Minor Moves: Carter, Ramirez, Dopirak, Redding
The latest minor moves…
- Baseball America's Matt Eddy posted a comprehensive list of recent minor league transactions, including a swarm of draft pick signings and undrafted free agent pickups from the last week.
- The Rays released Chris Carter according to the Triple-A International League transactions page. The 28-year-old hit .270/.309/.460 with ten homers in 233 plate appearances.
- The Astros released catcher Max Ramirez and first baseman/DH Brian Dopirak, tweets Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle. The Astros had signed Ramirez in May after he'd been released by the Cubs. Dopirak was added in December. Both players had OBPs under .290 in their brief Triple-A stints.
- The Phillies signed righty Tim Redding to a minor league deal, tweets MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. The 33-year-old posted a 6.59 ERA in 13 starts for the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate this year.
- The Angels inked righty Jerome Williams for their Triple-A rotation, tweeted his agency Full Circle Sports Management. The 29-year-old was drafted 39th overall by the Giants back in '99, one pick after the Rangers grabbed Colby Lewis. Williams hasn't pitched in the bigs since '07.
Odds and Ends: Shelton, Laird, Baldelli
Links for Monday – Winter Meetings, Day 1.
- Check out the minor league signings for the week at Baseball America. Hey, Jerome Williams to the A’s! Also, Chris Shelton signed with the Mariners.
- Funny quote from Scott Boras: "There can be a lot of late-night meetings where you’re in a room and people are falling asleep. And you’ll have some late-night GMs who want you to drink. I’ll allow them to do it, but I won’t do it. I do have some interesting things written on napkins over the years."
- Dave Cameron likes the Tigers’ acquisition of Gerald Laird.
- Buster Olney talked to some agents who believe "the stated concern about the economy is providing a nice cover for Major League Baseball to roll back salaries." Another note from Olney, he’d be "shocked" if Rocco Baldelli doesn’t sign with Boston.
- Tony Massarotti makes five recommendations for the Red Sox.
- David Murphy asks ten questions about the Phillies.
Odds and Ends: Bonds, Davis, Chulk, Ichiro
Time for some random linkage.
- I’ll be on XM Radio today at about 5pm CST – channels 176-189 with Mike Ferrin.
- The Dodgers signed Jerome Williams – remember him?
- Viva El Birdos runs through starting pitchers who might be on the Cardinals’ radar.
- Sam Mellinger of the KC Star takes a look at Dayton Moore’s trade record. Meanwhile, Joe Posnanski explains why the Royals should sign Barry Bonds.
- Ken Rosenthal doesn’t want to let Ed Wade off the hook in the Shawn Chacon dustup.
- Red Reporter thinks the Reds are winning the Edinson Volquez–Josh Hamilton swap.
- Rangers first base prospect Chris Davis is getting the call.
- Russell Branyan has been training his eyes.
- "Unsubstantiated report" – the Phillies might have interest in recently-designated reliever Vinnie Chulk.
- Mariners beat writer Geoff Baker expects the team to shop Ichiro.
- Buster Olney sees the Rays as a sleeper in the C.C. Sabathia derby.
- Omar Minaya defends the Luis Castillo signing.
Odds and Ends: Jerome Williams, Linden, Lo Duca
Below you’ll find the day’s random rumors and links.
- Remember Jerome Williams? He’s begging the Giants or any other team to give him a shot, "even if it means in A-ball" according to John Shea. The 26 year-old Hawaiin couldn’t find any success last year with Washington. He started out pretty strong with the Giants back in 2003-04.
- Todd Linden can get out of his minor league deal with Oakland if offered a deal in Japan, which is a possibility.
- Paul Lo Duca has choice words for the Mets, rejecting the notion that they were ever interested or that he demanded three years.
- The Astros still have Mark Loretta on the radar.
- The Brewers don’t seem to have any trades in the works.
- He deems it "pure speculation," but Buster Olney wonders whether the Angels should call the A’s about Joe Blanton.
- Support for my contention that RBI Baseball is better than today’s baseball video games.
Nationals Sign Jerome Williams, Brandon Claussen
The AP is reporting that the Nats inked Jerome Williams and Brandon Claussen today for their rotation. Along with Tim Redding and John Patterson, they’ll give the Nationals some semblance of a rotation.
Williams, 25, lost the Cubs’ fourth starter job to Sean Marshall with a lousy spring in 2005. He got a couple of starts in April but was sent to Triple A by month’s end. The A’s claimed him off waivers in September but didn’t use him. The righty has strong groundball tendencies and a 4.03 career ERA.
Claussen, a southpaw, turns 28 in May. The Yanks traded him to the Reds for Aaron Boone back in ’03. Claussen had a solid 2005, making 29 starts with a 4.21 ERA. He had arthroscopic shoulder surgery in August of ’06 and won’t be ready for the start of the ’07 season.
Update: Kearns For Jerome Williams
According to Bruce Levine of ESPN Radio 1000, the Austin Kearns trade talk has gotten serious and Jerome Williams, not Sergio Mitre, would be included in the deal.
This new incarnation of the deal seems more equitable. Unlike Mitre, Williams has had success in the Major Leagues in his career. He pitched 106 innings after being dealt to the Cubs for LaTroy Hawkins, posting a 3.91 ERA and 1.35 WHIP. Williams posted a spectacular 2.10 ERA in five September starts.
Thanks to Alex