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AL Notes: Abreu, Carbonell, Astros, Baker

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2014 looked like a rebuilding year for the White Sox, but with Jose Abreu bursting onto the scene to become a star power bat, could the Pale Hose contend this season?  GM Rick Hahn told reporters (including CSN Chicago’s Dan Hayes and MLB.com’s Scott Merkin) that “it really is a balancing act.  You don’t want to pass on a chance to win. They are sacred. At the same time, this is a long-term proposition we are trying to build here, sustain over an extended period, and we don’t want to hamper our ability to do that.”  It’s still too early in the season to make “short-sighted” moves, Hahn said, yet if the Sox are in the race in a couple of months, the team will re-evaluate its goals for the season.

Here’s some more from around the junior circuit…

  • White Sox executive VP Kenny Williams talked to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times about his experience scouting Abreu and then his discussions with owner Jerry Reinsdorf about raising the club’s bid for the heavily-courted slugger.  It was Reinsdorf, Williams said, who actually endorsed paying more for Abreu.  The extra push seems to have paid off, judging by Abreu’s huge April performance.
  • The Yankees are interested in Cuban outfielder Daniel Carbonell, according to media outlet Diario de Cuba (hat tip to Mike Axisa of River Ave Blues).  The Yankees scouted Carbonell during a February workout.  The switch-hitting 23-year-old is a free agent and can be signed for any price as long as he signs before July 2.
  • Astros amateur scouting director Mike Elias discusses his team’s scouting process, current top prospects and the upcoming 2014 amateur draft with Sportsnet.ca’s Ben Nicholson-Smith.
  • It looks like Scott Baker will indeed stay with the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate, sources tells Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish (Twitter link).  Cotillo previously reported that Baker would only use his May 1 opt-out clause if he could find a Major League deal with another team, and the White Sox and Indians had some interest in Baker’s services.

AL Notes: Rays, Cano, Johnson

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Tonight, the Rays play their 1,000th game since changing their name from the Devil Rays, MLB.com’s Bill Chastain notes. Their name change was not, obviously, the cause of their change in fortunes, but the name switch came just as they emerged as an AL East powerhouse. They played ten seasons as the Devil Rays, never winning more than 70 games in a season. Their first season as the Rays was 2008, which was also their first winning season, playoff appearance and World Series appearance. Since then, they’ve had five more winning seasons in a row, also going to the playoffs in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Here are more notes from the American League.

  • Upon his return to New York, Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano expressed contentment about his choice to leave the Yankees for Seattle, Tyler Kepner of the New York Times writes. “Being in Seattle, I can’t tell you that much about Seattle. We’ve had two homestands there,” Cano says. “I could tell you, through the year, what’s different, but right now, I can tell you one thing: I’m happy there, the way they’ve embraced me — the fans, the organization and my teammates.” Cano is off to a .301/.353/.387 start in the first year of a ten-year deal with his new team.
  • Kris Johnson will be the 26th man and start the second game of the Twins’ Thursday doubleheader against the Dodgers, the Twins have announced. The start will mark Johnson’s regular-season debut with the Twins. Johnson was a first-round pick of the Red Sox in 2006, but they released him 2011 after he struggled in Triple-A. The Pirates signed him for the 2012 season, and he emerged as a very good minor-league starter who’s reasonably well suited to spot-starting in the big leagues. The Twins, after struggling through 2013 with a very weak rotation, acquired Johnson in a minor deal for reliever Duke Welker, and now Johnson is in position to help out, if only for a day.

Injury Notes: Profar, Figueroa, Pineda, Nova

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Rangers second baseman Jurickson Profar has cleared a hurdle as he attempts to return from a torn muscle in his shoulder, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. He can now begin swinging a bat, and may be able to begin throwing within ten days. Profar is currently on the 60-day DL, and the Rangers have indicated he might return in early June. Profar’s return would provide a nice boost for the Rangers, who so far have gone with Josh Wilson and Donnie Murphy at second base — one key component of Texas’ big offseason move of trading Ian Kinsler for Prince Fielder and cash was opening a starting spot for Profar in what had been a crowded infield. Here are more quick notes on injuries.

  • The list of pitchers requiring Tommy John surgery continues to grow. Next up is Pedro Figueroa of the Rangers, who will have Tommy John on Wednesday, according to Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest (via Twitter). Last week, it was reported that doctors had diagnosed Figueroa with a torn ulnar collateral ligament. The Rangers claimed Figueroa from the Rays in February.
  • Speaking of injured pitchers, Yankees hurler Michael Pineda will have an MRI after leaving a simulated game with a sore lat muscle, Newsday’s David Lennon tweets. Pineda’s suspension for pine tar is due to end Monday, but the Yankees might be without him longer than that. If Pineda needs to miss additional time, David Phelps will continue to make starts in his place. (Pineda has a Grade 1 tear of his teres major, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch tweeted after this post was initially published. The teres major is a muscle in the back, near the shoulder. As Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan points out in a tweet, Pineda has had significant shoulder issues in the past. Pineda will reportedly miss three to four weeks.)
  • Meanwhile, another Yankees pitcher, Ivan Nova, had Tommy John surgery on Tuesday, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch writes. Nova’s elbow troubles will keep him out until 2015. Nova had an 8.27 ERA in 20 2/3 innings before being shut down.

Quick Hits: Tigers, Nevin, Murphy, Polanco

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The Tigers have a clear need for bullpen help but finding relief arms is easier said than done, MLive.com’s Chris Iott writes.  Iott’s reasons include the difficulty of making trades this early in the season, the scarcity of quality left-handers and the amount of competition that Detroit could have in signing free agent Joel Hanrahan.

A few more items from around baseball…

  • Phil Nevin, the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A manager, would likely be the choice to replace Kirk Gibson in the Major League dugout if GM Kevin Towers decides a change is necessary, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports.  This is only Nevin’s first season in the Arizona organization, though he has ties to Towers from his playing days in San Diego (when Towers was the Padres’ GM).  Prior to joining the D’Backs, Nevin managed the Tigers’ Triple-A team from 2011-13 and their Double-A team in 2010.
  • John Ryan Murphy has drawn the attention of several opposing scouts and the young catcher could become a sought-after trade chip for the Yankees, John Harper of the New York Daily News reports.  “Some team might see him as a guy who could start for them,’’ one scout told Harper. “He’s solid with the bat and behind the plate.’’
  • Delaying a prospect’s Super Two service clock “is not a driving factor” behind the Pirates’ decision to call up a young star, GM Neal Huntington tells Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review in regards to Gregory Polanco’s continued presence at Triple-A.  Huntington said that Polanco is “continuing to refine some of the intricacies of his game” and didn’t give details for fear that opposing teams would use the info against the outfielder (an explanation that Biertempfel doesn’t buy).  Polanco currently has a 1.104 OPS in 100 PA at Triple-A this season and his bat would be a big addition to the offensively-challenged Bucs lineup.

Yankees Sign Chris Leroux To Major League Deal

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The Yankees signed Chris Leroux to a Major League contract and added the right-hander to their 25-man roster, the club announced over the weekend.  Leroux joined the Yankees on a minor league deal signed in January.  Leroux is represented by the Octagon Agency.

Leroux, who just turned 30 earlier this month, has a 5.56 ERA, 1.91 K/BB rate and 8.1 K/9 over 69 2/3 career Major League innings.  He appeared in 63 games out of the bullpen for the Marlins and Pirates between 2009-13 and he’ll take on a similar relief role with New York.  The righty also spent time in Japan last season pitching for the Yakult Swallows.

Cafardo On Red Sox, Rockies, Towers, Quentin

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The Red Sox were praised for their approach last offseason, but the Yankees’ method can work too, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  However, just like last year’s Red Sox, the Yankees will have to get unexpected performances.  The Red Sox got surprise contributions from Daniel Nava, Mike Carp, who was acquired for cash from the Mariners, and another from left-handed reliever Craig Breslow.   Yangervis Solarte is giving the Yankees that sort of performance so far and they’ll need more to stay strong throughout the year.  More from today’s column..

  • The Rockies are watching the Red Sox’ Double and Triple-A teams very closely.  Even though the Rockies are off to a good start and assistant GM Mike Hazen tells the Sox have not heard from Colorado about a trade, Cafardo says it’s something to keep an eye on down the road.   The Red Sox’ outfield started sluggishly and the Rockies have a surplus of outfielders, but at this time nothing like that has been discussed.
  • Any talk of Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers being in trouble likely isn’t accurate since he’s been the victim of bad luck more than anything.   “If Kevin Towers got fired over injuries to key personnel we’d all be in trouble,” one National League GM said.  Arizona has lost major additions in right-handed starter Bronson Arroyo (back) and outfielder Mark Trumbo (foot) as well as ace Patrick Corbin (elbow).
  • Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin, who has yet to play this season, will soon begin extended spring training after rehabbing his knee. He could be a trade candidate if he’s healthy since he’s owed $9.5MM this season and $8MM in 2015, which isn’t prohibitive.
  • There’s a lot of sentiment for asking Bud Selig to stay on for at least another year as baseball commissioner, until the owners can truly find a new leader.

Minor Moves: Freddy Garcia, Nik Turley

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Here are today’s minor moves from around the league.

  • Freddy Garcia has completed his deal with the EDA Rhinos in Taiwan, MLB Daily Dish’s Chris Cotillo tweets. Garcia pitched for the Orioles and Braves in 2013, but the Braves released him from a minor-league deal in late March.
  • The Yankees have announced that they’ve released pitcher Nik Turley. Turley, 24, posted a 3.88 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 4.7 BB/9 in 139 innings for Double-A Trenton in 2013. He experienced arm tightness in spring training and has not pitched this season, but if healthy, one would think that a left-hander with his strikeout rate and ability to start could get a look from another organization.

AL Notes: Campos, Masterson, Stroman

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Yankees minor-league pitcher Jose Campos had Tommy John surgery on Friday, CBS Sports’ Danny Knobler tweets. Campos, of course, arrived from the Mariners prior to the 2012 season with Michael Pineda for Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi, a trade that seems to have been cursed for everyone involved. Pineda was recently suspended ten games for his pine tar incident, Montero is with Triple-A Tacoma after hitting .208/.264/.327 in 110 big-league plate appearances last season, and Noesi has been designated for assignment twice in the past month. Here are more notes from the American League.

  • The Indians have been cautious with a new contract for Justin Masterson because his velocity was down in spring training, he can be inconsistent, and has imperfect mechanics, Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer writes. That’s why they balked when he asked for a three-year contract of around $53MM this offseason, preferring a deal of around $45MM instead, Pluto suggests.
  • The Blue Jays have scheduled top prospect Marcus Stroman’s next start for Triple-A Buffalo to coincide with that of big-league fifth starter Dustin McGowan, Shi Davidi of SportsNet.ca reports. That could indicate that the Jays might promote Stroman soon. Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook 2014 names Stroman the Jays’ second-best prospect (behind Aaron Sanchez) and praises the small righty’s fastball, slider and athleticism. BA ranked Stroman the 55th-best prospect in baseball before the season. He currently has a 2.18 ERA with 11.3 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 20 2/3 innings for Buffalo.

Yankees Sign Bruce Billings To Major League Deal

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The Yankees have signed right-hander Bruce Billings to a Major League contract and selected him to their 25-man roster.  The club announced the signing prior to yesterday’s game against Boston.  Billings is represented by John Boggs & Associates.

Billings’ spot on the 25-man roster was created when Ivan Nova was shifted to the 60-day disabled list, as he will miss the rest of the 2014 season after choosing to undergo Tommy John surgery.  In other corresponding moves, the Yankees also called up righty Shane Greene while infielder Dean Anna and right-hander Preston Claiborne were optioned to Triple-A.

Billings was part of the trade package Colorado sent to Oakland for Mark Ellis in July 2011, and the 28-year-old made all four of his career Major League appearances in that same season (three with the A’s and one with the Rockies).  Since that cup of coffee in the bigs, Billings spent 2012-13 working primarily as a starter for the Athletics’ Double-A and Triple-A affiliates and he signed a minor league deal with the Yankees in January.  He has a 2.74 ERA, 2.57 K/BB rate and 18 strikeouts over 23 innings (four starts) at the Triple-A level this season.

Ivan Nova To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

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THURSDAY: Nova has chosen to have the TJ procedure, tweets Feinsand.

TUESDAY: The Yankees announced that Nova’s second exam confirmed that he has a partially torn UCL, and that Ahmad has recommended surgery.

MONDAY: The Tommy John epidemic that is sweeping Major League Baseball looks to have another victim, as Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova learned after an MRI this weekend that he has a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, writes Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. Feinsand says that Nova will be re-examined today by team physician Chris Ahmad, but the very likely outcome is that Nova will be the 15th pitcher to undergo Tommy John surgery this season.

Nova was roughed up by the Rays in his start on Saturday, but he didn’t feel any discomfort in his elbow until the final pitch he threw, writes Feinsand. Nova said he felt a pop on that pitch and was in denial as he was being removed from the game, not believing himself to be seriously injured and wanting to continue pitching to spare his bullpen.

With Nova likely on the shelf through next spring, the Yankees will test their internal depth. Vidal Nuno could be the favorite to take over in the team’s rotation, though other options such as David Phelps and Adam Warren are present. New York could also look to the waiver wire and continue to get by with a patchwork solution until clubs begin making more reliable arms available on the trade market this summer.

Needless to say, the resurgence of Michael Pineda is now even more impactful for the Yankees. Were it not for Pineda’s health, the club would be fielding a rotation of Masahiro Tanaka, Hiroki Kuroda, a declining CC Sabathia and a pair of the aforementioned internal options. Now, manager Joe Girardi tells Feinsand that he will meet with GM Brian Cashman, presumably on today’s off-day, to determine which of Nuno, Phelps or Warren will step into Nova’s spot.

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