Rumors for March, 2011
Doug Davis to audition for teams next week
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Left-handed free agent pitcher Doug Davis is scheduled to audition for teams next week in Tempe, Arizona, his agent Steve Canter says (via Jerry Crasnick of ESPN).
The 35-year-old had his mutual option with the Milwaukee Brewers declined after the 2010 season. The team paid him the $1 million buyout rather than the $6.5 million salary. Davis has been sidelined for several months with a virus in the lining of his heart and then missed more time with elbow tendinitis.
Davis was 1-4 with a 7.51 ERA over eight starts with the Brewers in 2010. His best season was arguably the one he had in 2004 when he went 12-12 and had a 3.39 ERA over 207 1/3 innings pitched in 34 starts.
Davis could be a good fourth or fifth starter on most teams. If clubs sign him to an incentive-based deal, it would be very little risk.
Brandon Belt has a chance to make the Giants roster
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The San Francisco Giants were planning for Brandon Belt to start the season at Triple-A, but the team is not sure about that anymore according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.
His performance this Spring Training has making the Giants decision to move him to Triple-A very difficult, but according the Giants GM, Brian Sabean, the team will make the decision based on baseball and not on business.
“I think he’s going to be a superstar,” Giants shortstop Miguel Tejada. “He reminds me of (Joe) Mauer with the way he swings, always staying inside the ball.”
Resting on the Belt decision are the futures of Aaron Rowand, Travis Ishikawa and Nate Schierholtz. The latter two do not have any Minor League options left, and Rowand carries a large contract with two years left on it.
Moving Huff to left field would be the easy part says Rosenthal. The 34-year old veteran started 24 games in left field last season and 33 in right field. Rowand, though, is guaranteed $12 million in each of the next two seasons and is drawing little to no interest from other teams.
Belt is considered a left handed version of Buster Posey, who won the National League Rookie of the Year award last season. If the first baseman makes the Major League roster, and the Giants can’t unload on of the other players, you may see a phantom injury in order to keep them all on the team.
In 50 plate appearances this spring, Belt is hitting .283/.340/.522 with 2 HR’s and 10 RBI’s.
Top 5 PRO Rumors for the week ending 3/18/11
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It’s not only March madness in the Men’s and Women’s NCAA Basketball, but there’s plenty of madness in the final weeks of Spring Training. As you get your brackets on, here’s a quick recap of the Top 5 PRO Rumors from the week ending March 18, 2011:
5. Many players and teams respond to the Japanese earthquake/tsunami by donating money and resources:
Red Sox raise $4,600 for Japanese relief efforts
Ichiro Suzuki donates $1.25 million to Japanese Red Cross
Yankees donate $100K to the rescue efforts in Japan
4. Mets release Luis Castillo: The inevitable finally happened
3. Kevin Millwood still wants Major League deal: Could the right-handed land with the New York Yankees?
2. Reds and Ryan Hanigan agree to three-year deal: Cincinnati locks up their backstop for a few years.
1. Tim Lincecum’s 3,390 calorie after-start meal from In-N-Out: Hopefully Lincecum won’t get an order by the team to go an diet this winter.
Dombrowski expected to be back with Tigers next year
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Detroit Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski declined comment to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated as to whether or not he has had any discussions regarding a contract extension. Dombrowski’s current contract expires at the end of the 2011 season.
Heyman adds that the expectations are that the general manager will be back next season given his solid drafting and trading track record.
Once the Tigers lock up Dombrowski, the next non-player that they’ll likely target is field manager Jim Leyland. Leyland’s contract coincidentally is up after the 2011 season as well.
Nothing brewing between Phillies and Rangers for Young
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Despite the overwhelming need for the Phillies to find a replacement for injured second baseman Chase Utley, a source close to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated says that there is “nothing brewing” between the Philadelphia and Texas for Michael Young.
The Phillies will likely go with veteran Wilson Valdez while Utley recovers from patellar tendinitis. However, they could also consider David Eckstein or the recently released Luis Castillo.
The big problem with Young is the three-years and $48 million that is owed to him. Philadelphia could trade starting pitcher Joe Blanton and the $17 million that he’s owed through 2012, but they will likely want the Rangers to eat some of the $31 million balance owed to the disgruntled infielder.
Pirates claim LHP Garret Olson off waivers
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The Pittsburgh Pirates have claimed left handed pitcher Garrett Olson off waivers from the Mariners according to the Mariners official Twitter account.
Yesterday, we learned that the Mariners had a full 40 man roster and Olson was already on waivers.
The lefty was 0-3 with a 4.54 ERA and 31 SO in 37.2 innings throughout 35 games with the Mariners.
Ichiro Suzuki donates $1.25 million to Japanese Red Cross
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After Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami, the New York Yankees decided to donate $100,000 for relief efforts and several Japanese Red Sox’s players raised $4,600 as well to help the cause.
Today, we learned that Mariners’ outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is donating 100,000 yen, which equates to about $1.25 million, to the Japanese Red Cross for relief efforts reports Greg Johns of MLB.com.
The team is also asking their fans and front office personnel to help out the Japanese relief funds as well and have promised to match all donations made at Safeco Field during their opening six home games next month reports Johns.
The island nation was struck by the most powerful earthquake in recorded history on March 11, 2011. Thousands of people died in the 8.9-magnitude earthquake.
The epicenter of the main quake Friday was off Miyagi Prefecture, about 230 miles (370 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
After the massive earthquake several countries entered a Tsunami watch, including Japan, and it caused the formation of 30-foot walls of water that swept across cities, fields and dragged houses onto highways. Some waves reached six miles (10 kilometers) inland in Miyagi Prefecture on Japan’s east coast.
Scot Shields set to retire
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According to Scott Miller of CBSSports, Scot Shields is set to hang up the spikes for the final time as he will announce his retirement later today.
Shields is best known for an important piece of the Angels 2002 World Champion team. That year, he put up a 2.20 era in 49 innings.
Shields appeared to be leaning towards retirement as far back as September when he was shut down with elbow soreness. “There’s a business and a personal side of it. From the business side, you look at the bullpen and you can see all the young relievers they have coming up.”
In 10 seasons, all with the Angels, Shields put up a very respectable 3.18 era in 697 innings with 631 strikeouts.
Giants sign 17-year old LHP Adalberto Mejia
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The San Francisco Giants have agreed to terms with left handed pitcher Adalberto Mejia for $350,000 according to Ben Badler of Baseball America.
The 17-year old from Bonao, Dominican Republic is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound with a loose arm and sits at around 87-90 mph, touching 92 with his fastball.
Mejia is the the second high-profile pitcher the club has signed out of Latin America this year according to Badler. Early in February the Giants signed Simon Mercedes for $400,000.
C. J. Wilson and Rangers had discussions about new contract
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The Texas Rangers and C.J. Wilson had several discussions about a contract extension, but with only a few days left before the season starts, the left-hander may decide to test free agency after the season, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.
“Over the last few months, my agent has been in contact with JD [GM Josh Daniels] and Thad, but with about 10 days left in Spring Training it doesn’t look like a deal is going to get done before we break camp,” Wilson said. “Things like this are complicated, of course, and deal with a lot of factors from both sides, but overall the feeling has been really amicable.
“I really enjoy pitching here and am looking forward to focusing on my job — winning as many games as possible and defending our AL West and AL championships. From the organization’s standpoint, obviously the goal is to win year after year and that lines up with my own personal attitude towards pitching.”
Wilson was eligible for arbitration this past winter, but settled for a one-year deal of $7 million.
“Once the season ends we’ll revisit the future,” Wilson said. “But right now it is time to prepare for the present and I don’t want to distract from the rest of the guys or our team.”
Daniels did not want to discuss the negotiations in detail, but the Rangers are optimistic that something can get worked out.
The 30-year-old Wilson was 15-8 and had a 3.35 ERA in 2010. He has been named the team’s Opening Day starter for 2011.
