Rumors for May, 2011
Astros designate Nelson Figueroa for assignment
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According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, the Houston Astros have designated Nelson Figueroa for assignment. The Astros signed Figueroa to a one-year, $900,000 deal back in December, 2010.
In 2010, the right-hander was 7-4 in 31 appearances (11 starts) with a 3.29 ERA with the Astros and Philadelphia Phillies. He made $416,000 last season.
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Scott Atchison clears waivers, headed back to Pawtucket
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According to Pete Abrahams of the Boston Globe, right handed pitcher Scott Atchison has cleared waivers and is heading to Triple-A Pawtucket.
Atchison was designated for assignment two days ago by the Red Sox. The right hander threw 3.2 innings against the Angels last Thursday.
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Prince Fielder is uncertain about his future in Milwaukee
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First baseman Prince Fielder is under the Brewers control until the end of this season, but after that, all bets are off according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
After this season, Albert Pujols could become a free agent, and Fielder’s contract could influenced by his. Fielder is four years younger than Pujols and will probably be seeking a seven-year deal similar to what Jayson Werth and Adrian Gonzalez got from the Nationals and Red Sox.
Fielder though, is not closed off to contract talks during the season, as Pujols has been, but he doesn’t see any forthcoming says Goold.
“If (free agency) is what he wants to do, then it’s awesome,” Fielder said. “Right now it’s not on the top of my list. That’s for the offseason. My contract is up at the end of the year, and after that nobody knows. What I do know is I’m here for this year, and that’s that.”
Late in February, we learned that the team was going to focus on winning the NL Central and have fun. “We’re a team that has fun,” said Fielder at the moment. “I think we got away from that the past couple years. We were trying to be something we’re not. No offense to anybody else, but we like to have fun. If you think we’re disrespecting the game, that’s your problem. Beat us, then.”
“Before, we were never trying to disrespect anybody. We were just having fun. The fans liked it. It was good for baseball. Hopefully we’re going to get back to that.”
“This is an exciting team. If you want to show emotion, show it. We’re not in a library.”
“I think this clubhouse is more focused on winning. That hasn’t crept up until you said something. That will take care of itself. Just try to win, man. If it is my last year, try to go out with a bang.”
Fielder is a lifetime .279 hitter with 199 HR’s and 563 RBI’s in 3085 AB’s throughout seven Major League seasons with the Brewers.
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Mariners designate OF Milton Bradley for assignment
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According to the Seattle Mariners, the team has recalled outfielder Carlos Peguero from Triple-A Tacoma and designated outfielder Milton Bradley for assignment.
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.
Bradley was arrested earlier this year in Los Angeles County for making a “criminal threat” against a female victim.
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Agent Dan Lozano to represent Alex Rodriguez
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According to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal, agent Dan Lozano has signed New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez for “all baseball-related work.”
Rodriguez was previously represented by Scott Boras, but he fired him on September 2, 2010. He then retained Pittsburgh attorney Jay Reisigner and Washington lawyer Jim Sharp to represent him.
The All Star third baseman’s current contract, 10-year at $275 million, was ultimately under Boras but it required Rodriguez to interject in the negotiations.
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Vicente Padilla could be the Dodgers’ full-time closer
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Dodgers’ closer Jonathan Broxton is on the 15-day Disabled List, and the team decided to give Vicente Padilla the closer job while Broxton is injured. Padilla, on Sunday earned his second save, and according to Dodgers’ manager, Don Mattingly, if Padilla continues to pitch well, he could remain the closer even after Broxton is activated from the DL (via Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times).
“We’ll see how it goes,” Mattingly said. “Obviously, if Vicente comes in and is pitching well out of there, it’s hard to just hand something over to somebody else. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”
Mattingly also said that Broxton could be out for another six weeks. “Like everybody else, we try to get guys back in the mix [in nonpressure situations] before we start throwing them in tight situations,” Mattingly said.
Padilla was given the closer duties by default as its more the motto of “If not him, then who?” Every member of the bullpen has struggled mightily at one point of the season. The other options who include Kenley Jansen (14.33 innings, 11 runs) and Hong-Chih Kuo ( 4.67 innings, 6 runs) have both battled significant control issues with Kuo now battling not only control issues but fielding issues as well. Padilla has not been overwhelmingly great but has been the best of the group.
Padilla, prior to Sunday’s game (which he allowed two hits and a run) had one save and a 1.50 ERA in six innings throughout six games.
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Mariners designate Ryan Langerhans for assignment
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According to Shannon Drayer of ESPNSeattle, outfielder Ryan Langerhans has been designated for assignment by the Mariners. The team was expected to make a roster move so they could call up outfielder Mike Wilson.
Wilson was hitting .381/.429/.683 with 4 HR’s and 14 RBI’s in 63 AB’s with the Mariners Triple-A team at Tacoma.
In 52 AB’s this season, Langerhans was hitting .173/.317/.346 with 3 HR’s and 6 RBI’s for the Marines.
Ian Stewart walking a fine line with the Rockies
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Third baseman Ian Stewart recently came back to the bigs after an 11-day trip to Triple-A to try and revive his swing. Since he has come back, he has gone 1-for-12, including 0-for-7 against the Giants.
Manager Jim Tracy appears to be losing his patience with Stewart according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. “I don’t want Ian to hit eighth. But unfortunately he’s not giving me much choice,” said Tracy. “We are getting to the point with him that’s it time for him to fish or cut bait. He’s either going to play his way in or play his way off the team.”
Stewart continues to have problems with inside pitches says Renck, and his teammates have told him to adjust because the opponents continue to pitch to that hole. Another option for the Rockies could be Jose Lopez, who is also having a terrible year hitting just .148 with 2 HR’s and 8 RBI’s.
The 25-year-old Stewart hit .256/.338/.443 with 18 home runs for the Rockies in 2010.
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Injury updates: Ruiz, Morrison, Young, Bourgeois and Bailey
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Here’s a running list of injury updates around the Major Leagues:
– The Philadelphia Phillies have placed catcher Carlos Ruiz on the Disabled List according to David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News. Ruiz has been on the active roster for the last 10 days, but unable to play. Ruiz last played on April 27, but left the game with leg pain.
– According to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, Logan Morrison will play in a rehab assignment game on Monday with the Single-A Jupiter Hammerheads. Morrison has been on the Disabled List since April 21 with a a left arch strain.
– Right handed pitcher Chris Young has been placed on the 15-day Disabled List according to the Mets WFAN Twitter account. Young was scratched from his scheduled Saturday start with problems with tendinitis in his right bicep.
– Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle tweets that the Astros have placed Jason Bourgeois on 15-day Disabled List with an oblique injury. Bourgeois suffered an oblique injury during an AB yesterday.
– Athletics closer Andrew Bailey threw a 30-pitch session, including his first curveball of 2011 during the Texas series reports John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. Bailey will pitch to a couple of more hitters in more of a simulated-game situation before he will pitch in the minors.
Cervelli hits 1st career grand slam not knowing the bases were loaded
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Yankees backup catcher Francisco Cervelli played today against the Rangers so Russell Martin could get a day off. Cervelli started the season on the Disabled List and today was just his third game of the season.
Prior to today’s game, the Venezuela native had only one home run in 370 AB’s throughout four Major League seasons. His only home run came on June 2009.
Today, Cervelli crushed a 3-2 pitch off Cody Eppley for his first career Grand Slam. You would think that Cervelli ran the bases savoring the moment, but the truth was, he didn’t know it was a grand slam until he got to home plate according to ESPN’s Wallace Matthews.
“When I was running, no, I did not know the bases were loaded,” he said. “Now I’m going after Alex (Rodriguez), Lou Gehrig and Manny (Ramirez).” The last grand slam Cervelli hit was when he was playing Single-A back in 2007, so he’s probably no threat for Rodriguez, Gehrig or Ramirez.
Cervelli dedicated the homer to his mother, who he hoped was watching back home in Venezuela (I hope she has MLB TV because no other channel was airing the game). The catcher though did not hit the homer using the pink bat most of the players used in honor of Mother’s Day. “The pink bat was a little uncomfortable,” he said. “I used it twice (a groundout and a double play), but then I went back to my old bat.”
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