MLB Trade Rumors: Updating the Hottest Buzz for All 30 MLB Teams
The 2011 MLB season is less than a month away and the buzz surrounding the sport is beginning to get cranked up.
The Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues are in full swing and there are plenty of big stories in the early action. Questions surrounding potential platoons in the field and battles for the fifth starter rage on as the countdown to Opening Day creeps closer.
There are also boatloads of trade rumors and even a few early off the field issues as well. Let’s take a look at the latest buzz for every MLB team.
1. Arizona Diamondbacks: Can Zach Duke Turn Career Around?
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The Diamondbacks are in desperate need of good pitching and they are hoping that the newly acquired Duke provides some relief.
Coming off of his worst season as a pro with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Duke is glad to have a fresh start.
Duke posted a career-worst 5.72 ERA in 2010, but this was only one year removed from when he had a 3.29 ERA and All-Star appearance.
The talent is there and the D-Backs are hoping for him to return to return to form.
2. Atlanta Braves: Arodys Vizcaino off to a Good Start
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Vizcaino got his first taste of spring training on Wednesday and certainly didn't disappoint.
Vizcaino threw fastballs ranging from 94-97 mph in two scoreless innings against the Red Sox. He retired six of the seven batters he faced.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez was very excited with the impressive performance:
“Wow, that was a pretty good two innings...I don’t know exactly what he was throwing, but you could tell he had pretty good life to his fastball and his command was good."
The 20-year-old Dominican, who was acquired from the Yankees in the Javier Vazquez deal, is rated as the 93rd best prospect by Baseball America.
3. Baltimore Orioles: Derrek Lee Almost Ready to Play
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Derrek Lee signed on to play with the up-and-coming Orioles this winter, but has yet to make his debut with the team. He had his right thumb surgically repaired in November.
Lee has been taking batting practice the past four days and looks poised to make his O's debut this upcoming weekend according to the Baltimore Sun.
There is some buzz surrounding Orioles camp as they have still yet to lose a game in spring training play. Expect a much improved 2011 team in Baltimore.
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4. Boston Red Sox: Update on Adrian Gonzalez
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Red Sox nation is eagerly awaiting the debut of their newest slugger and Gonzalez is getting very close.
Gonzalez took 70 swings on Wednesday, half off a tee and half at balls flipped to him according to the Boston Globe.
“Everything is going better than I could have expected,” said Gonzalez after his workout.
He will take Thursday off before returning for more swings on Friday. It appears as if Gonzo will be on track to start Opening Day for the Sox.
5. Chicago White Sox: Adam Dunn Eager to Play for Winner
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Dunn has never played for a team that has won more than 82 games in his 10 seasons as a major league player.
"A lot of guys here don't realize how much that wears on you because they've never lost," Dunn told the Chicago Tribune on Tuesday.
"A losing season to them is .500. Losing takes a huge toll on you. You come in and everyone has one common goal. When that common goal that you have been working for the whole year is not obtainable, and you realize that in June or July, it's pretty deflating."
While the batting lineup for Opening Day has yet to be announced, manager Ozzie Guillen has been slotting Dunn in the third spot of late.
Expectations are high in Chicago and a lot of them hinge on Dunn to put up his typical 40 home runs and 100 RBI.
6. Chicago Cubs: Silva and Ramirez Rumble in Cubs Dugout
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A dugout shoving match between pitcher Carlos Silva and third baseman Aramis Ramirez erupted on Wednesday after a bad first inning against Milwaukee. Players and coaches broke up the fight soon after it began.
It started with Silva giving up six runs while watching his teammates commit three errors—including one by Ramirez.
Silva declined to talk to the media after today's event and Ramirez called it a "misunderstanding" and did not go into further details.
Clearly Silva was angered by all of the errors:
"That was the only thing that happened, so it was obvious he was kind of upset," Ramirez said. "Nobody wants to make errors. Nobody feels worse than an infielder or an outfielder when they make errors. We talked about, and everything's cool."
Manager Mike Quade said no action would be taken and the skirmish would not affect Silva's status with the team, but did say it was time for the Cubs to "wake up."
7. Cincinnati Reds: Baker Tells Media There Is No Platoon in Left Field
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After signing free agent outfielder Fred Lewis in the offseason, many assumed there would be a platoon in left field between Lewis and Johnny Gomes.
Not quite.
Dusty Baker told the media that Gomes is the full-time starter as the season begins. Is this the right move?
Gomes hit .257 with 12 home runs and 52 RBI in 346 at-bats vs. right-handers last year while Lewis is very effective against them. Lewis struggles against lefties while Gomes excels against them.
Lewis brings more speed to the table and is a potential leadoff hitter that the Reds so desperately need. Announcing this decision so early is a bit strange.
Keep an eye on the left field situation as the season gets closer.
8. Cleveland Indians: Austin Kearns DUI and Grady News
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The Indians have announced that outfielder Austin Kearns was arrested for DUI Feb. 12 just outside of his hometown of Lexington, Ky.
The team did not know about the arrest until late Monday. No word on how this will effect Kearns future with the Tribe.
In other news, GM Chris Antonetti has announced that Grady Sizemore will not be ready in time for Opening Day. Sizemore is still recovering from micro-fracture surgery on his left knee that sidelined him for the majority of 2010.
9. Colorado Rockies: Aaron Cook out for Another Week
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The frustrating health of Aaron Cook continues. The Rockies have announced that Cook will miss another week of action with a sore shoulder.
Cook began experiencing shoulder stiffness after his first side session in camp and hasn't been healthy since.
The winningest pitcher in Rockies history is coming off a disappointing 2010 where he went 6-8 with a 5.08 ERA.
"Of course it's frustrating. I want to be out there, but I am not a doctor," Cook said. "I have to listen to the advice of the training staff."
His place in the Rockies rotation is very much in the air at this point.
10. Detroit Tigers: Miguel Cabrera Makes Headlines on the Field
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The DUI allegations have finally gotten off the front page and now Cabrera is focused on baseball.
Cabrera hit a three-run double to lead the Tigers past the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday. He is the key for Tigers success in 2011 and getting past this pretty serious allegation is a must.
Wednesday was certainly a step in the right direction.
11. Florida Marlins: Josh Johnson Rocked in First Outing
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Johnson made his first start since September 4th on Wednesday and it wasn't pretty.
The Marlins were expecting to get three innings out of Johnson, but he couldn't even get through two innings.
He allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and was charged with a wild pitch and a throwing error.
It's too early to start worrying about Johnson, but the Cy Young candidate isn't exactly off to a great start.
12. Houston Astros: Jason Castro Sprains Right Knee
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The Astros beat the Tigers on Wednesday, but didn't come out of the game completely healthy.
Catcher Jason Castro suffered a sprained right knee when his foot got stuck on the first-base bag with the upper half of his body twisting trying to avoid a tag in the seventh inning.
He will undergo tests on Thursday to determine the severity of the injury.
“I’ve never had anything like this before. It doesn’t feel too bad. I’m kind of cautiously optimistic right now," said Castro after the game.
13. Kansas City Royals: Farm System Contiues to Garner Praise
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CBS Sports released their top 100 prospects today and the Royals are littered through out the list. Kansas City boosts 10 of the top 100 and five of the top 30:
5. 1B Eric Hosmer
10. 3B Mike Moustakas
11. OF Wil Myers
22. LHP Mike Montgomery
28. LHP John Lamb
76. RHP Jake Odorizzi
79. LHP Danny Duffy
84. SS Christian Colon
98. LHP Chris Dwyer
99. RHP Jeremy Jeffress
14. Los Angeles Angels: Garret Anderson Officially Retires
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Anderson officially called it quits this week.
The three-time All-Star who played a huge role in the Angels only World Series title, announced his retirement Tuesday after a 17-year big league career.
Anderson will go down as one of the best players in Angels history. His franchise records include: games (2,013), at-bats (7,989), runs (1,024), hits (2,368), total bases (3,743), extra-base hits (796), doubles (489) and runs batted in (1,292).
15. Los Angeles Dodgers: Matt Kemp to Bat Clean Up
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It's official: Matt Kemp will be batting clean up for the Dodgers in 2011.
Manager Don Mattingly officially told Kemp the news on Wednesday.
The other certainties?
Rafael Furcal will be the leadoff hitter and Andre Ethier will bat third. It will be interesting to see how a stagnant 2010 offense fares under a new manager in 2011.
16. Milwaukee Brewers: Casey McGehee Agrees on One-Year Deal
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After weeks of negotiating on a multi-year deal, the Brewers and Casey McGhee agreed on a one-year deal on Wednesday.
McGehee played well last year, appearing in 157 games and batting .285 with 23 home runs and 104 RBI—best on the team.
The terms of the deal have yet to be released, but the talks of locking him up to a long-term deal will continue throughout the season.
17. Minnesota Twins: Justin Morneau Still Not Cleared to Play
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The concussion of last July 7th continues to hamper the former American League MVP.
After visiting a doctor on Tuesday, Morneau was told he is still not allowed to play in a spring training game.
Morneau said he continues to make progress, but has no timetable for a return. The team continues to feel confident that he'll be ready for the April 1st season opener in Toronto.
The biggest fear of doctors is the chance of a second concussion that would set back his progress 10-fold.
18. New York Mets: Carlos Beltran Will Not DH in 2012
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Carlos Beltran has recently requested a move to right field, but that doesn't mean he is going to be a DH anytime soon.
Agent Scott Boras influenced Beltran to ask for the move, now he told the New York Daily News that Beltran plans to play in the outfield for the foreseeable future.
Beltran is entering the final season of a seven-year, $119 million contract and you better believe he is looking for another big payday. Odds are, it will be with a team not named the Mets.
19. New York Yankees: Mark Teixeira Cuts Agent Loose
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Mark Teixeira announced Wednesday that he has said goodbye to longtime agent Scott Boras.
Teixeira, who is in the midst of his third season of an eight-year $180 million contract, said Boras "obviously has done a lot for my career...but sometimes I felt like I was Mark Teixeira, Scott Boras client, and not Mark Teixeira, baseball player."
Teixeira has yet to hire a new agent but doesn't seem too concerned about it.
"Right now, the next contract is not on my mind," Teixeira said.
20. Oakland Athletics: Coco Crisp Charged with DUI
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Crisp was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol early Wednesday morning in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Oakland has already released a statement to the press:
"The A's are aware of the situation and take such matters seriously. The team and Coco will have no further comment until further details are available."
Crisp, 31, is entering his second season with the A's and is supposed to play center field and be the leadoff hitter for a team that desperately could use his bat.
Stay tuned to see how this story develops.
21. Philadelphia Phillies: Chase Utley Injury Not Too Serious
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Philly fans around the country freaked out upon hearing the news that star second baseman Chase Utley was injured in a spring training game at the very end of February.
Utley only played in 115 games last season with knee trouble. If Utley's injury is worse than the Phillies are letting on, the dream season in Philadelphia will end before it even started.
22. Pittsburgh Pirates: Joe Beimel Hurts Left Forearm
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Beimel felt discomfort in his left forearm as he attempted to go through his throwing program on Tuesday.
He was shut down from throwing and is listed as day-to-day. Beimel first felt discomfort on Saturday when he felt a twinge in his arm.
Beimel, 33, was signed as a minor league free agent, but is slated to be the Pirates' left-handed setup man this season.
23. San Diego Padres: Aaron Harang Perfect in Padres Debut
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Harang's career in San Diego got off to a great start on Wednesday.
He recorded two perfect innings against the Rockies in a 7-to-3 Padres victory. The San Diego native is happy to be home and hoping to forget his last few years as a member of the Cincinnati Reds.
Last year he went 6-7 with a 5.32 ERA and had to sit on the bench as he watched the Reds play in the postseason for the first time since 1995.
Harang is currently slated to fill one of the five slots in the Padres rotation.
24. San Francisco Giants: Brian Wilson Still Has Yet to Pitch This Spring
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Wilson has yet to appear in a game after a back injury early on in camp. But it doesn't sound like the Giants are too worried:
"He's not where he needs to be right now," manager Bruce Bochy said on Wednesday.
"Willie will tell you that. If he'd have had a better 'pen, he'd be out there."
Wilson himself isn't worried either:
"Nothing is lingering," Wilson said. "It happens every year. There's a hamstring or muscle tightness. This is what spring training is about, getting the cobwebs out."
25. Seattle Mariners: Aaron Laffey Joins the Mariners After Trade
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Laffey is heading to Seattle after being traded from the Indians on Wednesday for minor leaguer Matt Lawson.
Mariner GM Jack Zduriencik told reporters that Laffey would have an opportunity to either start or come out of the bullpen for the Mariners.
Laffey appeared in 29 games last season (five starts) and went 2-3 with a 4.53 ERA. He will likely be a key member of the staff in 2011.
26. St. Louis Cardinals: Chris Carpenter Injury Not Serious
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Carpenter suffered a strained left hamstring Tuesday and freaked out an entire fan base.
On Wednesday he said he felt better and didn't anticipate missing more than one turn in the rotation this spring. This is excellent news in wake of finding out that fellow ace Adam Wainwright will miss the season with an elbow injury.
Carpenter has to perform well if the Cards want to even sniff a playoff berth.
But he is turning 36 in April and threw 235 innings last season. Hold your breath Cardinals fans.
27. Tampa Bay Rays: Edgar Gonzalez Signs Deal with Rays
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The Rays have signed the 28-year-old right-hander Edgar Gonzalez to a minor-league contract.
Gonzalez didn't get the invitation to big-league camp and is expected to compete for a rotation spot at Triple-A Durham. But with the uncertainty of the Rays rotation—Gonzalez may play a sizable role in the 2011 Rays plans.
28. Texas Rangers: Ballpark Undergoes Improvements for Fans
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The Rangers spend $17 million this offseason on renovations on their ballpark.
The biggest upgrade is the addition of an HD video board. The new screen is six times the size of the old one. The new board will be 42x120 feet.
The team also installed more than 800 LCD monitors around the stadium. The organization also digitized the concession menus and enhanced the sound system.
Cup holders had been a big fan complaint and the Rangers have fixed each and everyone of them in the Ballpark at Arlington as well.
29. Toronto Blue Jays: Jose Bautista Scratched from Wednesday's Lineup
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Bautista experienced some tightness in his left quad on Wednesday and sat out of the Jays 5-4 win over the Rays.
Bautista noticed some slight discomfort in the muscle while doing drills and immediately reported it to trainer according to the Toronto Sun.
It sounds like it is simply precautionary and nothing to worry about:
“It’s just a little tight,” Bautista said.
“Early in the spring there’s no need to push it. I think I’m an important piece for this club and, if I can just rest for a day and not aggravate it into something more than it should be, then it makes sense to do that."
30. Washington Nationals: Yunesky Maya Dazzles in Debut
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Maya struck out three Florida Marlins in two scoreless innings on Wednesday—a great start in Maya's case to become the Nationals' fifth starter in his spring training debut.
Maya, the Cuban right-hander the Nationals signed last season, delivered a performance that has the Nationals brass very excited about his future.
Keep an eye on Maya has the season progresses. He may eventually form a incredible one-two punch with Stephen Strasburg.
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