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Draft Signings: Flexen, Dodgers, Yankees, Rays, Nats

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The deadline for signing draft picks is just three weeks away, now that it’s been moved up under baseball’s new collective bargaining agreement. Here are the latest noteworthy signings from the second round of the draft and on…

  • The Mets gave 14th round pick Chris Flexen an above slot $374,400 bonus, reports MLBTR's Tim Dierkes (on Twitter). The high school right-hander is represented by Adam Karon of Sosnick Cobbe Sports.
  • The Dodgers signed third rounder Onelki Garcia for an under-slot $382K, reports Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter). The Cuban southpaw owns a 90-93 mph fastball and a good curveball according to Callis.
  • The Dodgers also signed eighth rounder Scott Griggs for $135K, reports Callis (on Twitter). The UCLA right-hander received the full slot value.
  • The Yankees signed third round selection Nathan Mikolas for $400K, Jim Callis of Baseball America reports (on Twitter). The high school first baseman has a very good bat and some power potential, according to Callis.
  • The Rays signed third round selection Andrew Toles for $397K, Callis tweets. The speedy outfielder is a strong defender in center field, Callis writes.
  • The Nationals announced that they signed third rounder Brett Mooneyham, a left-hander out of Stanford University. Amanda Comak of The Washington Times says (on Twitter) that he received $429K.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Quick Hits: Lee, Pirates, Ortiz, A’s, Royals

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The Dodgers are in need of a run producer and the Astros' Carlos Lee is the latest name to surface on the club's radar, writes Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.  The veteran has the ability to block trades to 14 teams, and the Dodgers are on that list.  However, that doesn't necessarily mean that Lee doesn't want to play in Los Angeles   Almost all of the teams on that list are high-revenue teams, providing the first baseman with leverage.  More from around baseball on this Thursday night..

International Notes: Blue Jays, Red Sox, Twins

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A new set of rules and restrictions for the international prospect market will take effect less than two weeks from now, on July 2. Each team will be working with an annual budget of $2.9MM for international players starting next month. Here are the latest rumblings regarding the international prospect market, via Ben Badler of Baseball America:

  • The Blue Jays had seemed to be in the lead for Venezuelan right-hander Jose Mujica, but may not be as closely linked to him as expected, Badler writes. The Red Sox and Diamondbacks have also been linked to the 15-year-old Mujica, who's considered by many scouts to be the top pitching prospect available in Latin America. 
  • The Blue Jays are still favored to sign 16-year-old Venezuelan Franklin Barreto, according to Badler. Some teams consider Barreto the top available prospect, but he will likely move from shortstop to another position.
  • The Red Sox, Padres and Royals have been mentioned as possible teams of interest on Venezuelan left-hander Jose Castillo, Badler writes. Some view the Dodgers and Orioles as sleepers for Castillo, who’s expected to obtain a generous bonus.
  • The Twins are showing heavy interest in Dominican shortstop Amaurys Minier, according to Badler. The 16-year-old switch-hitter is expected to become one of the highest-paid Dominican prospects.
  • Some believe the Pirates are in on Dominican third baseman Julio de la Cruz.

Kevin Youkilis Rumors: Thursday

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Potential suitors for Kevin Youkilis are waiting to see if the Youkilis of old returns, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports. So far this year, the 33-year-old has a .225/.311/.359 batting line, which means he's on track for the lowest batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage of his nine-year career. Here are the latest Youkilis rumors from Boston:

  • The Red Sox have stepped up their efforts to trade the infielder, and will have to absorb most of his $12MM salary to facilitate a deal, Cafardo writes. However, they want something more than salary relief for Youkilis, a homegrown player who developed into an All-Star.
  • The Indians are very much involved in talks and talks with the Diamondbacks don’t appear to be dead, Cafardo reports. The Phillies have scouted Youkilis, and the Dodgers could have interest, but the White Sox are more likely to pursue pitching help.

Quick Hits: Galvis, ChiSox, Marlins, Soriano, Dodgers

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Ichiro Suzuki recorded his 2500th career hit tonight, leading off the game with a single to center field.  Only Al Simmons, Ty Cobb and George Sisler reached the 2500-hit milestone in fewer games than Ichiro's 1817 MLB games.  Of course, Ichiro started his Major League career at a much later age than any of those Hall-of-Famers, as he had already racked up 1278 hits in Japan before joining the Mariners in 2001.

Here's the latest from around the majors….

  • Phillies infielder Freddy Galvis has been suspended for 50 games by Major League Baseball due to a positive PED test, according to a statement from the league.  Galvis is currently injured and will able to serve his suspension while on the DL, which FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi describes as "a loophole that wasn't closed in the new [collective bargaining agreement]."
  • White Sox GM Kenny Williams told reporters (including Scott Powers of ESPN Chicago) that his team's low attendance could make it more difficult for the Sox to make acquisitions at the trade deadline.
  • The Marlins are actively looking for outfielders, writes MLB.com's Joe Frisaro as part of a reader mailbag.  Frisaro speculates that Denard Span, Peter Bourjos or Carlos Lee could fit the Marlins' needs.
  • ‘‘It goes both ways because I don’t want to be miserable,’’ Alfonso Soriano tells Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times about a possible trade from the Cubs.  Soriano wants to remain in Chicago but, ‘‘I don’t want to have a long summer or a long season. I just want to win, no matter what. If it’s here, I’m more than happy. If it’s not here, if they think they want to take longer than two or three years, then my contract’s done….But it has to be a very good team to go to because I don’t want to go be miserable on the other team, too.’’
  • With the Dodgers expected to big players at the trade deadline, Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times warns that the team shouldn't feel obligated to make a move just to answer the pressure.
  • Ned Colletti tells Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times that the Dodgers are looking for a starting pitcher, a hitter and a left-handed reliever.  Trades have been hard to come by, however, as Colletti says teams have so far only been willing to discuss moving pending free agents.  The second wild card has also improved several teams' chances of contending, so there are fewer obvious sellers.
  • The Pirates have been similarly stifled in their trade attempts, as they've been discussing moves for the last six weeks, writes Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  "We've been told by some clubs that they're going to hold on as long as they can to sell tickets and try to keep their fans engaged, so that may take an obvious seller off the market," said GM Neal Huntington.
  • Diamondbacks rookie Wade Miley shut down the Mariners on Monday, but Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports that in 2010, the two teams discussed a trade that would've sent Miley to Seattle in exchange for David Aardsma.

Sherman On Dempster, Lee, Gonzalez

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MLB executives expect the additional Wild Card teams to slow the trade market this summer, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. The Cubs and a few other teams such as the Athletics, Astros and Padres are willing to sell now, but most clubs still hope to contend this summer. Here are some notes from Sherman on the trade market:

  • No clear difference makers appear to be available right now, Sherman reports. People are generally waiting to see if the Brewers or Phillies decide to trade established stars for controllable talent.
  • A Yankees official told Sherman that Ryan Dempster would just “muddy the water” in New York, an indication that the Yankees aren’t overly interested in the Cubs right-hander.
  • Though there’s no indication that Cliff Lee and Carlos Gonzalez are available, Sherman makes the case that their respective clubs should consider trades for them this summer. Lee, who has a nine-team no-trade list, would appeal to a number of contenders, and Gonzalez would draw considerable interest in a trade market that currently features few impact hitters.
  • Sherman points out that people in the industry see California native Cole Hamels heading toward a big payday from the Dodgers after the season when he hits free agency.

Quick Hits: Tigers, Bryan LaHair, Red Sox Draft

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The Yankees completed a sweep against the Nationals on Sunday afternoon in Washington D.C. with a 4-1 victory. The win marked New York's third consecutive sweep of three games or more for the first time since 1998. With the Yankees taking three from the Nationals, the Reds (7-5) are now the lone MLB team with an all-time winning record against the Bronx Bombers. Here's the latest from around the majors…

  • Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski has already conceded his interest in acquiring a right-handed bat before the non-waiver trade deadline, but any potential move hinges on the health of Victor Martinez, writes Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. “The possibility (of Martinez returning) exists in a strong enough fashion that you have to give it some thought, but I don’t really know where that stands – and I don’t know that we will know until July,” Dombrowski said in an interview Sunday morning. “We may get Martinez and (Al) Alburquerque back. Those would be two pretty good acquisitions, and our bullpen actually has pitched pretty well in recent times.”
  • ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (via Twitter) that the Dodgers are not interested in Cubs first baseman Bryan LaHair but are talking with Chicago about right-hander Ryan Dempster. Los Angeles may want to reconsider its stance as LaHair has a slash line of .297/.380/.560 as compared to .261/.322/.368 for the Dodgers' first basemen.
  • According to calculations by Baseball America, the Red Sox will face increased penalties from MLB if they continue spending at their current pace to go 5% over their draft budget as pointed out by Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal. When a team exceeds its budget by 5% or less, it is penalized by paying 75% on the amount over the threshold. Teams that go over by 5 to 10% are mandated to pay a luxury tax of 100% on the excess spending and forfeit their next first round draft pick.

Cafardo On Youkilis, Lowrie, Manny, Red Sox

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Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe asked 55 people in baseball if they'd rather have Bryce Harper or Mike Trout.  The final tally: Harper 25, Trout 24, six undecided.  Athletics GM Billy Beane was one of the six on the fence and likely had the best quote of anyone.  "Beatles or Stones?  They’re both great, aren’t they?"  Here's more from Cafardo's column..

  • The Pirates and Dodgers could be the teams most willing to pull the trigger on Kevin Youkilis.  The recent shift from third base to first has been a plus for scouts watching him, though he hasn’t performed well enough yet to wow anyone.
  • Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie has 12 homers this year and his offensive ability may make him a target at the trading deadline.  However, one AL GM pointed out that health concerns will impact his value.
  • Cafardo wonders if the Blue Jays might consider Manny Ramirez after letting Vladimir Guerrero go.
  • While Daisuke Matsuzaka would probably like to remain in the major leagues and in Boston, Matsuzaka will be in demand in Japan since he is still relatively young and still considered a big name, according to a major league source.  The right-hander could earn another multiyear deal if he does well this season.
  • Some baseball people wouldn't be shocked to see the Red Sox move Daniel Bard if he gets himself straightened out.  Theo Epstein has always been a big fan and Cafardo wonders out loud if something could be worked out with the Cubs for Matt Garza.  Garza, he opines, would be a perfect fit for an AL East team.
  • The Dodgers could pull the trigger on Ryan Dempster soon and the Blue Jays also seem to have serious interest.
  • Teams are reassessing their commitment to scouting Japanese players.  One GM said, “Is all the money spent and devoted to scouting really yielding any great player? You’ve had Kei Igawa, Daisuke Matsuzaka, the kid from Minnesota [Tsuyoshi Nishioka], and really, is the money spent worth it?"

Rosenthal On Dempster, O’s, Jays, Astros, Indians

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Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com has the latest from the rumor mill in a pair of videos, the Rosenthal Report and Full Count. Here's what's going on …

  • The Cubs are shopping starter Ryan Dempster to multiple teams, including the Dodgers. Chicago is willing to include significant amounts of cash in any trade in hopes of landing better prospects. Dempster has 10-and-5 rights, however, and thus can veto any deal, although he's willing to move to a contender.
  • The Orioles are pursuing starting pitching and scouted both Dempster and Matt Garza this week, although the Diamondbacks' Joe Saunders may be a better trade fit for Baltimore.
  • The Blue Jays are asking around for pitching help, although they may end up sellers before the non-waiver trade deadline.
  • The Astros are willing to listen on "virtually all of their players." Younger players like Jed Lowrie and third baseman Chris Johnson are all in play, although it would take a huge offer to pry away second baseman Jose Altuve.
  • The Indians are unlikely to make a move for a DH type like Vladimir Guerrero or Manny Ramirez. Their bigger need is a player who can play left field — perhaps someone like Carlos Quentin — but they first need to figure out where they stand with Travis Hafner and Grady Sizemore, who are both injured.
  • The Marlins will have trouble bolstering their weak offense because of a depleted farm system. With Emilio Bonifacio injured, their most obvious need is center field. The Twins' Denard Span and perhaps the Phillies' Shane Victorino are potential targets.
  • The Angels no longer have room in the starting lineup for the injured Vernon Wells now that Mark Trumbo and Mike Trout have solidified the outfield, and one rival GM thinks Wells could be released when he's ready to return from the disabled list.

Quick Hits: Manny, Youkilis, Indians, Hernandez

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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.
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