Rumors for September, 2011
Injury updates: Pence, Norris, Cueto and Holliday
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Here’s a running list of injury updates around the Marjor Leagues:
– Phillies outfielder Hunter Pence has been diagnosed with patellar tendinitis. According to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com, he’ll undergo a precautionary MRI.
– Right handed pitcher Bud Norris left yesterday’s game with shoulder discomfort reports Brian McTaggart of mlb.com.
– Reds starter Johnny Cueto is done for the season with a strained right lat muscle under his arm reports Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. “I’m not throwing. I think I’m done,” Cueto said. “I talked to the doctor and said I wanted to throw. He said, ‘No.’ OK, I won’t. I feel good. No pain, no nothing. I’m great.”
– Matt Holliday was cleared to take light swings off a batting tee according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The team is optimistic that he could return at some point in the last week of the regular season.
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Manny Ramirez hopes to play in Dominican Winter League
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Former Major League Baseball superstar, Manny Ramirez, is hoping to play for the Cibao Eagles of the Dominican Winter League, according to The Associated Press. The president of the Eagles, Winston Llenas said that Ramirez is expected to start training with the team next week.
According to Llenas, Ramirez told team officials he wants to “play before the Dominican fans and to perhaps motivate other Major League stars to also play in the country.”
Ramirez retired in April after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays. He also faces criminal charges in Florida after being accused of slapping his wife in a recent argument.
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Melvin and Athletics agree to three-year contract
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Manager Bob Melvin and the Oakland Athletics have agreed to a three-year contract, according to two sources close to The Associated Press (as reported by Janie Mccauley). Melvin is expected to receive his new deal in the coming days.
Melvin has been the team’s interim manager since taking over for Bob Geren in June. Heading into tonight’s game, he has a 42-48 record.
“Everybody in this locker room would be really excited,” shortstop Cliff Pennington said. “We love him. We’re hoping that he’s back.”
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Pirates acquire RHP Eliecer Cardenas from Braves
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The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired right-handed pitcher Eliecer Cardenas from the Atlanta Braves, according to an announcement by the team. Cardenas was sent to the Pirates to complete the trade that sent Matt Diaz to the Braves in August.
The 23-year-old Domincan pitcher was 4-3 with seven saves an 2.11 ERA in 45 Minor League games this season.
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Ozzie Guillen wants contract extension
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Chicago White Sox manager wants a contract extension, according to the Associated Press.
The report says that Guillen does not want to be a lame duck manager entering his final year of his contract in 2012. He wants the White Sox to tell him if they’ll want him beyond next season before the 2011 ends.
It was in late August that Guillen was prepared to walk away from his 2012 contract before Opening Day next April.
The 47-year-old Guillen is currently in third place with and will miss the playoffs this season despite being expected to contend for the AL Central title.
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Berkman, Cardinals still apart in contract talks
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According to sources close to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, conversations about a one-year contract between Lance Berkman and the St. Louis Cardinals “remain elusive” because there is a difference of opinion about the player’s value.
Berkman has expressed his desire to be back with the Cardinals next year, and he confirmed yesterday that negotiations have been ongoing. “We’ve been pretty clear what it would take,”Berkman said. “I want to make clear this is not an adversarial situation. They want to get a deal done as well. But they have a bunch of moving parts. We’ll see how they all fit together.”
Strauss adds that the team would like to “finalize several important pieces of business before October, 1.” They already signed right hander Chris Carpenter to a two-year deal, and have talked to Rafael Furcal’s representatives. Berkman and the team are now discussing the financial aspects of a potential deal. Strauss points out that Berkman said on Monday he’s not interested in attaching options or incentives to his next deal.
Berkman is hitting .299/.412/.558 with 31 HR’s and 89 RBI’s in 455 AB’s with the Cardinals in 2011.
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Giants unlikely to bring both Javier Lopez and Jeremy Affeldt back for 2012
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The Giants are still in the post-season run and even though their offense has been terrible, their bullpen has been one of the best in the League despite the injuries they have sustained.
Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News points out that Giants GM, Brian Sabean, will have a difficult job trying to put together such a good bullpen for the 2012 season with already limited resources. Not to mention the Giants are also in need of a leadoff hitter and a short stop.
Jeremy Affeldt, one of the team’s lefty bullpen arms has a $5 million option for 2012 and Javier Lopez, the other lefty, will become a free agent at the end of this season. Clubs officials have acknowledge, according to Baggarly, that it will be hard to bring back both Affeldt and Lopez.
Right hander Guillermo Mota has been with the team for the past two season, but signed a Minor League contract last season. Baggarly says that he’d probably want a guaranteed deal at a higher price next year. Santiago Casilla, Sergio Romo and Ramon Ramirez are all arbitration eligible, and they will all get a raise. Their closer, Brian Wilson, will earn $8.5 million next season.
In a perfect world, the Giants would bring back their entire pitching staff, keep Carlos Beltran and add Jose Reyes to be their lead off hitter and short stop, but we all know that’s not going to happen. So they will have to figure out how to keep most of their bullpen assets and attend both their needs of a short stop and a lead off hitter. A complicated job that I’m sure will keep Sabean busy for the entire offseason.
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Boras expects Beltran to seriously consider Giants
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Super agent Scott Boras expects his client, Carlos Beltran, to seriously consider returning to the San Francisco Giants for 2012, according to a report by the Associated Press.
Boras and Beltran are expected to have lunch on Tuesday where they likely will discuss details of his next contract. Beltran is a free agent after this season.
“Well, you have to remember when Carlos and I sat down to determine what teams he was going to go to, it was his choice,” Boras told The Associated Press. “He came to the Giants for a reason. Obviously he has played very well here. He has gotten a chance to get to know the city and the organization.”
“I think a lot of it has to do with Carlos and where he wants to play,” Boras said. “That’s just something we’ll have to talk about. Of course you have to determine what teams have interest in him, too.”
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Ian Stewart is willing to take a pay cut in order to stay in Colorado
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Rockies infielder Ian Stewart has struggled throughout the entire season, and according to Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post, Stewart is willing to cut his salary in order to stay with them.
“The Rockies are where I want to be,’’ said Stewart. “Honestly, I don’t need a chance of scenery. It had nothing to do with this place. … There’s definitely no part of me that thinks I need a change of scenery to get going.’’
Armstrong says that Stewart could be non-tendered after the season. If that happens, he’ll become a free agent, but because he wants to stay with the Rockies he may be willing to work things out financially. Given the fact that Stewart is arbitration-eligible, the team could cut him and then offer him a salary 20 percent less than the $2,287,500 he made this season.
“I feel like obviously I won’t be making as much as I did last year,’’ he said. “As far as taking a pay cut, that’s just the rules of the matter. It’s not something I could really argue against. I hit .150 in the big leagues.’’
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Mariano Rivera becomes the MLB all-time save leader with 602 saves
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Earlier today, Yankees closer Mariano Rivera became the all-time leader in saves after achieving his 602 saved game in his career.
Rivera tied Trevor Hoffman’s 601 record last Saturday, and today he surpassed Hoffman after shutting the door on the Twins at the New Yankee Stadium. “Apaga y vamonos,” (Turn off the lights and go) is what he is called in Spanish, forced Trevor Plouffe to hit a ground ball to second, then Michael Cuddyer lined out to right field and then he struck out Chris Parmelee.
The brand new all-time saves leader began his career with the Yankees in 1995. That season he was 5-3 with a 5.51 ERA in 19 games, 10 starts. He has played 1039 games with the Yankees from 1995 until today.
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