Rumors for April, 2010
Jermaine Dye Rumors: would like to play for Mariners
Posted by: | CommentsMike Salk of 710 ESPN Seattle says that free agent outfielder and DH Jermaine Dye is interested in playing for the Mariners.
This off season Dye turned down an offer from the Cubs and most recently turned down an offer from the Nationals citing his lack of desire to uproot his family. The offer from the Nationals was believed to be $4 million.
“Seattle is a team he focused on this off-season,” said Bob Bry, Dye’s agent. “He was disappointed that there was not more interest from the club.”
Salk says that Dye may accept a lessor role of being a platoon player or a designated hitter for the Mariners. Addtionally, Dye may accept a one-year offer between $3-4 million for Seattle.
Dye, 35, hit 27 home runs and drove in 81 RBIs in 2009. In Safeco Field, Dye hit .272 with 8 home runs in 52 career games. You can see Dye’s contract history and statistics here.
Nick Green Rumors: Return to Red Sox?
Posted by: | CommentsNick Cafrado of the Boston Globe tweets that shortstop Nick Green has a May 15 opt-out date in his contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This means that Green can part with the Dodgers if he feels like there is no future with the team.
Green is currently with the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque.
Cafardo notes that Green would be eager to return to the Red Sox is the team is in need of a shortstop.
Green, 31, played in 104 games with the Red Sox in 2009. He had a batting average of .236 with 6 home runs and 35 RBIs. He spent most of his time at shortstop, but he did pitch two innings for Boston, giving up 0 runs, but he walked three. You can see Green’s statistical history here.
Fred Lewis Trade Rumors: Headed to Toronto?
Posted by: | CommentsSan Francisco Giants outfielder Fred Lewis will have his future determined by this weekend, according to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury. Lewis has been on the disabled list since the beginning of this season, and is at a point where he will need to be activated. There are a few problems: the outfielder is currently out of options, so the Giants will need to either trade him, or make another personnel move to activate him. The team also has a crowded outfield.
Baggarly says that the Padres, A’s and Blue Jays have been interested in the outfielder. The Blue Jays have the Giants’ system well scouted. Baggarly notes that Toronto claimed right-handed pithcer Merkin Valdez and shortstop Brian Bocock off waiver during the offseason.
Lewis has beeen rehabbing with the Triple-A team and is 5-for-10 entering Monday’s game. He started twice in center field, a position that he did not play last season.
Teams that PRO Rumors has mentioned as possible destinations include the Nationals (to replace Elijah Dukes) and Yankees (as insurance).
Lewis, 29, hit .258 with 4 home runs and 20 RBIS in 122 games with the Giants in 2009. You can see Lewis’ contract history and statistics here.
Pedro Martinez Rumors: negotiating with the Phillies
Posted by: | CommentsWill Gonzalez of ESPNdeportes.com says that pitcher Pedro Martinez and the Philadelphia Phillies are negotiating on a 2010 contract.
Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has acknowledged that both sides have been talking, however he noted that there was no urgency to sign Martinez, but that could change.
Pedro Martinez has been linked to the Mariners, Twins and Dodgers over the past few weeks. Mike Silverman of the Boston Globe mentioned that Martinez will begin a throwing program last week which coincides with Amaro mentioning that Martinez is unavailable to pitch now, but is in the process of training.
Martinez, 38, was 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in 9 games with the Phillies in 2009. He signed with the team in mid-season and intends to do the same thing this year. You can see Martinez’s contract history and statistics here.
Is Extended Spring Training Fair?
Posted by: | CommentsAfter C.C. Sabathia’s almost no-hitter, I felt it appropriate to discuss the reason in which he was able to start Saturday’s game. Because the New York Yankees had two off days within their first week of the season, they did not technically need a fifth starter until Thursday, April 15.
Phil Hughes beat out Joba Chamberlain for the fifth spot in the rotation, but it doesn’t seem like they were confident in him enough to take the hill in the first week of the season. Yankees Manager Joe Girardi said that Hughes pitching in two extended spring training games would allow the young right hander to stretch out and would effectively limit his innings.
For those not familiar with extended spring training, they are controlled games in which the manager can set up different situations for pitchers, not unlike an intra-squad game. For example, if Hughes had thrown 30 pitches in the second inning of his most recent extended spring start, the team can end the second inning so that he isn’t used as much.
However, Hughes is able to stay on the active roster all the while, and can be used in emergency situations. This is just one example, but is it fair, in this situation that Hughes can pitch, though it doesn’t count against his ERA, WHIP, or innings pitched?
Should teams be able to keep players active? If they want pitchers to get extra work, should they have to go to the minors and lose an option?
Jermaine Dye Rumors: Nationals made offer to OF
Posted by: | Comments4/12 10:15: Ladson adds that the Nationals made Dye a contract offer, but it wasn’t enough to uproot his family from Arizona to Washington.
One source close to the Nationals felt $4 million was a fair price for Dye.
4/12 12:06: Bill Ladson of MLB.com tweets, “I spoke to OF Jermaine Dye this afternoon. He said the Nats made him an offer, but it wasn’t enough to uproot his family.”
With the Spring release of Elijah Dukes, the Nationals have been linked to free agent Dye.
Dye was quoted last month saying, “I still feel like I’m a productive player and feel like I can contribute, but teams want me as a backup player,” Dye said in the Chicago Sun Times. ”I feel undervalued. I don’t think I have to go out there and prove anything. My numbers the last five or six years show I can help someone.”
Dye, 35, hit 27 home runs and drove in 81 RBIs in 2009. You can see Dye’s contract history and statistics here.
Twins christen new stadium with a win
Posted by: | CommentsToday the Twins officially opened their new home, Target Field with a 5-2 victory over Boston. With opening new stadiums comes the first home run, the first save and many other “first ” things. Here are a few firsts for all you die hard Twins fans. This was also the first time in franchise history that the Twins had won a stadium opener. When Minnesota opened Metropolitan Stadium in 1961, they fell to the Washington Senators, 5-3. In 1982, the Twins opened the Metrodome by losing to the Seattle Mariners, 11-7.
-1st home run- Jason Kubel (391 ft)
-1st hit- Marco Scutaro (single), 1st Twins hit Orlando Hudson (single)
-1st RBI- Michael Cuddyer (broken-bat single)
-1st save- Jon Rauch
-1st win- Carl Pavano
-1st strike out victim- David Ortiz
-1st error- we will have to wait until tomorrow to see who this first goes too.
Mother of Joba Chamberlain gets probation for selling 1 gram of Meth
Posted by: | CommentsThe mother of New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain has been sentenced to four years of probation according to the Lincoln Journal-Star (via the Associated Press). Jackie Standley is receiving the sentence for a felony drug change.
Standley was arrested last May for selling a gram of methamphetamine to an undercover officer in Lincoln Nebraska. She pleaded no contest last fall for the crime.
Chamberlain, played baseball for the University of Nebraska. Joba made $432,575 in 2009 and is on a one-year contract in 2010 and is expected to make $487,975. According to KCI.org, and anti-meth site, the cost of 1 gram of meth (in Texas) is $80.
