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AL West Notes: Figgins, Angels, Willingham

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No American League West team is truly out of contention. The Rangers lead the way with a 40-36 record, the Mariners and Angels are hovering around .500 and the A's are back within 5.5 games of the division lead after a recent six-game winning streak. Here's the latest on the AL West: 

  • The Mariners still owe Chone Figgins over $20MM between now and the end of the 2013 season, but the infielder is playing poorly, so Larry Stone of the Seattle Times runs through the team's options. Stone concludes that the Mariners probably have to cut down on Figgins’ playing time and hope he finally heats up so that they can get some value from him, either in a trade or on the field. 
  • Angels GM Tony Reagins told Kevin Baxter of the LA Times that international free agency is an increasingly important and challenging source of talent for MLB teams. This year's international signing period begins July 2nd (link via the Baltimore Sun).
  • One scout for a contending team told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that Josh Willingham's Achilles injury could scare teams considering the outfielder as a possible trade target. The A's put Willingham on the disabled list, but he could return in early July, in time to reestablish his trade value.

Cafardo On Kazmir, Upton, Broxton, Ramirez

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wonders if roster manipulation is rampant in baseball.  Cafardo points to the pulled quad muscle injury of Red Sox outfielder Darnell McDonald as a possible example.  McDonald wasn't showing any signs of injury and when asked about it, he gave a "no comment".  It's possible that Boston simply wanted to get McDonald more playing time with Mike Cameron eating up the lion's share of the reps.  Things such as this, Cafardo writes, are happening all around baseball.  Let's see what else is happening around the majors:

  • As poorly as left-hander Scott Kazmir has pitched in the last two seasons, there are at least five teams looking at him in the Rockies, Marlins, Padres, Rangers, and Diamondbacks.  It also wouldn't be a surprise if the Yankees jump into the mix considering their pitching needs.
  • There always seems to be a should-we-or-shouldn’t-we-trade B.J. Upton dilemma for the Rays. The Nationals could be a fit as they'd like a young center fielder they can grow with.  The question is: is he available?  All signs point to yes.
  • Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton has been on the shelf since May with an elbow injury, but the club could move him if they're lagging in the standings.
  • The Marlins' recent slide has skipper Edwin Rodriguez on the hot seat and it's no secret that the club has been keeping an eye on Ozzie Guillen for quite some time.  Guillen has one year remaining on his deal with the White Sox.
  • The Dodgers owe Manny Ramirez more than $8MM in deferred payments but the charismatic twelve-time All-Star is collecting a lot more than that.  The BoSox owe him quite a bit of money too, roughly $32MM over 16 years.  Boston will pay Ramirez through 2026, when he’ll be 54-years-old.

Minor Moves: Carter, Ramirez, Dopirak, Redding

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The latest minor moves…

  • Baseball America's Matt Eddy posted a comprehensive list of recent minor league transactions, including a swarm of draft pick signings and undrafted free agent pickups from the last week.
  • The Rays released Chris Carter according to the Triple-A International League transactions page. The 28-year-old hit .270/.309/.460 with ten homers in 233 plate appearances.
  • The Astros released catcher Max Ramirez and first baseman/DH Brian Dopirak, tweets Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle.  The Astros had signed Ramirez in May after he'd been released by the Cubs.  Dopirak was added in December.  Both players had OBPs under .290 in their brief Triple-A stints.
  • The Phillies signed righty Tim Redding to a minor league deal, tweets MLB.com's Todd Zolecki.  The 33-year-old posted a 6.59 ERA in 13 starts for the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate this year.
  • The Angels inked righty Jerome Williams for their Triple-A rotation, tweeted his agency Full Circle Sports Management.  The 29-year-old was drafted 39th overall by the Giants back in '99, one pick after the Rangers grabbed Colby Lewis.  Williams hasn't pitched in the bigs since '07.

Angels Unable To Spend More Money In 2011

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The Angels have lost seven of their last ten games and sit three games back of the Rangers in the AL West, but owner Arte Moreno has told GM Tony Reagins not to spend any more of his money this year according to Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles. This will obviously limit the team's ability to make a splash at the trade deadline.

The Angels released Scott Kazmir yesterday, eating the $9.5MM left on his contract. They are also paying Gary Matthews Jr. $11.4MM to play for the Reds' Triple-A affiliate this year. Reagins was able to add Russell Branyan for the pro-rated portion of the league minimum last month, but he's hitting just .161/.229/.161 in 35 plate appearances since signing.

As Saxon notes, the team doesn't have much immediate help sitting in Triple-A, with the best of the bunch being veterans Paul McAnulty and Jeff Baisley. He wonders if teams would have interest in Joel Pineiro ($8MM salary), Fernando Rodney ($5.5MM, but currently on the disabled list), or Bobby Abreu ($9MM, but his 2012 option is close to vesting), which could potentially free up some cash via trades. Either way, Reagins is going to have to get creative to upgrade his team this summer.

Scott Kazmir Rumors: Thursday

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27-year-old lefty Scott Kazmir was released by the Angels yesterday.  The team ultimately received 188 innings of 5.31 ball, plus 10 2/3 postseason innings, since acquiring him on August 28th, 2009.  The Angels gave up prospects Alexander Torres and Matt Sweeney that day, and infielder Sean Rodriguez was included as a player to be named later.  The Angels still owe Kazmir over $9MM to cover his salary for the rest of the season and the buyout on his club option.  Today's Kazmir links…

  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman said he hasn't looked into the possibility of acquiring Kazmir but will eventually, tweets MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez.  Cashman commented, "I know he's struggled."
  • Kazmir is a "possibility" for the Mets, GM Sandy Alderson said in response to a question on WFAN's Benigno and Roberts (MetsBlog has more info).  However, when pressed on the topic by Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, Alderson admitted his interest in Kazmir is the same as it is for everybody who hits the wire (Twitter link).  Kazmir, of course, is a former first-round pick of the Mets who was traded by former GM Jim Duquette to the Devil Rays in '04.  Kazmir's history with the organization is a factor, Alderson told Dan Martin of the New York Post.
  • My take: signing Kazmir is a low-risk proposition that almost any team could justify, taking him on as a minor league project for the next several months similar to what the Nationals are doing with Oliver Perez.  But that's only if Kazmir wants to sign right now and finds a good fit.
  • "I don't have any regrets," Angels GM Tony Reagins said of the '09 Kazmir trade, speaking to Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times.  Explained Reagins, "You make decisions in this business and live with the consequences."
  • Angels manager Mike Scioscia remarked to ESPN's Mark Saxon and the AP, "He's still young and I'm sure at some point we hope he can unlock that secret of where he needs to be."

Angels Release Scott Kazmir

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The Angels have released left-hander Scott Kazmir, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times.  (Twitter link)  We heard earlier today that the move was imminent in the wake of Kazmir's poor performance in rehab starts, and DiGiovanna confirms that the Halos will indeed pick up the rest of Kazmir's remaining salary.  That total will be the $7MM left on Kazmir's $12MM 2011 salary and the $2.5MM buyout of his 2012 option.

Kazmir posted a 3.51 ERA and 742 strikeouts in 689 2/3 innings for the Rays between 2005 and 2008, including a league-high 239 K's in 2007.  Since then, he has dealt with a number of injuries, and Tampa Bay dealt him to the Angels in August 2009.  The southpaw has managed just a 5.31 ERA and 5.7 K/9 in 35 starts with Los Angeles.

Scott Kazmir Likely To Be Released

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"It appears the Angels will have no choice but to release" lefty Scott Kazmir, writes Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times.  That would mean eating about $7MM in remaining salary, plus a $2.5MM buyout for 2012.

GM Tony Reagins was on hand to watch Kazmir's fifth rehab start, writes DiGiovanna, and it was the lefty's fourth ugly outing.  Kazmir's recovery from back stiffness has been drawn out, as he attempts to regain his old form within the 30-day rehab window.  Last year, Kazmir's 5.94 ERA was the worst in the American League among those with 150 innings.  Kazmir led the American League in strikeouts in 2007 as a 23-year-old, but his work has gone downhill since.

Kazmir is still only 27, so don't count him out of baseball quite yet.  Perhaps another fresh start will lead to him becoming a serviceable starter in time.

As for the August trade with the Rays, the Angels sent Sean Rodriguez, Alex Torres, and Matt Sweeney to Tampa Bay.  Torres could be the gem of the deal, as he was ranked sixth among Rays prospects by Baseball America prior to the season.

Contenders In Need Of First Base Help

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As many as six contenders might aim to improve at first base as we approach the trade deadline: the Rays, Angels, Braves, Pirates, Giants, and Diamondbacks.  Let's take a closer look.

  • The Rays have used Casey Kotchman at first lately, and with a .335/.392/.445 line he has not disappointed.  Kotchman has scuffled in 39 June plate appearances, however, and if that is a sign that he's back to the level of his previous few seasons, the Rays will need to upgrade.
  • Rookie Mark Trumbo is the Angels' first baseman.  He's shown some power, but a .248/.294/.454 line is subpar at the position.  Russell Branyan is also in the mix.
  • The Braves are using rookie Freddie Freeman, who has played fairly close to expectations at .268/.335/.416.  You'd like to see more power, but the Braves might be content here.
  • Pirates first baseman Lyle Overbay is hitting just .236/.305/.369.  Typically the Bucs are not mentioned in posts about contenders, but at five games back they could be more buyers than sellers.
  • Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff has struggled to a .234/.288/.393 line, though he's been better in June.  Given his contract, the Giants will probably stick with him.  Top prospect Brandon Belt could be Plan B if Huff is struggling when the rookie recovers from a broken wrist.
  • The Diamondbacks have been using Juan Miranda and Xavier Nady at first base.  Miranda has been solid overall, though not in June.  Nady hasn't done much.  Brandon Allen is an option at Triple-A.

That makes six contenders that might consider a first base upgrade, though all of them could easily stand pat.  Who's available?  Carlos Pena, Michael Cuddyer, Wilson Betemit, Yonder Alonso, Brad Hawpe, Juan Rivera, James Loney, Derrek Lee, Chris Davis, and Kila Ka'aihue can probably be had, but they're not clear upgrades for anyone.  The best bet to be dealt might be Pena, who is hitting .250/.388/.492 since May 1st.  Loney has also been better lately.

AL West Notes: Weaver, Davis, Anderson, Ellis

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As the Angels and Mariners begin a three-game series at Safeco Field tonight, let's look at some items concerning those clubs and their other two division rivals….

  • Could the Angels considering moving Jered Weaver this summer?  FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal looks at what might happen if the Halos fall out of contention, with a Weaver deal being the biggest possible move the club could make to rebuild.  I looked at Weaver as both a trade and an extension candidate last April.
  • MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan looks at some reader suggestions about what the Rangers might do before the trade deadline.  Sullivan speculates that the Orioles could be a good trade partner for the Rangers — Texas wants right-handed relivers (like Jim Johnson or Koji Uehara) and Baltimore could use a first baseman for the future like Chris Davis.
  • Athletics southpaw Brett Anderson will not need Tommy John surgery, reports ESPN's Buster Olney.  (Twitter link)  Dr. James Andrews instead recommended six weeks of rehabilition for Anderson, and the two will meet again in three weeks for a re-evaluation.
  • Also from Buster Olney, (via Twitter), the Athletics could find a suitor for Mark Ellis without leaving the Bay Area.  The Giants need second base help with Freddy Sanchez possibly out for the season, while the A's might prefer to give playing time at second base to Jemile Weeks or Scott Sizemore.  MLBTR's Tim Dierkes listed Ellis as a possible trade candidate in his examination of what the A's might do if they become sellers.  Of note: Ellis does have no-trade protection in his contract, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts.
  • The three-team deal between the Mariners, Indians and Mets in December 2008 has proven to be a boon for the M's, writes Larry Stone of the Seattle Times.

2012 Vesting Options Update

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Now that the calendar has flipped to June, let's check in on the status of the various vesting options around the league…

  • Bobby Abreu, Angels: $9MM option vests with 433 plate appearances. Abreu has already come to the plate 276 times this year, so this one seems life a safe bet to vest, barring injury.
  • Rafael Furcal, Dodgers: $12MM option vests with 600 plate appearances. Furcal is back on the disabled list with an oblique strain, and he's still a month away from returning. He has only 69 plate appearances this year, so this one won't vest.
  • Jon Garland, Dodgers: $8MM option vests with 190 innings pitched. Garland has been on the disabled list twice this year (the first two times of his career), and he's currently out with a sore shoulder. He only has 54 innings to his credit and won't be back anytime soon, so this one won't vest.
  • Francisco Rodriguez, Mets: $17.5MM option vests with 55 games finished and if doctors declare him healthy at the end of the year. K-Rod has already finished 25 games, putting him on pace for 65 at season's end. A trade to a team that would use him as a set-up man would change everything, but right now the option figures to vest.
  • Koji Uehara, Orioles: $4MM option vests with either 55 appearances or 25 games finished. Uehara has appeared in 26 games and finished 11, putting him on pace for 69 and 29, respectively.
  • Arthur Rhodes, Rangers: $4MM option vests with 62 appearances and if he's not on the disabled list at the end of the season. He's appeared in 20 games so far, putting him on pace for 50. Rhodes' workload could increase down the stretch.
  • Joakim Soria, Royals: $6MM option vests with 55 appearances. He's already appeared in 28 games and is on pace for 71. It's worth noting that even if the option doesn't vest, the Royals would still control Soria as an arbitration-eligible player in 2012.
  • Dan Wheeler, Red Sox: $3MM option vests with 65 games; increases to $3.25MM with 70 games. Wheeler has appeared in 17 games so far, so a stint on the disabled list did not help his cause.

Adam Wainwright's 2012 ($9MM) and 2013 ($12MM) options will not vest because he will finish the season on the disabled list after having Tommy John surgery. Aramis Ramirez's option depends on MVP Award finishes and whether or not he's traded, not plate appearances or another counting milestone.

Mark Buehrle is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2011 season and although he doesn't have a traditional option in his contract, he gets an extra year at $15MM tacked onto his current deal if he's traded at some point this season.

Thanks to Cot's Baseball Contracts for the info.

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