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Odds & Ends: Red Sox, Harper, Canseco, Figgins

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Saturday afternoon linkage..

  • Boston sent catcher Michael Thomas to Texas to complete the trade for Jarrod Saltalamacchia, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.
  • Dusty Baker has no interest in becoming a general manager, writes MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
  • A former teammate of Bryce Harper's doesn't see the first overall pick going back to school, writes Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.
  • The Laredo Broncos, an independent minor league team, say they have signed Jose Canseco to a short-term contract, according to the Associated Press.  Canseco will serve as a bench coach and designated hitter during two Laredo homestands.
  • Chuck Finder of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Pirates GM Neal Huntington and scouting director Greg Smith are expected to sit down with agents Randy and Alan Hendricks in Houston this weekend to discuss a contract for second overall pick Jameson Taillon. MLB's slot recommendation for that pick is $3.25MM, though Taillon is expected to receive more than that.
  • We know the Braves have not asked the Mariners about the availability of Chone Figgins in the wake of Chipper Jones' injury, but ESPN's Buster Olney says a deal is unlikely anyway. It would be pretty tough for GM Jack Zduriencik to tell ownership they have to eat tens of millions of dollars to move a player they just signed this past offseason.
  • Ken Fidlin of The Toronto Sun says that Blue Jays' second round pick Griffin Murphy and his father were on the field at Angels Stadium talking with club officials, "a surefire sign that a deal is done." MLB's slot recommendation for the 61st overall pick is just short of $600K. 
  • The Yankees have come to terms on well-overslot bonuses with a pair of draft picks. Baseball America's Jim Callis reports that they signed ninth rounder Taylor Morton for $450K while Kendall Rogers of Yahoo! Sports reports an agreement with tenth rounder Ben Gamel (Mat's brother) for $500K. Both deals are more than three times over MLB's recommendation, and Gamel's is the largest given to a player selected in a double digit round so far.

Odds & Ends: Twins, Harvey, Ynoa, Westmoreland

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On this day 100 years ago, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Brooklyn Superbas (today the Dodgers) played what the Baseball Reference Bullpen describes as "the most evenly matched game ever."  Both teams used two pitchers, scored eight runs, and recorded 13 hits, two errors, 38 at-bats, five strikeouts, three walks, 13 assists, 27 putouts, one hit batter and one passed ball.  The game was perhaps fittingly called on account of darkness, thus preserving the total deadlock.

If two teams end up with matching scorecards tonight, we'll know there's some Friday the 13th spookiness at play.  Until then, however, here are some news items…

  • With Jose Mijares out for at least the next four weeks, the Twins may be in need of left-handed relief help, reports MLB.com's Kelly Thesier.  The Twins were one of several teams interested in Scott Downs before the trade deadline, so it's possible Minnesota could revisit that pursuit.  
  • A Mets official tells Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com that talks between the team and first-round pick Matt Harvey will "likely" last right up to Monday's deadline.  Harvey, picked seventh overall by the Mets, is represented by Scott Boras.  MLBTR's Mike Axisa profiled Harvey back in June.
  • Michael Ynoa will undergo Tommy John surgery on August 24, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link).  Oakland signed the 18-year-old in 2008 to a contract that featured a $4.25MM bonus, a record high for a non-Cuban international player.  Ynoa made his professional debut this seaon for the Athletics' Arizona League rookie-ball team, posting a 5.00 ERA and 11.0 K/9 ratio in three starts.
  • Red Sox prospect Ryan Westmoreland is making " 'remarkable' progress" in his comeback from brain surgery, reports Alex Speier of WEEI.com.
  • Writing for ESPNBoston.com, Mike Andrews looks at the "age advancement" of certain prospects in Boston's minor league system.
  • Nationals president Stan Kasten criticized the draft pick signing process in a chat with MASN's Ben Goessling.  "The charade, the Kabuki dance nature of all of this is just kind of silly," Kasten said.  "We can do better as an industry, and I think both sides [players and owners] recognize that."  Kasten didn't give any updates on Washington's negotiations with first overall pick Bryce Harper.
  • Could Luis Rodriguez be "the next Andres Torres"?  Fangraphs' Dave Cameron looks at the infielder's breakout season for the White Sox Triple-A affiliate.

Draft Notes: Solis, Klein, Jenkins, Gumbs

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The deadline for signing draft picks is just days away. Teams have until August 16th (next Monday) at 11 CST to sign their picks, and the agreements are starting to trickle in. Here are the details:

  • Talks between the Nationals and second-round pick Sammy Solis are "amicable," and MLB.com's Bill Ladson hears from a source that a deal is close to being worked out.
  • Baltimore has agreed to terms with third-rounder Dan Klein, tweets Baseball America's Jim Callis.  Klein's bonus is worth just under $500K, or as Callis describes it, "second-round money."
  • The Cardinals officially announced their contract with Tyrell Jenkins, writes Matthew Leach of MLB.com.  It was reported earlier this week that Jenkins and the Cards had agreed to terms that included an above-slot bonus price for the 50th overall pick.
  • The Yankees signed second-rounder Angelo Gumbs for $750K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America. The outfielder gets the largest bonus for any player drafted after the supplemental first round this year.
  • Here's another above-slot deal for an outfielder: the Padres signed eighth-rounder Jose Dore for $450K, according to Callis.
  • Not surprisingly, the Red Sox haven't had substantial talks with Scott Boras about signing Anthony Ranaudo, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Ranaudo pitched well in the Cape Cod League this summer and maintains that he's ready to return to LSU.
  • MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo gives the latest updates on unsigned first round picks. Mayo reports indications that the D'Backs have continued talking to Barret Loux, who failed his physical.
  • Here's our list of top picks to sign.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Royals, Rays, Burrell

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On this date 41 years ago, Major League owners unanimously elected Bowie Kuhn to a seven-year term as commissioner. It was under Kuhn that the reserve clause was eliminated, paving the way for free agency as we know it.

We've got a lot of links to get to, so let's dive right in…

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Odds & Ends: Holt, Lee, Klein, Valentine, Villone

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Links for Thursday, exactly 23 years after the Braves and Tigers swapped Doyle Alexander and John Smoltz…

  • The Indians signed tenth round pick Tyler Holt according to Baseball America's Jim Callis. Holt's $500K bonus is the largest we've seen for a player drafted in a double-digit round this year. 
  • Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News wonders how much the Texas heat will play into Cliff Lee's decision about whether or not to re-sign with the Rangers after the season.
  • MLB.com' Brittany Ghiroli tweets that Orioles' third rounder Dan Klein is expected to report to one of the team's minor league affiliates once he passes his physical, indicating that the two sides have a deal in place.
  • Someone familiar with Bobby Valentine’s thinking tells Larry Stone of the Seattle Times that Valentine considers the Mariners managerial opening one of "the most appealing jobs in baseball.”
  • The Nationals released Ron Villone, according to Syracuse Chiefs broadcasters Jason Benetti and Mike Couzens (on Twitter). The veteran left-hander, who last pitched in the majors in 2009, posted a 6.59 ERA in Triple A this year.
  • The sale of the Rangers is now final, as MLB.com’s Barry Bloom writes.
  • Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker previews some of the players who could soon make the jump from Japan to MLB. Wei-Yin Chen, a 25-year-old lefty represented by Alan Nero may be posted this offseason.
  • Veracruz, the Mexican team that holds the rights to pitching prospect Luis Heredia, will not entertain offers from MLB clubs until next Wednesday, August 18th, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • Tim Chambers, Bryce Harper's college coach, told Byron Kerr of MASNSports.com that Harper, the first overall pick in this year’s draft, is “begging to play.” Chambers expects the Nationals to work out a deal by Monday night’s deadline.
  • Angels scouting director Eddie Bane told Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times that the Angels are "fairly close" to an agreement with first rounder Kaleb Cowart, though he expects negotiations to last until Monday, the deadline for signing draft picks.
  • Jamey Newberg counts down the ten biggest August trades in recent Rangers history for MLB.com. Rick Helling and Ryan Dempster have prominent roles on the list, which is worth checking out.

Stark On Sherrill, Blue Jays, Harper, Thome

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There has been a “flurry” of waiver claims on prominent players, according to an MLB official who spoke with ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark. Nearly every desirable hitter and reliever has been claimed, according to Stark’s source. However, we can add at least one name to our list of players to clear waivers. Here it is, along with Stark’s other rumors:

  • George Sherrill, who has a 7.00 ERA and $1.3MM remaining on his contract, cleared waivers, according to Stark. The Dodgers can now trade him to any club, as our waiver trade primer explains.
  • David Aardsma, Kevin Gregg and Brandon League were all claimed on waivers and pulled back, according to Stark’s source. If the Mariners or Blue Jays re-expose their respective relievers to waivers, they would no longer have the right to pull the players back.
  • Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos told Stark that he’s looking for high-impact players, because the club is geared towards reaching 95 wins.
  • One MLB official believes Manny Ramirez will sign a one-year, incentive-based contract with an AL team this winter. That sounds about right.
  • There have been no signs that Scott Boras, who represents first overall pick Bryce Harper, has had any meaningful conversations with the Nationals about what it will take to reach a deal. The sides have until Monday at 11pm CST to reach a deal.
  • The Twins were willing to include Wilson Ramos (now in Washington’s system) in a trade for Cliff Lee, according to Stark’s sources.
  • Jim Thome already has 15 homers for the Twins, and he could be back in Minneapolis next year. "We'd certainly have interest in him coming back," Twins assistant GM Rob Antony told Stark.

Odds & Ends: White Sox, Olsen, Adam, V-Mart

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Another round of links for Wednesday, as Cliff Lee falls short of eight innings for the first time in two months…

  • The White Sox are cautiously optimistic about signing the team's top remaining unsigned picks, amateur scouting director Doug Laumann told MLB.com's Scott Merkin.
  • Scott Olsen made $250K in incentives for starting his 11th game of the season tonight, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post (Twitter link).
  • 2010 draftee Jason Adam is close to signing with the Royals, according to Daniel Paulling of the Kansas City Star. Adam, ranked by Baseball America as the 54th-best prospect in this year’s draft awaits approval from the commissioner’s office.
  • Victor Martinez told Jim Bowden of Sirius XM Radio that the Red Sox have not offered him an extension (Twitter link). The catcher hits free agency after the season.
  • The Yankees agreed to sign third-rounder Rob Segedin for a $377K bonus, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America. Segedin, a third baseman, receives about $100K more than MLB’s recommended bonus for his slot.
  • Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News explains why he believes the Rangers shouldn't try to sign Cliff Lee long-term just yet. It's probably a moot point, since Lee seems destined to reach the open market.
  • MLB owners and executives approved the sale of the Rangers to the group led by Chuck Greenberg and Nolan Ryan, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter). The final vote occurs tomorrow.

Adam Dunn Stays Put

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An unknown team claimed Nationals slugger Adam Dunn off waivers on Thursday, reported Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  The teams had 48.5 business-day hours to work out a deal, so the window closed around Monday afternoon.  Dunn will remain with the Nationals through the end of the season.

The Nationals may still attempt to sign Dunn to an extension.  Failing that, they can at least offer arbitration.  With a 76.000 rating, Dunn remains a Type A free agent in our latest Elias rankings projections.  The highest Type B in the NL 1B/OF group is Shane Victorino at 72.791.  There's a pretty good chance the Nationals offer Dunn arbitration even if they think he might accept, as getting him back on a one-year deal worth $15MM or so wouldn't be that bad.

Two years ago today, Reds GM Walt Jocketty traded Dunn to the Diamondbacks for Dallas Buck, Wilkin Castillo, and Micah Owings.  Castillo and Owings were named later.  Josh Byrnes was behind the deal from Arizona's side.  At the time of the deal Dunn sported a .233/.373/.528 line with 32 home runs, good for a .383 wOBA.  This year he's hitting .272/.359/.573 with 30 home runs and a .393 wOBA.  Dunn was a Type A free agent after that season too (81.250 rating) but Byrnes chose not to offer arbitration.  Byrnes explained that decision in a March 2009 interview with MLBTR.

Nationals Interested In Carl Crawford

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The Nationals have "strong organizational interest" in Carl Crawford, reports MASN's Ben Goessling.  The Rays' left fielder will be eligible for free agency as a 29-year-old this offseason.

Goessling's blog post speculates on the look of the Nationals' outfield next year.  They seem to have Josh Willingham locked in as the left fielder, and Goessling says there's some sentiment to trying Roger Bernadina as the regular center fielder and using Nyjer Morgan in a utility role.  Michael Morse also merits consideration – he's raked in 126 plate appearances this year.

Crawford has never played right field in his career, though Willingham played a decent amount last year and could theoretically shift over.  Crawford also hasn't dabbled much in center field since 2004, and it's hard to picture him changing positions now that he gets to pick his next team.

It being August and all, the market for Crawford has yet to take shape.  Last week MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith named more than a dozen clubs that could pursue the speedy left fielder, including the Nationals.

The Nationals’ 2011 Rotation

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The Nationals currently rank 13th in the NL with a 4.41 rotation ERA.  They've given starts to a dozen different pitchers, but let's try to figure out next year's top rotation candidates.

We know 22-year-old phenom Stephen Strasburg will head up the rotation next year, and baseball fans everywhere have to hope his shoulder inflammation is a non-issue.  Though he's only made four starts this year due to minor elbow surgery, veteran Jason Marquis also probably has a spot locked up given his $7.5MM salary.

24-year-old righty Jordan Zimmermann is being handled carefully as he returns from Tommy John surgery; he has dominant numbers across eight minor league rehab starts this year and should be back next month.  He's in.

Yunesky Maya is an intriguing wild card.  The 28-year-old Cuban recently signed a four-year, $8MM deal, and last month GM Mike Rizzo suggested to MLB.com's Bill Ladson Maya is not far from a big league rotation.

Opening Day starter John Lannan has dealt with an elbow issue and was optioned to Double A in June.  He stayed there for about a month.  Lannan should be arbitration-eligible after the season and could earn a couple million bucks if tendered a contract.

Livan Hernandez, Scott Olsen, and Chien-Ming Wang are possibilities for 2011.  Hernandez made it known he wants to re-sign.  Olsen could be non-tendered again as the Nationals try to maintain their flexibility in December.  He's done solid work but has dealt with a shoulder injury for much of the season.  Wang is another non-tender candidate – he still has no timetable in his recovery from shoulder surgery.  The Nationals have gotten nothing from this $2MM investment; will they pull the plug?

At least four more pitchers will be in the mix for 2011: Craig Stammen, Luis Atilano, J.D. Martin, and Ross Detwiler.  Atilano, Martin, and Detwiler have dealt with serious injuries this year.  Stammen was recently sent to the bullpen, though he's pitched much better than his 5.05 ERA.

Despite all these options, we know Rizzo wants more.  Back in June, he told the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore, "our biggest need is starting pitching."  Rizzo seemingly flirted with the idea of acquiring Edwin Jackson from the Diamondbacks or White Sox at the trade deadline.  It's reasonable to expect the Nationals to be active in the free agent and trade markets.  One more front-rotation pitcher complementing Strasburg and Zimmermann would go a long way.  On paper, the Nats could have one of the better rotations in the league entering next season.

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