Rumors for November, 2011
Rockies’ Edgmer Escalona suspended for 10 days in Winter Ball as a disciplinary sanction
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Right handed pitcher Edgmer Escalona was suspended for 10 days by his team, Leones del Caracas, as a disciplinary actions due to his attitude towards a managerial decision PRO Rumors has learned.
The Rockies reliever didn’t take well a decision his manager in Venezuela, Tim Teufel made. The team is not willing to take this kind of behavior from anybody says Victor David Melo of El Universal (Venezuelan newspaper).
“Escalona behaved in a way we don’t want out ballplayers to behave. That’s why he’ll be suspended for ten days without payment,” said team president, Luis Avila. “I can’t tell you how he took the disciplinary action, but he didn’t take well the game situation.”
The right hander was taken out of the game after allowing two singles and walking one batter in the top of the ninth and not recording an out. According to team executives his attitude wasn’t appropriate after being taken out of the game. “In this team there’s no room to tolerate indiscipline and we wanted to clear this up so nobody get surprised when they don’t see him in next week’s roster,” added Avila.
Escalona had a 1.75 ERA in 25.2 innings for the Rockies in 2011.
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Should the Giants consider trading Tim Lincecum?
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The San Francisco Giants have an outstanding young rotation which features pitchers like Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Ryan Vogelsong and Tim Lincecum. The first three are set to become free agents after the 2012 season, and Lincecum the year after that.
When this happens the Giants will have to make some difficult decisions. As Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports points out, they will probably not be able to afford all of them, so trading at least one of them for an “impact bat” sounds like a good strategy.
Hoping that Buster Posey and Freddy Sanchez return to their pre-injury performance level for the Giants in 2012 is a strategy the Giants can’t rely on for the off season. So Rosenthal suggests they either spend big on one of the free agents out there like Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols or Jose Reyes, or they trade one of their young starters.
If they decide to trade one of their pitchers, Lincecum appears to be the most “practical move” according to Rosenthal. He is coming off a two-year, $23 million deal and if he keeps performing like he’s been he’ll probably earn about $17 million in 2012 and north of $20 million in 2013.
With that kind of earnings before he reaches free agency he’ll have little incentive to sign a long-term deal. “He can take his chances on the market while perhaps setting a record or two in the process,” according to Rosenthal.
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Tigers looking for a leadoff hitter, David DeJesus and Kelly Johnson among candidates
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The Detroit Tigers are reluctant to use center fielder Austin Jackson as their leadoff hitter for the 2012 season. According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN, the Tigers will look for one this off season as they do not have any logical internal candidates.
Crasnick says that Jose Reyes is the “dream candidate,” but that David DeJesus and Kelly Johnson are among the more likely candidates for the spot as they would be “lower-cost free agents.” By signing DeJesus or Johnson, the Tigers will have more money left over to fill the other holes they need to address this offseason.
Yesterday, we learned that the A’s are likely to part ways with DeJesus and he could fill the void that was created when Magglio Ordonez departed.
Johnson hit .222/.304/.413 with 21 HR’s and 58 RBI’s in 545 AB’s with the Blue Jays and Diamondbacks in 2011. DeJesus hit .240/.323/.376 with 10 HR’s and 46 RBI’s in 442 AB’s with the A’s in 2011.
Phillies appear focused on Michael Cuddyer
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Fresh off the signing of ex-Twin Jim Thome, the Phillies appear focused on another Twin, Michael Cuddyer. According to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com, the Phillies are “in serious pursuit” of Cuddyer.
Cuddyer is a Type-A free agent which means the Phillies would have to surrender their first round pick (assuming the Twins offer him arbitration). He can play the corner infield and outfield positions and has averaged 22 home runs and 86 RBIs over the last three seasons.
Cuddyer just finished up a four-year deal which saw him make $10.5mm this past season. The Phillies may be trying to get an early jump on Cuddyer as he is also being pursued by a handful of other clubs.
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Athletics will listen to offers on everyone but Jamile Weeks
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Earlier this week, we learned that outfielder Josh Willingham probably won’t re-sign with the A’s, and according to Major League sources close to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports, the A’s will listen to offers “for anyone on the roster with the exception of second baseman Jemile Weeks.”
The A’s are on a “holding pattern,” according to Rosenthal until they hear from Major League Baseball if they can build a stadium in San Jose or not, but he says that whatever happens, “they again figure to go young.”
In addition to Willingham, Rosenthal believes the team will probably part ways with “30-something free agents” such as David DeJesus and Coco Crisp.
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Jim Thome and Phillies agree to one-year deal
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In an article by Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, sources tell him that the Phillies and Jim Thome have agreed to a one-year contract worth $1.25mm, pending a physical.
While it’s a low-risk move for Philadelphia, one has to wonder how the team will use the future Hall of Famer. Thome has only made one defensive appearance since 2007. The Phillies may ask the slugger to work on his first baseman skills as insurance for Ryan Howard.
Thome, hit .256 with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs with the Minnesota Twins and the Cleveland Indians in 2011.
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Javier Vazquez undecided whether he’ll pitch in 2012
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According to a source close to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports, right handed pitcher Javier Vazquez is “50-50″ on whether he’ll pitch in 2012. Rosenthal adds that it depends on the environment and the team. He also says that Vazquez has a “strong preference” to stay on the East Coast.
Late in September, Vazquez showed signs of retirement when he threw the ball of his first pitch in the last outing of 2011 to the dugout as a souvenir.
“I know what I want to do already. I’ve talked to my family about that and basically this could be my last year,” Vazquez said in August. “This could be it for me. The hunger is still there. But I think God puts my priorities in order. Baseball is probably third right now.”
In 32 starts for the Marlins in 2011, Vazquez was 13-11 with a 3.69 ERA and 153 strikeouts in 192.2 innings pitched.
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Braves will listen to offers for Jurrjens and Prado
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The Atlanta Braves have informed other teams that they are willing to listen to offers for Jair Jurrjens and Martin Prado according to a Major League source close to Mark Bowman of MLB.com.
The team recently traded Derek Lowe to the Indians, and by trading either one of Jurrjens or Prado, they would gain more financial flexibility to search for a short stop and to add some power to their outfield adds Bowman.
The Royals have shown interest in Jurrgens, and according to Bowman, the Braves “are interested in a number of Kansas City’s highly-regarded young prospects, including outfielder Wil Myers.” The talented outfielder has been playing great this year in the Arizona Fall League.
Jurrjens was 13-6 with a 2.96 ERA in 152.0 innings and Prado hit .260/.302/.385 with 13 HR’s and 57 RBI’s in 551 AB’s for the Braves in 2011.
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Bruce Chen and Rafael Furcal in high demand
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According to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star, left handed pitcher Bruce Chen has already been contacted by two other clubs, besides the Royals, to show “serious interest.” Drew Silva of NBCSports.com adds that Chen is looking for a multi-year deal, but his salary demands are not yet clear.
With a thin starting pitching market, the left hander could be a good addition to the back-end of a rotation. Chen was 12-8 with a 3.77 ERA in 155.0 innings in 25 starts with the Royals in 2011.
Another free agent, Rafael Furcal has also drawn interest from at least “half a dozen” teams according to his agent, Paul Kinzer (via Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch). Furcal, would like to return to St. Louis, and he’s willing to wait for the team to hire a new manager to make a decision whether he’ll return with the Cardinals.
“We’re not in a hurry,” said Kinzer. The Cardinals had contract talks with Furcal already during the season, but couldn’t reach an agreement adds Goold.
The 33-year old Furcal hit .255/.316/.418 with 7 HR’s and 16 RBI’s in 196 AB’s for the Cardinals in 2011. The Cardinals acquired him from the Dodgers during the trade deadline on July 31.
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Mariners, Rangers, Royals, Rockies, Orioles and Pirates have scouted Jamie Moyer
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Since left handed pitcher Jamie Moyer underwent Tommy John surgery last December, we’ve heard that he wanted to make a comeback in 2012. Late in October, we learned that Moyer was about to contact clubs about employing him for 2012.
“If this were the middle of July, I’d be at the stage where one more good bullpen session and I’d be ready to go out on a [minor-league] rehab assignment,” said Moyer in October. “I’ve gone through this rehab knowing that my arm and body will stop me if they have to. So far they haven’t.”
According to sources close to Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports, the Mariners, Rangers, Royals, Rockies, Orioles, and Pirates are among the teams that have sent scouts to see the left hander.
The reviews that Rosenthal and Morosi are getting are pretty good so far. “Same as he’s been for the past 15 years, as incredible as that may sound,” a scout said. “He has a chance to pitch in the big leagues as a fifth starter and win 10 or 12 games. He’s throwing 81 to 83 miles an hour, but he still knows how to make you look like an idiot. He doesn’t need the money. But I think he has that fire burning in his belly.”
Another scout said that “It was amazing. He looked as loose, limber and free as he ever has.”
The guy that has been pitching since I was three years old, A.K.A. “Jamie Moyer,” went 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA in 111.2 innings with the Phillies in 2010.
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