• The Brewers will call up top pitching prospect Jimmy Nelson to start Sunday to take the rotation turn of Yovani Gallardo, tweets Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. At this point, at least, it seems that Nelson may only get one start, as Gallardo is not expected to miss significant time. As I explained back in April, Nelson already has 27 days of service to his credit. Accordingly, if he did stay in the bigs from this point forward, he would accrue enough service time to set himself up to become eligible for an additional year of arbitration as a Super Two player, though he will not be able to pass the one-year service mark by the end of the year.
• Milwaukee’s decision to deal for reliever Will Smith (in exchange for outfielder Norichika Aoki) has been a key element in the team’s success this year, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The team’s pro scouting staff gave Smith high marks, leading GM Doug Melvin to pull the trigger on the trade. He has allowed just one earned run in 21 2/3 innings of work, posting 12.9 K/9 against 4.2 BB/9.
• Pitcher Jason Marquis was scheduled to throw for scouts today, Rosenthal reports in the same piece. The 35-year-old had Tommy John surgery last summer after tossing 117 2/3 innings of 4.05 ball for the Padres.
• Another former big leaguer looking to make a return is infielder Bill Hall, who tweets that he is on the comeback trail. The 34-year-old has spent time at third, short, second, and all over the outfield in his 11 seasons of MLB action, and owns a career .248/.308/.436 line. He spent last year with the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate, putting up a .225/.321/.407 mark with 17 home runs in 452 plate appearances.
• Ben Badler of Baseball America has the latest updates on the July 2 market. Yesterday, Badler ticked through the top ten expected bonuses among players eligible to sign for the 2014-15 period, along with the clubs expected to land them. Leading the way is infielder Gilbert Lara, who has been linked to the Brewers and could earn $3MM. Four of the players are expected to go to the Yankees, with the Rays, Red Sox, and Blue Jays also said to be set up for some large outlays among AL East clubs. (The American League could also be in line to pick up the other two players on that list, with the Mariners potentially in position to sign outfielder Brayan Hernandez and the White Sox predicted to land righty Huascar Ynoa.) And today, he profiles a set of field position prospects who figure to be among the best available players, headlined by Venezuelan shortstop Kenny Hernandez, who Badler says could get a nine-figure bonus.
• Meanwhile, the Yankees are reportedly prepared to ink Korean shortstop Hyo-Jun Park for a $1.1MM bonus, according to a report from Korean outlet Naver (Korean language link; translated article; hat tip to River Ave. Blues ). Jason Cohen of Pinstripe Alley recently compiled the available information on Park, who is said to be a solid all-around player.

• Angels right-hander Barry Enright has cleared waivers and been assigned to the club's Triple-A affiliate, tweets Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. Enright, 27, was designated for assignment on Thursday after struggling to a 12.96 ERA  over two starts and two relief appearances for the Halos.
• To make room for Enright on the Triple-A Salt Lake roster, Bill Hall was released, tweeted Bees' radio broadcaster Steve Klauke. Hall produced a meager slash of .164/.282/.233 in 85 plate appearances for Salt Lake. Hall last saw MLB action in 2012 with the Orioles going two-for-nine with one home run in 14 plate appearances. 

Edward Creech contributed to this post.

Hall notes that he'll be heading to extended spring training.  The 33-year-old appeared briefly with the Orioles last year, spending most of the season hitting .246/.300/.430 at Triple-A while playing mostly second and third base.  Hall's 35 home runs in 2006 are the most in baseball history for someone who played at least three games each at shortstop, third base, center field, and second base.  Previously, Felix Mantilla hit 30 bombs in 1964 while playing each of those positions.

Here's some more news from around baseball as we head into the weekend…

• One candidate the Yankees don't seem to be considering is Scott Rolen, according to Heyman, as the team "never really engaged" the veteran third baseman.  Rolen is also "not on the radar" of the Dodgers, who are also looking for infield help in the wake of Hanley Ramirez's injury.
• The Twins "are not even thinking about" manager Ron Gardenhire's job security, a team source tells Andy Martino of the New York Daily News.  Minnesota has suffered consecutive last-place seasons but the club doesn't fault Gardenhire given how little he had to work with on the roster.  Gardenhire is one of several managers and GMs entering the final years of their contracts in 2013. 
• The Angels could re-sign Bill Hall to a new minor league contract, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.  Hall was released earlier today and, if the Angels re-sign him after Tuesday, they won't have to pay the veteran utilityman a $100K bonus as an Article XX(B) free agent.
• Also from DiGiovanna (on Twitter), the Angels watched right-hander Adam Reifer throw a bullpen session today and could sign the former Cardinals prospect to a minor league deal.  Reifer, 26, posted a 3.88 ERA, an 8.3 K/9 and a 2.47 K/BB rate over 204 1/3 IP (all out of the bullpen) in the Cards' system since 2008.
• Cubs outfielder David DeJesus stands out as a trade candidate for the Royals as a platoon partner with Jeff Francoeur, Rany Jazayerli of Rany On The Royals opines.  Kansas City is known to be looking for a left-handed hitting complement to the right-handed hitting Francoeur in right field.
• The Mets are "going to go with the guys we have" in the outfield, GM Sandy Alderson tells Newsday's Marc Carig.  Jordany Valdespin, Lucas Duda, Marlon Byrd, Mike Baxter, Collin Cowgill and Kirk Nieuwenhuis are all fighting for playing time in the Mets' outfield this season.

Hall appeared in seven games for the Orioles in 2012, when he bounced on and off of Baltimore's 40-man roster. The 33-year-old spent the majority of the season with the Orioles' Triple-A team, and posted a .246/.300/.430 batting line with 15 home runs in 370 plate appearances at Norfolk. The 11-year MLB veteran has spent considerable time at second base, third base and left field in recent years.

Hall signed a minor league deal with the Orioles in April of last season and was outrighted to Triple-A twice during the season.  The veteran appeared in seven games at the big league level and spent the bulk of the year in Norfolk hitting .246/.300/.430 with 15 homers in 90 games.

• The Cubs outrighted Michael Bowden to Triple-A after the right-hander cleared waivers, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports (on Twitter). The Cubs had designated Bowden for assignment last week.
• The Orioles outrighted Bill Hall to Triple-A Norfolk after the utility player cleared waivers, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports (Twitter links). The Orioles signed Hall to a minor league deal in April and they've designated him for assignment twice since then.

Pearce, 29, signed a minor league deal with the Yanks in late March after spending the first seven seasons of his career with the Pirates.  In 52 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, Pearce hit .321/.422/.574 with eleven homers.

Hall, 32, was just added to the club's 25 and 40-man rosters yesterday after having his contract purchased.  The veteran was also DFA'd by the team on May 25th before clearing waivers.  Hall has a .221/.272/.372 slash line with three home runs in 21 Triple-A games this year.

• Joel Sherman of the New York Post explains how Derek Jeter fell to the Yankees 20 years ago. Though the Yankees were hoping Jeter would fall to them, they had prepared to start negotiations with right-hander Jim Pittsley in case another club selected their preferred target.
• Ben Cherington will be running his first draft as Boston's GM on Monday, but it'll be a familiar setting in some ways, Rich Thompson of the Boston Herald reports. The longtime Red Sox executive says his staff will seek the best available player with each pick.  “The key with any draft is to do more with your picks than the 29 other teams do," he said.
• The Orioles will purchase the contract of utility player Bill Hall today and add him to the 25 and 40-man rosters, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun reports.
• Adam Lind could be ready to return to the Major Leagues "soon," GM Alex Anthopoulos said, according to Ken Fidlin of the Toronto Sun.

• The Orioles announced that utility man Bill Hall cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk.  Hall, 32, was designated for assignment yesterday.  Hall inked a minor league deal with the Yankees in February but elected free agency in April.

The Orioles signed Hall to a minor league deal in April and selected his contract on May 12th. Hall became the 22nd Oriole in team history to homer in his first game with Baltimore, but appeared in just five more games before losing his roster spot. Hall had signed a minor league deal with the Yankees in February, and elected free agency in April. He has MLB experience at every position but catcher and first base.

• Utility man Bill Hall tweeted that he has been called up by the Orioles. He signed a minor league contract with Baltimore last month, and the team will need to clear both a 25-man and 40-man roster spot for him.
• "I feel very bad for the Yankees," said Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik to Ken Davidoff of The New York Post when asked about the Jesus Montero–Michael Pineda trade. Pineda is out for the season with a torn labrum and Montero homered against his former team last night. “I don’t think you enter a deal thinking that you’re going to win a deal," he added. "I think what you do is, you have common sense and respect for all parties involved and say, ‘I hope this helps all organizations.’"
• David Robertson's route to the Yankees started with a letter from a high school coach to George Steinbrenner about a minor league utility infielder more than a decade ago, according to the AP. Robertson is currently closing for New York following Mariano Rivera's season-ending knee injury.

Hall had signed a minor league deal with the Yankees in February, but elected free agency earlier this month. The 32-year-old played for the Astros and Giants in 2011, posting a .211/.261/.314 line in 199 plate appearances. He played second base and left field last year, but has MLB experience at a wide array of other positions.

• With the Cubs in rebuilding mode, Marlon Byrd expected to be traded but was surprised by the timing, writes Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.
• Former Red Sox pitching prospect Michael Bowden might be able to find his groove with the Cubs, writes Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal.  Bowden was sent to Chicago as part of the Byrd deal and should finally be given the chance to pitch consistently at the major league level.
• Veteran Bill Hall told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that teams assume that he will not play in Triple A because he elected free agency after failing to make the Yankees’ Opening Day roster.  In actuality, the utility man says that he opted out because of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's strange schedule in 2012.  Because of ballpark renovations, they will be playing "home" games in six different cities this season.  The 32-year-old says that he's willing to play in the minors and get started right away.
• Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) writes that manager Bobby Valentine is not to blame for the Red Sox's poor start.  Olney expects the club to comb the trade market early and wouldn't be surprised to see pitcher Aaron Cook called up to the varsity squad prior to his opt-out date.
• Meanwhile, Valentine is rather critical of his own performance, writes Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.
• Andy Pettitte's comeback quickly went from an interesting story to a necessity for the Yankees, opines Mike Bauman of MLB.com.  

The Yankees had signed Hall to a minor league deal in February. The contract would have been worth $600K plus incentives at the Major League level and it included an opt-out clause in case Hall didn't make the Opening Day roster. The 32-year-old played for the Astros and Giants in 2011, posting a .211/.261/.314 line in 199 plate appearances. He played second base and left field last year, but has MLB experience at a wide array of other positions.