Rumors for June, 2011
Could blowing a kiss delay Bryce Harper’s promotion?
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Nationals’ phenom Bryce Harper hit his 14th homer on Monday night for Class-A Hagerstown. Even though his numbers are amazing and worthy of a promotion, the team might hold him back to work on his maturity issues reports Jim Bowden of ESPN.
After hitting his home run on Monday, Harper decided to stay a little longer than usual at home plate admiring his blast like it was a beautiful sunset. After that, he began to slowly trot the bases.
Those actions displeased pitcher Zach Neal who starred at him, but the 2010 First Overall pick Harper decided to finish his masterpiece by blowing a kiss to Neal as he reached home plate. Though it is not known if Neal said something earlier in the game which caused Harper to react the way he did.
The team is now considering the idea of delaying his promotion a little longer to see if he matures a little bit and learns how to control his emotions on the field.
As Bowden points out, the Minors are a place for players to grow, and not just as players.
Harper is considered a child prodigy, the Doogie Howser of baseball as Bowden says, but he needs to control his emotions and be more professional. Actions like the one he displayed on Monday, could lead pitchers to throw at him, and we all know what a high 90’s fastball can do to a person.
Even if pitchers do not throw at him in fear league sanctions, they will probably look to seek revenge or send a message by hitting other players in the lineup. Blowing a kiss to a Major League pitcher is a behavior that won’t be tolerated.
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2011 MLB Amateur Draft Results, Rounds 1-10
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The first two days of the 2011 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft are now in the books! The draft got underway with the Pirates selecting Gerrit Cole with the first overall pick.
Check out any of the links below or the draft page on the right sidebar of the main page for complete details and a brief overview of the top 60 draft picks, with up to round 10 documented and able to be sorted by position or team for your viewing pleasure.
There are a few ways that you can stay on top of it:
Follow online: http://www.prorumors.com/mlb-draft-2011
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Follow on via SMS: http://www.prorumors.com/sessions/new
Some scouting information was obtained from Keith Law of ESPN.com.
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Pitchers notes: Papelbon, Marquis, Vazquez and Chapman
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Here are a few notes regarding some Major League pitchers:
– Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon has been suspended three games for making contact with an umpire according to the Associated Press. Papelbon’s suspension was set to begin Tuesday night but the right hander is appealing.
Major league Baseball also fined Papelbon an undisclosed amount for his actions in Saturday’s game.
– Right handed pitcher Jason Marquis was suspended for throwing at a hitter last weekend after both teams had been warned reports the Associated Press. The Nationals starter was suspended five games and fined an undisclosed amount Tuesday by Major League Baseball.
– Esmerling Vasquez was also suspended by Major League baseball for throwing at a hitter in retaliation last weekend according to the Associated Press. Vasquez was suspended three games and also fined.
– Left handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman was sent to Double-A Carolina to resume his rehab assignment according to MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon.
The Cuban hurler has been battling control this season so the team decided to send him to Triple-A to work on his control. There, Chapman allowed seven runs over nine hits in just 4.2 innings, so the team decided to demote him again.
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Colorado Rockies officially release Jose Lopez
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According to the Colorado Rockies’ official Twitter account, the team released Jose Lopez on June 6. Lopez was designated for assignment on May 26.
Lopez was acquired this past offseason for his bat and versatility. He had played second and third but was hitting only .210 with two-home runs while striking out 14 times.
Lopez is a career .264 hitter, who in 2009 had a career year with 25 home runs with 96 RBIs while hitting .272.
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Athletics could become sellers at the deadline
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The Oakland Athletics started the season with aspirations that their young starting rotation could give them a chance to compete in the AL West, but after Brett Anderson’s injury, the A’s have lost four starting pitchers in the past three weeks.
One of them, Dallas Braden, is out for the season due to a season-ending surgery. Second baseman, Mark Ellis, is also expected to be placed on the Disabled List with a right hamstring strain.
With the Texas Rangers on the rise, this unfortunate situation could force the A’s to become sellers at the deadline reports Buster Olney of ESPN. Players like Grant Balfour, Josh Willingham could be among the A’s dealt before the deadline.
Olney says that Balfour could be a perfect fit for the Rangers, who are looking for a reliever, and Willingham could help a team in need of offense like the Braves and the Phillies.
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Pirates designate RHP Jose Ascanio for assignment
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In a Tweet by Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he reports that the Pittsburgh Pirates have designated right-handed pitcher Jose Ascanio for assignment to make room for left-handed pitcher Tony Watson on the 25-man roster.
The 26-year-old Ascanio was 0-0 with a 5.06 ERA in 13 relief appearances for the Bucs this season.
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Olney on: Nationals, Diamondbacks and Brewers
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Here’s the latest from Buster Olney of ESPN:
– The Washington Nationals keep stacking up the talent via draft picks. Their first pick yesterday, Anthony Rendon, is considered to be the best hitter in the draft. Olney says that there’s also speculation that the team might go after Prince Fielder this off season. If so, the Nationals lineup in 2013 could look something like this:
CF. TBD
3B. Ryan Zimmerman
1B. Prince Fielder
LF. Jayson Werth
2B. Anthony Rendon
C. Wilson Ramos
SS. Danny Espinosa
P. Stephen Strasburg
– The Diamondbacks’ first pick Trevor Bauer could help the team as soon as this season if they remain contenders by the end of the season. Olney says that if Bauer shows he can help at the Major League level in a very precise and limited role, they will let him do that.
– The Brewers’ first pick, Taylor Jungmann, could also help them this year. Jungmann could be a bullpen piece in 2011 says Olney. “It was not part of the discussion while drafting him,” Brewers GM Doug Melvin said. “But you never know.”
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Dodgers designate Juan Castro, Jay Gibbons for assignment
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The Los Angeles Dodgers have designated infielder Juan Castro and outfielder Jay Gibbons for assignment according to the team official Twitter account.
The 33-year-old Gibbons played in 37 games with the Dodgers in 2010 where he hit .280/.31/.507 with 5 home runs. This season, he was hitting .255/.323/.345 with 1 HR and 5 RBI’s for the Dodgers. Castro was hitting .286/.333/.286 with 13 RBI’s for the Dodgers.
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Rays sign RHP Lance Cormier to a Minor League deal, release RHP Edgar Gonzalez
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The Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to a Minor League deal with right handed pitcher Lance Cormier according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.
Cormier was designated for assignment by the Dodgers back in May. He was signed by the Dodgers to a Minor League contract in mid-February 2011. The 31-year-old pitched the last two seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays. Cormier was 0-1 with a 9.88 ERA in 9 games for the Dodgers this season.
Topkin adds that right handed pitcher Edgar Gonzalez was released. The Rays signed Gonzalez back in March. He last played in the Majors in 2009 with Oakland. That season, he went 0-4 with a 5.51 ERA and 39 SO in 65.1 innings throughout 26 games with six starts being made.
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Rangers showing interest in reliever Todd Coffey
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Here’s the latest from FOX Sports Ken Rosenthal:
– Of those on the Cubs, the most likely that could be dealt are right fielder Kosuke Fukudome, infielder Jeff Baker, right-handed setup man Kerry Wood, left-hander John Grabow and maybe first baseman Carlos Pena.
– The Rangers are showing interest in Washington Nationals’ reliever Todd Coffey and the Rosenthal suggests that Texas could trade Julio Borbon.
– Rosenthal also suggest the rangers could trade Triple-A catcher Taylor Teagarden to the Giants for one of their right-handed relievers.
– A more likely candidate to be traded by the Rangers is infielder Chris Davis and a good landing spot could be with the San Diego Padres.
– “It might be more of a reallocation of pieces than classic buying or selling,” one GM said about the Trade Deadline. “Parity also means that teams that aren’t close are saying, ‘Next year, it can be us.’ Maybe they buy a two- to three-year asset that they wouldn’t otherwise.”
– “A team that can take on money might be the team that gets the player,” a second GM said. “It might come down to owners more than GMs, which owners are willing to take on money.”
– Rosenthal says that the Indians biggest need is a quality starting pitcher, but a right-handed bat wouldn’t be a bad idea.
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