Rumors for March, 2011
Rangers willing to eat half of Young’s $48 million salary
Posted by: | Comments
According to Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports, the Texas Rangers are willing to eat about half of Michael Young’s remaining $48 million. However, the team is asking for top-end prospects in return, but there are no takers so far.
The Phillies could be prime candidates to take on Young in the wake of the uncertainty involving second baseman Chase Utley. Philadelphia could trade starting pitcher Joe Blanton and the $17 million that he’s owed through 2012 which in addition to the Rangers’ willingness to absorb about $24 million would leave a balance of about $7 million.
Washington Nationals could trade Ivan Rodriguez
Posted by: | Comments
The Washington Nationals are considering naming Wilson Ramos their Opening Day starter, two sources close to Bill Ladson of MLB.com are saying. With that, the team may make future Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez a trade candidate.
“Ramos is going to be one of the better catchers in baseball as we go through the next 10 years,” the source said. “Physically, he is a bull. [He has a] good arm, he gets rid of the ball, he has power. He has a wonderful disposition. When the opponents score runs, he gets mad.
“He is better than what I expected, because I didn’t know the ball jumps off his bat like that. I heard he could catch and throw. I heard he could hit. He has hit the hardest line drives that a person can hit. With the more playing time he gets, I think he is going to be that much better.”
If the Nationals decide to make Rodriguez available, is it possible that the Houston Astros could make a play for the veteran backstop? The team lost Jason Castro to a season-long injury. Rodriguez has had long ties to the state of Texas and it would give him an offensive boost in hitter-friendly Minute Maid Park.
The 39-year-old Rodriguez is signed through the 2011 season for $3 million.
Wakefield given no assurances that he will be on Red Sox roster
Posted by: | Comments
After a giving up four home runs over six batters on Friday evening, knuckleballer Tim Wakefield may have a hard time convincing the Boston Red Sox that he needs to be on the team’s 25-man roster.
“We’re going to have some interesting decisions to make here come this last week,” manager Terry Francona said about Wakefield and Alfredo Aceves‘ chances of making the squad, as reported by Evan Drellich of MLB.com.
“I wouldn’t do that to these guys,” he said. “These guys have a stressful couple weeks ahead of them. I’m not going to make it worse if I sit here and tell you everybody who’s in the bullpen, then whoever’s not — that’s not a good way to do it.”
Wakefield has been with the Sox since 1995 and given his recent performance he may not make the cut for 2011. He is under contract and will make $3.5 million this season whether or not he pitches in a Red Sox uniform this year. In early March he was confident that he would make the cut.
“I’ve been in survival mode for 18 years, you know what I mean?” Wakefield said. “None of it bothers me.”
Cardinals release RHPs Houston Summers and Mark Diapoules
Posted by: | Comments
The St. Louis Cardinals released right-handed pitchers Houston Summers and Mark Diapoules from the Minor League camp on Saturday morning, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Summers was signed by the Cardinals a year ago and was 2-1 with a 4.96 ERA in 18 relief appearances for short-season Batavia in 2010. He has a lifetime 11-11 record with a 6.01 ERA in 63 appearances (17 starts).
Diapoules was 21st-round-pick and spent 2010 as a reliever with High-A Palm Beach and Springfield. In his four-year professional career, he is 17-12 with a 4.22 ERA in 75 appearances (45 starts).
Jose Molina says that brother Bengie still wants to play
Posted by: | Comments
Toronto Blue Jays catcher Jose Molina said that his older brother, Bengie Molina, still wants to play. However, Bengie will only sign a contract that shows sufficient respects, Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports reports.
On Saturday, New York Yankees manager, Joe Girardi, asked Jose if Bengie was retired, but Rosenthal speculates that it was more out of curiosity. Yankees GM, Brian Cashman, said the team is not looking for outside catching help, but Rosenthal points out the team is not set at the position.
Incumbent starter, Russell Martin, is coming off of knee surgery and there’s uncertainty between Jesus Montero and Austin Romine for the backup spot.
Molina has kept the door open for a possible return mid-way through the year.
“It could be how Pedro [Martinez] did it halfway through (2009), something like that,” Molina said in early March. “It’s not like I’m planning on doing that. If it comes up, and I’m ready to go, I’ll do it.”
Did the Blue Jays lose Cesar Cabral because of the John Farrell interview?
Posted by: | Comments
Cesar Cabral may not be a household name, but he has been on a whirlwind journey the last few days as a result of a behind-the-scenes handshake agreement. Cabral was a prospect that was left unprotected in the Rule V Draft this past December by the Red Sox. He was selected by the Rays and as a result joined the Rays Spring Training camp where the 22 year old made three relief appearances this Spring and had a 4.91 ERA over 3 2/3 innings pitched.
On the 12th of March, the Blue Jays acquired Cabral via a waver claim. The word was, Cabral was possibly part of a trade attempt, and if the trade didn’t happen, the Blue Jays would put him back on waivers. The trade scenario never happened and Cabral was put on waivers again and reclaimed by the Rays.
So what really happened behind the scenes that would make Toronto send Cabral back to the Rays less than 48 hours after acquiring him. Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star sheds some light on the situation and says that a handshake during Toronto’s managerial search is what made Cabral unable to unpack his bags before he was sent away.
When Blue Jay’s GM Alex Anthopoulos contacted Red Sox’s GM Theo Epstein during his managerial search, Epstein allowed him to interview and eventually hire John Farrell (also given permission to interview DeMarlo Hale and Tim Bogar). But Epstein put one condition on the Blue Jays with granting them permission to interview his coaches. The Blue Jays were not allowed to select any Red Sox players during the upcoming Rule V Draft.
So fast forward to this last week. The Jays select Cabral who was a member of the Sox til the Rays selected him in the Rule V Draft. After selecting him, the Jays contacted Boston and asked them for names of some of their prospects they maybe interested in, in hopes of working out a trade. But the players Boston were interested in, the Jays felt was to high a price to pay for Cabral.
Since Toronto and Boston were not able to work out a trade, Cabral was placed back on waivers and claimed again by the Rays.
When Anthopoulos was asked about losing Cabral because of the deal he made, he said he was more than happy to make the deal as it netted them their manager of the future. And lets face it, for every David Ortiz that is acquired in the Rule V Draft, there is 49 D.J. Houlton’s that never pan out.
Aroldis Chapman could become the Reds’ future closer
Posted by: | Comments
Cincinnati Reds GM Walt Jocketty, told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer that left handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman could become the team’s future closer.
“We would still leave (starting) as an option,” Jocketty said. “He definitely could be a top-of-the-rotation guy. He’s either going to have to do that or be a closer. I don’t see him being a set-up guy forever.”
Chapman is pinpointed to start the season as the team’s set-up man. Reds’ manager Dusty Baker, has made it very clear that Francisco Cordero is his closer.
Cordero and set-up man Nick Masset both are in the final year of their contracts while Chapman is signed through 2015. Chapman showed last season that he could be effective as a reliever. He went 2-2 with a 2.03 ERA in 15 games.
Fay speculates that Chapman will likely end up being a number one starter for the Reds though.
“My feeling is we’re going to give him an opportunity to start because he has a chance to be a shutdown starter,” pitching coach Bryan Price said. “He certainly has the stuff of a guy who can pitch at the top of a rotation. However, I don’t think that No. 1 starters are defined solely by stuff. I think there are a lot things that we don’t know about Aroldis that will help him define his best role for this club.”
“This year, might help define where he is best suited to help us in the near future.”
MLB approves two potential bidders for Mets
Posted by: | Comments
Major League Baseball has approved two potential bidding groups for the Mets, sources close to Josh Kosman and Mark DeCambre of the New York Post report.
The first group is led by the team of Goldman Sachs’ David Heller and Apollo’s Marc Spilker while the other group includes Steve Starker, co-founder of the trading firm BTIG and Ken Dichter, co-founder of Marquis Jets.
One or two other groups have also been passed on to the MLB Commissioner and could be cleared to bid on the team.
The Mets are looking for a minority interest buyer in the team (anywhere from 25 to 49 percent). The team is currently under the spotlight of the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme and are in serious debt. They are roughly losing $50 million a year, and the owners, Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz, need to pay down the debt.
Cubs, Phillies and Marlins interested in Luis Castillo
Posted by: | Comments
In the aftermath of the release of infielder Luis Castillo of the New York Mets, several teams have confirmed interest including the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and Florida Marlins, Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeprotes.com reports.
“I feel calm, confident that I will be in a major league roster on opening day of the season,” Castillo told ESPN via a phone call.
“Despite all the negative atmosphere of recent days, I’m positive and in the best shape for a long time,” said Castillo.
The Mets are on the hook to pay the 35-year-old $6 million for the 2011 season. With that said, any team could sign the infielder for the Major League minimum of $414,000.
“I enjoyed every moment in New York and will always be grateful to the Mets. I have nothing negative to say about the organization,” he said. “Baseball is a business.”
“After a long evaluation during spring training, after consultation with the manager and coaching staff, I made a recommendation to ownership in the best interest of the organization,” GM Sandy Alderson said when he spoke about the team’s decision to release the second baseman.
“Obviously, we wanted to see how he was physically for fielding and batting. I think Louie made a great effort, but we felt that this was best for both parties, taking into account our other alternatives.”
Rockies not interested in Luis Castillo
Posted by: | Comments
Second baseman Luis Castillo was released earlier today by the Mets, but still thinks he can play with another team, reports Jim Baumbach of Newsday.
Apparently, the treatment that Castillo would has received in New York factored in the decision of releasing him according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
The Rockies are not interested in the second baseman according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports. Castillo will clear waivers Sunday afternoon adds Rosenthal.
According to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, the Phillies could use Castillo as Chase Utley’s insurance. The can sign him to a Major League deal for $414,000 or to a Minor League deal for even less money.
Phillies’ assistant general manager Scott Proefrock was asked about the possibility of acquiring Castillo and he said “That remains to be seen.”
Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times adds that the Dodgers have no interest in Castillo. The Orioles have also said they have “zero interest” in Castillo at this point according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. The only team that have expressed some interest at this point is the Marlins. Apparently the team have internally discussed the possibility of re-acquiring the second baseman reports Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
“I’m fine, man. I’ve done a lot of things in baseball,” said Castillo. “”I’m going to wait, go home and hope to catch on with another team.”
Baumbach adds that although Castillo knew this day was coming, he clearly was shaken by the news.
The switch hitter Castillo posted a .604 OPS in 2011, which ranked 291st among 305 players with at least 250 plate appearances in the majors last year and he’s owed $6 million in the last year of his four-year $24 million contract.
