Starting Pitchers Among Best Low-Risk Pickups
Bartolo Colon didn’t pitch an inning in the Major Leagues last year. Neither did Erik Bedard, or Brandon McCarthy, or Ryan Vogelsong. Halfway through the 2011 season, each one of them has already made a difference at the highest level. The quartet of reclamation projects has combined for 309 2/3 innings of 2.88 ERA baseball this year with three times as many strikeouts (257) as walks (77).
A year after splitting his time between two Triple-A teams, Vogelsong (pictured) is a key contributor on one of baseball’s most effective pitching staffs. His 2.09 ERA leads a San Francisco rotation that includes the likes of Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain.
Yet there’s no denying that the same issue that kept the others off of MLB mounds in 2010 – health – persists. Colon could return from the disabled list this weekend; the Mariners placed Bedard on the DL today; McCarthy has been on Oakland’s disabled list for more than a month.
But before their respective teams placed them on the disabled list, their contributions surpassed all expectations. It’s been six weeks since McCarthy toed the rubber, yet A’s fans probably haven’t forgotten the 3.39 ERA and 37K/10BB ratio he posted through 63 2/3 innings.
The Yankees will be hoping for more of the same from Colon when he returns from the DL. The former Cy Young Award winner has tremendous numbers in 2011: a 3.10 ERA with a 72K/18BB ratio in 78 1/3 innings.
Two years after Colon won his Cy Young, Bedard posted a 3.16 ERA with 10.9 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 en route to a top-five finish for the award. If the lefty’s 2011 numbers look familiar, it’s probably because Bedard was pitching as well as ever before hitting the DL. He has a 3.00 ERA with an 85K/26BB ratio 90 innings into the season.
Don’t forget that the Mariners signed Bedard for just $1MM. McCarthy signed with Oakland for the same amount and the Yankees’ deal with Colon is worth just $900K in base salary. Like Colon, Vogelsong signed a minor league contract in January.
The pursuit of high-risk, high-reward arms does not guarantee success by any means. Brandon Webb ($3MM) and Rich Harden ($1.5MM) signed for more than any of the pitchers above and neither has thrown a pitch in the majors this year.
Naturally, that won’t stop teams looking to gamble on seemingly injury-prone pitchers this offseason. Someone – Ben Sheets, Jeremy Bonderman or 48-year-old Jamie Moyer perhaps? – will return from the discard pile after a year-long absence and make an impact, whether it's for a handful of starts or an entire season season. It’s just a question of who will resurface and which team will sign him.
Photo courtesy Icon SMI.
Yankees Designate Buddy Carlyle For Assignment
The Yankees designated Buddy Carlyle for assignment, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch (on Twitter). The move creates roster space for Sergio Mitre, who is headed back to New York and will rejoin the Yankees tomorrow.
Carlyle, 33, has a 4.70 ERA with 10.6 K/9 and 8.2 BB/9 in 7 2/3 innings for the Yankees this year in his first MLB action since 2009. The 1996 second rounder spent last year in Japan, where he posted a 4.88 ERA with 4.6 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 27 2/3 innings.
Yankees Acquire Sergio Mitre
Sergio Mitre is heading back to the Bronx. The Yankees acquired the right-hander from the Brewers for cash considerations, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (on Twitter). Milwaukee designated Mitre for assignment Monday and he has since drawn interest from other teams.
Mitre, 30, has posted a 3.27 ERA in 33 innings since Milwaukee acquired him from the Yankees for Chris Dickerson in March. The right-hander has a 14K/10BB ratio with a typically high 50.9% ground ball rate in his return to the National League.
Minor Deals: Kensing, Bautista
Let's keep track of today's minor moves here…
- The Yankees have signed Logan Kensing to a minor league contract according to his representatives, CAA Baseball, on Twitter. The 28-year-old right-hander did not pitch in affiliated baseball last year and has a 5.81 ERA in 161 big league innings. He pitched for Yankees manager Joe Girardi with the Marlins in 2006.
- Righty Denny Bautista has signed with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization according to this report passed along by Dan of MyKBO.net. Bautista, 30, had a 4.21 ERA with 12.1 K/9 and 5.4 BB/9 in 36 1/3 innings for the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate this season.
New York Notes: Cashman, Fielder
We’re about a month away from one of the busiest trading periods of the year – the July 31st trade deadline. But with free agency only a few months away, there’s always time to check in on some of the bigger names headed for the open market. Here’s the latest on a couple prospective free agents who may or may not be in the Big Apple next year…
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman, who isn’t under contract for 2012, hasn’t discussed his future with his bosses, according to Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News. Cashman says he remains focused on making the Yankees better now and in the future and can understand why the team hasn’t initiated extension talks. Team president Randy Levine said Cashman is a “great general manager” who he hopes to bring back.
- Prince Fielder is one of the most productive prospective free agents in baseball, so everyone’s wondering where he’ll sign, including his father, former MLB slugger Cecil Fielder. Prince would “probably” like to stay in Milwaukee and could end up with one of Los Angeles’ teams, the elder Fielder told Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News. Fielder also suggested his son could end up in New York, saying “the Mets are one of those teams that if they get that situation all squared away, they could get him.”
Sherman On Yankees, Padres, Clippard
Joel Sherman of the New York Post dishes all kinds of Yankees rumors today; let's check it out.
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman admitted the team's weakness is left-handed pitching, but says, "I can't force it. I can't make it happen if it is not there." Another Yankees official said that a lefty would help, "But I don't think it is live or die." Sherman believes Wandy Rodriguez and Francisco Liriano might be the two best available southpaw starters, but both bring concerns. Relief-wise they could go for the Marlins' Randy Choate or consider higher-priced names in August like Brian Fuentes and Mike Gonzalez.
- In general, Cashman said he doesn't think he can trade for a starter better than Bartolo Colon or Phil Hughes or a reliever better than Rafael Soriano, and all three could be back in July. According to Sherman, the Yankees "have shown no interest in high-cost veterans with dubious stuff such as the Brett Myers, Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Edwin Jackson, Livan Hernandez, and Jason Marquis."
- Hoping for the Yanks to acquire Jair Jurrjens or Derek Lowe? We're not sure if either is available, but Sherman says "the Yankees' policy has become pretty much to run away from Atlanta pitching after having successful Braves hurlers blow up on them."
- The Yankees would not offer an extension to Hiroki Kuroda, if the righty were to make that a condition of a trade. We know Kuroda will require some form of compensation.
- The Padres "want to get out in the market quickly" with relievers Heath Bell and Chad Qualls, writes Sherman. The Yankees, however, prefer Mike Adams, who is considered much less available.
- The Nationals are willing to trade setup man Tyler Clippard, but are looking for a center fielder and have their sights on B.J. Upton.
AL East Notes: Bell, Orioles, Bautista
The Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays have had their offensive issues, yet all three teams placed in the top eight in scoring in MLB entering tonight's action. Here are the latest links from the American League East…
- Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues examines Heath Bell as a possible trade candidate before determining that the Padres closer would be a luxury at this point, since the Yankees have more pressing needs. The Yankees have called the Padres about the closer.
- Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail explained that the Orioles consider sabermetrics when acquiring players and evaluating their own team. MacPhail also looks at basic information, salary, traditional stats and scouting reports, according to Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com, who passes along more quotes from the weekend's season ticket holders event.
- The Blue Jays could move Jose Bautista to third base as soon as tomorrow, according to Chris Vannini of MLB.com. The slugger is heading back to the infield, partly because the Blue Jays have had such poor offense from their third basemen this season (combined .183/.243/.308 line).
- Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos, who extended Bautista this spring, has said he only works on one extension at a time, as Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star recently pointed out. Griffin wonders which Blue Jay Anthopoulos will target for an extension next.
- Anthopoulos has done enough since taking over as Toronto’s GM to earn a tribute song from the Bottom of the Fourth Blog.
New York Notes: Crosstown Trades, Osuna, Reyes
The Yankees own the best record in the American League and a half-game lead in the AL East over the Red Sox. The Mets are at .500 and sit 4.5 games out in the wild card race. The latest on New York's teams…
- The Mets and Yankees have matched up on only nine trades in their history, which you can check out with our Transaction Tracker. Yanks GM Brian Cashman has authored three of them, acquiring Mike Stanton (2004), Armando Benitez (2003), and Robin Ventura (2001). Cashman told Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal, "There's never been an issue with it, but you'd better win the trade." Costa's article is an excellent discussion of cross-town dealing, so be sure to check it out.
- Speaking of Yankees-Mets deals, one Yankees person who spoke to SI's Jon Heyman called the chances of a trade for Francisco Rodriguez "less than 50-50." As I mentioned earlier today, K-Rod carries a lot of baggage.
- The Yankees will eventually need 40-man roster spots for Phil Hughes, Rafael Soriano, and Eric Chavez when they come off the 60-day DL. Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues breaks down the most expendable Yankees currently on the 40-man. The Yankees are one of 19 teams with a full 40-man roster.
- The Yankees, Rangers, Blue Jays, Athletics, and Padres watched Roberto Osuna throw in Mexico on Thursday, reports Roberto Espinoza of Vanguardia (link in Spanish). The Red Sox are also interested. The 16-year-old Osuna is one of the top pitchers in the July 2nd class.
- SI's Jon Heyman surveyed two executives and two agents about Jose Reyes' next contract, with three of the four expecting $20MM per year and six or seven years.
AL East Notes: Hughes, Montero, Blue Jays, Rays
Just when it seemed like the AL East standings were becoming a little less bunched up, the Red Sox dropped four straight and the Rays won seven of eight. New York, Boston, and Tampa Bay are now separated by just two games, as the Rays look for a sweep in Houston while the Sox hope to avoid one in Pittsburgh. Here are today's links from around the division:
- The Yankees will need to add another starting pitcher if they hope to win a championship this season, writes Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News. He notes that starter doesn't necessarily have to come from outside the organization though – it could be Phil Hughes.
- Rival evaluators have taken note of Jesus Montero's decline in offensive production this year, says ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider only). According to Olney, it's led to some speculation that the Yankees could push to trade Montero this season "in an effort to recoup some value."
- Within Nick Cafardo's Sunday column for the Boston Globe, he writes that Jason Frasor may be the prize of the Blue Jays' bullpen at next month's trade deadline. Cafardo adds that teams figure to inquire on Marc Rzepczynski, but he's the one Jays' reliever who definitely "isn't going anywhere."
- DRaysBay's Steve Slowinksi breaks down Andrew Friedman's trade history in a piece for the St. Petersburg Times. Slowinski concludes that Friedman has netted the Rays 20 extra wins while also saving a sizable chunk of salary.
Davidoff On Padres, Bell, Yankees, Reyes
In his Baseball Insider piece this week, Newsday's Ken Davidoff points out that the July 31st trade deadline often seems to "run through" a particular team that has the most pieces to sell. It seemed as if the Mets could be that team this year, but they may hang on to Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes if they have even a slim chance of making the playoffs. Instead, San Diego may be this year's biggest seller, with Heath Bell, Ryan Ludwick, Chad Qualls, and Aaron Harang among its potentially available players. Here are Davidoff's other notes:
- The Yankees have called the Padres about Bell, but haven't been as aggressive as other clubs who would use Bell to close games.
- The Yanks are more inclined to wait on the trade market anyway. By July 31st, the team will have a better idea of what injured players like Bartolo Colon, Phil Hughes, and Rafael Soriano will contribute in the second half.
- According to Reyes' agent, Peter Greenberg, the shortstop seriously considered listening to the Mets' contract offer before deciding not to negotiate during the season.