Rumors for August, 2010
Jacoby Ellsbury is probably out for the season – Could Manny Ramirez return to Red Sox?
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A source close to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com said that Boston Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury has another fractured rib, and he “probably” will miss the rest of the season.
Edes adds that it is not immediately clear if the injury is related to the five ribs Ellsbury fractured in a collision earlier this season, but it is possible that a rib has been refractured. He was hurt in a collision with Texas pitcher Tommy Hunter in the first inning on Friday in a game in Texas.
Red Sox manager Terry Francona offered a few details about Ellsbury’s condition.
“Nothing official,” Francona said. “I just talked to Dr. Tom Gill a minute ago. He said they’re planning on talking tomorrow morning. I think Ells was grabbing the red-eye home. I think the plan was to meet with him tomorrow and get everybody involved and assess what the plan is. Nothing official tonight.” Read More→
Ty Wigginton and Luke Scott will not be traded this season
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Potential trade chips Ty Wigginton and Luke Scott did not clear waivers and cannot be traded for the remainder of this season.
According to industry sources close to Dan Connolly and Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun, both Wigginton and Scott were claimed by other clubs and pulled back by the Baltimore Orioles. The team could put them back onto waivers, but they wouldn’t be able to revoke them should a team make a claim.
Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said it was “highly unlikely” that the club will make any trades this month.
Los Angeles Dodgers release RHP Claudio Vargas
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According to the Pacific Coast League transaction page, the Los Angeles Dodgers have released RHP Claudio Vargas.
The Dodgers signed Vargas in mid-June after the Milwaukee Brewers released him.
Vargas was with the Dodgers in 2009 before he was traded to the Brewers in July for catcher Vinny Rottino. Vargas was 1-0 with a 7.32 ERA in 17 appearances for the Brewers this season.
New York Mets to put Francisco Rodriguez on disqualified list
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The New York Mets have placed closer Francisco Rodriguez on the disqualified list, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The team will now attempt to make the remainder of his contract non-guaranteed. Rodriguez has approximately $3.1 million due to him this season and $11.5 million due to him next season for a total of $14.6 million.
Yesterday, Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated reported that the Mets were trying to void Rodriguez’s contract.
The team is trying to see if they can void what’s left of the $37 million, three-year contract based on Francisco Rodriguez injuring himself outside the course of play.
Rodriguez suffered thumb ligament damage during a fight with his girlfriend’s father. The right-handed pitcher was eventually charged with assault in the case.
Rodriguez’s salary is $11.5 million in 2010 and also in 2011. He has a $17.5 million vesting option for 2012 with a $3.5 million buyout. That option vests with 100 games finished in 2010 and 2011 combined or 55 games finished in ‘11, so it’s unlikely the option would go into affect anyway.
Texas Rangers sign INF Alex Cora
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Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets that the Texas Rangers have signed infielder Alex Cora and have assigned him to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Cora was released by the New York Mets last week. The thirty-four year old was hitting .207/.265/.278 in 62 games with the Mets this season.
San Francisco Giants release Todd Wellemeyer
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8/17 13:29: Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports tweets that the San Francisco Giants have asked for unconditional waivers on Wellemeyer.
8/9 15:53: According to the San Francisco Giants’ official Twitter account, the team has designated Todd Wellemeyer for assignment in order to make room for infielder Emmanuel Burriss.
Wellemeyer, 31, was 3-5 with a 5.68 ERA in 13 games (11 starts) for the Giants this season.
Cincinnati Reds designate Micah Owings for assignment
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According to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Reds have designated Micah Owings for assignment to make room for newly signed draft pick Yasmani Grandal.
Houston Astros will explore the signing of Barret Loux
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Brian McTaggart of MLB.com says the Houston Astros will explore the possibility of signing right-handed pitcher Barret Loux.
“We got notification from the Commissioner’s Office that the contract was voided and he’s a free agent, and we’ll do our due diligence and look into what was involved and the circumstances to led to free agency and go from there,” Astros general manager Ed Wade said. “We just now go the information and we’re trying to sort through the next step.”
Loux, will officially be granted free agency on September 1st. He was originally drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first-round (6th overall) in the 2010 June First-Year player draft, but went unsigned. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports said that Loux has a tear in his labrum, a shoulder injury that has ended careers. His elbow also shows signs of eventually needing Tommy John surgery.
Pittsburgh Pirates are strong favorites to land 16 y.o. Luis Heredia
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Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the Pirates are a strong favorite to land Mexican 16-year-old right-hander Luis Heredia.
No formal offers can be entertained by Heredia’s Veracruz team until Thursday per the declaration by the Mexican Baseball League. The Pirates likely won’t be alone in the pursuit of the right-hander. Kovacevic says the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves all scouted Heredia pitching in a tournament for players age 15-16 last week in Mazatlan, Mexico. It won’t be cheap for any of the teams. Some reports have Heredia’s bonus value in the $2 million – $2.8 million range.
Kovacevic points out that the Pirates are heavily invested in the youngster:
- The team has been scouting him since he was 13 years old.
- The team’s Mexican scouting supervisor, Jesus Valdez has known Heredia since he was give and has become a father figure in Heredia’s life.
- The Pirates have close ties to Heredia’s club, Veracruz. Kovacevic says, “In Mexico, a professional team selling a player’s rights keeps 75 percent of the bonus, with the other 25 percent going to the player.”
San Francisco Giants blocking third basemen in waiver process?
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Buster Olney of ESPN says that there is a perception among some general managers that the San Francisco Giants are trying to prevent third basemen from reaching the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves in the waiver process.
Right now players need to clear waivers in order for teams to freely negotiate trade deals. Players such as Geoff Blum of the Houston Astros and Craig Counsell of the Milwaukee Brewers are two such players that can traded freely since they both cleared waivers. Olney reported that both players cleared waivers yesterday. (Confused? Check out our guide on making trades this month here.)
Both the Cardinals and Braves are short in third base depth due to injuries to starters David Freese and Chipper Jones, respectively. The Cardinals are said to have Detroit Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge on their radar.
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports said the Cardinals asked about Counsell, but backed off.
