You Can't Spell Immaturity Without the I in Ian Kennedy

Most likely by now you either saw the Arizona Diamondbacks-Los Angeles Dodgers game live Tuesday night, watched the "lowlights" or read about everything that is not what baseball is supposed to be about. When all is said and done Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy should be hit, no pun intended, with a lengthy suspension and a hefty fine.

Things started out when Zack Greine hit the Dbacks' Cody Ross, which probably looked innocent enough to most observers. However, Greinke has a reputation for well placed pitches that connect with body tissue and broke his collarbone earlier this year when San Diego's Carlos Quentin bull rushed the mound. Hitting Ross also backfired when the next hitter, Jason Kubel, hit a 2-run home run.

Arizona's Kennedy must have been one of those who though Greinke's pitch had a purpose, since he took thingst one step further and went head hunting at rookie standout Yasiel Puig. The ball hit Puig's shoulder and ricocheted off his nose. Luckily the Cuban native was only shaken up, but the benches emptied due to the location of the pitch. Things could have been let go there, but you can't blame Greinke when he retaliated.

His teammate didn't get hit below the waist, his career and life was put in jeopardy in a matter of seconds by Kennedy's irresponsibility. Greinke responded with a fastball in the back of catcher Miguel Montero. That is where it should have stayed, but Kennedy, who was immensely immature when he was in the Yankees organization, nailed Greinke up high when the Dodgers pitcher came to bat in the 7th inning.

In doing so, Kennedy set off an even nastier bench clearer that had managers and coaches pushing and shoving, and squaring off.  (Dodgers manager Don Mattingly shoved down Diamondbacks coach Alan Trammell; perhaps that was really retaliation for all the times Trammell's late innings hits helped the Tigers beat the Yankees back in the day.) Mattingly and fellow manager Kirk Gibson all had to be separated.  Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire was ejected after a shouting match with Gibson.

Jimmy Dugan aka Tom Hanks said, "There's no crying in baseball.", but a better saying is there is no room for stupidity in baseball. What Kennedy did Tuesday night was the ultimate in stupidity. There is no place in baseball for pitches thrown from the shoulders up.

Those of you who are Yankees fans remember when Kennedy pitched for the Bronx Bombers organization from the time he was drafted in 2006 into 2009 when he made his final Major League start for the pinstripes.  No loss was ever his fault. His pitchers were good ones, somehow the other team just hit them. His fielders let him down, the team didn't score, etc. Kennedy needed a change of scenery and attitude. It appears he only got one.

Two years later he was a 21-game winner and finished fourth in the NL Cy Young voting for the Diamondbacks. However, his numbers weren't as good in 2012 and have been much worse this season. (5.49 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, -0.8 WAR) You can bet Kennedy must be frustrated by the season he is having, but his behavior in LA Tuesday night is no excuse. Forget the somewhat standard eight game suspension and double it...at least.

And the worst may still be to come if Kennedy faces the Dodgers again this season.

Dodgers Want to Go Crazy on Greinke

Ever since the sale of the LA Dodgers went through last year the team has looked to break the bank. They acquired Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez and their ridiculously large contracts from Boston at the 2012 trade deadline.

Now comes word from the LA Times' Dylan Hernandez that the Dodgers are working with free agent pitcher Zack Greinke on a reported six year, $145MM contract. The dumb just keep getting dumber.

I am tired of owners bitching and moaning about salaries getting out of whack and then they each make these ridiculous offers year after year. Of course, some of them are by Jeffrey Loria, who just lies through his con man's teeth and trades the player a year (or less) later.

How long until the Dodgers realize they're losing money and start whining?


UPDATE: A deal appears to be set in place (Physical, etc. needs to be done), six years for $147MM. The Dodgers payroll is now at a league record $225MM. The pressure is now on Donnie Baseball, who will feel like he's managing in Pinstripes.

YCN: Yankees Low Key in Free Agent Market: A Fan's Cold Stove View

Josh Hamilton won't be donning the Pinstripes

Josh Hamilton, Shane Victorino, Zack Greinke, Kyle Lohse. Don't bother wasting your time wondering if the Yankees will go after any of these free agents. The answer is a resounding no. The Steinbrenner family is looking to get the payroll down under $189MM for 2014 when new tax thresholds take effect.

With a ton of money locked up in Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and CC Sabathia, it could be a very cold hot stove this off-season.


For more, read my latest article for the Yahoo Contributor Network by clicking here and as always, thank you.

BD Spring Training Report: NL To The DL | Baseball Digest

BD Spring Training Report: NL To The DL | Baseball Digest

Yesterday the Spring Training Report took a look at the injury situation in the American League. Today we take a look at who’s hurtin’ for certain in the National League.

NL East

Atlanta: Superstar-in-the-making Jason Heyward returned to the Braves’ lineup yesterday after sitting out the the last four games due to a sore back. Heyward saw a specialist on Wednesday for further evaluation. “He told me it’s bone structure vs. muscle or anything like that, nothing to be torn,” said Heyward, who hasn’t played since his back stiffened Saturday in batting practice, a scheduled day off for him. “If I can’t tear anything or do anything worse, I’ll play, and that’s what I told Fredi (Gonzalez).”

Florida: The Marlins may have a makeshift outfield in their lineup on opening day. Another superstar in the making, Mike Stanton, has yet to play in a spring game after injuring his quad in an exhibition game against the U. of Miami. While he has taken some at-bats in minor league games, he’s been replaced by a pinch-runner each time he gets on base. On Thursday, Chris Coghlan was sidelined with tendinitis in his throwing shoulder. Manager Edwin Rodriguez has not ruled out Coghlan starting the season on the DL.

Free agent pitcher Javier Vazquez was scratched from a Tuesday start due to elbow soreness, but threw a bullpen session on Wednesday and felt fine afterwards. He’s scheduled to start against St. Louis tomorrow. Fellow starter Anibal Sanchez is expected to pitch in Sunday’s game after being out since March 10 after a comebacker bruised his shin. Their potential battery mate, John Baker, is day-to-day with a muscle strain near his right throwing elbow. He can swing the bat, but so far he has been prohibited from throwing.

New York: Things have been rough in Metsville and they may get rougher. Reports surfaced this week that ace Johan Santana was behind schedule in his recovery from shoulder surgery. The Mets have denied the report, which specifically stated that Santana’s bullpen sessions were not going as planned. Whatever the case, Santana will be on the DL (as expected) to start the season. Carlos Beltran has been slowed by left knee tendinitis and might start the season on the DL. GM Sandy Alderson is contemplating not having Beltran play any additional spring games so that the DL time can be backdated.

Philadelphia: All-Star 2nd baseman Chase Utley continues to be bothered by patellar tendinitis andchondromalacia in his right knee and sought out assistance from a specialist on Thursday. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is hoping Utley can avoid surgery. “We’re doing everything we possibly can to have him not get into a surgery,” Amaro said. “Until we stop seeing progress, then we’ll continue to exhaust all those possibilities.”

Third baseman Placido Polanco had to leave Wednesday’s game after hyperextending the same elbow he had surgery on in November. He’s expected to be back in the lineup in a few days. Closer Brad Lidge is day-to-day with muscle soreness in his right bicep, but Amaro is not worried since Lidge has already thrown a good number of innings. Finally, prospect Domonic Brown was lost for the season after he broke the hamate bone in his right hand and underwent surgery.

Washington: Chien-Ming Wang continues to try to come back from 2009 shoulder surgery. He’s been limited to a pair of bullpen sessions, including one this past Tuesday, so the Nationals have not been able to set a timetable for his return. 3rd baseman Ryan Zimmerman strained his groin on Monday and has sat out since. He’s expected to return to action next week and said he would have played had it been during the regular season.

NL Central

Chicago: Angel Guzman will miss the start of the season and won’t be back until mid-April at the earliest, as he recovers from a tear in his throwing shoulder.

Cincinnati: Johnny Cueto had to leave his start last Friday with stiffness in his right bicep, but after having a throwing session yesterday, he’s expected to return to the mound on Saturday.

Houston: Earlier this month, the Astros lost their starting catcher, Juan Castro, for the year with torn ligaments in his knee. Infielder Jeff Keppinger is no longer hampered by the walking boot he’s been wearing since he underwent foot surgery to remove the sesamoid bone in his left foot. He’s hoping to be back in the Astros lineup in mid-May. Wandy Rodriguez, who signed a new deal this winter, has been bothered by shoulder tendinitis and was scratched from his last start. But the right-hander threw a side session this morning and is good to go.

Milwaukee: The Brewers were hoping to get off to a good start with their 1-2-3 punch of Zack Greinke,Shaun Marcum, and Yovanni Gallardo, but Greinke injured his ribs playing pick up basketball and is out until mid-April. Outfielder Corey Hart may miss opening day due to a strained rib cage. He took swings off a batting tee on Tuesday, but still doesn’t feel right. ”It’s still not coming as fast as I want it to,” Hart said. “It won’t go away. I still can’t go full-speed on anything. Hitting off the tee is fine, but I can’t amp it up the way I know I can. I can throw, but as soon as I have to do a quick move or let it go, it kills.” Catcher Jonathan Lucroy may or may not be ready to catch on opening day. He’ll undergo surgery on Monday to remove pins that were placed in his hand when he broke his pinky finger during a catching drill back in February.

Pittsburgh: Reliever Joe Beimel has been out since early March with pain in his left forearm, but has been cleared to pitch against the Orioles this coming Monday. Catcher Ryan Doumit has missed a week with a strained oblique, but is expected to be back in the lineup today.

St. Louis: Utility infielder Nick Punto underwent surgery in February for a sports hernia and is out until at least mid-April. The Cardinals’ most devastating injury was, of course, losing starter Adam Wainwright to Tommy John surgery.

NL West

Arizona: Infielder Geoff Blum will miss a few days with a swollen right knee that he strained earlier in the week. Zach Duke, who was competing for the #5 spot in the rotation, is out until May after a line drive broke two bones in his pitching hand.

Colorado: Aaron Cook was already starting the season on the DL due to shoulder inflammation, but then slammed and broke his finger in a car door and is out until May. 3rd baseman Ian Stewart is day-to-day with a sprained right knee. Eric Young Jr. is back competing for the utility position after sitting out all spring with a broken tibia.

Los Angeles: The Dodgers were expected to be competitive because of their starting pitching, but have suffered two injuries already. Jon Garland is out until mid-April with a strained oblique, and Vicente Padilla is lost until late April/early May with forearm surgery.

San Diego: Outfielder Kyle Banks returned from a 10-month absence after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and he served as the DH on Monday. He is a certainty to start the season on the DL. Starter Tim Stauffer is still hurting from a strained hip flexor and missed his scheduled start today. He’s listed as day-to- day. Southpaw Joe Thatcher was scheduled to undergo an MRI today on his ailing left shoulder. Thatcher hasn’t appeared in a game this spring and is headed to the DL as well.

San Francisco: Starter Matt Cain returned from a nearly two-week absence caused by elbow inflammation to throw three scoreless innings on Monday. Just like their AL counterparts, the defending NL pennant (and World Series) champions are in good shape to start the season.

BD Hot Stove: If I Were A GM… | Baseball Digest

BD Hot Stove: If I Were A GM… | Baseball Digest

I’m just sitting around, keeping warm by the hot stove as we wait for more moves to occur. Things are a little slow right now with the holidays, so maybe it’s time to ponder what moves might occur and some moves I would like to see during the 2011 season.

The Red Sox deal Jon Papelbon for a bat or a starting pitcher. The Red Sox had some discussion with Mariano Rivera then signed closer Bobby Jenks to a two year deal to set up (for now) Papelbon. It’s obvious the front office isn’t happy with Papelbon’s performance and would like to move him even though they insist otherwise. The Red Sox are still trying to sign Brian Fuentes, which would give them another closer/set up guy and plenty of depth to deal Papelbon.

How about a non-move? The Brewers, bolstered by Zack Greinke, Shaun Marcum, and Yovani Gallardo, hold on to Prince Fielder for the entire season.

The Yankees, in need of starting pitching, decide to go all out to land Joakim Soria from the Royals. Soria sets up Rivera as a prelude to taking over as closer one day.

The Mets deal Carlos Beltran and cash to the Brewers as Milwaukee goes all out for a shot at the World Series.

The Mets tire of Jose Reyes‘ inconsistency and work out a mega deal with the Angels. Among the players the Mets receive are Erick Aybar, Brandon Wood, and prospect Garrett Richards.

The Astros continue to clean house and deal Carlos Lee, not getting too much in return, but not having to pay out the entire remainder of his contract either.

The Yankees are rebuffed in numerous attempts to acquire Felix Hernandez or Justin Verlander, and overpay to acquire Fausto Carmona from the Indians.

Derrek Lee has a tremendous comeback season with the Orioles, who then flip him at the deadline for several prospects.

Okay, time for things that are more likely to happen…

Rumors, News, and Transactions

A’s beat reporter Joe Stiglich reports the team is among six clubs interested in reliever Chad Qualls.

According to the Centre Daily Times, the Metrodome roof won’t be fixed until March. That means hundreds of college baseball games will be affected and the Twins annual fan festival will have to find another venue.

Cuba is considering letting some ball players sign with teams in the US in exchange for some money… a lot of money. First things first though, the U.S. would have to lift the embargo on such a maneuver.

AOL Fanhouse has named 19 year outfielder Mike Trout as the top MLB prospect of the year.

SI’s Jon Heyman said the Yankees “checked in” on Rafael Soriano, which just sounds like due diligence.

BD Hot Stove: Brewing Up A Challenge | Baseball Digest

BD Hot Stove: Brewing Up A Challenge | Baseball Digest

When you think of the NL Central, you think of Tony LaRussa and the St. Louis Cardinals. LaRussa’s birds have finished first (6) or second (2) in eight of the last 11 years, with two pennants and a World Series championship to boot. They’re usually the early season favorite to win the division and this year may be no different with Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter leading the way. But the thing is, there’s a new sheriff town.

“Yes, Pete, it is. In fact , it’s pronounced “mill-e-wah-que” which is Algonquin for “the good land.”: In “Wayne’s World” Alice Cooper helped give Milwaukee its most notoriety since “Laverne & Shirley”. But in 2011, Zack Greinke, Shaun Marcum, and Yovani Gallardo may help bring Milwaukee back to the promised land. No one is saying the Brewers will win a World Series, something the town of Milwaukee hasn’t seen since the Braves took the title in 1958, but the team should be competitive this season with the aforementioned trio at the top of the order. GM Doug Melvin had to give up highly touted 2nd base prospect Brett Lawrie to Toronto to land Marcum, and then swung four other prospects to KC for Greinke and shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt. The Brewers also added reliever Sean Green to help set up for closer Joe Axford.

Pujols Country: It may take a country to pay Albert Pujols the kind of money he’ll want to stay parked in St. Louis forever. LaRussa just has to hope it doesn’t distract a team that has Wainwright, Carpenter, Jaime Garcia, and Jake Westbrook in the starting rotation. The Cards signed catcher Gerald Laird to back up starter Yadier Molina, inked Lance Berkman who’ll see most of his time in the outfield, and grabbed lefty reliever Brian Tallet to shore up the bullpen.

Chicago Hope: It’s going to be a time for pundits predict the Cubs will dominate the NL Central. None of the predictions over the last few years came to fruition, and the team is not ready for a charge to the top. Gone is long time Cub Derrek Lee with Carlos Pena signed to take his place. The team also reunited with Kerry Wood, who left for a free agent deal after the 2008 season. He’ll set up for closer Carlos Marmol. The Cubs have stated they won’t deal Carlos Zambrano, but that could change in order to either dump salary and/or no longer have to deal with his personality.

It’s spelled V-o-t-t-o: In case you were’t sure how to spell the name of NL MVP Joey, who led a baseball revival in Cincinnati this past summer. The Reds won their first division and made their first playoff appearances in 15 years, before being summarily dispatched in three games by the Phillies. The Reds haven’t been very active this off-season, preferring to “dance with the one who brung ya”. They gave their top starter, Bronson Arroyo, a three year contract extension, re-signed catcher Ramon Hernandez and utility man Miguel Cairo, and exercised the option on Jonny Gomes’ contract.

Not quite ready for lift off: The Astros finished 10 games under .500 or worse each of the last two seasons and it’s going to be difficult to improve on that with not punch in the lineup. The Astros dispatched their ace Roy Oswalt to Philadelphia last season and former Phils’ exec/current Astros head honcho Ed Wade may be helping his former team again. Rumors of a Joe Blanton to Houston deal is rumored to be in the works. If so it would give the Astros a decent top three starters in Wandy Rodriguez, J. A. Happ (acquired in the Oswalt deal), and Blanton. The Astros also added lefty Ryan Rowland-Smith, who can work out of the rotation or pen. But outside of Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence there’s not much offense to work with.

They don’t shiver your timbers: The Pirates have a lot of good young talent, but they won’t be look down at other teams for quite some time. The Pirates made some small moves that could help new manager Clint Hurdle keep the team’s hopes up. 1st baseman Lyle Overbay, pitcher Scott Olsen, outfielder Matt Diaz and corner man Garrett Atkins will try to help out stars on the rist Andrew McCutchen, Jose Tabata, Pedro Alvarez, and Neil Walker.

Rumors, News, and Transactions

Just as they did with Johnny Damon, the Yankees reportedly had internal discussions about Bronx native Manny Ramirez. Nothing is likely to happen.

The Nationals signed reliever Sean Burnett to a two year contract.

In a minor league deal, the A’s sent Corey Wimbley, who stole 56 bases at Triple-A last year, to the Pirates for pitcher Ryan Kelly. The 23-yr old right-hander spent the 2010 season in Single-A.

Some last minute items on Santa’s gift list

Yankees fans: One more season of watching Andy Pettitte.

Randy Winn: A chance to finally appear in the playoffs after 1,721 career regular season games.

Bert Blyleven: Induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame

Marvin Miller: Enough sense in the coming year for the veteran’s committee to elect you into Hall next December.

Fans: Reduced ticket prices and better national TV announcers.

Jamie Moyer: Recovery from Tommy John surgery and the chance to pitch into your 50′s.

Nick Johnson: No doctor’s appointments.

Oliver Perez: Regain control.

The Dodgers: No more McCourts.

Bryce Harper: Humility

Stephen Strasburg: Complete arm strength.

Ryan Westmoreland: Complete health and a return to baseball.

Opposing Announcers: A guide to pronouncing the name of the Royals’ Kila Ka’aihue.

Jermaine Dye: The chance to play again.

BD Hot Stove: AL Central Dunn? | Baseball Digest

BD Hot Stove: AL Central Dunn? | Baseball Digest

The AL Central is often overlooked when discussing pennant contenders. They don’t have the powerhouse teams of the AL East or the standout LA Angels in the AL West. But they do have teams that are well structured and don’t usually have a runaway winner. Such was the case last year when the Chicago White Sox spent 27 days in first place and stayed on the Minnesota Twins’ heels for most of the season. Ultimately the Twins, the most consistent of all the central teams, won out. It should be a competitive division again based on the moves made so far in this off-season.

The name’s Williams. Kenny Williams: The White Sox GM is one smooth cat. Never afraid to make a bold move, to spend some money, or to ring up another GM on his Walther PPK, er Blackberry. When the White Sox started to fade last season, Williams swung a deal to bring in starter Edwin Jackson from Arizona, obstensibly to use him as bait to land Adam Dunn in a three team trade. The deal didn’t work out, but now Chicago has Jackson for the 2011 season and signed Dunn to a four year free agent contracT. Williams also brought back free agents/fan favorites Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynksi, and signed reliever Jesse Crain away from the Twins. Crain is part of a bullpen re-tooling that Williams undertook as soon as he cut ties with closer Bobby Jenks. Set up man J.J. Putz signed with Arizona and Williams dealt Scott Linebrink to Atlanta.

They Talk Alike, They Walk Alike: Speaking of the aforementioned Twins, they’ve done what they do best. Make quite moves with an occassional splash. Carl Pavano regained his manhood in the Twin Cities and Minny would like to have him back. But the former “American Idle” is playing the free agent game and anything can happen. Minnesota has high hopes for Japanese import Tsuyoshi Nishioka to be their every day shortstop for the next three years. To make room for him, the Twins spun J.J. Hardy and utility man Brendan Harris to the Orioles for hard throwing reliever Jim Hoey as well as another bullpen prospect in Brett Jacobson. Alexi Casilla will likely take over 2nd base with Orlando Hudson departing for San Diego. The Twins suffered blows to the bullpen when Crain left for Chi-town and their best set up man, Matt Guerrier, departed for a three year deal with the Dodgers. Set up man/part-time closer Jon Rauch will also leave via free agency.

Tiger Town: The Tigers have had some interesting decisions to make as they blend veterans like Magglio Ordonez and youngsters such as Austin Jackson together. Many people were surprised when GM Dave Dombrowski brought the soon to be 34-yr old Ordonez back. He did sever ties with Johnny Damon however, and made two big free agent splashes. One of the first signings of the winter was the solid bat of catcher Victor Martinez, who’ll primarily serve as DH. Dombrowski also inked standout reliever Joaquin Benoit to set up for Jose Valverde. The Tigers retained the left side of their infield in 3rd baseman Brandon Inge and shortstop Jhonny Peralta, while catcher Gerald Laird left for St. Louis.

Cleveland Rocks?: Not so much, at least not this winter. The biggest name the Tribe have brought in this off-season is Austin Kearns, who they dealt to the Yankees at the trade deadline. Signing infielders Adam Everett and Drew Sutton doesn’t make fans run to the box office or feel the urge to buy season tickets. The Indians have also been fielding calls on their best starter, Fausto Carmona.

Royals Blue: The fans in KC haven’t had much to cheer about for quite some time, but KC does have a lot of good young players Unfortunately, one of them was dealt away. KC took Zack Greinke up on his request for a trade and sent him to Milwaukee for four prospects. On paper, the deal doesn’t look great for KC, but outfielder Lorenzo Cain and shortstop Alcides Escobar will get a chance to make an immediate impact. The Royals also signed veteran outfielders Jeff Francouer and Melky Cabrera to help fill the void left when David DeJesus was traded to Oakland. Vin Mazzaro, acquired in that deal, will get a chance to compete for a spot in the lackluster rotation.

Rumors, News, and Transactions

Brian Cashman downplayed reports that the Yankees were taking a look at their former left fielder Johnny Damon, calling it nothing more than normal free agent exploration.

The Pirates signed Garrett Atkins, who flopped the with the Orioles in ’10, to a minor league deal.

The Padres are turning some attention to free agent Brad Hawpe, who split last season with Colorada and Tampa Bay. The Pads are also reportedly interested in lefty slugger Russell Branyan.

The Angels and Reds are both eyeing speedy Scott Podsednik as part of an outfield platoon.

BD Hot Stove: Nolasco, No Greinke, No Pitching | Baseball Digest

BD Hot Stove: Nolasco, No Greinke, No Pitching | Baseball Digest

Available pitching got even slimmer over the weekend with the trade of Zack Greinke and the announcement that the Florida Marlins had come to terms with Ricky Nolascoon a three year contract. Nolasco wasn’t eligible for free agency, but the Marlins were having trouble locking him up and were taking calls on possible trades. The $26.5M deal eliminates the last two years of Nolasco’s arbitration eligibility and his first possible year of free agency.

Back to Greinke for a moment. Per the NY Post’s Joel Sherman, the Royals reportedly offered Greinke to the Yankees in return for Jesus Montero, Eduardo Nunez, and either Dellin Betances or Manny Banuelos. A very steep price that GM Brian Cashman was not willing to give up for only two guaranteed years of Greinke.

Another pitcher who may or may not be back is Andy Pettitte, who’s decision making skills seem to be right up there with Brett Favre’s. At least he’s not making daily/weekly pronouncements. With the Yankees pitching so up in the air, how long until Cashman takes the Royals asking price to Seattle in a Hail Mary attempt for Felix Hernandez?

Rumors, News, and Transactions

The Braves have re-signed outfielder Rick Ankiel to a one year, $1.5M deal.

The Brewers are bringing back infielder Craig Counsell for another year.

The Twins added to their depth, signing former Braves prospect Chuck James to a minor league deal.

Since George Steinbrenner took over the team, the Yankees always have had a penchant for bringing guys back a second time. Add reliever Luis Vizcaino to that list. He was inked to a minor league deal.

The Indians dealt Austin Kearns to the Yankees at the trade deadline, but have brought the free agent back with a one year, $1.3M deal.

The World Champion Giants inked veteran reliever Guillermo Mota to a minor league deal.

The Rangers added some depth by signing a trio of veterans. Outfielder Endy Chavez, pitcher Seth McClung, and infielder Brian Barden all got minor league deals and major league invitations.

BD Hot Stove Breaking News: Greinke Going From Royal Blue to Milwaukee Brew | Baseball Digest

BD Hot Stove Breaking News: Greinke Going From Royal Blue to Milwaukee Brew | Baseball Digest

It appears another dream is over for Yankees fans. Not even 24 hours old, my thoughts/demands/ideas of the Yankees acquiring Zack Greinke have been torn asunder.

Last night Jim Breen a fan blogger (Bernie’s Crew) on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal reported that Greinke had been dealt to the Brewers for a handful of prospects. Breen called it a rumor despite the headline that Greinke was acquired. Needless to say everyone in Twitterland was skeptical to say the least.

But it appears this morning that Breen was on the money. ESPN’s Buster Olney was the first to back up the deal and more mainstream credability has beenreported since including the J-S’ Brewers beat guy Tom Haudricourt.

The deal was orginally reported as Milwaukee sending Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, and Jeremy Jeffress to KC for Greinke and a PTBNL later, thought to be Yuniesky Betancourt. A horrible job done by KC GM Dayton Moore if true. This morning, however, we’re hearing that Jake Odorizzi has been added as well, which makes it a better deal for KC.

Escobar, Cain and Jeffries were in Baseball America’s top 10 Brewers prospects entering the 2010 season. Odorizzi likely would have been on the list for 2011. Shortstop Escobar had a miserable rookie season, posting a .614 OPS and made 20 errors.

Cain (Peter Gammons quoted Jim Fregosi as saying “…when you trade Greinke the one player you’d better get is Cain”. From Baseball Intellect on Cain:

“He still strikes out too much and it would be nice to see a few more walks, but the progress was excellent to see. Also encouraging was the improvement each month of the season and how he actually performed better after he was promoted to Double-A Huntsville.

Cain has very quick wrists, which help him generate excellent bat speed, though his loading process is a bit long. There is a chance he can continue to add power as his frame fills out. Notice how he lets the ball travel deep into his hitting zone before unloading on the ball. This is a great indication of Cain’s bat speed.

Cain was an excellent defensive right fielder and while he has to cover more ground in center field, he still has above average range.

Best Case Outcome – Above average everyday center fielder

More Likely Outcome – Average everyday center fielder”

My take – That’s not exactly a rave on Cain. He mainly brings 25 steal potential and a decent average to the table, but not much else.

MLB.com on Jeffress in 2009

“Statistically speaking: His 5.27 ERA over four Double-A starts is misleading as he gave up six runs in two-thirds of an inning in his last outing. Before that, he had allowed only three runs over 14 innings for a 1.93 ERA. His 11.01 K/9 ratio would’ve put him atop the full-season leaderboard had he pitched enough innings to qualify.

Scouting report: Has a fastball that can reach triple digits, breaking ball, a curve that can be a plus pitch, and he’s working on developing a changeup. Makeup in the past has been a question mark, with a suspension for marijuana use.

Upside potential: Think Dwight Gooden, stuff-wise. Worst-case scenario, he’s a dangerous back-end reliever.

They said it: “He is a rare talent that is starting to get his act together. Once he locks in, look out.” — Reid Nichols, Brewers Special Assistant to the GM/Director of Player Development”

My Take -So far the words on paper haven’t matched the numbers on the field. Yes, Jeffress is striking out batters at an alarming rate, but he’s walking them at even a more startling rate. He may pan out to nothing more than a set up man.

Word has just (10:25 am) come down from SI’s Jon Heyman that Greinke has indeed approved the deal after turning down a deal to go to the Nationals.

The Brewers now put Greinke, Yovani Gallardo, and Shaun Marcum up against any rotation, Cards included, in the mediocre NL Central division. And Yankees fans still look at Sergio Mitre at the back end of the rotation

Drew Sarver is the Yankees content editor and a contributor for BaseballDigest.com. You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes.

It's Time To Roll The Dice On Greinke

You should never make a move in reaction to another's move unless your playing chess or at war, and when I say war I really mean war (Note to Kellen Winslow Jr.).

Brian Cashman made a number of poor moves last winter. Nick Johnson chief among them. This off-season the main focus has been on Cliff Lee. We all know how that panned out. But that had nothing to do with Cashman, though some feel otherwise. Lee never wanted to play in NY and for that matter didn't want to return to Texas either. I doubt Nolan Ryan is getting vilified in Arlington.

More importantly, the Yankees chief rival in the AL East has gotten stronger. Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez have replaced Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre in the lineup. That's a big plus for the Red Sox especially since, at the moment, the Yankees have no left-hander in the starting rotation.

So what's an elfin, building rappelling GM to do? Go hard after Zack Greinke. The Royals righty has decided he's had enough of bad baseball in Kansas City. The team has no hope for contending especially since ownership is putting their luxury tax dollars right into their own pockets.

We all know that Greinke has been dealing with anxiety issues. He's not the only one in major league baseball or in life to do so. Not all have gone public with their inner demons. It's now a trendy thing too, but it's still taboo in many circles to admit to "mental" issues. People hear the word mental and they think psychotic which is absurd. Some of us deal with anxiety, depression, or other psychological issues on a daily basis. That's what therapy and/or meds are for, unless your Tom Cruise of course.

The Yankees rotation right now is CC Sabathia (A+), Phil Hughes (B), A.J. Burnett (A, B, C, D, F depending on the day; hell, depending on the inning). My feeling is Andy Pettitte will be back, but until he makes his mind up, and decides he likes the money figure, that's up in the air. The rest is Ivan Nova (high upside, little experience), Sergio Mitre (experience, mediocre), and a bunch of kids who aren't ready for prime time.

Felix Hernandez isn't going anywhere according to the Seattle Mariners hierarchy. The remaining free agent starters aren't front end guys, unless you count Carl Pavano. Don't make me laugh.

As the headline says, it's time for the Yankees and Brian Cashman to roll the dice on Zack Greinke. Perhaps they have studied reports about Greinke's well-being. We know that playing in the plain states is not the same as playing in the Big Apple. NYC has chewed up many a player (Yes, Bobby Bonilla had the smile wiped off his face), who thought they could handle it. But Greinke isn't the same guy he was three years ago. People get past the things holding them back and they get better. I know from experience.

Greinke had his ups and downs this past season on the mound, but playing for a bad team with little fan support doesn't help. Playing with a passionate fan base, with a lineup that can hit, and with a defense can support you will do wonders for your game. Yes, he will have to listen to monotonous questions about his well being. It's best to hold a press conference with no or little questions (the Yankees can see to that) and get it out of the way immediately if they land him.

Greinke won't come cheaply. Possibly Jesus Montero. Ivan Nova. Brandon Laird. Andrew Backman. Delin Betances. Gary Sanchez Hector Noesi. Those are names I'm throwing out..it won't take all of them.

Greinke makes $11.5M in 2011 and $13.5M in 2012. That's $25M off the Royals payroll, which means the Yankees shouldn't have to give up as much either if the Royals were taking some of the money on.

The time is now. The Rays are going to be considerably weaker than the last year. The Red Sox offense has gotten stronger, their pen better with the addition of Bobby Jenks, but their rotation still has questions. Jon Lester is a stud. Josh Beckett is coming off an awful year, which included injury. John Lackey is on the downside. Clay Buchholz was magnificent, but can he repeat? Dice-K, Tim Wakefield? More awful than good.

Only one team should make it out of the west, but the White Sox and Twins will battle for both the AL Central and Wild Card, which means the Yankees MUST bolster their starting rotation and bullpen in order to REALLY compete in the AL East and for the Wild Card.

So roll the dice Brian Cashman, roll the dice. Show the Yankees fan base you have the stomach for it.

BD Hot Stove: The Repercussions of Phil Lee

BD Hot Stove: The Repercussions of Phil Lee

The fallout from Cliff Lee signing with Philadelphia can be heard today from Texas to New York to Boston and everywhere in between. Lee left up to $50M on the table to play back in Philly, where he spent the latter half of 2009. You can go home again, and much to the dismay of the player’s association, you don’t have to take the most moneyed contract to do so.

In New York, Yankees fans cried, whined, and sighed. And Met fans applauded that the Yankees lost out on Lee. Apparently it hasn’t sunk in yet that the Mets will have to face the Phillies rotation 19 times a year.

In Arlington, Ron Washington’s gut is in hiding. After all, it was Washington’s gut that told him Lee was coming back to Texas. And the Rangers are back where they were before last season’s trade deadline; with a huge hole in their rotation.


The Red Sox fans joy is twofold. 1) The Yankees didn’t get Lee and 2) The Yankees didn’t get a top left-hander to negate their lefty-laden lineup.

Meanwhile, Yankees GM Brian Cashman has to go to plan ‘B’. He told area beat writers this morning, via a conference call, that means “patience”. For now the Yankees have just three definite spots in their rotation- CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes, and A.J. Burnett. So the next logical step will be to see what Andy Pettitte’s status is. With no Lee in NY, Pettitte will probably ask for a higher amount of money than had the Yankees landed Lee. I can see a $15M asking price, though the Yankees will want the figure to be closer to $10M. Incentives can make both sides happy.

Another winner in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes is his agent Darek Braunecker, who is now a household name.

Rumors, News, and Transactions

Former Yankee Hideki Matsui finalized his one year deal with the Oakland A’s. It’s worth $4.25M. Good job by Billy Beane.

The Yankees may not have gotten Lee, but they did get the catcher they wanted. Russell Martin, recently non-tendered by the Dodgers, has agreed to a one year deal.

Lyle Overbay has agreed to a one year, $5M deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Overbay had a nice offensive year in 2010, but it’s not his norm. Still you would think there would be some upper echelon teams interested in him.

The Nationals have signed pinch-hitter extraordinaire Matt Stairs to a minor league deal.

One of the Rangers plan ‘B’ options is apparently Chien-Ming Wang. The former Yankee missed all of 2010 after undergoing shoulder surgery and was non-tendered by the Nationals. Nolan Ryan and company are reportedly also looking at Carl Pavano.

The Cardinals have agreed to a deal with Gerald Laird as a backup catcher to Yadier Molina. Laird will receive $1M for one year.

According to the Kansas City Star’s Terez Paylor, the Royals are still shopping Zack Greinke and looking for the best fit.

The Rays have re-signed lefty J.P. Howell to a one year deal. Howell, who had torn labrum surgery in May, will miss the start of the season and his exact return is in question.

The Mariners, looking for parts, inked Royce Ring, Ryan Langerhans, Denny Bautista, and Chris Giminez to minor league pacts.

Time to Catch Up On Some Yankees Business

You know by now that Joe Girardi and his infamous binder will be back for the next 3 years at $3 million a pop. The people have also spoken when I asked if you though GI Joe would be back in 2011. Keeping in mind that the poll was started well before the Cubs named Mike Quade as their permanent manager.

As you can see more than 2/3 of you thought that Girardi would be back. And you were right. Girardi and Brian Cashman will now be looking for a pitching coach to join the staff. Dave Eiland, btw, recently rebuked rumors that he and Girardi did not get along and that is what led to his dismissal.

The Yankees recently asked for permission to talk to former Yankees farmhand and Blue Jays pitching (and Jim Bouton look alike) Gil Patterson, who is currently an employee of the Oakland A's. Patterson was very highly thought of during his time in Toronto.

Free agents - As expected, options for Kerry Wood, Lance Berkman, and Nick Johnson were not exercised, allowing the three to be free agents. Only Wood has a shot at returning.

Derek Jeter - Hal Steinbrenner recently spoke on WFAN and ESPNradio and said he did not expect things to go smoothly. Here's what some others have had to say on the topic.

Dave D'Alessandro (Star Ledger)

Mike Vaccaro (NY Post)

Mark Feinsand (NY Daily News)

Andrew Marchand (ESPN New York)

Sweeny Murti (WFAN)

The Yankees top target on the free agent market is of course Cliff Lee. The lefty dominated the Yankees in both the 2009 and 2010 post-seasons, but wasn't up to his usual game in this year's World Series. His game 5 performance was good, but not good enough. And his game 1 showing was horrendous. It's put some doubt in the minds of fans and pundits, especially since Lee will be 33 next year and as Michael Kay pointed out on his radio show, he's only two years removed from a trip to the minors. Lee will want CC money, but will the Yankees be willing to give it to a player who will 40 when the contract expires.

That's also the subject of the new poll that we ask you to contribute to.

Rumors have it that the Yankees will not be spending money on outfielders Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth, preferring to stick with what they have or go a cheaper route if they want a change.

And if Lee goes elsewhere the Yankees will look into deals for younger pitchers such as Felix Hernandez or Zack Greinke, though the latter questioned his own ability to pitch in the Big Apple.

Brandon Laird (Eastern League) and Melky Mesa (Florida St. League) were named the top players in each of their leagues by Topps (boy do I miss buying packs of baseball cards). Mesa was also added to the 40-man roster to keep him from becoming a free agent.

Chad Gaudin, who never should have been brought back, was shown the door for a second time.

That's it for now...be back with more later...and be sure to check out my Hot Stove column Monday thru Friday on BaseballDigest.com beginning this Monday.

What's That Smell? Oh, It's The Trade Winds

We're less than a week away from the major league trading deadline. Plenty of big names are being floated - Roy Oswalt, Dan Haren, Adam Dunn - and the rumors are flying. But other than the Cliff Lee deal two weeks ago, nothing major has happened.

So let's take a look team by team of who might be moved in a deal this week.

AL East

Yankees - Clearly buyers. The Yankees lost out on Lee and have set their sights on Haren. A secondary possibility would be Ted Lilly. The Yankees also need to add to their pen and could use some bench strength. I am still of the opinion they should go after Adam Dunn to be an every day DH.

Rays - Buyers as well. The Rays have had some preliminary discussions with the Phillies for Jayson Werth and have made contact with the Royals about Zack Greinke. Neither deal is expected to happen. But the Rays will continue to look for a bat and a starting pitcher. They could also part with B.J. Upton, who has been a disappointment in a variety of ways.

Red Sox - Boston needs medical help with all of the injuries they've had. Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, and Jacoby Ellsbury have been significant losses. Jason Varitek has played above his recent offensive output and is the team leader. Josh Beckett returned last night as well. In other words Boston could be back in good shape if everyone heals up. But the Sox would definitely look for a starting pitcher to be sure Beckett is okay and Dice-K holds up. Tim Wakefield has been a complete disaster and was moved to the pen when Beckett was activated.

The Red Sox have been taking a look recently at Marlins outfielder Cody Ross and closer Leo Nunez.

Blue Jays - Sellers. Teams have been making major inquiries for the suddenly Babe Ruth-esque Jose Bautista, solid reliever Scott Downs, catcher John Buck, and 1st baseman Lyle Overbay. Relievers Jason Frasor and Kevin Gregg are shaky, but still in somewhat of a demand.

Orioles - Ty Wiggington's big year has created a number of calls to the Orioles front office. Closer Mike Gonzalez is back from the DL and could be quickly moved if he proves himself somewhat healthy. With David Eckstein injured, the Padres may look into a deal for Miguel Tejada.

AL Central

White Sox - Most people didn't expect to find the Chisox in first place on July 25, but there they are. Instead of selling, Chicago is looking to buy. They have talked to Milwaukee about Prince Fielder and are willing to give up pitcher Daniel Hudson and 3rd baseman Dayan Viciedo. But so far the Brewers prefer infielder Gordon Beckham and outfielder Carlos Quentin. The White Sox are also talking to the Nats about Dunn.

Tigers - Sellers/Buyers. The Tigers started July 7-1, but a seven game losing streak took it's toll. The Tigers entered Saturday's play 2.5 behind Chicago in the AL Central, but 6.5 back in the Wildcard race. The Tigers lineup took a big blow today when outfielder Magglio Ordonez broke his ankle. He'll be out 6-8 weeks. Detroit had already lost 3rd baseman Brandon Inge for 4-6 weeks after he fractured a hand last week. I have to wonder if the injuries will change the Tigers buyers' stance.

The Tigers have been looking to add a starting pitcher - they have discussed Lilly - but now may have to go after a bat as well.

Twins - Minnesota has been a major disappointment despite the fact they're still within spitting distance in the division. The Twins have always banked on their solid pitching, but Kevin Slowey (4.94 ERA), Nick Blackburn (6.53), and Scott Baker (5.15) have been major disappointments.

The Twins would like to land Oswalt or Lilly. They could always use offensive help, especially now with Justin Morneau's return date uncertain.

Royals - Sellers, of course. The most in-demand Royal was outfielder David DeJesus, but that all changed when he suffered a season ending thumb injury against the Yankees on Thursday night. Jose Guillen has been looked at by several teams, including the Yankees. But any team thinking about Guillen also has to think about what a pain in the ass he is.

The Royals already moved infielder Alberto Callaspo to the Angels for pitcher Sean O'Sullivan and are said to be listening to inquiries about Zack Greinke.

Indians - Sellers. The Tribe has had calls about both Jake Westbrook and Fausto Carmona. The Tribe will reportedly deal one, but not both. (I can't figure out why any team would want Westbrook.) The Indians are willing to move Jhonny Peralta, Austin Kearns, and Kerry Wood, though it's hard to imagine the Indians getting much in return for Wood.

AL West

Rangers - Moderate Buyers. The Rangers are just looking to tweak right now since they landed the big fish in Cliff Lee. The Rangers bankrupcy and pending sale should prevent them from pulling off anything too big the rest of the way.

A's - Sellers. Billy Beane is cringing tonight after Oakland had to place Ben Sheets on the DL earlier today with an elbow injury. The $10 million gamble looks to have been a failure. Just about every pitcher in the A's bullpen outside of Andrew Bailey is up for discussion.

Angels - Buyers. The Halos need a lot with Kendry Morales gone for the season and the team struggling. Word is that the Angels will not likely land Dunn, but could be major players for Derrek Lee. The Angels acquisition of Callaspo from the Royals is a curious one. Did the Angels need another light hitting infielder? The Angels salivated over Paul Konerko for a long time, but clearly that's not happening with the White Sox in first place.

Mariners - Sellers. Another disappointing season in Coffee-land. The M's bullpen duo of David Aardsma and Brandon League are being looked at and the M's could move disappointing Chone Figgins or Jose Lopez. This team needs an overhaul in attitude to say the least.

NL East

Mets - Buyers. The Mets continue to explore pitching options. Ted Lilly has been the Mets' main target. They've also looked to strengthen their pen with a possible deal for Octavio Dotel or Scott Downs. The Mets would also like to move Jeff Francouer, who has been grousing about his lack of playing time.

Braves - Buyers. Did anyone outside of Atlanta expect the Braves to be in the position they're in right now atop the NL East (Maybe not even in Atlanta.) The Braves already dealt disappointing youngster Yunel Escobar for veteran Alex Gonzalez and are looking to improve their outfield. Cody Ross, Josh Willingham, and Corey Hart are among the players that have piqued Atlanta's interest.

Phillies - Good question. They might buy and sell. There have been Jayson Werth rumors for a while now, but he may not go anywhere. Raul Ibanez could definitely be moved. The Phillies have thrown their hats in the Roy Oswalt ring and are particularly in need of pitching with Jamie Moyer's elbow injury. They're also interested in Haren as well.

Nationals - Sellers. Adam Dunn is the biggest chip, no pun intended, that Washington has, but so far they don't want to deal him. If they did, they would certainly lower their asking price. The Nats should move him and try to re-sign the free agent to be if they really want him as a fixture in D.C..

Marlins - Sellers. As I mentioned earlier, several teams have looked in on Ross and what team in need of relief help would not want Nunez?

NL Central

Cardinals - Buyers. The Cardinals have been pushing hard for Oswalt, who would like to land in St. Lou.

Reds - Buyers. Not too many people saw this one coming either. The Reds are looking for some depth in the pen. Downs, Frasor, Brandon League, David Aardsma, Dotel, and Brad Ziegler are among the many arms Cincy is taking a look at.

Cubs - Sellers. Major disappointment is a major understatement to describe the Cubbies. Ted Lilly will be moved sooner rather than later. 1st baseman Derrek Lee, another free agent to be, could certainly be moved as well. Chicago would like to move Carlos Zambrano, but he has a no-trade clause and $53 million left on his contract. The Cubs should move Alfonso Soriano too, but what's that? Oh yeah, he has 4 years and $72 million left on his deal. You really don't have to wonder why the Cubs haven't won a title in a gazillion years.

Brewers - Sellers. The Fresh Prince of Fielder of course is the biggest name, no pun intended again, available. The Brewers aren't going to deal him though unless the price is right. Corey Hart could definitely go after making $4.8 million in arbitration last year and in the midst of a monster year that will see that total sky rocket next year.

Astros - Sellers. Oswalt, Oswalt, Oswalt. Lance Berkman isn't likely to go anywhere, but you never know as Houston tries to rebuild/re-tool/re-shape. Brett Myers could be moved as well.

Pirates - Sellers. There have been rumors swirling about the Pirates' best starter, Paul Maholm, despite the fact he's signed at a decent deal (he's in the 2nd year of a 3 year, $14.5 mill deal with an option in 2012). Closer Octavio Dotel will likely go to a team in need of bullpen help.

NL West

Padres - Moderate Buyers. As I mentioned earlier, shortstop David Eckstein's injury could cause the Pads to go get another middle infielder. The Padres are also in the Corey Hart hunt.

Dodgers - Buyers. Pitching is the name of the game in Chavez Ravine. The Dodgers are looking into Oswalt, Lilly, and Maholm. It wouldn't be a surprise if they moved Matt Kemp either.

Giants - Moderate Buyers. Corey Hart appears to be the number one guy on San Fran's radar.

Rockies - Buyers. The Rockies would like to improve their corner infield and are taking a look at Jorge Cantu and Ty Wiggington. The Rockies also like Dan Uggla to help out their lineup. To help their pitching, Colorado is considering making a push for Haren and are looking at relievers like Gregg and Dotel.