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Brooks Pounders, Deck McGuire Among Rays’ Minor League Releases

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The Rays have released “20 or so” minor league players from their system, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.  The full list of names has yet to be announced, though two non-roster invitees to Tampa’s Spring Training camp have been cut.  Topkin reports that right-hander Brooks Pounders was one of the releases, and righty Deck McGuire tweeted earlier this week that he had also been released.  Pounders and McGuire both inked minors contracts with the Rays back in February.

Pounders has the more recent experience on a Major League diamond, tossing 7 1/3 relief innings for the Mets in 2019 but spending much of the season at the Triple-A level (for the Mets’ and Indians’ affiliates).  Originally a second-round pick for the Pirates in the 2009 draft, Pounders has bounced around to seven different organizations over his pro career, accumulating 45 2/3 frames at the MLB level with the Mets, Rockies, Angels, and Royals over the last four seasons.  While he owns an impressive 9.3 K/9 and 3.92 K/BB rate against big league hitters, Pounders has a career 8.47 ERA, largely due to an ungainly 2.8 HR/9.

McGuire also has a journeyman’s resume, being part of eight different MLB organizations over his career as well as pitching with the Korean Baseball Organization’s Samsung Lions in 2019.  McGuire posted a 5.05 ERA over 112 1/3 innings with the Lions, which is close to his 5.23 ERA over career 51 2/3 Major League innings (with the Reds, Blue Jays, and Angels in 2017-18).  McGuire was selected 11th overall by Toronto in the 2010 draft, though he has yet to find much consistency even at the minor league level, with a 4.31 ERA, 2.33 K/BB rate, and 7.7 K/9 over 1079 2/3 IP.

The two pitchers were competing for jobs in Tampa Bay’s 2020 bullpen, and for what it’s worth, Pounders had tossed four scoreless innings of spring action prior to the coronavirus shutdown.  While the Rays join several other teams in making mass releases to clear room on minor league rosters, Tampa is also one of the teams who has publicly committed to paying its remaining minor leaguers their $400 weekly stipend at least through the end of June.  At that point, Topkin writes that “Rays officials will re-evaluate the plan…based on several factors, such as whether big-leaguers are playing and the potential to stage some form of late-summer minor-league camp or development program.”

Rays Sign Brooks Pounders, Deck McGuire

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The Rays have reached minor-league agreements with righties Brooks Pounders and Deck McGuire, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times was among those to report on Twitter. Both will enter MLB camp.

Pounders, 29, has some swing-and-miss ability but hasn’t yet translated that into results at the MLB level. He has allowed 43 earned runs and 14 long balls through 45 2/3 innings over the past four campaigns, though he also carries a much more promising 47:12 K/BB ratio. Pounders spent most of 2019 at Triple-A, where he worked to a 4.31 ERA with 10.5 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 over 56 1/3 frames.

As for McGuire, he’s a former first-round pick who has appeared in the majors but has not reached his initially perceived ceiling. The 30-year-old owns a 5.23 ERA in 51 2/3 frames in the majors. He struggled last year with Korea’s Samsung Lions, managing only a 5.05 ERA with 8.0 K/9 and 5.3 BB/9 in 21 starts before being cut loose.

Former Big Leaguers Playing Abroad: KBO Pitcher Roundup

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It’s always fun to keep an eye on familiar players who’ve taken their talents across the pond. Now that the 2019 season is in the books, it seemed an opportune time to check in. Numerous former big leaguers are playing abroad, many of them thriving in Asia’s top leagues.

We’ve seen foreign stints help spur big league revivals from quite a few players. Eric Thames, Miles Mikolas, and Chris Martin are among those that played significant roles in the 2019 MLB campaign. Whether any of the players covered below will do so remains to be seen, but there’s certainly a path.

We started by looking at position players in the Korea Baseball Organization, the top league in South Korea. Remember, teams in the KBO and other leagues face limits on the number of non-native players they can employ. That creates a lot of pressure to secure big production from those roster spots, and often spurs mid-season change.

Now, we’ll check in on KBO’s hurlers. (Statistics courtesy of the always excellent MyKBO.)

  • The LG Twins made out like bandits with Tyler Wilson and Casey Kelly. The former, who once had a three-season run with the Orioles, spun 185 frames of 2.92 ERA ball in his second strong KBO effort. The latter, a former first-round pick and veteran of four MLB campaigns, was even more effective, with a 2.55 ERA in his 180 1/3 innings despite a less-than-impressive 126:41 K/BB ratio.
  • But neither of those hurlers took the foreign hurler ERA crown. That went to Josh Lindblom of the Doosan Bears, who has carved out a prominent career in Korea and was at his finest in 2019. Over 194 2/3 frames, he worked to a 2.50 ERA with 189 strikeouts against just 29 free passes. Doosan’s other out-of-town pitcher, Seth Frankoff (a one-appearance MLB veteran), spun 117 1/3 frames of 3.61 ERA ball.
  • Righty Angel Sanchez pitched great for the SK Wyverns in his second season with the club. The former Pirates hurler sported a 2.62 ERA in 165 innings. Teammate Henry Sosa, a former Astro turned KBO stalwart, threw 94 1/3 frames of 3.82 ERA ball. Another strong combination was formed by the Kiwoom (formerly Nexen) Heroes. Eric Jokisch posted a 3.13 ERA in thirty starts while Jake Brigham went for a 2.96 mark in 28 outings.
  • The Hanwha Eagles also got a nice 1-2 effort from a pair of former (Detroit) Tigers hurlers. Righty Warwick Saupold went for 192 1/3 innings of 3.51 ERA pitching, while southpaw Chad Bell notched a 3.50 ERA in his 177 1/3 frames of work. Another duo — Athletics alum Raul Alcantara and former Red Sox/Tigers hurler William Cuevas — was solid but unexceptional with the KT Wiz. The former worked to a 4.01 ERA while the latter checked in at 3.62 earned per nine.
  • The NC Dinos received strong output from right-hander Drew Rucinski, who was pitching his first season in the KBO after jumping around with several MLB organizations in recent years. He logged 177 1/3 innings of 3.05 ERA ball. Eddie Butler lost his spot with the Dinos after 13 marginal outings, with the club replacing him with fellow former Rockies hurler Christian Friedrich. The new southpaw proved a better fit, working to a 2.75 ERA over 72 frames over a dozen starts after being plucked from the indy ball ranks.
  • The Samsung Lions parted ways with Justin Haley and Deck McGuire after watching them combine for forty starts with more than five earned per nine. Fellow righty Ben Lively was better after he came over, throwing 57 innings with a 3.95 ERA and 58 strikeouts.
  • The KIA Tigers struggled to get consistent results from their foreign hurlers. Former MLB righties Jacob Turner (5.46 ERA in 153 1/3 innings) and Joe Wieland (4.75 ERA in 165 innings) both disappointed.
  • Likewise, Jake Thompson failed to make good on his chance with the Lotte Giants, providing them 62 2/3 innings of 4.74 ERA ball before he was cut loose. Lotte received better work from Brooks Raley (181 innings, 3.88 ERA) and Brock Dykxhoorn (149 1/3 innings, 4.34 ERA).

Ben Lively To Sign With KBO’s Samsung Lions

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Right-hander Ben Lively has agreed to sign with the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization, according to Naver Sports (h/t: Sung Min Kim of FanGraphs). He’ll take the roster spot of another former major league righty, Deck McGuire, whom the Lions will release.

Lively had been with the Diamondbacks, who acquired him from the Royals for cash considerations toward the end of June. As a member of those two teams’ Triple-A affiliates this season, the 27-year-old combined for 72 1/3 innings of 4.48 ERA pitching with 9.5 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9.

Lively also tossed one inning with the Royals this year, but he’s best known for his time with the Phillies – who acquired him from the Reds for outfielder Marlon Byrd in December 2014. Lively worked his way to the majors in 2017 and proceeded to post a 4.81 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 over 112 1/3 innings between then and 2018.

McGuire, now 29, entered the pros as the 11th overall pick of the Blue Jays in 2010. Despite that lofty selection, he hasn’t had much success in the majors or at the Triple-A level with multiple organizations. McGuire also had trouble in the hitter-friendly KBO, where he logged a 5.05 ERA and notched 8.0 K/9 against 5.3 BB/9 in 112 1/3 frames this season.

International Notes: McGuire, Kelly, Dominguez

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A few notes on some the market for players heading overseas and (potentially) returning from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball and the Korea Baseball Organization…

  • The Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization announced that they’ve signed righty Deck McGuire, per Jee-ho Yoo of South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. McGuire will earn a $600K salary in addition to a $100K signing bonus, and his contract can max out at a total of $950K if he reaches all of the built-in incentives. McGuire, 29, pitched 38 2/3 innings this past season between the Angels and Blue Jays but struggled to a 6.16 ERA in that brief stint. A former first-round draft pick, McGuire has a 5.23 ERA in 51 2/3 innings as a Major Leaguer, but he’s had more success in the upper minors in recent seasons. The right-hander posted a strong 2.79 ERA in 168 innings with Cincinnati’s Double-A affiliate in 2017 and a 3.22 ERA in 44 2/3 innings with Toronto’s top affiliate in Buffalo this past season.
  • Yahoo’s Jeff Passan tweets that right-hander Merrill Kelly, who has spent the past three seasons pitching in Korea, could make his way back to the United States as a free agent this winter. Kelly, who turned 30 in October, has never pitched in the Majors but has thrived as a starter in the hitter-friendly KBO. Over the past two seasons with the SK Wyverns, Kelly has made 61 starts and tossed 390 1/3 innings of 3.64 ERA ball with 341 strikeouts (7.9 K/9) and 105 walks (2.4 BB/9). It’s not clear whether MLB clubs will view him as a starter or a reliever, but his strong results in Korea figure to lead to some degree of interest, regardless. Passan notes that Kelly will formally become eligible to sign on December 1.
  • Former big league third baseman Matt Dominguez had his option declined by the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball and will once again be a free agent this winter. The 29-year-old didn’t fare well in a small sample of games overseas this past season and hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since 2016. Dominguez was the Astros’ primary third baseman in 2013-14, clubbing 37 home runs in that time, but he’s had limited big league opportunities since. He’s a career .264/.309/.410 hitter through 570 Triple-A games and came with a strong defensive reputation earlier in his career.

Angels Outright Five Players

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Nov. 4: Despaigne has elected free agency, the Angels announced.

Nov. 3: Despaigne has not yet cleared waivers, per his agent.  Should he do so, the 31-year-old may opt to reject the assignment and become a free agent.

Nov. 2: The Angels announced Friday that right-handers Deck McGuire, Odrisamer Despaigne and Eduardo Paredes have all cleared waivers, as have infielder Jefry Marte and catcher Francisco Arcia. All five have been assigned outright to the minor leagues.

Marte, 27, saw the most playing time of the bunch in ’18, appearing in 90 games and tallying 209 plate appearances for the Halos. He gave the Angels a fairly productive part-time bat back in 2016, but since that time the corner infielder has posted a dismal .199/.271/.346 slash. The right-handed-hitting Marte has played primarily first base in the Majors but also has more than 300 innings at the hot corner and nearly 200 innings in left field.

Despaigne, 31, was roughed up for 17 runs in 18 2/3 innings late in the year when pressed into duty for an Angels staff that was decimated by injuries. The journeyman righty has bounced around the league on a series of waiver claims and minor league deals since signing with the Padres back in ’14. In 349 2/3 innings between San Diego, Baltimore, Miami and Anaheim, Despaigne has a 4.94 ERA with a middling 5.6 K/9 mark.

The 29-year-old McGuire and 23-year-old Paredes each limped to ERAs north of 6.00 in fewer than 30 innings of work. McGuire is a former first-rounder who’s yet to pan out in the big leagues but has had some recent success in the upper minors. Paredes, though he has youth on his side, has had some control issues in the upper minors and hasn’t impressed in a pair of big league seasons.

Arcia, meanwhile, made his big league debut as a 29-year-old this season and posted a .654 OPS in 20 games. He posted a .282/.353/.393 slash at the Triple-A level this year and has a dozen minor league seasons under his belt.

Angels Place Tyler Skaggs, Chris Young On 10-Day DL

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The Angels have placed lefty Tyler Skaggs and outfielder Chris Young on the 10-day disabled list, per a club announcement. That pair will be replaced by righty Deck McGuire and outfielder Jabari Blash.

In more promising news, right-hander Garrett Richards has been reinstated from his own stint on the DL. He’ll take the active roster spot of utilityman Kaleb Cowart, who was optioned back to Triple-A.

Skaggs has been diagnosed with a strain in his right thigh adductor, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets. His placement is backdated to July 1st. It is not clear at this point what kind of absence the Halos expect for Skaggs, but anything more than a brief respite would represent quite a disappointing turn of events.

It has to this point been a breakthrough campaign for Skaggs, who’s preparing to celebrate his 27th birthday later this month. In 92 innings, he owns a 2.64 ERA with 9.8 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9. Unfortunately, health remains a major limiting factor for the talented hurler.

As for Young, he hasn’t been productive at all since joining the Angels on a one-year deal. But he has outperformed Kole Calhoun, who’ll now presumably be spelled against lefties by Blash.

Things had finally seemed to be clicking for the Angels earlier this year. But an ongoing run of injuries has contributed to a slide back to the .500 mark — good only for fourth place in a competitive AL West division.

Angels Activate Shohei Ohtani

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The Angels have announced the activation of Shohei Ohtani from the 10-day DL. He stayed on the shelf for just under a month after being diagnosed with a grade 2 UCL strain.

Though he is not expected to resume pitching at this time, Ohtani will at least bolster the Halos lineup. Indications are that he can swing freely without concern of further injuring his elbow.

The burgeoning star has outperformed the hype in all regards since coming over from Japan over the winter. As a hitter, Ohtani carries a .289/.372/.535 slash with six home runs in 129 plate appearances.

Ohtani will slot into the sixth slot of the lineup tonight, serving as the club’s designated hitter. In all likelihood, he’ll see quite a lot of time in that role until he’s able to begin throwing in earnest and, hopefully, get back on the mound.

The Angels have also called up righty Miguel Almonte. To create roster space, fellow right-handers Deck McGuire and Eduardo Paredes were optioned down.

Angels Acquire Deck McGuire, Request Release Waivers On Juan Graterol

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JUNE 24: The Angels have requested unconditional release waivers on Graterol, per a team announcement. His release will become official in 48 hours if he clears waivers.

JUNE 19: The Angels announced Tuesday that they’ve acquired right-hander Deck McGuire from the Rangers in exchange for cash. In order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, catcher Juan Graterol has been designated for assignment. McGuire will head to Triple-A Salt Lake, per the Angels’ announcement.

Texas claimed the 28-year-old McGuire from the Blue Jays last Friday, but he appeared in just one game with the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate before being designated for assignment in order to clear a spot on the roster for the return of Elvis Andrus. Now, McGuire will change organizations for the second time in a span of less than a week.

A former first-round pick (11th overall by the Blue Jays in 2010), McGuire has yet to establish himself as a viable Major League arm. Prior to the 2018 season, in fact, he’s posted largely unsightful numbers at the Triple-A level. However, McGuire enjoyed a strong season with the Reds’ Double-A club in 2017 and carried that success with him back to the Jays organization in 2018, pitching to a 3.22 ERA with 8.1 K/9, 3.8 BB/9, 0.6 HR/9 and a 39.7 percent ground-ball rate in 44 2/3 innings at Triple-A Buffalo.

After making eight promising starts in Buffalo, the Jays summoned him to the Majors, where he was tagged for six runs on nine hits and five walks with seven strikeouts in 8 1/3 innings of relief. But the Rangers and Angels, apparently, both saw enough in his work out of the Buffalo rotation to hold some interest in seeing if the former top prospect can emerge as a late bloomer at the big league level. For the Halos, McGuire will at the very least serve as a spot start/depth option in the upper minors — an important addition following injuries to Shohei Ohtani, Matt Shoemaker, J.C. Ramirez and Nick Tropeano.

Graterol, meanwhile, has made just one plate appearance for the Halos this season, going 1-for-1 with a single. He’s been up and down with the club on multiple occasions dating back to 2016, however, and has now been designated for assignment by the Angels on three different occasions. The first of those instances saw Graterol bounce around the league, briefly landing with the D-backs, Reds and Blue Jays before making his way back to Anaheim. The defensively-sound backstop is a career .222/.225/.283 hitter in 103 MLB plate appearances but carries a more encouraging .290/.318/.349 slash in 449 PAs at the Triple-A level.

Rangers Designate Deck McGuire

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The Rangers have designated righty Deck McGuire for assignment, per a club announcement. That’s the roster move for the activation of shortstop Elvis Andrus.

McGuire was only just claimed off waivers, so the Texas organization evidently intended all along to try to sneak him back through waivers. If he clears, the 28-year-old will presumably take up a place on the depth chart at Triple-A while not occupying a 40-man spot.

Though he has seen MLB action in each of the past two seasons, McGuire hasn’t thrown enough innings to tell us much. But he does have loads of experience in the upper minors, having reached Double-A in his first season as a pro, way back in 2011. Over 335 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level, McGuire carries a 5.09 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9.

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