Rumors for February, 2011
Ramon Ramirez signs with the Doosan Bears in Korea
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According to MyKBO.net (via Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com), the Doosan Bears (Korea) have agreed to terms with right handed pitcher Ramon Ramirez.
Ramirez last played in Majors in 2009 with the Reds. In two seasons with the Reds he was 1-1 with a 2.97 ERA in 39.1 innings throughout 16 appearances and four starts.
Rockies agree to terms with Chris Sampson
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The Colorado Rockies have agreed to terms with Chris Sampson, according to Stephen Goff of the Examiner.com. Goff adds that is unclear yet whether it’s a Major League or Minor League deal.
Sampson, 32, was 1-0 with a 5.93 ERA and 16 SO in 30.1 innings throughout 35 appearances with the Houston Astros in 2010. In his five-year career (all with Houston), he’s accumulated a 20-15 records over 174 games (33 starts) in 358 2/3 innings of work.
Marcum and Brewers getting closer to arbitration hearing
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With no potential deal in sight, the Milwaukee Brewers and right-handed pitcher Shaun Marcum are getting closer to an arbitration hearing, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. Marcum’s agent, Rex Gary, and Brewers’ senior director of operations, Teddy Werner, have not been able to reach an agreement on a 2011 contract.
“We’ve been working very hard in the event we’re in a position of arguing the case in front of a panel of arbitrators,” Werner said. “But I have learned that in a lot of these cases you have to let the process play out. In 2008, I think we settled with J.J. Hardy only 24 hours before a hearing was scheduled. In 2009 with Corey Hart, we settled about a day before. Then last year, we went to a hearing with Corey.”
The sides are believed to be scheduled for an arbitration hearing this Thursday in Phoenix, Arizona and it’s possible that Marcum could use Francisco Liriano’s $4.3 million one-year deal to persuade a deal in his favor.
“Liriano is definitely relevant to the Marcum discussions,” said Brewers senior director of business operations Teddy Werner (via MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy).
Marcum is asking for $5 million while the Brewers countered with $3 million.
Both Liriano and Marcum have roughly the same amount of Major League service time (four-years, 104 days for Liriano and four-years, 128 days for Marcum) and both bothers had similar statistics in 2010. Liriano was 14-10 witha 3.62 ERA while Marcum was 13-8 with a 3.64 ERA.
McCalvy notes that Liriano had a higher salary at $1.4 million in 2010 while Marcum took home $850,000 and Liriano took home the AL Comeback Player of the Year – both factors could have played in the pitcher’s favor had the Twins and Liriano gone to a hearing.
If the sides go in front of an arbitration, it’s an all or nothing situation where the ruler will decide to pay Marcum $5 million or $3 million, so it’s to both parties best interest to settle before taking their chances in front of a third-party.
Michael Young Rumors: Phillies contacted the Rangers regarding Young
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Yesterday, we learned that the Colorado Rockies, who were pushing really hard for Michael Young, are likely out of the running. The Cardinals and Astros also expressed that they weren’t interested in the infielder, so the momentum is starting to shift towards the Angels and Dodgers as destinations for Young. With that said, here’s the running list Wednesday rumors involving Young:
– The Phillies recently contacted the Rangers regarding Young according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com. A source close to Crasnick says there were brief negotiations between the two teams, but it didn’t get too far.
– Buster Olney of ESPN reports that the Yankees are not expected to be in on Young.
– A source close to FOXSports Jon Paul Morosi confirms Young’s no trade list reported previously by T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. Therefore, Young can block trades to all teams but the Angels, Dodgers, Rockies, Padres, Cardinals, Twins, Yankees and Astros.
Veteran umpire Jerry Crawford retires
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After 34 seasons of umpiring, Jerry Crawford is retiring, Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times reports.
The 63-year-old baseball official started his MLB career with the National League in 1977. He was a crew chief from 1998 through the 2010 season. In his career, Crawford has worked the playoffs 18 times including five World Series appearances, 12 League Championship Series and 2 All Star Games.
Major League Baseball will announce his retirement as soon as his replacement is chosen.
Red Sox officially sign Dennys Reyes to Minor League contract
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In a team press release, the Boston Red Sox have announced that they have officially inked Dennys Reyes to a Minor League deal.
The sides agreed to a deal on February 5, and Reyes can make $900,000 if he is on the Major League team and he can earn up to $1.4 million including performance bonuses.
Jerry Crasnick of ESPN was the first to report that the sides were close to a deal on Friday, February 4.
Reyes, 33, was 3-1 with a 3.55 ERA in 59 relief appearances for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2010.
Duaner Sanchez worked out for several teams today in Arizona
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According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, veteran right-handed reliever Duaner Sanchez worked out for several teams today in Arizona. The teams he worked out for have not been identified, but the Red Sox are not one of them.
Cafardo adds that Sanchez is fully recovered from his cab accident in 2007. In 2006 while with the New York Mets, Sanchez was injured in a taxicab accident in Miami, Florida caused by drunk driver. He suffered a separated shoulder and underwent season-ending surgery shortly thereafter.
Sanchez has a career ERA of 4.10, with 298,2 innings and 288 games in seven Major League seasons with the Diamondbacks, Pirates, Dodgers and Padres.
Cardinals, Pujols not likely to get a deal done by Feb. 16
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The St. Louis Cardinals negotiations with franchise icon Albert Pujols are so far apart that there is virtually no chance of a deal happening before the February 16 deadline according to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated.
Heyman adds that both parts are miles apart on years and money. Sources say Pujols is looking for an Alex Rodriguez type deal, but the Cardinals want to keep the deal between six or seven years.
So what happens to Pujols, if he can’t get a contract extension with the Cardinals? A rival GM, close to Heyman, sees the Cubs as a logical suitor for Pujols if the Cardinals can’t reach an agreement with the first baseman and he becomes a free agent.
Pujols and the Cardinals have engaged in serious negotiations over the past few weeks. Yesterday, it was made public that Pujols will report to Spring Training on February 16, and the slugger has said that he does not want the negotiations to distract him once he takes the field. Because of Pujol’s 10-and-5 seniority, it’s unlikely that he’ll approve a trade.
Boston Red Sox officially sign Alfredo Aceves
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In an announcement by the team, the Boston Red Sox have officially announced the signing of Alfredo Aceves to a Major League deal. The Red Sox will pay the right-handed pitcher $650,000, and he can earn as much as $100,000 in incentives.
The signing was first reported by Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe and Buster Olney of ESPN added the salary information.
To make room for Aceves on the 40-man roster, the team designated Robert Coello for assignment.
he 28-year-old has an impressive 14-1 record in the three years he spent with the New York Yankees. In 59 appearances (5 starts), Aceves compiled a 3.21 ERA over 126 Major League innings.
Red Sox designate Robert Coello for assignment
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The Boston Red Sox have designated Robert Coello for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Alfredo Aceves according to Maureen Mullen.
Coello pitched six games in 2010 with the Red Sox. He worked 5.2 innings and had a 4.76 ERA
