Odds & Ends: Diamond, Penny, Pelekoudas
Links for Tuesday…
- Chat today, 2pm CST.
- The Rangers designated pitcher Thomas Diamond for assignment, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. Diamond was the 10th overall pick in the 2004 draft. He was considered the #52 prospect in the game by Baseball America in '05, but he had Tommy John surgery in '07 and dealt with shoulder soreness this year.
- ESPN's Buster Olney says the Angels were in on Brad Penny, with a bullpen role in mind.
- Stephen Strasburg has a few things to learn about dealing with media attention, says John Feinstein of the Washington Post.
- Mariners Associate GM Lee Pelekoudas has resigned to pursue other career opportunities, according to a team press release. Pelekoudas was the Ms' interim GM before Jack Zduriencik was hired. He spent 30 years in the organization.
- USA Today's Paul White writes about the stigma of a college degree for ballplayers.
- Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star suggests newly-extended GM Dayton Moore, and not the Glass family, is accountable for the Royals' future performance.
- Reliever Luis Ayala, recently designated for assignment by the Marlins after pitching badly, was upset by the team's "lack of respect" (Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reporting). Ayala earned $1.3MM for his 5.63 ERA this year in 40 innings.
Odds And Ends: Cordero, Schmidt, Griffey
Another round of links…
- Reds GM Walt Jocketty tells MLB.com's Mark Sheldon that no team has inquired on Francisco Cordero.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports has a series of predictions for the season's final month. He doesn't expect Jake Peavy to win more than a single game for the White Sox.
- MLB.com's Ken Gurnick reports that Jason Schmidt's season is over. Schmidt, who won three games in as many seasons for the Dodgers, hinted he may retire.
- Ken Griffey Jr. tells C. Trent Rosecrans of CNati.com he's having the time of his life back in Seattle. He's open to staying with the Mariners, but says he understands if the team decides to move on. Check out the entire interview – it's a great read.
- Roy Oswalt says there's "a dead feeling" in the Astros clubhouse, according to Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle. Justice argues that "the people in charge have screwed up the franchise."
- Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe reports that the Red Sox evaluated Billy Wagner in depth before trading for him.
Odds & Ends: Peavy, Fielder, Mets, M’s
A nice helping of links to get us going here Wednesday night…
- According to Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago, Jake Peavy is doubtful to make his White Sox debut on Saturday. The newly acquired right-hander was unable to throw a scheduled side session Wednesday afternoon due to lingering elbow soreness.
- Anthony Witrado of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel agrees with Dave Cameron's philosophy that the Brewers should trade first baseman Prince Fielder if they have no intention of improving their starting rotation through free agency this offseason. "I understand the team would take a PR hit if they traded a star like Prince," writes Haudricourt,"but for the betterment of the organization, it makes sense to deal him if you can't improve around him."
- FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal says evidence suggests that the Mets, who have sent 19 men to the DL this season, are not taking care of their players. "The Mets can say what they want, writes Rosenthal. "After a while, the disabled list does not lie."
- Larry LaRue of the Tacoma News Tribune thinks the Mariners are finally moving in the right direction, and gives a good chunk of the credit to general manager Jack Zduriencik. "Wait 'til next year now means something again for Mariners fans," says LaRue.
Odds And Ends: Ackley, Reds, Bradley
Some links for the morning…
- Dustin Ackley will arrive in Seattle Monday to work out with the team, meet the media and officially sign his $7.5MM deal, according to MLB.com's Jim Street.
- Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News says the Reds are desperate for starting pitching just a few months after it looked like their rotation was set.
- This is not what the Cubs envisioned when they signed Milton Bradley to a multi-year deal last offseason. Bradley told Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune that he "never" feels comfortable at Wrigley Field because he gets booed. However, he insists that he'll be all right in spite of the hatred he faces "on a daily basis."
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post says Mets GM Omar Minaya looks clueless at times, but the mess hardly stops with him.
Mariners Release Luis Pena
According to the Associated Press, via the Seattle Times, the Mariners have released minor league right-hander Luis Pena to clear room on the 40-man roster for reliever Randy Messenger. Pena, 26, was 3-1 this season with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in six appearances between Single-A and Double-A.
Mariners Acquire Bill Hall
According to the Seattle Times' Geoff Baker, the Mariners have acquired Bill Hall from the Brewers. There's an announcement expected before game time. According to Baker's sources, the Brewers will receive minor-league pitcher Ruben "Buddy" Flores in return. The Brewers will reportedly pay the rest of the $6.8MM salary due Hall this year and a large portion of his $8.4MM he earns in 2010.
Hall, 29, has had a rough year, putting up a .606 OPS in 234 PA, but perhaps he'll be able to find his swing with a change of scenery. He could fit into a platoon role against lefties, where the Mariners have struggled this season, and can at least defensively fill in the vacancy at third left by the ailing Adrian Beltre.
Flores is a 25-year-old righty and put up a 2.30 ERA and a 53/28 K/BB ratio in 43 innings in Single-A this year but has been lit up to the tune of a 13.06 ERA since being moved to High-A ball. He's a little old to be considered a prospect, but he projects as a middle reliever if he can put it together.
Mariners Open To Extending Felix
Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that he's open to extending Felix Hernandez and the pitcher's agent made similar comments. The Mariners apparently listened to offers for Felix last month and though Zduriencik says he'd have to listen again if a team called, he sounds understandably reluctant to trade his ace before the beginning of next year.
Signing Deadline Roundup: Ackley, Turner
Some more links in the aftermath of yesterday's deadline to sign draft picks…
- Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star explains in detail that the MLB draft is broken. It certainly seems like things will change after next year, when the CBA expires.
- Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune reports that Dustin Ackley says he'd like to play outfield.
- Click here to read what Divish did as he awaited word on the Ackley signing last night.
- MLB.com's Jason Beck reports that the Tigers designated minor leaguer Chris Lambert for assignment, presumably to make room for top pick Jacob Turner on the 40-man roster.
- The Astros had a much more relaxing evening than most teams last night, as Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Mariners Sign Dustin Ackley
The Mariners signed second overall pick and Scott Boras client Dustin Ackley, according to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo. It's a big league deal worth $9.5MM, says SI's Jon Heyman. The five-year contract ties Mark Teixeira's mark for position players, says ESPN's Jason Churchill. Baseball America's Jim Callis says the deal is actually for $7.5MM guaranteed. Click here to see MLB.com's scouting report on the UNC outfielder.
Draft Updates: Jays, Rays, Mariners, Padres
Its' still quiet on the Stephen Strasburg front, but we have other draft updates with less than 12 hours remaining for teams to sign their picks.
- Baseball America's Jim Callis says the Jays signed outfielder K.C. Hobson for $500k, more than three times what MLB recommends giving sixth rounders.
- Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times says the Rays will have to examine Levon Washington's shoulder carefully today, since the top pick is coming off surgery.
- Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times imagines what would happen if the Mariners and Nationals both failed to sign their top picks this year.
- Andy Marks of the Ocala Star-Banner reports that the Padres agreed to sign fourth rounder Keyvius Sampson for second round money, though the specifics of the deal aren't yet known.