Rumors for April, 2011
New York Mets Designate Blaine Boyer for Assignment
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The New York Mets have designated Blaine Boyer for Assignment, according to Peter Botte of The New York Daily News.
Boyer took the loss in the Mets game versus the Washington Nationals. In two innings pitched, Boyer gave up four hits and four runs.
Through the first week of the season Boyer was 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA.
Cubs sign Ramon Ortiz to a Minor League deal
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The Chicago Cubs have signed right handed pitcher Ramon Ortiz to a Minor League deal according to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com.
Ortiz, 37, has a career record of 85-82 with a 4.93 ERA in 1,389.2 innings throughout 274 games, 212 starts with the Angels, Reds, Nationals, Rockies, Twins and Dodgers.
Zack Greinke could return sooner than expected
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Right handed pitcher Zack Greinke, who has been sidelined with a hairline fracture in one of his ribs, could return sooner than expected reports Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel.
Greinke apparently felt good during a bullpen session Saturday and the team is considering moving up the timetable for his first start as a Brewer.
The original plan was for Greinke to throw numerous bullpen sessions and simulated games. He would then make two starts for Triple-A Nashville during the last week of April, throwing 35-40 pitches in the first start and 75 in the second. He was expected to make his regular season debut sometime during a series in Atlanta, May 2-5.
“His timetable is in flux because of how well he felt today,” said assistant GM, Gord Ash. “We will rework the schedule and plan and let you all know early next week.”
The right hander cracked a rib while playing basketball early in March, but he confirmed that his second bullpen session felt better than anticipated.
“I was real happy with how it worked out,” he said. “I threw a little bit of everything. It wasn’t perfect, but I’m real happy with it.”
“Everything is coming along good. It’s just (going) as fast as I can be ready. It’s not at 100% right now, but it’s pretty good. It’s possible I might need a six-inning start (in the minors). It’s possible just three innings. That’s my opinion; I don’t know what theirs will be.”
Greinke was traded from the Royals to the Brewers back in December, 2010. The 2009 American League Cy Young Award winner will make $13.5 million each season for 2011 and 2012. He was 10-14 with a 4.17 ERA in 2010 with the Royals.
Nick Cafardo on Ivan Rodriguez, Astros and Fausto Carmona
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Here’s the latest from The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo:
– Ivan Rodriguez of the Washington Nationals could be available in a trade since the team will go with Wilson Ramos as the full time catcher soon.
– Jim Crane is looking like the future owner of the Houston Astors, subject to approval of Bud Selig. The price tag for the Astros could be in the mid-to-upper $600 million. If Crane gets the Astros, he could lure Tampa Bay Ray’s GM, Andrew Friedman, to Houston.
– Right-handed pitcher Fausto Carmona of the Cleveland Indians could be a pitcher teams could go after if he’s made available.
Morgan Ensberg calls Manny Ramirez a ‘coward’
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In a blog posting by Morgan Ensberg, he calls Manny Ramirez a “coward”, a “fake” and “cheat” and specifically references his use of ovulation medicine. Check out what he had to say here:
“How could you? You coward! You are a fake and a cheat and now you want to retire? No way! You get back out there and you take the pain. You stand in front of the cameras and tell us that you are a fake. Tell us that you only care about money. Look directly into the camera and tell us that you don’t give a crap about baseball and that this was always about money! Look into the camera and tell us that you are so stupid and entitled that you are willing to put anything in your body if you think it will help. You took OVULATION MEDICINE DUDE. You were such a fake, that you put medicine in your body that helps you produce eggs for reproduction. You should have eaten raisins. I hear they help you think.”
You can check out his entire blog posting here: http://morganensberg.wordpress.com/2011/04/09/manny/
Rosenthal on Rays, Dodgers, Twins and Mariners
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Here’s the latest from FOXSport’s Ken Rosenthal:
– Rival executives to the Tampa Bay Rays are speculating that the team will become sellers at the deadline in the wake of the Manny Ramirez retirement and the injury to Evan Longoria. Candidates that could be moved are James Shields and B.J. Upton.
– One scout close to Rosenthal questioned the Dodgers offense. One player that is of concern is James Loney who started the season going 4-for-26.
– The Minnesota Twins nearly traded for David Eckstein in 2009, but don’t look for them to acquire a new second basemen to replace the injured Tsuyoshi Nishioka. The team is over budget and they’ll look to fill the injury from an internal player.
– Jack Wilson is keeping the second base position warm for Seattle Mariner’s prospect Dustin Ackley. Scouts say that Ackley will be a great hitter, but a below average defender.
Pedro Martinez wants to help a team win World Series
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Free agent pitcher Pedro Martinez recently said he hasn’t closed the door on pitching in 2011. According to Joe Brescia of the New York Times the right hander is waiting for a call to help a team win a World Series.
Martinez said back in March that part of the reason he didn’t pitched in 2010 was because he promised his kids he was going to take them to Disneyland during the summer, and he didn’t want to break his promise.
The right-hander was asked if he has been working out, and even though he said he hasn’t thrown off a mound yet, he’s been working out and playing catch. He also added that getting ready for the season shouldn’t take him more than a month to a month and a half.
The 39-year old has been on the fence about pitching in the 2011 season since last summer. Back in February, we learned that Martinez could pitch in the final couple months of the season if it’s the right fit. In January he said that although he’s still undecided about pitching again, he will stay in shape.
Martinez last pitched in 2009 with the Phillies where he went 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in nine starts to help the team get to the World Series.
Kevin Slowey placed on the 15-day DL with bicep tendinitis
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According to Phil Mackey of 1500ESPN.com, the Minnesota Twins have placed right handed pitcher Kevin Slowey on the 15-day Disabled List with a shoulder strain.
The Twins called up Alex Burnett from Triple-A Rochester to take Slowey’s spot on the 25-man roster adds Mackey.
The Twins put Slowey on the trade market after Scott Baker became the Twins’ fifth starter. 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.
Yankees sign Carlos Silva
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According to Jon Heyman of SI.com, the Yankees have signed Carlos Silva to a minor league deal.
The Yankees were originally not interested in Silva when he was released prior to the start of the season by the Cubs. Jack Curry of the YES Network points out that with the recent struggles of Phil Hughes, taking a gamble on Silva that would cost the Yankees only the league minimum is a good depth move.
Silva will join Kevin Millwood in Triple-A and provide the team depth incase Hughes does continue to struggle or Freddy Garcia or Bartolo Colon the team’s other veteran pitchers on minor league deals don’t pan out.
The Cubs released Silva late in March. They told Silva they would try and trade him but had asked him to go down to the minors to work on his game. But Silva the team player he is said no. He didn’t leave it at just “no”, he took a parting shot at Cubs pitching coach Mark Riggins as he left the building for the last time.
The Venezuela native began the 2010 season going 8-0 in his first 11 starts, but after the All-Star break he was 1-3 with a 11.12 ERA. He finished the 2010 season with a 11-6 record and a 4.22 ERA in 113 innings throughout 21 starts. Silva will be reunited with ex-Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild (if he makes the major league club) who helped him go 8-0 with a sub 3.00 ERA to open the season.
Silva also allowed 21 runs in 17.1 innings this Spring.
Manny Ramirez speaks about retirement – he’s going to Spain
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Former slugger Manny Ramirez’s spoke with ESPNDeportes.com after his abrupt retirement from baseball:
“I’m at ease,” Ramirez said via phone from his home in Miami. “God knows what’s best [for me]. I’m now an officially retired baseball player. I’ll be going away on a trip to Spain with my old man.”
Ramirez chose to walk away from the game rather than face a 100-game suspension for his second drug-related offense. Sources close to ESPN said that Ramirez tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs during Spring Training.
“We were obviously surprised when we found out about it today and hurt by what transpired,” said Rays vice president Andrew Friedman. “We were cautiously optimistic that he would be able to be a force for us.”
Others spoke out about their friend and teammate:
“It’s sad, man, to see a player with that much talent and with an unbelievable career get him out of the game,” Red Sox slugger David Ortiz said. “He got his issues like a lot of people know, but, as a player, I think he did what he was supposed to.”
“It’s unfortunate,” Johnny Damon said. “I don’t know everything that’s been brought up. All I know is he’s a great teammate and a great player. It’s going to be sad not seeing Manny Ramirez ever around a baseball field.”
