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Quick Hits: Jones, Rivera, Wang

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Here are a few items of note as the Dodgers and Angels finish up the Freeway Series …

  • The Tigers dismissed pitching coach Rick Knapp today and promoted bullpen coach Jeff Jones to replace him, writes Jason Beck of MLB.com. The move was made in the wake of a rough patch for Tigers pitchers, who gave up 51 runs over a five-game stretch last week, according to Beck.
  • The Phillies will likely have a look at Juan Rivera, who was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays this morning, according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). The Phils are rumored to be seeking a right-handed bat, and Rivera would fit that bill at a presumably cheap price. For his career, the 33-year-old (today) is hitting .292/.339/.509 against southpaws.
  • Nationals right-hander Chien-Ming Wang is making rehab starts and seeking a return to the Majors, writes Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. Wang will be a free agent at season's end, so it will be interesting to see if he can piece together a decent couple months' worth of starts.

Quick Hits: Hanrahan, Harden, Dodgers, Ring

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Some links for Sunday afternoon…

Hernandez, Santa Sign Big League Deals

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SUNDAY: The Mariners do not have any agreement with Dominican outfielder Helsin Martinez, M's vice president of international operations Bob Engle told Ben Badler of Baseball America. 

"We did not sign Martinez in the Dominican Republic," Engle said. "That is not correct at all. Whoever put out that information is totally inaccurate."

SATURDAY: Three players from the International Prospects League have signed deals with major league clubs, according to the IPL website.  Elier Hernandez signed for $3.05MM with the Royals, Helsin Martinez signed with the Mariners for $2MM, and Adelin Santa inked a deal with the Tigers for $750K.

Hernandez, 16, is considered by several scouts to be either the top prospect or one of the top prospects to come out of Latin America this year, writes Ben Badler of Baseball America.  The Dominican boasts explosive bat speed from the right side and at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds already possesses a major league body.  Hernandez's bonus is highest of all-time for an international amateur outfielder.

Many scouts say that the Martinez, who hails from the Dominican Republic, has the best right-handed power in Latin America among this year's July 2-eligible players, Badler writes.  The newest member of the Mariners organization is a corner outfielder who stands at 6-foot-5 and 190-pounds.

Santa, a 16-year-old Dominican third baseman, is the least-heralded of the three prospects but stands out for his raw power and arm strength, according to Badler.

Quick Hits: Bootcheck, Mets, Cameron, Ramirez

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Friday afternoon linkage..

  • Right-hander Chris Bootcheck is expected to use his July 1st opt-out and leave the Rays' Triple-A affiliate, tweets Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.
  • Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter) spoke to a scout in contact with the Mets who says that the club won't be looking to sell until the season plays out more.  Of course, they may choose to not sell off their parts at all.
  • It looks like we can cross off one potential suitor for Mike Cameron: Bill Ladson of MLB.com tweets that the Nationals aren't interested.  The Nats, he tweets, are seeking a long-term solution in centerfield.
  • Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter) hears that the rotation is still a top trade priority for the Tigers, but bullpen help is a consideration now as well.
  • Bobby Bonilla, eat your heart out.  Manny Ramirez starts earning his $2MM deferred money from the Red Sox today and every year on this date through 2026, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

Potential Suitors For Mike Cameron

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114110624042_Red_Sox_at_Pirates 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

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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.

Quick Hits: Rockies, Pelfrey, Verlander, Brewers

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Links for Thursday…

  • The Rockies have signed second round pick Carl Thomore, reports Nick Groke of The Denver Post. Thomore, a high school outfielder from New Jersey, was the 77th overall pick of the draft, and that carries a slot recommendation of approximately $472K.
  • Multiple sources have told Jeff Passon of Yahoo! that labor talks between the owners and players' union are going well, unlike labor talks in the other major sports (Twitter link).
  • Mike Pelfrey faced the Tigers this afternoon, and Jason Beck of MLB.com notes that Detroit had interest in the righty during the 2005 draft (Twitter link). The Mets took him one pick before the Tigers could grab him though.
  • Interestingly enough, Justin Verlander (who pitched against the Mets this afternoon) was close to pitching for them at one point as Brian Costa of The Wall Street Journal explains. The Mets were prepared to draft Verlander with the third overall pick in 2004, but the Tigers grabbed him with the second pick.
  • Brewers manager Ron Roenicke expects a position player to be demoted once Takashi Saito is ready to be activated off the disabled list this weekend, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel. 
  • ESPN's Jerry Crasnick wrote about nine players that have stepped up to help their teams following injury. Hot stove afterthoughts Ryan Vogelsong and Phil Humber top his list.
  • Matt Eddy of Baseball America rounded up this week's collection of minor league transactions, which includes a ton of draft and undrafted free agent signings.

Tigers Eye Starters, Not Jose Reyes

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The Tigers aren’t pursuing Jose Reyes, but they are looking at the market for starting pitching, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Though Tigers officials appear content with their offense, their rotation is becoming a concern.

The Tigers announced this morning that they’re replacing converted reliever Phil Coke in the rotation with rookie Charlie Furbush. The Tigers will intensify their search for starting pitching if Furbush or another young pitcher like Andrew Oliver or Jacob Turner doesn’t prove himself to be a reliable starter in the next month or so.

This afternoon's starter, Justin Verlander, has pitched himself into the Cy Young conversation. However, the rest of the Tigers' rotation – Coke, Max Scherzer, Brad Penny and Rick Porcello – hasn't been as effective.

The Tigers could get an offensive boost from Carlos Guillen, who is on a rehab assignment. One of the infielder’s representatives told Morosi that he plans to return after the All-Star break. In the meantime, Detroit’s offense is scoring; they’re fourth in the American League in runs.

AL Central Notes: Raburn, Twins, Indians

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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

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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.

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