Rumors for November, 2011
Could Gregor Blanco be the new Giants lead off hitter?
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Center fielder Gregor Blanco signed with the San Francisco Giants last week (via CSNBayArea), and as a Venezuelan and a huge Blanco fan I couldn’t help, but to think if he could be the lead off hitter the Giants are looking for.
Even though Blanco has only played three years in the Majors, and last season he hit .201/.350/.327 in 199 AB’s for the Royals’ and Nationals’ Triple-A team. I believe he has the tools to become a solid lead off hitter for a Major League team.
This year in Venezuela Blanco is hitting .336/.486/.500 with 2 HR’s, 8 doubles, 2 triples, 2 HR’s and 13 RBI’s in 110 AB’s as a lead off hitter for Tiburones de la Guaira. In 2009, Blanco won the Final Series MVP in the Venezuelan Winter League. He also walked 30 times and stole 10 bases in 12 attempts.
In my opinion his offensive downsides could be his strikeout rate (28 this season), the fact that he strikes out looking way too much, and his lack of power. But besides that, he is an outstanding lead off hitter, he would make every pitcher work, and has a good approach in most of his AB’s. To be honest, I believe he is the best lead off hitter in the Venezuelan Winter League, and he is, definitely, one of the central pieces of his team Tiburones de la Guaira.
Defensively, Blanco has a career .972 fielding % in nine Minor League Seasons. In Venezuela he has shown he’s a great defender, probably one of the best center fielders in the league. Besides his fielding capabilities, Blanco has shown a good range and a good arm too.
Unless the Giants end up signing Jose Reyes or Jimmy Rollins, I believe they should give Blanco a serious chance to become the team’s new lead off hitter. He would not only help in the outfield, but his OBP (career .367 in nine Minor League seasons and career .358 in three Major League seasons), and stealing abilities would give the Giants a chance to improve their run average per game.
So if you ask me, Vote for Blanco as the new Giants lead off hitter!, but that’s just me. As I said, I’m a huge Blanco fan.
Image by J. Chris Vaughan under the Creative Commons License.
Dodgers speak with agents of Harang and Capuano
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In an article by Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports, sources tell him that the Los Angeles Dodgers have spoke with the agent of Aaron Harang and Chris Capuano. Brown believes the team has already resigned to losing starter Hiroki Kuroda.
As of the end of September, it was uncertain where the Dodgers’ pitcher, Kuroda, would pitch in 2011.
“It’s amazing that something I don’t know, someone else knows. I’ll tell you one thing: I tend to go the other way. At this moment, I really don’t know. I might stay here, I might go to Japan. It’s 50-50,” Kuorda said in the last part of the 2011 regular season.
Image by LWY and used under the Creative Commons License.
Freddy Garcia signs one-year deal with Yankees
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According to a series of Tweets by Maridiano, the New York Yankees have signed Freddy Garcia to a one-year deal. Jon Heyman of SI.com notes that Garcia will make around $5mm.
It had previously been reported that the right-handed pitcher had been offered arbitration by New York.
It had been no secret that New York wanted to bring back Garcia for 2012. The 35-year old Garcia was 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA in 146.2 innings throughout 26 games, 25 starts, for the Yankees in 2011.
Image by Keith Allison under the Creative Commons License.
Rays close to signing Jose Molina
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According to Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times, the Tampa Bay Rays are close to signing veteran catcher Jose Molina. Smith adds that although the Rays have not commented on the situation, and probably won’t comment until it becomes official, the deal appears imminent.
The veteran backup catcher made only $1.2 million last season and according to Smith, that would fit perfectly with the Rays’ price tag. He also has a lot of experience catching in the AL East, and fits perfectly with the “kind of catching platoon the Rays desire,” says Smith.
Molina, 36, hit .281/.342/.415 with 3 HR’s and 15 RBI’s in 171 AB’s for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011.
Image by Keith Allison under the Creative Commons License.
Several teams interested in Cesar Izturis
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According to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun, infielder Cesar Izturis won’t be back with the Orioles for 2012, but his agent says he has drawn interest from “several teams.”
Izturis says he wants to keep playing and is looking for a Major League deal adds Connolly. The 31-year old agreed to a one-year deal with the Orioles back in December 2010. Last season, Izturis hit .200/.250/.200 with 1 RBI in 30 AB’s for the Orioles.
Image by Keith Allison under the Creative Commons License.
New York Yankees sign Jayson Nix
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The New York Yankees have signed Jayson Nix to a Minor League contract, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. The 29-year-old utility man was also extended a invitation to the team’s Spring Training.
Nix totaled just 46 games for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011. He was designated for assignment by Toronto on July 2, 2011.
Image by Keith Allison under the Creative Commons License.
Blue Jays claim Brian Jeroloman
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The Toronto Blue Jays have claimed catcher Brian Jeroloman from the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to a team press release. Pittsburgh designated the 26-year-old on November 21st, only a few days after they claimed him off waivers from the San Francisco Giants.
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Royals, Bruce Chen agree to two-year deal
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The Kansas City Royals have reached a two-year deal with left-handed pitcher Bruce Chen, Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star reports. The deal is for two-years at $9mm. He will also receive a $1mm roster bonus plus an additional $1mm in incentives.
Both sides were looking for a reunion as Chen has had success in Kansas City. GM Dayton Moore recently expressed his desire to resign Chen. “I know he wants to be here, and we want him here,” general manager Dayton Moore said. “The feeling is mutual. We’d like to get something done before the Winter Meetings (next month in Dallas). I think we’re getting closer.”
“We definitely want to add another pitcher,” Moore said, “and maybe two more pitchers. We’ll certainly want to look at our internal candidates. We need depth there. It looks like we’re going to have that, but it’s a matter of getting the right guys.”
Image by Keith Allison under the Creative Commons License.
Should the Red Sox offer David Ortiz arbitration?
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The Red Sox have until midnight today to decide whether they will offer arbitration to David Ortiz, and according to Sean McAdam of ComcastSPORTSNET, this decision could be a little tricky.
Even though Ortiz, a Type-A free agent, is looking for a multi-year deal, he could end up accepting arbitration from the Red Sox and forcing the team to reach an agreement before December, 7. McAdam speculates that Ortiz would probably get a salary somewhere between $13.5-$15 million next season.
That would be a lot of money for a Designated Hitter, but it would only represent about $1 million more of Ortiz’s 2011 salary of $12.5 million. Besides that, “it would limit the team’s commitment to the 36-year-old to one season,” as McAdam says.
Also, former Red Sox GM, Theo Epstein, said (via McAdam) that “There’s no such thing as a bad, one-year contract.”
Ortiz hit .309/.398/.554 with 29 HR’s and 96 RBI’s in 525 AB’s for the Red Sox in 2011.
Indians officially sign Grady Sizemore
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The Cleveland Indians have officially signed outfielder Grady Sizemore to a one-year, $5 million deal according to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated. He adds that Sizemore would receive $500k if he wins Comeback Player of the Year. Sizemore’s performance bonuses top out at $4mm with $250k at 450 and 475 plate appearances, $500k for 525, 550, 575, 600, 625 and 650 plate appearances
Yesterday, Nick Camino of 1100-WTAM reported that the Cleveland Indians agreed to terms Sizemore.
Late in October, we learned that the Giants were considering Sizemore if the Indians decided not to sign him. Also, in early October we discussed the possibility of the Indians exercising his option given the fact he underwent his fifth knee surgery in the last three years.
In 2011, Sizemore hit .224/.285/.422 with 10 HR’s and 32 RBI’s in 268 AB’s in another injury plagued season with the Indians.
Image by Keith Allison under the Creative Commons License.
