Rumors for August, 2010
Scouting Report on RHP Robinson Lopez, RHP Ty’Relle Harris and LHP Jeffrey Lorick
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Here’s a quick scouting report on the three pitchers the Chicago Cubs acquired in today’s Derrek Lee. I’ll add more as more information becomes available:
Robinson Lopez: He’s a 6-foot-2, 190 pound 19-year-old right-handed pitcher from the Dominican Republic. Lopez is 3-8 with a 4.37 ERA for the Low Single-A Rome Braves with a 6.80 SO/9 and 1.37 WHIP.
According to ScoutingTheSally.com, he has showed elite velocity (mid-90’s fastball) and the ability to handle older competition. He works quickly at attacking hitters with a fastball and he can work on either side of the plate. He mixes in the curveball when ahead in the count and rarely throws the changeup in game action.
He has a problem working out from the stretch and his tempo slow significantly with men on base.
Curveball is at 76-78MPH and has a good feel for his changeup.
Ty’Relle Harris: 23-year-old right-handed pitcher who pitched for the University of Tennesee. He’s a big guy at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds. He is a combined 1-2 with a 2.90 ERA in 30 appearances (1 start) in the Minors this season. He has a 10.87 SO/9 and 1.21 WHIP.
Jeff Sullivan of the SBNation says that Harris has a career upside in middle relief.
Harris was accused of assault and vandalism charges while a sophomore pitcher at the University of Pacific in January 2007 and was kicked off the team, according to CBS13 news. The report says that he slapped an 18-year-old female UOP student then broke her house window. Given the information at hand, it’s unknown if he was found guilty of the crime. One reader at Bleed Cubbie Blue found an article by Jason Anderson of the Record.
Harris, speaking publicly for the first time in an exclusive interview with The Record late Monday night, said he received stitches in his hand and wrist after several of the woman’s friends “jumped” him during a party at a north Stockton home.
“The girl got in my face, we started arguing back and forth, and then she slapped me,” Harris said. “All her guy friends jumped on me, and it became a brawl right away. She’s still right there in my face, and I’m just fighting. I’m flailing and swinging and trying to get guys off me, and she got hit with an open hand. I just hit her out of the way.”
Harris combined for a no-hitter in early August when he three 3 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked one in his Double-A debut.
Jeffrey Lorick: 22-year-old left-handed pitcher who pitched for the University of Viginia. Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 20th round (598th overall) of the 2009 draft. In 2010, he is a combined 3-6 with a 2.24 ERA in 27 appearances for both the Myrtle Beach and Rome Minor League teams. He has a 7.39 SO/9 and a 1.22 WHIP.
Jeff Sullivan of SBNation says that Lorick “doesn’t have a ton of raw stuff and, as a collegiate arm, has been putting up just average numbers against younger competition.”
When he was drafted by the Braves in 2009, he had a low-90’s fastball.
Rotoworld.com says that Lorick is “far from a “top-of-the-line” pitching prospect at this point.
| Team | Acquires |
| Atlanta Braves | 1B Derrek Lee Cash |
| Chicago Cubs | RHP Robinson Lopez RHP Tyrelle Harris LHP Jeffrey Lorick |
Chicago Cubs trade Derrek Lee to Atlanta Braves for 3 prospects
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8/18 14:25: Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports reports that the deal is done. The Chicago Cubs have traded Derrek Lee and cash to Atlanta Braves for right-handed pitchers Robinson Lopez, Ty’Relle Harris and left-handed pitcher Jeffrey Lorick. All three pitchers were prospects in the Atlanta Braves farm system with no Major League experience.
| Team | Acquires |
| Atlanta Braves | 1B Derrek Lee Cash |
| Chicago Cubs | RHP Robinson Lopez RHP Ty’Relle Harris LHP Jeffrey Lorick |
8/18 14:22: Mark Bowman of MLB.com says the Braves and the Cubs are in the final stages of the deal. Multiple sources are confident the trade will be completed within the next hour or two.
8/18 14:19: Derrek Lee will hold a press conference after the Cubs game, according to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Lee did not play in today’s Cub’s game versus San Diego.
8/18 14:15: David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says a deal for Lee is “imminent.” He adds, it’s “Just a matter of being announced.”
8/18 13:14: Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated tweets, “derrek lee cleared waivers and can be traded.” Keep in mind that he can still veto petential trades.
8/18 10:10: According to David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com, the Chicago Cubs are close to trading first baseman Derrek Lee to the Atlanta Braves. Bob Nightengale of USA Today says the deal will finalize this afternoon and Troy Glaus will move to the bench.
The trade was first discussed on Sunday evening between the two teams.
“There’s no reason to speculate,” Cubs manager Lou Piniella said Wednesday morning. “We just have to see what happens. But I wouldn’t put that much credence in rumors until something happens – or (doesn’t). I have no idea.
Lee has 10-5 rights (10 years in the Major Leagues and the last 5 years with the same team) so he has the right to reject a trade. However, sources close to Kaplan says that Lee would be willing to approve a trade because the Braves are leading their division, and it would give him the best shot at winning another World Series ring. Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports adds via Twitter that “Lee has signaled willingness to waive no-trade rights.”
Tampa Bay Rays sign RHP Ramon Ortiz
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According to the International League Transaction Page, the Tampa Bay Rays signed right-handed pitcher Ramon Ortiz and assigned him to Triple-A Durham.
Ortiz, 37, pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers this year before he was designated for assignment at the end of May. He signed with the New York Mets and was assigned to their Triple-A Buffalo team at the end of May. He was 1-2 with a 6.30 ERA in 16 appearances (2 starts) for the Dodgers this year.
Dodgers manager Joe Torre done after the season?
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Four World Series rings as a manager, 14 straight post season appearances, a virtual lock for the Hall of Fame and millions of dollars in the bank – so does Los Angeles Dodgers’ manager Joe Torre call it quits after this year?
Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports says he won’t be surprised if Torre walks away when the season is over.
Torre is in the final year of his contract, and he has a decision to make as to whether or not he wants to continue doing what he does best or spend time with his 14-year-old daughter.
“I’m 70 years old,” Torre says. “That certainly plays a part in your decision-making. I want to do other things, even though I like doing what I’m doing. While I have the energy, I want to do other things.”
“It certainly isn’t easy to walk away from. It’s an exciting line of work. But there’s a time when you have to do it.” Read More→
Milwaukee Brewers’ Craig Counsell open to trade to contender
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On Monday, Buster Olney of ESPN said that infielder Craig Counsell cleared trade waivers meaning the Milwaukee Brewers were free to negotiate a trade with any team.
Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel says that Counsell is open to a trade to a contending club.
“As you get older, you want to win,” said Counsell. “If you don’t know how many years you’ve got left, the chance to be a part of that is what we want.
“I don’t think I need to tell anybody I’m happy here. So, it’s not that. When you don’t have many years left, the possibility of doing that again (is enticing).”
Brewers’ GM Doug Melvin promised to clear any trade with Counsell before agreeing to it.
Counsell, 40 this week, is hitting .246/.317/.305 this year. He has about $400,000 left on his $2.1 million contract.
Josh Willingham has a “strong desire” to sign a long-term deal with the Nationals
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Washington Nationals’ outfielder Josh Willingham’s season is likely over due to an injury to the miniscus in his left knee, according to Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post.
“It’s almost a certainty he’s going to have season-ending surgery next week,” said Matt Sosnick, Willingham’s agent. “They want him to clean it up so he can come in fresh for the season next year.”
With that said, he’ll have the surgery, then go into the six-to-eight weeks of rehab so he’ll be ready for 2011 which happens to be his final year of salary arbitration before he becomes a free agent. He could test the waters, but his agent says that he wants to stay in Washington for the long-run. Read More→
Diamondbacks 1B Adam LaRoche clears waivers
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John Gambadoro of 620 KTAR in Phoenix, says that Diamondbacks’ first baseman Adam LaRoche has cleared waivers and can be traded to any team. Gambadoro adds that no deals are close.
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports said last month that the Diamondbacks would like to move LaRoche. At the time, the San Francisco Giants were “intrigued” about the possibility of acquiring LaRoche.
New York Yankees not expected to make trades before the end of the month
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Despite injuries to Andy Pettitte and Alex Rodriguez and the inconsistencies of the other players on the roster, don’t expect the New York Yankees to make any trades before the August 31st deadline to set playoff rosters.
“I’m not anticipating any more moves,” GM Brian Cashman said. “I think this is the team we’ve got and we’re looking forward to playing the string out and seeing where it takes us. Obviously, everybody in this game would like to be healthy. But that’s part of the game, not being healthy and dealing with it.”
Last week one Yankee told Kevin Kernan of the New York Times that the team needs another bat. Read More→
New York Mets still want Francisco Rodriguez back next season
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Despite placing closer Francisco Rodriguez on the disqualified list, New York Mets GM Omar Minaya said that the team wants him back next season, according to Mike Battaglino of the New York Post.
Rodriguez was placed on the disqualified list on Tuesday due to the assault on his girlfriends’ father, Carlos Pena, last week. So what’s the difference between the disqualified list and the disabled list? By using the disqualified list versus the disabled list, the Mets will not have to pay Rodriguez the $3 million he is owed for the rest of the season. Rodriguez will not be paid nor will he accrue Major League service time.
The Mets can reactivate Rodriguez “when we deem him able to perform services,” according to owner Jeff Wilpon, and “doctors are hopeful that he will be ready for spring training.”
Battaglino says,”A succesful conversion of the contract to non-guaranteed status would allow the Mets to cut Rodriguez before next season without owing him his remaining salary. The major-league players union likely will contest the maneuver.”
“The Mets’ actions are without basis and I expect the union will challenge them right away,” MLBPA chief Mike Weiner said.
New York Yankees sign 16 y.o. Dominican SS – Christopher Tamarez
Posted by: | CommentsBen Badler of Baseball America reports that the New York Yankees have signed 16-year-old Dominican shortstop Christopher Tamarez for $650,000.
Tamarez, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound right-handed hitter played in the Dominican Prospect League. He was considered on of the better overall athletes in Latin America this year.
The Baseball America scouting report says (subscription required):
One of the better athletes in Latin America is Tamarez, who plays in the Dominican Prospect League. He hit well in the league but some scouts say he stands out more for his tools and projectable, wiry body. Tamarez, 16, runs well and has a solid-average arm, and while he’s still cleaning up his defense he has a chance to remain at shortstop. He also has potential at the plate and has the size to project for average power as he fills out.
