According to a press release from the Altoona Curve, the Pirates have signed RHP Tyler Herron to a minor league deal. The Cardinals released Herron just nine days ago. Still just 22 years old, Herron had a 4.37 ERA in 45.2 IP at Double-A before his release. The 46th overall pick in the 2005 Draft, Herron's been assigned to Double-A Altoona.
Archives for June 2009
The Pete Incaviglia Rule
Here's a quick one for the MLBTR Glossary…
A player cannot be traded until one year after he signs with a major league team. The rule was instituted after the Expos traded Pete Incaviglia to the Rangers just months after drafting him. This MLB.com article says he was dealt because the Expos had trouble signing him. Incaviglia, who would go on to become an all-or-nothing hitter with the Rangers, was chosen eighth overall by the Expos in 1985.
Discussion: The Boston Rotation
Earlier today we took stock of the Red Sox rotation, which will soon be overflowing with quality arms. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Brad Penny are about to be joined by John Smoltz. Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden and Justin Masterson offer the Red Sox even more depth. But you can't adopt a nine-man rotation, so the Red Sox have to make some tough decisions. Here's what some are saying:
- Through his interpreter, Dice-K told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that he's not feeling 100%. Morosi says it's conceivable that Boston could put him on the DL when Smoltz returns.
- Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Mets, Phillies and Cardinals have interest in Penny. The Red Sox could simply deal him, as most have assumed they would.
- ESPN.com's Rob Neyer wonders whether the Red Sox would trade Smoltz instead. He wouldn't command as much as Penny, but it would allow the Red Sox to keep their rotation together.
- A six-man rotation sounds intriguing, but, as Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald notes, the team has two days off in the near future, making such an arangement less likely.
Lots of choices here for Boston. They can place Dice-K on the DL, trade Penny or Smoltz or just wait it out. What should they do?
Pirates, Twins Are Sano’s Top Suitors
ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure Jr. hears that the Pirates may not offer Miguel Angel Sano as much as $3MM, let alone $4MM. The Pirates are still tracking Sano closely, and, along with the Twins, they're the frontrunners to sign the 16-year-old shortstop once July 2nd comes around. The Orioles recently worked Sano out, but they are not expected to beome serious bidders.
Here are some more rumors about the international free agent market:
- Padres director of international scouting Randy Smith says he hopes to acquire one "big-name" international player.
- Daniel Sanchez is a player to watch; Arangure says some consider him the year's best Latin American pitcher.
Pirates To Sign Tony Sanchez
According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates agreed to terms with their first round pick, Tony Sanchez, on a signing bonus of about $2.5MM. The fourth overall selection caught during his career at Boston College. The Pirates agreed to choose Sanchez before Tuesday's draft began.
He will report to extended Spring Training before beginning to play at Class A West Virginia.
The Rule 5 Draft
The Rule 5 Draft takes place every year at baseball's winter meetings in December. Some years it's uneventful, but it's been a major source of talent for the teams that selected Dan Uggla, Johan Santana and Roberto Clemente. Here's how it works:
- Players who signed when 18 or younger are eligible for the draft after five years.
- Players who signed when 19 or older are eligible after four years.
- If these players aren't on their teams' 40 man rosters, they're exposed.
- As in the June draft, teams draft in reverse order of the previous season's standings.
- Teams that draft players must pay $50k to the player's original team.
- Those selected must remain on the 25-man roster or the major league DL for the entire season.
- Otherwise, the claiming team has to offer the player back to his original team for $25k.
- First, however, he must clear outright waivers.
- This gives the other 28 teams the opportunity to claim him. If any team claims the player, he must remain on their roster for the entire season or go through waivers again.
- The draft was more relevant before it was modified under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, when players were eligible a year earlier.
Thanks to ESPN.com's Keith Law, Cot's Baseball Contracts and ESPN.com's Rob Neyer.
Heyman On Penny, Ackley, Milledge
SI.com's Jon Heyman places Marco Scutaro and David Ortiz atop his lists of over and underperforming players. In the same article, he provides some trade rumors:
- The Phillies, Mets and Cardinals are among the teams "in" on the Brad Penny discussions.
- Philadelphia would still like to acquire a premium pitcher; they're "aiming higher" than Penny.
- Dustin Ackley is apparently seeking "Mark Teixeira money." No, he's not looking for $180MM, but he'd like a deal worth $9.5MM, like the one Teixiera received out of college.
- And there's word of trade talks involving Lastings Milledge.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Strasburg, Pedro, McLouth
On this date 70 years ago, Lou Gehrig played his last game with the Yankees. Gehrig would retire with a career batting average of .340, 493 home runs and a 179 OPS+. For comparison, Albert Pujols has a career batting average of .334, 337 home runs and a 171 OPS+. More than a third of the way through the '09 season, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- Josh Q. Public takes a look at what Stephen Strasburg would have to accomplish statistically to justify a 6-year, $50MM contract.
- Federal Baseball spoke with Lee Jenkins about Strasburg and Jenkins' research of dominant amateur pitchers.
- Nationals Park wonders if the Nats can sign Strasburg.
- Ladies… say that Strasburg is destined to break down.
- Bareknucks makes the case that Strasburg will be the next Mark Prior and baseball's version of Tony Mandarich.
- Fanhouse has a pool going on how much Strasburg will ultimately sign for.
- MLB Notebook argues that Pedro Martinez makes sense for the Rays.
- Operation Shutdown makes a case that the Pirates did well in the Nate McLouth trade.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.
First Rounder Arnett Agrees To Deal With Brewers
12:28pm: MLB.com's Adam McCalvy confirms the deal and adds that it includes a $1.2MM bonus, which is in line with the commissioner's recommendations. Arnett will report to Rookie league after the weekend to begin his pro career.
11:30am: Eric Arnett, the Brewers' first round pick, has agreed to a deal with Milwaukee. His Twitter says he's now officially a Brewer. MLB.com has video of the college pitcher in action.
Tom Haudricourt suggested Arnett would sign today.
Odds And Ends: Draft, Francoeur, Crede
More links for your Friday afternoon…
- ESPN.com's Keith Law says next year's draft won't be as stacked as the 2011 edition and lacks one player who's clearly better than his peers.
- Todd Coppernoll of Brewerfan.net has a Rollie Fingers interview up, complete with Charlie Finley anecdotes and memories of the 1982 World Series.
- Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution believes the Atlanta Braves and Jeff Francoeur would be better off without each other. Almost 80% of the readers polled agree.
- Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press says Joe Crede, who now has ten homers, is on a pace to earn $4.5MM in incentives.
- Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune doesn't think Pedro Martinez is the answer for the Cubs.
- Check out my discussion with the Benchwarmers on KFNS 590 in St. Louis.
