AL Central Notes: Morneau, Willingham, White Sox
Earlier today, the Orioles found their new bat in the Mariners' Mike Morse after a potential deal for the Twins' Josh Willingham fizzled. The Twins reportedly asked for top prospect Eduardo Rodriguez in exchange for the outfielder, which was too rich for Baltimore's blood. Here's more on the Twins and other notes out of the AL Central..
- A Twins source tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter) that the club still isn't close on any deal and that includes Justin Morneau. The Twins may have asked for a lot to part with Willingham, but they have been said to be more eager to deal Morneau, who is a pending free agent. It was also reported earlier this week that the PIrates had interest in the 2006 AL MVP along with other clubs.
- Willingham is happy that the two-day window passed without a trade being reached, writes MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger. “I’m comfortable here so I’d like to stay here,” Willingham said. “The bottom line is I didn’t have any control so I didn’t worry myself with it.” The 34-year-old is under contract with the Twins through 2014 and he's set to earn $7MM in his walk year.
- Jake Peavy, who is facing the White Sox tonight for the first time since the Boston deal, says that he doesn't expect his former club to face a lengthy rebuilding process, tweets Scott Merkin of MLB.com.
AL Central Notes: White Sox, Willingham, Indians
Former White Sox exec Dave Wilder received a two-year federal prison sentence today for his role in taking kickbacks from international signings, as first reported by Larry Yellen of FOX 32 (via Twitter). From December 2004 through February 2008, investigators said that Wilder orchestrated a kickback scheme in which he and other White Sox scouts artificially inflated the value of international players, signing them to bonuses beyond their value and taking a cut for themselves, writes Ben Badler of Baseball America. In total, there were kickbacks involved with 23 signings, according to the federal investigation. The White Sox released a statement calling the scandal a "painful betrayal". The good news for the White Sox is that Wilder was ordered to pay the club roughly $441K in restitution, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Here's more out of the AL Central..
- An unknown team claimed Twins outfielder Josh Willingham off waivers, but Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer reports that it wasn't the Indians. The Indians negotiated with Willingham when he was a free agent before the 2012 season. Willingham wound up signing a three-year deal with the Twins after the Tribe would only go to two.
- Hoynes adds that while Willingham won't be coming to the Indians, the recently DFA'd Jason Kubel could be of interest to them. The Tribe liked Kubel when he played for Minnesota and there were reports that they claimed him on waivers in August of 2011, right around the time they acquired Jim Thome from the Twins.
- Twins GM Terry Ryan confirmed that Minnesota will receive cash from the Royals in the Jamey Carroll trade, tweets Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. The Twins had the choice of cash considerations or a PTBNL in the swap.
Matt Lindstrom Joins The Legacy Agency
White Sox right-hander Matt Lindstrom has signed with Greg Genske of The Legacy Agency, according to Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal (Twitter link). The 33-year-old Lindstrom was previously represented by the Sparta Group.
Lindstrom leads American League pitchers in appearances this season and has tallied an impressive 3.10 ERA with 6.5 K/9, 4.0 BB/9 and a 55.4 percent ground-ball rate. His contract contains a $4MM club option that seems likely to be exercised, and he could be traded at any time due to the fact that he has cleared waivers. If his option is declined, his free agency will be in the hands of an agency that has negotiated free agent deals for relievers Bobby Jenks, Danys Baez and J.P. Howell in recent years.
Tommy Hanson and Oscar Taveras have also joined The Legacy Agency in the past month, as can be seen in MLBTR's Agency Database. With info on nearly 1,900 Major League and Minor League players, our database is constantly growing. If you see any errors or omissions, please let us know via email at mlbtrdatabase@gmail.com.
Rosenthal On Gonzalez, Peavy, DeJesus, Lohse
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports released his latest Full Count video today. Let's take a look:
- Discussing the Phillies' ongoing negotiations with Cuban righty Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, Rosenthal notes that that delays of this kind typically develop after a team finds a problem with a player's physical. If there is cause for concern, the Phillies could incorporate protective language into the contract or sign Gonzalez to a smaller deal than the six-year, $48MM pact that was reported last month.
- Recent Red Sox acquisition Jake Peavy told Rosenthal that he was prepared to move money around in his contract to facilitate a trade from the White Sox to the Cardinals, or any other team that asked him to do so. However, the Cardinals never made an offer for Peavy.
- Rival executives suggest to Rosenthal that the Nationals' waiver claim of David DeJesus may have been a mistake. The quality of prospect that the Nats obtain from the Rays for DeJesus could hint at the impetus behind the deal, Rosenthal says.
- The Braves were the team that claimed Kyle Lohse after the Brewers placed him on waivers earlier this month, and hoped to use him as a replacement for the injured Tim Hudson. However, the Brewers opted not to try to work out a deal. They may attempt to move him in the offseason, however, as the two years and $22MM remaining on his deal could be attractive in the weak free agent market.
AL Central Notes: Morneau, Ryan, Konerko, Indians
Happy birthday to Hall-of-Famer Paul Molitor, who turns 57 years old today. Though Molitor only spent the final three of his 21 seasons with an AL Central team, the St. Paul native has been closely tied to the Twins franchise and currently serves as a special assistant within the organization. Here's the latest from around the division…
- The Twins don't have any trade talks percolating about Justin Morneau right now, Minnesota general manager Terry Ryan tells Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “I can put that out there,” Ryan said. “I don’t see [a trade], but there is always a possibility." Morneau has cleared waivers and has revived his trade value after hitting .303/.326/.618 in 92 PA in August. The former AL MVP has drawn varying levels of interest from the Yankees and Orioles in recent days.
- Ryan added that "I don’t think you have to worry about" Glen Perkins being traded. The closer drew attention before the July 31st deadline, but it's hard to see how Minnesota could get Perkins through waivers without another club blocking the move.
- The Twins GM also covers a number of topics with Hartman, including his own future with the team. Ryan said he's still enjoying all aspects of his job, except for the Twins' poor record on the field.
- Adam Dunn thinks there is "zero chance" his White Sox teammate Paul Konerko will retire after this season, Dunn tells Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (Twitter link). Konerko has hinted at retirement throughout the season, as this is the last year of his White Sox contract and the veteran has struggled with injuries and a .662 OPS in 393 PA.
- The Indians recently gathered several front office members to discuss September promotions and any possible August trades, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. "We're looking at opportunities to improve, internally, externally, whatever those might be," GM Chris Antonetti said. "I continue to like the group of guys we have, but if there is an opportunity to improve, we'll pursue it."
AL Central Notes: Tejada, Abreu, Indians, Gardenhire
Earlier this afternoon, Royals infielder Miguel Tejada was suspended for 105 games after a pair of positive tests for Adderall. Tejada will serve his suspension for the rest of this season and is expected to retire rather than sign with a team and serve the remainder of the punishment in 2014. He issued the following statement:
“I apologize to my teammates, the Royals organization and to the Kansas City fans. I have a medical condition that requires medication to treat. I took that medication while re-applying for a Therapeutic Use Exemption. Under the requirements of the Joint Drug Program, I made a mistake in doing so.”
Here's more out of the AL Central…
- The White Sox will attend Cuban first baseman Jose Dariel Abreu's showcase next month, writes Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago. Executive vice president Kenny Williams told Hayes that the Sox need to see more of Abreu before making a decision, but spending money is something the team isn't afraid to do. Paul Konerko is a free agent at season's end, and Adam Dunn will be off the books following 2014.
- In his latest Q&A with readers, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that while Alex Rios would've been a good fit with the Indians, the financial commitment to him was too much for the Tribe. Hoynes also tackles questions on acquiring a middle-of-the-order bat and Asdrubal Cabrera's struggles and trade value.
- Twins manager Ron Gardenhire told Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he's not worrying about his own future following the dismissal of Phillies manager Charlie Manuel yesterday: "In all honesty, this is my 12th year (managing the Twins). It doesn't get much better than that. Managers just don't stay in places like that. I feel like I've been blessed. I'm lucky. I'm not going to sit here, if this is my last year, and mope, believe me. If it is my last year in Minnesota, I'm going to enjoy the hell out of it." Prior to Manuel's firing, he, Gardenhire and Mike Scioscia of the Angels were baseball's longest-tenured managers.
Dan Haren, Erik Bedard Clear Waivers
Nationals pitcher Dan Haren and Astros hurler Erik Bedard have cleared waivers, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Mariners infielder Brendan Ryan and White Sox reliever Matt Lindstrom have also cleared waivers and even though the clubs floated them out there prior to the non-waiver deadline, it's not clear how much interest they'll generate.
Haren was first placed on waivers last week, so the news that he cleared doesn't come as a surprise. The Nats were expecting more than a 4.99 ERA when they signed the 32-year-old to a one-year, $13MM contract this offseason but his 8.0 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9 are promising. Haren is owed just under $3.7MM for the remainder of the year. The Nationals still have a shot at catching the Reds for the final Wild Card spot, however, and they're likely not in sell mode at the moment.
Bedard, 34, isn't a world-beater, but he could appeal to clubs as he is owed roughly $300K for the rest of the season. The veteran owns a 4.28 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 21 starts and two relief outings in 2013.
Lindstrom, 33, has a 3.47 ERA with 6.4 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 58 relief appearances for the White Sox this season. The right-hander has been a little stronger in years past as he owns a career 3.62 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9.
Paul Konerko Placed On Waivers
Paul Konerko has been placed on waivers, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The White Sox slugger can say no to any deal thanks to his ten-and-five rights and is likely to clear waivers. The waiver claim period will expire tomorrow, Rosenthal adds in a second tweet.
The 37-year-old is owed roughly $3.25MM for the remainder of the season. Konerko owns a slash line of .243/.306/.359 with nine homers in 87 games this season, a significant dropoff from his usual production.
It's possible that this will be Konerko's final go-round as he is on an expiring contract, dealing with back issues, and has stated that he doesn't want to stay in the game "just to chase some numbers."
Minor Moves: Quiroz, Paulino, Manzella
Tuesday's minor moves from around the league…
- The Giants have outrighted Guillermo Quiroz to Triple-A Fresno, according to Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). The 31-year-old, who appeared in 43 games for the Giants this season and slashed .186/.237/.302, was DFA'd last week.
- The Orioles have activated Ronny Paulino from the minor league disabled list and assigned his contract to the Tigers' Triple-A affiliate in Toledo, the team announced on Twitter. In other words, the Orioles announced, Baltimore has sold Paulino's contract to the Tigers for cash considerations after he was claimed off waivers. Paulino, 32, hit .234/.368/.319 between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk this season and last appeared in the Majors with the O's in 2012.
- The White Sox have signed Tommy Manzella to a minor league contract and assigned him to Double-A Birmingham after he was released by the Blue Jays, according to Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com. Manzella, 30, was a third-round pick of the Astros in 2005 and ranked among their Top 15 prospects from 2007-09, per Baseball America, largely due to his glove at shortstop. BA repeatedly ranked Manzella as the best defensive infielder in Houston's system, but his bat never caught up. He hit .225/.267/.264 in 282 plate appearances when the Astros gave him the starting job at shortstop in 2010. Manzella, who began 2013 with the Rockies' Triple-A club, is a career .256/.315/.357 hitter in the minors.
- Two players are currently in DFA limbo: Delmon Young of the Phillies and Brett Hayes of the Royals.
White Sox Release Tyler Greene
The White Sox have released Tyler Greene from Triple-A Charlotte, according to Knights director of PR and media relations Tommy Viola (Twitter link).
Greene, who turns 30 on Saturday, spent 22 games with the Sox earlier this season, batting .222/.263/.352 with one homer. He appeared exclusively at second base for the White Sox, though he has significant big league experience at shortstop and has also tallied 101 Major League innings at third base. He had a .649 OPS with the Knights this season prior to his release.
Greene was released by the Astros this Spring, a mildly surprising move given the power he showed in Houston last season. After being acquired from the Cardinals on Aug. 9, Greene hit .246/.278/.460 with seven homers over 39 games for the Astros. The former first-round pick is a lifetime .224/.289/.356 hitter in parts of five big league seasons with the Cardinals, Astros and White Sox.