Quick Hits: Hanrahan, Harden, Dodgers, Ring
Some links for Sunday afternoon…
- Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweets that All-Star Joel Hanrahan doesn't have a bonus for being selected to the All-Star Game built into this year's contract with the Pirates, but you can bet his 2012 contract will have one.
- ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that Rich Harden could make sense for the Rockies or Diamondbacks if he continues throwing well.
- Olney quotes ESPN's Evan Cohen in this tweet, pointing out that the Dodgers owe $74MM to 40 creditors, which is more than twice the $31MM they have committed to players for 2012.
- The New York Post's Joel Sherman spoke to a Yankees executive and says it's unlikely that they pursue Royce Ring (Twitter link), who opted out of his contract with the Mariners today. Ring had a solid 2010 season for the Yanks' Triple-A affiliate.
- The Indians could use an outfielder and Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer outlined some possible trade targets for the Tribe. Ryan Ludwick, Melky Cabrera, Jeff Francoeur, and Jason Kubel are among the names suggested.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter) expects Padres reliever Chad Qualls to be dealt.
- Between Latin American prospects Elier Hernandez and Nomar Mazara, Ben Badler of Baseball America (via Twitter) prefers the potential of Hernandez. Hernandez signed with the Royals yesterday for $3.05MM while Mazara agreed to a record setting deal worth more than $5MM with the Rangers.
Indians Sign Dorssys Paulino
SUNDAY: Hoynes tweets that the signing is now offical. MLB.com's Jordan Bastian tweets that the Indians have confirmed the deal.
9:34PM: A deal with Paulino is close, but nothing is definite at this time, tweets Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer. The $1.1MM offer figure, however, is accurate.
8:57PM: The Indians do not currently have a signed contract for a Dominican prospect, tweets Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.
4:13PM: The Indians have signed Dominican shortstop Dorssys Paulino to a deal with a $1.1MM signing bonus, writes Ben Badler of Baseball America.
Paulino, 16, is said to have one of the better bats among infielders in this year's class. His 5-foot-11, 175 pound frame might mean that he's better suited for second or third base than shortstop.
The youngster is the son of Jesus Sanchez, a left-handed pitcher who played for the Marlins, Cubs, Rockies, and Reds from 1998-2004.
Quick Hits: Mariners, Rangers, Astros, Hendry
Some Quick Hits for Saturday night..
- The Mariners are looking for bullpen help in addition to bats and they've shown interest in what the Padres have, sources tell Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). However, the M's aren't likely to overpay for a rental and they'd much prefer players under who are under control for '12 (also via Twitter).
- The Rangers appear to be close to another international signing, writes Enrique Rojas for ESPNDallas.com. The club is nearing a deal with Dominican pitcher Pedro Payano for $500-600K.
- A few inexpensive international signings went down today. The Astros signed Venezuelan shortstop Arturo Michelena for $220K according to Ben Badler of Baseball America. The Braves signed Iosif Bernal, a Panamanian outfielder, for a $230K bonus and the Indians inked Dominican outfielder Francisco Miguel for $200K, writes Badler. The Cardinals signed Venezuelan catcher Jose Godoy for $200K, says Badler.
- Cubs GM Jim Hendry said that he's not concerned about what other people have to say about his job security in an interview on ESPN1000.
Potential Suitors For Mike Cameron
The Red Sox cut ties with veteran outfielder Mike Cameron yesterday, designating him for assignment after he hit just .149/.212/.266 in 105 plate appearances this year. "Rest assured I'll play again," said Cameron to Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe (Twitter link). "I'm not going out that way."
Despite his poor season and last year's injury riddled campaign (just 48 games), Cameron figures to draw interest based on his track record. He hit .250/.342/.452 with 24 homers as a full-time player just two seasons ago, and he went deep at least 20 times every year from 2006 through 2009. That power might be gone at 38 years old, but his three homers this year suggest that he might still be able to provide double digit long balls given enough playing time.
With approximately $3.625MM left on his contract this year, it's very likely that Cameron will clear waivers and hit the open market. Any team would then be able to sign him for the pro-rated league minimum, which is attractive to clubs on a budget. Let's look at some teams that could be potential suitors for Cameron…
- Braves – Martin Prado is dealing with a staph infection and temporary fill-in Jordan Schafer is hitting just .222/.295/.310. Wilkin Ramirez, Atlanta's current righty outfield bat off the bench, has been unimpressive in limited playing time.
- Cardinals – There's no way to replace Albert Pujols, but St. Louis was able to slide Lance Berkman over to first and stick Jon Jay in right field. The lefty bat is hitting .289/.340/.356 against southpaws, but Cameron could replenish some outfield depth.
- Giants – This one is probably a long shot because their outfield is already crowded, but the game's worst offense (just 285 runs) is in desperate need of help, particularly in the power department.
- Indians – Shin-Soo Choo will miss a substantial amount of time after having thumb surgery, and the incumbent righty hitting outfielder (Austin Kearns) has been ineffective both overall (.194/.282/.265) and against lefties (.244/.292/.267).
- Mariners – Jeff Sullivan of Lookout Landing tackled this one.
- Nationals – They've been looking for a center fielder basically all season, and if nothing else, Cameron would give them a platoon partner for Roger Bernadina (.208/.255/.271 vs. LHP).
- Phillies – Ben Francisco has been disappointing against lefties (.200/.317/.314) this year, plus Cameron could give them platoon partners for both Domonic Brown and Raul Ibanez.
- Pirates – It's strange to think of the Pirates as buyers, but they're over .500 and just two games back in the NL Central. Jose Tabata is on the DL and Matt Diaz has been a disappointment (.268/.297/.331).
- Rangers – Julio Borbon is back in Triple-A and David Murphy can't hit lefties (.177/.235/.194), plus they could probably use the depth since Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz are known to visit the DL from time to time.
- Rays – Matt Joyce and Sam Fuld have cooled off considerably, though the righty hitting Justin Ruggiano has done a swell job in limited playing time (.300/.328/.500). That might not last though.
- Tigers – Ryan Raburn (.207/.244/.348) and Magglio Ordonez (.200/.268/.279) have been big disappointments, and Austin Jackson isn't tearing the cover off the ball either (.248/.312/.364). All three are right-handed and could be replaced, though Jackson figures to keep the center field job.
- Twins – Injuries have decimated the Twins outfield, though at 8.5 games back of a playoff spot, they might be looking to sell off veterans rather than add one.
Jack Curry of the YES Network heard that the Yankees "probably" won't have interest in Cameron (Twitter link), but several other teams figure to come calling once he clears waivers and is available on the cheap. It's easy to see Cameron fitting on the 25-man roster of nearly even team, though the amount of playing time he'll receive is sure to factor into his decision.
Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.
Olney On Deadline Plans For AL Teams
ESPN's Buster Olney outlined plans for National League teams heading into the trade deadline yesterday, and today he follows up with the American League in an Insider-only column that comes highly recommended. Here's a brief recap…
- The Mark Ellis trade could just be the first domino that falls for the Athletics. Other veterans like Josh Willingham, Coco Crisp, and Grant Balfour could follow him out the door.
- The Twins aren't as willing to trade now as they were a few weeks ago, and the big question they have to ask themselves is if eating a chunk of the $5.5MM left on Michael Cuddyer's contract is worth it to trade him.
- We've heard this before, but B.J. Upton and Kyle Farnsworth of the Rays figure to draw interest.
- The Red Sox and Angels don't have a lot of financial flexiblity and are more likely to target smaller pieces.
- Jeff Francoeur, Melky Cabrera, and Wilson Betemit are all affordable and reasonably productive, but Olney notes that the Royals might want to keep some veterans around so the youngsters don't get pounded.
- The Indians and Mariners will not blow up their rebuild processes despite their surprising runs at contention. Erik Bedard's injury took away Seattle's best chip.
- Poor seasons from Alex Rios and Adam Dunn make it difficult for the White Sox to do anything. They need those two to get back on track more than anything.
- The Yankees are convinced their internal pitching options are better than what's available on the market right now. A Rafael Soriano setback would put them in the reliever market.
- It's all about right-handed relief pitching for the Rangers, who will have plenty of options to choose from. The Blue Jays have lots of bullpen help to deal.
- The Tigers are asking around about pitching, specifically left-handers.
- The Orioles are having an internal debate about whether or not to trade Jeremy Guthrie, but they are expected to at least listen to offers.
AL Links: Royals, Red Sox, Indians, Mariners
Some links from the so-called junior circuit…
- Royals GM Dayton Moore told MLB.com's Dick Kaegel that any move the team makes before the trade deadline would be something "we felt would help us long term." Kaegel notes that Jeff Francoeur, Melky Cabrera, Jeff Francis, and Bruce Chen are all candidates to move.
- "I can't sit here and say we'll definitely make a blockbuster trade,'' said Red Sox GM Theo Epstein to Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston. "For one thing, there's not a huge market for sellers right now. But it's a long way from July 31. Market dynamics change, our own situation can change.'' It's been reported that Boston is unable to take on payroll at the deadline.
- MLB.com's Jordan Bastian spoke to Indians GM Chris Antonetti, who said that "dialogue with other teams has certainly picked up over the last few weeks." Bastian says the team is likely to make smaller, incremental upgrades, but they are not opposed to dealing prospects.
- Indians manager Manny Acta told Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes that Melvin Mora and Mike Cameron are “interesting” possibilities (Spanish link on Twitter). Mora was released yesterday and Cameron was designated for assignment today.
- Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times looked back at what the Mariners did at the deadline over the last few seasons, which includes attempts to rebuild and "go for it."
- With a 3.14 ERA through 117 2/3 innings, Rangers ace C.J. Wilson has put himself in a great position heading into free agency, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.
Indians Release Adam Everett
The Indians announced that they released Adam Everett after the infielder cleared waivers. Cleveland designated Everett for assignment earlier in the week to create roster space for callup Lonnie Chisenhall.
Everett, 34, played second, short and third for the Indians this year. Though he has never been known for his bat, his .217/.277/.233 line through 67 plate appearances was not enough for him to keep his roster spot, especially with promising infield talent on Cleveland's Triple-A club.
Heyman On Padres, Athletics, Twins
The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…
- The Padres are being aggressive in engaging in trade discussions, say executives who have spoken to them. They're even willing to discuss dominant set-up man Mike Adams, who is under team control for next year. Many teams prefer Adams over closer Heath Bell, who Heyman says is "very likely" to be dealt. There are a couple of surprise suitors for Bell, but one exec told Heyman the righty "won't bring as much as you think."
- The impending returns of Rich Harden, Brandon McCarthy, and Tyson Ross are delaying the Athletics' decision on whether to sell. If they do sell, here's a look at who might be available.
- A rival executive believes the Mets would have to be bowled over to trade Jose Reyes, though teams seem convinced Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez will be traded. Teams haven't even called the Mets yet about Reyes' availability, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
- Heyman says that the Dodgers have not received any calls on Matt Kemp.
- Though they are nine games out, Heyman says there is no evidence the Twins will start shopping soon. A competing exec thinks they'll stand pat. While Michael Cuddyer would be coveted, his value in the clubhouse might compel the Twins to keep him.
- The Giants don't have much interest in Cleveland's Orlando Cabrera, writes Heyman.
- The Reds "seem reluctant" to trade catcher Ramon Hernandez. For more on Hernandez, click here.
- The Rockies are in wait-and-see mode, but if they sell they'll look to move closer Huston Street. Street is signed through 2012 with a club option for '13.
AL Central Notes: Raburn, Twins, Indians
The Tigers lost Joel Zumaya to a season-ending elbow injury on this date last year, the same day they took over first place with a win against the Twins. A year later, Zumaya hasn't made it back to the big leagues, but the Tigers have returned to first place, at least for now. Here’s the latest from their division…
- The Tigers offered outfielder Ryan Raburn to the Mets for reliever Brian Stokes a couple of years ago, according to ESPNNewYork’s Adam Rubin (on Twitter). The Mets eventually acquired Gary Matthews Jr. for Stokes.
- Longtime Twins executive Howard Fox died at the age of 90 earlier today, the team announced. Our condolences to the family and friends of Minnesota's former club president.
- The Twins signed fourth round pick Matt Summers, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. The 21-year-old right-hander will report to Rookie League.
- Indians GM Chris Antonetti told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that he doesn’t necessarily prefer right-handed hitters to left-handed hitters (Twitter link).
Contenders In Need Of A Right Field Upgrade
As many as eight contenders might try to improve their right field situation:
- Red Sox: They may just seek a right-handed hitter who can handle lefties, suggested WEEI's Alex Speier. Jeff Francoeur, Conor Jackson, Ryan Spilborghs, and Matt Diaz could be possibilities, or Michael Cuddyer if the team aims for a bigger name.
- Tigers: When Brennan Boesch plays left field, Casper Wells and Magglio Ordonez are options in right. Wells has shown pop in a limited sample, and Maggs has a big contract. The Tigers' offense isn't lacking overall, so this isn't an urgent need. The same could be said for the Red Sox.
- Indians: The Indians just announced that Shin-Soo Choo had thumb surgery today and recovery time is eight to ten weeks. That means a late August return in the best case, so the Tribe could look to upgrade on the Travis Buck/Austin Kearns platoon.
- Phillies: They've got Domonic Brown and Ben Francisco in the current mix. Francisco normally at least handles lefties, but not this year. Brown has star potential, but it's unclear how much leeway the Phillies want to give him this year to learn on the job. They've got a middle of the pack offense this year, and have been linked to Cuddyer, Ryan Ludwick, and Josh Willingham.
- Cardinals: Lance Berkman has taken over at first base in Albert Pujols' absence, but Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wrote yesterday that the Cards do not plan to pursue a hitter. Allen Craig could return from a fractured kneecap around the All-Star break and Jon Jay has done a nice job.
- Pirates: The Bucs have employed Garrett Jones, Xavier Paul, and Diaz this year. Jones takes care of righties, so if Diaz returns to his lefty-mashing ways they'll be fine.
- Giants: The Giants are using Nate Schierholtz in right, with Cody Ross also capable. Schierholtz has struggled against lefties.
- Athletics: At six games out the A's are fringe contenders. They could end up selling right field candidates in Willingham, Jackson, David DeJesus, and Ryan Sweeney. Even if they do stay in the race an outfield acquisition seems unlikely.
The Red Sox, Tigers, Indians, and Phillies seem most likely to pursue right field acquisitions. Andre Ethier and Hunter Pence are unlikely to be dealt, leaving names such as Carlos Beltran, Jason Kubel, Kosuke Fukudome, Ludwick, Willingham, Cuddyer, Ordonez, Francoeur, Jackson, Spilborghs, Diaz, and DeJesus on the Major League market.