Rumors for March, 2010
Los Angeles Dodgers Rumors: Sold LHP Eric Stults to Japan and shopping OF Jason Repko
Posted by: | Comments3/31 16:59: Stults deal with the Hiroshima Carp is $700,000 plus bonuses according to NPB Tracker.
3/31 11:50: Ken Gurnick of MLB.com confirms that Dodgers have released outfielder Jason Repko and saving $375,000 of his $500,000 salary.
3/30: 16:42: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports says that the Dodgers have placed Repko on waivers.
3/30: 15:59: Los Angeles Times writer Dylan Hernandez reported earlier that Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed pitcher Eric Stults was sold to the Hiroshima Carp. Hernandez said that the Dodgers are expected to receive $300,000-$400,000 for the deal.
Stults was a candidate for the fifth spot int he Dodger’s rotaiton. He was charged with 3 earned runsa in 5 1/3 innings this Spring. The 30-year-old pitcher was 4-3 witha 4.86 ERA in 10 starts for the Dodgers in 2009. You can see Stults’ contract history and statistics here.
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports adds that the Dodgers may be shopping outfielder Jason Repko. Repko looks to be a casualty of the 25 man roster. Repko still has options so the team may assign him to a Minor League team rather than be forced to trade him.
Repko is a lifetime .226/.297/.371 hitter in 4 season with the Dodgers. You can see Repko’s contract history and statistics here.
Huston Street has halted his throwing program
Posted by: | CommentsThomas Harding of MLB.com says that Rockies closer Huston Street‘ has “halted his throwing program.” Harding refers to the situation as a “scary development.”
Street has been experiencing pain in his right shoulder, and was expected to start the season on the disabled list. However, this injury may push his return date beyond April.
In the meantime, Franklin Morales will step in as Street’s replacement, and if Morales cannot do the job Matt Belisle will step into the closer role.
Street signed a three-year deal worth $22.5 million in January. In 2009 Street saved 35 games last year for the Rockies in 37 attempts.
Jarrod Washburn Rumors: Turned down offer from Mariners
Posted by: | CommentsAccording to John Hickey of AOL FanHouse, the Seattle Mariners made a “small offer” to left-handed free agent pitcher Jarrod Washburn, but it was turned down. The offer was less than the contract ($1.5 million guaranteed salary with up to $6 million in incentives) given to Erik Bedard.
Washburn, 35, has a career 107-109 record with a 4.10 ERA and 1.301 WHIP. He pitched for the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers last season where he made $10.35 million in the last year of a four year contract. You can see Washburn’s contract history and statistics here.
Brad Lidge receives cortisone shot for elbow
Posted by: | CommentsBrad Lidge received a cortisone shot in his surgically repaired right elbow to “jump start” his preparation for the regular season.
The reliever had surgery on his elbow in November and on his right knee and likely won’t be ready to pitch until mid-April at the earliest. He had the injection Tuesday after pitching in a minor league game.
Philadelphia team physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti said Wednesday that Lidge usually has soreness in his outer elbow early in spring training. “Because he started a little bit later this year with his throwing that soreness has lingered a little bit longer,” Ciccotti said. “It’s not at all related to the surgery he had in the offseason,” Ciccotti said. “The surgery was on the inner aspect of the elbow. In order to jump start him, we decided that we would give him an injection.”
Lidge made his fifth appearance in a minor league game this month on Monday. The velocity on his fastball, typically in the low-to-mid 90s during the regular season, hasn’t reached 90 mph yet.
In 2009, he led the majors with 11 blown saves and finished 0-8 with a 7.21 ERA. It would benefit the Phils to allow Lidge as much time as he needs to regain his health and get into top form before returning. Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.
Indians place Jeremy Sowers on waivers
Posted by: | Comments3/31 11:54: Paul Hoyens of The Plain Dealer says that Sowers has cleared waivers and outrighted to Class AAA Columbus.
3/31 10:20: Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports says that left-handed pitcher Jeremy Sowers has been placed on waivers. If he clear waivers, he will head to the Minor Leagues. This move was done to open a roster spot for Mark Grudzielanek who signed Minor League contract in Janauary.
In 23 games (22 starts) in 2009, Sowers wasa 6-11 with a 5.25 ERA. You can see Sowers’ contract detail and statistics here.
Pat Misch placed on waivers by New York Mets
Posted by: | Comments3/31 11:52: According to MetsBlog.com, Misch has cleared waivers and been sent to Triple-A
3/30 15:09: According to Rich Coutinho of 1050 ESPN Radio, the Mets have placed left-handed pitcher Pat Misch on waivers. If he clears waivers, then the Mets could send him to the Minors.
The 28-year-old Misch has a career 3-11 record with a 4.79 EAR with the Mets and Giants. You can see Misch’s pitching statistics here.
Hank Blalock Rumors: Will not go to Minors
Posted by: | CommentsMarc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times says that Hank Blalock will not accept an assignment to the Minors if he does not make the Tampa Bay Rays’ 25-man roster.
“I don’t have any plans on playing minor-league baseball this year,’’ Blalock said. “At this time in my life, if there’s no major-league opportunities for me then I’ll find something else to do.’’
Blalock has the option to opt-out of he not on the Major League roster when camp breaks.
The infielder/DH is hitting just .219 with 1 home run and 4 RBIs this Spring.
Maddon also said Blalock’s refusal to go the minors would not impact their decision: “Something like that would not cause us to make a decision or reverse a decision that we may have made otherwise. That would just be unfortunate. But when it comes down to making a decision like that, because a player says he would not choose to do something then you don’t do something you didn’t want to do originally. So that should not be part of the final decision I would think.”
Blalock, 29, hit 25 home runs in 2009 for the Texas Rangers, but had a .277 on-base percentage. You can see Blalock’s contract history and statistics here.
Phillies sign RHP Ty Taubenheim and RHP Josh Fogg to Minor League deals
Posted by: | CommentsTodd Zolecki of MLB.com says that the Philadelphia Phillies have signed right-handed pitcher Ty Taubenheim and right-handed pitcher Josh Fogg to Minor League deals.
Taubenheim, 27, has not pitched in the majors in 2008 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has a career 1-5 record in 14 games (9 starts) and a 5.09 ERA. You can see Taubenheim’s statistics here.
Fogg, 33, signed a Minor League deal with the Mets in January but was released on the 20th of March. He went 0-2 with a 3.74 ERA with the Rockies in 2009. You can see Fogg’s contract history and statistics here.
Roger Clemens Mistress says Rocket had problems achieving liftoff
Posted by: | Comments3/31 10:46: Federal investigators were interested in My of 2008 in Clemens’ and McCready’s relationship, specifically in regards to Clemens’ erectile dysfunction and how often they occurred. The New York Post says, “it is believed the agents were trying to determine if there was a connection between erectile dysfunction and performance-enhancing drug use, particularly steroids.” The questioning tied to the government’s ongoing investigation on whether Clemens lied to Congress when he told them that he never used steroids or human growth hormones.
3/30 14:05: Former mistress of Roger Clemens, Mindy McCready, spoke out today about her affair with former Red Sox, Yankees and Astros pitcher.
The two met while McCready was underage (15 years old), but they did not have sexual intercourse with Clemens until she was of legal age. McCready also confirms that Clemens as “good” in bed “when he could get it up.”
The Wikipedia states that in May April 2008, Clemens’ attorney denied the affair and also stated that Clemens would be bringing a defamation suit regarding this false allegation. Clemens’ attorney admitted that a relationship existed, but described McCready as a “close family friend.” He also stated that McCready had traveled on Clemens’ personal jet and that Clemens’ wife was aware of the relationship. Clemens issued a statement saying only that “I have made mistakes in my personal life for which I am sorry.”
McCready is in the news for her upcoming release of her sex tape, “Minday McCready, Baseball Mistress.” McCready is a multi-platinum recording country singer that has released four studio albums.
Information from article came from a press release issued via BusinessWire.
