Rumors for August, 2010
Carlos Zambrano wants to remain a Chicago Cub
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Carlos Zambrano is not quite ready to leave the North Side of Chicago yet.
According to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com, when Zambrano was asked what the team may have in store for him, he said, “I don’t know. But it’s my option. I don’t want to leave Chicago. I want to be successful here. I want to help this team, like I always say, be in the pennant race.”
Zambrano has a full no-trade clause in his contract, so the Cubs would need full permission from him in order to trade him. Zambrano has previously said that he would allow the team to trade him in the future.
“I don’t want to leave,” Zambrano said. “And I don’t think I will leave.”
Just before the July 31st trade deadline, the Mets offered Luis Castillo and pitcher Oliver Perez to the Chicago Cubs for Carlos Zambrano. The Cubs declined the offer.
The big right-hander has about $45 million left on his contract, so it’s likely the Cubs would need to throw in cash should they find a team that would like to take on Zambrano.
Colorado Rockies designate Brad Hawpe for assignment
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In an expected move, the Colorado Rockies have designated outfielder Brad Hawpe for assignment, according to Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post. Hawpe hit a single in a pinch hitting appearance for the Rockies on Wednesday night.
Several teams could pursue the 31-year-old. The Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox or Texas Rangers could be potential destinations for Hawpe.
Unless the Rockies can trade him, the team will be responsible for nearly $2.2 million for the rest of the season. He has a $10 million club option for 2011 with a $500,000 buyout.
Omar Vizquel not ready to retire – wants to play in 2011
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43-year-old future Hall of Fame infielder Omar Vizquel is not ready to hang up the cleats just yet. When Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times asked if he has one more season left, this is what Vizquel said:
“I think it would be sad that if at the end of the season I look back, look at my year, and say, ‘Man, I don’t think I can do this anymore.’ Taking a look at the numbers and the things that I have done this year, it will give me a good possibility to come back next year and try and see if a team is interested in wanting me again.”
In 73 games this year for the Chicago White Sox, Vizquel is hitting .288/.355/.347. Since he’s regularly been playing a third base since Mark Teahen went down with an injured broken right middle finger, Vizquel has hit .301 in 57 games. Not bad for somebody that contemplated retiring after this year.
“I’m not surprised,” Vizquel replied, when asked if he was shocked he’s still producing. “Everybody knows the things I’m capable of doing. I think I prepare every year to do this, to stay healthy, stay in shape, try and keep my body up for the challenge.
“I feel pretty good and I like the way things are going right now.”
Jayson Stark of ESPN surveyed two longtime baseball executives to see how movable Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs and Carlos Beltran of the New York Mets are. Here’s what they said:
ZAMBRANO
EXEC NO. 1 — “The only way is if they eat most of it, because he’s just not the same guy they gave the big money to. I still think he’s a starter, but he’s just a back-of-the-rotation guy. He’s no $18 million starter. He doesn’t have any pitch now that’s an above-average pitch. So I’d take maybe $3-4 million, but that’s all.”
EXEC NO. 2 — “Nobody is going to take that. I don’t care if they ate all but $1 million. Then you’re still paying a million bucks for a middle man, because that’s all this guy is now. What’s most amazing to me is how he can start the game throwing 87-88 [mph]. And then, all of a sudden, he’ll throw three pitches at 94, and then go right back to throwing 87-88. So either he’s reaching back for 94 or he’s not reaching forward enough the rest of the game.”
BELTRAN
EXEC NO. 1 — “I’d be damned if I’d ever give that guy a long-term deal. But I’d take him for one year, for that final run for a [new] contract. They may have to move him to an American League team — let him play some and DH some. But a guy like that, in his final year, I think they can move. They pay $8 million and I go $10 million? I think they could move him if it was something like that.”
EXEC NO. 2 — “Trading Carlos Beltran is impossible. Impossible. Maybe if they eat $16½ million, but you’d have to really eat it down to have any shot, just because this guy hasn’t played. And the other thing is, every time he comes back and does play, the team seems to go right down the tubes.”
New York Mets to part with Rod Barajas?
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The New York Mets are preparing to activate catcher Rod Barajas from the disabled list today, so now the team will face a decision over how long to retain three catchers. According to a Major League source close to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, the Mets had placed Barajas on waivers. Another team could now claim him or facilitate a trade for the veteran catcher. Martino adds that Barajas is not likely to return to the Mets next season.
Barajas, 34, is hitting .228/.266/.419 with 12 home runs in 73 games for the Mets this year. He signed a one-year, $500,000 contract with the Mets this past Winter.
Joe Torre to manage in New York in 2011? But with the Mets?
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One friend of Los Angeles Dodgers’ manager Joe Torre predicts that that Torre will retire and continue to live in Southern California because his family loves the L.A. lifestyle. However, two baseball men close to Jayson Stark of ESPN says they both expect Torre to manage again… in New York, but not with the Yankees. They expect him to be the manager of the Mets.
“Personally,” said one baseball man who has known Torre for decades, “I think he’ll be the Mets’ manager. New York is the place if he’s going to work anywhere after this year. And he’d be perfect for the Mets because he’d be their way to sweep everything under the rug.”
Torre, 70, was the manager of the New York Mets from 1977-1981. In his five years with the Mets he never compiled a winning season.
Torre is in the final year of his contract with the Dodgers and many believe that he will retire.
Last week, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com said the Dodgers’ manager will announce his plans for next season the Dodgers’ clinch a post season berth or are eliminated from playoff contention.
San Diego Padres to sign OF Jody Gerut
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Tom Krasovic of AOL FanHouse says (via Twitter) that the San Diego Padress will sign outfielder Jody Gerut to a Triple-A Minor League contract.
Gerut was released by the Milwaukee Brewers on August 13. He had been on the disabled list since May 23 due to a heel injury.
The 32-year-old outfielder was hitting .197/.230/.366 with 2 home runs in 32 games for the Brewers this season. He hit for the cycle on May 8th of this season against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Roger Clemens to be indicted for Perjury in Doping Testimony
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According to two people who were briefed on the matter and close to Michael S. Schmidt of The New York Times, federal authorities have decided to indict Roger Clemens on charges of making false statements to Congress about his use of performance enhancing drugs.
The indictment comes nearly two and half years after Clemens and his former trainer Brian McNamee testified under oath at a hearing before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, directly contracted each other about whether Clemens had used the banned substances.
Clemens, 48, last pitched in 2007 with the Yankees. He has a lifetime record of 354-184 with a 3.12 ERA in 24 seasons with the Yankees, Astros, Blue Jays and Red Sox.
St. Louis Cardinals acquire 3B Pedro Feliz
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Alyson Footer of MLB.com tweets that the St. Louis Cardinals have acquired third baseman Pedro Feliz and from the Houston Astros in exchange for pitcher David Carpenter.
The Cardinals were in need of third base depth to compensate for the injury to David Freese.
| Team | Acquires |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 3B Pedro Feliz Cash |
| Houston Astros | RHP David Carpenter |
Feliz, 35, was hitting .222/.244/.312 with 4 home runs with the Astros. He signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Astros in December
Carpenter, 25, was originally a 12th round (376th overall) pick of the Cardinals in the June 2006 First-Year Player Draft. He was originally a catcher, but was converted to a pitcher in the middle of 2008. He was named the 2009 Quad Cities River Bandits Pitcher of the Year (Single-A Midwest League). Carpenter is 5-3 with a 2.36 ERA for Palm Beach Cardinals, the High-A team in the Florida State League. Ben Badler of Baseball America says Carpenter is a fringy/org-type reliever with a 91-95 mph fastball and a below average breaking ball.
Update – Red Sox sign catcher Adalberto Ibarra
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8/19 06:20: According to Alex Speier of WEEI.com, the Red Sox officially signed catcher Adalberto Ibarra. Ibarra ended up signing a minor league deal for a bonus in line with a late-sandwich pick in the draft, between $700,000 and $800,000.
He had originally agreed to terms on a five-year major league deal with a guarantee of $3 million and incentives that could push the value of the deal to $4.3 million. But the catcher, who defected from Cuba last year, failed his physical in late June due to what was deemed a relatively minor issue, but significant enough that the Sox were not comfortable with a major league deal with the prior parameters.
Still, both sides wanted to work out a deal, resulting in the restructured contract. Ibarra, whose bat speed and plate discipline give him a chance to be an above-average offensive catcher.
4/26 10:40: According to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe, the Boston Red Sox have signed catcher Adalberto Ibarra to a Major League contract worth $4.3 million.
Abraham adds that Ibarra, 22, is a left-handed hitter and is projected to be better than any current Red Sox catching prospect. He will be placed on the 40-man roster as soon as he signs.
