Stark On Cuban, Phillies, Rays, Giants
Outspoken Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is a candidate to own a baseball team someday, but as ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark explains, he faces a number of obstacles. Here’s Stark’s analysis of Cuban and other notes from around MLB:
- Bud Selig sees Cuban as a “squeaky wheel,” according to Stark’s sources. The commissioner does not appear to have interest in an owner who wants to be the story or who will “overtly challenge him publicly."
- Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. would like to strengthen his bullpen and he has checked in on a number of relievers, according to Stark.
- Scouts covering the International League say the Rays appear to be evaluating two of their outfielders, Desmond Jennings and Brandon Guyer, in possible anticipation of a B.J. Upton trade. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Rays listen on offers for Upton, but it would be surprising if they weren’t evaluating their own minor leaguers. Stark reported earlier in the week that the Rays are not likely to trade Upton this summer.
- Rival scouts have been eyeing the Giants’ Class-A affiliate in San Jose, especially Heath Hembree, who was recently promoted to Double-A, and top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler.
Stark On B.J. Upton, Boras, Dodgers
The latest from ESPN's Jayson Stark…
- The Rays are not likely to trade B.J. Upton this summer, though the Nationals have been monitoring the center fielder just in case. Though the Rays feel they have a long-term need for catching, they're not enticed by the Nats' dangling of Jesus Flores and Ivan Rodriguez.
- Scott Boras is the biggest culprit in trying to steal clients, says one agent. However, the practice is legal if Boras reports all contact made with others' clients to the Players Association. Last year Boras' free agent group looked weak before he snagged Jayson Werth and Rafael Soriano a few months before the offseason began. This time, Boras won't be swiping Jose Reyes from Peter Greenberg, but he does have Prince Fielder, Carlos Beltran, Ryan Madson, and anyone else he manages to bring aboard.
- Realignment is unlikely to happen for 2012, since the schedule needs to be finalized by September. Stark also explains that realignment may depend on the decision to expand the postseason.
- The Dodgers are telling teams they're weeks away from deciding whether to be deadline sellers. If they do sell, it won't be because of money issues. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports agrees, saying MLB-appointed monitor Tom Schieffer would intercede if the team tries to make a move that's not in its best long-term interests.
Rays Sign First-Round Pick Jake Hager
The Rays signed first-round pick Jake Hager for $963K, tweets Baseball America's Jim Callis. That's $9K over slot for the high school shortstop, who was chosen 32nd overall. Hager is represented by Paragon Sports International.
Hager, who had committed to Arizona State, was ranked 122nd on BA's top 200. BA wrote that Hager "doesn't have one standout tool, but he can do a little bit of everything and always plays hard."
The Rays had a dozen picks within the first 89 this year, and so far they've signed six of them in Hager, Jeff Ames, Blake Snell, Kes Carter, James Harris, and Granden Goetzman.
Hager is the fourth first-round pick to sign, as teams begin by locking up those willing to sign around slot. Click here to see our full list of first and supplemental round picks to sign.
Rays Sign Supplemental First Round Pick Harris
The Rays signed supplemental first round pick James Harris for $490K, MLBTR has learned. Harris is represented by Adam Karon and Tripper Johnson of Sosnick Cobbe Sports.
As Harris was not ranked within Baseball America's top 200, it appears likely that a predraft deal was in place. He signed for about $116K under slot. Harris, a high school outfielder, was the 60th overall pick and the last of the supplemental round. The Rays received the pick as compensation for the loss of reliever Chad Qualls.
According to Baseball America's Conor Glassey, Harris has "huge upside" and is an "explosive athlete." He narrowly missed BA's top 200.
Rays Sign Supplementary First Rounder Ames
The Rays have signed supplementary first round selection Jeff Ames for $650K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America. MLB recommended a bonus of $803K for the 42nd overall selection, but Ames was not expected to go as early in the draft as he did.
The right-hander hit 98 mph consistently this season, according to Conor Glassey of Baseball America. Ames, who stands 6'4", placed 119th on BA's list of top draft eligible players before the Rays selected him. The Rays obtained the 42nd overall selection as compensation for losing Type A free agent Rafael Soriano to the Yankees after the 2010 season.
Contenders In Need Of A Shortstop Upgrade
As many as six contenders are lacking at shortstop. Let's take a look.
- Rays: The Rays have been employing Reid Brignac at shortstop lately, though Elliot Johnson and Sean Rodriguez are also capable. None of them are hitting, though Brignac's defense is a plus and Rodriguez has some pop.
- Brewers: The Brewers have used Yuniesky Betancourt at short, with Craig Counsell pitching in. The numbers say Betancourt has been terrible both offensively and defensively.
- Cardinals: Ryan Theriot has been manning shortstop for the Cards, and his bat has been more than acceptable. However, he's probably better-suited defensively for second base.
- Reds: They've used the Paul Janish/Edgar Renteria tandem, with the 28-year-old Janish getting more playing time. Janish is strong defensively, and since the Reds have the best offense in the league they might be able to tolerate his struggles with the bat. Prospect Zack Cozart is hitting .317/.361/.498 at Triple-A, but the Reds are not at the point of making a move yet.
- Pirates: The Bucs have been searching for a long-term answer at short for a while now, but right now they have Ronny Cedeno. Brandon Wood is showing some signs of life this month, and he could be an option at shortstop. The Pirates also have Chase d'Arnaud playing well at Triple-A.
- Giants: Miguel Tejada was signed as the team's shortstop, but it's rookie Brandon Crawford at present. He's strong with the glove but doesn't provide much offense and skipped Triple-A upon his call-up.
All four NL Central contenders are weak at shortstop, so if one of the clubs acquires a prize like J.J. Hardy it also takes an option away from direct rivals. The Orioles aim to talk extension with Hardy before the All-Star break. If that possibility falls through with time to spare before the July 31st deadline, Hardy will be a hot commodity.
A couple of top options in Jose Reyes and Stephen Drew appear to be off the board, since the Mets and Diamondbacks are in contention. Jamey Carroll, Clint Barmes, and Rafael Furcal (if healthy) may be available.
Olney’s Latest: Bell, Phillies, B.J. Upton
Buster Olney of ESPN.com has passed along some interesting tidbits tonight via Twitter. He also touched on some of these notes in his daily column this morning. Here's Olney's latest:
- The Padres' sweep at the hands of the Twins this weekend could hasten their decision on if and when they should trade closer Heath Bell, Olney thinks. The sooner the Friars deal Bell, the more they can ask in return (Twitter links).
- The Phillies are looking for a right-handed hitter and have checked in on the Twins' Michael Cuddyer and the Athletics' Josh Willingham (Twitter link). Olney first reported the Phils' interest in a righty stick last week. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported yesterday that the Phils are seeking someone cheap, such as the Rockies' Ryan Spilborghs, because of payroll constraints.
- The Rays will listen to offers for B.J. Upton but probably won't deal him unless they can obtain a good bat, although that wouldn't necessarily have to happen within the same trade (Twitter link).
Cafardo On Kazmir, Upton, Broxton, Ramirez
In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wonders if roster manipulation is rampant in baseball. Cafardo points to the pulled quad muscle injury of Red Sox outfielder Darnell McDonald as a possible example. McDonald wasn't showing any signs of injury and when asked about it, he gave a "no comment". It's possible that Boston simply wanted to get McDonald more playing time with Mike Cameron eating up the lion's share of the reps. Things such as this, Cafardo writes, are happening all around baseball. Let's see what else is happening around the majors:
- As poorly as left-hander Scott Kazmir has pitched in the last two seasons, there are at least five teams looking at him in the Rockies, Marlins, Padres, Rangers, and Diamondbacks. It also wouldn't be a surprise if the Yankees jump into the mix considering their pitching needs.
- There always seems to be a should-we-or-shouldn’t-we-trade B.J. Upton dilemma for the Rays. The Nationals could be a fit as they'd like a young center fielder they can grow with. The question is: is he available? All signs point to yes.
- Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton has been on the shelf since May with an elbow injury, but the club could move him if they're lagging in the standings.
- The Marlins' recent slide has skipper Edwin Rodriguez on the hot seat and it's no secret that the club has been keeping an eye on Ozzie Guillen for quite some time. Guillen has one year remaining on his deal with the White Sox.
- The Dodgers owe Manny Ramirez more than $8MM in deferred payments but the charismatic twelve-time All-Star is collecting a lot more than that. The BoSox owe him quite a bit of money too, roughly $32MM over 16 years. Boston will pay Ramirez through 2026, when he’ll be 54-years-old.
Minor Moves: Carter, Ramirez, Dopirak, Redding
The latest minor moves…
- Baseball America's Matt Eddy posted a comprehensive list of recent minor league transactions, including a swarm of draft pick signings and undrafted free agent pickups from the last week.
- The Rays released Chris Carter according to the Triple-A International League transactions page. The 28-year-old hit .270/.309/.460 with ten homers in 233 plate appearances.
- The Astros released catcher Max Ramirez and first baseman/DH Brian Dopirak, tweets Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle. The Astros had signed Ramirez in May after he'd been released by the Cubs. Dopirak was added in December. Both players had OBPs under .290 in their brief Triple-A stints.
- The Phillies signed righty Tim Redding to a minor league deal, tweets MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. The 33-year-old posted a 6.59 ERA in 13 starts for the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate this year.
- The Angels inked righty Jerome Williams for their Triple-A rotation, tweeted his agency Full Circle Sports Management. The 29-year-old was drafted 39th overall by the Giants back in '99, one pick after the Rangers grabbed Colby Lewis. Williams hasn't pitched in the bigs since '07.
Quick Hits: Rays, Pena, Phillies, Dodgers, Royals
Dustin Ackley will make his debut tomorrow, but Blue Jays righty Zach Stewart got his first taste of The Show today against the Orioles. Stewart, acquired by former Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi in the July '09 Scott Rolen deal, ranked 44th on Keith Law's preseason top 100 prospects list for ESPN. On to today's links…
- Baseball America's Jim Callis reports that the Rays are on the verge of signing supplemental first round picks Jeff Ames and James Harris. The team signed two other supplemental first rounders earlier today.
- Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe hears that the Diamondbacks are considering calling up Wily Mo Pena for interleague play (on Twitter). Pena has not been in the big leagues since 2008, but he's hitting .356/.431/.736 with 21 homers for Arizona's Triple-A affiliate, and he could DH in AL parks.
- Andy Martino of The New York Daily News speculates about the possibility of Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran winding up with the Phillies at the trade deadline.
- The Phillies "are making inquiries on established and pricey veterans" as they search for a right-handed hitting outfielder, reports ESPN's Buster Olney. We covered this topic on Monday, under the impression that pricey players were not a fit. If the Phillies do have these types on the radar, players like Michael Cuddyer and Ryan Ludwick could enter the mix in my opinion.
- MLB is interviewing former Dodgers executives as its investigation nears its conclusion, reports Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times.
- The first player from the 2011 draft class could be the Diamondbacks' Trevor Bauer, in the opinion of ESPN's Jason Churchill and Keith Law, assuming they sign him (Insider required).
- I talked Royals with Nick Wright of 610 Sports yesterday; download an mp3 of the audio here.