Saturday, November 30, 2013

Twins sign Phil Hughes

The Minnesota Twins pitching extravaganza is not done yet with the signing of Phil Hughes according to La Velle Neal of the Minnesota Star-Tribune 

Hughes, 27 suffered through an awful 2013 with a 4-14 record and a 5.19 ERA but a FIP of 4.50 means he should have been a much better pitcher and a .324 BABIP means he had some bad luck. He has suffered through a 4.65 ERA in his last 103 starts dating back to 2010.

Overall I do not think this will be a good move for the Twins unless this deal has an option because Hughes has struggled in recent seasons and although his struggles has been due to bad luck his strikeout numbers have been decreasing while his walks have been increasing.

2014 Hall of Fame Ballot voting

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Twins have signed Ricky Nolasco

The Minnesota Twins have signed free agent pitcher Ricky Nolasco according to Chris Cotilllo of MLB Daily Dish. Nolasco, 30 went 13-11 with a 3.70 ERA in 33 starts this season. Twins front office did not comment when I contacted them.



Update: The deal is worth 4-years and 55million according to a tip received by Cover the Bases (Tweet)

Ted Lilly retires

It was announced earlier today that 37-year old left handed pitcher Ted Lilly has retired. The journeyman pitcher played 15 seasons with the Dodgers, Expos, Cubs, Yankees, Blue Jays, and A's.

Ted Lilly broke into the MLB in 1999 pitching in 9 games for the Expos with a 7.63 ERA. He spent the next 7 seasons with the Yankees, A's, and Blue Jays compiling a 59-57 record with a 4.52 ERA. He had a H/9 of 8.7 and a HR/9 of 1.4.

In the 2006-07 offseason Lilly signed with the Chicago Cubs on a 4-year deal. He peaked in 2007-09 going 44-26 with a 3.70 ERA in 588.2 innings. However in the 2007 playoffs he gave up 6 runs in 3.2 innings including a grand slam that lead to his infamous glove slam.

In 2010 Lilly was traded to the Dodgers for 3 prospects. With LA he was never as good as he was in his seasons in Chicago and was released in 2013.

Twins close to "major free agent signing"

According to a report by Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors the Twins are near a signing for a "major free agent". The Twins have been connected to Matt Garza, Ricky Nolasco, Bronson Arroyo, and Jarrod Saltalamachia (who has been ruled out as the player).

Of course it could be other candidates who are unknown as well. I think it will be Nolasco as other reporters are reporting that the Twins are front runners for Nolasco. I will be updating this post as rumors fill in about the Twins potential signing.

Update (4:45 PM) Twins have agreed to terms with Ricky Nolasco according to Chris Cotillo.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Cardinals sign Jhonny Peralta

The St Louis Cardinals have signed Jhonny Peralta to a 4-year deal worth slightly more than 52 million dollars. The Cardinals had an obvious weakness at shortstop with their starter Pete Kozma having a slash line of .217/.275/.273. The Cardinals needed an upgrade and Jhonny Peralta is perfect for the job.

Peralta had one of the best seasons of his career last season but it was damaged with the fact he used PEDs to aid his performance. He hit .303/.358/.457 last year with 11 homers and 55 RBIs. He only played in 107 games but was suspended for 50 games.

Peraltas defense was pretty good as he made only 4 errors in 106 games at shortstop. His RF/9 was slightly above league average. He had a 0.7 defensive WAR last season.

Overall this could be a good move for the Cardinals. It depends on how he adjusts to the National League and if he can stay away from steroids/injuries.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Cubs sign Casper Wells to minor league deal, release Dave Sappelt

The Cubs have signed a handful of minor league free agents to contracts including RHP Paolo Espino, Carlos Pimentel, Chris Valaika, Jeudy Valdez, and Casper Wells according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America. Wells, 29 is the most notable of the group having amassed 758 plate appearances in his big league career. Wells had his best year in 2012 when he hit .228/.302/.396 with 10 homers for the Seattle Mariners.

In a corresponding move the Cubs have released 26-year old outfielder Dave Sappelt. He was acquired in the trade for Travis Wood but never seemed to show his potential and struggled in Chicago.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Jason Vargas signs 4-year deal with Royals

Jason Vargas who was a free agent pitcher has signed with the Kansas City Royals on a 4-year 32 million dollar deal. Vargas, 30, pitched for the Angels last season and made 24 starts with a 4.02 ERA for the Angels. Vargas will be replacing Ervin Santana who left the team for better opportunities.

Vargas has been pitching in the MLB since 2005 and has played for the Marlins, Mets, Mariners, Angels, and now the Royals. He could fill in the 3rd spot in the Angels rotation and be an innings eater for a strong Kansas City team.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Huge Trade: Fielder-Kinsler

In a shocking turn of events earlier today the Texas Rangers have acquired Prince Fielder and 30 million in cash in exchange for Ian Kinsler. The deal was initially reported by Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Both are owed a large sum of money with Fielder owed 168 million and Kinsler owed 69 million. The deal does make sense for both teams as Miguel Cabrera can slide back to first base and Prince Fielder can improve on a Rangers 1B weakness.

Fielder, 29, was a big free agent signing for the Tigers before the 2012 season. In 2013 he hit .279 with only 25 homers and 106 RBIs. Rumors have spread that playing in Comerica was hurting his output and that moving to a hitters park would be good for him. The only obstacle left is that Fielder needs to waive his no-trade clause.

Kinsler, 31, has been big for the Rangers since they called him up in 2006. He hit .277 for the Rangers last season with only 13 home runs and 72 RBIs. He stole 15 bases but was also caught 11 times. Power and speed are the key parts of his game but they have been suffering since the 2011 season.

In my opinion this is a very good trade for both teams because it gives the Rangers a big time power hitter and the Tigers a good-hitting second baseman.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Clayton Kershaw is baseballs top pitchers

Clayton Kershaw has won 2 Cy Young awards, a career ERA of 2.60, and 1180 innings pitched and he is only 25 years old. The lefty has been a great acquisition since the Dodgers acquired him in the 2006 Draft.

Ever since his rookie year in 2008 Kershaw has been one of the leagues most dominating pitchers with a 77-46 record, 2.60 ERA, and 1180 innings pitched. Some may be cautious of his high workload at such a young age but I think if he hasn't had arm troubles yet he won't in at least the near future.

I think Kershaw is baseballs top pitcher and he has the stats to prove it. In 2013 hitters batted .195/.244/.311 against him and struck out 232 times against 52 walks. He threw 64% strikes and only 18% of balls in play were line drives.

I think Kershaw, not Justin Verlander or Felix Hernandez is the ace of the MLB.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Baseball Transactions: November 9th, 2013

Saturday, November 09, 2013
Anthony Norman -  Granted free agency
Brian Bocock -  Granted free agency
Matt Tolbert -  Granted free agency
John Suomi -  Granted free agency
Juan Sosa -  Granted free agency
Greg Smith -  Granted free agency
Mauricio Robles -  Granted free agency
Derrick Mitchell -  Granted free agency
Justin Friend -  Granted free agency
Josh Fields -  Granted free agency
Tom Cochran -  Granted free agency
Bobby Bramhall -  Granted free agency
Gabriel Arias -  Granted free agency
Miguel Abreu -  Granted free agency
David Bromberg -  Granted free agency
Brooks Brown -  Granted free agency
Lucas May -  Granted free agency
Doug Mathis -  Granted free agency
Devin Ivany -  Granted free agency
Jared Goedert -  Granted free agency
Graham Godfrey -  Granted free agency
Darren Ford -  Granted free agency
Miles Durham -  Granted free agency
Francisco Diaz -  Granted free agency
Ivan DeJesus -  Granted free agency
Erik Cordier -  Granted free agency
Dan Cevette -  Granted free agency
Brett Carroll -  Granted free agency
Russ Canzler -  Granted free agency
Pedro Viola -  Granted free agency
Pedro Vidal -  Granted free agency
James Simmons -  Granted free agency
Randy Ruiz -  Granted free agency
Corey Patterson -  Granted free agency
Fernando Martinez -  Granted free agency
Sam Demel -  Granted free agency
Reegie Corona -  Granted free agency
Andrew Clark -  Granted free agency
Cory Arbiso -  Granted free agency
Cory Wade -  Granted free agency
Daryl Thompson -  Granted free agency
Josh Rodriguez -  Granted free agency
Armando Rodriguez -  Granted free agency
Francisco Pena -  Granted free agency
Dylan Owen -  Granted free agency
Yoshinori Tateyama -  Granted free agency
Bobby Wilson -  Granted free agency
Julio Ramos -  Granted free agency
Kyler Newby -  Granted free agency
David Mota -  Granted free agency
Diomedes Lopez -  Granted free agency
Carlos Hernandez -  Granted free agency
Shaeffer Hall -  Granted free agency
Brian Gordon -  Granted free agency
Mike Demark -  Granted free agency
Drew Carpenter -  Granted free agency
Andrew Carignan -  Granted free agency
Darren Byrd -  Granted free agency
Bruce Billings -  Granted free agency
Travis Banwart -  Granted free agency
D.J. Mitchell -  Granted free agency
Miguel Perez -  Granted free agency
Jay Voss -  Granted free agency
Moises Hernandez -  Granted free agency
Joe Dunigan -  Granted free agency
Leury Bonilla -  Granted free agency
Jonathan Arias -  Granted free agency
Denny Almonte -  Granted free agency
Jackson Williams -  Granted free agency
Mark Wagner -  Granted free agency
Mason Tobin -  Granted free agency
Skyler Stromsmoe -  Granted free agency
Ryan Sadowski -  Granted free agency
Jon Meloan -  Granted free agency
Daryl Maday -  Granted free agency
Todd Linden -  Granted free agency
Jason Jaramillo -  Granted free agency
Anthony Phillips -  Granted free agency
Zach Russell -  Granted free agency
Jamie Romak -  Granted free agency
Brock Peterson -  Granted free agency
Chad Huffman -  Granted free agency
Deryk Hooker -  Granted free agency
Ruben Gotay -  Granted free agency
Ramon Delgado -  Granted free agency
Justin Christian -  Granted free agency
Adron Chambers -  Granted free agency
Richard Castillo -  Granted free agency
Nicholas Additon -  Granted free agency
Brian Sweeney -  Granted free agency
Stephen Shackleford -  Granted free agency
Tyler LaTorre -  Granted free agency
Edward Concepcion -  Granted free agency
Fabio Castillo -  Granted free agency
Ben Francisco -  Granted free agency
Daniel Cortes -  Granted free agency
Travis Buck -  Granted free agency
Wilfredo Boscan -  Granted free agency
Eddie Bonine -  Granted free agency
Jake Blackwood -  Granted free agency
Brandon Allen -  Granted free agency
Kurt Yacko -  Granted free agency
Kyle Waldrop -  Granted free agency
Oscar Tejeda -  Granted free agency
Ali Solis -  Granted free agency
Atahualpa Severino -  Granted free agency
Luis Sanz -  Granted free agency
Josh Geer -  Granted free agency
Trevor Holder -  Granted free agency
Brock Bond -  Granted free agency
Clay Zavada -  Granted free agency
Mike Wilson -  Granted free agency
Jeudy Valdez -  Granted free agency
Eddy Rodriguez -  Granted free agency
Chris Robinson -  Granted free agency
Jason Ray -  Granted free agency
Gregorio Petit -  Granted free agency
Jesus Merchan -  Granted free agency
Jeremy McBryde -  Granted free agency
Johan Limonta -  Granted free agency
Tom Layne -  Refused Minor League Assignment - Declared free agency
Ryan Kelly -  Granted free agency
Jhonatan Ramos -  Granted free agency
Steve Edlefsen -  Granted free agency
Johnnie Lowe -  Granted free agency
Santo Manzanillo -  Granted free agency
Micah Owings -  Granted free agency
Mark Rogers -  Granted free agency
Jesus Sanchez -  Granted free agency
Richard Seidel -  Granted free agency
Rene Tosoni -  Granted free agency
Travis Webb -  Granted free agency
Nick Blackburn -  Granted free agency
Jeff Clement -  Granted free agency
Aaron Laffey -  Granted free agency
Zach Kroenke -  Granted free agency
David DeJesus - (Tampa Bay Rays)  Signed to 2-year contract for 2014-2015 ($10.5m) Restructured contract,. Club option for 2016
Martin Perez - (Texas Rangers)  Signed to 4-year contract for 2014-2017 ($12.5m) Club option years for 2018-2020
Joel Carreno - (New York Mets)  Signed to minor league contract
Max Ramirez - (Cincinnati Reds)  Signed to Minor League Contract
Ozzie Chavez -  Granted free agency
Blake Davis -  Granted free agency
Frankie De la cruz -  Granted free agency
Anderson De La Rosa -  Granted free agency
Tim Dillard -  Granted free agency
Brock Kjeldgaard -  Granted free agency
Kyle Davies -  Granted free agency
Cole Devries -  Granted free agency
Richard Lucas -  Granted free agency
Tom Stuifbergen -  Granted free agency
Daniel Turpen -  Granted free agency
Justin Hampson -  Granted free agency
Jamie Hoffmann -  Granted free agency
Carlo Alvarado -  Granted free agency
Brian Bixler -  Granted free agency
Jeyckol De Leon -  Granted free agency
Matt Fox -  Granted free agency
Brandon Hicks -  Granted free agency
Rhyne Hughes -  Granted free agency
Manuel Soliman -  Granted free agency
Dan Sattler -  Granted free agency
Brian Dinkelman -  Granted free agency
Eric Farris -  Granted free agency
Nelvin Fuentes -  Granted free agency
Jonathan Goncalves -  Granted free agency
Deolis Guerra -  Granted free agency
Pedro Hernandez -  Granted free agency
Angel Morales -  Granted free agency
Miguel Munoz -  Granted free agency
Ray Olmedo -  Granted free agency
Jordan Parraz -  Granted free agency
Antoan Richardson -  Granted free agency

Friday, November 8, 2013

Reds sign Brayan Pena

The Cincinatti Reds made a small move today to bolster their catching by signing Brayan Pena to a 2-year 2.5 million dollar deal according to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes.

Pena, 31 hit .297/.315/.397 in 2013 for the Detroit Tigers. He had a K:BB rate of 26-6 in 243 plate appearances. Pena has a lifetime slash of .258/.292/.359 with 18 home runs and 120 RBIs primarily as a backup catcher.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

What will Jacoby Ellsbury get?

Jacoby Ellsbury is easily one of the top 5 free agents in baseball and a strong 2013 makes him enviable for many teams. Ellsbury, 30 hit .298/.355/.426 in 134 games for the Red Sox last season. His primary weapon is speed which could be worrisome for some teams because he is going into his age 30 season. He stole 52 bases in 56 attempts which is good numbers and he flashed huge power in 2011 when he hit 32 homers. He has only hit 13 home runs in 208 games since then.

Ellsbury is a guy you would sign to play lead off as he can steal and draw walks. I think that since he is already 30 and speed is his primary weapon he won't make as much money as Robinson Cano due to Ellsburys injury history and age. Ellsburys defense is impressive as he was above average in range factor last season. Even though his arm isn't the best he has great range which could help a team in a spacious ballpark.

I would expect teams to sign him to a 6-7 year deal worth 150 million dollars. That is a high asking price and has much to do with the fact Scott Boras is his agent. I expect the Red Sox, Mariners, and Phillies to all be making offers soon but I think he will sign with the Phillies because they need a corner outfielder and have some money to spend.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Todays Transactions: November 5th, 2013


Tuesday, November 05, 2013
Travis Ishikawa -  Granted free agency
Alex Burnett -  Granted free agency
Mitch Maier -  Granted free agency
Quintin Berry -  Granted free agency
Ronald Bermudez -  Granted free agency
Vladimir Frias -  Granted free agency
Jonathan Diaz -  Granted free agency
Mario Martinez -  Granted free agency
Tony Thomas -  Granted free agency
Drew Sutton -  Granted free agency
Justin Henry -  Granted free agency
Ryan Dent -  Granted free agency
Brandon Snyder -  Granted free agency
Mark Hamilton -  Granted free agency
Matt Spring -  Granted free agency
Alberto Rosario -  Granted free agency
Ryan Rowland-Smith -  Granted free agency
Manuel Rivera -  Granted free agency
Yeiper Castillo -  Granted free agency
Jaye Chapman -  Granted free agency
Jhan Marinez -  Granted free agency
Simon Castro -  Granted free agency
Scott Carroll -  Granted free agency
Jason Berken -  Granted free agency
Ty Wright -  Granted free agency
Cole Gillespie -  Granted free agency
Tim Torres -  Granted free agency
Edwin Maysonet -  Granted free agency
Nathan Samson -  Granted free agency
Brad Nelson -  Granted free agency
Kyler Burke -  Granted free agency
Jeff Antigua -  Granted free agency
Casey Weathers -  Granted free agency
Henry Rodriguez -  Granted free agency
Zach Putnam -  Granted free agency
Rafael Dolis -  Granted free agency
Johermyn Chavez -  Granted free agency
Rafael Perez -  Granted free agency
Eric Niesen -  Granted free agency
Alex Liddi -  Granted free agency
Josh Horton -  Granted free agency
Travis Adair -  Granted free agency
Seth Loman -  Granted free agency
Luis Martinez -  Granted free agency
Luis Exposito -  Granted free agency
Allan De San Miguel -  Granted free agency
Daniel Schlereth -  Granted free agency
Mark Hendrickson -  Granted free agency
Zechry Zinicola -  Granted free agency
Adam Russell -  Granted free agency
Stuart Pomeranz -  Granted free agency
Jose Nivar -  Granted free agency
Daniel McCutchen -  Granted free agency
Manny Delcarmen -  Granted free agency
Zach Clark -  Granted free agency
Eric Beaulac -  Granted free agency
Brandon Waring -  Granted free agency
Zelous Wheeler -  Granted free agency
Jack McGeary -  Granted free agency
Matt Maloney -  Granted free agency
Will Latimer -  Granted free agency
Nate Striz -  Granted free agency
Rafael Oliveras -  Granted free agency
Bobby Lanigan -  Granted free agency
Brock Huntzinger -  Granted free agency
Charlie Haeger -  Granted free agency
Marco Duarte -  Granted free agency
Terry Doyle -  Granted free agency
Miguel Celestino -  Granted free agency
Anthony Carter -  Granted free agency
Trayvon Robinson -  Granted free agency
Kyle Hudson -  Granted free agency
George Barber -  Granted free agency
Niuman Romero -  Granted free agency
Yamaico Navarro -  Granted free agency
Tim Bascom -  Granted free agency
Steven Tolleson -  Granted free agency
Danny Dorn -  Granted free agency
Shawn Hill -  Granted free agency
Xavier Nady -  Granted free agency
Juan Crousset -  Granted free agency
Reid Brignac -  Granted free agency
Hernan Iribarren -  Granted free agency
Nick Gallego -  Granted free agency
Henry Wrigley -  Granted free agency
Michael Ramirez -  Granted free agency
Matt McBride -  Granted free agency
Jose Gonzalez -  Granted free agency
Lars Davis -  Granted free agency
Jonathan Vargas -  Granted free agency
Nick Schmidt -  Granted free agency
Isaiah Froneberger -  Granted free agency
Michael Solbach -  Granted free agency
Cory Riordan -  Granted free agency
Michael McClendon -  Granted free agency
Jair Jurrjens -  Granted free agency
David Kopp -  Granted free agency
Luis Castillo -  Granted free agency
Argenis Diaz -  Granted free agency
Mike Cervenak -  Granted free agency
Kevin Russo -  Granted free agency
Marcus Lemon -  Granted free agency
Lance Durham -  Granted free agency
Ronny Paulino -  Granted free agency
Will Startup -  Granted free agency
Pat Misch -  Granted free agency
Matt Hoffman -  Granted free agency
Ramon Garcia -  Granted free agency
Michael Torrealba -  Granted free agency
Jess Todd -  Granted free agency
Justin Souza -  Granted free agency
Kelvin Perez -  Granted free agency
Jon Link -  Granted free agency
Victor Larez -  Granted free agency
Vianney Mayo -  Granted free agency
Tim Gustafson -  Granted free agency
Paolo Espino -  Granted free agency
Rob Bryson -  Granted free agency
Brandon Short -  Granted free agency
Denis Phipps -  Granted free agency
Emmanuel Burriss -  Granted free agency
Corey Wimberly -  Granted free agency
Jason Donald -  Granted free agency
Mike Hessman -  Granted free agency
Matt Kennelly -  Granted free agency
Nevin Ashley -  Granted free agency
Lee Hyde -  Granted free agency
Kevin Whelan -  Granted free agency
Loek Van Mil -  Granted free agency
Kanekoa Texeira -  Granted free agency
Yohan Pino -  Granted free agency
Parker Frazier -  Granted free agency
Trevor Bell -  Granted free agency
Jose Flores -  Granted free agency
Jerry Gil -  Granted free agency
Juan Gonzalez -  Granted free agency
Sean Gallagher -  Granted free agency
Armando Galarraga -  Granted free agency
Edgmer Escalona -  Granted free agency
Ryan Casteel -  Granted free agency
Bobby Cassevah -  Granted free agency
Cedric Hunter -  Granted free agency
Jeremy Hermida -  Granted free agency
Bo Greenwell -  Granted free agency
Ezequiel Carrera -  Granted free agency
Juan Diaz -  Granted free agency
Nate Spears -  Granted free agency
Luis Hernandez -  Granted free agency
Matt LaPorta -  Granted free agency
Matt Colantonio -  Granted free agency
J.C. Romero -  Granted free agency
Francisco Jimenez -  Granted free agency
Jimmy Gallagher -  Granted free agency
Mike Marbry -  Granted free agency
Rob Johnson - (St. Louis Cardinals)  Outrighted to minors
Brock Peterson - (St. Louis Cardinals)  Outrighted to minors
Nate Adcock -  Granted free agency
Shawn Camp -  Granted free agency
Matt Wright -  Granted free agency
Steve Garrison -  Granted free agency
Michael Brenly -  Granted free agency
Ed Easley -  Granted free agency
Rossmel Perez -  Granted free agency
Adron Chambers - (St. Louis Cardinals)  Outrighted to minors
Jason Frasor - (Texas Rangers)  Signed to 1-year contract for 2014-2014 ($1.75m)
Jimmy Paredes - (Miami Marlins)  Claimed off waivers from Astros by Marlins
Alexi Casilla -  Orioles declined option for 2014
Reed Johnson -  Braves declined option for 2014
Ryan Vogelsong -  Declared free agency
Geovany Soto - (Texas Rangers)  Signed to 1-year contract for 2014-2014 ($3m) Re-signed.
Mike Nickeas - (Toronto Blue Jays)  Re-signed to minor league contract
Juan Perez - (Toronto Blue Jays)  Outrighted to minors
Juan Perez - (Toronto Blue Jays)  Re-signed to minor league contract
Aaron Cunningham - (Chicago Cubs)  Signed to minor league contract
Jake Fox -  Granted free agency
Taylor Harbin -  Granted free agency
Shawn McGill -  Granted free agency
Jose Yepez -  Granted free agency
Alden Carrithers -  Granted free agency
Jaime Pedroza -  Granted free agency
Stefan Gartrell -  Granted free agency
Greg Golson -  Granted free agency
Christian Marrero -  Granted free agency
Jose Martinez -  Granted free agency
Tim Alderson -  Granted free agency
Jose Lugo -  Granted free agency
Yohan Flande -  Granted free agency
Juan Cedeno -  Granted free agency
Sawyer Carroll -  Granted free agency
Dustin Martin -  Granted free agency
Juan Rivera -  Granted free agency
Brad Snyder -  Granted free agency
Brett Cammons -  Granted free agency
Pat Egan -  Granted free agency
Gary Moran -  Granted free agency
Omar Poveda -  Granted free agency
Joe Beimel -  Granted free agency

Monday, November 4, 2013

Todays Transactions: November 4th, 2013


Andrew Miller - (Boston Red Sox)  Activated from DL
Cord Phelps - (Cleveland Indians)  Activated from DL
Felipe Paulino - (Kansas City Royals)  Activated from DL
Kevin Jepsen - (Los Angeles Angels)  Activated from DL
Alex White - (Houston Astros)  Activated from DL
Sean Burnett - (Los Angeles Angels)  Activated from DL
Peter Bourjos - (Los Angeles Angels)  Activated from DL
Jayson Nix - (New York Yankees)  Activated from DL
Elias Pinales - (Baltimore Orioles)  Activated from DL
Samuel Deduno - (Minnesota Twins)  Activated from DL
C.C. Sabathia - (New York Yankees)  Activated from DL
Corban Joseph - (New York Yankees)  Activated from DL
Frank Herrmann - (Cleveland Indians)  Activated from DL
Jordan Remer - (Cincinnati Reds)  Activated from DL
Andrew Bailey - (Boston Red Sox)  Activated from DL
Arodys Vizcaino - (Chicago Cubs)  Activated from DL
Jorge Rivera - (Baltimore Orioles)  Activated from DL
Alex Wilson - (Boston Red Sox)  Activated from DL
Manny Machado - (Baltimore Orioles)  Activated from DL
Nolan Reimold - (Baltimore Orioles)  Activated from DL
Cody Ross - (Arizona Diamondbacks)  Activated from DL
Ryan Kalish - (Boston Red Sox)  Activated from DL
Jonathan Broxton - (Cincinnati Reds)  Activated from DL
Louis Marson - (Cleveland Indians)  Activated from DL
Christian Friedrich - (Colorado Rockies)  Activated from DL
Mark Teixeira - (New York Yankees)  Activated from DL
Fernando Rodriguez - (Oakland Athletics)  Activated from DL
Scott Sizemore - (Oakland Athletics)  Activated from DL
Christian Garcia - (Washington Nationals)  Activated from DL
Jaime Garcia - (St. Louis Cardinals)  Activated from DL
Brandon Guyer - (Tampa Bay Rays)  Activated from DL
Luis Merejo - (Atlanta Braves)  Activated from DL
Chuck Buchanan - (Atlanta Braves)  Activated from DL
David Paulino - (Houston Astros)  Activated from DL
Elian Herrera - (Milwaukee Brewers)  Claimed off waivers from Dodgers by Brewers
Matt Belisle - (Colorado Rockies)  Mutual option exercised for 2014 ($4.25m)
David DeJesus - (Tampa Bay Rays)  Rays exercised option for 2014 ($6.5m)
Brandon Snyder - (Boston Red Sox)  Outrighted to minors
Travis Blackley -  Refused Minor League Assignment - Declared free agency
Ross Detwiler - (Washington Nationals)  Activated from DL
Jeff Niemann - (Tampa Bay Rays)  Activated from DL
Jonathan Pettibone - (Philadelphia Phillies)  Activated from DL
Kyle McPherson - (Pittsburgh Pirates)  Activated from DL
Casey Kelly - (San Diego Padres)  Activated from DL
Mike Adams - (Philadelphia Phillies)  Activated from DL
Jeremy Horst - (Philadelphia Phillies)  Activated from DL
Kyle Kendrick - (Philadelphia Phillies)  Activated from DL
Ryan Howard - (Philadelphia Phillies)  Activated from DL
Yasmani Grandal - (San Diego Padres)  Activated from DL
Michael McKenry - (Pittsburgh Pirates)  Activated from DL
Edwar Cabrera - (Texas Rangers)  Activated from DL
Matt Harrison - (Texas Rangers)  Activated from DL
Ross Wolf - (Texas Rangers)  Re-signed to minor league contract
T.J. McFarland - (Baltimore Orioles)  Activated from DL
Matt Reynolds - (Arizona Diamondbacks)  Activated from DL
Daniel Hudson - (Arizona Diamondbacks)  Activated from DL
David Herndon - (New York Yankees)  Re-signed to minor league contract
Jason Motte - (St. Louis Cardinals)  Activated from DL
Scott Barnes - (Cleveland Indians)  Activated from DL

Todays Transactions: November 4th, 2013


Andrew Miller - (Boston Red Sox)  Activated from DL
Cord Phelps - (Cleveland Indians)  Activated from DL
Felipe Paulino - (Kansas City Royals)  Activated from DL
Kevin Jepsen - (Los Angeles Angels)  Activated from DL
Alex White - (Houston Astros)  Activated from DL
Sean Burnett - (Los Angeles Angels)  Activated from DL
Peter Bourjos - (Los Angeles Angels)  Activated from DL
Jayson Nix - (New York Yankees)  Activated from DL
Elias Pinales - (Baltimore Orioles)  Activated from DL
Samuel Deduno - (Minnesota Twins)  Activated from DL
C.C. Sabathia - (New York Yankees)  Activated from DL
Corban Joseph - (New York Yankees)  Activated from DL
Frank Herrmann - (Cleveland Indians)  Activated from DL
Jordan Remer - (Cincinnati Reds)  Activated from DL
Andrew Bailey - (Boston Red Sox)  Activated from DL
Arodys Vizcaino - (Chicago Cubs)  Activated from DL
Jorge Rivera - (Baltimore Orioles)  Activated from DL
Alex Wilson - (Boston Red Sox)  Activated from DL
Manny Machado - (Baltimore Orioles)  Activated from DL
Nolan Reimold - (Baltimore Orioles)  Activated from DL
Cody Ross - (Arizona Diamondbacks)  Activated from DL
Ryan Kalish - (Boston Red Sox)  Activated from DL
Jonathan Broxton - (Cincinnati Reds)  Activated from DL
Louis Marson - (Cleveland Indians)  Activated from DL
Christian Friedrich - (Colorado Rockies)  Activated from DL
Mark Teixeira - (New York Yankees)  Activated from DL
Fernando Rodriguez - (Oakland Athletics)  Activated from DL
Scott Sizemore - (Oakland Athletics)  Activated from DL
Christian Garcia - (Washington Nationals)  Activated from DL
Jaime Garcia - (St. Louis Cardinals)  Activated from DL
Brandon Guyer - (Tampa Bay Rays)  Activated from DL
Luis Merejo - (Atlanta Braves)  Activated from DL
Chuck Buchanan - (Atlanta Braves)  Activated from DL
David Paulino - (Houston Astros)  Activated from DL
Elian Herrera - (Milwaukee Brewers)  Claimed off waivers from Dodgers by Brewers
Matt Belisle - (Colorado Rockies)  Mutual option exercised for 2014 ($4.25m)
David DeJesus - (Tampa Bay Rays)  Rays exercised option for 2014 ($6.5m)
Brandon Snyder - (Boston Red Sox)  Outrighted to minors
Travis Blackley -  Refused Minor League Assignment - Declared free agency
Ross Detwiler - (Washington Nationals)  Activated from DL
Jeff Niemann - (Tampa Bay Rays)  Activated from DL
Jonathan Pettibone - (Philadelphia Phillies)  Activated from DL
Kyle McPherson - (Pittsburgh Pirates)  Activated from DL
Casey Kelly - (San Diego Padres)  Activated from DL
Mike Adams - (Philadelphia Phillies)  Activated from DL
Jeremy Horst - (Philadelphia Phillies)  Activated from DL
Kyle Kendrick - (Philadelphia Phillies)  Activated from DL
Ryan Howard - (Philadelphia Phillies)  Activated from DL
Yasmani Grandal - (San Diego Padres)  Activated from DL
Michael McKenry - (Pittsburgh Pirates)  Activated from DL
Edwar Cabrera - (Texas Rangers)  Activated from DL
Matt Harrison - (Texas Rangers)  Activated from DL
Ross Wolf - (Texas Rangers)  Re-signed to minor league contract
T.J. McFarland - (Baltimore Orioles)  Activated from DL
Matt Reynolds - (Arizona Diamondbacks)  Activated from DL
Daniel Hudson - (Arizona Diamondbacks)  Activated from DL
David Herndon - (New York Yankees)  Re-signed to minor league contract
Jason Motte - (St. Louis Cardinals)  Activated from DL
Scott Barnes - (Cleveland Indians)  Activated from DL

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Baseball Transactions: November 3rd, 2013

Philip Humber - (Oakland Athletics)  Signed to Minor League Contract
Barry Zito -  Giants declined 2014 option
Andy LaRoche - (Toronto Blue Jays)  Signed to Minor League Contract
Jason Bourgeois - (Cincinnati Reds)  Signed to Minor League Contract
Blake Lalli - (Arizona Diamondbacks)  Signed to Minor League Contract
Yunel Escobar - (Tampa Bay Rays)  Rays exercised option for 2014 ($5m)
Ben Zobrist - (Tampa Bay Rays)  Rays exercised option for 2014 ($7m)
Matt Thornton -  Red Sox declined option for 2014
Tsuyoshi Wada -  Orioles declined option for 2014
Franklin Gutierrez -  Mariners declined option for 2014
Joe Saunders -  Mariners declined option for 2014
Andres Torres -  Declared free agency

Small Free Agent Options that could make a difference

Using MLB Daily Dish's free agent tracker I have come up with a list that provides cheaper options for GMs. These players won't win any MVPs or Cy Youngs but they are options if your team needs depth.

First Base:
Carlos Pena
Greg Dobbs
Lyle Overbay

Second Base
Brian Roberts
Kelly Johnson
Omar Infante

Shortstop
Brendan Ryan
Clint Barmes
Ramon Santiago
Nick Punto
Skip Schumaker

Third Base
Eric Chavez
Placido Polanco
Juan Uribe


Outfielders
Raul Ibanez
Nate McLouth
Matt Diaz
Endy Chavez
Chris Young
Rajai Davis


Left-Handed Pitchers
Matt Thornton
Scott Kazmir
J.P. Howell
Scott Downs

Right Handed Pitchers
Scott Feldman
Joe Smith
Jamey Wright
Juan Carlos Oviedo
Luis Ayala
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Jake Westbrook




Saturday, November 2, 2013

Report: Brad Ausmus will be the Tigers Manager

Adam Spolane of SportsRadio 610 reports that the Tigers have signed Brad Ausmus to be their manager as the successor to Jim Leyland. It was confirmed by Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

Ausmus has spent the past 3 seasons with the San Diego Padres. The former 3-time Gold Glover had been seen as a candidate for the Cubs, Mariners, and Nationals jobs as well.

Why Barry Zito failed in San Francisco

When the Giants signed Barry Zito before the 2007 season many fans were excited that they got a pitcher to back up their rotation that had Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum as the 2 young aces on the team. Zito was signed to be a 3rd ace on a young Giants staff where the oldest player was Matt Morris at 32. The Giants probably should have avoided giving Zito 126 million as he hadn't had an ERA below 3.30 since 2003. Zito went 11-13 that year with the Giants with a then career worst 4.53 ERA.

Going into 2008 Zito seemed likely to be headed for a rebound year but instead he regressed posting a 10-17 record with a 5.15 ERA. He walked 102 batters and struck out 120 with an ERA+ of 85. A very alarming ration for a pitcher in his prime.

Zito pitched alright in 2009 and 2010 going only 19-27 but with a 4.09 ERA in 66 starts. He walked 165 and gave up 41 homers between those seasons and had an ERA+ of 100. Zito struggled through an injury filled 2011 making 9 starts and 4 relief appearances finishing with an ERA of 5.87 which is his career worst. He again struggled with his command with 24 walks in 53 innings with 32 strikeouts. He had an ERA+ of only 60.

Zito enjoyed an impressive bounce back season where he went 15-8 in 32 starts with a 4.15 ERA and came up big in the postseason where he dominated in his only World Series and NLCS starts. Giving up only 1 run in 13.2 innings.

In his final season with the Giants Barry Zito was awful with a 5-11 record, a 5.74 ERA, and 54 walks in 133.1 innings pitched. Zito never showed the magic he showed with Oakland.