Minor Moves: Fossum, Johnson, Wells, Buschmann
We'll keep track of today's minor moves right here…
- The Orioles released left-hander Casey Fossum and catcher Josh Johnson, tweets Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com. Both players were at Baltimore's extended Spring Training camp on minor league contracts.
- The White Sox have parted ways with Kip Wells, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune tweets. The White Sox had signed the right-hander to a minor league deal ten days ago.
- The Rays acquired right-hander Matt Buschmann from the Nationals for cash and assigned their new acquisition to Double-A, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. The 28-year-old posted a 6.16 ERA with 6.2 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 134 1/3 innings with the Padres' top affiliates last year. Buschmann has started 116 minor league games in six pro seasons.
Quick Hits: Twins, Thomas, Damon, Nationals, Rays
Saturday afternoon linkage..
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter) notes that the Twins finally got Clete Thomas, years after they drafted him but were unable to sign him. Minnesota claimed Thomas off of waivers from the Tigers earlier today.
- Matt Klaassen of Fangraphs examines whether Johnny Damon is worth it for the Indians.
- Nationals manager Davey Johnson pushed for major changes to the bench this year and is happy with the outcome, writes MLB.com's Bill Ladson. This year's bench is clicking so far with the likes of Chad Tracy, Xavier Nady, and Mark DeRosa.
- The Rays signed Dominican shortstop Christian Toribio for $65K, according to a press release from the Dominican Prospect League. The DPL categorizes Toribio as an above average runner and a solid defender with enough arm strength and range to stick at the position.
Rosenthal On Lannan, Greinke, Cardinals, McCann
Highlights from the latest edition of Full Count from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports..
- The Nationals continue to look for a taker for John Lannan but his $5MM salary is only part of the problem. A rival exec points out that any team that gets Lannan might prefer to let him go this offseason rather than go to arbitration with him, further diminishing his value.
- A rival executive says that Joey Votto's ten-year, $225MM contract with the Reds could affect Zack Greinke's talks with the Brewers. In the past, a team like Milwaukee could claim that a small market team could never afford such a deal, but that no longer seems like a fair argument.
- The Cardinals talked about trading Kyle Lohse or Jake Westbrook to free up space for Albert Pujols but it now looks like they made the right decision to hang on to both. While the two pitchers will earn a combined $20MM+ this season, both reported in excellent condition this season and are off to strong early starts.
- The Braves are locked into their local TV deal for the next 20 years – a deal that could soon become the worst in the sport. Meanwhile, their payroll is stagnant and while the farm system is deep in pitchers and shortstops, it's not terribly deep in other areas. Rosenthal can't imagine that the future looks promising for catcher Brian McCann as he is two years away from free agency.
Nationals Designate Brett Carroll For Assignment
The Nationals have designated Brett Carroll for assignment in order to make room for Rick Ankiel, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post (via Twitter). The outfielder made just one plate appearance for Washington this season.
Carroll, 29, appeared in 173 games for the Marlins from 2007 through 2010 but has seen limited action in the big leagues since then. The right-handed hitter has put up strong numbers in Triple-A for his career, posting a .277/.343/.500 slash line in parts of five seasons.
The veteran was signed by Washington in December to help bridge the gap between Opening Day and Bryce Harper‘s eventual promotion.
Lerner On Kasten, Rizzo, Gonzalez
Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that ticket sales are up this year and that he’s hoping “all the hype turns into reality.” Lerner weighed in on an assortment of Nationals-related topics; here are the details:
- Lerner said he doesn’t know or care how valuable the Nationals are. “It’s not something we’re ever going to get rid of,” he said.
- Though Stan Kasten isn’t prohibited from hiring Nationals employees, Lerner doesn’t expect the new Dodgers executive to lure Washington’s front office staff to Los Angeles. “Stan is an honorable man,” Lerner said. “He wouldn’t do that.”
- People close to GM Mike Rizzo say it’s doubtful he’d be willing to work under Kasten again. It’s unlikely that Rizzo would have as much autonomy working under his former boss.
- Rizzo signed a five-year extension following the 2010 season and Lerner said he hasn’t considered discussing another extension just yet. However, he praised his GM’s work and suggested a new deal will occur eventually. “When the time comes, I’m sure we’ll have discussions with Mike.”
- Lerner called the Gio Gonzalez trade a bold move that the Nationals couldn’t have made a year ago.
Minor Moves: Anderson, Stetter, Greer
We'll track the latest minor moves right here…
- The Rockies signed right-handed reliever Brian Anderson, Matt Eddy of Baseball America tweets. The converted outfielder had been in camp with the Dodgers earlier this year.
- The Brewers re-signed Mitch Stetter to a minor league deal and he reported to extended Spring Training, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy (on Twitter). The 31-year-old left-hander has appeared with the Brewers in each of the past five seasons, including 16 games a year ago. The Rangers had signed Stetter to a minor league deal this offseason.
- The Nationals signed shortstop Brent Greer, according to MLB.com's transactions page. The 24-year-old spent the 2011 season at Class A, where he posted a .247/.306/.359 line in 246 plate appearances. The Diamondbacks selected Greer in the 14th round of the 2009 draft.
Quick Hits: Dodgers, Pujols, Lannan
Jackie Robinson signed a Major League contract with Dodgers GM Branch Rickey on this date in 1947. Robinson played in his first MLB game five days later and went on to be named Rookie of the Year. Here are some notes from around MLB on the anniversary of that historic day…
- Things are looking up for the Dodgers now that they've put 2011 behind them and are about to undergo an ownership transition, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports writes.
- Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com suggests the Cardinals will be fine this season, even with longtime star Albert Pujols playing for the Angels.
- The Orioles, Cubs, Tigers, Red Sox, Astros and Tigers have expressed interest in John Lannan, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. However, the Nationals are inclined to hold onto the left-hander. "We feel he's a solid major-league starting pitcher," GM Mike Rizzo said. "But we feel we have five guys who are better than him." The Tigers haven't ruled Lannan out, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets.
- High school center fielder Byron Buxton and college catcher Mike Zunino top Keith Law's list of amateur player eligible for this summer's draft (ESPN Insider link).
NL East Notes: Ozzie, Nationals, Pelfrey
It didn’t take Ozzie Guillen long to stir up some controversy in Miami. The Marlins announced a five-game suspension without pay for their new manager following his recent comments about Fidel Castro. Here are the latest links from the NL East…
- Guillen, who addressed the media this morning, faced “the biggest day of his professional life” today according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (all Twitter links). Heyman suggested Guillen’s job was "at risk” but said the community reaction will ultimately matter most.
- Yahoo's Tim Brown writes that Guillen "possesses no authority on the subject of Fidel Castro."
- There doesn’t appear to be any traction on a possible John Lannan for Marlon Byrd trade, Heyman tweets. The Nationals appear to have discussed Lannan and Byrd with the Cubs.
- The Mets view Mike Pelfrey as an innings eater who stays in games, even if it's not always pretty, Newsday's David Lennon writes. Pelfrey says he's capable of more, but the Mets have low expectations for the right-hander.
Cafardo On Kinsler, Cox, Damon, Prior, Lannan
It's clear to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that the collapse of last September bothered some Red Sox players more than others. While some are using it as fuel for motivation, others seem eager to leave it in the past completely. Former Braves manager Bobby Cox told Cafardo that he preferred the latter. "The way I looked at it, you let it go both ways. If we win the World Series, I’d say enjoy it but time to get ready for the next year. Every season is different. I don’t think there should be carryover either way," Cox said. Here's more from Cafardo..
- Major league sources say that Ian Kinsler should average $13-$14MM over five or six years once his deal is done. While he and the Rangers couldn’t come to terms by Opening Day, it’s not out of the question that something gets done during the season. Brandon Phillips of the Reds should be in the Dan Uggla range – about five-years for $60MM. Dustin Pedroia's six-year, $40.5MM deal with the Red Sox now looks like bargain as it goes through 2014 with an $11MM option for 2015.
- When asked if he would consider managing again, Cox didn’t give a resounding no. "I don’t know. I don’t know. I’m done," he said. But he added, “I miss it. I miss it every day." While Cox has deep ties to Dodgers president Stan Kasten, he said he would not consider going back to being a GM. Cox is signed to be an adviser for the Braves through the 2015 season.
- When asked about Johnny Damon remaining on the open market, one AL GM was perplexed and suggested that the Rays, Indians, Orioles, and Tigers could all use him.
- Cafardo's "all-free agent team" features right-hander Roy Oswalt, Damon in center field, Hideki Matsui as DH, Vladimir Guerrero in left field, Magglio Ordonez in right, catcher Ivan Rodriguez, first baseman Derrek Lee, second baseman Aaron Miles, shortstop Felipe Lopez, third baseman Casey Blake. Oswalt tops the rotation alongside Javier Vazquez, who he notes has not officially retired. Cafardo also lists Mike Gonzalez and Arthur Rhodes as the top relievers available.
- Mark Prior’s throwing sessions have looked decent, according to major league sources, and he may be getting ready to throw for teams soon.
- Nationals pitcher John Lannan remains in limbo as he pitches in Triple-A, but as injuries mount his trade request may be heard. The left-hander is only 27 and could fit on many staffs as a fourth or fifth starter, but his $5MM salary is an obvious hurdle.
East Notes: Stewart, Red Sox, Oswalt, Rays, Nats
Links out of the AL and NL East …
- Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters, including Marc Carig of the Star Ledger, that they coveted recently traded-for catcher Chris Stewart, acquired from the Giants, for his penchant for framing pitches. The Yankees consider this skill to be undervalued.
- Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino called a National League GM about Roy Oswalt but was dissuaded from signing him, tweets Peter Gammons of MLB.com. Gammons adds that this is proof that Lucchino is willing to consider adding to the payroll.
- Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg sounded guardedly optimistic about progress in stadium talks when he spoke with reporters prior to yesterday's game against the Yankees, writes Ira Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune. However, there have been no recent meetings between the club and St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster.
- Michael Morse and Rick Ankiel are set to return soon for the Nationals and Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post looks at who might be left on the outside looking in. Both Roger Bernadina and Brett Carroll are out-of-options and at risk. Bernadina has started in center field the Nats’ first two games but he is not a lock to stay.