Phillies Release Adam Eaton
According to MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki, the Phillies have released right-hander Adam Eaton.
Eaion went 14-18 with a 6.10 ERA over 49 starts after inking a three-year, $24.5MM contract before the 2007 season. He would’ve struggled to crack the starting rotation this season, but the Phils are still on the hook for the more than $8.5MM remaining on his current deal.
Phillies Must Deal With Adam Eaton
Scott Lauber of The News Journal spoke to Phillies pitcher Adam Eaton, who is "without question, the elephant in the clubhouse." Eaton is owed $9MM, and the Phillies don’t see him as a contender for a rotation spot given his 6.10 ERA with the team.
Eaton says he’s not going to accept another assignment to the minors. The Phillies may have to release him and eat his salary.
Odds and Ends: Yamarin, Eaton, Atkins, Ohman
Links for Monday…
- Yankees and Red Sox fans are dreaming of Joe Mauer, whose contract is up after the 2010 season.
- Updated June draft order, courtesy of Baseball America.
- The Braves signed a Japanese amateur pitcher named Yoshinori Yamarin to a minor league deal.
- Adam Eaton is not a candidate for the Phillies’ fifth starter job, and they’ll probably release him and eat his contract if they can’t trade him.
- MLB.com made a nice addition in Phillies beat writer Todd Zolecki.
- Arbitration hearing dates are set for Paul Maholm and Nate McLouth.
- Jim Salisbury writes about Tal Smith, who prepares arbitration cases for clubs.
- Garrett Atkins comments on his arbitration request and his future with the Rockies.
- The Reds voided the contract of 16 year-old Venezuelan pitcher Ismael Guillon and re-signed him for less due to a problem found during his physical.
- Athletics Nation talked to MLB.com beat writer Mychael Urban.
- David O’Brien chatted with unsigned reliever Will Ohman.
- Orioles infielder Oscar Salazar cleared waivers.
Phillies Looking To Trade Eaton
According to Gerry Fraley, the Phillies are looking to trade starter Adam Eaton. They’ll pay all but $1MM of his $9MM salary for ’09 and don’t want anything in return.
Odds and Ends: Eaton, Tazawa, Royals, Jays
Today’s links…
- SI.com’s Tom Verducci ranks the five best midseason deals of the past 25 years.
- Peter Abraham thinks the Yankees should stick with Robinson Cano.
- Pat Gillick says there’s a slight chance the Phils acquire a reliever this month. He was not able to acquire Kyle Farnsworth in August.
- MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan doesn’t put much stock in the rumor that Nolan Ryan will clean house in Texas.
- Phillies GM Pat Gillick admitted signing Adam Eaton was a mistake. Many MLBTR readers thought so when the signing was finalized in November of ’06.
- The Red Sox hope to sign a Japanese amateur pitcher named Junichi Tazawa, which may not go over well with Nippon Professional Baseball.
- Gil Meche, Joakim Soria, and Zack Greinke are pretty much off-limits. Most other Royals are fair game in trade discussions. GM Dayton Moore intends to make changes this winter, and may also dive back into the free agent market.
- The Blue Jays have $15MM to spend, with needs at shortstop, first base/DH, and catcher. GM J.P. Ricciardi would prefer to fill those holes internally. Shysterball wonders why Ricciardi is talking about next year.
- Michael Rosenberg says Ivan Rodriguez is all about the money.
Odds and Ends: Eaton, Dykstra, Lohse, Burnett
Let’s round up some linkage.
- ESPN’s Buster Olney wonders if Adam Everett would be a good fit for the Dodgers.
- Phillies pitcher Adam Eaton accepted a minor league assignment today. It seems that J.A. Happ will replace him.
- Jim Callis of Baseball America thinks the only first-round pick who might not sign will be San Diego’s Allan Dykstra.
- I did a Q&A with Mets Fans Forever.
- Cardinals GM John Mozeliak dismissed the idea of trading Kyle Lohse. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe believes the Cardinals have the best shot at acquiring A.J. Burnett. But don’t forget that interesting suggestion yesterday from John Perrotto: the Jays might offer Burnett an additional $2MM in ’09 and ’10 to entice him to stay.
- Marlins catcher Matt Treanor had a setback, increasing their need to acquire a backstop.
- Rays manager Joe Maddon says the chances of a trade are "50-50 at best."
- The D’Backs are still talking extension with Cy Young contender Dan Haren, who is signed cheaply through 2010.
- Blue Jays reliever Brian Tallet is out at least three weeks with a broken toe; bad timing for potential suitors like the Mets.
- I did the Drunk Jays Fans podcast last night.
Odds And Ends: Quintero, Rios, Pierre
A few random notes from around the MLBiverse…
- Henry Schulman says the Giants are in need of a backup catcher and a logical choice may be Astros backup Humberto Quintero, whom Bruce Bochy is familiar with from his days with the Padres. He also notes that the Rays have two experienced catchers that were just reassigned to the minor leagues in Josh Paul and Mike DiFelice.
- The Jays and Alex Rios are closer today to an agreement on a long-term extension than they were yesterday. That according to Rios’ agent, Paul Kinzer. Yesterday it was reported that the Jays had offered a six-year, $65MM deal. No word yet on what any new offers might look like. Kinzer reasserted that a deal needs to be done by tonight or negotiations will be put off until after the season.
- Bobby Kielty initially accepted his demotion to Pawtucket, but he is now having second-thoughts and will wait a few days to see if any other teams are interested in a switch-hitting outfielder. With all the rumors swirling recently about teams in need of outfield help, I have to believe that Kielty will land a major league gig. PECOTA projects a line of .253/.331/.418 based on 159 plate appearances and Kielty can play all three outfield spots.
- The Dodgers made it official today, giving Andre Ethier the left field job. This puts one more nail in the coffin of one of the worst free agent signings in recent memory. The move means that Juan Pierre will be a reserve, one year after signing a five-year, $44MM deal. The Dodgers will certainly look to trade Pierre, but will have to swallow a good portion of the $36.5MM remaining on the deal.
- A couple of big names have made major league rosters after only earning non-roster spring training invites prior to spring training. The Rockies have given a job to Scott Podsednik, while the Rays did the same with former Rookie-of-the-Year Eric Hinske. In fact, Hinske will start on Opening Day and will be the Rays’ right fielder against right handers to begin the season.
- Phil Sheriden notes that Adam Eaton was named the Phillies’ fifth starter, but that may not last long as Pat Gillick will certainly be looking for a better option. Sheriden feels that Gillick is much better at making moves in-season than during the offseason.
Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.
Odds And Ends: Eaton, Balfour, McAnulty
Couple of minor notes for this Friday afternoon:
- Paul McAnulty, who is out of options, is going to make the Padres 25-man roster. With Scott Hairston filling in for injured Jim Edmonds in center, McAnulty could get a fair share of playing time in left. The other candidate for playing time is Jody Gerut.
- It appears the Rays have decided on their final bullpen spot, giving the job to Scott Dohmann. The loser in this deal is Grant Balfour, who is out of options. The Australian reliever has some promise, and I would imagine will be claimed on waivers.
- Not that it’s a trade rumor, but there are whispers that Adam Eaton may have pitched his way out of the Phillies five slot. There isn’t mention of a replacement, but it could be Chad Durbin.
Posted by Joe Pawlikowski.
Phillies Close To Deal With Romero
According to Todd Zolecki of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Phils are close to a multiyear contract with southpaw reliever J.C. Romero. Two years, $6MM would be one thing but I would hope they didn’t go three years.
Zolecki adds that the Phillies don’t believe Adam Eaton will require surgery for his shoulder issues. It still wouldn’t hurt to add a starter to the group of Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer, Kyle Kendrick, and Eaton. Hamels and Kendrick may be considered injury risks.
Rangers Rumors: DeJesus, Lamb, Millar
Evan Grant writes for the Dallas Morning News, but he posted this column at night. Go figure. He’s got some new info regarding the Rangers.
- As you know, the Rangers have had difficulty finding a long-term center fielder. That’s the main focus of this offseason. The team has already shown interest in Torii Hunter and Aaron Rowand, the top center fielders available. Other free agents such as Andruw Jones and Mike Cameron appear to be in play as well. Grant’s trade candidates: Coco Crisp, David DeJesus, Mark Kotsay, and Carlos Beltran. We’ve speculated on DeJesus to Atlanta in the past. With DeJesus signed cheaply through 2011 and the market at the position robust this winter, it might make sense for Dayton Moore to wait a year to shop him aggressively.
- Grant adds that Jon Daniels is considering some affordable options for first base. They’ve already talked to Mike Lamb‘s agent and like Kevin Millar as well. Lamb came up through the Rangers’ system but was traded to the Yankees in ’04. Millar is under contract for ’08 but it’s in the $3-4MM range and the Orioles should be open to a trade. Grant says Ben Broussard could pique the Rangers’ interest if he’s non-tendered.
- Grant concludes with five Rangers whose names will be bandied about in trade talks: Gerald Laird, Vicente Padilla, Joaquin Arias, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Nelson Cruz. Salty’s not being shopped but Grant expects teams to ask. He proposes some kind of bad contract swap for Padilla – Jason Giambi, Richie Sexson, or Adam Eaton are named. I still think it’s funny the way Padilla crawled away from the brawl he started this year.