Rumors for August, 2010
Update – Manny Ramirez claimed on waivers by Chicago White Sox
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8/27 13:35: Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said, “Not inclined to move anyone so long as we have a chance,” according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
8/27 12:02: Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated tweets, “at least 3 teams decided manny was worth $4.1 mil (w/ some deferred) for 1 month. will be interesting to see what he gets as FA”
8/27 11:34: Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated tweets, “i think theyll have a trade. cant see white sox paying whole $4.1 mil. so perhaps there was a prearranged trade. tho dodgers winning now”
8/27 11:28: ESPN’s Jayson Stark says the White Sox were awarded the claim. The White Sox and Dodgers now have until Tuesday to negotiate a deal.
8/27 11:26: MLB.com’s T.R. Sulivan says the Rangers put in a claim, but lost him to another team. An industry source close to Sullivan says it was the White Sox.
8/27 11:05: Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated says the Texas Rangers did not win the claim.
8/27 11:02: Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports says the Tampa Bay Rays nor the New York Yankees have claimed Ramirez.
8/27 10:29: Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated says that multiple teams have placed a claim in on Ramirez. Now it will come down to who has the highest priority to determine who is awarded the claim.
8/27 10:19: The St. Petersburg Times’ Marc Topkin says on Twitter that an unknown team has claimed Los Angeles Dodgers’ Manny Ramirez on waivers. Whomever the team is, they will have until Tuesday to negotiate exclusively with the Dodgers. Both parties can work out a deal, the Dodgers can revoke Ramirez from waivers or Los Angeles can just give Ramirez away.
The Chicago White Sox have previously made their intentions to place a claim on Ramriez public.
Tampa Bay Rays sign Brad Hawpe
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The Tampa Bay Rays have signed free-agent outfielder Brad Hawpe to a Minor League contract, and has been assigned to Single-A Charlotte, according to a team press release. FOXSports’ Ken Rosenthal was the first to report that the Rays were going to sign Hawpe. This morning Rosenthal said via Twitter, “Rays offer Hawpe best opp. He was looking for playing time. Streaky guy. If he gets hot, Rays have something. If not, little risk.”
Hawpe reportedly had 6-7 teams interested in him including the San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers.
The Rays will pay Hawpe the prorated portion of the Major League minimum. Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated says the expectations are to activate Hawpe in a few days (likely when the rosters expand on September 1). He was officially designated for assignment by the Rockies on Thursday, August 19, and he became a free-agent this week. The 31-year-old outfielder .255 with with seven home runs and 37 RBIs this season.
Milwaukee Brewers RHP Yovani Gallardo robbed at gunpoint
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The Milwaukee Brewers have confirmed that right-handed pitcher Yovani Gallardo and one of the team’s clubhouse attendants, Alex Sanchez, were robbed at gunpoint, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. The robbery was first reported by WTMJ Radio, the Brewers’ flagship station.
The incident occurred in the parking lot of Jalisco’s Supermarket around 2:30 am CT on Friday. Gallardo and Sanchez handed jewelry and money to the robber. Sanchez was struck in the head with the butt of the gun.
Sanchez is the umpire’s room attendant and occasionally travels with the Brewers on the road.
Arizona Diamondbacks unlikely to make more moves this month
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A Diamondbacks’ executive close to FOXSports’ Jon Paul Morosi, says there is “still a chance” the team will make a move before the August 31 deadline to set post season rosters, however the probability of a deal is “unlikely at this point.”
The team’s best remaining trade chips include infielders Adam LaRoche and Kelly Johnson. According to a Major League source, both players have cleared waivers.
In Johnsons’ first year in Arizona, he has hit 19 home runs and drove in 56 run while batting .277/.367/.486. He is making $2.35 million on a one-year contract this season. He’s under team control through 2011.
LaRoche is batting .269/.335/.483 with 21 home runs and 79 RBIs this season.
Update – White Sox talk to Dodgers about Manny Ramirez but another team may be lurking
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8/27 09:05: FOXSports’ Ken Rosenthal says, “About Manny’s desire for 1-yr ext. He has told some people he wants one to waive no-trade, others that he does not. Manny being Manny!”
8/26 19:30: The Chicago White Sox will know by Friday afternoon where they stand in their chase to get Manny Ramirez, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.
8/26 03:10: Major League sources close to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports say the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers have spoken about a trade for Manny Ramirez.
FOXSports also says that the Dodgers have spoken with at least one other team about Ramirez, and the team may not trade him if the team continues to gain in the Wild Card standings. The team is currently 5 1/2 games back for the Wild Card spot.
The White Sox plan to claim Ramirez in order to negotiate exclusively with the Dodgers. However, they may not be alone. The Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers are side to be interested in the slugger. The deadline for teams to make a waiver claim is Friday afternoon.
There may be another twist to the story. Ramirez wants a one-year extension in order to waive his no-trade clause.
Ramirez has only played in 64 games this season due to three stints on the disabled list. Ramirez, 38, is a free agent after this season and heading into Wednesday’s game, he was hitting .306/.396/.497 with 8 home runs and 39 RBIs.
Arizona Diamondbacks want to hire GM by the end of season
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Arizona Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall says he hopes to have a new general manager in place as early as the end of the season, according to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic.
“I’d like to have a GM in place before the season ends,” Hall said. “You allow teams to get through the draft, get through the trade deadline and then start the ball rolling (in the interview process).”
Hall said he’s laid the groundwork for interviewing candidates by telling people with other clubs that he plans to formally ask for their permission to interview candidates in the coming weeks.
Interim GM Jerry Dipoto will be a part of the interview process, as will “a handful” of others.
“Probably not as many as 10,” Hall said. “Probably closer to five.” Read More→
Eric Chavez expects to meet next week with A’s regarding his future
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In a text message to San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser, Eric Chavez said that he’ll be in Oakland next Friday. When he returns he said he expects there will be a meeting that day to go over what’s next for him.
Earlier this month, Chavez said he is “pondering retirement” as he recovers from two bulging disks in his neck.
The 32-year-old has been limited to designated hitter duties this season. He is in the final year of his six-year, $66 million contract, and the A’s are unlikely to pick up his $12.5 million option for next season.
There were rumors back in May that indicated that he was retiring. At the time Slusser found out via text message that Chavez was not retiring. Read More→
New York Mets want to unload Carlos Beltran
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According to an organization source close to Mike Puma of the New York Post, Mets’ COO Jeff Wilpon wants to unload Carlos Beltran and his $18.5 million that he is owed next season. This is assuming that Beltran would waive his no-trade clause.
Earlier this month, a longtime baseball executive close to Jayson Stark of ESPN said, “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.” Another executive said, “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.”
Beltran, 33, is in his next-to-last year of his seven-year, $119 million contract. He was out most of the season due to knee surgery that he underwent this past spring. In 37 games this year, Beltran is hitting .223/.240/.339 with 2 home runs and 14 RBIs.
Los Angeles Dodgers may wait until next week to move Manny Ramirez
Posted by: | CommentsShould the Dodgers choose to trade outfielder Manny Ramirez the team may wait until the last possible minute to move him. Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports says the Dodgers recent surge (three wins in a row and fifth win in seven games) may cause GM Ned Colletti to wait and see more before pulling the trigger on a trade.
The results of the waiver procedure should be available on Friday afternoon, and should a claim be awarded to a team, the Dodgers will have exclusive negotiation rights with them until Tuesday. The Dodgers could then trade Ramirez, revoke him from waivers or give him away to the claiming team without compensation.
Brown says, “The decision on whether to move Ramirez or hope he gets hot, stays hot and helps carry a soft offense could be hour to hour, depending on how the Dodgers’ series in Colorado goes this weekend. ”
The Chicago White Sox are playing the New York Yankees in Chicago this weekend and there was hope that Ramirez could be acquired in time to face his old nemesis.
VIDEO: Foul Ball Friday – Fan banned for life after throwing ball back at the pitcher
Posted by: | CommentsAn unidentified man will never be able to watch the Richmond Flying Squirrels ever again after he threw a Brandon Belt foul ball back onto the field and hit Reading Phillies pitcher J.C. Ramirez in the left leg on Tuesday night. It’s really hard to see with this video, but the ball is hit foul at the 0:55 mark and the back comes back onto the field at the 1:01 mark. Here’s the video:
Brandon Belt foul tip ends up back on the field.
The Associated Press said the game was stopped briefly and the fan was removed. The Richmond Flying Squirrels are an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.
Source: RVA News at VIMEO
