Minor League Transactions
Baseball America released this week's set of minor league transactions, and there was plenty of interesting movement. Let's break it down.
- The Indians signed reliever Mike Gosling to a minor league pact. The Twins released Gosling earlier this month. He last pitched in the big leagues for the Reds in 2007.
- The Tigers released Jason Tyner. You probably remember that the Brewers traded Tyner to the Tigers back in April for literally nothing.
- Marlins youngster Cameron Maybin was suspended for "aggressively arguing a call and bumping an umpire."
- The Astros removed Geoff Geary from the 40-man roster and outrighted him to Triple-A.
- The Angels signed former Orioles wunderkind Val Majewski to a minor league pact.
- Chris Burke was granted free agency by the Padres. He fashioned just a .207-.270-.305 batting line in 89 plate appearances this season.
- The Giants released Jesse Foppert, who was once the best pitching prospect in the game. He hasn't pitched in the majors since 2005.
Tigers Acquire Jason Tyner
According to Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers acquired Jason Tyner from the Brewers today. Tyner, 32, will report to the Tigers' AAA club in Toledo to fill the spot of Ryan Raburn, who was promoted to the big league club today.
Strangely, Morosi writes that there were no other players or cash involved in the deal; Tigers Director of Minor League Operations Dan Lunetta says the Brewers simply assigned his contract to the Tigers organization.
Tyner has appeared with four Major League clubs, including two others in the AL Central – the Twins and Indians.
Brewers Ink Tyner, Will Dump Gwynn Jr.
11:00pm: Gwynn has been placed on waivers.
2:24pm: Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Haudricourt that there will be an announcement concerning Gwynn Jr. on Friday. It appears he will be placed on waivers.
1:33pm: According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Brewers have signed outfielder Jason Tyner to their Triple-A Nashville roster.
Tyner, 31, has spent time in the majors with the Mets, Rays, Twins and Indians. He spent all of last year in Triple-A, where he hit .248 with 12 doubles, a homer and 18 RBI in just over 300 at-bats. Haudricourt surmises that this signing could result in the Brewers waiving Tony Gwynn Jr, who is out of options and unlikely to make the final roster.
Odds and Ends: Hanley, Salcedo, Torrealba
Time to round ’em up…
- Rob Neyer guesses B.J. Upton is the next to get a long-term deal from the Rays. Back on April 24th, Jayson Stark wrote that the Upton family "has its own ideas about the market value of both brothers."
- Expect a Hanley Ramirez press conference today, or this weekend at the latest.
- Tribe Report walks us through the Edward Salcedo confusion.
- Yorvit Torrealba‘s agent has filed a grievance against the Mets over their nearly-signed three-year deal.
- Jon Heyman says nothing’s imminent with Ken Griffey Jr. Buster Olney wrote today that the Mariners are "not especially gung-ho" about trading for Junior.
- The Indians DFA’d Jason Tyner.
- A.J. Pierzynski attempts to dispel all those negative stories about his time with the Giants.
Today’s Non-tenders: Towers, Prior, Everett, Durbin
Tim’s out for the night, so we’ve got a fresh post started for the non-tenders. MLB.com has a running list as well.
These guys are the officials as of now:
- As expected, the Marlins non-tendered catcher Miguel Olivo. Johnny Estrada was another casualty; these two make up the market for starting catchers.
- The Blue Jays non-tendered Josh Towers, a surprising move. Some NL team could offer him two years and get league average work out of him.
- Mark Prior has been non-tendered. Honestly if I were the Cubs, I would’ve tossed the $3.5MM his way just to see.
- Aaron Miles is now a free agent.
- The A’s cut Kiko Calero loose.
- The Padres have non-tendered four: Morgan Ensberg, Jason Lane, and pitchers Jack Cassell and Ryan Ketchner. RotoWorld speculates that the latter two, not arbitration eligible, could be offered minor league deals.
- The Royals cut the cord on Emil Brown. He turns 33 soon; he hit an ugly .257/.300/.347 in 2007. Brown earned $3.45MM in ’07.
- The Tigers non-tendered Chad Durbin, toss him into the free agent pool. Guess those trade talks with the Bucs didn’t work out.
- The Twins have let go Jason Tyner.
- The Nats have cut bait with Nook Logan and LHP Michael O’Connor.
- The Dodgers wave goodbye to Mark Hendrickson.
- The White Sox have non-tendered Andy Gonzalez and LHP Heath Phillips. Joe Crede sticks with the Pale Hose for now.
- Adam Everett has lost his job with the Astros. It’d be kind of funny if the Orioles signed him.
- Per RotoWorld, the Angels have non-tendered Dallas McPherson. He’s full of potential, but he’s never come through. He’s only 27, though, so he could still catch on somewhere. Unless, RotoWorld notes, he has an agreement in place with the Angels.
- The Braves have non-tendered Willie Harris, though he had already been DFA’d.
–Joe and Tim
Odds and Ends: Mench, Kent, Durbin, Wang
Rounding up this morning’s Odds and Ends, to be updated periodically…
- The Pirates are talking to the Tigers about acquiring Chad Durbin. The arbitration-eligible Durbin doesn’t have a place in Detroit’s rotation, but could be useful for the Bucs.
- Chien-Ming Wang would like a three or four-year deal with the Yanks.
- The Phillies will pass on Kevin Mench, though they’ve still got their eye on Nate McLouth. The Royals’ disinterest in Mench was noted yesterday.
- We’ve assumed it for a while, but Jeff Kent playing in 2008 is now official.
- The Twins may have non-tendered Jason Tyner.