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Archives for June 2012

Outrighted To Triple-A: Travis Buck

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We'll track the latest outright assignments right here…

Cubs, White Sox Both Pursuing Yasiel Puig

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Count the Cubs and White Sox among the teams who are interested in signing Cuban outfielder Yasel Puig, reports Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune. Both franchises have extensive experience with players hailing from Cuba.

The 21-year-old was officially declared a free agent on Tuesday and now has until July 2 to sign with a team to avoid new financial limitations put in place for international players. For the Cubs, signing international free agents out of Cuba is nothing new as the team recently agreed to terms with outfielder Jorge Soler on a nine-year, $30MM deal. On the South Side, the White Sox have a long-term relationship with Puig's agent, Jaime Torres, who has negotiated deals with the team in the past for players such as Jose Contreras and Alexei Ramirez. 

Minor Moves: Yankees, Angels, Guzman, Bogaerts

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Today's minor moves..

  • The Yankees released Double-A right-hander Adam Miller, tweets Josh Norris of The Trentonian.  Miller was ranked as Baseball America's #16 prospect after the 2004 season.
  • Right-hander Ysmael Carmona was released by the Angels, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (via Twitter).  Carmona made the club's 40-man roster after the 2010 season but has struggled with shoulder issues ever since. 
  • The Reds released Double-A first baseman Joel Guzman, Eddy tweets.  The 27-year-old last appeared in the majors with the Rays in 2007.
  • The Cubs cut first baseman Jair Bogaerts, the twin brother of Red Sox prospect Xander Bogaerts, according to Eddy (via Twitter).  Bogaerts came to Chicago as a throw-in in the Theo Epstein compensation trade.
  • The Indians released outfielder Ben Copeland, tweets Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus.  The fourth-round pick in 2005 was a former member of the Giants farm system.
  • The Pirates have traded minor league right-hander Shairon Martis to the Twins, tweets Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.  Biertempfel also tweets that the two sides have yet to work out what the Pittsburgh will receive in return.  Martis, 25, has a 4.96 ERA with 5.4 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 15 appearances in Double-A and Triple-A.  The hurler also appeared in 20 games for the Nationals in 2008 and 2009. 

Quick Hits: Dodgers, LaHair, Wedge, K-Rod

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Here's the latest news and headlines from around the league on the day Chase Utley told the world he was back with a home run in his first at-bat since the end of the 2011 season…

  • There are very few viable options for the Dodgers as they look to add a middle-of-the-order bat, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com. Many of the players currently available are either fringe types or vastly overpaid for their services (like this one). 
  • Olney tweets that Cubs first baseman/outfielder Bryan LaHair has been scouted by the Dodgers, among other teams, but Los Angeles has reservations about his defense. Nonetheless, the Dodgers' need for a quality bat could lead to them overlooking LaHair's shortcomings and acquiring the power hitter before the trade deadline.
  • Mariners manager Eric Wedge doesn't like the progress his young team has made this season, but he's not ready to start sending players to Triple-A, writes Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times. "It's frustrating because I know these guys are a much better offensive club than what we're seeing them do here at home,'' Wedge said. "I don't want to hear anything about the fences, or this, that and the other. It's about what they're doing at home plate and putting up good at-bats and hitting the ball hard."
  • The Angels have a special assignment scout watching the Reds–Brewers series to check up on a few players including Francisco Rodriguez, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com. The Angels entered Wednesday night's action four and a half games behind the Rangers for first place in the American League West.

Draft Signings: Marzilli, Randall, Johnson, Encinosa

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Let's keep track of the day's non-first and supplemental first round signings here…

  • The Diamondbacks have agreed to terms with eighth rounder Evan Marzilli, tweets Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. The South Carolina outfielder's season came to a conclusion on Monday after losing to Arizona in the College World Series finals.
  • The Tigers have signed seventh rounder Hudson Randall, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter). The right-hander will obtain a $142K bonus, which is the full slot value for the selection. 
  • The Giants have inked sixth rounder Stephen Johnson, tweets Callis. The collegiate right-hander will receive an above slot $180K bonus.
  • Seventh rounder E.J. Encinosa has also signed with the Giants and will receive a $144K bonus, reports Callis (on Twitter). The Miami right-hander is noted for his size and hard sinker.
  • Yankees second rounder Peter O'Brien, a Miami catcher who signed with the team last week, will obtain a below slot $460K bonus, tweets Callis.
  • The Twins have signed eighth rounder Christian Powell, according to Callis (on Twitter). The College of Charleston right-hander, who features a mid-90s sinker, will receive a $140K bonus.

White Sox Release Kosuke Fukudome

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June 27: The White Sox officially released Fukudome on Tuesday, according to Aaron Gleeman of NBCSports.com.

June 22: The White Sox announced that they reinstated Kosuke Fukudome from the 15-day disabled list and designated the outfielder for assignment. They placed right-hander Philip Humber on the disabled list and purchased the contract of right-hander Brian Bruney in related moves.

The White Sox signed Fukudome to a one-year, $1MM contract with a club option for 2013 back in February. The 35-year-old appeared in 24 games for the White Sox and posted a .171/.294/.195 batting line in 51 plate appearances while playing all three outfield positions. The White Sox placed him on the 15-day disabled list with back spasms earlier this month.

Central Notes: Jed Lowrie, Jorge Soler, Cardinals

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It was on this day in 1973 that Cardinals infielder Joe Torre hit for the cycle in a 15-4 rout of the Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium. The future Yankees manager would complete the feat by hitting a single with two outs in the ninth inning. Torre would go on to play in the All-Star Game for the ninth and final time a few weeks later. Let's check in on the latest news and headlines out of the National League Central…

  • The Astros have benefited greatly from buying low on shortstop Jed Lowrie as he's found his groove with Houston after injuries plagued his time with the Red Sox, writes Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. New general manager Jeff Luhnow made the trade to get Lowrie upon being hired by the Astros and in his mind, he's acquired a player who can be one of the top five shortstops in the league on an annual basis. 
  • Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com expects the Cubs to add Jorge Soler to the team's 40-man roster upon his official signing after designating Randy Wells for assignment on Wednesday. Soler has until July 1 at 11:59 p.m. to sign the deal with Chicago or he stands to lose approximately $27MM as any international deal signed after that date can only be for a maximum of $2.9MM.
  • The Cardinals are nearing their draft pool bonus cap and don't want to put themselves in a position where they lose a 2013 draft pick as two players remain unsigned, says Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

AL East Notes: Guthrie, Yankees, Stewart, Red Sox

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Items out of the American League East..

Reds Sign Jeff Gelalich

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The Reds have signed supplemental first-round pick Jeff Gelalich for $825K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America.  The bonus amounts to slightly less than the $898K assigned value for the No. 57 slot.

The UCLA product was key to the Bruins' College World Series run this spring and Callis writes that he has average or better tools across the board as a right fielder.  With Gelalich in the fold, the Reds have wrapped up all of their picks in the first ten rounds and are roughly $92K under their total bonus pool.

Rockies Won’t Trade Gonzalez, Cuddyer

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While there has been some speculation that the Rockies could consider moving outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, General Manager Dan O'Dowd says that the standout will be staying put in Colorado, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. 

O'Dowd says that talk of the team putting the 26-year-old on the block started when Nationals GM Mike Rizzo inquired on him via phone.  The Rockies GM says that he told Rizzo that the outfielder wasn't available, and that was the end of it. 

O'Dowd added that he has had a great deal of calls on Michael Cuddyer but won't part with him either.  He expects to keep Dexter Fowler past the deadline as well but stopped short of calling him untouchable. 

"I can't say for certain [we're not trading him] but we put a lot higher value on him than someone looking to acquire him," the GM said.  Fowler has put it together since his demotion last season and is hitting .282/.377/.539 with ten homers this season.

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