Rumors for March, 2011
Daric Barton candidate for contract extension
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According to a source close to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, there is a strong possibility that A’s first baseman Daric Barton may be extended very soon with the potential deal going through 2014 season.
The A’s are lining up to keep their young team together for a long time. Yesterday it was reported that Oakland was interested in giving Trevor Cahill a multiyear deal. The last position player the A’s signed to a long-term deal was catcher Kurt Suzuki, who signed a four-year, $16.25 million deal last July.
The 25-year old Barton played in 159 games last season with the Athletics. The team values his defensive ability at first base, his durability and his ability to get on base. Barton hit .273/.393/.405 with 10 HR’s and 57 RBI’s in 556 AB’s.
New York Yankees claim LHP Jose Ortegano from Braves
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According to the New York Yankees PR Department, the team has claimed left-handed pitcher Jose Ortegano off waivers from the Atlanta Braves. The Yankees then optioned Ortegano to Triple-A.
The 23-year-old Venezuelan native has pitched five seasons in the Braves Minor League system. In 2010, he was 5-15 in 28 appearances (27 starts) with a 5.998 ERA over 131 innings pitched.
Top 10 MLB Majestic jerseys sold in 2010
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Were you the cool kid on the block with an original jersey or did you follow the in-crowd? Here’s a list of the top-10 selling jerseys from 2010 according to Major League Baseball’s official jersey maker, Majestic (via Arren Rovell of CNBC).
10. Tim Lincecum – San Francisco Giants
9. Alex Rodriguez – New York Yankees
8. Dustin Pedroia – Boston Red Sox
7. Josh Hamilton – Texas Rangers
6. Albert Pujols – St. Louis Cardinals
5. Cliff Lee – Philadelphia Phillies/Seattle Mariners/Texas Rangers
4. Chase Utley – Philadephia Phillies
3. Roy Halladay – Philadelphia Phillies
2. Joe Mauer – Minnesota Twins
1. Derek Jeter – New York Yankees
Nationals claim LHP Lee Hyde off waivers
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The Washington Nationals have claimed left-handed pitcher Lee Hyde off waivers from the Atlanta Braves, according to the Nationals’ official Twitter feed.
The 26-year-old Hyde was a fourth-round pick by the Braves in the 2006 MLB June Amateur Draft. In five Minor League seasons he has a 12-11 record with a 2.91 ERA in 109 appearances (8 starts).
The Nationals also placed right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg on the 60-day disabled list. The pitcher is recovering from Tommy John surgery that he had performed on his throwing arm last year.
Twins willing to trade RHP Kevin Slowey
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The Minnesota Twins have made Kevin Slowey available since the team has chose Scott Baker over Slowey as their No. 5 starter., Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports reports. He suggests that the Milwaukee Brewers and the Seattle Mariners could be candidates to make a play for Slowey.
Morosi says the ideal trade partner would need a right-handed starter such as Slowey and be able to deal from a “surplus of major-league-caliber relievers” Right now there are very few (if any) teams that match that description.
Possible candidates that could make a play for Slowey include the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox. Officials from the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Pittsburgh Pirates have said they are not looking for Major League starters via trade.
It was previously reported by Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that the Blue Jays liked the right-hander.
The 26-year old Slowey was 13-6 with a 4.45 ERA in 155.2 innings throughout 30 games, 28 starts in 2010 with the Twins.
Nationals sign LHP Oliver Perez to Minor League deal
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Minutes after Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated mentioned that the Nationals were in talks with free agent pitcher Oliver Perez, Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports reports that the sides have agreed to a Minor League deal.
The New York Mets owe Perez $12 million for the 2011 season. If the Nationals sign the left-hander to a Major League deal at the minimum salary of approximately $400,000, then New York would be responsible for roughly $11.6 million.
Teams interested in Mets INF Luis Hernandez
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Venezuelan infielder Luis Hernandez appears to be destined to a back-up role inside the Mets organization, and several teams have been kicking the tires about him according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
The Mets may not receive a lot in return from Hernandez, but anything is better than nothing since he is out of options. The infielder is valued because of the lack of quality backup middle infielders says Rubin.
Corey Brock of MLB.com adds that the Padres could be interested in acquiring the switch hitter.
Hernandez hit .250/.298/.409 with 2 HR’s and 6 RBI’s in 44 AB’s with the Mets in 2010.
Washington Nationals talking with Oliver Perez
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In a Tweet by Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman, he mentions that the Washington Nationals are speaking with free agent pitcher Oliver Perez. Heyman adds that should they agree, it would be a Minor League deal for Perez.
The New York Yankees and the Arizona Diamondbacks have previously been mentioned as possible employers for Perez, but both have said that they are not interested.
Perez has been in the dog house with New York since last year and his 2/3 innings of relief where he gave up three hits (two home runs), one walk and two earned runs against the Washington Nationals may have done him in.
Perez, who is due $12 million, acknowledged that he did “a really bad job”.
Any team that decides to pick up Perez will only be responsible for the Major League minimum of approximately $400,000. The Mets would then be responsible for approximately $11.6 million.
What are the Giants options at short stop after Miguel Tejada?
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After losing Juan Uribe to the Dodgers, the Giants decided to sign another veteran shortstop, Miguel Tejada, to a one-year deal for about a third of the money Uribe signed for.
ESPN’s Buster Olneysays that Tejada wasn’t their first choice at shortstop and he may not be manning shortstop by the end of this season either.
The soon-to-be 37-years old is reaching the sunset of his career, and his offensive production has declined since 2003 . Tejada will apparently hit eight according to Bruce Bochy, Giants manager, partly because the right-handed hitter is generally a free-swinger, and because the Giants don’t expect Tejada to generate the same kind of production he’s had in the past.
Olney says that it’s possible the Giants will have to look for an upgrade at shortstop during the season. The only likely possibility inside the organization appears to be Mike Fontenot, who hit .283 with 25 RBI’s in 103 games last season.
If the Giants decide to go outside the organization for shortstop help, Oleny suggests that Jose Reyes, Marco Scutaro and Jack Wilson could be players that become available during the season.
Reyes is eligible for free agency after the 2011 season, and according to Olney it seems unlikely that the Mets will re-sign him, and executives with other teams expect New York to market him before the July 31 trade deadline, for pitching.
Scutaro could be dealt by the Red Sox before the season is over given the ascendancy of Jed Lowrie. Wilson was recently moved to second base, but he has made it clear that he is a shortstop. Wilson isn’t an offensive threat, but he is a clear defensive upgrade over Tejada.
VIDEO: Trailer of San Francisco Giants Showtime series
Posted by: | CommentsHappy Wednesday! Here’s a video of the upcoming Showtime series focused on the San Francisco Giants that is being filmed from Spring Training until the end of their 2011 season. It is scheduled to premiere this summer:
Video courtesy of YouTube user texugo.
