MLB.com's Bill Ladson reports that the Nationals are in "serious talks" with free agent right-hander Livan Hernandez. Hernandez compiled an ugly 5.44 ERA in 31 starts between the Mets and Nationals last season, but Washington management has been hoping to add a veteran starter all winter and the big man certainly fits the bill in that regard. Let's hope the eventual agreement is a minor league contract. - link
Soreness in his left side kept Octavio Dotel from taking the fields with the rest of his Pittsburgh teammates on the first day of full-squad workouts at Pirate City on Tuesday. However, the minor injury is not expected to keep the Pirates' closer off the mound for long. Dotel said he first felt a hint of discomfort after throwing a side session on Sunday. The soreness persisted on Monday, prompting the Bucs to play it safely by sitting Dotel on Tuesday. He is expected to miss the next few days of workouts but likely no longer. - link
Yesterday, in a post about Jeff Francoeur, I brought up a simple method for examining the cost in outs of producing runs. I’ve posted a google spreadsheet of the results, the 163 players since 2005 with 2000 PA. It’s interesting to me that five of the top 30 spent time with the Red Sox during that period, Ramirez, Ortiz, Bay, Youkilis and Drew, and four with the Yankees (A-Rod, Giambi, Abreu and Matsui). These clubs value out efficient run production. The list is also a nice view of the defensive spectrum, as the top is dominated by first basemen and designated hitter types, while the bottom is full of middle infielders and catchers. Feel free to download and play with the data. - link
The Dodgers remain in contact with the agent for unsigned pitcher Braden Looper, but chances of a deal are slim because they can’t offer the Major League roster spot or the kind of salary the right-hander wants. Looper, Joel Pineiro and Jon Garland were in the group of innings-eating veterans the Dodgers considered for fourth starter before they signed Vicente Padilla to a $5.025 million contract - link
Hank Blalock still is unemployed. So is Jermaine Dye, who turned down a one-year, $3 million offer from the Cubs before they grabbed Xavier Nady. So is starter Jarrod Washburn, who rejected a $5 million offer from the Minnesota Twins. And infielder Felipe Lopez still is unemployed, and apparently won’t find work in Texas, even with Khalil Greene not reporting to spring training - link
No comments:
Post a Comment