Quick Hits: Manny, Youkilis, Indians, Hernandez
Manny Ramirez is a free agent after being cut loose by the Athletics and says that he wants to continue playing, but it's not clear where he might get the major league opportunity that he's seeking. The Rockies don't have any need for Manny, tweets Troy Renck of The Denver Post. Orioles GM Dan Duquette, who brought Ramirez to Boston, told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (via Twitter) that he has no interest in signing him. Unsurprisingly, the Dodgers aren't interested in bringing Mannywood back to Chavez Ravine, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times tweets. Here's more from around baseball..
- Scouts from around baseball aren't terribly hot on Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis, writes Cafardo. "He’s been an outstanding hitter in this league for a long time. But given some of the injuries, he’s got to show that he’s completely healthy and that he can still be the same hitter he was," a veteran scout said.
- Indians GM Chris Antonetti says that the trade market is still not clear, tweets Jordian Bastian of MLB.com. There are more buyers than sellers but the team will look at bats and arms as the market develops.
- Pitcher Livan Hernandez doesn't plan on retiring after being DFA'd by the Braves yesterday, writes Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The 37-year-old posted a 4.94 ERA with 5.5 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in 31 innings out of the bullpen for Atlanta.
Draft Signings: Brewers, Rockies, Red Sox, Mets
So far this year we haven’t seen as many substantial draft bonuses as in years past, Yahoo’s Jeff Passan notes (on Twitter). In the previous five drafts, 16 players obtained $6MM or more, but Byron Buxton may be the only player to sign for $6MM this year, now that the new collective bargaining agreement is in place. Here are today’s noteworthy draft signings from the second round and on…
- The Indians announced that they signed second round selection Mitch Brown. The high school right-hander obtained an over-slot bonus of $800K, MLBTR has learned. Adam Karon and Tripper Johnson of Sosnick/Cobbe Sports represent Brown, who entered the draft as the 44th-best eligible prospect, according to Baseball America.
- The Brewers signed second rounder Tyrone Taylor for $750K, Jim Callis of Baseball America reports (on Twitter). MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy had reported earlier in the week that the Brewers were nearing a deal with the athletic high school outfielder.
- The Rockies announced that they have agreed to sign 28 selections, including their top six picks and 12 of their first 14 selections (Twitter link).
- The Red Sox announced that they have signed 11 picks, including second rounder Jamie Callahan and fourth rounder Ty Buttrey. Callahan obtained a $600K bonus, according to Callis (on Twitter). Buttrey obtained an over-slot bonus of $1.3MM, Callis tweets.
- The Mets signed fourth rounder Branden Kaupe for $225K, Callis reports (Twitter link). The switch-hitting shortstop has very good speed, according to Baseball America.
Olney On Red Sox, Quentin, Willingham, Pirates
ESPN's Buster Olney shared a number of items (via his Twitter feed) about a variety of hot stove topics and rumors…
- The Red Sox might be forced to deal Kevin Youkilis due to a "roster crunch" at the corner infield positions and players returning from the DL. Rival executives, however, think Youkilis currently has "no trade value" so it doesn't make sense for Boston to move him right now.
- The Angels and Yankees are "still waiting for needs to be defined" before exploring trades, while the Red Sox are only focused on acquiring starting pitching.
- Many baseball executives believe the Padres will trade Carlos Quentin, though Olney reports the Padres "would like to" offer Quentin a long-term extension sometime this summer. Olney's phrasing may relate to the uncertain status of the Padres' ownership situation.
- Teams have checked in on Josh Willingham but have been told that he isn't available. Some believe this could change but others believe Twins GM Terry Ryan "is, generally speaking, conservative with in-season deals" so the Twins could hold onto their slugger.
- The Pirates are looking for hitting but thus far found few sellers willing to deal.
- The Dodgers are asking about first basemen as they look to upgrade from James Loney but have "no reason to go crazy" finding a second base replacement for Mark Ellis, who will return from the DL at some point.
- The Rockies aren't seen as a team with much to trade, as their roster is split between "untouchables" (i.e. Troy Tulowitzki) and "role players" (such as Rafael Betancourt).
- Jim Thome could be a trade target for AL teams but Olney believes Phillies GM Ruben Amaro would first ask Thome if changing teams was something the respected veteran would want.
Rockies Sign Max White
The Rockies have signed second-round pick Max White to a $1MM bonus, reports Jim Callis of Baseball America (via Twitter). It's an above-slot signing for the Rockies, as Major League Baseball has a $701.7K recommended price for the 73rd overall pick.
White, 19, is a high school outfielder who had been committed to attend the University of Florida. The Rockies have now signed or agreed to terms with their top four picks from the 2012 draft.
Indians Acquire Rogers, Designate Carlin
WEDNESDAY: Cleveland sent $150K to the Rockies in exchange for Rogers, reports Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus (on Twitter).
TUESDAY: The Indians acquired Esmil Rogers from the Rockies for cash considerations, the team announced. The Indians designated Luke Carlin for assignment in a related move.
The Rockies designated the 26-year-old Rogers for assignment three days ago after he posted an 8.06 ERA with 10.2 K/9 and 6.3 BB/9 in 25 2/3 innings of relief this year. He can't be optioned to the minors without being exposed to waivers.
Carlin, 31, has appeared in four games with the Indians this year. He has spent most of the season at Triple-A Columbus, where he posted a .230/.345/.311 line in 88 plate appearances. Carlin has a .706 OPS in 11 minor league seasons.
Mike Axisa contributed to this post.
Draft Signings: Rockies, Twins, Angels
MLBTR has updated lists of which first and supplemental first round picks have agreed to terms. Here are Wednesday's notable draft signings from the second round and beyond…
- The Rockies agreed to sign third round selection Tom Murphy for $454K bonus, Jim Callis of Baseball America tweets. The catcher profiles as an above-average hitter, according to Callis.
- The Twins signed fifth round selection Tyler Duffey for $267K, Callis reports (on Twitter). Duffey, a right-handed pitcher, mixes in a slider and throws a fastball that sits in the 92-94 mph range.
- The Angels signed fourth round selection Alex Yarbrough for $303K, Callis tweets. The second baseman has some power, according to Baseball America.
- The Tigers agreed to terms with 15 selections including fifth rounder Joe Rogers and 10th rounder Charlie Gillies.
Rockies Sign Omir Santos
The Rockies signed catcher Omir Santos, according to their team website. The 31-year-old elected free agency last week after the Tigers designated him for assignment.
Santos appeared in three games with Detroit this month after the Tigers promoted him from Triple-A Toledo, where he had a .310/.315/.417 batting line in 89 plate appearances. Santos also appeared in 11 games with last year's Tigers team and has MLB experience in four seasons. He is a Praver/Shapiro client.
Rockies Sign Eddie Butler
The Rockies have signed supplemental first round selection Eddie Butler for $1MM, reports Jim Callis of Baseball America. Slot money for the pick was approximately $1.11MM. Butler, a right-handed pitcher out of Radford, was selected with the compensation pick Colorado received for Mark Ellis, #46 overall.
Rockies To Sign David Dahl
The Rockies have agreed to sign first round draft pick David Dahl, Kendall Rogers of Perfect Game USA reports (on Twitter). Dahl, the 10th overall selection, will obtain a $2.6MM bonus, according to Rogers. Dahl flew to Denver Monday and an announcement can be expected later today, Tracy Ringolsby of ROOT Sports reports (on Twitter).
MLB recommends a bonus of $2.7MM for the 10th overall selection, according to Baseball America. Dahl, a high school outfielder, bats left-handed and has plus speed, a strong arm, and power potential, according to BA.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Saunders, Quentin, Cards, Pirates
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has a new Full Count video up. Let's recap…
- Teams looking for rotation help should call the Diamondbacks about Joe Saunders. Arizona wants to get top prospect Trevor Bauer into their rotation, but right now there's just no room.
- The identity of the Padres' new owner will not be known before August, leaving the front office to make its own call on Carlos Quentin prior to the trade deadline. They could keep him and make him a qualifying offer after the season (entitling them to draft pick compensation), though they'd be gambling on future payroll before knowing the new owner's plans. The safest move could be trading the outfielder.
- The Cardinals will wait to hear more about Chris Carpenter's status before making a move for a veteran starting pitcher in the wake of Jaime Garcia's shoulder injury. St. Louis wanted Jeff Francis badly, but the timing wasn't right; Garcia appeared to be healthy when Francis hit the market.
- The Pirates have inquired about a number of corner infield bats, including Kevin Youkilis, Chase Headley, and Bryan LaHair. Some of those targets are more realistic than others, plus the trade market has yet to really materialize. There are far more buyers than sellers, though Pittsburgh has the pitching depth to swing a deal.