Rumors for August, 2010
Rockies acquire RHP Manny Delcarmen for RHP Chris Balcom-Miller
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Alex Speier of WEEI tweets that the Boston Red Sox have traded right-handed pitcher Manny Delcarmen and cash to the Colorado Rockies for right-handed pitcher Chris Balcolm-Miller.
Delcarmen, 28, is 3-2 with a 4.70 ERA in 48 appearances for the Red Sox this season. He is under contract for this season for $905,000.
Balcom-Miller, 21, pitched for the Rockies’ Single-A Ashville team this season. He went 10-7 with a 2.72 ERA, 177 strikeouts, 29 walks in 30 careers starts for the Rockies’ Minor League system. He has been assigned to Single-A Greenville
| Team | Acquires |
| Colorado Rockies | RHP Manny Delcarmen
Cash |
| Boston Red Sox | RHP Chris Balcolm-Miller |
Colorado Rockies looking at Mariners Jose Lopez
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Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports says the Colorado Rockies may not be done finalizing their roster for a run at the playoffs. He says the team is looking at Seattle Mariners infielder Jose Lopez. The Rockies placed third baseman Ian Stewart on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique muscle and are in need of infield depth.
A source close to Rosenthal said he doubts the Rockies will actually land an infielder whether it is Lopez or another player.
The Philadelphia Phillies were looking “hard” at Lopez in mid-July, but ultimately passed on him.
Lopez, 26, is hitting .241/.273/.333 with 7 home runs and 48 RBIs. He will be a free agent after the season. There is a $4.5 million mutual option for Lopez in 2011.
Florida Marlins looking for a new catcher this offseason
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MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro says the Florida Marlins are strongly considering moving in another direction at catcher in the wake of Ronny Paulino’s recent 50 game suspension for violating MLB’s substance abuse policy.
Paulino is under team control, and could see a salary increase to $3 million for 2011, but the Marlins may be cautious about paying that much money to a player coming off a suspension.
The other internal option the Marlins have is John Baker, but he has been out with elbow issues since mid-May. He will likely undergo surgery on his right elbow.
Catchers the Marlins could go after this off-season include Bengie Molina, Jason Varitek, Victor Martinez, Rod Barajas, Yorvit Torrealba and A.J. Pierzynski. We talked earlier today about the Angels‘ Mike Napoli wanting more playing time, and with the Angels being likely crowded next season behind the plate, he could be a good fit for the Marlins.
Is Carlos Delgado’s experiment with Boston Red Sox over?
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Two-time All-Star first baseman Carlos Delgado has not played with the Boston Red Sox Triple-A pawtucket team since August 15, so you have to wonder if the experiment is over. According to Ron Chimelis of The Republican, Delgado’s hip problems are sidelining him and the “experiment looks doomed.”
However, according to Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal, PawSox manager Torey Lovulio says that his “gut feeling” is that Delgado will be ready to play soon.
“He’s taking it easy right now,” Lovullo said. “He’s getting his work done. … It’s typical soreness, expected soreness. It’s nothing, from any standpoint, that’s going to shut him down. It’s nothing from the (surgically) repaired area. It’s all just lower-back stiffness.”
Delgado was signed in early August to provide the Sox insurance at first base. He has been 3-for-13 since his return to professional baseball. Delgado, coming off arthroscopic surgery on his right hip, has not played since May 10, 2009. If he is not on the active roster by September 1, he can become a free agent.
Will Mike Napoli be a Los Angeles Angel in 2011? Revisit talks with Boston this winter?
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Although catcher-first baseman Mike Napoli is under team control through 2012, he isn’t too sure if he’ll be with the team next season, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.
Napoli said, “It could go either way; I’d say it’s 50-50.”
“I want to play every day,” Napoli continued. “I feel I could potentially help the team a lot by being in there every day. I just like to play. … I’m not in there again today.”
Napoli was almost traded to the Boston Red Sox on Monday, but the two teams could not come to an agreement after the Sox made a waiver claim on Napoli.
The Angels home run leader is clearly frustrated by his lack of playing time. “Yeah,” said Napoli, who shares catching duties with Jeff Mathis and the first base job with Juan Rivera. “I’m having one of the best years of my career, and I’m not playing much. I guess I don’t get it done on the defensive side. I have to clean things up.”
Despite leading the team in home runs he also leads the team with 108 strikeouts (7th most in the American League).
“I’m an Angel now,” Napoli said. “I want to help this team. I love everyone in this clubhouse. I don’t want to go anywhere else. I want to play. If there are other teams that want to give me an opportunity, I will always do my best.”
With the crowded catcher and first base positions in Los Angeles, it’s likely that the Angels could move Napoli in the off-season. They shouldn’t close the book with Boston given the uncertainty of Victor Martinez re-signing with the team.
Quiet Aug 31 trade deadline expected?
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Many people in the know, close to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated, expect this year’s August 31st deadline to be the quietest in years. Most executives expect that only a few bullpen and bench pieces will get moved before tonight’s midnight deadline to have player on your roster eligible for post season player.
“It’s not as very attractive list,” one AL GM said. “Most guys got claimed, even guys making money.”
Here are few highlights from Heyman:
- Some big names that could be available include starting pitcher Kevin Millwood of the Baltimore Orioles, but he brings a relatively high price tag.
- The San Diego Padres and New York Yankees are looking for starting pitching help.
- The Los Angeles Dodgers Ted Lilly was placed on waivers but the team considers themselves in the race so they are unlikely to trade him.
- Other available players include: Carlos Beltran, Geoff Blum, Craig Counsell, Edwin Encarnacion, Kelly Johnson, Adam LaRoche, Lyle Overbay, George Sherrill and Brian Tallet.
Could the Chicago White Sox sign Manny Ramirez in 2011?
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Although Manny Ramirez has yet to play one game for the Chicago White Sox, questions are already popping up as far as what he’ll do next year.
‘I go into this with an open mind,” Williams said. ”He is our DH right now. Let’s see how it goes; let’s see how he fits. Let’s see how we all end up and what we have to work with dollarwise next year. But that’s 2011. ‘Let’s worry about 2010 now’ is my message to everyone.”
Ramirez is a free agent after this season, and his future salary could come down to what he does for the White Sox this last month of the season. He’s been injured for much of this year, and because he’ll have the opportunity to get at-bats without being a defensive liability by playing DH, it may help him secure a decent deal this off-season.
He made $20 million this season, but given his lackluster year, it’ll be tough for him to find something that big. However, you can’t count out his agent, Scott Boras. Boras has been known to create value for his clients.
Information from Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times was used in this article.
Andruw Jones wants to play until 2015
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Chicago White Sox outfielder and designated, Andruw Jones, wants to bring his career to an even 20 years of service by playing five more years. He wants to start that journey by playing with the Sox at least for the 2011 season.
“Hopefully, I can be here because we have good chemistry going,” Jones told MLB.com (via Scott Merkin). “You know, I would love to play more [this season], but I knew when I signed my contract here, I know what my role was going to be.
I accepted it. I would like to be here again and be a part of the Chicago White Sox. Hopefully, we can finish strong and make the playoffs and get on a streak.”
Now that the White Sox have Manny Ramirez, it may be difficult for Jones to find playing time. Read More→
Jim Edmonds leaning towards retirement after the season
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After 17 Major League seasons, outfielder Jim Edmonds may retire after the 2010 season, according to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy.
“I’m leaning toward shutting it down and being a family man again,” Edmonds said. “I’ve made my mark. I’ve done as much as I can do as an everyday player.”
Edmonds was placed on the 15-day disabled list by the Cincinnati Reds last week with a strained oblique.
The veteran outfielder was acquired by the Reds from the Milwaukee Brewers earlier in August. While he does have a shot at making a post season run, he says he misses Milwaukee, and called his time with the Brewers, “the best part of my year.”
Edmonds, 40, is hitting .272/.337/.481 with 9 home runs and 21 RBIs in 82 games with the Brewers and Reds this season.
Update – Cincinnati Reds to call up Aroldis Chapman on Tuesday
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8/30 15:22: John Fayman of the Cincinnati Enquirer says the Reds have announced Aroldis Chapman will be called up for Tuesday’s game. He’ll be eligible for the post-season roster should the Reds make the playoffs.
8/29 18:51: According to a Cincinnati Reds source close to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, the Cincinnati Reds will call up Aroldis Chapman on Monday or Tuesday.
It’s been widely believed that the Reds would call up their left-handed phenom when the rosters on September 1st.
The left-handed pitcher signed a six-year, $30 million contract with the Reds last January with the intention of him being a future ace of the franchise. Chapman has been used as a starter in Triple-A Louisville this season. He’ll likely pitch as a reliever this season, and over time he’ll be transitioned to a starting pitcher.
