Nationals Rumors

Brian Bruney Clears Waivers

By Zachary Links | May 21, 2010 at 7:04pm CDT

FRIDAY, 7:04pm: Kilgore reports that Bruney has refused his minor league assignment. The Nats now have a week to deal the reliever, and will probably release him if they can't find a trade partner. Until Bruney signs with another club, Washington still owes Bruney his $1.5MM salary for 2010.

FRIDAY, 1:35pm: Bruney cleared waivers and now has 24 hours to accept or refuse a minor league assignment, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post (via Twitter). Bruney told MLB.com's Bill Ladson that he isn't sure if he'll accept the assignment.

SUNDAY: The Nationals have designated reliever Brian Bruney for assignment, according to MLB.com's William Ladson (via Twitter). The move was made to create room for right-hander Drew Storen.

Bruney, 28, has a 7.64 ERA with 16 Ks and 20 walks in 17.2 innings for the Nats this season. Washington manager Jim Riggleman indicated yesterday that the club might make a roster move involving Bruney. While the limited sample size should not be overlooked, it is worth noting that the velocity on Bruney's fastball has dipped from 94.6 mph last season to 92.8 mph in 2010.

Meanwhile, Storen has been outstanding this year in both Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse. Between the two stops, Storen has a 1.12 ERA with 15 Ks and just three walks in 16 innings of work. Baseball America's Prospect Handbook predicts that the 22-year-old – ranked third in the Nats' farm system – could be closing games in Washington by the end of the season.

Odds & Ends: Dodgers, Bruney, Conrad, McLouth

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | May 21, 2010 at 2:24pm CDT

Links for Friday, as interleague play begins…

Dodgers GM Ned Colletti told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that he expects to have the flexibility to make deals this summer. That doesn't mean the Dodgers be able to take on much payroll, though.
Jon Heyman of SI.com thinks the Nationals will call Stephen Strasburg up in mid-June. The team will limit him to about 100 major league innings (Twitter link).
The Nationals don't expect Brian Bruney to be claimed on waivers and the pitcher isn't sure what he'll do if he isn't claimed, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (Twitter links).
As WEEI.com's Alex Speier explains, the Red Sox considered trading for Curtis Granderson and Javier Vazquez last winter, but acquiring either player would likely have meant giving up Jacoby Ellsbury. The Red Sox wanted to keep him, so they signed free agents instead.
Trying to predict which teams might become sellers? The Orioles, Astros and Pirates each have less than a one percent chance of making the playoffs, according to Baseball Prospectus' postseason odds.
Top July 2 prospect Eskarlin Vasquez has questions swirling around his age, according to Frankie Piliere of FanHouse (via Twitter).
GM Frank Wren told ESPN.com's Buster Olney that the Braves liked walk-off hero Brooks Conrad's versatility and power when they signed him to a minor league deal before last season.
Former Pirates outfielder Nate McLouth tells Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he's very excited to return to Pittsburgh. This time, it's as an opponent.
The Mets will probably fire at least one coach if they fire manager Jerry Manuel, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the Mets can't build their team around Jose Reyes and David Wright at this point.
Troy Renck of the Denver Post confirms (via Twitter) that the Rockies will have interest in Kazuo Matsui once he clears waivers.

Nationals Release Willy Taveras

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | May 21, 2010 at 11:09am CDT

The Nationals unconditionally released Willy Taveras, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post (via Twitter). The Nationals designated the speedy outfielder for assignment over the weekend to make room for Michael Morse. It's the second time that Taveras has been released this year. The A's, who are responsible for most of Taveras' $4MM salary, released him in February before the Nationals signed him to a minor league deal.

Taveras didn't hit much in his 37 plate appearances this year and hasn't been a serious offensive threat for a couple years. He posted a .367 on base percentage for the 2007 Rockies, but like Kaz Matsui, who also played on that Rockies team, Taveras may have trouble finding a major league roster spot because of his recent struggles.

Odds & Ends: Strasburg, Ruiz, Millwood, Crawford

By Tim Dierkes | May 19, 2010 at 9:39pm CDT

Links for Wednesday, as we make sense of Angel Pagan's unbelievable night…

Stephen Strasburg didn't allow a run and struck out nine in 6.1 innings at Triple A tonight, as the AP notes on ESPN.com. It's only a matter of weeks before Strasburg starts striking out big leaguers.
Cha-Seung Baek appears to have found a home in the Yuma Scorpions' rotation, writes Edward Carifio of the Yuma Sun.
Randy Ruiz, who signed with a Japanese team after getting released by the Blue Jays, told Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star that he's "set for life" (Twitter link).
Former big leaguer Mike Gosling retired on Monday, according to the Indians' Twitter. The 29-year-old was pitching well in Triple A Columbus, but decided to focus on his family.
This should come as no surprise, but the Marlins are not looking to trade Hanley Ramirez, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro (via Twitter).
Former Ranger Kevin Millwood tells Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com that he has no hard feelings about the deal that sent him to Baltimore last offseason.
Carl Crawford told reporters that he doesn't really think about his impending free agency, according to Tyler Kepner of the New York Times.
J.P. Howell had shoulder surgery today, but the Rays are "optimistic" that the reliever will be ready for 2011, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times (via Twitter).
ESPN.com's Rob Neyer doesn't think the red hot Blue Jays are likely to finish the season above .500.
Matt Klaassen of FanGraphs reminds us that Alex Rios was an excellent player before 2009 and argues that the White Sox got a "very good player at a reasonable price" when they claimed him off of waivers from the Blue Jays last summer.
The first-year player draft begins on June 7th. MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo takes a stab at projecting the first ten picks.
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick runs through nine stories that have been overdone this year.
Crasnick's colleague Buster Olney talked to couple of rival talent evaluators who'd love to see the Marlins shop Hanley Ramirez in the wake of his recent jogging incident. Instead, ESPN's Enrique Rojas reports that Ramirez will apologize to Fredi Gonzalez and the team today.

Odds & Ends: Kearns, Lowell, Dye, Strasburg

By Tim Dierkes | May 18, 2010 at 9:30pm CDT

Links for Tuesday, as Hanley Ramirez digs himself into an even bigger hole after last night's jog…

R.J. Anderson of FanGraphs examines Austin Kearns' resurgent season and says it's possible that the outfielder appears in trade rumors this summer. It certainly wouldn't be a surprise to see the Indians shop Kearns.
FOX Sports Arizona profiled agent Jonathan Maurer, who represents Brandon Webb, among others.
Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post has a profile of top amateur Bryce Harper that's well worth reading. Baseball America's Nathan Rode chatted with Harper and found that the prospect loves to catch and play the outfield.
Mike Lowell doesn't see a role for himself on the Red Sox and wonders if the team would be better off without him, according to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald (via Twitter). Lowell explained his frustration to Rob Bradford of WEEI earlier today.
I joined Jeff & Jeff on KFNS St. Louis earlier today; click here to listen.
Jeff Fletcher of AOL FanHouse (Twitter link) talked to Eric Chavez, who said Jermaine Dye is "at peace being at home" and is not working out. This counters a quote from Dye's agent Bob Bry from May 11th, when Bry said Dye "continues to work out every morning and hits most days and is still waiting for an opportunity with a team that has a chance to advance to the playoffs."
Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider wonders if Stephen Strasburg will make his big league debut June 4th against the Reds at Nationals Park. SI's Tom Verducci contrasts the Nats' careful handling of Strasburg to the Reds' approach with Mike Leake.
Jim Margalus of Sox Machine presents his guide to a White Sox fire sale.
AOL FanHouse's Steve Phillips explains the many responsibilities of a general manager.
David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News notes that "the possibility of Cliff Lee falling into the hands of a rival faction [of the Phillies] is something that, at the very least, is worth pondering."
Free agent lefty Brian Shouse hopes to continue his Major League career, writes Stan Morris of The Journal Star.

Odds & Ends: Peavy, Duchscherer, Vasquez, Piniella

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | May 17, 2010 at 7:17pm CDT

Links for Monday, as Jose Bautista continues to astound…

Jake Peavy told MLB.com's Scott Merkin that he has no interest in being part of a rebuilding effort at this point in his career. He hasn't given up on the White Sox, though.
The injured Justin Duchscherer tells John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle that he wants to pitch in 2011 (Twitter link).
Yahoo's Tim Brown lists Dave Trembley, Jerry Manuel and other managers whose jobs aren't completely secure.
Frankie Piliere of MLB FanHouse names 24 international player to watch leading up to July 2nd, when teams can start signing a new crop of free agents. The Giants are among the favorites to sign top Dominican outfielder Eskarlin Vasquez.
Cubs GM Jim Hendry says he doesn't have "one thought" in his mind about firing Lou Piniella, according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).
Another manager whose contract expires after the season, Jerry Manuel, tells Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork that he isn't worried about his status (Twitter link).
RotoAuthority identifies some pitchers who have gained and lost velocity this season. Francisco Liriano's fastball has more zip than ever and, now that he's in the rotation, C.J. Wilson isn't throwing as hard.
Rival executives feel that the Nationals could become aggressive this trade deadline, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. The Nats, now 20-18, could take on an apparently-oversized contract and make a playoff push.
MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo explains that top college pitchers Anthony Ranaudo and Drew Pomeranz have struggled recently and aren't as attractive to teams as they once were.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports believes the Cubs should consider firing Lou Piniella if they don't jump into serious contention.
Dave Cameron of FanGraphs explains that Jose Bautista and Jake Westbrook could be attractive trade chips later in the summer.
South Side Sox says Kenny Williams' roster construction "lacked imagination and vision" this year. The result so far: a 15-22 record for the White Sox.

Drew Storen On Track For Super Two Status

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | May 17, 2010 at 6:23pm CDT

If Drew Storen stays on the Nationals' roster all season, he will pile up 140 days of service time this year, enough to have a good chance at Super Two status after 2012. There are no guarantees that relievers- young or old- can maintain enough consistency to merit a roster spot all season long. And there are no guarantees that Storen will accumulate a full year of service time in 2011 and 2012.

But Storen's pedigree (drafted 10th overall) and hot start (10.7 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9) suggest he's as likely as any 22-year-old to stay in the major leagues. If he does, he'll be a Super Two in a couple years and will cost the Nationals more because he will go to arbitration four times, instead of the usual three.

Jonathan Broxton, another reliever who arrived in the majors at a young age, will earn $12.825MM for his three arbitration years. That shows that relievers can make big money before they hit free agency. Of course, Broxton has been nothing but dominant since 2006 and it's premature to ask for that kind of consistency from Storen. But if Storen stays healthy and lives up to his potential as a top prospect, he could become a Super Two player and earn even more than Broxton through arbitration.

Odds & Ends: Pirates, Yankees, Storen, Mets

By Zachary Links | May 16, 2010 at 9:40pm CDT

Links for Sunday night..

The Pirates have promoted Bryan Morris to Double-A after a sensational start to the season, writes Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com. The 23-year-old starter, who has a 0.60 ERA, could earn another promotion by August according to GM Neal Huntington. Morris was one of the main pieces the Pirates received in the Jason Bay trade in July of '08.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter) points out that three former Yankees set-up men have been released in the last 24 hours: Chad Gaudin, Edwar Ramirez, and Brian Bruney.
Nats pitching coach Steve McCatty says that the club has not yet determined Drew Storen's role and that they will "ease him in", tweets Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.
Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com writes that Mets GM Omar Minaya will accompany the team on their trip to Atlanta, though a team official insists that he will be there just to lend support.

Odds & Ends: Storen, Duchscherer, Johnson

By Luke Adams 2 | May 16, 2010 at 2:56pm CDT

Links for Sunday, as we wait to see if the Dodgers can extend their six-game winning streak….

Ken Rosenthal writes that the Nationals promoted the 10th overall pick from the 2009 draft, Drew Storen, today. Storen had annihilated minor league hitters across two levels this season.
Ozzie Guillen understands the reasoning behind GM Kenny Williams' recent public confirmation that he's losing patience with his ballclub, writes Ken Falkoff on MLB.com.
Two players signed to one-year deals, Justin Duchscherer and Nick Johnson, could require surgeries that would sideline them for most or all of this season. MLB.com's Jane Lee and Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork have the details.
Bill Ladson of MLB.com tweets that Willy Taveras may not accept a minor league assignment if he clears waivers. Taveras was DFA'd by the Nationals last night.
Luis Ayala has exercised the opt-out clause in his contract, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter). The Dodgers will have to add Ayala to their 25-man roster by Monday afternoon or release him.
Earlier in the week, MLB.com's Chris Haft floated the idea of the Giants moving Aubrey Huff to left field to make room at first base for Buster Posey. According to John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle, Huff is open to the idea and thinks Posey would do well at first base.
Speaking of Posey, John Sickels asks who you'd rather have: the Giants' prospect or Carlos Santana of the Indians.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes details the Indians' changing draft strategy, and fields readers' Tribe-related questions in a mailbag.
Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette lists the top ten best investments made by the Pirates' current regime.

Nationals Designate Willy Taveras For Assignment

By Tim Dierkes | May 15, 2010 at 11:03pm CDT

The Nationals designated outfielder Willy Taveras for assignment, reports Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider. The move clears a spot for Mike Morse, who is returning from a calf injury.

Taveras, 28, logged only 36 plate appearances with the Nationals this year. He signed a minor league deal in February after being released by the Athletics. The A's remain on the hook for most of Taveras' $4MM salary. The speedster's last good season was a 97-game stint in '07 with the Rockies.

Zuckerman also notes that reliever Brian Bruney "appears to be on thin ice at this point." The 28-year-old righty was acquired to take on a late-inning role, but his fastball's been down almost two miles per hour and his control has been brutal.

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