Braves Acquire Paul Janish
The Braves have acquired shortstop Paul Janish from the Reds in exchange for right-hander Todd Redmond, tweets Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Atlanta has confirmed the deal in a press release.
Janish, 29, has spent 2012 with Triple-A Louisville after playing 114 games for the Reds last season. The shortstop has never been much of a hitter but boasts a very strong glove. Janish owns a .221/.289/.302 slash line in 324 career games and could offer support at shortstop in the absence of Andrelton Simmons.
Redmond, 27, has never appeared in a big league game. The right-hander has been with Triple-A Gwinnett since 2009 and has a 3.78 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 97 starts.
NL Central Notes: Reds, Cardinals, Baker, Astros
Links out of the NL Central..
- The Reds need a leadoff hitter, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes. Denard Span, Shane Victorino, Juan Pierre, David DeJesus and Coco Crisp could be among the options GM Walt Jocketty considers, Rosenthal suggests. Recently, MLBTR took a detailed look at the trade market for outfielders.
- Cardinals General Manager John Mozeliak said the club's initial focus was landing a starting pitcher but he has now "cast a little larger net to include relief pitching," writes Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- While skipper Dusty Baker is as feisty as ever, his future with the Reds is hazy, writes Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com. Baker is on the back end of a two-year extension that he signed with the club on the heels of his original three-year pact.
- New Astros owner Jim Crane held a Q-and-A session yesterday and Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle has the goods. Crane gave GM Jeff Luhnow a positive evaluation for the first half of the season and credited him for making quality trades with the future in mind.
- Brewers right-hander Tim Dillard has accepted his outright assignment to Triple-A, tweets club Media Relations Director Mike Vassallo. Dillard has a 4.38 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 37 innings for Milwaukee this season.
Reds Interested In Mark Kotsay
Padres outfielder/first baseman Mark Kotsay is drawing interest from multiple clubs, including the Reds, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports. However, the Padres value Kotsay's leadership and may keep him.
Kotsay, 36, has a .292/.370/.375 batting line in 81 plate appearances and a salary of just $1.25MM. The left-handed hitter could provide the Reds with late-game flexibility at a reasonable cost.
Cincinnati has also been linked to Juan Pierre, so the club appears to be eyeing low-cost outfielders who bat from the left side. I've speculated that Ryan Sweeney and Daniel Nava might also appeal to the Reds. For a detailed look at the trade market for outfielders click here.
NL Central Links: Greinke, Duncan, Reds
Here's the latest from the NL Central…
- Brewers GM Doug Melvin said he hasn't received many phone calls about Zack Greinke, though some teams have subtly expressed interest, reports Tom Haudricourt of the MIlwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I think, respectfully, general managers don't call when you're eight games out [in the division], six games out of a wild card," Melvin said. "They don't call but their let their interest be known in a different way. Their scouts will talk to our scouts and say, 'We're interested in somebody.' "
- Melvin also said that it's doubtful Greinke would sign an extension with the Brewers before the trade deadline. "When players get this close (to free agency), there's not many that will sign, at that (talent) level,” said Melvin. “He's a difference-maker to a team that's got a chance to go to the post-season. Unless you're raising the bar (to a higher salary), you usually go on the market.”
- Dave Duncan served on Tony LaRussa's staff for the All-Star Game but otherwise, the veteran pitching coach seems like he is retired, writes Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Duncan took a leave of absence from the Cardinals last winter to take care of his wife, who is suffering from brain cancer.
- The Reds need a leadoff hitter, and John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer speculates that Juan Pierre or Denard Span could be a fit. Fay says it's possible the Reds could acquire a center fielder instead of a left fielder, as Drew Stubbs has struggled this season.
Pirates, Reds, Indians Interested In Quentin
The Pirates, Reds, and Indians are just a few of the teams that have called the Padres about Carlos Quentin, writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
The Pirates have been connected to Quentin within the past week, but this is the first report that either Ohio team has actually contacted the Padres about their slugging left fielder. Until this point, connection to both teams had been speculation.
Quentin, 29, is a San Diego native who has enjoyed his first season playing in his hometown. He currently boasts a .268/.406/.518 triple slash line and has clubbed seven homers in 138 plate appearances. Like most hitters, he's struggled tremendously at Petco Park. Small sample warnings apply, but Quentin has hit just .196/.288/.348 in 14 home games compared to .318/.477/.636 in 19 games on the road.
As Heyman notes, the Padres would need to acquire a return which they deem more valuable than the draft pick Quentin could net them. The new collective bargaining agreement muddles the situation, however, as an acquiring team would not be able to collect a draft pick for him at season's end. That, of course, will make it more difficult for Padres GM Josh Byrnes to net quality prospects in exchange for Quentin's bat.
Heyman also writes that the Tigers and Blue Jays were both seen as fits for Quentin at one point, but that may no longer be the case. The Tigers likely prefer an infielder and/or starting pitcher with Delmon Young's bat coming around, and the Blue Jays are more likely to pursue pitching as well.
The Marlins placed a call about Quentin at one point, according to Heyman, but it's unclear whether or not the acquisition of Carlos Lee has taken them out of the Quentin market.
Quick Hits: Paul, Ross, Tanner, Wells, Martin
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
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
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
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
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.