MLBTR Transactions

Twins Designate Erik Komatsu For Assignment

2012-05-27T10:34:23-05:00

The Twins have designated outfielder Erik Komatsu for assignment, according to a team press release. The move allowed the club to recall right-hander Jeff Manship from Triple-A Rochester.

Komatsu, 24, was DFA'd by the Cardinals earlier this month and quickly claimed by the Twins. The outfielder appeared in 15 games for each club in 2012. Komatsu hit .277/.367/.382 last season in Double-A and has never played at the Triple-A level.

Braves Sign Collin DeLome

2012-05-26T23:00:18-05:00

Here are the day's minor moves...

The Braves have signed outfielder Collin DeLome according to his Twitter feed. The 26-year-old hit .253/.318/.460 in his six year minor league career after being the Astros' fifth round pick in 2007. They released him last month.

Orioles To Extend Adam Jones

2012-05-26T18:29:00-05:00

6:29pm: It's a six-year, $85.5MM contract according to Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun (all four Twitter links). There is no seventh year option but there is a no-trade provision, and escalators could push the total value to $91.5MM. Jones will earn $8.5MM in 2013, $13MM in 2014 and 2015, $16MM in 2016 and 2017, and $17MM in 2018 with a $2MM signing bonus.

In terms of total value, it's the second largest largest contract among active center fielders behind Matt Kemp's eight-year, $160MM deal with the Dodgers.

SATURDAY, 5:27pm: Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports that the deal is done and an announcement could come today with a press conference tomorrow.

FRIDAY, 10:42am: The deal will cover six years and fall in the $85MM range, Rosenthal and Morosi report (on Twitter). This means the deal will buy out Jones' final arbitration year (presumably for $9-10MM) and five free agent seasons at approximately $15MM per year.

7:41am: Adam Jones is the best player on the first-place team in baseball's most competitive division and the Orioles aren't going to let him slip away. They are nearing a long-term contract extension with the center fielder, Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports report (plus Twitter links).

Jones completed his physical yesterday and the sides are in the process of completing the final details of the contract. The Orioles are making a commitment "well north" of Miguel Tejada's six-year, $72MM contract and Nick Markakis' six-year, $66MM extension, Rosenthal and Morosi report. This means the CAA Sports client will sign the largest contract in Orioles history. Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun expects the deal to be for five or six years and $80-90MM.

Jones, 26, is earning $6.15MM this year as a second-time arbitration eligible player. The extension will buy out one year of arbitration eligibility and an unknown number of free agent seasons.

Jones is hitting .311/.357/.601 in 196 plate appearances this year. He's on his way to establishing career-highs in home runs (14 so far) and slugging percentage. Though he has a career on-base percentage of .322, his walk rate and on-base percentage are both on the rise.

Earlier this month Dave Cameron of FanGraphs compared Jones' breakout to Matt Kemp's 2011 season and suggested an extension in the $120-140MM range could work for both sides. Check out MLBTR's Extension Tracker for more comparable contracts.

Photo courtesy of US Presswire.

Quick Hits: Marquis, Bourn, Nats, Athletics

2012-05-26T16:23:38-05:00

Links from around baseball as the Cubs look to snap their ten-game losing streak tonight in Pittsburgh..

Twins‬ GM Terry Ryan said Jason Marquis was placed on release waivers, tweets Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Other clubs have 48 hours to claim Marquis, who was DFA'd on Tuesday.
Braves centerfielder Michael Bourn could be a possible target for the Nationals and while he wouldn't directly talk about playing for Washington, he told reporters that he likes what the club has to offer, writes MLB.com's Bill Ladson. "They are good. They have some real good pitching," Bourn said. "They made some key acquisitions, and they have Gio Gonzalez over there now. They bring a good starter every night."
The Athletics met with Clorox CEO Don Knauss but the team is definitely not for sale and no offer was made, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Clorox and a handful of other East Bay Companies recently announced that they are working to keep the A's in Oakland with a new stadium.
Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com writes that the Athletics knew that they were getting a promising righty when they acquire Ryan Cook along with Jarrod Parker and Collin Cowgill in the Trevor Cahill trade, but they weren't expecting this kind of dominance.

Outrighted To Triple-A: Bill Hall

2012-05-26T15:59:08-05:00

The latest outright assignments from around baseball...

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.

D'Backs Sign Miguel Montero To Extension

2012-05-26T15:36:00-05:00

SATURDAY, 3:36pm: Montero will earn $10MM in 2013, $10MM in '14, $12MM in '15, $14MM in '16, and $14MM in '17, according to Keith Law of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

12:30pm: The team has officially announced the five-year extension with a press release.

FRIDAY: The Diamondbacks and catcher Miguel Montero have agreed to a five-year, $60MM contract extension, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link). The deal is the richest in Arizona club history and is expected to be announced at a press conference tomorrow. ESPN's Buster Olney reports (via Twitter) that the contract doesn't afford Montero any no-trade protection.

The two sides had been discussing an extension over the winter and had seemingly tabled negotiations, though GM Kevin Towers said earlier this month that the D'Backs were open to in-season talks. Montero was scheduled to hit free agency this winter and would have been one of the more sought-after players on the market. Montero, an Octagon client, turns 29 in July.

Montero can probably thank Yadier Molina for his five-year, $75MM extension with the Cardinals in March that raised the bar for catcher contracts. As Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic points out on Twitter, the D'Backs originally offered Montero a four-year, $32MM deal in late February before talks broke off. Montero's wish for a contract similar to Victor Martinez's four-year, $50MM deal with the Tigers was more than granted in terms of length and dollars, if not in average annual value. Still, Montero's contract will award him the fifth-highest AAV for any catcher -- Martinez is not included in that group since he has mostly been a DH since going to Detroit.

Montero broke out in 2011, hitting .282/.351/.469 in 2011, making his first All-Star Game and leading the league by throwing out 40% of baserunners attempting to steal. While his hitting has taken a step back (.255/.350/.343) thus far in 2012, his already-strong defense has improved even further, with a caught-stealing percentage of 59% (16 of 27).

Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas/US Presswire

Marlins Acquire Justin Ruggiano From Astros

2012-05-26T13:07:29-05:00

The Marlins have acquired outfielder Justin Ruggiano from the Astros in exchange for minor league catcher Jobduan Morales, according to Alyson Footer of the Astros (via Twitter).

Ruggiano, 30, appeared in 46 big league games for the Rays in 2011 before signing a minor league deal with the Astros in February. The outfielder was off to a strong start with Triple-A Oklahoma City this year, hitting .325/.409/.581 in 138 plate appearances.

Morales, 20, spent the bulk of the year with Miami's New York-Pennsylvania League affiliate, hitting .272/.385/.450 in 52 games. The switch-hitter was the Marlins' ninth-round pick in 2009.

Orioles Designate Bill Hall For Assignment

2012-05-25T14:38:31-05:00

The Orioles announced that they designated utility player Bill Hall for assignment. They optioned Luis Exposito to Triple-A and recalled Stu Pomeranz and Ronny Paulino in corresponding moves.

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.

Pirates Designate Nate McLouth For Assignment

2012-05-25T13:25:36-05:00

The Pirates announced that they designated outfielder Nate McLouth for assignment. The club recalled Matt Hague in a corresponding move.

McLouth signed a one-year, $1.75MM deal with the Pirates this past offseason after spending two and a half years in Atlanta. Now 30, McLouth was viewed as a future star when the Pirates traded him to the Braves three years ago. But he didn't hit in Atlanta and he has just a .385 OPS in 62 plate appearances back in Pittsburgh.

Hague, who appeared in five MLB games earlier this season, has a .278/.325/.333 batting line at Triple-A this year. The right-handed hitter has considerable minor league experience at first and third.

Mets Release D.J. Carrasco

2012-05-25T13:09:28-05:00

The Mets released reliever D.J. Carrasco, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports (on Twitter). The Mets had designated the right-hander for assignment nine days ago.

Carrasco, 35, appeared in four games for the Mets this year, allowing six hits, including two home runs, in 3 2/3 innings of work. He'll earn $1.2MM in 2012, the final season of his two-year, $2.4MM contract. The eight-year veteran is now available to other teams for the MLB minimum salary of $480K. Gaylord Sports Management represents Carrasco.

Outrighted To Triple-A: David Pauley

2012-05-25T12:48:12-05:00

The latest outright assignments from around baseball...

The Angels outrighted David Pauley to Triple-A after the reliever cleared waivers, Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times reports (on Twitter). The Angels designated Pauley for assignment earlier this week after he allowed 15 hits and five earned runs in 9 1/3 innings to start the season..

Minor Moves: Maine, Hernandez, Lindsay

2012-05-25T09:50:00-05:00

The latest minor moves...

The Yankees will sign right-hander John Maine to a minor league deal, Evan Drellich of MLB.com tweets. The Red Sox recently released the 31-year-old, who has missed considerable time with shoulder injuries. He posted a 7.43 ERA in 46 innings with the Rockies' top affiliate in 2011 before signing with the Red Sox this January.
The Cubs signed infielder Diory Hernandez, Matt Eddy of Baseball America tweets. The Astros had released Hernandez earlier in the week.
The Diamondbacks signed right-hander Gaby Hernandez from the independent Frontier League, Eddy tweets. The 26-year-old pitched at Triple-A for the Diamondbacks and White Sox last year.
The Dodgers released right-hander Shane Lindsay, Eddy tweets. The reliever had walked more than one batter per inning at Triple-A this year.

Minor Moves: Gathright, Dodgers, Phillips, Benitez

2012-05-24T22:18:00-05:00

The latest minor moves from around MLB...

The Reds have signed Joey Gathright to a minor league deal according to the CBSSports.com transactions page. The 31-year-old outfielder was hitting .240/.348/.365 in an independent league. He appeared in seven games for the Red Sox last season.
The Dodgers announced that they have signed or are in the process of signing more than 20 Latin American players. The group includes at least 10 position players and 10 pitchers and reflects a new approach to the international market from the one adopted under the ownership of Frank McCourt. “With our renewed resources in that area and the upcoming first-year player draft next month, we look forward to adding many talented young players to the Dodger family,” GM Ned Colletti said.
The Blue Jays acquired catcher Paul Phillips from the Brewers for cash, according to Mike Vassallo of the Brewers (on Twitter). Phillips had been playing at Triple-A Nashville and owns a .269/.317/.369 batting line in 13 minor league seasons.
The Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League signed former MLB closer Armando Benitez, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. The 39-year-old has 289 career saves in 15 MLB seasons. He last appeared in the Major Leagues with the 2008 Blue Jays.

Orioles To Sign J.C. Romero

2012-05-24T14:25:57-05:00

The Orioles announced that they've agreed to sign left-hander J.C. Romero to a minor-league deal, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun tweets. MDR Sports Management represents Romero, a veteran of 14 MLB seasons. He will report to Triple-A Norfolk.

The Cardinals signed Romero to a one-year deal worth $750K plus incentives back in December only to release him six weeks into the season. The 35-year-old appeared in 11 games with St. Louis this year, allowing 14 runs and nine earned runs in eight innings of work. He spent the 2011 season with the Phillies and Rockies, posting a 4.01 ERA with 6.9 K/9, 5.5 BB/9 and a 54.4% ground ball rate in 24 2/3 innings.

Angels Designate David Pauley For Assignment

2012-05-24T14:25:00-05:00

THURSDAY: The Angels designated Pauley for assignment, DiGiovanna tweets.

WEDNESDAY: The ‪Angels‬ are expected to designate reliever David Pauley for assignment tomorrow, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter). The move will allow the club to call up infielder Andrew Romine from Triple-A Salt Lake.

Pauley, 28, has appeared in just 9.1 innings for the Halos in 2012. The right-hander signed a minor league deal with the Angels late in the offseason after turning down a similar offer from the Blue Jays because he felt that he'd have more opportunities to pitch.

In parts of five big league seasons, Pauley has a 4.54 ERA with 5.3 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9.

Rangers Claim John Gaub

2012-05-24T12:37:04-05:00

The Rangers claimed left-handed pitcher John Gaub off of waivers from the Rays, Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune tweets. The Rays had designated Gaub for assignment three days ago to create roster space for Drew Sutton.

Gaub, 27, appeared in four games for the Cubs last season and has a 3.81 ERA with 11.8 K/9 and 6.3 BB/9 across parts of four Triple-A seasons. The Rays claimed him off of waivers from the Cubs in April then stashed him at Triple-A. Robbie Ross is the Rangers' lone left-handed reliever at the moment, so Gaub provides some depth.

Blue Jays Place Adam Lind On Outright Waivers?

2012-05-23T20:46:00-05:00

WEDNESDAY, 8:46pm: As of today, there are no indications that the Blue Jays placed first baseman Adam Lind on outright waivers, writes MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm.

If Lind was outrighted, he would have been removed from the 40-man roster after a 48-hour period, but a second source told Chisholm that the 28-year-old was still on the club's official list.

SATURDAY, 6:00pm: The Blue Jays placed recently demoted slugger Adam Lind on outright waivers on Friday, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).

If Lind is claimed, the claiming team will assume the balance of the four-year, $18MM extension he signed early in the 2010 season. That deal also includes club options for 2014-16, with corresponding buyouts. If he goes unclaimed, he will remain with Toronto but will be removed from the 40-man roster.

Lind signed his extension on the heels of a breakout 2009 in which he posted a .305/.370/.562 line with 35 homers. The 1B/OF/DH has fallen well short of that since then, however, hitting .238/.289/.420 with 52 homers in 1,287 plate appearances from 2010 till his demotion to Triple-A this week.

Outright waivers are irrevocable, meaning the Jays wouldn't be able to pull Lind back if another team were to claim him. However, an AL executive tells Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that there's "no chance he gets claimed" (Twitter link).

Astros Release Diory Hernandez

2012-05-23T17:49:55-05:00

The Astros have released infielder Diory Hernandez, according to Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Hernandez, 28, struggled offensively as he played for the club's Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City.

Hernandez appeared in 75 games for the Braves from 2009-2011, making 138 plate appearances in total. The veteran owns a .270/.311/.366 slash line across parts of five Triple-A campaigns with experience at second base, third base, and shortstop.

Brewers Claim Cody Ransom

2012-05-23T15:56:55-05:00

The Brewers have claimed infielder Cody Ransom off of waivers from the Diamondbacks, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. Ransom has played 100 MLB games at shortstop, so he provides the Brewers with depth alongside Cesar Izturis. The Brewers confirmed the claim, announcing that they've optioned Edwin Maysonet to the minors and moved Alex Gonzalez to the 60-day disabled list in corresponding moves.

Ransom posted a .269/.345/.577 batting line in 58 plate appearances with the Diamondbacks this year, but they removed him from the 40-man roster earlier this week by designating him for assignment. The 36-year-old played third base and shortstop, the same two positions he appeared at in 2011. Haudricourt reported earlier today that the Brewers were interested in adding shortstop help and Ransom's a fit since he has played more games at shortstop than at any other position. He has a .226/.310/.409 batting line in parts of ten seasons at the MLB level.

Tigers Designate Collin Balester For Assignment

2012-05-23T14:14:00-05:00

WEDNESDAY: Balester has been designated for assignment and Berry has been called up, the team announced (on Twitter).

TUESDAY: The Tigers will designate Collin Balester for assignment tomorrow according to Brian Britten, the team's director of media relations (on Twitter). The move will clear a roster spot for Quintin Berry.

Balester, 25, pitched to a 6.50 ERA with nearly as many walks (11) as strikeouts (12) in 18 innings this season. Detroit acquired him from the Nationals for Ryan Perry this offseason. Balester is out of options and needs to clear waivers before he can go to Triple-A.