Rumors for August, 2010
Cleveland Indians sign Saul Rivera
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According to the Cleveland Indians’ transaction page, the team has signed right-handed reliever Saul Rivera and assigned him to Triple-A Columbus.
Rivera, 32, was 0-0 in 4 appearances with the Arizona Diamondbacks this season. He gave up 9 earned runs in 3 2/3 innings for a 22.09 ERA. Rivera was originally acquired by the Diamondbacks from the Indians in May, but was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks in June.
Update – Cody Ross awarded to SF Giants
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8/22 13:21: According to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, Ross has been awarded to the San Francisco Giants.
Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News says the Giants put in a claim to keep the San Diego Padres from acquiring the Marlins’ outfielder.
In the waiver process for this month, a team can make a claim on a player that has been placed on the waiver wire. In this case the Florida Marlins had the choice to revoke Ross from trade waivers, negotiate a deal with the Giants or just give the player away – which is what happened in this case.
Ross, 29, has been hitting .263/.315/.404 with 11 home runs and 58 RBIs this season. He is being paid $4.45 million this season (the Giants are responsible for about $1.1 million), and has one more year of salary arbitration eligibility after this year.
8/20 16:21: Corey Brock of MLB.com says the Padres don’t have much interest in Ross.
8/20 13:31: Sources close to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports say the San Francisco Giants were awarded the claim. They add, “The Braves, who long have had interest in Ross, did not get the claim. Neither did the Phillies.”
It isn’t clear whether the club actually wants Ross or claimed him to block other contending team from acquiring him.
8/20 11:53: According to a source close to Jayson Stark of ESPN, the Florida Marlins’ Cody Ross was claimed on waivers Thursday by an unspecified National League team. Starks adds that the Marlins are expected to explore a deal with the claiming team.
Based on Major League Baseball’s waiver rules, the Marlins and the claiming team have 48 hours from yesterday to work out a trade, otherwise the Marlins could revoke the waiver claim and keep Ross on the team.
Ross, 29, has been hitting .261/.312/.309 with 10 home runs and 55 RBIs for the Marlins this season.
Could the Tampa Bay Rays take a chance on Manny Ramirez?
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Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times wonders if the Tampa Bay Rays would be better with Manny Ramirez’s bat in their lineup?
Ramirez, 38, just came back from time on the disabled list due to a calf strain, and should the Los Angeles Dodgers concede the season, they could deal Ramirez via trade waivers. The outfielder has about $4 million due to him for the rest of the season.
Topkin points out that it isn’t an easy path for the Rays to acquire Ramirez even if they wanted. They would either hope he clears waivers, or they get awarded the waiver claim based on priority. And should they get through those hurdles, they need to hope that Ramirez would waive his no-trade clause.
Ramirez will be a free agent after the season, and many say that he would be better off playing an American League DH so that he can showcase his hitting skills without having to deal with the liability of his injuries in the outfield.
In 62 games this year, Ramirez is hitting .312/.404/.508 with 8 home runs and 39 RBIs.
Johnny Damon wants to return to Detroit Tigers even if he’s traded
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Tigers outfielder Johnny Damon wants to return to Detroit next season even if he’s traded before this year is up.
“I could still come back here next season,” Damon said.
According to Terry Foster of The Detroit News, Damon has been placed on waivers along with teammate Brandon Inge. If Damon is claimed, the Tigers could work out a deal with the claiming club.
If traded, Damon said he would tell his representatives to call Tigers president Dave Dombrowski and owner Mike Ilitch about returning.
“I like the direction this team is headed and I want to grow with it,” Damon said. “I know there are a bunch of young kids here, but I believe this team for years to come will have a chance to compete and win the Central Division. From there anything can happen when you make the playoffs. You have a chance to win the whole thing.”
“I like it here,” Damon added. “I have a bunch of friends that live in Detroit. Spring training (Lakeland, Fla.) is 45 minutes from home. There are a lot of benefits for me and hopefully I get to stay with this club. I love it so far. It is as simple as that.”
Damon signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Tigers before this season began. He’s currently hitting .271 with seven home runs and 39 RBIs.
HoF Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully to return for 2011 season
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8/22 09:41: According to the Dodgers twitter acount, Vin Scully will return next year. He will call all home games and all NL West road games to just as he did this year.
8/22 09:18:The voice of the Los Angeles and Brooklyn Dodgers for 61 years will announce his future plans before today’s game, according to T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times.
“I know what I am going to do and I would imagine the Dodgers will arrange things so an announcement can be made before [Sunday's] game,” said Scully, 82 “I’d like to do that so everyone hears it at the same time. It’s the proper way to do it.”
Simers said last season he hinted that he might retire after the 2010 campaign, but he wanted no part of a farewell tour. He said that that if he did decide to retire he probably would wait until the season was over before announcing it.
He’s cut back the road games beyond Colorado over the years – citing the loneliness of the road and life in a hotel room. There has been talk that Scully might be convinced to remain on the job longer if he did only home games.
Scully primarily has been the play-by-play voice of the Dodgers’ baseball teams on Prime Ticket, KCAL-TV and KABC radio. He called three World Series for NBC (1984, 1986 and 1988) including numerous Saturday Game of the Week, National League Championship Series and All-Star Game broadcasts.
Oakland Athletics interested in Carlos Peña or outfielder Carl Crawford this winter?
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The Oakland Athletics will have at least $22 million come off of their payroll next season, including Ben Sheets‘ $10 million and Eric Chavez’s $12 million, and Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle says the team may go after a big bat or two on the free-agent market this winter.
Two candidates the A’s could go after include Tampa Bay Rays’ first baseman Carlos Peña and outfielder Carl Crawford.
“The main thing is that I want to see how the season ends and how things work out with this team,” Crawford said. “I hope things go well, and if not, I’ll have to see what’s out there. (Oakland) does have good pitching. I’ll weigh a lot of things, but obviously I want to go somewhere where the team can win.”
Peña would consider returning to Oakland. “Of course. I don’t rule out anything like that, and I like the area.”
Lou Piniella will step down after today’s game
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According to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs’ manager Lou Piniella has announced that he will step down after today’s game. Wittenmyer adds that Piniella’s mother’s continued failing health is the reason for his decision.
Current third base coach, Mike Quade, will be the interim manager for the rest of the season. Quade will be a candidate for the long-term manager’s job, but bench coach Alan Trammell was told he would not be considered for the role.
He will finish his 23 year career as manager going 1835-1712. In the four seasons he was the manager of the Cubs he went 316-292. He took the Cubs to National League Divisional Series in 2007 and 2008.
Piniella has previously said that this will be his last year as a manager.
Dodgers acquire Rod Barajas from Mets
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Dodgers GM Ned Colletti refuses to wave the white flag on the season. According to the Dodgers official team twitter account, they have acquired (wavier claim) catcher Rod Barajas, from the Mets for cash considerations.
Barajas is an instant upgrade over the current catching platoon of Brad Ausmus and A.J. Ellis as Barajas has a slugging percentage of .414 and Ausmus and Ellis are both below .250.
In addition to finishing out the year with the Dodgers, Barajas could potentially be playing for a back up catching role for next year’s Dodger team. A role that is left vacant with the retiring of Ausmus at the end of the year.
VIDEO: Lights go out at Kansas City Royals game
Posted by: | CommentsAs you wake up and enjoy your electricity to power your refrigerator, coffee maker and other household appliances, have some sympathy for the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox who had to go through a minor power outage during the second game of their doubleheader header. Here’s the video:
Happy Sunday! Here are a few bits of news from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe to think about while you have your Sunday morning breakfast:
Cafardo wonders if the injured Jacoby Ellsbury is untradeable as a result of his rib fractures. “He’s obviously a terrific talent and one who is far more valuable to the Red Sox than anyone else, given the circumstances,’’ said an American League executive. “The Ellsbury of a couple of years ago would have been in demand. Now, you can’t justify dealing for a guy who didn’t play 20 games and ended the season injured.’’ Another AL official said teams would deal for him despite the lack of playing time.
Cafardo says the New York Mets may have to do something about manager Jerry Manuel. The team has committed about $140 million for next year already, and with the decline in attendance and murky finances, it will be unclear what GM Omar Minaya will do.
If Roger Clemens is convicted of the perjury charges and has to do prison time, Cafardo says that the Hall of Fame may have to wait or may not be there at all for the pitcher. Local attorney Harry Manion adds, “… 30 years of experience in this field tells me that Roger will be doing time — probably around a year — behind the wall.”
Cafardo wonder if the Atlanta Braves could be a possible suitor for Jonathan Papelbon in the off season.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre will decide around Labor Day whether he wants to manage again, but Cafardo says he’s not likely to stay with the Dodgers. Cafardo says the Cubs make sense.
Three executives Cafardo spoke to this week said Carlos Beltran of the New York Mets is worth trading for. One executive said, “His skills have declined a bit, given the wear and tear the injuries have taken, but he can still play at a pretty high level.’’
The Toronto Blue Jays have not put Scott Downs on trade waivers yet. They feel the longer they go with Downs not on waivers, the better the deal they can consummate before August 31.
If the Dodgers decide to move outfielder Matt Kemp, he should receive a great deal of interest this off season.
