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Archives for March 2012

Blue Jays Extend Dustin McGowan

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3:28pm: The team announced the deal, which will pay McGowan $1.5MM per season in 2013 and 2014 and includes a $4MM club option for 2015 (with a $500K buyout, according to The Associated Press).

2:50pm: Dustin McGowan, who arrived at Spring Training without a guaranteed spot in the Blue Jays' rotation, now has job security for at least two years. The oft-injured right-hander has agreed to terms with the Blue Jays on a two-year contract extension with an option, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio tweets. 

McGowan returned from shoulder trouble to make five Major League appearances last year, his first big league action since 2008. ACES represents the right-hander, who removed himself from a minor league start yesterday because of plantar fasciitis. McGowan, who turned 30 on Saturday, had already agreed to terms with the Blue Jays on a one-year, $600K deal for 2012. 

Cubs Release Trever Miller

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The Cubs released left-handed reliever Trever Miller, Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com tweets. The Cubs had signed the Praver/Shapiro client to a minor league contract in January.

Miller, who turns 39 in May, posted a 3.80 ERA with 5.1 K/9, 5.1 BB/9 and a 38% ground ball rate in 21 1/3 innings for the Cardinals, Blue Jays, and Red Sox in 2011. He started the season in St. Louis, went to Toronto in a July trade, and signed with Boston after the Blue Jays released him.

Mets Sign Chris Young

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The Mets signed right-hander Chris Young to a minor league deal, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets. Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger reported this morning that the Mets were nearing a deal with the Williams & Connolly client.

Young, 32, started four games for the Mets last year after undergoing anterior capsule surgery in May. He has a 3.74 ERA with 7.8 K/9, 3.6 BB/9 and a 28.2% ground ball rate in eight career seasons with the Rangers, Padres and Mets.

Braves Inquired On Will Venable

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The Braves asked the Padres about right fielder Will Venable, only to hear he’s not available, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (all Twitter links). It was reported over the weekend that Atlanta GM Frank Wren seeks depth for the infield and outfield.

The Braves would prefer to add someone who can play center field if they acquire an outfielder, Morosi writes. Venable has MLB experience at all three outfield positions, though he spent most of last season in right field. He has great speed for a right fielder to go along with outstanding range, according to The Fielding Bible Volume III. The Braves are reluctant to trade Kris Medlen for an outfielder, since they value the right-hander’s versatility.

Giants Release Ramon Ortiz

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The Giants have released Ramon Ortiz, reports Hank Schulman of The San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter). The Praver/Shapiro client signed a minor league deal with the Giants last month.

Ortiz, 39, appeared in 22 games for the Cubs last year, posting a 4.86 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 33 1/3 innings. The 11-year MLB veteran also made 16 starts at Triple-A, completing 99 1/3 innings with the Iowa Cubs. Ortiz struck out eight and allowed just three earned runs in 10 2/3 innings this spring, so there's a chance he'll hook on elsewhere.

The Giants would have owed Ortiz a $100K retention bonus had they kept him in the organization past a certain date thanks to the new collective bargaining agreement, notes Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area (on Twitter).

Jon Lester, Mike Adams Join ACES

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Red Sox lefty Jon Lester and Rangers reliever Mike Adams have changed agencies, following agent Josh Yates to ACES.  Both pitchers had formerly been represented by SFX Baseball.  SFX negotiated Lester's then-precedent-setting five-year, $30MM deal three years ago.

It's common for players to follow their agents, and Yates is on his third agency, having been let go by CSMG (now known as Octagon) in '07.  An SFX spokesperson said that Yates decided to leave the company and they wish him well.  SFX will still collect the fees on Lester's current contract, which runs through 2014 if a club option is exercised.  Adams has emerged as one of the game's top setup men and is in line for a multiyear free agent deal after the season.

Also, correcting an earlier tweet from me, the Braves' Randall Delgado remains with SFX. 

Cubs Sign Shawn Camp

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The Cubs signed right-hander Shawn Camp to a minor league deal, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports (Twitter links). The Mariners released the reliever five days ago.

Camp spent the last four seasons with the Blue Jays, and posted a 4.21 ERA with 4.3 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 and a 53.5% groundball rate in 66 1/3 innings a year ago. The Blue Jays did not offer the right-hander arbitration after the season despite his Type B status.

AL East Notes: Rays, Bard, Snider, Chamberlain

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The Tigers released Carlos Pena on this date in 2006. The first baseman spent most of the year in the minors with the Yankees and Red Sox then broke out with a 46-homer season for the Rays the following season. Here are today's AL East-related links…

  • Gustavo Cabrera worked out for the Rays recently, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports. The 16-year-old Dominican outfielder is one of this summer's top eligible amateurs and could command a bonus in the $1.5-2.5MM range, Mayo writes.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wonders if Daniel Bard can successfully transition to Boston's rotation this year and explains that in a perfect world he wouldn't have to become a starter. A number of baseball people are skeptical that the Red Sox right-hander will succeed in the rotation, Rosenthal writes.
  • Executives monitoring the outfield market say the Blue Jays are inclined to keep Travis Snider, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets. The Blue Jays optioned the left-handed hitting 24-year-old to Triple-A over the weekend.
  • Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he's optimistic Joba Chamberlain will pitch in the Major Leagues this year, Jeff Bradley of the Star-Ledger reports. The right-hander dislocated his right ankle last week and will likely wear a cast for six weeks.
  • It doesn't appear that the Yankees have any intention of releasing Chamberlain in an attempt to save money, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com writes.

Latest At RotoAuthority.com

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Now is the time for fantasy baseball drafts, and perhaps our fantasy site RotoAuthority.com can you give a few sleeper ideas.  Catch the latest articles via Twitter and Facebook; here are a few examples:

Minor Moves: Tobi Stoner

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The latest minor moves from around MLB…

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