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Ricky Nolasco Rumors: Wednesday

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Last night it was reported that the Rockies, Rangers and Dodgers were the three teams that are "in heavy pursuit" of Marlins right-hander Ricky Nolasco. The 30-year-old's name has been the most frequently mentioned trade candidate of the summer to date, and reports have said that today could be a "soft deadline" by which to trade him. Here's the latest on Nolasco…

  • The Yankees are scouting the start as well, Knobler tweets.
  • Knobler also tweets that the Rangers have a scout in attendance. The Dodgers don't have a scout there, though Knobler notes that may not be worth reading into.
  • Nolasco is pitching for the Marlins right now, and Danny Knobler of CBS Sports tweets that the Giants, Padres and Rockies all have scouts in attendance.
  • While the Dodgers are still the frontrunners for Nolasco, about a half-dozen teams are showing interest in Nolasco, writes MLB.com's Joe Frisaso. Nolasco could still be moved before the first pitch tonight, he adds. Frisaro also spoke to an NL scout regarding Nolasco's recent pair of rough outings. The scout downplayed the struggles, telling Frisaro: "He did nothing to not get himself traded."
  • All signs point to Nolasco making tonight's start for the Marlins, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. In a separate tweet, he notes that rain in the forecast could be an issue. A rainout would buy the Marlins some extra time, as the team has been said to prefer to move him prior to this start.

Rangers Sign Manny Ramirez

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The Rangers have agreed to sign Manny Ramirez to a minor league deal, a major league source tells Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.  The 41-year-old recently left his Taiwanese club, the EDA Rhinos, to try to get back to the big leagues for the first time since 2011.  The move has been confirmed by Texas via press release.

Ramirez, a Barry Praver client, will report to Triple-A Round Rock.  Late last month, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe spoke with a scout who watched Ramirez and was told that he can "still hit with the best of them."  The slugger told the Rhinos that he missed his family in New York, but in June, Praver told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that his client wanted to free himself in order to play in MLB once again.

Ramirez played in just five games for the Rays in 2011 before testing positive for elevated testosterone, which would have netted him a 100-game suspension.  He agreed to retire instead and when he returned in 2012 in the A's system, he served a 50-game suspension in the minors.  Unable to get into a groove, he eventually took his release from Oakland.  

Texas needs a big right-handed bat given Lance Berkman's recent struggles and they're hoping that Ramirez, who comes with minimal risk, could be the answer.

Int’l Prospect Signings: A’s, Angels, Rangers

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It's open season on this year's class of July 2nd international prospects and we'll be keeping track of all notable signings.  You can get familiar with the top guys this year by checking out the rankings from Baseball America and MLB.com.  Here are the latest deals..

  • The A's inked Nicaraguan shortstop Jesus Lopez to a $950K contract, tweets John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group.  BA has him ranked as the 14th best player in this class and speaks highly of his bat.  Lopez has been switch-hitting for only a year or so and some scouts already like his left-handed swing better than his natural right-handed stroke.
  • The Angels signed Venezuelan left-hander Ricardo Sanchez for $580K, according to Kiley McDaniel of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  BA had him ranked as the No. 27 player in this year's class and says that the undersized Venezuelan lefty reminds scouts of Rays left-hander Alex Torres.  Boston also had interest in signing Sanchez.
  • The Rangers signed Dominican shortstop Michael de Leon for $550K.  The 16-year-old switch-hitter,who is ranked as the No. 26 international prospect by BA, stands at 6'1", 160 pounds and boasts a strong line-drive swing.  While he makes the routine plays at shortstop, some scouts think his future could be at second base. 

Rangers, Dodgers, Rockies In “Heavy Pursuit” Of Nolasco

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9:42pm: The Rangers, Dodgers and Rockies "are in heavy pursuit" of Nolasco, two executives tell ESPN's Jayson Stark. The Marlins are narrowing their focus to getting a deal done quickly, because the team would like to have the returning Henderson Alvarez make tomorrow's start instead of Nolasco. The Marlins are seeking a pair of prospects in return for Nolasco.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports adds that the Marlins are looking for prospects as opposed to a return like the Cubs received from the Orioles earlier today when they acquired Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop for Scott Feldman. Rosenthal opines that there is no sense in the Marlins' insistance that the acquiring team absorb the remaining $5.7MM on Nolasco's deal. The Marlins entered the season with a $36.3MM payroll — the second lowest in baseball — and will easily receive more than that figure in revenue sharing and national TV money.

7:10pm: Jon Heyman of CBS Sports spoke with a Marlins source who emphasized that Nolasco is "not a giveaway." According to Heyman, the Rockies have offered a pair of "pretty decent prospects" but don't want to absorb the remaining salary on Nolasco's deal. Heyman's source suggests that the Marlins also have an offer that is mostly salary relief without offering much in the way of prospects.

5:12pm: The Marlins are beginning to adjust their asking price on Ricky Nolasco, according to ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter). The change reflects their desire to move him as soon as possible, according to Olney, who notes that the Dodgers are still the frontrunners.

As recently as last Thursday, the Marlins were said to be looking for a "good" prospect for Nolasco, as well as a willingness to absorb the entirety of the roughly $6MM remaining on his contract for the 2013 season.

Nolasco has been connected to the Dodgers, Rockies, Padres, Giants, Orioles and Rangers, though the Orioles swung a deal for Scott Feldman earlier today, and it's unclear if their interest remains. The 30-year-old has a 3.93 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in 105 1/3 innings this season, though he's struggled in his past two outings.

Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reported last week that Wednesday could be a "soft deadline" to move Nolaco, as the Marlins are hoping to deal him before he makes his scheduled start that day.

Rangers Designate Kyle McClellan For Assignment

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The Rangers have designated right-hander Kyle McClellan for assignment in order to clear a roster spot for Josh Lindblom, according to Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest (on Twitter).

The 29-year-old McClellan allowed eight runs in 9 1/3 innings of work for the Rangers this season with three strikeouts, five walks and a pair of homers. He allowed runs in five of his seven appearances including each of his final four outings. His 32.3 percent ground-ball rate was a far cry from his career mark of 49.3 percent.

McClellan has a 3.79 ERA with 6.0 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 387 1/3 career innings, all of which came with the Cardinals prior to this season.

Rangers Sign Marcos Diplan

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The Rangers have signed pitcher Marcos Diplan for $1.3MM, according to Dionisio Soldevila of ESPN Deportes (via Twitter).  The Dominican right-hander is a product of Luis Polonia's baseball academy.

Diplan is regarded as one of the top pitchers in the July 2nd class along with fellow DPL alum Mayky Perez. While Perez has a massive build, Diplan has a skinny at 6’0", 160 pound frame.  However, he boasts a 90-94 mph fastball with an above average breaking ball that has wowed big league scouts.  Diplan was ranked No. 8 by MLB.com and No.6 by Ben Badler of Baseball America.

Texas started out with a $1.94MM bonus pool, but they increased that figure by reaching an agreement with the Marlins.  Earlier today, the Rangers inked shortstop Yeyson Yrizarri for $1.35MM and outfielder Jose Almonte for $1.8MM.

Rangers Sign Yrizarri, Almonte

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9:11am: The Rangers acquired pool money from the Marlins, tweets Soldevila.  The Marlins have the sixth-largest pool at $3,395,200, and were expected to be willing to part with some of it.  The Rangers can acquire up to half of their pool amount, which comes to $971,350, but they have to do it by acquiring slot values.  If the Rangers went less than 5% over their pool they'll be subject to a 75% tax on the overage; the penalties increase from there.

8:32am: The Rangers signed shortstop Yeyson Yrizarri for $1.35MM, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America.  The 16-year-old was born in Venezuela and raised in the Dominican Republic.  BA ranks him seventh, while MLB.com has him 23rd.  The Rangers also signed Dominican outfielder Jose Almonte for $1.8MM, tweets Dionisio Soldevila of ESPN Deportes.  Badler kept Almonte outside of his top 30, noting that he "has been the subject of rumors regarding his potential bonus that seem to wildly outstrip his value as a solid but not premium prospect."  MLB.com ranked him 13th.

BA notes Yrizarri is a nephew of former big leaguer Deivi Cruz.  His stock rose quickly in recent weeks; Yrizarri has "gap power for now" and may wind up an above-average defender at second or third base.  MLB.com has much praise for Almonte's bat, while Badler is more skeptical.  

The Rangers have $1,942,700 in bonus pool money, so they're $235,950 over their amount with these two signings even if they acquire the maximum of $971,350.  We'll await further details on the financial situation and keep you updated.

Heyman On Nolasco, Dodgers, Utley, Young

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Here's a look at the latest from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com..

  • A person familiar with the Ricky Nolasco talks says the Dodgers, Orioles, Giants, Rangers, and Rockies are among the teams in the mix, Heyman writes.  The Dodgers have been considered a favorite since they might be willing to absorb the $5.75MM remaining on Nolasco's $11.5-million 2013 salary, but the source suggested late Monday afternoon that there's isn't a deal out there yet that is good enough to jump on.  Colorado is said to have offered two decent prospects for the hurler but they are skittish about paying the salary.  While some have suggested that the Marlins are anxious to trade Nolasco before his scheduled start on Wednesday, they are still holding out for a quality offer.
  • Heyman hears that the word around baseball is that the Dodgers could have interest in Chase Utley. It isn't known if the Dodgers have gone so far as to contact Phillies GM Ruben Amaro, but he doesn't seem anxious to trade the second baseman despite the fact he is headed towards free agency.  If the Phillies do decide to sell, they are said to be more willing to part with Michael Young, who's interested the Dodgers before. 
  • With the deadline just weeks away, Heyman laid out the market as it stands today.  The piece starts by highlighting the six biggest sellers in the Cubs, White Sox, Brewers, Twins, Marlins, and Astros.

2014 Vesting Options Update

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As we enter July, let's check on the players who are hoping to lock in their options for the 2014 season..

  • Kurt Suzuki, Nationals: $9.25MM option vests with 113 starts in 2013.  The Nats planned to have Suzuki split time at catcher with Wilson Ramos, but Suzuki has started 59 games (counting tonight's game against the Brewers) behind the plate thanks to Ramos' hamstring troubles.  Ramos is currently rehabbing in the minors, however, and he could be back in action for the club on Thursday, according to the latest update from Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.  Suzuki is slashing just .226/.286/.332, so it stands to reason that Ramos will see the lion's share of starts if he stays healthy.  If Suzuki doesn't reach 113 starts, the Nats will have an $8.5MM club option with a $650K buyout. 
  • Jamey Carroll, Twins: $2MM option vests with 401 plate appearances.  The veteran has had more than his needed total in each of the last three seasons with 500+ plate appearances in each of the last two years but has just 146 PAs so far.  
  • Wilson Betemit, Orioles: $3.2MM option vests with 324 plate appearances (combined 700 between 2012 and 2013). Betemit underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on March 26th and just resumed baseball activities late last week.  Couple that with Manny Machado holding down third base and it's hard to see Betemit's option vesting.
  • Lance Berkman, Rangers: $13MM option vests with 550 plate appearances. So far, Berkman is has 268 plate appearances through 64 games this season.  Berkman scared the baseball world when he took a tumble down the stairs of the team plane and tweaked his troublesome right knee, but the injury is said to be minor and shouldn't cost him serious time.  In 2011, his last full season, the slugger racked up 587 PAs.
  • Roy Halladay, Phillies: $20MM option vests with 259 innings pitched (combined 415 innings pitched between '12 and '13).  This was a longshot anyway, but shoulder surgery in May makes this an impossibility.
  • Brett Myers, Indians: $8MM option vests with 200 innings pitched in 2013 and a passed physical after the season.  After logging 21 and 1/3 innings in 2013, Myers was sidelined with tendinitis and a mild ligament sprain in his right elbow and is still working towards his return.  When he does come back, the Tribe will move him to the bullpen.   
  • Barry Zito, Giants: $18MM option vests with 200 innings pitched. Zito has 91 and 1/3 innings to his credit through 16 starts this season.  He'll still need some things to go in his favor, but so far his chances of locking up 2014 are still alive.
  • Johan Santana, Mets: His $25MM option could have vested with 215 innings pitched or winning the 2013 Cy Young Award, but he won't have a chance at that thanks to a season-ending tear in his pitching shoulder.

Pirates pitcher Francisco Liriano has a $8MM club option for 2014, but it can vest at any of three levels – $5MM, $6MM, or $8MM – based on the number of days he is not on the DL this year with a recurrence of an injury to his non-throwing arm.  However, it's not known how many days he has to avoid missing time due to his right arm trouble in order to trigger each level of his option.  Liriano returned to action on May 11th and has looked strong in ten starts.  The left-hander has a 2.23 ERA on the year with 9.9 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9.

Twins Notes: Buxton, Hughes, International Signings

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Last night, Baseball America's JJ Cooper wrote that an NL scout told him Twins' center field prospect Byron Buxton is the best prospect he's seen in more than a decade of scouting. Buxton's hype has soared this season following a jaw-dropping start at Class A Cedar Rapids, and he's recently been promoted to Class A Advanced Fort Myers. Here's more on last year's No. 2 overall pick and the team that drafted him…

  • Baseball America's Jim Callis opines that were he in the Astros shoes in last season's draft, he'd have taken Buxton over Correa, still gone over-slot on Lance McCullers Jr., and neglected to give fourth-rounder Rio Ruiz his over-slot deal. Callis adds that he likes Correa very much, but preferred Buxton and wasn't high on Ruiz (Twitterlinks).
  • Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN reports that the Twins are expected to pursue Phil Hughes as a free agent this offseason (Twitter link). The Twins have struggled tremendously in the pitching deparment over the past few years, and Hughes has been a better pitcher away from Yankee Stadium throughout his career.
  • Wolfson also spoke with vice president of player personnel Mike Radcliff regarding the upcoming international free agency period. Radcliff expects to sign eight to 10 international free agents and cited the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Italy as areas of focus. The Twins, who have the fourth-largest bonus pool, have been approached by the Rangers about trading some of their funds from that pool, but the team won't do it this week at least (Twitterlinks).
  • Radcliff also told Wolfson (link) that there's "nothing imminent" on the trade front for the Twins.  However, he and the other pro scouts are diligently watching players that they may add at the deadline.  

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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