Nationals Release Brad Lidge
June 25: The Nationals officially released Lidge today, according to Comak (on Twitter).
June 17: The Nationals designated Brad Lidge for assignment, according to Amanda Comak of the Washington Times (via Twitter). Lidge has appeared in just 9.1 innings this year, allowing ten runs with ten strikeouts and eleven walks.
The reliever known as "Lights Out" gave up a two-run double to Mark Teixeira in the 14th inning of yesterday's 5-3 loss to the Yankees. Lidge had just recently come off of a stint on the DL which kept him out of action from late April until June 8th. The 35-year-old has a career ERA of 3.54 with 11.9 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Nationals, Guthrie, Angels, Porcello
In today's column, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports argues that the biggest trade of the season has already been made. No, not Kevin Youkilis to the White Sox. He's referring to Ernesto Frieri, who's thrown 22 scoreless innings for the Angels team since being acquired from the Padres. Here are the rest of Rosenthal's rumors…
- The Nationals have been poking around for a right-handed hitting corner infielder to replace Mark DeRosa, who is hurt and declining. John Lannan has improved his trade stock by pitching better of late in Triple-A.
- The Rockies have cooled on the idea of trading Jeremy Guthrie for the time being because they feel he could thrive in the bullpen as part of their four-man rotation setup. The team's current stance is that they'll only deal him if a club offers real talent or salary relief.
- The Diamondbacks backed off Youkilis because of concerns about his defense on the hard and fast infield at Chase Field. They expect Stephen Drew to return this week to bolster their infield.
- The Angels were not in on Youkilis but remain on the lookout for bullpen help, specifically a left-on-left reliever who would be an upgrade over Hisanori Takahashi. They're also looking for Triple-A starting pitching depth.
- Rosenthal say talk about Rick Porcello as a trade candidate makes sense given his salary ($3.1MM) and ground ball approach on a Tigers team with poor infield defense.
- The Braves will be a team to watch before the deadline, specifically in the starting pitching market following Brandon Beachy's injury.
Quick Hits: Braves, Pirates, Rockies, Nationals
The Marlins ended their franchise record offensive draught of scoring five runs or less for 25 consecutive games in their 9-0 win over the Blue Jays. And, for good measure, the nine runs were a season-high for the Marlins, who ended their six-game losing streak. Here's the latest news from around baseball.
- The Braves could make starting pitching a priority at the trade deadline because of the growing pains of Mike Minor and Randall Delgado and the uncertainty surrounding Jair Jurrjens, tweets Mark Bowman of MLB.com.
- The Pirates need to create an opening in their starting rotation when Jeff Karstens returns from the disabled list this week and Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review thinks a trade could create that opening (via Sulia). Biertempfel reported yesterday the Pirates are shopping Kevin Correia.
- With the Pirates looking for offensive help, the Denver Post's Troy Renck notes the Rockies have players available, including Marco Scutaro. In the same piece, Renck offers his suggestions on who the Rockies should play the rest of the way in 2012, so as to best prepare for 2013.
- The Nationals are not willing to pay a fine in order to exceed their draft bonus pool, writes Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. This is a corection to a story Kilgore wrote yesterday. Kilgore writes this stance will lower the amount the Nationals will be able to offer their first round draft pick Lucas Giolito.
- Condolences to the friends of family of Padres' bullpen coach Darrel Akerfelds, who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer today. He was 50.
Beltway Notes: Giolito, Nationals, Orioles, Moyer
Late last week, the Nationals gave first-round pick Lucas Giolito a grand tour of their ballpark, but things have been quiet since between the two parties. Here's the latest news on the Nats and Orioles..
- The Nationals are willing to pay a fine in order to sign Giolito but they are not willing to forfeit a draft pick next year, writes Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. The Nats signed several of their top ten draft picks under the recommended slot in order to give themselves room to ink the hard-throwing right-hander.
- Orioles manager Buck Showalter expects Jamie Moyer to continue pitching, tweets Britt Ghiroli of MLB.com. The 49-year-old asked to be released earlier today and the O's obliged.
- With the trading deadline roughly six weeks away, Orioles GM Dan Duquette insists that he’s looking to improve the club, writes Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com. “We’re in contention. We’re going to do whatever we can to make the playoffs,” he said.
Draft Signings: Flexen, Dodgers, Yankees, Rays, Nats
The deadline for signing draft picks is just three weeks away, now that it’s been moved up under baseball’s new collective bargaining agreement. Here are the latest noteworthy signings from the second round of the draft and on…
- The Mets gave 14th round pick Chris Flexen an above slot $374,400 bonus, reports MLBTR's Tim Dierkes (on Twitter). The high school right-hander is represented by Adam Karon of Sosnick Cobbe Sports.
- The Dodgers signed third rounder Onelki Garcia for an under-slot $382K, reports Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter). The Cuban southpaw owns a 90-93 mph fastball and a good curveball according to Callis.
- The Dodgers also signed eighth rounder Scott Griggs for $135K, reports Callis (on Twitter). The UCLA right-hander received the full slot value.
- The Yankees signed third round selection Nathan Mikolas for $400K, Jim Callis of Baseball America reports (on Twitter). The high school first baseman has a very good bat and some power potential, according to Callis.
- The Rays signed third round selection Andrew Toles for $397K, Callis tweets. The speedy outfielder is a strong defender in center field, Callis writes.
- The Nationals announced that they signed third rounder Brett Mooneyham, a left-hander out of Stanford University. Amanda Comak of The Washington Times says (on Twitter) that he received $429K.
Mike Axisa contributed to this post.
Nationals Sign Koyie Hill
The Nationals announced that they signed catcher Koyie Hill and assigned him to Triple-A Syracuse (Twitter link). Hill elected free agency this past weekend after the Cubs designated him for assignment and outrighted him to Triple-A.
Hill appeared in 11 games for the Cubs this year, collecting six singles and a double in 39 plate appearances. The 33-year-old has experience in nine MLB seasons, but most of his professional career has been spent at the minor league level, where he has a .278 /.344/.410 batting line. Sandy Leon, Carlos Maldonado and Wilson Ramos are all on the disabled list, so the Nationals don't have much catching depth right now.
National League Notes: Guthrie, Rodriguez, Appel
The Phillies (31-37), Brewers (30-36) and Diamondbacks (32-34), last year's division winners in the National League, have all lost more games than they've won to this point in the season. Here's some news from the NL…
- Troy Renck of the Denver Post expects the Rockies to trade Jeremy Guthrie (Twitter link). The Blue Jays have some interest in Guthrie, so it’s a question of how quickly trade talks develop.
- A Nationals official said Henry Rodriguez is “not going anywhere" even though the Nationals have a crowded bullpen, according to Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider.
- In response to a reader question, Jim Callis of Baseball America explains that first round selection Mark Appel couldn’t necessarily become a free agent by refusing to sign with the Pirates then spending a season in Japan. MLB would likely attempt to ensure that Appel remained eligible for the 2013 draft. Callis suggests it's in Appel's best interest to sign with Pittsburgh for $3.5-4MM.
Draft Notes: Brewers, Padres, Nationals, Giolito
Tonight's draft notes, with the latest news up top..
- The Brewers signed third-rounder Zach Quintana for $325K, just under the suggested pick value of $385K, tweets Jim Callis of Baseball America. The high school right-hander out of Nevada boasts a 90-95 mph fastball and a hard breaking ball.
- The Padres signed second-rounder Dane Phillips for $450K, significantly less than the pick value of $734K for the No. 70 pick. The catcher/first baseman is said to have a sweet bat and has a chance to stay behind the plate.
- The Nationals gave first-round pick Lucas Giolito a grand tour of Nationals Park earlier today, writes Mark Zuckerman of NatsInsider.com. The 17-year-old right-hander is a UCLA commit.
Quick Hits: Gio, Phillies, Rangers, Burnett
Brayan Pena's attempt to stretch a single into a double in the 9th inning drew a throw from the outfield and allowed Jarrod Dyson to score from third with the game-winning run in the Royals' 4-3 result over the Brewers tonight. It was Kansas City's second unusual walkoff victory in as many nights, as they won on a bases-loaded walk from Mike Moustakas on Wednesday. The Royals picked up the sweep against Milwaukee, winning all three games by one run.
Here's the latest from around the majors…
- The Nationals' trade for Gio Gonzalez was the "best deal anyone made last winter," a rival scout tells Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. "They didn't get him cheap, but he can dominate, and how many starters can you say that about?" The Nats look like the big winners of the deal thus far, given Washington's first-place position and Gonzalez's Cy Young Award-caliber numbers since joining the team.
- David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News breaks down what the Phillies could possibly receive for some of their top assets on the trade market.
- The Phillies, Brewers, Cubs, Astros and Red Sox are positioned to dominate the rumor mill leading up to the trade deadline, predicts Ken Davidoff of the New York Post.
- Despite injuries to Alexi Ogando and Koji Uehara, Rangers GM Jon Daniels "still feels good" about his bullpen, reports Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest (Twitter link).
- A.J. Burnett has brought both veteran leadership and quality pitching to the Pirates, writes Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. “It was important for our guys to see a guy that’s brought in and it’s not a trading-deadline deal where you have a guy for two months,” said manager Clint Hurdle. “We brought in a guy for two years. He can go ahead and unpack his bags. He’s going to be around, he can be involved, be engaged.”
- Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski outlines his team's pursuit of Roy Oswalt to John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press. Dombrowski said the Tigers were prepared to meet Oswalt's salary demands in the offseason but the veteran just didn't want to pitch in Detroit. Oswalt's representatives contacted Dombrowski again once the season began and Oswalt was without a team, but the Tigers had already moved on with Drew Smyly in the rotation.
Draft Signings: Mariners, Nats, Pirates, Royals, O’s
Here are the latest draft signings from beyond the first round, with the most recent news at the top of the post….
- The Mariners announced that third-rounder Edwin Diaz and third-round compensation pick Tyler Pike have agreed to terms. Figures weren't announced but Kendall Rogers of Perfect Game USA (via Twitter) reports that left-hander Pike signed for an $850K bonus, well above the recommended slot value of $370.8K. Diaz is a right-handed pitcher and, as the 98th overall pick, has a recommended bonus of $485.7K.
- The Nationals paid second-round pick Tony Renda a $500K bonus, reports Baseball America's Jim Callis (via Twitter). Renda, a second baseman from Cal, carried a recommended bonus price of $630K as the 80th overall pick.
- The Pirates announced the signing of high school pitcher Jon Sandfort, the club's third-round selection. Terms were not disclosed, but Jim Callis tweets that Sandfort signed for his exact recommended bonus of $462.9K.
- The Royals have announced (Twitter link) the signing of Vanderbilt left-hander Sam Selman, the club's second-round draft pick. Selman signed for a $750K bonus, reports Baseball America's Jim Callis, which is below the recommended $781.6K bonus price for the 66th overall pick. The Royals have now signed 28 of 40 draft picks, including all of their picks from the first 11 rounds.
- Another Royals draft signing, fourth-rounder Kenny Diekroeger, will receive a $500K bonus, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (Twitter link). The recommended price for Diekroeger's draft position was $346.6K.
- The Orioles have agreed to terms with more than 20 draft picks, reports Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com. The club is "in the very early or beginning stages" of negotiations with first-round pick Kevin Gausman and second-round pick Branden Kline.