Jeff Bennett

Minor Moves: Franco, LaPorta, Boggs, Bennett

By Steve Adams | May 16, 2014 at 7:21pm CDT

The Nationals announced today that they’ve selected the contract of Greg Dobbs and transferred Eury Perez to the 60-day DL while optioning Sandy Leon to Triple-A in order to clear roster space. Dobbs inked a minor league deal with Washington earlier in the week. Elsewhere on the minor moves circuit…

Julio Franco, who played professionally in parts of four decades, is not quite done yet. The independent league Fort Worth Cats announced today that the 53-year-old will serve as a player/coach for the team’s first homestand. Among his other stops, Franco saw time in 23 MLB campaigns, putting up a strong .298/.365/.417 triple-slash with 173 home runs and 281 stolen bases. While he spent time with eight MLB clubs, Franco did most of his damage with the Indians and Rangers in the late-eighties and early nineties. He then returned for a solid five-year run with the Braves (every season of which came in Franco’s forties). While it would be unwise to count out the ageless wonder, it seems rather unlikely that Franco has in mind another run at the bigs at this point.
ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reports that Matt LaPorta has asked for and been granted his release from the Mexican League’s Campeche Pirates (Twitter link). The former No. 7 overall draft pick and top prospect batted .286/.366/.555 with seven homers in 32 games for Campeche.
The Atlantic League’s Bridgeport Bluefish announced today that outfielder Brandon Boggs has signed a minor league deal with the Braves. Boggs hit .324/.390/.426 in 78 PA with Bridgeport. This will be his second stint with the Braves, as he spent the bulk of last season playing with their Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett. The 31-year-old Boggs has a nice track record at Triple-A and has seen action in parts of four seasons with the Brewers and Rangers.
Former big league right-hander Jeff Bennett, who had also been playing in the Mexican League, has inked a minor league deal with the Dodgers, reports MLB Daily Dish’s Chris Cotillo (Twitter link). The 33-year-old Bennett has a 4.30 ERA in 228 1/3 big league innings with the Braves, Rays and Brewers, but he hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2009. He turned in a strong 2.44 ERA with 6.7 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 44 1/3 innings for los Broncos de Reynosa in 2014.

Minor Moves: Wade, Thomas, Diamond

By Tim Dierkes | June 15, 2011 at 5:15pm CDT

Minor moves for Wednesday…

The Yankees have signed right-hander Cory Wade to a Major League contract and called him up to the Major League roster, reports MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. Wade signed a minor league deal with New York on Monday. To make room, Hoch reports that Rafael Soriano was moved to the 60-day DL and Kevin Whelan was optioned to Triple-A.
The Rangers have released catcher Michael Thomas, tweets Matt Eddy of Baseball America. Thomas was the player to be named later in the Jarrod Saltalamacchia trade last July. Eddy notes the Rangers considered converting Thomas to pitching.
The Cubs released righty Thomas Diamond from their Triple-A club, tweets Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald. He'd been outrighted in May to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Doug Davis.
The Diamondbacks purchased the contract of righty reliever Jeff Bennett from the Lancaster Barnstormers. It appears that Bennett will join Arizona's Triple-A club. The 31-year-old last pitched in the Majors with the Rays in '09.

Quick Hits: Pelfrey, Wandy, Beato, Bennett

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | April 5, 2011 at 4:15pm CDT

Links for Monday, before Josh Beckett makes his 2011 debut. Will he live up to his extension?

Rival executives don’t expect Mariners ace Felix Hernandez to be available this summer, but they’re eyeing Wandy Rodriguez and Mike Pelfrey as potential trade targets, according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark.
If you want to look a little further ahead, check out Tim Dierkes' preview of which starters will be available next offseason.
ESPN.com's Keith Law suggests the Orioles will regret leaving Pedro Beato off of their 40-man roster last fall. The Mets nabbed the reliever in the Rule 5 draft and he's now on the team's active roster.
Former Braves reliever Jeff Bennett is trying to revive his career after seeing it hit rock-bottom, as Greg Sullivan of the Tennessean writes.

Brewers Sign Jeff Bennett

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | May 25, 2010 at 3:07pm CDT

The Brewers signed Jeff Bennett to a minor league deal, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy (via Twitter). The righty pitched 46.2 innings for the Braves and Rays last year, posting a 5.01 ERA with 6.2 K/9 and 5.2 BB/9. Bennett, 30 next month, was a big part of the Brewers' 'pen in 2004, posting a 4.79 ERA in 60 appearances.

The Rays released Bennett, who had been pitching at Triple A, earlier in the month. He was struggling in Triple A, but the Brewers need arms. Their 6.03 bullpen ERA is part of the reason they're 14th in the National League in runs allowed.

Rays Notes: Bush, Bennett

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | May 13, 2010 at 3:30pm CDT

Notes on one pitcher who may appear on the Rays this year and one who won't:

Matt Bush, the player the Padres selected first overall in the 2004 draft, may make it to the majors with the Rays, according to Tom Krasovic of Fanhouse. Bush has only pitched three innings at A ball this year, but the Rays people Krasovic spoke to wouldn't be surprised to see Bush in the majors this year.
The Rays released Jeff Bennett, according to Cork Gaines of RaysIndex. The team's media relations department confirmed the release to MLBTR. Bennett, now 29, made 11 appearances for the Rays last year. In 10.2 innings at Triple A Durham, Bennet posted 8.4 BB/9 and 5.9 K/9 this year.

Rays Acquire Kelly Shoppach

By Tim Dierkes | December 1, 2009 at 7:40pm CDT

7:40pm: Topkin (via Twitter) reports that pitcher Jeff Bennett was designated for assignment to open up a spot for Shoppach on the 40-man roster. Bennett posted a 9.95 ERA in 11 relief appearances with Tampa Bay last season.

1:42pm: Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times tweets that the Rays have acquired Shoppach for a player to be named later. The deal has been confirmed by an Indians press release, which notes that the PTBNL must be named by December 20th.

1:33pm: The Rays are closing in on a deal with the Indians for catcher Kelly Shoppach, according to ESPN's Buster Olney. Shoppach was a non-tender candidate for the Tribe after earning $1.95MM and slipping to .214/.335/.399 offensively. If the Rays do acquire Shoppach, you have to wonder if they'll non-tender Dioner Navarro.

Shoppach, 30 in April, would make for an interesting pickup for the Rays given his .261/.348/.517 line from '08.

Rays Sign Jeff Bennett

By Eddie Schmid | August 1, 2009 at 2:41pm CDT

2:41pm: We have a little more clarity on this situation. According to Dave O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Braves suspended Bennett's pay on June 25, the day after he fractured his hand with an angry punch to a clubhouse wall. Here's more:

"The Braves didn’t announce it at the time, but they suspended his pay beginning June 25. He filed a grievance with the players association and continued his rehab, including two recent minor-league appearances," O'Brien writes.

"When the grievance was heard, the Braves were directed to either “cure the default” by giving him his back pay for the period he was suspended, or allow him to become a free agent. Braves media-relations director Brad Hainje said Bennett requested the team release him from his contract, which they did."

1:04pm: Marc Lancaster of the Tampa Tribune reports minor league left-hander James Houser was released to make room for Bennett on the 40-man roster. Houser, 24, was 4-5 this season with a 5.16 ERA and a 44/50 K/BB ratio in 18 appearances (15 starts) for Triple-A Durham.

12:31pm: According to Ed Price at AOL Fanhouse, the Rays have inked righty Jeff Bennett to a deal. Bennett, 29, had recently asked for his release from the Braves, though it was unclear why. He put up a 3.18 ERA and 23/21 K/BB ratio for Atlanta this season.

Braves Release Jeff Bennett

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | July 30, 2009 at 7:20pm CDT

The Braves granted righty Jeff Bennett his release after he asked for it, according to the AP (via ESPN). The 29-year-old had allowed 42 hits and 21 walks in 34 innings this year, striking out 23 for an ERA of 3.18. Bennett broke a bone in his left hand last month when he punched a door after a loss to the Yankees.

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