Pirates Rumors

Minor League Transactions: Clevlen, Moss, Cash

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 11, 2010 at 12:05pm CDT

The latest minor league transactions include a number of familiar names. Matt Eddy of Baseball America has the details:

The Braves  re-signed Brent Clevlen and signed independent leaguer Beau Torbert, who posted tremendous numbers in the American Association this year. Earlier in the week, Torbert told David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he's excited to be joining the Braves.
The Astros signed right-hander Casey Fien. Fien has appeared in 11 games for the Tigers, but the 27-year-old has not proven himself against big league hitters.
Former Yankees lefty Royce Ring elected free agency.
The Pirates released Chris Jakubauskas and saw Brandon Moss elect free agency. Moss arrived in Pittsburgh in the Jason Bay trade, but he hit just .228/.295/.373 in parts of three seasons for the Pirates.
Former Mariners catcher Guillermo Quiroz became a free agent.
The Rangers signed Kevin Cash. The 32-year-old backstop posted a .483 OPS for the Astros and Red Sox last year and threw out an uncharacteristically low percentage of would be base stealers.

Odds & Ends: Messenger, Martin, LaRoche, Branyan

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 11, 2010 at 11:31am CDT

Some links for Veterans Day…

MLBTR echoes commissioner Bud Selig's thoughts on the death of a legendary Mariners broadcaster: “All of Baseball is terribly saddened … by the tragic news that Dave Niehaus, the voice of the Seattle Mariners, has passed away."
Randy Messenger has agreed to a deal with the Hanshin Tigers, according to Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker. The five-year MLB veteran pitched for the Mariners in 2009.
Three former White Sox employees were indicted on federal fraud charges yesterday, according to Melissa Segura of SI.com. They allegedly accepted $400K worth of signing bonuses intended for Latin American prospects.
Russell Martin's agent repeated to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times that the catcher wants to play for the Dodgers in 2011. There's been extensive speculation that the Dodgers could non-tender or trade Martin.
Pirates GM Neal Huntington told MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch that Andy LaRoche has to prove his worth to the Pirates, who are attempting to determine the best way to maximize the 27-year-old's value.
Russell Branyan has left Dan Lozano and is now represented by ACES, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (on Twitter).

Red Sox, Pirates Express Interest In Duchscherer

By Tim Dierkes | November 9, 2010 at 11:45pm CDT

Yesterday it was Jayson Werth; today the Red Sox have expressed interest in free agent righty Justin Duchscherer according to WEEI's Rob Bradford. Bradford adds that Duchscherer "has made it clear to clubs that he is only interested in pursuing opportunities as a starter." The Pirates have also expressed interest, reports Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

We examined Duchscherer's free agent stock here. The 32-year-old righty has made only 32 starts over the past three years due to injuries and clinical depression, but after having both hips and his elbow surgically repaired he remarked to MLB.com's Jane Lee, "I can't imagine what else could go wrong." He should require less than this year's $1.75MM guarantee, I imagine. The Red Sox and Pirates had interest in him a year ago as well.

Odds & Ends: Beltre, Crawford, Mets, Konerko

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 9, 2010 at 5:36pm CDT

Links for Tuesday night, as free agents Adam Dunn and Dave Bush celebrate birthdays…

Adrian Gonzalez said on XX 1090 in San Diego that he had surgery in October and may not swing a bat until late March, according to Dan Hayes of the North County Times (on Twitter). The Padres have said they’re willing to listen to offers on Gonzalez, but the surgery could limit the number of offers GM Jed Hoyer gets.
MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch explains why the Pirates might have some interest in Adrian Beltre and why the third baseman isn't likely to end up in Pittsburgh.
Free agent outfielder Carl Crawford says he's "just kind of sitting back waiting" to hear from interested teams, according to Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune.
Dennis Sarfate, Scott Moore, Joel Guzman, Chris George and Mike Hinckley became minor league free agents over the weekend, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.
ESPN.com's Mark Simon explains that we aren't necessarily going to see "a strict adherence to baseball analytics and a formulaic, stats-over-scouts approach" from the Mets, who now have Sandy Alderson, Paul DePodesta and J.P. Ricciardi in their revamped front office.
The friendship between free agent first baseman Paul Konerko and White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf likely means Chicago will have the chance to match any offers Konerko receives from other teams, according to Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com.
Patrick Newman of FanGraphs says Tsuyoshi Nishioka is a pretty good player who can hit well from both sides of the plate and handle second base. The Chiba Lotte Marines may post the Pacific League batting champion and make him available to MLB teams.

Odds & Ends: Lee, Blue Jays, Mets, Hampton

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 8, 2010 at 9:36pm CDT

Here are the rest of the day's links on the 11th anniversary of the Shawn Green–Raul Mondesi trade…

Darek Braunecker, the agent for Cliff Lee, told the AP (on CBS Sports) that his client is “clearly the best player on the free-agent market.” Hard to argue with that one.
If the A's reach a deal with Japanese righty Hisashi Iwakuma, they'll have a surplus of arms and a number of suitors for them, so Mychael Urban of CSNBayArea wouldn't be surprised if Oakland flips a starter for some offense this offseason.
Mets GM Sandy Alderson will interview DeMarlo Hale, Clint Hurdle and Don Wakamatsu for the team's managerial opening according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter).
Andy Martino of the New York Daily News hears that the Mets will also consider internal candidates Tim Teufel and Ken Oberkfell.
The Blue Jays announced that Wakamatsu will serve as the team's bench coach assuming the Mets don't hire him to be their next manager. Joining Wakamatsu on John Farrell's staff: former AL Cy Young Award winner Pat Hentgen.
Derrek Lee, who had surgery on a ligament in his right thumb, told Yahoo's Tim Brown that he'd like to sign with a team that has a good chance of reaching the playoffs.
The Pirates agreed to a minor league deal with left-handed reliever Justin Thomas, according to MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch.
Mike Hampton, who pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings with Arizona last year, wants to pitch again and is drawing interest, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

Odds & Ends: Renteria, Huff, Takahashi

By Tim Dierkes | November 8, 2010 at 12:25pm CDT

Four years ago today, the Padres traded Josh Barfield to the Indians for Andrew Brown and Kevin Kouzmanoff. Only Kouzmanoff panned out to any extent; he was sent to the A's with Eric Sogard in January for Aaron Cunningham and Scott Hairston. With Kouzmanoff and Hairston non-tender candidates, Sogard and Cunningham could be the remaining threads of the deal. Links for Monday…

Do you have experience in online ad sales, ideally for sports websites? MLBTR is looking to bring someone aboard to sell ad inventory on commission. Email mlbtradrep@gmail.com and explain your qualifications if you're interested.
Edgar Renteria would prefer to return to the Giants, he told Claudia Aguilar Ramirez of El Tiempo. Thanks to Nick Collias for the translation.
Aubrey Huff hired Ed Hayes as his agent, reported Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports last night.
The Tigers re-signed catcher Max St. Pierre to a minor league deal, reports Morosi.
Sanspo has the Angels in the mix for Hisanori Takahashi, tweets Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker. It seems likely that the Halos will add a left-handed reliever this winter; I went with Pedro Feliciano in my Top 50 list.
Carlos Torres, released by the White Sox last month to pursue a job in Japan, has landed with the Yomiuri Giants according to this Newman tweet.
Kevin Goldstein's top 11 Pirates prospect list is free to all over at Baseball Prospectus. BP is definitely worth subscribing to for Goldstein's work and much more. We also recommend ESPN Insider, which you'll need to read Keith Law's new starting pitcher buyer's guide.
Speaking of the Pirates, SI's Jon Heyman says they seem active in early free agent calls and "are believed to be showing interest in some surprising free agent prizes such as [Adrian] Beltre."
Dave Cameron of FanGraphs believes the Padres should trade Adrian Gonzalez now rather than in July.

Odds & Ends: Hale, Pirates, O’s, Free Agents

By Luke Adams 2 | November 7, 2010 at 6:24pm CDT

With the free agency period officially upon us, many of today's links focus on either the top players available or which of those players particular teams will pursue. Let's round 'em up….

DeMarlo Hale will interview for the Mets managerial opening, reports Maureen Mullen of Comcast SportsNet. Hale was a finalist for the Blue Jays' job before Toronto hired John Farrell.
Jon Heyman hears that the Pirates are going after players aggressively in the early stages of free agency (Twitter link).
The Orioles have hired Mark Connor as their pitching coach, according to the Baltimore Sun's Dan Connolly. A former Twins' minor leaguer, Connor was Buck Showalter's pitching coach with the Yankees, D'Backs, and Rangers as well.
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe breaks down the top free agents by position and lists some possible destinations.
In an Insider-only piece, ESPN.com's Keith Law breaks down his top 50 free agents, with Cliff Lee topping the list. Meanwhile, there's no Insider account required for Newsday's Ken Davidoff's top 30 free agents and accompanying predictions.
The baseball writers at FOX Sports predict the landing spots for some of the best available players, in slideshow form.
MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan names ten free agents he thinks the Rangers will consider signing.
Mark Simon of ESPNNewYork proposes some realistic free agent targets for the Mets.
In his Insider-only ESPN.com blog, Buster Olney identifies a few players who may be hurt by their Type A status this winter.
There are a few "hot stove myths" to keep in mind as you follow rumors and signings this offseason, writes J.C. Bradbury at Sabernomics.
Jorge de la Rosa's agent, Bobby Barad, tells Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post that he has already received multiple calls from teams expressing a "sincere interest" in his client.
The Padres are rebuilding once again, writes Tim Sullivan of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Gonzalez, Pirates, Elias

By Mike Axisa | November 5, 2010 at 10:10am CDT

On this date way back in 1976, the Mariners and Blue Jays each selected 30 players in the expansion draft. Seattle drafted outfielder Ruppert Jones from the Royals with the first pick, then Toronto grabbed the versatile Bob Bailor from the Orioles with the second pick. The full results of the expansion draft can be found here.

We had to do some expanding of our own this week – get ready for what I'm certain is the largest BBWI in MLBTR history…

Baseball Time In Arlington thinks the Rangers need to wave goodbye to Vladimir Guerrero after declining his option.
Royals Review asks what Kansas City should do, and will do with their arbitration eligible players.
The Friarhood breaks down the trade market for Adrian Gonzalez.
Pirates Propects examines what the impact would be if Andrew McCutchen qualified as a Super Two next year.
Capitol Avenue Club looks at some options to address the Braves' need for a fourth outfielder.
Amazin Avenue explains why they don't want the Mets to hire Wally Backman to serve as manager.
Pittsburgh Lumber Co. wonders if the Pirates should start spending on free agents this winter.
Meanwhile, Wahoo Blues believes the Indians are poised to make a free agent splash.
Crashburn Alley says the Phillies need to give Domonic Brown 600 plate appearances in 2011.
Disciples of Uecker explains why Justin James was an interesting waiver claim.
Prospect Insider thinks that the Elias free agent ranking system needs to go.
The Process Report tries to find a fit for Matt Garza with the Mets.
Randall on Baseball reviews Jack Zduriencik's moves as the Mariners GM.
SD Sports Net thinks the Padres should go out and acquire Dan Uggla.
The Love Of The Game likes what the Yankees have in 2010 rookie Ivan Nova.
Fan Speak tries to figure out what the Nationals should do with Josh Willingham (part one, part two).
Cubs Billy Goat Blog (formerly Cubs Pack) asks what the Cubbies can learn from more successful teams.
1 Blue Jays Way re-lives Toronto's 2010 season, top ten style.
River Ave. Blues comes up with a list of the players the Yankees shouldn't even think about acquiring this winter.
MLB Depth Charts is putting together early looks at each team's 2011 roster.
Baseball Prospectus' Analyze This reviews how the World Champion San Francisco Giants were built in a two part series (part one, part two). No subscription is required.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Pirates Prepare To Pursue Free Agent Starters

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 5, 2010 at 7:55am CDT

Pirates president Frank Coonelly told Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the team “must pitch far better in 2011” and confirmed that GM Neal Huntington will have money to spend on free agent arms. The Pirates, who had a $35MM payroll in 2010, could boost that above $50MM in 2011, Coonelly said.

Huntington anticipates “a low-supply, high-demand market" for starting pitching this offseason, so he’s apprehensive about over-committing and signing deals that look questionable in a few years.

"We know we've got some holes to fill and some money to be able to do it," Huntington said. "But, we'll still have to do it intelligently."

Huntington says he is open to signing pitchers to one-year deals or, under the right circumstances, multiyear contracts. The Pirates don’t have much certainty in their projected 2011 rotation, so they’ll explore ways of adding starters via trade and free agency.

Renck On Buck, Lopez, Giambi, Mora

By Mark Polishuk | November 3, 2010 at 11:07pm CDT

It's already been a busy day for the Rockies what with their declined options on Jeff Francis, Octavio Dotel and (possibly) Miguel Olivo, but the Denver Post's Troy Renck has even more news from the Mile High City. All of Renck's links are from Twitter…

John Buck is not a candidate to play for Colorado next season, but Renck "knows for a fact" the Rockies like the Angels' Mike Napoli.
The Rockies are interested in Jose Lopez, among several other right-handed hitters. Lopez had his 2011 option declined today by Seattle and could be non-tendered next month.
Lopez could be a right-handed option at first base to platoon with Todd Helton, which would make Jason Giambi "unlikely to return." Then again, Renck notes Giambi "really didn't fit last year" in terms of a platoon situation and he was very popular in the clubhouse.
Melvin Mora wants to come back next season, but there might not be enough playing time available to satisfy him.
Renck says there's about a "60%" chance that Francis returns to Colorado. He notes that Pittsburgh could be interested in Francis if former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle is hired to manage the Bucs and if Zach Duke is non-tendered.
It's "uncertain" if Joe Beimel will be pitching for the Rockies next year.

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