Latest On Pedro Alvarez
Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a source that claims the Player’s Association will only focus on the status of Pedro Alvarez’ contract and not on the contract of Eric Hosmer. Kovacevic says the MLBPA will argue that Hosmer’s contract was only delayed so the Pirates could have more time to negotiate with Alvarez.
However, Jonathan Mayo obtained a copy of the grievance filed by the union which suggests that Alvarez’ contract will not be the sole focus (emphasis Mayo’s).
The Commissioner’s Office, without notice to the MLBPA, unilaterally determined to permit Clubs to negotiate with drafted players after the August 15, 2008 deadline, and unilaterally determined to accept agreements by Clubs after the August 15, 2008 deadline.
Mayo feels that the use of plurals in the grievance indicates the union is contesting more than one contract. Mayo says the grievance, combined with MLB not allowing Hosmer to play until this issue is resolved, suggests that this is about more than just the contract status of Alvarez.
Mayo also speculates that part of the desire to make Alvarez the top-paid draftee, may stem from Buster Posey’s decision to go with an agent other than Boras. Mayo wonders if Boras is in-part driven to prove Posey made a mistake.
Other notes…
- In the above article, Kovacevic also indicates a third team may have submitted their agreement after the midnight deadline. However, Kovacevic does not name the team. Of the teams to announce their agreements to the public after the midnight deadline, includes the Padres (Allan Dykstra), Rangers (Justin Smoak) and Giants (Posey). Could a third player be dragged into this mess?
- Kovacevic has a second piece in which he details the contentious history between the Pirates and Boras, and how this may have led to the current rift between the two sides.
- Kovacevic is also reporting that Pirates’ president Frank Coonelly fired another shot at Boras, blaming the agent for getting Hosmer involved.
- Baseball Prospectus has a list of incidents that could be used as precedents in the Alvarez case.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.
D’Backs Claim Ledezma
According to the Arizona Republic, the Diamondbacks claimed lefty Wil Ledezma off waivers from the Padres. Ledezma, 27, posted a 4.47 ERA in 54.1 innings. Walks have been a problem for him. He’s under team control through 2010, if the D’Backs want to go to arbitration with him.
Odds and Ends: Ricciardi, Guardado, Alvarez
Let’s round ’em up…
- Chat today, 2pm CST.
- Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star tries to view J.P. Ricciardi’s tenure from both sides. Drunk Jays Fans gives their take on the article.
- Aaron Gleeman takes a closer look at Eddie Guardado, while Jamey Newberg tells us about Mark Hamburger.
- Inspired by Nelson Cruz‘s excellent ’08 MLB debut, Rob Neyer and Sam Mellinger discuss cheap talent and "4A" players. Do Jeff Bailey, Mike Hessman, Joe Koshansky, Scott McClain, Terry Tiffee, and Josh Whitesell fit the bill? It’s always fun when these guys get a legitimate shot.
- The Pirates are getting frustrated with Scott Boras’ games regarding Pedro Alvarez – he’s signed, so let him take his physical already. Is Boras anti-winter ball for some reason? Speaking of Alvarez, Matt Bandi strikes back at Bob Smizik for his article regarding the scoop on the signing.
- If the Padres have the #1 overall pick next June, will they pass on Boras-repped phenom Stephen Strasburg due to signability?
- Andrew Baggarly wonders if the Giants should sign Mark Mulder this winter.
- Ken Rosenthal examines the Yankees’ upcoming offseason challenges. River Ave. Blues responds to the piece.
- Tigers reliever Francis Beltran was designated for assignment after 13 innings. The 28 year-old had been hittable in Triple A as well.
A Closer Look at Strasburg
A spot on the US Olympic team has thrown some extra attention on 20-year old San Diego State hurler Stephen Strasburg, likely to be the top pick in next year’s draft. As Thomas Boswell wrote today in the Washington Post, Strasburg’s fastball has been clocked at 101 mph and it’s not even his best pitch (that would be his curveball).
Boswell excited because his hometown Nats are so terrible, they just might be getting the No. 1 draft pick that would let them snag the 220 lb, 6’4" Strasburg. But Buster Olney rains on his parade:
Strasburg’s advisor is Scott Boras, and if the Nationals thought the asking price of Aaron Crow was high, well, they ain’t seen nothing yet.
Nonetheless, DC scribes are following the scouts’ lead and positively drooling over the big righty. In addition to his high-90s heater and his 70s curve, Strasburg has a slider in the 80s and struck out 23 batters in one game in April.
Washington has a .354 winning percentage as of right now. The only other teams under .400 are San Diego (.375) and Seattle (.367).
Sarah Green writes for UmpBump and the Boston Metro. She can be reached here.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: O’s. Holliday, Glavine, Maddux, Cardinals, Jeter
A few notes on from around the baseball Blogospehere…
- Camden Chat feels the Orioles are stuck with players like Melvin Mora and Aubrey Huff, even though both have cleared waivers.
- Drunk Jays Fans thinks Matt Holliday will be too expensive in terms of contract and prospects for the Jays.
- Talking Chop does not want to see Tom Glavine back in a Braves uniform next season.
- Gaslamp Ball is not happy about San Diego trading Greg Maddux to the Dodgers and wonders why the Padres would want to help their divisional rival.
- Ducksnorts hates the Maddux deal as a fan, but is happy for Maddux and understands the move from a business standpoint.
- Viva El Birdos does not see the Cardinals signing any free agent starting pitchers for ’09, noting that would go against the organizational philosophy.
- Derek Jeter is not a free agent until after the ’10 season, but that hasn’t stopped Was Watching from discussing his future.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.
Odds And Ends: Mets, Embree, Olsen, Hoffman, Izzy, Phillies
A few notes from around the MLBiverse…
- Bill Madden says the Mets may be out of luck for a closer, even if Huston Street and Brian Fuentes have cleared waivers and are available. Madden says the price tags are just too high for the Mets.
- Alan Embree hopes that not being traded is a sign the A’s are going to pick up his $3MM option for next season.
- Scott Olsen said he prefers to be back with the Marlins in ’09 but conceded that the Marlins may prefer to move him due to his arbitration eligibility.
- Kevin Towers would not answer questions when asked if the Padres would bring free agent-to-be, Trevor Hoffman, back in ’09. We had heard previously that Towers wants Hoffman to end his career with the Padres.
- Jason Isringhausen’s agent said that his client’s "desire is to play [next season]," and they will wait to see if he needs surgery before deciding how to make that happen. Isringhausen is a free agent following this season.
- Jimmy Rollins made comments to reporters that suggested free agents may avoid signing with the Phillies because of the fans.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.
Dodgers Acquire Maddux
11:51am: Tony Jackson says the Padres will pay about $1.3MM of Maddux’s remaining salary, with the Dodgers taking on $900K.
WEDNESDAY, 8:43am: Tom Krasovic has more. The Phillies apparently offered a better package for Maddux earlier this year, but he would not approve a trade there. So the Dodgers will pay a significant amount of Maddux’s remaining salary and the Padres will choose two low-level minor leaguers from a list by October 15th. They wanted James McDonald or Scott Elbert but the Dodgers wouldn’t do it.
8:52pm: Paul DePodesta weighs in on the Maddux trade. He mentions in the comments that the Padres want players as opposed to cash considerations.
4:28pm: The deal is done, for two minor league players to be named later or cash considerations. Still not sure how Maddux’s remaining salary will be split.
TUESDAY, 8:42am: The L.A. Times says Maddux has been traded for two players to be named later. The Dodgers will pay at least part of Maddux’s remaining Maddux’s remaining $2.35MM. Keith Law says the deal makes sense for both sides.
MONDAY, 11:25pm: The AP is now saying an agreement has been reached and the trade will be announced Tuesday. ESPN’s Rob Neyer wonders if one motive for the Dodgers is to save keep Clayton Kershaw‘s innings down.
9:50pm: Through a team spokesman, GM Ned Colletti said a deal is not done. The L.A. Times still says an agreement has been reached, while the L.A. Daily News says they’ve agreed in principle but the deal has not been finalized.
8:31pm: Tony Jackson of the L.A. Daily News says the Dodgers and Padres are actively engaged in talks for Maddux, but isn’t sure how far along the discussions are.
8:09pm: According to Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times, the Dodgers have acquired Greg Maddux from the Padres. Further details are not yet known. The Dodgers had been looking for starting pitching, since they’re not counting on much from Brad Penny.
Dodgers In Market For Pitching
10:36am: Jackson has an article up, and takes a more definitive stance in saying the Dodgers are looking for a starter and remain interested in Maddux. Ned Colletti apparently has conversations going regarding players who would need to clear waivers. 23 year-old prospect James McDonald is a strong in-house candidate if the Dodgers want to go that way.
9:34am: Tony Jackson of the L.A. Daily News talked to Dodgers manager Joe Torre, who does not expect much from Brad Penny for the rest of the season (he may return as a reliever, though). Torre hinted that he would like a starting pitcher to be acquired if it’d improve upon the current fifth starter candidates, Eric Stults and Jason Johnson.
Jackson hasn’t heard anything new on the Greg Maddux front. As you may recall, Maddux was said to have cleared waivers according to ESPN’s Peter Gammons. The teams were not able to work out a trade earlier this month, because the Dodgers wanted the Padres to pay roughly 83% of Maddux’s remaining salary. That amounted to $2.5MM for the Dodgers back then; now it’s about $1.95MM.
The Dodgers are in a dead heat for first place in the NL West, so every win is crucial. Last year they were willing to take on $8MM for a massive question mark in Esteban Loaiza, but this year they’re trying to keep deals payroll-neutral.
Post-Draft Roundup: Hosmer, Smoak, Strasburg
Below I’ve collected more interesting remaining links regarding the amateur draft.
- The Royals bumped their offer from $5MM to $6MM and signed top pick Eric Hosmer. Rany Jazayerli was surprised to see Hosmer effectively get more than #1 pick Tim Beckham. The Royals joined the Red Sox and Pirates as teams spending around $10MM on draft picks this year.
- The Rangers resisted a Major League deal for Justin Smoak, and ultimately signed him to a $3.5MM minor league deal. Owner Tom Hicks pined for a hard slot system.
- The story of pitcher Chris Gruler, picked third overall by the Reds in ’02, reminds us to temper our enthusiasm for these kids. Many will bust.
- Tim Lincecum says Buster Posey can expect other minor leaguers to treat him differently because of the bonus he received.
- The race is on for Stephen Strasburg, who is separating himself from the pack as the top talent in the ’09 draft. The Mariners, Padres, and Nationals all have a shot at him, with the Nats in the "lead." Would the Nats avoid Strasburg due to signability concerns?
Players Who Cleared Waivers
I will make this post a permanent sidebar link. This is a running list of players who have cleared waivers, based on published reports. Once a player clears waivers, he can be traded to any team (barring a no-trade clause).
Updated 8-25-08 at 9:00am. Latest to clear in red.
- Paul Byrd – Byrd cleared waivers, but then was traded to the Red Sox. They were the only team willing to pay his remaining $2MM.
- Frank Catalanotto – Catalanotto, 34, is hitting .272/.337/.389 in 267 plate appearances. He’s played first base and left field this year. He’s not helpful against lefthanded pitching. His contract is a problem – $765K this year, $4MM in ’09, and a $2MM buyout in ’10.
- Eric Gagne – Gagne has been awful this year, as his walks and home runs skyrocketed and he dealt with rotator cuff tendinitis. Understandably, no one wanted to pay the $2.15MM remaining on his contract.
- Aubrey Huff – Huff’s .909 OPS ranks 10th in the league, but surprisingly no team wanted to take on his $10.1MM commitment through ’09.
- Mark Kotsay – Ken Rosenthal says he cleared and a number of teams are interested. Kotsay clearing is a bit of a surprise since the A’s are paying most of his salary. Kotsay can block trades to eight teams. The center fielder is having a nice comeback season with a .782 OPS in 324 plate appearances.
- Greg Maddux – Maddux is earning $10MM this year and will only accept a trade to a West Coast team. The Dodgers wanted him but asked the Padres to pay more than 80% of his remaining salary according to Peter Gammons.
- Kevin Millar – Millar has been OK this year; he may reach 20 home runs. He is owed about $710K from here on out.
- Kevin Millwood – Millwood, 33, has a 5.24 ERA in 122 innings this year. He’s dealt with a groin injury for much of the season, as well as a hamstring issue in spring. Millwood will earn another $1.6MM this year and $11MM in ’09. His 2010 salary of $12MM becomes a club option unless he pitches 180 innings in ’09.
- Melvin Mora – Mora has raised his numbers and stock significantly by hitting .378/.421/.652 since the beginning of July. He has a full no-trade clause and is owed $9MM next year and $1.79MM more this year.
- Vicente Padilla – Padilla, 31 in September, has a 4.98 ERA in 148.1 innings. Home runs have been his main problem. He spent time on the DL with a strained neck. He’ll earn another $2.1MM this year and $12MM in ’09. He has a $12MM club option for ’10 with a $1.75MM buyout.
- Jay Payton – Payton is the O’s regular center fielder with Adam Jones out for the season. He is owed $1.3MM for the rest of the season. He’s been lousy offensively, though he can hit lefties and play all three outfield positions.
- David Riske – Riske is owed $860K more this year, $4.25MM in ’09, and $4.5MM in ’10 plus a $250K buyout for a total of almost $10MM. Walks have been a problem this year, as well as elbow pain.
- Dave Ross – Ross had cleared waivers prior to being designated for assignment. He is earning $2.525MM this year.
- Duaner Sanchez – His velocity is down 3.6 mph from ’06. Sanchez is under team control through ’09.
- Scott Schoeneweis – His strikeout rate is down, but so is his ERA. Apparently no team wanted to risk taking on his contract – $910K more this year, $3.6MM in ’09.
- Gary Sheffield – No surprise here. Sheff is owed around $17.5 million between this year and next.
- Jamie Walker – The 37 year-old southpaw has a 5.00 ERA in 27 innings this year. As usual, home runs have been a problem. He spent time on the DL with elbow inflammation and is set to earn $4.5MM next year.
- David Weathers – Weathers is owed only $610K on the season, and he has a 2.52 ERA and 2.78 K/BB since the beginning of June. I am quite surprised he cleared waivers.