David Price is set to face C.C. Sabathia in the Bronx tonight, but this battle of lefty aces has been pushed back to 6:30 CST due to a rain delay. While you're waiting, check out these notes from around the AL East…
- The Yankees have signed 22-year-old Dominican right-hander Manolo Reyes, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America. The contract is worth $600K but is contingent on Reyes obtaining a visa and passing an MLB investigation into his identity and age, as Reyes has already served one year-long suspension due to problems with his paperwork. Reyes was originally signed by the Braves in 2009.
- The Orioles signed left-hander Rich Rundles to a minor league contract. The 31-year-old had been pitching for the Atlantic League's Lancaster Barnstormers, who announced the transaction on their website. Rundles appeared in nine games (six IP with a 1.50 ERA) for the Indians in 2008-09 and was originally drafted by the Red Sox in 1999 when Dan Duquette was Boston's general manager.
- The Blue Jays are going well under slot with some of their early draft picks, signing tenth-round pick Alex Azor to a $1K bonus (as reported by Chris Toman of MLB.com) and sixth-rounder Eric Phillips to a $5K bonus, according to Rogers Sportsnet's Shi Davidi. As Davidi's piece outlines, the Jays' strategy is to free up money in their draft pool to lock up some of their perceived tough-sign picks. One such higher pick, supplemental first-rounder Matt Smoral, has reportedly agreed to sign with Toronto for a signing bonus almost double the recommended slot value.
Lunchbox45
I wonder if Scott Boras represents Azor or Phillips
lawries_helmet
truly overpaid for Azor, but not sure if Hotdogs are allowed in the new CBA?
Steelslayer
Jay’s gamed the old system by stockpiling picks and buying picks, and now they have learned how to work this system as well.