A’s Release Chad Gaudin
The A's released Chad Gaudin and outrighted Edwar Ramirez to Triple A, according to a team press release. Both pitchers were designated for assignment over the weekend.
As MLBTR's Luke Adams pointed when the A's designated Gaudin for assignment, the righty had good strikeout and walk rates this year (10.4 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9), but was hit hard and posted an ERA of 8.83. The A's designated Ramirez for assignment after a seven game stint in which he walked as many batters as he struck out (ten).
The 27-year-old Gaudin was effective as recently as last season. His hit and homer rates are considerably higher than usual this year, but some pitching-starved team may sign him. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says (via Twitter) that he thinks Gaudin will attract interest.
Minor League Transactions
Baseball America's Matt Eddy gave his weekly look at some of the comings and goings in the minors. Here are few of the notable names involved in this week's report….
- Milwaukee signed outfielder Josh Anderson, who was just released last week by the Reds. Anderson's career .665 OPS isn't much to look at, but the Kentucky native is a decent base-stealer — he had 25 swipes out of 30 attempts with Kansas City and Detroit in 2009.
- Utilityman Kory Casto was signed by Arizona. Casto last played in the majors in 2008 with Washington, and he has posted a .540 OPS in 239 career plate appearances. He split his time at first, third and in the outfield for Triple-A Syracuse in 2009. Casto signed a minor league deal with Detroit over the winter but was released in April.
- Right-hander Devern Hansack was released by the Red Sox. Hansack pitched relatively well in limited action with Boston from 2006 to 2008, posting a 3.70 ERA and a 5:00 K/BB ratio in nine career major league games, three of them starts.
- Veteran catcher J.R. House, who last played in the majors in 2008, was signed by the Mets. Originally drafted by Pittsburgh in 1999, House was ranked at the 21st best prospect in baseball by Baseball America before the 2001 season.
- Rough week in the Ka'aihue household: Kila was sent back down to Triple-A by the Royals, and younger brother Kala was released by the Athletics. Kala Ka'aihue put up some impressive power numbers of his own in his first four seasons in the minors, but struggled over his last two years in the Atlanta and Oakland systems.
Odds & Ends: Kearns, Lowell, Dye, Strasburg
Links for Tuesday, as Hanley Ramirez digs himself into an even bigger hole after last night's jog…
- R.J. Anderson of FanGraphs examines Austin Kearns' resurgent season and says it's possible that the outfielder appears in trade rumors this summer. It certainly wouldn't be a surprise to see the Indians shop Kearns.
- FOX Sports Arizona profiled agent Jonathan Maurer, who represents Brandon Webb, among others.
- Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post has a profile of top amateur Bryce Harper that's well worth reading. Baseball America's Nathan Rode chatted with Harper and found that the prospect loves to catch and play the outfield.
- Mike Lowell doesn't see a role for himself on the Red Sox and wonders if the team would be better off without him, according to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald (via Twitter). Lowell explained his frustration to Rob Bradford of WEEI earlier today.
- I joined Jeff & Jeff on KFNS St. Louis earlier today; click here to listen.
- Jeff Fletcher of AOL FanHouse (Twitter link) talked to Eric Chavez, who said Jermaine Dye is "at peace being at home" and is not working out. This counters a quote from Dye's agent Bob Bry from May 11th, when Bry said Dye "continues to work out every morning and hits most days and is still waiting for an opportunity with a team that has a chance to advance to the playoffs."
- Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider wonders if Stephen Strasburg will make his big league debut June 4th against the Reds at Nationals Park. SI's Tom Verducci contrasts the Nats' careful handling of Strasburg to the Reds' approach with Mike Leake.
- Jim Margalus of Sox Machine presents his guide to a White Sox fire sale.
- AOL FanHouse's Steve Phillips explains the many responsibilities of a general manager.
- David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News notes that "the possibility of Cliff Lee falling into the hands of a rival faction [of the Phillies] is something that, at the very least, is worth pondering."
- Free agent lefty Brian Shouse hopes to continue his Major League career, writes Stan Morris of The Journal Star.
Checking In On The Atlantic League
Of the major independent leagues, play begins earliest in the Atlantic League, which often serves as a halfway house for players who eventually return to affiliated baseball. Making that jump has become increasingly common, with 11 former Atlantic Leaguers logging major league time in 2009. Former stars like Ruben Sierra and Juan Gonzalez have played in the Atlantic League and others, like Nelson Figueroa, have used the league to induce organized baseball to give them second chances.
It is hard to find a group more worthy of fan appreciation than those in the Atlantic League. These players earn small salaries and hope that with enough strong play, they can return to one of the 30 major league organizations.
So with the 2010 Atlantic League season more than 20 games old, let's take a look at some of the players there who could make that jump this year:
- Kennard Jones currently leads the circuit for the Newark Bears with a .403 average, 13 extra-base hits in his first 77 at-bats, and nine walks against ten strikeouts. Jones was a third-round pick of the San Diego Padres back in 2002, and played all three outfield positions in their organization, though he's been primarily in right field with Newark. Just 28, it seems far from impossible to imagine him helping a big league team. Jones' big limitation during his time with the Padres was a lack of power, something he clearly doesn't suffer from in Newark.
- Daryle Ward is a name familiar to many baseball fans, and he is remaking a name for himself with Newark as well, leading the Atlantic League with six home runs. Ward played with six major league teams, most notably with the Houston Astros, and could be a source of power for a team short at first base or designated hitter. Two notes of caution: Ward is turning 35 next month, and has three walks in his first 78 at-bats, a sign he has become an all-or-nothing hitter.
- Rene Rivera, who played briefly with the Seattle Mariners and now plays with the Camden Riversharks, is tied with Ward for the league home run lead. Rivera plays catcher, a position where power is scarce, particularly this season, so he may be the best bet to find his way back to the major leagues. What works against Rivera is that he's never hit with anything close to this kind of power- in 259 plate appearances last season with Triple-A Buffalo, Rivera had nine home runs. Still, Rivera was a second round pick of the Mariners back in 2001, and is just 26. Catchers often develop later offensively, so perhaps Rivera has figured it out.
- Another potential late bloomer is right-hander Ben Fritz, a first round pick of the Athletics back in 2001. The 6'4" hurler has been nothing short of dominant for the Lancaster Barnstormers so far this season, with 23 strikeouts against seven walks in his past three starts. Fritz never put it together for Oakland, but still just 29, perhaps Fritz is ready to shed his first-round bust label once and for all.
Some difference-makers were signed this past winter, and others will be acquired at the trade deadline, but don't discount the possibility that one could come from independent league baseball, either.
Players Who Cannot Be Offered Arbitration
Being designated a Type A free agent can be a detriment if the team offers arbitration. If the player accepts, he's off the market on a one-year deal and has a limited salary range. If he declines, his new team must surrender a draft pick upon signing him. Carrying around the added draft pick cost, Juan Cruz and Orlando Cabrera were among those with fewer opportunities as free agents after the '08 season.
As a result, a contractual clause prohibiting the team from offering arbitration if a player receives Type A status has been gaining in popularity. During the 2009-10 offseason, at least four players had this clause added:
- Orlando Hudson, Legacy Sports. Hudson was offered and turned down arbitration from the Diamondbacks after the '08 season, and was surprised he could only find a one-year deal from the Dodgers guaranteeing $3.38MM. The Dodgers were willing to give up the #17 overall pick to get Hudson at the reduced rate. Hudson avoided the problem when the Dodgers chose not to offer arbitration after the '09 season. His agent made sure it would not surface again after '10 by having a clause included in his Twins contract prohibiting the team from offering arbitration if he's a Type A. Hudson is a Type B right now anyway.
- Brad Penny, Legacy Sports. Penny was well-paid by the Cardinals given his 2009 stats, but he also had the "no arbitration offer" clause included. That might've been optimistic, since right now he's not even a Type B.
- Justin Duchscherer, Lapa/Leventhal. The A's offered arbitration to Duchscherer, a Type B, after the '09 season. He declined and re-signed, and this time made sure the team cannot offer if he's a Type A. The point is moot, as Duchscherer is below Type B and may miss the rest of the season with hip surgery.
- Ben Sheets, CAA. Not only did Sheets snag a huge $10MM guarantee after missing all of '09, he got this clause added just in case he has a season awesome enough to vault him to Type A status. I'm not sure that's even possible. Though he's been better recently, he'd need to quadruple his current Elias points (15.175) to reach Type B.
- Scott Boras may have been out front on this trend. He had the clause included in Ivan Rodriguez's one-year, $10MM deal with the Marlins in '03 as well as Carlos Beltran's seven-year, $119MM deal signed in '05. Beltran is a Type A at this time, but the Mets might not have offered arbitration after '11 anyway.
Odds & Ends: Storen, Duchscherer, Johnson
Links for Sunday, as we wait to see if the Dodgers can extend their six-game winning streak….
- Ken Rosenthal writes that the Nationals promoted the 10th overall pick from the 2009 draft, Drew Storen, today. Storen had annihilated minor league hitters across two levels this season.
- Ozzie Guillen understands the reasoning behind GM Kenny Williams' recent public confirmation that he's losing patience with his ballclub, writes Ken Falkoff on MLB.com.
- Two players signed to one-year deals, Justin Duchscherer and Nick Johnson, could require surgeries that would sideline them for most or all of this season. MLB.com's Jane Lee and Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork have the details.
- Bill Ladson of MLB.com tweets that Willy Taveras may not accept a minor league assignment if he clears waivers. Taveras was DFA'd by the Nationals last night.
- Luis Ayala has exercised the opt-out clause in his contract, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter). The Dodgers will have to add Ayala to their 25-man roster by Monday afternoon or release him.
- Earlier in the week, MLB.com's Chris Haft floated the idea of the Giants moving Aubrey Huff to left field to make room at first base for Buster Posey. According to John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle, Huff is open to the idea and thinks Posey would do well at first base.
- Speaking of Posey, John Sickels asks who you'd rather have: the Giants' prospect or Carlos Santana of the Indians.
- The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes details the Indians' changing draft strategy, and fields readers' Tribe-related questions in a mailbag.
- Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette lists the top ten best investments made by the Pirates' current regime.
Athletics Designate Chad Gaudin For Assignment
The Athletics have designated Chad Gaudin for assignment, reports Jane Lee of MLB.com (via Twitter).
The DFA is part of a series of moves for the Athletics, who placed Justin Duchscherer on the disabled list and optioned Josh Donaldson to the minors. The team also activated Kurt Suzuki from the DL, promoted Henry Rodriguez and selected Cedrick Bowers.
Gaudin signed with the Athletics in late March, and has appeared in 12 games for Oakland this season. Although he posted solid rates of 10.4 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9, he was hit hard, allowing 17 runs in 17.1 IP (8.83 ERA).
What’s Next For Pat Burrell?
When the Rays designated Pat Burrell for assignment earlier today, it signaled that Pat the Bat has likely played his last game in a Tampa Bay uniform. The team now has ten days to either trade, waive or release him. While we wait to see how exactly the situation plays out, let's play the what-if game, and assume the Rays are forced to release Burrell. In that case, which clubs might be interested in him at a reduced price?
- In April, the Nationals were linked to both Jermaine Dye and Gary Sheffield, similar players to Burrell. However, despite the struggles by their right fielders so far this year, the Nationals insist they like their current options. It's worth mentioning too that Burrell has played only nine innings in the outfield since joining the Rays, which might reduce his chances of landing with a National League team.
- The Athletics have a history of making low-risk investments on players like Burrell and could use some power, having only hit 22 homers as a team. They did just call up their own version of Burrell, in Jack Cust, but Cust is capable of playing the outfield, which still leaves a potential designated hitter opening.
- The Mariners were considered a possible suitor for Hank Blalock before the Rays recalled him. Considering their DH issues, they'd have to think about kicking the tires on Burrell now.
- Following the news of Burrell's DFA, MLB.com's Todd Zolecki wrote that Philadelphia probably doesn't have room for the former Phillie.
- A week ago, MLBTR's Mike Axisa listed a few teams who could use an upgrade at DH. They could all be possibilities for Burrell, though in many cases he wouldn't necessarily represent an "upgrade."
Burrell's numbers in 572 plate appearances for Tampa Bay (.218/.311/.361) don't inspire confidence in his potential to be a difference-maker for a contender this season. But perhaps a change of scenery could help him regain his 2005-2008 form, when he averaged 31 home runs per year and recorded a .386 OBP. If the Rays end up on the hook for the majority of Burrell's $9MM salary, there should be a few clubs willing to give him a shot.
Athletics Designate Edwar Ramirez For Assignment
Edwar Ramirez has been designated for assignment by the Athletics, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The move had to be made in order to create space for Jack Cust.
Ramirez has bounced around the American League so far in 2010. The Yankees designated the right-hander for assignment in February, then in early March traded him to the Rangers, who dealt him to the Athletics later in the month.
The 29-year-old pitched in seven games for Oakland this season, recording a 4.91 ERA in 11 IP. Control was once again an issue for Ramirez, whose ten free passes this year raised his career rate to 5.4 BB/9.
Odds & Ends: Pirates, Chico, Burrell, Cust, Indians
Links for Saturday…
- MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch writes that Pirates outfield prospect Starling Marte may require surgery on his left hand. Baseball America's Prospect Handbook called the 21-year-old "the first tangible result of the Pirates' renewed commitment to scouting Latin America."
- Matt Chico could start for the Nationals on Wednesday, writes Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. Chico was DFA'd by the club earlier this week, but only so that the club could place him in Triple-A.
- Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe tweets that the recently-DFA'd Pat Burrell is another reason why teams won't be spending major money on designated hitter-types anymore.
- Jack Cust is on his way back to Oakland after Eric Chavez managed just a .247/.298/.355 batting line during the first six weeks of the season, tweets CSNBayArea.com's Mychael Urban. The A's 40-man roster is full, so a move will need to be make to accommodate Cust.
- Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer touched base with Indians' GM-in-waiting Chris Antonetti about having the fifth overall pick in June's draft. MLB's recommended bonus for that pick is in the $2.5MM-$3MM range, and Antonetti acknowledged that that money has already been set aside in the budget.
- Mike Morse is close to returning from the disabled list, which will create a bit of a roster crunch for the Nationals since he's out of options, writes MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
- Meanwhile, MLB.com's Owen Perkins notes that the Rockies would have a similar problem if they were to call someone up to help fill in for the injured Eric Young Jr.
- ESPN's Buster Olney spoke to Ken Griffey Jr.'s agent, who indicated that everything that happened this past week will have no bearing on his client's relationship with the club after he retires. Both links go to Twitter.