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Archives for April 2011

Close Continues To Represent 12 Former CAA Clients

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Derek Jeter, Ryan Howard and Derrek Lee aren’t the only former CAA clients agent Casey Close will continue to represent now that he’s at Excel Sports Management. Close told MLBTR that he still represents Tyler Clippard, Michael Cuddyer, Alex Gordon, Jerry Hairston Jr., Scott Hairston, Casey Kotchman, Ben Sheets, Marcus Thames and Jamey Wright. 

Close left CAA Sports in February and recently joined the New York-based agency Excel Sports Management. For the latest on all agencies and players, check out MLBTR’s Agency Database.

 

Poll: The Dodgers Under MLB

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Earlier today we learned that Major League Baseball has taken over financial operations of the Dodgers’ and will oversee all day-to-day operations. Owner Frank McCourt intends to fight for control of the team, but that may be an unwinnable war. While this is certainly a drastic step on MLB’s part, it’s hardly unprecedented.

MLB oversaw the Rangers’ finances last season, at least before the Chuck Greenburg-Nolan Ryan ownership group took over. Although the team wasn’t exactly given a blank check, they did have the financial flexibility to go out and add players like Jorge Cantu, Cristian Guzman, and Cliff Lee at the trade deadline. The Expos were under MLB’s control a few years before that, but they were under tighter payroll restrictions.

Whether or not the Dodgers have the relative freedom of the 2010 Rangers or the limitations of the 2002-2005 Expos remains to be seen. McCourt’s team has scored the second fewest runs in baseball, so they could clearly stand to add a bat or two at midseason. The question is, will they be able to?

MLB To Take Over Dodgers’ Financial Operations

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9:16pm: SI.com's Jon Heyman hears that McCourt "intends to fight" MLB for control of the team (on Twitter). It's an uphill battle not just legally, but in the court of public opinion. Legal costs could be another issue for the Dodgers' owner.

3:59pm: Commissioner Bud Selig has announced that MLB will take over the Dodgers' financial operations from Frank McCourt, reports Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times.  Shaikin's colleague Dylan Hernandez adds that Selig "will appoint a representative to oversee all aspects of the business and the day-to-day operations of the Dodgers."  Shaikin has the official statement from Selig here.  ESPN's Buster Olney calls Selig's takeover "a two-handed shove out the door," and awaits McCourt's legal response.

SI's Jon Heyman wrote earlier today that MLB is "disinclined to grant McCourt's request" for approval of a TV deal with Fox that might have allowed him to retain control of the Dodgers.

Quick Hits: Purke, Wood, Bonderman, Promotions

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On this date three years ago, the Blue Jays released Frank Thomas. He retired after a brief return engagment with the Athletics, hitting .301/.419/.555 in a career that should garner Hall of Fame consideration. Here's some links for the evening…

  • TCU left-hander Matt Purke is out indefinitely with a sore shoulder according to Stefan Stevenson of The Star-Telegram. He will be evaluated by Dr. James Andrews later this week. Purke, who was expected to be one of the top picks in this June's draft, spoke to MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith last month.
  • Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic says (on Twitter) that the Diamondbacks don't have interest in, or room on the roster for Brandon Wood.
  • Jeremy Bonderman recently visited his former Tigers' teammates during their trip to Seattle, writes MLB.com's Jason Beck. The right-hander told reporters that he feels "great," and that he plans to visit the Tigers in Detroit in a few weeks. That would seem to indicate he isn't close to signing with a team.
  • In a piece for ESPN Insider, Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus breaks down some factors that are considered when a prospect is promoted to the big leagues or a higher minor league level.
  • ESPN The Magazine published a list of the highest paid athletes from 182 countries. A dozen MLB players make the list, but that comes nowhere close to the number of soccer players making big bucks.

East Notes: Rays, Molina, Mets, Wright

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The legend of Jed Lowrie grew a little more today thanks to another homerun, so let's check in on his team plus a few others in the two Eastern divisions…

  • SI.com's Jon Heyman says that while the Rays will look for a bat to replace Manny Ramirez, they won't have his full $2MM salary at their disposal. Felipe Lopez ($1MM) and Casey Kotchman ($750K) are two recent call-ups cutting into the team's budget.
  • Within the same article, Heyman says that Bengie Molina could be an option for the Red Sox, who will reportedly address their catching situation within two weeks. Bengie recently said he's retired "for now."
  • Joel Sherman of The New York Post says that it's probably for the best that the Mets have the worst record in the NL at 5-12 because "cleaning house is what will help speed the process toward the Mets' next good team and away from this unacceptable lot."
  • In a second article, Sherman muses about a possible David Wright trade, but not as a pure salary dump. "[The] Mets have to be open to the possibility that a team in contention … would be willing to pay $1.25 for $1 worth of talent."

Gammons Talks Red Sox Catcher, Lowrie

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Peter Gammons of MLB Network and NESN joined WEEI's Mut & Merloni show today to discuss Red Sox issues; here's the transcript.  Highlights:

  • Gammons feels that Boston's starting catcher situation is "an issue that in the next two weeks is going to be addressed," with Jarrod Saltalamacchia struggling both on defense and offense.  Gammons suggests Tim Federowicz is "the best catch-and-throw guy in the organization," and would be the first person called up if the Sox try an internal solution.  Gammons does not see anybody good the Red Sox could acquire right now.
  • Gammons thinks Jed Lowrie is "right in the middle as far as everyday shortstops in the major leagues."  Today in the Boston Herald, Padres assistant GM Jason McLeod talked to John Tomase about what he saw when he drafted Lowrie in 2005.  I can see Marco Scutaro being dealt if Lowrie continues to excel for the next few months.
  • Rich Hill is Boston's best option among situational lefties, but Gammons says the team wants to "give Rich a full month to get his feet on the ground, get used to this delivery and get his confidence restored before they bring him up."  Hill was re-signed by the Red Sox to a minor league deal in mid-December, as GM Theo Epstein elected not to spend money on left-handed relief.

Garrett Olson Clears Waivers

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WEDNESDAY: Olson cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A, tweets Colin Dunlap of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

FRIDAY: The Pirates announced that they designated Garrett Olson for assignment to create roster space for another southpaw, Joe Beimel. After a stint on the disabled list due to elbow inflammation, Beimel is set to pitch for the Pirates for the first time since 2003.

Pittsburgh claimed Olson from the Mariners in March and he allowed two hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings, striking out four and posting a 2.08 ERA. Last year, the 27-year-old posted a 4.54 ERA with 7.4 K/9, 3.6 BB/9 and a 37.1% ground ball rate in 37 2/3 innings of relief with the Mariners. Olson, a 2005 first rounder, started 33 games for the Orioles in 2007-08 before they traded him.

AL West Notes: Felix, Leonys Martin, Brandon Wood

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The Rangers and Angels are currently tied for first place in the AL West, with 11-6 records.  The latest from the division:

Minor League Signings: Lawrence, Place, Salome

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Baseball America's Matt Eddy tweets a few minor league signings of note:

  • The Angels released Virgil Vasquez and signed Brian Lawrence.  Lawrence, 34, hasn't pitched in the Majors since '07.  He racked up 142 2/3 innings for the Marlins Triple-A affiliate last year, posting a 4.42 ERA.  Lawrence was a staple in the Padres' rotation from 2002-05, even winning 15 games in '04.
  • Right fielder Jason Place, released by the Red Sox in Spring Training, was signed by the Yankees.  Place was drafted 27th overall in 2006, one spot ahead of Daniel Bard.  18 of the 44 first-rounders from that draft have yet to play in the Majors, Place among them.
  • The Mariners signed catcher/right fielder Angel Salome.  Salome was a fairly well-regarded catching prospect as recently as a year ago, but he was removed from the Brewers' 40-man roster last July after taking an extended leave for the birth of his child and requesting a switch to the outfield upon his return (Tom Haudricourt reporting for Baseball America).

Giants Option Brandon Belt

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Giants first baseman Brandon Belt has been optioned to the Triple-A Fresno, tweets CSNBayArea.com's Mychael Urban.  The move opens a spot on the 25-man roster for Cody Ross.

The demotion is justified based on Belt's performance; he hit .192/.300/.269 in 60 plate appearances and the Giants can't afford to give him on-the-job training.  He's still considered one of the best 20 or so prospects in the game.

There is another benefit to optioning Belt, as MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith explained yesterday.  If he stays in the minors for 20 days or more, which seems likely barring an injury at the big league level, Belt's free agency will be delayed until after the 2017 season at the earliest.  Had he remained in the Majors all year, Belt would have been eligible for free agency after '16.

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