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NL West Notes: Dodgers, Guzman, Giants, Hamels

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Happy birthday to Dodgers manager Don Mattingly (51) and Giants prospect Brandon Belt (24).  Here's the latest from the NL West…

  • Bud Selig says the league is still trying to learn some specifics about the sale of the Dodgers to Magic Johnson's ownership group, reports Mike James and Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.
  • Dodgers minor leaguer Angel Guzman has been issued a 50-game suspension following a positive test for a drug of abuse, according to an MLB press release.  This is Guzman's second violation of the league's drug policy.  Guzman last pitched in the majors in 2009 as a member of the Cubs, and he signed a minor league deal with L.A. in December.
  • Despite Guzman's suspension, Don Mattingly still sounded positive about the right-hander's future with the club, reports MLB.com's Gene Duffy.
  • The Giants have no plans to make AT&T Park more hitter-friendly, reports Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle.  "It's an asymmetrical park with interesting dimensions, adding to the strategy and enjoyment of the game, and the overall opinion from fans has been positive," said Giants team president Larry Baer.  "It's kind of our signature. It's who we are."
  • Padres right-hander Dustin Moseley is getting a second opinion on his shoulder injury but told reporters (including Dan Hayes of the North County Times) that he expects to undergo season-ending surgery.
  • Cole Hamels criticized the Padres, his favorite team growing up, to local media (including Chris Jenkins of the San Diego Union-Tribune) for not doing more to field a consistent winner.  "It’s not the fans. They alienate their own fans by not keeping guys around, especially the guys they develop," Hamels said. "They won’t keep an Adrian Gonzalez or go get that big-name guy. That’s just hard on a fan.”
  • Hamels further expounded on the subject with Tom Krasovic of Inside The Padres, praising Petco Park.  "To see the Padres with such an unbelievable stadium, and to have it downtown, and to see what it's done to the city, and for them to not really want to put out a team that has to compete against the Dodgers, and the Giants, and Arizona — that's tough," Hamels told Krasovic. "I think if the organization wanted to compete, people would be here in a heartbeat — fans and players."

Quick Hits: Escobar, Hudson, Padres, Dodgers

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Scott Baker had Tommy John surgery on Tuesday according to LaVelle E. Neal III of The Star Tribune. He was supposed to have surgery on his flexor tendon, but Dr. David Altchek found damage to the ligament and repaired it. The Twins hold a $9.25MM club option for Baker next season, and it seems unlikely that they'll pick it up.

Here's some news from around the league, as Tuesday turns into Wednesday…

Trade Candidate: Huston Street

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Uspw_6172886At first glance, the Padres' acquisition of closer Huston Street from the Rockies last offseason didn't make a whole lot of sense. After all, San Diego wasn't expected to contend in 2012, and Street didn't come cheaply — at a 2012 salary of $7.5MM — for a team that operates on a modest budget.

But new GM Josh Byrnes probably valued Street more as an asset in future trade talks than as someone who could contribute to a rebuilding team on the field, and considering the Friars merely gave up an underwhelming prospect to acquire the right-hander, it's a sound strategy.

Now, several projected contenders are already dealing with injuries at the back end of their respective bullpens, and it seems even more likely that trade suitors will be checking in with the Padres on Street.

The right-hander, 29 in August, has earned his keep as a high-strikeout control specialist with a knack for producing fly balls, a formula that has produced an excellent 2.91 career SIERA. Those skills should play especially well for Street in his new home ballpark in San Diego's Petco Park, where fly balls go to die. And if he's cruising along with stats that are inflated by his home digs in a couple months, it'll only serve to intensify interest among bullpen-needy contenders.

The catch here is Street's contract. He holds a $9MM player option for 2013, but that can be declined for a digestible $500K buyout — for which the Rockies are on the hook. In other words, Street can be had as a half-season rental, or he can contribute down the stretch and then come back the following year at a pricey, but not off-the-charts, salary.

Will some team bite? It's hard to say that now, with a couple months' games to play out before trade talks really heat up, but if Byrnes can flip Street for even a decent prospect, he'll have turned a profit considering how little he paid for the closer.

Photo courtesy of US Presswire

Quick Hits: Hunter, Garza, Padres, Betemit

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The Twins pounded out 20 hits en route to a 10-9 victory over the Angels today at Target Field.  Josh Willingham hit his third homer in as many games for Minnesota, and Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau also went yard — the first time the duo have homered in the same game since July 6, 2010.

Here are some notes from around the majors…

  • Torii Hunter hasn't had any discussion with the Angels about a contract extension but understands why, he tells Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.  "I don't want to bother those guys," Hunter said. "They've had so much going on. I definitely feel no rush. It'd be nice (to get an extension offer) but if not, I understand….They have other guys like (Erick) Aybar they need to lock up. Plus they've got (Mike) Trout lying in the weeds."  Hunter is a free agent after this season and will be 37 on Opening Day 2013.  He said he wants to return the Angels, but if not, he wants to play for another contending team.
  • Nez Balelo, Matt Garza's agent, is scheduled to be in Chicago during the Cubs' homestand, reports Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.  Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said that a potential long-term deal with Garza is the sort of "big-picture issue" that can't be measured by how Garza performs early this season or even throughout 2012.
  • Separate ownership groups led by agents Dennis Gilbert and Arn Tellem could be interested in buying the Padres, reports Dan Hayes of the North County Times.  A source tells Hayes that any potential buyer could bring a Padres legend like Tony Gwynn, Dave Winfield or Steve Garvey to serve as the public face of the ownership group.  Garvey is known to already be fronting a group that is interested in the Padres after falling short in a bid to buy the Dodgers.
  • White Sox GM Kenny Williams discusses new manager Robin Ventura, several players and his expectations for the team as a whole for 2012 in a Q&A with the team's TV crew (transcribed on MLB.com).
  • The well-traveled Wilson Betemit is playing for his seventh team in 10 years but is only focused on helping the Orioles, writes Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Andre Ethier is very focused on playing well in 2012 and putting himself in line for a big contract either with the Dodgers or with another club when he hits free agency this winter, sources tell ESPN Los Angeles' Tony Jackson.

Quick Hits: Hamilton, Baker, Phillips, Martinez

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Angels right-hander Michael Kohn will have Tommy John surgery tomorrow and will miss the season according to Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). Here are some assorted links for Wednesday…

  • The Rangers recently met with Mike Moye, agent for Josh Hamilton, but the two sides didn't get too deep into contract extension talks according to Jeff Wilson of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  • The Twins hope to replace Scott Baker internally, but there's a chance he might not pitch for them again according to MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger (Twitter links). Baker will miss the year with elbow surgery and the team holds a $9MM option for next season.
  • Talks between the Reds and Brandon Phillips about a contract extension started last March according to ESPN's Jim Bowden. Phillips' agreed to a new deal this week.
  • The Tigers have some hope that Victor Martinez will return late this season, according to Tom Gage of the Detroit News (Twitter links). The switch-hitting DH didn't need ACL reconstruction on his injured knee, and may return before the season's up. The Tigers won't know whether Martinez can play until they get MRI results in July.
  • Tom Krasovic of Inside the Padres reports that Padres owner John Moores initially sought $600MM for the team in 2008 and explains why it may sell for more this time around. The Padres are up for sale again, Moores announced yesterday.
  • Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has the year-by-year breakdown for Ian Kinsler’s recent contract extension (Twitter link). The Rangers have a $10MM option for 2018 with a $5MM buyout.
  • Jim Callis of Baseball America reports that most teams believe Georgia high school outfielder Byron Buxton is the best prospect available in this year's amateur draft. There's a growing sense the Astros don't want to make a risky pick, yet there's no obvious second choice behind Buxton.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Moores To Sell Padres

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The Padres announced that chairman John Moores intends to sell the team. Steve Greenberg and John Moag, who are advising Moores on the team's sale, say the process could take months.

"Three years ago, I made the difficult decision to sell the club, and I didn’t expect to have to make that same decision again,” Moores said in a press release.

The Padres had planned for Jeff Moorad to become the team's controlling partner, but the former agent recently dropped his application after failing to generate enough support from MLB owners. The Dodgers will soon sell for $2.15 billion, which could provide Moores with leverage as he proceeds with the sale.

Quick Hits: Padres, Berkman, Giants, Rays, Royals

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Here's the latest from around the league, on the night Yu Darvish made his MLB debut…

  • Padres owner John Moore has retained investment banker Steve Greenberg to broker a sale of the club, reports Dan Hayes of The North County Times. Hayes says the club could fetch up to $700MM after the Dodgers sold for $2 billion last month.
  • "If I could go back in time, I would have explored free agency earlier in my career," Lance Berkman told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  The veteran missed the boat on truly massive contracts for first basemen, but he's still earned upwards of $100MM over the course of his career.  Berkman, 36, is earning $12MM this year from the Cardinals.
  • Giants owner Charles Johnson told Gwen Knapp of the San Francisco Chronicle that he plans to stay out of the club's day-to-day operations.  The billionaire upped his stake in the club in September 2011, making him the team's top shareholder.
  • In his latest mailbag, MLB.com's Bill Chastain says that he wouldn't be so sure that Rays fans have seen the last of Wade Davis as a starter.  James Shields will make $12MM in 2013 and it's not clear if the Rays will bring him back at that number or deal him.  If that were to happen then Davis would likely return to the rotation.
  • Many writers scoffed when the Royals handed the closer’s role to Jonathan Broxton this spring, but so far it looks like he might be ready to return to form, writes J.P. Breen of Fangraphs.  The 27-year-old's deal is worth $4MM plus $1MM in incentives based on games pitched.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Rosenthal On Cubs, Brewers, Aybar, Padres, Volquez

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It's no secret that the new regime in Chicago will need time to turn the Cubs around, but Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes that the changes to the draft rules will hamper their progress even further.  Both the amateur draft and free-agent market are more difficult for high-revenue teams to exploit, giving Epstein a significant speed bump to deal with.  In Boston, Epstein went over-slot to draft core pieces such as Dustin Pedroia, Jonathan Papelbon, Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz, and other assets used to trade for Adrian Gonzalez, Jason Bay, and Victor Martinez.

In the short-term, the Cubs need to get as much as possible out of Jeff Samardzija, Anthony Rizzo, and Brett Jackson.  For the long-term, they can consider trading Matt Garza for prospects or, go in the other direction and sign the right-hander to an extension.  Here's more from Rosenthal..

  • If the Brewers wind up falling out of contention, Milwaukee could be an interesting seller at the trade deadline.  Potential free agent right-handers Zack Greinke, Shaun Marcum, and reliever Francisco Rodriguez would all be in high demand if the Crew isn't in contention in late July.  The club will have to restock their farm system at some point as they rank near the bottom in MLB.  
  • Rosenthal opines that the Angels shouldn't hesitate to sign shortstop Erick Aybar to an extension.  Many believe that the Halos could let him go and turn to prospect Jean Segura, but the youngster is playing above Class-A for the first time this season and has struggled with injuries in the past.  The Angels signed Howie Kendrick to a four-year, $33.5MM extension earlier this offseason.
  • A scout following the Padres saw them often in spring training and raves about the team’s future.  San Diego is unlikely to sign major free agents but eventually could swing a Mat Latos trade in reverse, using prospects to acquire young impact players. Edinson Volquez, who is earning just $2.2375MM, could have immediate value at this year's trade deadline.

Minor Moves: Indians, Hu, Padres, Rangers

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Today's minor moves, courtesy of Baseball America's Matt Eddy..

  • The Indians and Phillies reversed a trade from earlier this winter which sent Chin-lung Hu to Philadelphia.  Cleveland then released Hu soon after.  The middle infielder joined the Phillies in camp in late March but wound up failing his physical.  Hu, 28, spent his entire MLB career in the Dodgers organization before being traded to the Mets last offseason. 
  • The Padres released right-hander Dennis Tankersley who signed with his former club a month ago in an attempted comeback.  The 33-year-old was ranked as San Diego's second-best prospect in 2002 (behind Sean Burroughs and ahead of Jake Peavy) but hasn't appeared in the majors since '04 and the minors since '08. 
  • The Rangers cut former Rule 5 pick Mason Tobin, who appeared in a handful of games for Texas last season but spent most of the year on the disabled list.  The right-hander has been beset by arm trouble since 2008.

Quick Hits: Greinke, Astros, Votto, Padres

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On this day in 1970, the Cardinals sent first baseman/outfielder Willie Montanez to the Phillies as part of a compensation package for Curt Flood refusing to report to Philadelphia when he was dealt in October of 1969.  Flood's story is now part of baseball lore but Montanez would go on to have a solid career of his own.  Montanez played 14 years in the majors and hit .275/.327/.402 for his career.  Here's a look at tonight's links..

  • Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) writes that in order for Brewers pitcher Zack Greinke to restore his value, the hurler has to to alter the perception that he can be a troublesome clubhouse presence.  Olney writes that there are already some teams who won't consider him because of the reputation he earned in Kansas city.
  • The Astros were able to land outfielder Justin Maxwell off of waivers from the Yankees earlier today thanks to their top position on the waiver wire.  Houston GM Jeff Luhnow says that while he hopes to win more games, he plans on taking advantage of their wire position, writes MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.
  • Locking up Joey Votto doesn't come cheap but the Reds made the right move when they made him a $200MM man, opines B.J. Bethel of the Dayton Daily News.  The Reds, he writes, have not produced a bona fide superstar since the days of Barry Larkin and Eric Davis.
  • Jay Paris of the North County Times thinks that Padres owner John Moores needs to do more to endear himself to fans if he hopes to keep the club's attendance numbers up.
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