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Quick Hits: Paul, Ross, Tanner, Wells, Martin

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Let's check out some links as Saturday turns into Sunday..

  • Outfielder Xavier Paul has signed with the Reds and will report to Triple-A Louisville, according to his agency Paragon Sports International on Twitter.  Paul was granted free agency by the Nationals earlier this week.
  • Cody Ross told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter) that he rejected a multi-year offer from ‪the Braves‬ to sign a one-year deal with ‪the Red Sox‬ this winter.  Ross has a .275/.352/.560 slash line in 220 plate appearances this year.
  • The Giants signed left-hander Clayton Tanner and assigned him to Triple-A after he was released by the Reds, according to the Fresno Grizzlies' tranactions page.  Tanner, 24, spent several years in the Giants organization before being designated for assignment last summer.
  • There is concern for the Angels that there could be distractions if Vernon Wells either grumbles about a lack of playing time upon his return or other players grumble about him taking at-bats away from Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo, writes Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.  Wells is set to earn $21MM in each season through 2014 and moving him would be far from easy.
  • Russell Martin's slump this year could cost him a great deal of money, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  The catcher is believed to have rejected a three-year, $24MM offer from the Yankees this offseason, instead choosing to bet on himself.
  • Orioles General Manager Dan Duquette confirmed to Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com that the club won't be signing Korean high school pitcher Seong-Min Kim.  The O's signing of Kim this winter got them in hot water with the Korean Baseball Association which led to their $550K agreement being voided.

Reds, Others Interested In Juan Pierre

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The Reds are among the teams showing interest in Juan Pierre, reports ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter). The Phillies have not yet indicated a willingness to sell, but that won't stop clubs from calling.

Pierre, 34, is hitting a solid .317/.355/.387 with 20 steals in 23 chances while taking over Philadelphia's left field job on an everyday basis. Cincinnati is said to be seeking a leadoff hitter type, and Pierre certainly fits the bill.

Tigers Interested In Matt Garza

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The Tigers have interest in Matt Garza, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (Twitter links). The Cubs recently scouted Detroit's Erie affiliate, but talks are not serious. The Blue Jays, Indians, Reds, Red Sox, Diamondbacks and Cardinals all scouted Garza's start last night, Morosi adds.

The Cubs and Tigers discussed a deal involving Matt Garza this past January without reaching an agreement. Though the Tigers continue to get Cy Young-type production from Justin Verlander, starters Rick Porcello, Max Scherzer have been inconsistent so far this year.

Garza, 28, earns $9.5MM and will remain under team control through 2013. He has a 4.32 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 through 93 2.3 innings.

Reds Release Michael Wuertz

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The Reds have released Michael Wuertz according to Baseball America's Matt Eddy (on Twitter). Cincinnati signed the veteran right-hander to a minor league contract back in May.

Wuertz, 33, has not pitched this year due to continued injury problems. He posted a 6.68 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and 7.0 BB/9 in 33 2/3 innings for the A's in 2011, just two seasons after emerging as one of the league's dominant setup men. He battled hamstring and thumb injuries in 2011.

NL Central Notes: Carpenter, Pirates, Reds

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Here's the latest out of the NL Central..

  • Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter will undergo season ending surgery after recurring symptoms made it evident that the right-hander would be unable to pitch through thoracic outlet syndrome, writes Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com.  The 37-year-old, who is in the first season of a two-year, $21MM contract, says that he has every intention of pitching in 2013.
  • The Pirates lead this summer's group of all-in buyers, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com.  Olney writes that the Brewers' model of 2008 seems perfect for the Pirates to follow and in some ways, they're in a better position to trade because of the amount of pitching talent in their pipeline.
  • The Reds have signed eighth-round selection Seth Mejias-Brean, MLBTR has learned. The third baseman played college ball at the University of Arizona.

Minor Moves: Shane Lindsay, Daryl Jones

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Here are Saturday's minor moves…

  • The White Sox have signed Shane Lindsay according to the MLB.com transactions page. The 27-year-old right-hander signed with the Cubs last month but only made three appearances in their farm system before being released. Lindsay has allowed eight runs in six career big league innings, all coming with the ChiSox last year.
  • The Reds have released Daryl Jones according to the International League transactions page. The 25-year-old outfielder hit .187/.282/.363 in 104 Triple-A plate appearances this season. Baseball America ranked Jones as the fourth best prospect in the Cardinals system prior to the 2010 season.

Rosenthal On Victorino, Red Sox, Braves, Brewers

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has a new Full Count video up, so let's round up the rumors…

  • The chances of the Phillies trading Shane Victorino may be greater than the chances of them trading Cole Hamels. The Dodgers, Reds, and possibly the Yankees could be fits for the outfielder, who originally asked Philadelphia for a five-year extension. They're unwilling to give him a contract that long.
  • The Red Sox are likely to be one of the most active teams at the trade deadline. If they keep Franklin Morales in the rotation, they're likely to seek another left-hander for the bullpen. They could also acquire a starter and shift Morales back into a relief role.
  • The Braves are not as adamant about not trading their top young pitchers as they were at this time last year mostly because there are more appealing choices on the market. They're looking for consistency and could part with one of Mike Minor, Julio Teheran, or Randall Delgado if they view someone like Matt Garza as a difference-maker.
  • The Brewers remain more likely to sell than not, but they would still like to return to contention quickly. They could ask for big league pitching instead of prospects for Zack Greinke, plus Francisco Rodriguez figures to have value on the trade market. GM Doug Melvin is getting calls about John Axford and Jose Veras, and the trio of Randy Wolf, George Kottaras, and Shaun Marcum (if healthy) remain trade bait.

Checking In On The Latest $100MM Contracts

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Every year a few players join baseball’s exclusive $100MM club with free agent deals and mega-extensions. Last offseason was no different — eight players signed nine figure deals. The contracts were all for five years or more, so it’s far too early to call them successes or failures. As the season approaches its halfway point, let’s check in on baseball’s newest $100MM contracts:

  • Albert Pujols, ten-year, $240MM contract - Pujols had a painfully slow start, but he has raised his batting line to a respectable .270/.332/.461. His last 40 games have been legitimately Pujols-like: 11 home runs and an OPS over 1.000.
  • Joey Votto, ten-year, $225MM extension - It's impossible to have a complete discussion about baseball's best hitters without considering Votto. The 28-year-old leads the National League in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, walks, doubles and wOBA, so this deal couldn't be going any better for the Reds.
  • Prince Fielder, nine-year, $214MM contract - Fielder continues to hit at an All-Star level, though he has a relatively modest total of 12 home runs. Unfortunately for Tigers fans Mike Ilitch's bold investment hasn't been enough to keep the team above .500.
  • Matt Kemp, eight-year, $160MM extension - Hamstring issues have sidelined Kemp, who was the best hitter in the National League for the first month of the season.
  • C.C. Sabathia, five-year, $122MM extension - Sabathia, now on the disabled list with a strained groin, is in the midst of yet another tremendous season. He has a 3.45 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 107 innings.
  • Matt Cain, five-year, $112.5MM extension - Cain's enjoying his best season as a Major Leaguer. He has a career-best ERA (2.27), strikeout rate (9.0 K/9) and walk rate (1.9 BB/9) through 107 innings. The Giants' decision to invest in Cain still looks like a good one.
  • Jose Reyes, six-year, $106MM extension - Reyes' offensive numbers have dropped off across the board this year, no thanks to a 60 point dip in batting average on balls in play.
  • Ryan Zimmerman, six-year, $100MM extension - Zimmerman's off to a slow start at the plate despite two home runs in his past three games. He missed two weeks with shoulder soreness earlier in the year and has just a .235/.297/.350 batting line.

Reds Sign Jeff Gelalich

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The Reds have signed supplemental first-round pick Jeff Gelalich for $825K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America.  The bonus amounts to slightly less than the $898K assigned value for the No. 57 slot.

The UCLA product was key to the Bruins' College World Series run this spring and Callis writes that he has average or better tools across the board as a right fielder.  With Gelalich in the fold, the Reds have wrapped up all of their picks in the first ten rounds and are roughly $92K under their total bonus pool.

Draft Signings: Fontana, Benincasa, Amaral, Foody

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Let's keep track of the day's non-first and supplemental first round signings here…

  • The Astros have signed second rounder Nolan Fontana, the team announced. Jim Callis of Baseball America reports (on Twitter) that he signed for $875K, slightly above the $844K slot for the 61st overall pick.
  • The Nationals have signed seventh rounder Robert Benincasa, the team announced (on Twitter). The right-hander from Florida State was slotted for approximately $145K.
  • The Reds have signed seventh rounder Beau Amaral according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Slot money for the pick is $146K.
  • The Cardinals have agreed to terms with 12th rounder Max Foody on an above slot $385K bonus according to Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The high school left-hander hails from Florida.
  • The Orioles have signed 26th rounder Lucas Herbst, reports Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Baltimore has signed 23 draft picks all together.
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