Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow spoke about his decision to end the failed, short-lived Houston tenure of center fielder Carlos Gomez, whom the team designated for assignment Wednesday (via Brian McTaggart of MLB.com). “Carlos has put in 100 percent. We all see how much he enjoys playing the game and how much he cares about what happens,” said Luhnow, who traded a haul to Milwaukee for Gomez and right-hander Mike Fiers last July. “It’s one of those situations where for whatever reason it didn’t work out the way here he wanted to and we wanted to, and we felt it was the best interest of the organization and the team to move on and potentially get a fresh start somewhere else.”
Elsewhere around the majors…
- The Dodgers are “disappointed” in Triple-A outfielder Yasiel Puig, team president Andrew Friedman said Tuesday, after the 25-year-old posted videos on Snapchat that included him and some of his Oklahoma City teammates drinking alcohol and shouting curse words into the camera (via Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times). It’s a minor incident – and one the Dodgers “will address internally,” stated Friedman – but not one the team wanted to deal with after demoting the polarizing Puig earlier this month. As McCullough notes, Puig remains a trade candidate.
- Unfortunately for Friedman and the Dodgers, left-hander Rich Hill’s long-awaited return from finger blisters could be at least another week away, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. Hill, whom Friedman acquired from Oakland at the non-waiver trade deadline, has now had his LA debut pushed back twice. He was initially supposed to take the mound last Sunday, which the team moved to Friday. But Hill won’t be able to go then, either, which means righty Ross Stripling will take his place. Further, considering he hasn’t faced hitters in a while, Hill might have to make a rehab start, per Gurnick. The 36-year-old hasn’t recorded a legitimate start since July 7. On July 17, which was his final outing with the A’s, Hill had to exit after five pitches because of his blister troubles. Thanks to both that issue and a groin strain, Hill has amassed only 12 innings since the beginning of June.
- Mariners southpaw reliever Charlie Furbush will undergo surgery on the partially torn rotator cuff in his left arm Tuesday, writes Maddie Lee of MLB.com. Recovery time is expected to range from 12 to 18 months for Furbush, who told Lee, “Right now, I think, for me, a realistic goal would be Spring Training of 2018. But anything earlier than that and I’m on board.” Furbush, 30, was diagnosed with the injury last August and hasn’t taken a major league mound since last July. He was a dependable bullpen weapon for the Mariners until then, logging a 3.23 ERA, 10.32 K/9 and 3.03 BB/9 in 175 1/3 innings since 2012. Furbush also held left-handed hitters to a woeful .172/.243/.228 batting line during that span.
- Major League Baseball has suspended Cubs right-handed prospect Luiz Escanio for 144 games without pay after he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, reports Carrie Muskat of MLB.com (Twitter link). That’s the second positive test for the 24-year-old Escanio, to whom the league handed a 72-game ban last summer after he was found to have used the anabolic steroid Stanozolol. Prior to his latest suspension, Escanio compiled a 1.45 ERA, 13.5 K/9 and 4.33 BB/9 in 18 2/3 innings in the Dominican Summer League.
Puig Puig chico cuando vas a crecer… yes grow up.
El tipo esta perdido. There’s a lot worse he could do but he just doesn’t know the right way to conduct himself.
Puig for Avila Garcie w/Sox for Puig will find a team that love him fresh start and Garcie is a good RF both teams WIN
Puig being immature and unprofessional, big surprise. I’m though Dodgers will find someone in the offseason to give up a decent prospect or two. Yes he is talented but he is unhealthy physically and he does not appreciate the talent that allows him to play baseball professionally.
Escanio is 24 years old and still in the DSL. They obviously didn’t enhance his performance very much.
So Friedman sends down Puig when Hernandez is batting .200, Van Slyke is batting .220 and a career minor leaguer get playing time? Sounds to me like Dodgers FO has a grudge against Puig. It’s a shame to waste so much talent with a talentless FO.
Yes but Kikè and SVS weren’t brought in to be starters. They are there to play match ups which by the way is a lot more difficult to keep timing and rhythm at the plate when your not playing as often. It’s quite easy to understand why SVS has struggled so mightily at the plate with wrist injuries same with Kikè if it’s understood that he was injured for a while. Nevertheless Puig’s adjustments were made and didn’t last long. look at the power output. Even his last game the one he went 3/5. That double was a catchable fly ball for any other competent lf. The other double was a total jam job that he luckily muscled it up. In the end it’s easy to find what Puig brought an average bat that’s capable of sticking in the 7 hole with good defense ala Reddick. Chances are he’s probably a better club house guy. But last time I checked a .5 War doesn’t cover up the clubhouse problems that his spectacular 2013 did. It’s simple really the books out on Puig. Puig never made the needs adjustment back. Even when he came off of injury he was hot then fell back to his cluttered swing. DL again rinse and repeat. 0.5 War was probably all that needed to be said though.
Puig’s issues can’t be measured by WAR or any other stat.
Its not like Puig was lighting it up at the major league level, and he has too many locker room issues to warrant keeping him unless he cleans up his act.
Shame on Puig trying to fit in with his new teammates.
My bad isn’t that what the Dodgers wanted bro be a team guy- nice job Puig have fun on your next club
Puig is criticized for the stupidest stuff. he cursed on snapchat! omg, are the dodgers going to send him to his room without any supper?! they need to trade him, or let him live. like a human 25 year old.
My thoughts exactly, Puig doesn’t seem as out there as he once did and yet if he sneezes without covering it’s major news.
I want to know more on the situation, was Puig buying everyone drinks being the highest paid one or was he just chillin’ with the boys? There’s not a major difference as both is probably common place and I could see Puig simply being friendly with his new teammates. It’s gotten ridiculous, really, how the media badgers one man so much, relating back to Rosenthal’s horrid ‘reporting’.
Puig needs a fresh start, clearly the Dodgers FO has a grudge on him or something, get an organization that’ll help his conditioning and let the man play. He’s not a boy and doesn’t need babies.
“He’s not a boy and doesn’t need babies”…tell you what…do a simple search, just 3 words “Tim Bravo Puig”. Like other athletes who had trouble growing up it seems that Puig does need a baby sitter.
I think you are missing the whole point here. He was sent down for his immaturity, lack of professionalism, and lack of commitment. He’s not criticized for going out nor should he because he’s 25 and has every right to. He’s being criticized because he just doesn’t get it. That’s not a good look at all. Just don’t post it to social media. It may seem small but multiple incidents like this are what got him there. I like Puig and his talent is undeniable. The question is and has been (since the cat was let out of the bag) about whether he’ll ever get it.
1,
Is Puig a regular 25 year old though? Or is he a multimillionaire 25 year old athlete? There’s a huge difference between the two. I think the organization’s concern is centered on whether he can remain focused enough on making millions and helping them win. I mean, it just seems like his production is trending downwards from his first year.
Yes but he is held to a higher standard than a normal 25 year old. Even then, there’s no reason why he should be putting that up. A normal 25 year old that was seen drinking with coworkers at work would instantly be fired, so why is Puig held to a different standard? He already has locker room issues so this doesn’t exactly go to improving them. Plus, its still not the time to be drinking and celebrating. If I remember correctly, they were doing it after a loss so there’s no reason to be celebrating.
People often focus on one thing like you are now…yes he is 25 and out partying but this is the same guy who pulled himself from a game…said he was too hurt to play… and that very night he was videotaped out clubbing in LA. Tell me would your boss be happy about that? He has a history (doing something like 95mph with his grandmother in the car) of being immature and when your job is a very public one you are projecting an image of the team. It’s why some teams still require coat and tie while traveling, or short hair and no facial hair. That is the image they want and the player must project that image, it is part of their job. He has repetedly damaged the image. Need proof…read the comments.
Don’t agree that the Puig incident was minor. Maybe for another player who hasn’t had prior issues, but that isn’t the case for Puig. The act in of itself wasn’t that egregious but the timing of it was horrendous. He should have been smarter about it.
Puig truly did not do anything wrong, EXCEPT have his night out posted on social media!!
Posting the video, and the timing of the video being posted really just isn’t a good look for him…
I truly and strongly believe all the kid needs is just a change of scenery to a smaller market, lower profile team!!
With that being said, I could see Puig doing very well for someone like the Braves, Rockies, Brewers, Astros, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays, Rays, Twins, Mariners, or maybe have him join the Marlins and have Bonds work with him..idk,
Either way, for Puig to truly succeed and further his career successfully, his next team needs to meet at the very least one, if not all of the following criteria:
1. A smaller market team
2. A team with solid leadership and/or with respectable mentors in place for him
3. A team that is not in such a high media profile city like the Dodgers…
Sorry, this just gets it all wrong. “Scenery change” is just another one of those magic potion solutions that overlook the real issues with the player.
1. How would a “smaller market” help Puig take his responsbilities as a professional ballplayer more seriously? It would no such thing, of course.
2. The Dodgers have fine leadership in Dave Roberts, and Puig’s been mentored by any number of excellent role models over his years with the club. Some of it has taken, just not enough for the Dodgers to feel like he’s grown up with the game as much they needed to see from him.
3. The “media profile” is also a total non-issue. LA isn’t Boston. The media has been very patient with Puig (actually more critical of management for their handling of him than with the player himself), and so have the fans.
The only criterion that matters for a new team is that they have saintly patience, because that’s what Puig will require, and it may very well not be rewarded.
Looks like another crappy deadline deal for Friedman and company. Latos and Wood didn’t do a dang thing for us and now Reddick isn’t producing and Hill may not pitch until September if at all. Good thing we gave up three young arms for two rentals that aren’t producing.
How are Reddick and Hill working out in LA Dodgers fans?! Thanks for the young, cost efficient controllable arms, though!
You still suck!