Rumors for December, 2010
Cleveland Indians Rumors: Indians scouting Bartolo Colon, signed Toru Murata
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The Cleveland Indians are scouting former Cy Young award winner Bartolo Colon, according to Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer.
Colon has not pitched in the big leagues since 2009. He’s currently 3-1 with a 1.54 ERA for the Aguilas Cibaenas in the Dominican Republic where Indians manager Manny Acta recently watched him.
Acta said vi e-mail about Colon: “He is throwing the ball well down there, we are looking for an experienced starter…so we feel that it is worth checking him out.”
In early December there were rumors that the Indians were interested in Colon, but those rumors were quickly dismissed by Hoynes himself.
Colon, 37, is 3-0 with a 0.91 ERA in 5 starts in the Dominican League. In 2009, Colon was 3-6 with a 4.19 ERA over 12 starts with the Chicago White Sox.
Also the Indians have signed Japanese right handed pitcher Toru Murata to a minor league deal. The deal doesn’t include an invitation to the Major League Spring Training.
Zack Greinke traded to the Milwaukee Brewers
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Right-handed pitcher Zack Greinke has been traded from the Kansas City Royals to the Milwaukee Brewers. The transaction was first reported by Jim Breen of the Bernie’s Crew blog as published in the Journal Sentinel. It was then followed up in a report by Andrew Wagner of OnMilwaukee.com that confirmed the sides had reached an agreement.
Per a team press release, the deal will include Greinke, shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt and cash (believed to be $2 million) sent to the Brewers in exchange for shortstop Alcides Escobar, center fielder Lorenzo Cain, pitcher Jake Odorizzi and right-handed pitcher Jeremy Jeffress.
The deal required Greinke to waive his no-trade clause in order for him to be moved to Milwaukee. Heyman adds the Royals were close to a deal with the Washington Nationals, but he told the Royals that he wouldn’t go to Washington. He did approve a deal to the New York Yankees, but family member had reservations. Heyman adds that no deal was close with New York. Greinke has a list of fifteen teams he cannot be move to via a trade.
The $2 million could be used for Betancourt’s buyout for 2012, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel. He has a $6 million team option, but the Brewers can buy him out for $2 mllion should they choose not to exercise the year.
Greinke has been fed up with the losing ways of the Royals for some time now. He recently switched agents from SFX to Jeff Berry and Casey Close of CAA, as reported by Ed Price of AOL FanHouse last week. Price speculated that the timing of the switch could signal Greinke’s move out of Kansas City.
The 2009 American League Cy Young Award winner will make $13.5 million each season for 2011 and 2012.
Catcher Ryan Budde has signed a Minor League deal with the Blue Jays
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According to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick the Toronto Blue Jays have signed former Angels catcher Ryan Budde to a Minor League deal. Crasnick adds that Budde knows John Farrell from their Oklahoma State days.
Red Sox still looking for a left handed reliever
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The Boston Red Sox are still looking for a left handed reliever to add to their bullpen. According to Alex Speier od WEEI.com the team is more in position to wait and see if something falls into their laps, rather than feeling any sense of compulsion to add a lefty to the bullpen.
One reason why the Red Sox are not heavily pursuing a left handed reliever is rookie Felix Doubront. Although he only faced 40 batters in the Majors last year, the 23-year-old held lefties to a line of .189/.225/.351/.576 while striking out 11 of the 40 lefties he faced. Speier adds that while Dubront offers the Sox potential rotation depth in case of injuries, he is also viewed as a player who can contribute in the short term out of the bullpen.
“He obviously has the ability to start maybe in the near future. Maybe the way our team sets up, maybe he’s in the bullpen. Whether it’s for a year and then transitions into a starting role, I don’t think there would be anything we’d do that would throw him or knock him back,” said manager Terry Francona at the winter meetings. “He holds runners, he throws strikes. He’s not afraid of his fastball. He’s a really interesting guy. Kind of a nice name to have when you’re looking at building your bullpen, knowing that you have a lefty with three months service time that you feel confident you can give him the ball somewhat late in the game. That’s a nice feeling.”
Speier says that Francona prefers to have left handed relievers in his bullpen, and while they haven’t acquired a second lefty for their bullpen they have two southpaws that can compete for a spot in the Major League roster. Rich Hill and Andrew Miller, both of whom signed minor league deals last week.
Hill has in 357 career appearances against lefties and posted a line of .216/.327/.355 while striking out more than one-quarter of the left-handed hitters he’s faced. Miller on the other hand has struggled against lefties and righties.
ESPNBoston.com’s Gordon Edes says that Dennys Reyes could be a target for the Red Sox. Reyes was believed to be heading to Philadelphia, but a couple of days ago we learned that there were no deal between the Phillies and Reyes.
Colorado Rockies want power arm for bullpen
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According to Colorado Rockies’ owner Dick Monfort, as reported by Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post, he says that general manager Dan O’Dowd wants another power arm for the bullpen.
Candidates for that roll include Grant Balfour, Jon Rauch, Aaron Heilman and Chad Qualls, all of whom the team is in talks with. Last week, reports had the Rockies speaking with the Seattle Mariners about closer David Aardsma. However, according to the column, Renck thinks an acquisition of Aardsma is unlikely.
As far as right-hander Balfour, he may have to be a sign and trade since he’s Type-A free agent. Should the Rockies sign Balfour directly, the team would have to give up a draft pick to the Tampa Bay Rays because of his free agent status.
Nick Cafardo on Papelbon, Beltre, Kapler and Blanton
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Here’s the latest from The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo:
– The Red Sox have certainly shopped and/or listened in on Jonathan Papelbon this winter. His agent will likely ask for $11.5 million in his final year of arbitration. The Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers could be candidates to make a trade for Papelbon.
– The Angels and Rangers appear to be the leading suitors for Adrian Beltre’s services. A mystery team such as the Baltimore Orioles, Oakland Athletics or Pittsburgh Pirates could emerge.
– Free agent outfielder Gabe Kapler wanted to keep playing.
– There should be a trade market for Joe Blanton, but the Philadelphia Phillies may have to eat some of the $17 million owed to him over the next two season.
Mariano Rivera plans to call Andy Pettitte about pitching in 2011
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It’s unknown whether or not Andy Pettitte will return to pitch for the New York Yankees in 2011, but his long time teammate, Mariano Rivera will try to find out.
“I might try to reach him soon,” Rivera said, according to Erik Boland of Newsday.
“I want to hear what he’s doing, what he wants to do,” Rivera said. “If he wants to continue playing, then I think we will have a good shot.”
Rivera hopes to talk Pettitte out of retirement if he’s leaning that way.
“Yeah, I might,” Rivera added. “He will have the last word, but I might. Yes. Andy to me is one of the best lefties there is out there, so I would take him anytime.
Two factors will affect Pettitte’s decision for 2011: his desire to be closer to his family in their Houston, Texas home and the amount of money the Yankees want to offer. It’s been reported that Pettitte will return to New York if they offer him a contract that “isn’t insulting.” It’s believed that Pettitte may be unhappy with his previous pay structure – he’s the team’s number 2 pitcher, but he’s being paid like a number 4 starter.
Mets, Twins, Nationals and Orioles interested in Freddy Garcia
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According to Meridiano.com’s Rayner Rico, there are at least three teams, besides the White Sox, that are interested in right handed pitcher Freddy Garcia.
Rico says that before the beginning of the Winter Meetings the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins and Washington Nationals had shown interest in Garcia.
Liderendeportes.com adds that the Baltimore Orioles are also interested in the right haded pitcher.
Garcia played for the White Sox in 2010, and it was his first complete season since 2007, when he underwent shoulder surgery. He posted a 12-6 record with 4.64 ERA in 157 innings for Chicago this season.
Marlins and Ricky Nolasco are not at a stalemate
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Earlier this morning, Major League source close to Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports said that right-handed pitcher Ricky Nolasco and the Florida Marlins had arrived at a stalemate in negotiations for a long-term contract. However, in an article by Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, Nolasco’s agent, Matt Sosnick said that Nolasco would like to remain in Florida and he is hoeful an agreement will be reach.
“Ricky is in that top echelon of top of the rotation pitchers,” Sosnick said. “There are very few guys like that in the league, and he wants to be compensated as such. He’s a very good pitcher. He’s not even in the prime of his career yet.
“Any reports that say we’re way off are not true. We’re not way off. We’re still exchanging ideas. There absolutely is no stalemate. There is no impasse or anything like that. His choice is to stay in Florida and pitch for the Marlins over the long haul.”
Florida can sign Nolasco to a one-year deal, he’s still under team control. They can eventually compromise and sign a long-term deal, or they could trade Nolasco.
The Marlins can move Nolasco and still have a very good five-man rotation with Josh Johnson, Anibal Sanchez, Javier Vazquez, Chris Volstad and Alex Sanabia
Sources close to Morosi and Rosenthal say that several teams have been calling the Marlins in recent days to express interest in Nolasco. While it’s not clear which teams have contacted the Marlins, it’s been clear that the New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Nationals are active in the trade market for starting pitchers.
Nolasco, 28, was 14-9 with a 4.51 ERA in 26 starts this year with the Marlins.
Los Angeles Dodgers in contact with Marcus Thames, Scott and Jerry Hairston
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The Los Angeles Dodgers are looking for a left fielder and according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, the team has contacted free agents Marcus Thames, Scott Hairston and Jerry Hairston Jr.
Bill Hall had been Los Angeles’ top candidate, but he agreed to terms with the Houston Astros on December 17, 2010 on a one-year contract.
It was reported in November that a Japanese team was working on signing Thames. Thames, 33, hit .288/.350/.491 in 82 games with the Yankees in 2010. The Yankees signed Thames to a Minor League contract in February.
The Padres non-tendered Scott Hairston in November. While primarily an infielder, Hairston hit .210/.295/.346 in 104 games for the Padres in 2010.
Last week, we heard that there may be four or five teams in on Jerry Hairston. The 34-year-old utility man was open to returning to the San Diego Padres for 2011 when he was asked about his free agency in November, and the Padres acknowledged a need for Hairston’s services.
