Rumors for August, 2010
Gregg Zaun Retirement Rumors: Brewers catcher still wants to play in 2011
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Despite having surgery on his right shoulder for torn labrum, Milwaukee Brewers catcher Gregg Zaun wants to play in 2011, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Journel-Sentinel. Haudricourt says Zaun is still recovering from surgery, but he’ll be ready to play physically next season.
Zaun’s injury dates back to April of this season, and there were thoughts of him retiring at the time.
Zaun, 39, is in his 16th season in the Major Leagues. Before he went down to injury this season, he was hitting .265/.350/.392 with 2 home runs and 14 RBIs in 28 games for the Brewers. There is a team option for one-year and $2.25 million for the 2011 season. He made $1.4 million for 2010 plus a $500,000 signing bonus.
Update – No deal to trade Mike Napoli from Angels to Red Sox
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8/29 14:14: According to a source close to Alex Speier of WEEI says the Red Sox and the Angels did not reach an agreement to trade catcher Mike Napoli despite the Sox being awarded a waiver claim.
A second source close to Speier said the Angels were “not really looking to move” Napoli right now.
8/29 17:21: The Angels will likely pull Napoli back as they can create more of a trade market for him over the winter, a league source told John Tomase of the Boston Herald. The Red Sox had interest in Napoli but also needed to put a claim in to block the Rays from obtaining him.
8/29 14:50: According to ESPN’s Joe McDonald, the Boston Red Sox have claimed Mike Napoli. McDonald adds that is is unlikely the Red Sox will complete a deal.
8/28 23:01: Major League sources close to FOXSports.com say that Los Angeles Angels catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli was claimed on trade waivers by an unknown team. The Angels and the claiming team now have until Monday afternoon to work out a deal.
Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports says the team is probably another American League club. Possible candidates include the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and the Texas Rangers. All of those teams could use help at catcher, first base and/or designated hitter.
Since the return of catcher Jeff Mathis from the disabled list in June, Napoli has spent more time at first base.
Napoli is earning $3.6 million this season and is on track to be a free agent after the 2012 season. He is hitting .249 with 21 home runs and 60 RBIs in 112 games.
Colorado Rockies sign RHP Luis Ayala to Minor League contract
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According to the Pacific Coast League transaction page, the Colorado Rockies have signed right-handed pitcher Luis Ayala to a Minor League contract and assigned him to the Colorado Spring Sky Sox.
Ayala was with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization earlier this season when he signed a Minor League deal in May, but he never made it to the big league club.
The right-handed relief pitcher, 32, has not pitched in the Major Leagues in 2010. He has a career 29-39 record with a 3.67 ERA in 6 seasons with the Expos, Nationals, Mets, Twins and Marlins.
Orlando Hernandez 2010 comeback attempt may be over
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Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez was signed to a Minor League deal by the Washington Nationals in early July, but it looks like any attempts to comeback this season are over. According to Geoff Morrow of the The Patriot-News, the 44-year-old Hernandez is heading home to Miami to contemplate his future in baseball and perhaps await an offer from another team.
Hernandez joined the Harrisburg Senators, and after three weeks of pitching out of the Harrisburg’s bullpen he decided to call it quits.
“We didn’t want him to leave, but he felt like it was in his best interest,” Nationals director of player development Doug Harris said. “He was a great teammate, a class guy and a tremendous professional.”.
Sources close to Morrow said Hernandez left in part because the Nationals did not give him a Major League opportunity despite helping the organization’s highly touted Cuban pitcher Yunesky Maya earlier this summer.
Hernandez had a record of 1-1 with a 1.86 ERA in six appearances over 9.2 innings. His departure coincidentally occurred on the same day his brother, Livan Hernandez, signed a contract extension for 2012 with the Nationals.
Roger Clemens pleads not guilty to purjury charges
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The Associated Press reports that former Major League right-handed pitcher Roger Clemens has entered a not guilty plea Monday to charges of lying to Congress about whether he used steroids or human growth hormones.
If convicted, Clemens could face up to 30 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine in addition to damages to his reputation, future earning potential and chances of getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
In 24 seasons with the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Houston Astros, Clemens was 354-184 with a 3.12 ERA.
Manny Ramirez is officially moved to Chicago White Sox
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USA Today’s Bob Nightengale says via Twitter that the deal between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox for Manny Ramirez is official. Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated confirms that is it a straight waiver claim with no prospects involved. The White Sox will pay the $3.8 million left on Ramirez’s salary with no compensation to the Dodgers.
Ramirez was placed on waivers by the Dodgers on August 25. At that time, it was widely known that the Chicago White Sox were interested in the outfielder. Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times was the first to report that an unknown team made a claim on Ramirez on August 27. A source close to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan was the first to report the Chicago White Sox were awarded the claim with ESPN’s Jayson Stark confirming it.
Ramirez, 38, is hitting .313/.407/.513 in 64 games with the Dodgers this season.
Conflicting reports on Manny Ramirez trade waiver situation?
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There are a few conflicting reports on the Manny Ramirez trade waiver situation. In near simultaneous tweets:
The White Sox say no deal has yet been finalized for Manny, meaning that this may not be a waiver claim, after all. (Bob Nightengale, USA Today)
Dodgers sending Manny to #WhiteSox on strict waiver claim. WSox take all $3.8M. LA gets no players back. More to come at ESPN.com (Jayson Stark, ESPN)
The teams talked about scenarios where #Dodgers would have paid up to $1.5M of contract depending on prospect they got. Never agreed on that (Jayson Stark, ESPN)
FWIW (for what it’s worth), Manny Ramirez’s info is not in today’s White Sox game notes at this time (Scott Merkin, MLB.com)
So stay tuned as we find out more.
Jim Thome to trigger $100,000 at-bat bonus with 21 more at-bats
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Jim Thome could trigger a $100,000 bonus in time for his 40th birthday by registering his 250th at-bat of the season. According to the Pioneer Press, Thome who has a one-year, $1.5 million contract for 2010 with the Minnesota Twins can make another $100,000 if he gets 21 more at-bats. The left-handed hitting slugger is currently sitting at 229 at-bats.
Agents often have incentive bonuses placed in contracts where both the team and the team will gain mutual benefit. Thome, now in the twilight of his career, can still continue his career with a low base salary which appeases the team who may be reluctant to sign him, but he can earn an upside bonus should he exceed expectations. These incentive bonuses are not limited to the players at the end of their career. Some players get bonuses based on winning MVP or Cy Young Awards, or finishing games as a pitcher or accumulating certain number of plate appearances as a hitter. The Twins could also be stingy and not play Thome for the rest of the year, but that’s unlikely unless he gets hurt.
Thome is currently .266/.391/.585 with 18 home runs and 45 RBIs in his only season with the Twins. The future Hall-of-Famer has publicly said that he would like to be back with the Twins in the future.
“I would love to stay,” he said in May. “It’s a great place, the people, the organization, the guys, the clubhouse. It’s been wonderful. I’ve had a blast.”
Colorado Rockies looking for a reliever?
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The Colorado Rockies sit 4 1/2 games out in the Wild Card and it looks like they may be on the look out for relief help to make a run. According to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated, the Rockies are looking for a relief pitcher. Heyman adds that they may settle for a “change-of-scenery” type of reliever.
Last week, Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun said pitchers Jason Frasor, Scott Downs, Kevin Gregg and Shawn Camp of the Toronto Blue Jays did not clear waivers. It still is unknown which team or teams were awarded the waiver claim. Unless the Rockies were one of the claiming teams, it’s unlikely that they will be able to acquire of the Jays’ pitchers.
The Chicago White Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies are also known to be actively looking for relief pitching. The deadline to set your postseason rosters is August 31st, so teams have a little more than 24 hours to make the moves to get them into the playoffs.
Marlon Byrd wants Chicago Cubs to go after Adam Dunn in off-season
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Chicago Cubs center fielder Marlon Byrd is making it public that he wants GM Jim Hendry and the team to go after Adam Dunn this winter, according to ESPN’s Bruce Levine.
“Definitely. You know the guys we’ve lost this year,” Byrd said. “Quality guys like [Ted] Lilly [traded to the Dodgers] and [Derrek Lee [traded to the Braves]. You’re thinking you have to replace those guys. Our clubhouse is good, but we need some athletes out there. I have an idea who they should bring in, the type of players. I think I have an idea of who to bring in to help us win.”
Dunn, currently wrapping up a two-year, $20 million contract with the Washington Nationals has been in talks with his current employer about a potential contract extension, but nothing is imminent. GM Mike Rizzo said he and Dunns’ agents are in communication and continue to discuss a possible deal. If the Nationals offer Dunn arbitration and he declines and they don’t sign him, they will receive two compensatory draft choices.
Last week Dunn mentioned that he likes Chicago and Wrigley Field, and the Cubs are looking for a first baseman, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the two sides talk this winter.
Levine adds the Cubs need more athleticism and left-handed run production. A lead-off man should be a top priority for the team as well.
