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Heyman On Yankees, Red Sox, Twins, D’Backs

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In the aftermath of Bob Geren’s dismissal, Jon Heyman of SI.com lists a handful of managers with suspect job security. Though 2011 probably won’t be a big year for managerial firings, Jim Riggleman of the Nationals and Edwin Rodriguez of the Marlins are on Heyman’s list. Here are the rest of his rumors:

  • Geren had "lost" the Athletics' clubhouse, according to people with Oakland ties.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman doesn’t expect elite starting pitching to be available this summer. "I just don't see a No. 1 pitcher you can pinpoint,'' Cashman said. 
  • The Yankees will look for starting pitching and left-handed relief. 
  • The Red Sox will also be looking to add a southpaw to their ‘pen.
  • Boston people expect top prospect Jose Iglesias to prove himself as the shortstop of the future and people don’t expect the Red Sox to “make a play” for Jose Reyes.
  • Competing executives say the Twins will “do what’s right” for the organization this summer, even if that means trading Major Leaguers for prospects. Watch out for the last-place Twins, who have won seven of eight.
  • Executives say the D’Backs, Padres, Pirates, Rays and Red Sox had strong drafts.

Draft Notes: Bradley, Bundy, Hager, Starling, Cubs

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The first and supplemental rounds are over and teams are reaching out to their top picks and setting up media conference calls with them. Here’s the latest on the draft from the players and teams themselves…

  • Archie Bradley (selected seventh overall by the D’Backs) says fellow Oklahoma high schooler Dylan Bundy (selected fourth overall by the Orioles) pushes him to be a better player. “With his workout and the way he goes about the game, it puts some weight on my shoulders to try to equal that or better that” Bradley said.
  • High school infielder Jake Hager (selected 32nd overall by the Rays) wants to start his pro career soon. Though he sees himself as a shortstop, he remains flexible to playing elsewhere on infield if that’s where the Rays want him to play. Hager describes himself as a hard worker who’s coachable. The Nevada native “had a feeling” the Rays would take him, since they were scouting him hard most weeks.
  • High school outfielder Bubba Starling (selected fifth overall by the Royals) describes himself as an equally good football and baseball player. The Kansas native admits to being a Royals fan, though he says he didn’t have time to see tons of games, since he plays so many sports. Starling says he felt stronger later in the season, after returning from a tweaked quad muscle.
  • Cubs scouting director Tim Wilken explained the selection of Javier Baez (ninth overall). “Javier has a tremendously live bat, is versatile in the field and we are happy to welcome him to the Cubs organization,” Wilken said in a team statement.  “He has a great arm and is a smart baserunner in tune with the game.

Rays Sign Lance Cormier

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The Rays signed Lance Cormier to a minor league deal, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times (on Twitter). The Rays also released Triple-A right-hander Edgar Gonzalez, according to the Tampa Tribune (on Twitter). Back in May, the Dodgers designated Cormier for assignment and they appear to have released him since.

The 30-year-old right-hander pitched 13 2/3 innings for the Dodgers this year and posted a 9.88 ERA with 4.6 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9. Cormier, an eight-year veteran, has a 5.07 ERA with 5.3 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 over the course of 290 big league appearances, mostly in relief. His 63.8% ground ball rate places him 12th among relievers with at least ten innings pitched (Cormier's career mark is 51.6%).

Gonzalez has Major League experience in parts of seven seasons, but hasn't appeared with an MLB team since he suited up for the '09 Athletics. The 28-year-old had a 3.72 ERA with 5.6 K/9 and 2.6  BB/9 in 48 1/3 innings as a starter for the Durham Bulls.

Rosenthal On Rangers, Upton, Marlins, Indians

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With only five teams more than seven games out of first place, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports thinks this year's trade market could play out differently than your usual scenario of struggling teams selling to contenders.  An unnamed general manager tells Rosenthal “It might be more of a reallocation of pieces than classic buying or selling…Parity also means that teams that aren’t close are saying, ‘Next year, it can be us.’ Maybe they buy a two- to three-year asset that they wouldn’t otherwise.”

Here's the latest from Rosenthal on a number of teams looking to fill needs as the pennant races begin to heat up…

  • The Rangers are looking for right-handed relievers and have a number of trade chips to offer other teams.  Rosenthal speculates Texas could offer Taylor Teagarden to the Giants for a righty arm, or possibly Chris Davis to the Padres or another team that is looking for offensive help. 
  • Todd Coffey is drawing interest from the Rangers, and Rosenthal thinks Coffey could be part of a package for Julio Borbon since the Nationals need a center fielder/leadoff hitter type.
  • Of course, Washington is also looking at B.J. Upton to fill that hole in center.  Rosenthal thinks it's unlikely the Rays move Upton, though they could change their minds if the Nats offer Tyler Clippard and a young positional prospect.
  • The Marlins are interested in acquiring veteran bullpen help in exchange for one of their minor league relievers.  Right-handers Jose Ceda, Jhan Marinez and Sandy Rosario have all attracted some attention from other clubs.
  • While "the Indians’ most obvious need remains a quality starting pitcher," Rosenthal also thinks the Tribe could be in the market for right-handed hitting help.  One of Rosenthal's Twitter followers asked if Cleveland could make a move for Hunter Pence, but Rosenthal doesn't think Houston will move Pence and the Indians already have Shin-Soo Choo in right field.
  • The Brewers "would love to add another power arm to their 'pen," as Milwaukee relievers rank 13th in the league in K/9. 
  • The Diamondbacks had an interest in David Purcey before the A's dealt the left-hander to the Tigers on May 27.
  • Bruce Bochy thinks rookie shortstop Brandon Crawford can be a productive Major League hitter, which would seem to lessen the Giants' chances of acquiring Jose Reyes before the deadline or trying to sign Reyes this winter in free agency.
  • Rosenthal "can't see" Jim Hendry returning as the Cubs' general manager given the team's current state.  "Forget about signing a free agent such as the Cardinals' Albert Pujols or the Brewers' Prince Fielder," Rosenthal writes.  "The Cubs are so far gone, they are much more than one player away."  Carlos Pena, John Grabow, Kosuke Fukudome, Kerry Wood and Jeff Baker are all trade candidates this summer; MLBTR's Tim Dierkes recently looked at the values of these players and others on the struggling Cubbies. 

Nationals Have Interest In B.J. Upton

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The Nationals' search for a center fielder has the team eyeing B.J. Upton, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson. According to Ladson's source, Nats GM Mike Rizzo believes that a change of scenery could help the Rays outfielder, whose 2011 slash line of .228/.324/.389 ranks below his career rates.

We heard in April that the Nationals were scouting Upton, but weren't considering a trade at the time. Since then, center field has become a more glaring need for the club. For the season, their internal options have combined to post a .591 OPS in 253 plate appearances at the position.

With the Rays in the thick of the AL East race, it's not known whether Upton will be available this summer. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote that the Rays could consider an Upton trade even if they're contending, while Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports said the team would have to fall out of the playoff hunt before exploring deals involving the 26-year-old. Ladson reported last week that the Nationals are "willing to overpay" to acquire a center fielder, in which case the Rays would at least have to listen.

Rosenthal On Wood, White Sox, Reyes, Rays, Dodgers

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Let's check out the latest edition of Full Count from FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal..

  • Cubs reliever Kerry Wood is likely to be in high demand at the deadline, in part because his salary this year is just $1.5MM.  The Cubs gave him a full no-trade clause and Wood told Rosenthal that he hasn't thought about what he would do if the team asked him to waive it.  After all, Wood came back to Chicago to be with his family and to lay the groundwork for a job with the organization after his career is through.
  • The White Sox expect teams to inquire about their surplus of starting pitching, with Edwin Jackson as their most obvious trade candidate as he is a potential free agent.  However, GM Ken Williams wouldn't necessarily seek offense in return.  Instead, they'd prefer a right-handed reliever or even prospects.  If the White Sox were to add a bat, they wouldn't know where to put it in the lineup.
  • The Rays have been sliding as of late but are still in contention in the AL East so we can expect them to be buyers.  With offense as their biggest need, it wouldn't be surprising to see them inquire on Jose Reyes, but they likely won't land him.  Tampa Bay would have to part with top-notch prospects to pull off such a deal, and prospects are more valuable for the Rays than they are for most teams.
  • The Dodgers were hoping to bounce back in the NL West once they got healthy, but a second rash of injuries has left them depleted again.  If the Dodgers ever do get healthy, Rosenthal expects them to go after a power bat to put in left field or at third base.

Draft Notes: Stilson, Rays, Astros, Nationals, Bundy

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This year’s draft is deep, particularly in terms of power pitchers. Here are the details on some draft-eligible players and the teams that are eyeing them…

  • Texas A&M righty Josh Stilson received a second opinion on his injured shoulder from Dr. James Andrews, who believes surgery can be avoided with a six-week rehab program according to Baseball America's Jim Callis. Stilson, a projected first round pick, suffered a SLAP tear in his throwing shoulder and will miss the rest of the season.
  • ESPN's Jerry Crasnick wrote about Rocco Baldelli's front office job with the Rays, which involves evaluating amateur position players for the draft.
  • Astros assistant GM and scouting director Bobby Heck told MLB.com's Brian McTaggart that he has been impressed with the crop of power arms in this year's draft.
  • Odds are the Astros will take a pitcher with the 11th overall pick, according to Stephen Goff of the Houston Astros Examiner (Twitter links). High school pitcher Archie Bradley told Goff that "the Astros have been in pretty good contact" with him.
  • High school right-hander Dylan Bundy is a fitness freak who is mature beyond his years, as Nick Piecoro shows at the Arizona Republic. Bundy's pre-season goals? "To hit 100 mph, have a zero ERA and not walk anybody." His fastball touched 100 and he posted a 0.25 ERA with a 158K/5BB ratio.
  • MLB.com's Bill Ladson hears that the Nationals, who select sixth overall, are looking at Bundy, Danny Hultzen, Bubba Starling, Jed Bradley, Trevor Bauer and Alex Meyer.
  • The Royals entered the season with the best farm system in the game, yet GM Dayton Moore told MLB.com's Dick Kaegel that there are many areas in which the organization's prospect depth can improve.
  • The Rays have 12 of the first 89 selections this year and executive VP of baseball operations Andrew Friedman says those selections boost the team's odds of finding elite talent. "The more arrows you have, the more likely you are to hit the bulls-eye," Friedman told Bill Chastain of MLB.com.
  • The Padres, who have five of the first 58 picks in the draft, are looking forward to their selections with equal enthusiasm, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock. GM Jed Hoyer says the Padres need to get their picks right.
  • The Red Sox, Hoyer's former team, also have extra picks, something that GM Theo Epstein is looking forward to. “I think it energizes the scouting staff the whole year because they know going in and seeing players, there’s a much better chance you can actually get a guy," he told Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com.
  • The Twins will look to add pitching early on, according to MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger.
  • Mets executives Paul DePodesta and Sandy Alderson agree with the consensus that the draft is deep in pitching, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo.

Outrighted To Triple-A: Delaney, Tomko, Boggs, Rivera

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A few minor moves…

  • Rob Delaney has cleared waivers after being designated for assignment by the Rays on Wednesday and has been outrighted to Triple-A Durham, reports Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times (via Twitter).
  • The Rangers outrighted Brett Tomko to Triple-A Round Rock and Tomko has accepted the assignment, reports Anthony Andro of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter).  Andro also tweets that Tomko has an out clause in his contract for June 1, though Andro isn't sure if Tomko plans to exercise it. In the corresponding move, Texas called up Michael Kirkman.
  • The Brewers have outrighted catcher Mike Rivera to Triple-A Nashville, reports MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.  It is expected that Rivera will accept the assignment. 
  • Also from McCalvy, Brandon Boggs has accepted his assignment to Nashville after being outrighted by the Brewers two days ago.  This is the third time Boggs has been outrighted by Milwaukee in the last three months.  Rivera and Boggs were outrighted to create roster space for Josh Wilson and Nyjer Morgan.

East Notes: Marlins, Anderson, Encarnacion, Phillies

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Here's the latest from the eastern side of the baseball map…

  • Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest tells MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez that the team wants to "concentrate on the season right now" and wouldn't comment on whether the Fish would offer Edwin Rodriguez a contract extension before the year is up.  Rodriguez, who took over as Florida's manager last June, is only on a one-year deal.
  • The Yankees released Trenton Thunder reliever Brian Anderson, according to Thunder reporter Mike Ashmore (on Twitter). The former outfielder was on the DL with a biceps issue.
  • The Yankees also released southpaw Andrew Sisco, according to the International League's transactions page.  Sisco posted a 5.18 ERA in 151 relief appearances for the Royals and White Sox between 2005-07 and hasn't been back to the majors since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2008.  Sisco, 28, had a 1.88 ERA and a 9.4 K/9 rate in 16 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, though he'd also allowed 12 walks in 14 1/3 innings pitched.
  • Dave Cameron of Fangraphs calls for the Blue Jays to release Edwin Encarnacion or at least permanently relegate him to the bench.  "[Encarnacion is] an absolute disaster in the field, and his bat simply doesn’t even come close to making up for it," Cameron writes.
  • J.C. Ramirez, one of the prospects the Phillies received in the Cliff Lee trade, has pitched well at Double-A this season, writes Jim Salisbury for Baseball America.
  • It looks as if Domonic Brown will remain with the Phillies when Shane Victorino returns from the DL, reports Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  This could mean the Phils send John Mayberry Jr. down to the minors, or perhaps Rule 5 draft pick Michael Martinez, who would of course have to be offered back to the Nationals. 
  • The Orioles are expected to release right-hander Ryan Drese, reports Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com.  Drese, 35, last pitched in the majors in 2006 and currently has a 6.55 ERA in nine games (six of them starts) for Triple-A Norfolk.
  • Overpaying for a designated hitter is "a new market inefficiency," writes Jason Collette of the DRaysBay blog.  Collette suggests the Rays (and other teams) should look to fill the DH spot with the same low-cost approach that the Rays used to rebuild their bullpen this winter.

MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith also contributed to this post

On-Base Problems And Possible Solutions

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As a group, MLB players tend to reach base approximately one third of the time, but this year has been different. It has been more than a decade since hitters posted an on-base percentage as low as .319, the current MLB mark. 

That means the Rockies’ .319 mark isn’t as bad as it seems and makes the Cardinals’ .360 mark doubly impressive (especially when you consider how mediocre their best player has been).

There’s more to offense than on-base percentage, but there’s something to be said for not making outs, so teams with poor OBPs may look to fortify their respective offenses this summer. Here’s a look at which potential contenders may look to acquire on-base help and which players they could target to boost scoring (all stats are entering the day's action):

Oakland Athletics (27th in MLB with a .303 OBP)

The A’s, a team many of associate with high-OBP hitters, aren’t doing much better than the tepid offenses in Minnesota and San Diego when it comes to getting on base. Mark Ellis (.243 OBP), Kevin Kouzmanoff (.238) and Andy LaRoche (.295) have been Oakland’s primary culprits. Ellis’ career mark of .332 gives the A’s some hope at second, but LaRoche hasn’t done much better than Kouzmanoff since taking over at third, so GM Billy Beane may have to consider some other possible solutions. Wilson Betemit (.383 OBP), Chase Headley (.381) and the surprising and versatile Ryan Roberts (.395) are potential third base targets for the A’s, whose offensive woes aren’t limited to OBP.

San Francisco Giants (25th in MLB with a .308 OBP)

No team in baseball has scored fewer runs than the Giants (164) and their low OBP doesn’t help. The primary culprits so far? Aubrey Huff (.280 OBP) and Miguel Tejada (.241). Brandon Belt (.484 OBP at Triple-A) awaits another shot at big league pitching, but improving the offensive output at shortstop won’t be so easy or cheap. Possible solutions include Stephen Drew (.352 OBP) and, of course, Jose Reyes (.365).

Atlanta Braves (T-24th in MLB with a .309 OBP)

Dan Uggla (.256 OBP) and Alex Gonzalez (.295) are the primary culprits, but they appear to be entrenched as everyday players. Perhaps the Braves would have interest in a middle infielder out of the Eric Hinske mold – someone who can play multiple positions and get on base at a decent clip. Possible solutions include Roberts, Jamey Carroll (.371 OBP), Robert Andino (.368) and Marco Scutaro (.316).

Tampa Bay Rays (T-24th in MLB with a .309 OBP)

Rays shortstops have combined for a .244 OBP and the team’s catchers have combined for a .256 mark. Reid Brignac (.210 OBP), Elliot Johnson (.306), John Jaso (.279) and Kelly Shoppach (.247) are the primary culprits. If the Rays decide Jaso and Shoppach aren’t going to return to their respectable career levels, they could explore a deal for Miguel Montero (.358 OBP), Wilson Ramos (.339) or Ryan Doumit (.354). The shortstops listed above also represent possible solutions, though OBP is just one of many considerations for such a demanding defensive position. 

Philadelphia Phillies (19th in MLB with a .314 OBP)

It seems weird to say so, but the Phillies have had a below-average offense so far this year (20th in MLB with 189 runs scored). Phillies second basemen (.264 OBP) and center fielders (.305) have been the primary culprits so far. But Chase Utley (.380 career OBP) has returned from the disabled list and Shane Victorino (.343 OBP in 2011) could be back as soon as next Friday, so the Phillies may not have to explore the trade market for possible solutions.

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