Angels Designate Nick Maronde For Assignment
The Angels have designated lefty Nick Maronde for assignment, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
The club has also placed starter C.J. Wilson (right ankle sprain) on the DL and optioned fellow right-hander Cam Bedrosian to Double-A. Meanwhile, the Angels have added righties Drew Rucinski and Cory Rasmus to the active roster.
Maronde, 24, has tossed 6 1/3 innings for the Halos this year, allowing nine earned runs and twelve hits while issuing seven free passes against seven strikeouts. He has also been hit hard in his 18 Triple-A innings on the year, walking 34 batters in the process.
Brandon Phillips Suffers Torn Thumb Ligament
3:12pm: Phillips has indeed suffered a torn thumb ligament, tweets John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. He will undergo surgery tomorrow.
3:00pm: Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips has suffered an injury to the ligament in his left thumb which could be a tear, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). As Rosenthal notes, Phillips is expected to be “out a while;” Bryce Harper recently lost 57 games to a torn ligament in his thumb.
The news on Phillips is not the only significant injury development out of Cincinnati (to say nothing of the rest of the NL Central). After placing first baseman Joey Votto on the DL and seeing center fielder Billy Hamilton go down with a hamstring issue last night, starter Homer Bailey left in the middle of his start today with what the team described as pain in his left patellar tendon (via Twitter). The status of those two important players remains unknown.
MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently broke down the trade market for second basemen. If Phillips requires an extended absence, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes asks (via Twitter) whether the Reds might match up with the White Sox on a deal for Gordon Beckham.
Yadier Molina Out Eight To Twelve Weeks With Torn Thumb Ligament
Catcher Yadier Molina of the Cardinals has suffered a torn thumb ligament, tweets Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He is expected to miss eight to twelve weeks, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter).
Molina, a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate, has been off his usual pace at the plate but is still one of the game’s most productive catchers. He owns a .287/.341/.409 triple-slash on the year, after averaging a .842 OPS over his last three campaigns. Also regarded as one of (if not the) best defensive backstops and staff managers in baseball, Molina is essentially irreplaceable.
In the immediate term, the Cards will call up minor leaguer Audry Perez to fill Molina’s roster spot, tweets ESPN.com’s Jim Bowden. But it would be more than a stretch to suggest that Perez, along with seldom-used backup Tony Cruz, can match Molina’s production and presence for the club.
Certainly, the loss of Molina would appear to position St. Louis as a possible buyer behind the plate. The club will take its time finding a fill-in reports Goold (via Twitter). The club does not feel it needs to make a move before the All-Star game.
MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes recently took a look at a relatively barren catching market. Of course, the recently-designated A.J. Pierzynski is also fully available, though ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick tweets that he gets the sense that Pierzynski is not a top option for St. Louis. Another possibility, Crasnick suggests on Twitter (and Goold also notes the team will consider), is veteran John Buck, who was recently designated by the Mariners. And ESPN.com’s Jim Bowden opines on Twitter that Kurt Suzuki of the Twins — twice traded to contenders in the last two years and playing on a cheap, one-year deal — could make the most sense as a target.
AL East Notes: Red Sox, Pierzynski, O’s, Tanaka, Beltran
The day after designating $8.25MM catcher A.J. Pierzynski for assignment, the Red Sox have done some looking back and looking forward. The embattled veteran was a source of clubhouse discord, reports Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. Meanwhile, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal writes that Pierzynski’s original one-year signing, and his ultimate DFA, fit with the club’s long-term plans behind the dish. GM Ben Cherington acknowledged that his club was in an “unusual spot,” as Jason Mastrodonato of MassLive.com reports. “We believe we can win games with [Pierzynski replacement] Christian [Vazquez] behind the plate,” he said. “It is also an investment in him. We’re in an usual spot. We’re just gong to have to see what the rest of the month brings us, if we go on a run and our outlook changes.”
Here’s more on Pierzynski, the Red Sox, and the rest of the AL East:
- Cherington said that, going forward, the focus for the Red Sox will be on adding offense. “I still believe a lot of that is going to come from guys already here,” he said. “But clearly offense has been an issue. We’d like to add to the offense, so we’re going to look for ways to do that whether that’s now or after the season or both. We’ve got to find ways to improve the offense.”
- Pierzynski says that he will “go anywhere,” reports Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter). Though the Twins had made him a two-year offer during the offseason, Wolfson says he’d be surprised if Minnesota looks to bring him back at this point.
- It is easy to imagine several teams being interested in taking a chance on Pierzynski’s bat returning to its 2013 levels, but the Orioles will not be one of them, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter link). Three internal sources told Kubatko that Baltimore has no interest in the controversial backstop in spite of its lack of offense at the position. Not only that, but executive VP Dan Duquette tells Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun that the team is generally happy with the club’s backstop duo of Caleb Joseph and Nick Hundley (in addition to the left-handed-hitting Steve Clevenger, stashed at Triple-A).
- As noted earlier on the site, one player that the Orioles do have interest in is lefty Jorge De La Rosa of the Rockies, as Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports. In another piece, Connolly further discusses the O’s situation at the trade deadline, explaining that the team seems unlikely to add a top-of-the-rotation arm. For his part, Kubatko reasons that Baltimore may have some difficult decisions to make if it tries to plug a new arm into the club, as Kevin Gausman has been expected to take a rotation spot going forward. As both reporters note, a bullpen addition — especially a late-inning option — definitely seems to be a possibility.
- Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka will fly to Seattle to see team doctor Christopher Ahmad, tweets MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. Fellow orthopedist Dr. Neal ElAttrache — often consulted on elbow issues — is at the same conference as Ahmad and could also see Tanaka, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter links). Notably, ElAttrache was the doctor who performed a physical on Tanaka that was shared with the rest of the league by the pitcher’s representatives.
- Meanwhile, the Yankees are also waiting to hear whether outfielder Carlos Beltran will need to miss any time due to two small fractures in and around his nose, tweets Hoch. He sustained the injury in a freak batting practice accident yesterday.
Rockies Notes: Tulowitzki, Cuddyer, De La Rosa, Trade Chips
Rockies owner Dick Monfort recently explored several topics relating to the club’s trade deadline plans with Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post (read more here and here). Among other things, Monfort said that the club was hesitant not only to deal away stars Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, but also solid veterans Michael Cuddyer and Jorge De La Rosa.
Here’s the latest:
- De La Rosa has generated interest from multiple clubs, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports on Twitter. But the club is not interested in dealing him unless the return is a “young impact starter,” according to Jayston Stark of ESPN.com (via Twitter). As Stark notes, that seems rather unlikely.
- From the analytical side of things, Grant Brisbee of SB Nation writes that the Rockies would be foolish to deal Tulowitzki unless an exceptional offer somehow presents itself. On the other hand, Dave Cameron of Fangraphs argues that De La Rosa is just not that good and should be dealt, noting that the club’s apparent assessment of his value does not jive with his performance.
Earlier Updates
- Tulowitzki met recently with top team officials, giving them what Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com terms a “subtle blessing” to deal him. The star shortstop indicated that, while he enjoys playing for the Rockies and hopes to continue to do so, he would be open to being moved to a contending ballclub. But that does not mean Tulowitzki is likely to be dealt; quite the contrary, in fact. One Rockies source told Heyman he saw “no chance” of a deal, with ownership concerned with losing fans by dealing the main gate attraction off of a losing team. Ultimately, says Heyman, it may take an outright trade request from Tulo to make a deal happen; if nothing else, Monfort would want him to bless any specific deal before pulling the trigger.
- The Rockies are indeed unlikely to deal the still-rehabbing Cuddyer, reports Heyman, with the club hoping instead to bring him back next year. Cuddyer, 35, is set to reach free agency at the end of the season. He said recently that no extension talks had occurred, but that he would be open to them. Of course, as Heyman notes, the club could always deal him and look to bring him back as a free agent. But, he writes, the club values his presence enough that it does not believe the possible return would be worthwhile.
- Meanwhile, in spite of Monfort’s statement, the Orioles are taking a hard look at the lefty De La Rosa, reports Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. The 33-year-old has not followed up on his strong 2013, but was signed by current O’s executive vice president Dan Duquette when he was the GM of the Red Sox. De La Rosa, like Cuddyer, is set to hit the open market after the season.
- If those four players are truly off the table, it remains a bit of a mystery what Colorado may actually look to sell at the deadline. While Monfort protests that the team could still claw its way back into the race, that seems extraordinarily unlikely. Presumably — and this is my speculation — players like outfielders Drew Stubbs and Brandon Barnes, infielder Josh Rutledge, and a few relievers could be available. The bigger question, though, is whether the team would move first baseman Justin Morneau, who has enjoyed something of a renaissance at altitude.
Reds Designate Brett Marshall For Assignment
The Reds have designated righty Brett Marshall for assignment, reports John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter). With the move, the club opened a 40-man spot for recently-recalled outfielder Kristopher Negron.
Marshall, 24, threw 12 innings last year for the Yankees in his only MLB stint. Designated to make room for Carlos Beltran, Marshall was claimed by the Cubs and then the Reds. Since working back from a finger injury, he has struggled in 21 1/3 frames over seven starts at Triple-A for the Reds, working to a 10.97 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and a troubling 11.4 BB/9.
Central Links: McLeod, Alcantara, Vargas, Gordon, Willingham
The Cubs have given senior vice president of player development and amateur scouting Jason McLeod a two-year extension, reports Scott Miller of MLB Network Radio and FOX Sports San Diego (Twitter link). While president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer may have more name recognition, McLeod was also a key member of the Red Sox front office alongside Epstein and Hoyer last decade. He followed Hoyer to the Padres when Hoyer served as San Diego’s GM and moved to Chicago alongside Hoyer and Epstein when Chicago restructured its front office.
Here’s more from baseball’s Central divisions…
- Top Cubs prospect Arismendy Alcantara is getting a two-day promotion while Darwin Barney is on paternity leave, tweets Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago. While he stresses that it’s just for two days, Cubs fans will be getting their first look at a Top 100 prospect who GM Jed Hoyer has said could get a lengthier look this season.
- Royals lefty Jason Vargas will be out three to four weeks after being rushed to the hospital for an appendectomy today, reports Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star. That’s not the only bad news on the injury front in K.C., either, as McCullough adds that Alex Gordon will undergo an MRI on his wrist. “I can’t swing,” Gordon told reporters. Manager Ned Yost thinks Gordon can avoid the DL, McCullough tweets, but he doesn’t expect him to play in a big series against the division-leading Tigers.
- ESPN’s Jim Bowden looks at what it would take for contending teams to acquire Josh Willingham from the Twins (ESPN Insider required). Bowden feels that the slugger’s modest salary (he’s earning $7MM in 2014) and relatively low prospect cost make him a good fit for the Mariners, Royals and Reds.
Justin Maxwell Outrighted To Triple-A
Here are today’s outright assignments from around the league…
- Outfielder Justin Maxwell cleared waivers after being designated for assignment, reports Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). Maxwell has until tomorrow to decide whether to accept his outright assignment or elect free agency. The 30-year-old hit just .150/.222/.175 in 45 PA for the Royals, but he hit .239/.314/.450 from 2012-13 with the Astros and Royals.
Papelbon Willing To Waive No-Trade Clause For Trade To Contender
Jonathan Papelbon is willing to waive his no-trade clause in order to facilitate a deal to a contending team, reports Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links). Gelb quotes the Philadelphia closer: “Some guys want to stay on a losing team? That’s mind-boggling to me. I think that’s a no-brainer.”
Papelbon’s comments are a stark contrast to the comments made by teammates Jimmy Rollins (link) and Chase Utley (link), each of whom recently indicated that they prefer to remain in Philadelphia even if the team begins selling veteran pieces this month.
Papelbon is in the midst of his best season in years, having pitched to a 1.27 ERA with 7.9 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and a 37 percent ground-ball rate. His strikeout rate and 91.4 mph average fastball velocity are both career-lows, but Papelbon has been effective nonetheless.
However, Papelbon is owed $5.83MM through season’s end and is also guaranteed a hefty $13MM in 2015. Beyond that, he has a $13MM vesting option for 2016 that triggers with 55 games finished in 2015 or 100 games finished from 2014-15 (he finished his 30th game tonight). As such, the Phillies will likely have to kick in some cash to facilitate a trade. Plenty of contending clubs are looking for bullpen help, including deep-pocketed teams such as the Tigers and Angels.
Billy Beane On Samardzija Deal, Roster Construction, Further Trades
Jim Bowden of ESPN talked to Athletics general manager Billy Beane for the latest edition of his “GM’s Office” video blog, and the two discussed a number of trade-related topics, including a fairly in-depth breakdown of the Jeff Samardzija/Jason Hammel blockbuster (video links). While the entire interview is well worth watching (and is only about 10 minutes total), here are some highlights from their conversation…
- Beane first reached out to Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein about a month ago because he felt there was a lot of value to striking early, especially if the A’s were going to be aggressive with their prospect package, which they clearly were.
- The Cubs were initially looking to split Samardzija and Hammel in different trades, but trade talks picked up steam when the A’s decided that they wanted both players. After a dormant period, things came together quickly in a matter of 24 to 36 hours, says Beane. He added that he and Epstein discussed some one for one swaps on each pitcher that obviously didn’t pan out.
- That Samardzija is under control through 2015 was “critical,” said Beane, noting that he’s excited about the added depth that the 2015 roster will have with Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin returning from injury.
- On what motivated him to make the trade, he offered the following: “I’ll be honest with you, I happen to think the Angels and the Mariners right behind us are two of the better teams in all of the game and they happen to sit in our division. So the narrative that this was a ‘postseason move,’ I think was a bit presumptuous.” He went on to say that winning the division is Oakland’s priority and stressed the dangers of getting involved in a one-game Wild Card playoff. “If you had a one-game playoff and you’re the Wild Card, one of the guys you might be facing is that guy up in Seattle, and that’s not a good situation to be in.” Beane, of course, is referring to Mariners ace Felix Hernandez.
- Bowden asked if the A’s would have made this deal had Parker not gone down with Tommy John surgery in Spring Training, Beane thought out loud before concluding that he and his staff probably would not have had to make this deal had Parker been healthy.
- Beane offered high praise for prospect Billy McKinney but even higher praise for Addison Russell, listing him alongside Eric Chavez and Miguel Tejada as one of the best position prospects he’s ever had. The emergence of minor league shortstop Daniel Robertson, whom the A’s selected 21 picks after Russell, made it easier to part with Russell, though it was still difficult for Oakland.
- Asked if this was the best team he’s ever constructed, Beane said he couldn’t judge that at this point and offered praise for his assistant GMs as well. One element of which Beane is very proud is that 23 of the 25 players on the Athletics’ roster were acquired via trade — a very different method of construction from the 2001 “Moneyball” A’s.
- Asked if the A’s are done or would pursue trades for second basemen, Beane grinned as he replied: “Well, you know, there’s a lot of time left, Jim. … Whether you have needs or not, you have to take advantage of the environment. … This is a time that everybody comes to the table. And whether you’re actively pursuing something specific, you want to be a part of the conversation. … I don’t want to say we’re done. … The short answer is: I hope we’re active still.”