Quick Hits: Abreu, Cespedes, Young, Phillies, Cook
Former first overall draft pick Tim Beckham has been suspended for 50 games, MLB announced. The shortstop, who had reached Triple-A in the Rays' system, is in violation of MLB's drug policy for the second time. "I take full responsibility for my actions and I will use this experience to refocus my commitment to baseball," he said in a statement released by the team. Here are more links from around the league…
- Bobby Abreu could make sense for the Orioles, opines Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Nick Johnson remains hitless on the season and Nolan Reimold recently left the team to have numbness and tingling in his fingers examined.
- An arbitration claim for breach of contract has been filed against Yoenis Cespedes of the Athletics reports Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes. Edgar Mercedes, who helped represent Cespedes during his free agency, is owed 17% of the outfielder's earnings but has not yet been paid.
- It's encouraging that MLB suspended Tigers outfielder Delmon Young following last week's incident in New York City, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports writes. Young's actions will cost him millions, Morosi explains. Before the incident I suggested a multiyear deal was within reach for Young if he had a strong season. It's definitely harder to imagine any team making a multiyear commitment today.
- The Phillies announced that they selected the contract of right-hander Brian Sanches from Lehigh Valley. Sanches takes the place of David Herndon on the team’s active roster.
- One agent suggested to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that the Yankees might have interest in Aaron Cook if the Red Sox don’t make room for the right-hander on their roster by today (Twitter link). Cook can opt out of his deal with Boston if he’s not added to the roster today.
- There haven’t been recent talks between Mike Napoli and the Rangers or Miguel Montero and the Diamondbacks, Heyman tweets. Montero is looking for a four-year deal in the $52MM range and Napoli seeks more than that. Heyman suggests Napoli is more likely than Montero to sign an extension.
Mike Axisa contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Mitchell, Wolf
Today's minor signings..
- The Marlins signed third baseman Russ Mitchell to a minor league contract, according to CBSSports.com's transactions page. The 27-year-old hit .283/.372/.503 in 93 games for the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate last season but was designated for assignment in February. Mitchell saw time in 40 games for Los Angeles in 2010 and '11.
- The Rangers have signed right-hander Ross Wolf and will assign him to their Double-A affiliate, accoridng to Anthony Andro of FOXSportsSouthwest.com (via Twitter). Wolf appeared in eleven games for the A's in 2010 but hasn't appeared in the majors since. The 31-year-old was cut loose by the Orioles earlier this week.
Latest On Jairo Beras
The Rangers have anxiously awaited MLB's ruling on the signing of Dominican prospect Jairo Beras and the club could have an answer as soon as next week, according to Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram. The league launched an investigation in late March to determine if Beras is in fact 17-years-old and that the $4.5MM contract is legal.
Until late February, Beras presented himself as a 16-year-old, which would have made him eligible to sign on July 2nd and subject to the new CBA's restrictions on international amateur spending. While team officials won't talk about the situation, sources tell Ben Badler of Baseball America their assertion is that they simply outworked other clubs.
While the Rangers want to stress that they did nothing wrong, the greater focus will be on the 6'5" outfielder and why he previously claimed a different date of birth. However, sources told Badler that they would not be surprised if MLB allowed Beras to sign without any sanctions.
Rangers Notes: Darvish, Hamilton, Rodriguez, Miller
No team in baseball has scored more runs or allowed fewer runs than the Rangers, so it's no wonder they're 13-3. Here are some Rangers-related links as they prepare to host the Yankees…
- GM Jon Daniels tells Tyler Kepner of the New York Times that the team didn't mind potentially overpaying during the bidding process for Yu Darvish. “We said, ‘Here’s how we evaluate him, let’s go to the top of our means, whatever we’re willing to pay,’” Daniels said. “It was not about getting the best possible deal. It was about getting the player. And we had to be O.K. with that.”
- One MLB agent said told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton has a strong case for an extension, despite his history of off-field and injury issues. "He's done nothing but perform for them, and nothing he's done has affected him there,” the person said. “He's always performed there, and he continues to perform."
- Ivan Rodriguez and the Rangers have discussed the possibility of working together in the future, Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com reports. "It would be good for our organization and he wants to stay involved in baseball, so we're looking forward to working something out," CEO Nolan Ryan said of his former battery-mate. Rodriguez formally announced his retirement today.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says the Rangers have the best lineup in baseball and may be the best team in the game right now (video link).
- The Rangers released Justin Miller, Anthony Andro of FOXSportsSouthwest tweets. The right-hander has a partial tear of his right UCL. Here's a complete list of the day's minor moves.
Quick Hits: Rays, Inge, Red Sox, Indians
On this day in 1997, the Yankees traded Ruben Rivera, Rafael Medina, and $3MM to the Padres for players to be named later, Homer Bush, and minor leaguer Gordon Amerson. A little more than a month later, the Padres later sent Hideki Irabu to the Yankees as one of the PTBNLs to complete the deal. Here's a look at today's links..
- It looks like the Rays will need to go out and find help behind the plate, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Even though Tampa Bay appears to be in browsing mode at the moment, big name catchers such as A.J. Pierzynski, Geovany Soto, and Kurt Suzuki could all be available. Lower tier possibilities include Miguel Olivo, Chris Snyder, George Kottaras, and Bobby Wilson.
- As Brandon Inge continues to take more and more criticism, Terry Foster of The Detroit News thinks that it's time for the Tigers to let him go. Inge is making $5.5MM this season and can be bought out of his $6MM option in 2013 for $500K.
- The only former Rangers teammate that pitcher Vicente Padilla has had a real problem with is new teammate Marlon Byrd, according to Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com (Twitter links). The pitcher, now with the Red Sox, was released by Texas in 2009 for behavior that was seen as a distraction to the clubhouse.
- The Indians need to do a better job of building through the draft, writes Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer.
AL West Notes: Hamilton, Moreland, Angels
It was on this date in 1990 that Mariners right-hander Brian Holman just missed out on perfect game immortality. Holman had set down the first 26 Athletics batters he faced, but allowed a pinch-hit homer to Ken Phelps to ruin the perfecto. Adding to the history of the moment, that homer ended up being Phelps' last of his 11-year career in the Majors.
Here's the latest from the AL West…
- If the Rangers win the World Series, Ian Kinsler feels it would be "really hard" to let Josh Hamilton leave for free agency, he tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Kinsler's gut feeling is that his good friend Hamilton will return to play for Texas in 2013.
- Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland talks to Fangraphs' David Laurila about his pitching experience in high school and college and how Moreland would be interested in coverting to relief pitching in the Majors "if I could no longer hit."
- The Angels' recent signings and extensions have left the team with relatively little open payroll space over the next few seasons, writes MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez. L.A. is already committed to $74.2MM in 2016 to just four players (Albert Pujols, Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson and the newly-extended Erick Aybar). "The easiest way you're going to create flexibility, and both forms of flexibility [on the payroll and on the roster], is to build from within," said GM Jerry Dipoto. "You have to do it. It's how this organization got where it was 10 years ago, and it's how we're going to maintain that position."
- The Angels' slow start could be caused by a lack of stability caused by the club's surplus of roster options, writes Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times. Including tonight's game against Baltimore, the Halos have used 12 different lineups in 14 games.
- In case you missed it earlier today, the Athletics claimed Australian right-hander Rich Thompson off waivers from the Angels.
West Notes: Hamilton, Athletics, Giants, Rockies
The Athletics wrap up a four-game series with the Angels tonight and are looking to take a third straight game from the Halos. Here’s more on Oakland and other items out of the Western divisions..
- The Rangers are likely to insist on a clause in any contract with Josh Hamilton that would offer them at some protection against major injury, writes Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.
- Commissioner Bud Selig wouldn’t set a timetable for settling the territorial dispute between the A’s and the Giants but insisted that the A’s will need a new ballpark to compete, according to the Associated Press. Selig added that the last time he attended a game in Oakland, the park reminded him of County Stadium and Shea Stadium, which is “not a compliment.”
- A’s owner Lew Wolff reiterated that San Jose remains the club’s sole focus for ballpark relocation, tweets Joe Stiglich of the Bay Area News Group.
- Though A’s skipper Bob Melvin hoped to hang on to Brandon Allen, he’s happy to see the the first baseman find another opportunity with the Rays, writes MLB.com’s Jane Lee. The 26-year-old has a .205/.291/.375 line in 274 career plate appearances with the Diamondbacks and Athletics.
- The Rockies’ release of Albert Campos this week surprised Ben Badler of Baseball America as the right-hander was ranked as the club’s No. 13 prospect entering the 2011 season before dropping out of the top 30 this year. Campos originally signed with the Rockies as a 16-year-old in July of 2007. According to a source familiar with the pitcher, he was involved in a physical incident off the field.
Quick Hits: Phillies, Red Sox, Rangers, Vazquez
The latest links from around MLB…
- Placido Polanco, John Mayberry Jr. and Jim Thome aren't hitting, and David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News points out that this puts the Phillies in an uncomfortable situation. Murphy looks back at some of the Phillies' offseason decisions and wonders if the team should have prioritized a hitter over a closer.
- Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald points out that two of Boston's primary offseason additions – Andrew Bailey and Mark Melancon — are no longer contributing on the big league roster just two weeks into the season. Bailey is recovering from thumb surgery and the Red Sox optioned Melancon to Triple-A.
- Ken Davidoff of the New York Post says the Rangers might have the best 25-man roster in baseball. Davidoff believes Texas can sustain its success even if prominent players leave as free agents.
- Infielder Ramon Vazquez is looking to make a comeback and some teams are showing interest, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets. The 35-year-old hasn’t played in the Major Leagues since 2009.
Latest On Rangers, Mike Napoli
The agent for Mike Napoli says his client fits somewhere between Victor Martinez and Yadier Molina on the spectrum of baseball’s best catchers, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. In other words, Napoli’s asking price appears to fall in the range between Martinez’s $52MM contract and Molina’s $75MM extension.
"Depending on how he performs this year, he could be closer to Molina or Martinez," agent Brian Grieper told Heyman.
Napoli, who hit two homers in Boston last night, is on track for free agency this coming offseason. He'll earn $9.4MM this year after hitting 30 homers and posting a .320/.414/.631 line last year.
The Rangers don’t appear to have discussed an extension with Napoli recently, but Heyman suggests they offered less than $52MM over the offseason. The 30-year-old is willing to discuss an extension during the season, Grieper said.
Rangers Notes: Ryan, Hamilton, Chavez, Pettis
The 8-2 Rangers have the American League's best record and look like they'll once again be contenders for the pennant. Here's the latest from Arlington…
- In an interview with ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM's Galloway and Company show (ESPN Dallas' Richard Durrett has a partial transcript), Rangers CEO Nolan Ryan said the team is still in the early stages of negotiations with Josh Hamilton about a long-term contract. “There is no timeframe in which we’re dealing with. There hasn’t been a deadline given or anything of that nature," Ryan said. “It’s getting a feel for what their expectations are, where they feel like this should go and then it falls back on us discussing what we think is in our best interest and realistic. It’s very preliminary. There aren’t strong negotiations where something’s going to get done in a short period of time.”
- Ryan is satisfied with Yu Darvish's performance thus far and the pitcher's transition to North American baseball. "We’re also hopeful he would be more efficient with his pitches, but that’s all part of it," Ryan said. "I’m not disappointed in the least. I see things that makes me feel like he’s making adjustments."
- It was Endy Chavez's choice to leave the Rangers and sign with the Orioles last winter, writes MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan as part of a mailbag piece. Chavez felt he could find more playing time with the O's than in the Rangers' increasingly crowded outfield.
- Also from Sullivan's piece, he praises Texas first-base coach Gary Pettis as an excellent future managerial candidate.