Rumors for April, 2011
Reds could use Dontrelle Willis as a trade chip
Posted by: | Comments
According to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, left handed pitcher Dontrelle Willis is off to a great start for the Reds’ Triple-A team. He is 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA in four starts, going six, six, five and seven innings respectively in each one of his starts.
Willis though, doesn’t have an out in his contract, and Fay says he doesn’t think the Reds will give him a shot as a starter. Injured starters Homer Bailey and Johnny Cueto are going to need spots soon.
If Willis continues to pitch well in the Majors other teams could be interested in acquiring him. Fay believes the best he has with the Reds at the moment is as a long reliever.
In his first five Major League seasons with the Marlins, Willis was 68-54 with a 3.78 ERA in 162 games. Since then, Willis has struggled in the Majors, in 2008 and 2009 with the Tigers he was 1-6 with 8.27 ERA in 15 games, 14 starts. In 2010, the lefty was 2-3 with a 5.62 ERA in 15 games, 13 starts with the Tigers and Diamondbacks.
Phil Hughes may be suffering from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Posted by: | Comments
Yankees’ Phil Hughes was placed on the Disabled List on April 15 with a “dead arm”. But according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, Hughes may be suffering from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, a nerve and circulatory condition.
Hughes is scheduled to see Dr. Robert William Thompson in St. Louis to determine if he indeed does have TOS and what the necessary course of treatment would be adds Hoch.
“We can’t tell you if he has it or if he doesn’t have it, but we’re sending him to a specialist,” manager Joe Girardi said.
The TOS is a group of disorders that occur when the blood vessels or nerves in the thoracic outlet — the space between your collarbone and your first rib — become compressed. This can cause pain in your shoulders and neck and numbness in your fingers.
Common causes of thoracic outlet syndrome include physical trauma from a car accident, repetitive injuries from job- or sports-related activities, certain anatomical defects, such as having an extra rib, and pregnancy. Even a long-ago injury can lead to thoracic outlet syndrome in the present (via Mayo Clinic’s website).
Hughes struggled in his first three outings this season. He is 0-1 with a 13.94 ERA and 3 SO in 10.1 innings, and his opponents are hitting .396 against him.
Padres’ Joe Thatcher to undergo shoulder surgery
Posted by: | Comments
Left handed pitcher Joe Thatcher is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder next Monday according to Don Norcross of the San Diego Union Tribune.
Thatcher has been sidelined since early in Spring Training and has received three cortisone shots since then. He said that if the doctors determine his labrum just needs to be “cleaned up,” he would be out for at least three months. If it needs to be repaired he would need nine months or maybe a year to make a comeback.
“It’s kind of a relief at this point,” Thatcher said. “It’s been a long, frustrating two months. We tried strengthening it. Now we’re going to go in and get it taken care of. I’m hoping for the best.”
The left handed pitcher was 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA with 45 SO in 35 innings throughout 65 games with the Padres in 2010.
The Frank McCourt Soap Opera continues
Posted by: | Comments
Today was a huge day in the ongoing McCourt soap opera. Frank who has refused to discuss much of anything with the media, held a press conference in New York after meeting with MLB executives (minus Bud Selig). McCourt said MLB denied the FOX media deal which would have put $300 million up front which would have been invested into the team immediately. “I signed an agreement that $300m up-front from Fox deal would go directly into the Dodgers, not for divorce or any personal matters.”
McCourt for the first time also publicly apologized for his personal spending habits and for his messy divorce and added that the divorce has been very difficult for him.
Then the topic of MLB hiring Tom Schieffer to oversee the day-to-day operations was brought up and McCourt said: “Nobody handed the Dodgers to me and nobody’s going to take them away. I’m not going anywhere.”
Reports have suggested McCourt plans to sue MLB, but he was non-committal when that subject was broached on Wednesday, saying: “I’m very committed to my position, and I have not decided exactly what we’re going to do.”
Shortly have McCourt’s press conference ended, Tom Schieffer’s press conference began. Schieffer did not comment on anything McCourt said specifically but did say: “We don’t want to be disruptive, we want to be helpful. I hope it will give some confidence that the instability and turmoil is coming to an end, and that we are getting to the bottom of whatever the problem is. Los Angeles and Major League Baseball need the Dodgers to be a healthy franchise.”
Familiar face Joe Torre was also at the press conference and said that he will be assisting Schieffer in the investigation. “Joe is a great baseball guy and has been in L.A., so I hope to pick his brain and get any thoughts he may have,” Schieffer said. “If you have Joe Torre available, you use him, and that is what I intend to do.”
Schieffer has yet to talk to McCourt in person but said: “I look forward to talking with him, having a nice visit and seeing what he is concerned about, but I am here to help the franchise get back on its feet and be successful again, and I think that is the Commissioner’s biggest concern.”
But the comments didn’t stop there as MLB VP Rob Manfred later provided this response to McCourt’s comments: “There has been no seizure of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mr. Schieffer has been appointed as a monitor, and a multi-page written directive from the Commissioner describing his role has been provided to Mr. McCourt,” he said in his statement. “In our meeting, no one from the Dodgers asked a single, specific question about the terms of the document setting forth the monitor’s role. … Finally, Mr. McCourt is well aware of the basis of Baseball’s investigation and has been provided an eight-page document describing the issues of concern to Major League Baseball.”
Unfortunately, things are only going to get worse before they get better for the Dodgers and their loyal fans.
Quotes and other information were obtained via Bill Shaikin of the LA Times.
Angels designate Jason Bulger for assignment
Posted by: | Comments
The Los Angeles Angels have designated right-handed pitcher Jason Bulger for assignment, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. The team also optioned Matt Palmer to Triple-A Las Vegas.
The moves were done to accommodate Joel Pineiro and Scott Downs – both of whom are coming off of the disabled list.
Bulger, 32, was 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in nine appearances for the Angels this season.
Pirates to designate John Bowker for assignment
Posted by: | Comments
According to Colin Dunlap of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates will designate John Bowker for assignment. The move will be done to make room on the roster for Xavier Paul, the outfielder the team claimed from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.
Bowker, 27, is a career .233/.289/.391 hitter in four seasons with the Pirates and San Francisco Giants.
Houston Astros release RHP Fernando Nieve
Posted by: | Comments
The Houston Astros have released right-handed Minor League pitcher Fernando Nieve, so that he can sign with Doosan in Korea, according to Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle.
The Astros signed Nieve to a Minor League deal on March 24, 2011. The 28-year old righty was released by the Pirates in mid-March . He pitched with the New York Mets in 2010. He has a lifetime record of 8-11 with a 4.61 ERA in 99 appearances (19 starts) with the Mets and Astros. He was a non-roster invitee of the Pirates with an invitation to the team’s Major League camp prior to being released.
Mark DeRosa placed on disabled list
Posted by: | Comments
San Francisco Giant’s utility man, Mark DeRosa is headed to the disabled list due to “dull pain” in his left wrist, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. DeRosa and the Giant’s trainer, Dave Groeschner went to Cleveland to visit Dr. Tom Graham, the surgeon who operated on DeRosa’s left wrist last year that caused him to miss most of the 2010 season.
Dr. Graham confirmed that DeRosa’s tendon is fine and he will be out seven to ten days to rest it.
“He’s just coming off a couple of surgeries,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “Sometimes it’s going to flare up. The area around it is inflamed. They say in seven to 10 days he’s going to feel great.”
Earlier today, a source close to Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel said that the Marlins were considering making a run at the infielder.
In DeRosa’s place, the Giants will call up Emmanuel Burriss from Triple-A Fresno.
Snyder, Molina and Rodriguez on Red Sox wish list
Posted by: | Comments
The Boston Red Sox are looking to upgrade their catching situation and they have Chris Snyder, Bengie Molina and Ivan Rodriguez on their wish list, according to a source close to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.
Rosenthal adds that Snyder would likely be off the table if the Pittsburgh Pirates ask for a significant return.
Molina has not played since last year’s World Series and he’s been on the fence about officially retiring. During the off season, he was rumored to have spoken with many teams. As recently as mid-March, his brother Jose Molina said that Bengie still wants to play.
Rodriguez has been available now that the Nationals are committing to Wilson Ramos as their long-term catcher.
Oswalt leaves Phillies due to tornado activity
Posted by: | Comments
According to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Craig Calcaterra of HardballTalk), right-handed starting pitcher Roy Oswalt has left the team for “personal reasons.” GM Ruben Amaro later said (via David Murphy of The Inquirer) that Oswalt left to attend to matters that stemmed from the massive system of storms that have moved through his home state of Mississippi.
“There has been a tremendous amount of tornado activity near Roy’s home in Mississippi resulting in several tragic deaths and significant devastation to the area. Because of this, Roy is concerned about his family’s well-being. He has chosen to take time to make sure there wasn’t significant damage to his home, but more importantly, to make certain that his wife and children are okay.
It is almost a year to the day that his parents’ home was destroyed by a tornado which has heightened his concern about the current situation.
We are hopeful that he will rejoin the team for his next start, but will take that day by day.”
In five starts this season, the 33-year-old Oswalt is 3-1 with a 3.33 ERA over 27 innings pitched.
