Rumors for May, 2011
Is Milton Bradley gone for good?
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Last week, the Seattle Mariners designated Milton Bradley for assignment. Yesterday, the San Diego Padres said they wouldn’t probably bring him back and added their name to a list of MLB teams that won’t even consider Bradley.
The 33-year-old Bradley, was hitting .218/.313/.356 in 28 games for the Mariners in 2011. He was in the final year of a three-year contract where he’s making $12 million this season.
Today, Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated said that two other baseball executives said “no” about the possibility of signing Bradley. “I think he’s had enough chances,” said an executive. “He’s a fun sucker. He sucks the fun out of everything.”
An executive with one of Bradley’s recent teams said. “Everyone walks around on tippy toes because nobody wants to offend him … He has enough money. He should use it to get some help.”
Back in January, Bradley was arrested by the LAPD for making “criminal threats” to a woman. Though he was not arrested, it was just another black mark on Bradley’s record which includes run-ins with every manager or coach for the team he has been on and fights with the fans.
Bradley is a lifetime .270/.364/.440 with 125 HR’s and 481 RBI’s in 3605 AB’s throughout 12 Major League seasons.
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Fred Wilpon believes he’ll retain control of the Mets
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The Mets have been having financial problems lately and are trying to sell a portion of the team. According to Dan Martin of the New York Post, Fred Wilpon remains confident that his family will retain controlling interest of the Mets.
Wilpon still hopes they can sell a portion of the team in the next couple of months buddy Bud Selig feels the same way. The commissioner expressed confidence last month that the sale would be completed shortly.
It was believed that the portion of the team would cost around $200 million, and it could represent around 40% of the team. The team is currently under the spotlight thanks to the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme with victims of the Madoff incident looking at the Wilpons for money as they benefited from the Ponzi scheme.
“I think they’re moving forward to a very satisfactory conclusion,” Selig said. “The Mets are doing, when you have a problem, what you have to do. That’s selling a part of their team and putting equity in it.”
Selig said no potential candidates have been brought to him.
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Scott Boras not interested in negotiating a long-term extension for Eric Hosmer
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The Kansas City Royals recently called up their top prospect Eric Hosmer, a 21-year old first baseman that is slated to be a superstar. Prior to today’s game, Hosmer was hitting .250/.409/.500 with 1 HR and 3 RBI’s. Today he went 3-5 with a homer and 2 RBI’s.
The team decided to promote Hosmer because their first baseman, Kila Ka’aihue, was struggling offensively, hitting just .195/.295/.317 with 6 RBI’s in 82 AB’s. Hosmer, was hitting .439/.525/.582 for the Triple-A team at Omaha.
Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star suggests that the team should sign Hosmer to a multi-year deal, maybe similar to the one Evan Longoria got from the Rays in 2008. Longoria received a $17.5 million guarantee over six years and a possible $44.5 million over nine years.
Hosmer’s agent, Scott Boras, says he has no plans to negotiate a long-term extension for him with the Kansas City Royals according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.
Mellinger says the Royals could give Hosmer a $25 million guarantee over six years and a possible $65 million over nine seasons to cover two free agent years and still be on the good side of risk-reward.
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Could the Tigers make a run for David Wright?
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The Detroit Tigers are tied for second place with the Kansas City Royals in the American League Central, four games behind the Cleveland Indians. They rank fifth in the American League with a .270 BA and first with 181 runs scored. But according to Lynn Henning of the Detroit News, they could improve their offense even more with the addition of David Wright.
Henning believes that the Tigers could make an offer attractive enough to lure the Mets to trade Wright, although he knows the price would be ”steep.” Any package would probable have to include one or two pitching prospects.
Maybe Andy Oliver, Charlie Furbush, Casey Crosby or Lester Oliveros among others. A hitting prospect and maybe a player or two from the current roster.
Brandon Inge, the current third baseman for the Tigers is hitting .208 with 1 HR and 12 RBI’s, so Wright would be an upgrade at that position. Henning suggests that the team could try to ship him to another team, but he would have to agree to it because of his 5-and-10 status.
Wright though, has said that although he would like to win, he wants to stay in New York.
“To me [leaving] is not a decision I want to make,” Wright said. “In a perfect world, we get things turned around, we start winning and the decision is made easy for me. There is no question I want to win. But just as important is I want to win here.”
“I am a loyal person and I feel loyal to this ownership group because it has been good to me,” he said. “You have the good, the bad and the ugly. We certainly have had the bad and the ugly. So now I want to be part of the good. I enjoy the challenge. I want to believe that I will endure the bad times for a prize at the end.”
If the Tigers pull the rumored trade off, their lineup could be a nightmare for any opposing team’s pitching staff with Victor Martinez, Miguel Cabrera and Wright one behind the other.
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Yankees designate Jess Todd for assignment
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According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, the New York Yankees have designated Jess Todd for assignment. The team designated Todd to make room on the 40-man roster for Amaury Sanit.
To make room on the 25-man roster for Sanit, the Yankees sent infielder Ramiro Pena back to Triple-A. Todd was claimed off waivers from the Indians last week.
The 25-year-old Todd, has a career 0-1 record with the Indians and St. Louis Cardinals with a 7.62 ERA in 25 relief appearances.
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Tigers release outfielder Jon Weber
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The Detroit Tigers have released outfielder Jon Weber according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America. Weber was suspended for 100 games following his third positive test for a drug of abuse.
The 32-year old outfielder voluntarily retired three days before his suspension was announced. In 12 Minor League seasons, Weber hit .287/.363/.465 with 132 HR’s and 656 RBI’s.
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Chris Young to undergo season-ending surgery
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Mets starter Chris Young, who was placed on the Disabled List earlier this week, has decided to undergo season-ending surgery according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News.
The right hander was diagnosed with a tear of the anterior capsule in his shoulder a couple of days ago, but it was unclear if he was going to opt for the surgery.
Young and the Mets agreed to terms on January 17, 2011. The 31-year-old missed five months of the 2010 season due to a shoulder injury. After his return, he made four starts going 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA over 20 innings.
In 2011, Young was 1-0 with a 1.88 ERA in 24 innings for the Mets.
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San Diego Padres unlikely to sign Milton Bradley
Posted by: | CommentsIn an interview with Darren Smith on XX Sports Radio (via Gaslamp Ball), San Diego Padres’ GM Jed Hoyer said it isn’t likely that the team will pursue recently designated outfielder Milton Bradley.
“I don’t think it’s likely,” Hoyer said.
Former Padre Adrian Gonzalez and the coaching staff have been big supporters of the troubled outfielder, but Hoyer has not spoke with manager Bud Black about the possibility of Bradley rejoining the team.
The Seattle Mariners designated Milton Bradley for assignment on May 9. The 33-year-old was hitting .218/.313/.356 in 28 games for the Mariners in 2011. He was in the final year of a three-year contract where he’s making $12 million this season.
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Ike Davis placed on Disabled List
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New York Mets’ Ike Davis has been placed on the disabled list due to a left ankle sprain and bone bruise, according to Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal. To take Davis’ spot on the roster, the Mets have called up Fernando Martinez.
Davis’ left foot had been in a protective boot this week as a result of a collision with teammate David Wright on a pop-up against the Colorado Rockies.
The 24-year-old Davis was hitting .302/.383/.543 with seven home runs and 25 RBIs in 36 games with the Mets this season.
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Dodgers place Hong-Chih Kuo on the DL with an anxiety disorder (“yips”)
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The Dodgers placed Hong-Chih Kuo on the 15-day disabled list earlier today but did not immediately specify what the reasoning for placing him on the DL was. When manager Don Mattingly was asked why Kuo was placed on the DL, he stated that he couldn’t say why Kuo was placed on the DL until the team received league approval.
A Dodger insider told Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times that Kuo is again dealing with a case of the “yips”, though the Dodgers are calling it an anxiety order. The Dodgers are concerned enough that Mattingly wouldn’t even say if he expected Kuo back this season.
Kuo has had four elbow surgeries and has said he is not physically injured. Kuo also battled a case of the “yips” before in his career. The yips could be described as struggling to throw the ball accurately, even to first base despite being healthy.
While making the All-Star team last season, Kuo pitched to a 1.20 ERA, 60 innings, 73 strikeouts while saving 12 games and holding opponents to a .139 avg.
In nine games (4 2/3 innings) this season, Kuo has an 11.57 ERA with only 8 strikeouts.
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