Cardinals Rumors

Giants Trying To Block Cards, Braves From Third Basemen?

By Tim Dierkes | August 17, 2010 at 8:43am CDT

Some GMs have the perception the Giants are trying to block the Cardinals and Braves from acquiring a third baseman through a waiver trade, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. The team with the worse record gets first crack at a player, so at the moment the Giants can't stop a player from getting to the Cardinals. They can currently thwart the Padres, Reds, Phillies, and Braves.

Three players with the ability to play third base have already gotten through waivers unclaimed: Geoff Blum, Craig Counsell, and Edwin Encarnacion. We haven't heard about the status of Chone Figgins, Adam Kennedy, Jamey Carroll, Jeff Keppinger, Ty Wigginton, Wilson Betemit, Mark Reynolds, Melvin Mora, Jhonny Peralta, Aramis Ramirez, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Wes Helms, Andy LaRoche, Nick Punto, Brendan Harris, Jose Lopez, or Pedro Feliz yet. Brandon Inge is expected to hit the waiver wire this week, wrote Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch yesterday. The Twins could theoretically claim Inge before he gets to the Cards, but they may be satisfied with Danny Valencia at the hot corner.

Draft Pick Signings

By Tim Dierkes | August 17, 2010 at 12:07am CDT

Today's draft pick signing deadline passed at 11pm central time. This post contains notable signings outside of the first round, with the latest up top.

The Padres signed sixth-rounder John Barbato for $1.4MM, according to ESPN.com's Keith Law (on Twitter).
The Blue Jays signed fourth-rounder Sam Dyson for $600K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter).
The Tigers signed second-rounder Drew Smyly for $1.1MM, according to Kendall Rogers of Yahoo (on Twitter).
The D'Backs signed 14th-rounder Ty Linton for $1.25MM, according to MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo.
The A's signed second-rounder Yordy Cabrera for $1.25MM, according to ESPN.com's Keith Law (via Twitter). The team has since confirmed the deal, but not its value.
The Pirates have signed second-rounder Stetson Allie, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter). The 19-year-old, who plays third and pitches, had committed to the University of North Carolina. He gets a $2.25MM bonus, according to Hoynes (on Twitter).
The D'Backs signed eighth-rounder Tyler Green for $750K, according to Aaron Fitt of Baseball America. The prep righty can hit 95 mph with his fastball.
The Reds signed sixth-rounder Drew Cisco for $975K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America.
The Cardinals signed second-round right-hander Jordan Swagerty for $600-650K, according to Kendall Rogers of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).
The Giants signed second-rounder Jarrett Parker for $700K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America. The 21-year-old outfielder set multiple single-season records at Virginia last year.
The Mariners signed second-rounder Marcus Littlewood for $900K, according to ESPN.com's Keith Law (on Twitter). Here's Law's scouting report on the prep shortstop.
The D'Backs agreed to sign sixth-round right-hander Blake Perry for $500K, according to Aaron Fitt of Baseball America.
The Nationals agreed to sign 12th-round left-hander Robbie Ray for $799K, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
The Red Sox will sign Garin Cecchini, according to Kendall Rogers of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The fourth-round pick was looking for about $1.35MM and Jim Callis of Baseball America reports (on Twitter) that he'll get $1.31MM.
Eighth-rounder Alex Lavisky agreed to terms with the Indians on a $1MM bonus, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter). The prep catcher is "a good athlete with arm strength," according to Baseball America.
The Red Sox signed second-rounder Brandon Workman for $800K, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com.
The Red Sox agreed to sign third-rounder Sean Coyle, a 5'8" shortstop, for $1.3MM, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America. That's more than $1MM more than MLB recommends for the 110 slot.
The Dodgers signed 11th-rounder Joc Pederson, a prep outfielder, for $600K according to Baseball America's Jim Callis. That quadruples MLB's recommended maximum. BA ranked Pederson #154 in their draft preview.
The Rangers signed fifth-rounder Justin Grimm, a righty out of Georgia, for $825K plus incentives ($677K over slot), reports Baseball America's Aaron Fitt. BA ranked Grimm at #109 in their draft preiew.
The Indians signed fourth-round pick Kyle Blair for $580K ($334K over slot), reports Baseball America's Jim Callis. Blair is a righty drafted out of the University of San Diego; BA ranked him 84th overall in their draft preview.
The Royals signed second-round pick Brett Eibner and fifth-rounder Jason Adam, according to a press release. Baseball America's Jim Callis tweets that Eibner gets $1.25MM (almost $600K over slot), while Adam gets $800K ($629K over slot). Eibner is a center fielder and pitcher out of the University of Arkansas, and Adam is a righty drafted out of high school. Baseball America rated Eibner the 23rd-best player in the draft, calling him the "best two-way prospect" in the class. The Royals instead plan to use him as a center fielder.

Cardinals Sign Zack Cox

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 16, 2010 at 11:21pm CDT

The Cardinals signed first-rounder Zack Cox to a major league deal, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter). Cox gets a $3.2MM deal, according to Yahoo's Kendall Rogers (on Twitter).

Cardinals Intensify Third Base Search

By Tim Dierkes | August 16, 2010 at 9:00am CDT

The Cardinals have intensified their search for help at third base, reports Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Felipe Lopez has struggled of late; he's been David Freese's main replacement at the hot corner. Allen Craig made his first start at the position yesterday, but manager Tony La Russa isn't keen on the idea of using Craig there. One outside name on the Cardinals' radar is Brandon Inge. Strauss says they retain interest in the Tigers' third baseman, who returned from a fractured hand on August 4th and should be placed on waivers this week.

Inge is fairly pricey, with $1.76MM of his $6.6MM salary remaining. All American League teams plus any National League club with a worse winning percentage than the Cardinals will have first crack at him. The Cards have a .560 winning percentage, so the Phillies, Braves, Reds, Giants, and Padres are behind them in the waiver order currently.

Other veteran infielders who might be candidates for August trades include Pedro Feliz, Geoff Blum, Melvin Mora, Wes Helms, Chone Figgins, Nick Punto, Brendan Harris, Wilson Betemit, Ty Wigginton, and Edwin Encarnacion. Encarnacion has already cleared waivers. Adam Kennedy is another potentially available name, but don't look for the Cardinals to bring him back.

Rosenthal On Manny, Cardinals, Braves, Inge

By Luke Adams 2 | August 14, 2010 at 7:25pm CDT

We already took a look at Ken Rosenthal's updates on Joe Torre and Dusty Baker, but those weren't the only items of interest in his latest Full Count video at FOX Sports. Here are the others:

Manny Ramirez should be on his way back to full health in the coming weeks, but if the Dodgers want to move him before August 31st, his no-trade clause may make things difficult. Rosenthal indicates that the Dodgers might be careful about when they place Ramirez on waivers, perhaps doing so if and when the White Sox are behind the Red Sox in the standings. As Rosenthal notes, Boston winning a waiver claim on Manny would make a trade highly unlikely, whereas the White Sox and Dodgers could have a better chance of working something out.
The Cardinals and Braves are both searching for third base help. The Cardinals plan to give Allen Craig some time there and the Braves have been content with in-house options so far, but Rosenthal suggests Brandon Inge is a player who could be a fit for both teams. If Inge is placed on waivers, another contender may put in a claim to block the Braves and Cards from having a shot at him.

Manager Rumors: Baker, Torre, La Russa

By Luke Adams 2 | August 14, 2010 at 6:04pm CDT

Looking ahead to the offseason, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports opines that as many as ten teams could be searching for new managers. Let's check out the latest updates on a few of the National League's current skippers….

In his newest Full Count video, Rosenthal suggests that Dusty Baker will likely have a handful of suitors if the Reds decide they can't afford to give him a raise next year.
Adding that Jerry Manuel is looking more and more like a "goner," Rosenthal says the Mets may be the only team Joe Torre would consider managing if the Dodgers' skipper doesn't return to Los Angeles.
For his part, Torre tells MLB.com's Ken Gurnick that he won't announce his plans for next year while the Dodgers are still in contention for the playoffs. Having dropped their last three games, the team now sits 6.5 games back in the wild card hunt.
Tony La Russa also won't discuss his plans for next season yet, but admits to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link) that he's been weighing his options.

Draft Notes: Solis, Klein, Jenkins, Gumbs

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 13, 2010 at 7:23pm CDT

The deadline for signing draft picks is just days away. Teams have until August 16th (next Monday) at 11 CST to sign their picks, and the agreements are starting to trickle in. Here are the details:

Talks between the Nationals and second-round pick Sammy Solis are "amicable," and MLB.com's Bill Ladson hears from a source that a deal is close to being worked out.
Baltimore has agreed to terms with third-rounder Dan Klein, tweets Baseball America's Jim Callis. Klein's bonus is worth just under $500K, or as Callis describes it, "second-round money."
The Cardinals officially announced their contract with Tyrell Jenkins, writes Matthew Leach of MLB.com. It was reported earlier this week that Jenkins and the Cards had agreed to terms that included an above-slot bonus price for the 50th overall pick.
The Yankees signed second-rounder Angelo Gumbs for $750K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America. The outfielder gets the largest bonus for any player drafted after the supplemental first round this year.
Here's another above-slot deal for an outfielder: the Padres signed eighth-rounder Jose Dore for $450K, according to Callis.
Not surprisingly, the Red Sox haven't had substantial talks with Scott Boras about signing Anthony Ranaudo, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Ranaudo pitched well in the Cape Cod League this summer and maintains that he's ready to return to LSU.
MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo gives the latest updates on unsigned first round picks. Mayo reports indications that the D'Backs have continued talking to Barret Loux, who failed his physical.
Here's our list of top picks to sign.

Cardinals To Sign Supplemental Pick Jenkins

By Tim Dierkes | August 10, 2010 at 9:21am CDT

Cardinals supplemental draft pick Tyrell Jenkins will sign with the Cardinals this week, according to Coleman Swierc of KLTV. He'll get a $1.3MM bonus, according to ESPN.com's Keith Law (on Twitter). Jenkins passed on a chance to play football at Baylor, explaining to KLTV, "I know that I will miss out on college, but me and my mom talked it over, and financially it was right, and this is the best choice for me." Baseball America estimates MLB's slot recommendation at $705,600, so Jenkins beat that easily.

Jenkins was drafted 50th overall this year, representing the Cardinals' supplemental pick for the loss of Joel Pineiro. The prep righty was the 43rd-ranked talent in the draft according to Baseball America. BA considered him the draft's most athletic pitcher, adding that he's "raw but has tremendous upside."

A couple of big-name Cardinals draft picks remain unsigned with seven days to go before MLB's deadline: 25th overall pick Zack Cox and 12th-round pick Austin Wilson.

2011 Vesting Options Update

By Tim Dierkes | August 9, 2010 at 8:20am CDT

We began the season with nine potential vesting options for 2011, but they're dropping like flies. With Alex Cora and Magglio Ordonez now off the board, we look at the remaining three:

Trever Miller, Cardinals. The lefty needs 45 appearances for his $2MM option to vest, and he's made 41 on the season. He could lock in next year's salary within a week, though a DL-worthy left arm or shoulder injury changes this to a club option.
Darren Oliver, Rangers. Oliver needs 59 appearances for his $3.25MM option to vest, and he's got 46 so far. Barring injury, he'll get there.
Ramon Hernandez, Reds. Hernandez needs 120 games for his $3.25MM option to vest. He's played in 65 so far. The Reds have only 50 games remaining, so we can cross this one off the list.
An honorable mention goes to Billy Wagner, whose $6.5MM option vests with 50 games finished. Wagner has finished 46 so far. However just last month he repeated his desire to retire after the season. Having a guaranteed salary for 2011 might not sway Wagner, since he would've made at least that much on the free agent market anyway. But what if he finishes the season just shy of the fourth spot on the all-time saves leaderboard? He's currently 12 away from John Franco, who finished with 424.
Also of note is Scott Podsednik, who needs 525 plate appearances to be able to void his $2MM club option. Pods is 41 PAs shy of that mark.

Odds & Ends: Cardinals, Blue Jays, Morrow, Delgado

By Mike Axisa | August 8, 2010 at 6:30pm CDT

Some links to check out as Brandon Morrow just misses no-hitting the Rays…

Jim Callis of Baseball America (via Twitter) doesn't like the chances of the Cards signing their 12th-round pick, outfielder Austin Wilson.
Toronto's negotiations with first-round pick Deck McGuire will likely go down to the wire, writes MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.
Morrow told FOX Sports' Jim Bowden (Twitter link) that he was happy to be traded to the Blue Jays this offseason because he knew he would be a starter and not a reliever.
Baseball America's Jim Callis tweets that the Indians signed 13th-rounder Michael Goodnight for $315K. Goodnight has a fastball that reaches 94 mph and a plus slider.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that the Tigers aren't pursuing the recently DFA'ed Jose Guillen.
Carlos Delgado told Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal that he and his agent spoke to the White Sox, Rockies, and Mariners before deciding to sign with the Red Sox. In a separate article, WEEI's DJ Bean writes that Delgado is more focused on winning a championship than anything else.
Joel Sherman of The New York Post explains how the Yankees have to develop their own bench players because no free agents want to sign with them only to sit on the bench most of the time.
Jason Churchill and Keith Law of ESPN take a look at some teams that need to land a few of their tough-to-sign draft picks before the August 16th deadline (Insider req'd).
Karen Price of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes about the newest Pirates and the difficult transition they've had to make following the trade deadline.
Meanwhile, the Chris Snyder pick up does not make a Ryan Doumit trade inevitable, says Dejan Kovacevic of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times says that Ozzie Guillen and Paul Konerko are happy with the moves the White Sox did not make.
The Cardinals are trying to find a long-term fix at the hot corner, writes Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. David Freese will be out indefinitely after suffering a setback as he rehabbed from an ankle injury.

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