Rumors for June, 2011
The Orioles want to discuss a contract extension with J.J. Hardy
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According to a Major League source close to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports, the Baltimore Orioles want to discuss a contract extension with J.J. Hardy before the season is over.
Hardy, who was sidelined for almost a month with a strained left oblique has become a favorite of manager Buck Showalter and his staff adds Rosenthal.
“The game never catches him by surprise,” one Orioles official says. “He shows up, you ask him a question, he gives the right answer. And he tells (teammates) the right things instead of what they want to hear.”
Hardy was traded to the Orioles from the Twins back in December. He is earning $5.85 million in his final season before free agency and according to Rosenthal he could be a perfect two-year bridge to Class-A shortstop Manny Machado.
The 28-year old is hitting .287/.363/.473 with 6 HR’s and 19 RBI’s in 129 AB’s for the Orioles this season.
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White Sox claim Leyson Septimo off waivers
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The Chicago White Sox have claimed left handed pitcher Leyson Septimo off waivers from the Diamondbacks according to the White Sox official Twitter account.
The team optioned Septimo to Double-A Birmingham. He is 2-1 with a 6.37 ERA in 29.2 innings throughout 21 games for the Diamondbacks’ Double-A team.
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Phillies are looking at right-handed hitting outfielders
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Baseball sources close to ESPN’s Buster Olney say that the Philadelphia Phillies are already looking at right-handed hitting outfielders ahead of the July trade deadline. Olney speculates that they could be targeting players such as Josh Willingham or Michael Cuddyer.
Olney’s statement contradicts what GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said last week about his team not making any significant moves before the deadeline.
“I wouldn’t expect it,” Amaro said at the time.
The GM thinks his team has enough balance of hitters on both sides of the plate to get them back to the World Series.
Willingham would be a good fit for the Phillies, but the $2.5 million balance on his 2011 salary would be difficult for the Phillies to support.
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Pitchers notes: Matusz, Lyles and Hernandez
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Here are a few notes regarding some Major League pitchers:
– Brian Matusz didn’t have a good outing on Sunday against the Rays. Rays’ manager, Joe Maddon, believes there’s something wrong with the left hander reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
“I think there may be something not quite right with Matusz,” Maddon said. “I’m certain he’s not feeling 100 percent.”
– Astros starter Jordan Lyles will remain in the team’s rotation once Wandy Rodriguez is activated from the Disabled List reports Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle.
The team will probably move Aneury Rodriguez to the bullpen and option Jeff Fulchino to Triple-A to make room for Rodriguez on the roster.
– Livan Hernandez is target of a federal money-laundering investigation according to Nathan Fenno of the Washington Times. Hernandez is suspected of being a “straw buyer” for Angel Ayala-Vazquez, the leader of one of the most powerful drug trafficking organization in Puerto Rico.
A “straw buyer” purchases items for others in their own name, allowing the proceeds from illegal activities such as drug trafficking to be hidden.
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Padres designate LHP Aaron Poreda for assignment
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The San Diego Padres have designated left-handed pitcher Aaron Poreda for assignment in order to make room for Anthony Bass, according to a report by Sarah Trotto of the Arizona Daily Star. Bass was promoted from the Padres’ Double-A affiliate to the big league club.
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Pirates acquire Mike McKenry from Red Sox
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According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired catcher Mike McKenry from the Boston Red Sox. In exchange for McKenry, the Red Sox will acquire a player to be named later.
The 26-year-old McKenry has eight Major League at-bats under his belt and during his short Major League career, he has yet to get his first Major League hit, but he has reached base on a walk.
In order to make room for McKenry, the Pittsburgh Pirates designated Wyatt Toregas.
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Jason Marquis wants to stay in Washington
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Right handed pitcher Jason Marquis said Saturday that he wants to stay with the Nationals past the 2011 season according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com.
Marquis is in the final year of his two-year, $15 million deal with the team. The right hander said he wants a multi-year deal, although he didn’t say how many years he wants from the Nationals. The sides have not talked about a contract extension at the moment.
“Anybody would want a multi-year deal. That’s how the game works,” Marquis said. “I don’t think anyone would turn down a four for a one.”
Marquis said he likes the direction the team is going.
“I know that with everything going on with the Draft, [general manager Mike] Rizzo is busy with that and it’s a very important part of his job,” Marquis said. “I would love to stay here. I think we have a good thing going here.
“I think this is going to be good for a long time with the [Jayson] Werth signing and [Ryan] Zimmerman finally coming back from his injury. [Jordan] Zimmermann and John Lannan are getting better start by start. We have Desi and Espy [Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa]. There are so many good guys, it would be a shame to not be a part of it. It has to be mutual on both sides. Whether it’s now or at the end of the season, we’ll figure something out.”
Marquis is 7-2 with a 3.67 ERA in 91 innings throughout 13 starts this year with the Nationals and as Ladson points out, this is a comeback year for Marquis. Last season, he only appeared in only 13 games. He missed a lot of time because of bone chips in right elbow.
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Pitchers notes: Hanson, Liriano and Zito
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Here are a few notes regarding some Major League pitchers:
– Right handed pitcher Tommy Hanson led the Braves to a 4-1 win against the Astros thus improving his record On the season to 8-4. In the game, Hanson struck out 14 batters, a career-high for him. He allowed one run and three hits over seven innings.
– Francisco Liriano took a no-no to the seventh inning today against the Rangers. He ended up surrendering a lead-off single in the eight to Adrian Beltre. The lefty threw the first no hitter of 2011 early in May, and today he got a chance to repeat the task.
– Left handed pitcher Barry Zito made his second rehab start with the San Jose Giants yesterday and improved his record to 2-0 reports CSNBayArea.com. Zito worked for seven innings allowing only two earned runs and six hits.
There has been rumors that Zito could join the team as a reliever once he’s activated from the Disabled List. The team has been using his time on the DL to make some tweaks, experiment with new grips to give him more resources to retire hitters more consistently.
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Tigers outright Enrique Gonzalez to Triple-A
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The Detroit Tigers have outrighted right handed pitcher Enrique Gonzalez to Triple-A Toledo according to the team official Twitter account. The move will create room for Magglio Ordonez who will be activated from the Disabled List on Monday.
Gonzalez has a 10.00 ERA in 9.0 innings for the Tigers this season. Last season, he was 0-1 with a 3.81 ERA in 26 innings throughout 18 games with the Tigers.
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Yankees place Bartolo Colon on the 15-day Disabled List
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Right handed pitcher Bartolo Colon has been placed on the 15-day Disabled List with a strained left hamstring reports, Daniel Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal. Colon suffered the injury in the seventh inning of Saturday’s game against the Indians.
This week, the Yankees have now lost two pitchers to injuries. Joba Chamberlain, who will undergo Tommy John surgery and will be out at least a year, and now Colon.
Last week, we learned that the Yankees would try to improve their pitching, and we can only assume this situation will accelerate the process.
The Yankees lost Rafael Soriano and Phil Hughes to injuries earlier this season, and Pedro Feliciano has been lost for all the 2011 season, so now the Yankees will have to look to improve both their rotation and bullpen.
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