs official who wasn’t surprised to hear Schilling’s interested. Sullivan thinks the Cubs would take a flier on Schilling at the right price.
8:25pm: The St. Petersburg Times’ Joe Smith recalls Schilling’s comments about the Rays from 2007:
"It’s one of those situations you’d certainly have to look at," said the 42-year-old right-hander. "Knowing that I’m probably going to spend one more year playing, if circumstances happen and things happen and they made some moves that were positive, I’d love nothing more than to finish my career working on a pitching staff where I know that there are young guys that are going to be positively impacted by me being around (after) I was gone. I enjoy that. I love working and talking and being around young pitchers."
SATURDAY, 1:34pm: David Whitley of the Orlando Sentinel reports that Curt Schilling would be interested in coming back to baseball to pitch for either the Chicago Cubs or the Tampa Bay Rays. Writes Whitley:
Schilling, who has a career mark of 216-146, said money would not be a major issue. He’s looking for a team that has championship potential and has never won a title. "The challenge would be in a place like Tampa Bay or Chicago," he said.
Schilling is not aiming to be on an Opening Day roster, and furthermore has yet to decide whether to come back next season at all. "I’m hemming and hawing right now," Schilling said; "I’ll make a decision in the next couple of weeks."