Red Sox Notes: Crawford, Ramirez, Beckett, Ellsbury
One year ago, the Red Sox shocked the baseball world when they hit the reset button with their massive blockbuster deal with the Dodgers. Today, Boston finds themselves atop of the AL East, something that very few could have predicted after they shed roughly $270MM in payroll. Alex Speier of WEEI.com has a fascinating article today on the trade that altered the direction of the club and the possible alternatives that could have also taken place. Here's a look at some of the highlights..
- One rumor prior to last year's non-waiver deadline had the Red Sox considering a swap of Carl Crawford and Hanley Ramirez with the Marlins. However, such a deal never came close. One source familiar with the talks said that Boston would done the deal straight up, but the problem was the difference in salary. Such a move would have required the Marlins to break out the checkbook as there was $37MM+ owed to Ramirez through 2014 and a whopping $110.5MM owed to Crawford through 2017.
- However, there were other proposed deals that had legs, particularly ones involving Josh Beckett. According to multiple industry sources, the Rangers and Red Sox explored a number of possible deals including one that had a framework of Beckett and Jacoby Ellsbury going to Texas with the Red Sox getting left-hander Derek Holland. However, Beckett told WEEI's Rob Bradford that the talks never gained enough traction for the team to discuss the possibility of him waiving his no-trade rights.
- The Dodgers were among the clubs with interest in Beckett prior to the July 31st deadline and that was information that the Red Sox stored for later.
- The club's previous free-spending ways handcuffed them from even considering a run at Yu Darvish after the 2011 season. Of course, the blockbuster with L.A. gave them much more flexibility going forward. GM Ben Cherington acknowledged that a trade deadline deal like the Jake Peavy trade this year simply wasn't possible given the payroll constraints that the team previously faced.
- Boston considered using their prospects to help get out from under bad contracts, but they ultimately decided against that. "We'd made the decision long term, we were just going to need to start holding on to [top prospects] and figuring out what they could do," said one team official. "Instead of picking the right guy, keep them all in the tub and let them decide for us. Back when we were good, that's what we did."
- Up until the Dodgers deal happened, Cherington says that he wasn't planning on making any significant moves in August. There was some thought given to turning the Dodgers down and waiting until the offseason when they could revisit talks with L.A. and other clubs. However, Boston didn't want to let the opportunity to start fresh pass them by.
Cubs Acquire Neil Ramirez To Complete Garza Deal
The Rangers announced that they have sent right-handed pitcher Neil Ramirez to the Cubs, completing the July 22nd trade that sent Matt Garza to Chicago.
The Garza deal called for a player to be named later to be sent to Chicago, but with one interesting wrinkle. Theo Epstein & Co. had the choice of either acquiring Ramirez or two other hurlers from an agreed upon list of names. After giving it some thought, the Cubs opted for the former.
Ramirez, 24, was ranked as the 23rd best prospect in the Rangers' system heading into this season by Baseball America, but the publication had him as high as No. 5 at one point thanks to his strong 2011 minor league season. In 2012, his stock fell a bit as he dealt with shoulder fatigue and was demoted to Double-A to finish out the season. Ramirez was a starter during his time in the Texas system, but BA writes that the club saw his big league future in the bullpen as he had a tendency to overthink things when in the rotation.
The right-hander has spent all of 2013 with the Rangers' Double-A affiliate, posting a 3.84 ERA with 11.1 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 21 starts. He'll stay at the Double-A level as he will report to the Cubs' affiliate in Tennessee, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times (on Twitter).
AL West Links: Angels, Trout, Int’l Signings, Gomes
The Rangers' lead in the AL West has been built on taking care of business within the division, as Texas has a 41-16 record against division opponents and a 33-37 record against the rest of baseball. Other AL teams may complain that the Rangers and A's gained an extra advantage when the rebuilding Astros were moved into the division, but Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram points out that it's really the Angels' surprising decline that has made the AL West so lopsided. The Halos expected to contend this season but instead have the seventh-worst record in baseball and only a 19-35 record against inside their division.
Here are a few items from around the AL West…
- Also from Galloway's piece, he notes that the Rangers rate four Astros starting pitchers as "double-plus prospects" but a Rangers source wonders if the young starters' development is being harmed by Houston's league-worst bullpen. “The owner down there [Jim Crane] needs to get off his wallet and spend some money for some veteran bullpen guys next season,” the Rangers source said. “Those kid starters have a future, but they are being beaten up mentally by pitching well and never getting a win out of it.” Houston manager Bo Porter recently said that the Astros will look to add relief pitching help this winter.
- The Angels will try to reload after their disappointing 2012 but they'll have little payroll space to maneuver, MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez notes. The Halos already have $126.5MM committed to the 2014 payroll and $111.725MM committed for 2015, and that's not counting raises for notable players who will become eligible for arbitration.
- How much would (or should) a team pay for Mike Trout's 2014 season? Fangraphs' Dave Cameron tries to calculate what Trout's single-season value would be worth if the Angels outfielder was suddenly a free agent and could only pursue a one-year deal for next season.
- The Rangers and Cubs both far exceeded their international bonus pool limits this summer and will face only limited penalties for it, a move that Baseball America's Jim Callis suspects could be copied by others. "More teams may try to exploit that loophole until an international draft closes it," Callis writes.
- If MLB.com's Jane Lee could undo any move from the Athletics' offseason, it would be the decision to let Jonny Gomes leave in free agency, Lee writes as part of a reader mailbag. Keeping Gomes would've allowed the A's to keep Cliff Pennington (rather than deal him in the trade that brought Chris Young to Oakland) and thus improve the club's infield depth and save some payroll space at the same time.
Rangers Sign Brendan Harris
The Rangers announced that they have signed Brendan Harris to a minor league contract. The veteran infielder had a cup of coffee in the Yankees' system before signing with Texas today. Harris will help provide extra infield depth for the Rangers who have been thin since Leury Garcia was traded to the White Sox in the Alex Rios trade.
Harris, who celebrates his 33rd birthday on Monday, signed with the Yankees on July 26th and hit just .233/.356/.315 with one homer in 22 games. Prior to that, Harris was batting .206/.252/.355 in 117 plate appearances this year for the Angels. The veteran has big league experience at all four infield positions with the bulk of it at shortstop. Harris, who last saw regular action in 2009 with the Twins, is a career .256/.314/.381 hitter.
Badler On Posting System, Tanaka, Maeda
This offseason could see revisions of the posting system that allows players in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league to jump to MLB, Baseball America's Ben Badler reports. A memo from the commissioner's office earlier this year informed MLB clubs the two leagues were discussing possible changes to the system. Sources tell Badler that one potential new provision could be a cap to the posting fee, which could see more money funneled to players rather than the Japanese team and would also allow MLB to count more dollars against the luxury tax. Overall, however, it's not really clear what direction the posting system is headed in. “We’re just operating under the idea that everything’s going to be the same way it was last year," an international director told Badler. “That’s the same as everyone else I talked to.”
Several clubs expect that pitcher Masahiro Tanaka will look to join an MLB team this offseason, according to Badler, which confirms what we've heard in recent months. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder has put together a sterling season this year for the Rakuten Golden Eagles, compiling a 1.20 ERA across 158 innings with 130 strikeouts and just 22 walks. With an arsenal that includes a low-90s fastball and two plus secondary offerings – including a splitter that grades out at a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale – some scouts project him as a potential No. 2 starter that could help a team immediately, Badler reports.
Badler's article reveals that both the Rangers and Yankees have sent top scouts to Japan to watch the 24-year-old pitch, and could be the favorites to sign him. However, they're not the only teams keeping tabs on the righty as the Red Sox and Twins have also been connected.
Some scouts believe Kenta Maeda, another Japanese righty, could attempt to migrate to the majors this offseason, though the majority believe there's less than a 50 percent chance of that happening, Badler adds. Maeda has a 2.26 ERA in 123 2/3 innings this year, but at just 6 feet and 160 pounds, he probably doesn't have the frame that projects to consistently hold up for 200 innings a season. Maeda might best be served by waiting a year to avoid being posted at the same time as Tanaka. However, several scouts tell Badler they see the 25-year-old as a back-end starter in the majors, and given his smaller size, that isn't likely to change.
Steve Adams contributed to this post.
AL West Notes: Rangers, Ogando, Astros, A’s
The Rangers have a narrow half-game lead over the Athletics as they seek a third division championship in four seasons. Meanwhile, the news is positive on Mariners manager Eric Wedge, who tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he will come back strong from the stroke he suffered about a month ago. Here's more out of the AL West …
- Alexi Ogando has hit the disabled list for a third time this season thanks to inflammation in his right shoulder, but Rangers GM Jon Daniels told reporters, including Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, that he's not considering signing a pitcher from outside the organization to replace him (Twitter link). In a follow-up tweet, Wilson adds that Daniels and the Rangers will continue to view Ogando as a starter in 2013, but his future role is a topic of conversation for next year.
- Following today's DFA of lefty Wade LeBlanc, MLB.com's Brian McTaggart notes that 14 of the 25 players on the Astros' active roster are rookies (on Twitter).
- The Athletics have extended their player development contract with their Class-A affiliate in Stockton through the 2016 season, according to Janie McCauly of the Associated Press (Twitter link).
Quick Hits: A-Rod, Rangers, D’Arnaud, Morneau
Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez currently faces a 211-game suspension stemming from his role in the Biogenesis scandal, but his suspension might have been far shorter, perhaps as few as 50 games, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal writes. "At different points, it could have been way, way less than where it is now," a source tells Rosenthal. Rodriguez has appealed his suspension. Here are more notes from around the Majors.
- The Mets have decided Travis d'Arnaud's promotion won't be temporary, Rosenthal tweets. The Mets promoted d'Arnaud after starting catcher John Buck went on paternity leave. Now, Rosenthal writes, the Mets plan to keep d'Arnaud on their roster and give him "significant playing time." That would suggest that Buck is likely to play much less. D'Arnaud, 24, has hit .286/.420/.514 across three minor-league levels in 2013 after having missed much of the season with a foot injury.
- The Rangers are looking for a pitcher to start on Tuesday, Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News writes. Texas has a need in its rotation after Alexi Ogando received an anti-inflammatory injection on Saturday. The Rangers will have Matt Garza pitch on Monday, a day earlier than expected. Josh Lindblom, who has made five starts for the Rangers this year, started Sunday night for Triple-A Round Rock, so he isn't a candidate to pitch Tuesday. The Rangers could promote the recently-acquired Travis Blackley, but Fraley raises the possibility that they could deal for a starter like Dan Haren or Erik Bedard, both of whom have passed through waivers.
- The Indians are not interested in former Phillies outfielder Delmon Young, Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer tweets. Hoynes also notes that the Indians have put in waiver claims on "several players," although they have not been able to trade for any.
- The Twins aren't likely to trade Justin Morneau to the Red Sox, writes Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Morneau cleared waivers on Wednesday, and Sox first baseman Mike Napoli is currently nursing a sore foot. It's not yet clear that Napoli's injury is severe, however, and it's questionable whether Morneau would be an upgrade over options like Daniel Nava and Mike Carp.
Rosenthal On Freese, Cardinals, Reynolds, Dodgers
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has lots of good stuff in this weekend's edition of Full Count. Here's a look at some of the highlights..
- The Cardinals' promotion of Kolten Wong could be the first step towards the club trading David Freese. Obviously, Freese isn't having a good year, but the free agent market at third base this offseason will be very thin this season and will be headlined by veterans such as Juan Uribe and Michael Young. Freese is under club control through 2015 and while he's not an All-Star, it's easy to see teams making a play for him.
- Mark Reynolds had interest from a number of clubs but he signed with the Yankees because they offered him the best opportunity of any interested club. The Orioles thought about a reunion, but he only would have DH'd against left-handed pitching. The Royals also thought about Reynolds, but they expect Mike Moustakas to come back soon from his calf injury and the Rangers checked in but didn't have an immediate major league opening.
- The Dodgers will be the x-factor in Robinson Cano's free agency and they could be spurred by their recent success to make a play for him. The Dodgers have been indicating that they won't spend like crazy forever and could dedicate their resources to new deals for Clayton Kershaw and Hanley Ramirez. However, they could also move one of their surplus outfielders and find the spare cash for the second baseman.
Texas Notes: Astros, Rangers, Springer, Berkman
There's a chance that the two Texas clubs could find themselves on the opposite ends of the standings come season's end. As the MLBTR reverse standings tell us, the Rangers entered today four games behind the Braves for the best record in baseball, while the 39-81 Astros have a firm grasp on the league's worst record. The Astros are on pace to become the first team in baseball history to select the No. 1 overall pick in three consecutive amateur drafts.
Here are some news items out of the Lone Star State…
- Astros prospect George Springer will remain in minors through the end of the Triple-A season and their playoffs, general manager Jeff Luhnow tells MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. The center field star could be brought up by mid-September if the club feels it would make sense. Springer, 23, has a combined .303/.411/.605 line and 33 homers in 520 PA between Double-A and Triple-A this season. Baseball America tabbed Springer as the 20th-best prospect in the sport in their midseason prospect rankings after ranking him 37th before the season; he was also highly-touted by both ESPN's Keith Law (43rd) and MLB.com (58th) in preseason ratings.
- The Astros will make relief pitching a priority this winter, manager Bo Porter told reporters (including McTaggart). Houston will likely try to obtain at least one veteran reliever to aid their young relief corps, McTaggart speculates.
- The Rangers and Lance Berkman are trying to decide if they will wait until the rosters expand on September 1 to activate the veteran slugger from the DL. Berkman played four games on a rehab assignment but told reporters (including Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News) that he has "concerns about competing at the level I think I am capable of. If I can’t do that, I’m not sure, I can be a positive piece for the team. There is no doubt I can compete. I just don’t know about the level.” Berkman has a .732 OPS in 282 PA with Texas this year but he has been on the DL for over two months with hip and knee injuries and even considered retirement earlier this summer.
- Adam Rosales could be a factor in the Berkman situation, MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan explains. The infielder would likely be the one designated for assignment to make roster space for Berkman and the Rangers don't want to lose him again. Rosales has already been designated four times since July 8 and has bounced back and forth between the Rangers' and Athletics' rosters over the last few weeks.
Rangers Notes: Kinsler, Profar, Cruz, Garza, Salty
The Rangers have been the most active buyer in baseball this season, trading prospects Mike Olt, C.J. Edwards, Justin Grimm and Leury Garcia to bring in Matt Garza and Alex Rios. In his latest Rangers Inbox, MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan tackles a host of issues regarding the future of the team's roster…
- Jurickson Profar could stay in his utility role for another season and ultimately transition to third base as Adrian Beltre moves into a DH role in two years, writes Sullivan. It's also possible that GM Jon Daniels discusses trades of Kinsler this offseason, as the four years and $57MM remaining on his contract will look like a bargain with the rising price of second basemen (Sullivan points to Dustin Pedroia and Robinson Cano as comparisons).
- Sullivan guesses the Rangers will make Nelson Cruz a qualifying offer at season's end. If Cruz accepts the offer or expresses interest in working out a new contract, they're prepared to move forward with him as their designated hitter in 2014.
- The club's interest in re-signing Matt Garza will be linked to the health of Matt Harrison. The team could also re-sign Colby Lewis. Nick Tepesch and Josh Lindblom are currently the leading candidates to be the fifth starter, as Neftali Feliz looks to be headed back to a bullpen role.
- The Rangers aren't likely to pursue Jarrod Saltalamacchia as a free agent despite their needs at catcher. As Sullivan writes, "That bridge appears quite charred in both directions."