http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/home Recent mlbbuzz Posts en-us Asked to assess the Phillies’ position, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. responded in typically blunt fashion. “We’re in a great spot,â€* Amaro said Thursday. “We’ve played terrible. And we’re 3 1/2 games out.â€* Amaro has a point, as far as the NL East standings are concerned. The first-place Braves are 10-17 since opening the season 12-1, while the second-place Nationals are 14-17 since their 7-2 start. On the other hand, the Phillies (19-22) are starting to show encouraging signs, winning three of their last four against two strong clubs, the Diamondbacks and Indians. A significant test looms this weekend when the Phillies host the Reds (Saturday, MLB on Fox, 4:05 p.m. ET). After that, the Phils begin an eight-game road trip to Miami, Washington and Boston. Amaro said that changes in the team’s struggling middle-relief corps are possible over the next few weeks, with the Phillies currently weighing their options in the minor leagues. He also said that two of the team’s biggest stars â Thu, 16 May 2013 18:32:16 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/amaro_hamels_howard_trying_too_hard/13633781 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/amaro_hamels_howard_trying_too_hard/13633781 Amaro: Hamels, Howard trying too hard http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/amaro_hamels_howard_trying_too_hard/13633781 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The fine print in Roy Oswalt’s contract with the Rockies reflects the team’s desire for him to be a successful member of its starting rotation. Oswalt, 35, signed a minor-league deal that will pay him $15,000 per month in the minors and a pro-rated portion of $2.3 million in the majors, according to a copy of the deal obtained by FOXSports.com. The deal also includes a $400,000 bonus once Oswalt is added to the major-league roster, plus incentives that max out at $1.35 million for 18 starts and $1.25 million for 110 innings pitched. Oswalt will receive $250,000 each for making eight, 10 and 12 starts, and $200,000 each for making 14, 16 and 18 starts. He also will get $100,000 for 50 innings pitched, $150,000 for 60, and $200,000 each for 70, 80, 90, 100 and 110. If he is not on the major-league roster on June 18 or 28, he can request his release if he is not added to the roster within 72 hours. -Ken Rosenthal Fri, 10 May 2013 16:34:40 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/the_breakdown_of_oswalts_contract/13592288 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/the_breakdown_of_oswalts_contract/13592288 The breakdown of Oswalt's contract http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/the_breakdown_of_oswalts_contract/13592288 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Twenty-nine strikeouts, one walk. Those are right-hander Kevin Gausman’s numbers in 28 2/3 innings for the Orioles at Double A. And while Triple A right-hander Freddy Garcia likely will start Friday or Saturday in Anaheim, Gausman, 22, might not be in the minors much longer. The Orioles, after demoting right-hander Jake Arrieta, are trying to establish a fifth starter. Garcia is the logical next choice — he’s 4-0 with a 2.67 ERA at Triple A, and he can exercise an out in his contract if he is not in the majors by May 15, a major league source said. After that, the Orioles could turn to righty Jair Jurrjens, who is 2-1 with a 2.64 ERA at Triple A and has an out date of June 15, according to the Baltimore Sun. In Gausman’s case, it would make sense for the team to keep him in the minors until at least June to prevent him from attaining “Super Two” status and gaining an extra year of arbitration. The Orioles need not use Gausman as a starter immediately — they could break him in as reliever, su Wed, 01 May 2013 18:51:01 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/gausman_making_strong_impression/13531055 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/gausman_making_strong_impression/13531055 Gausman making strong impression http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/gausman_making_strong_impression/13531055 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The Brewers’ Jean Segura doesn’t look like a classic shortstop — he’s 5 feet 10 and 165 pounds, with a thick lower half. So, when trying to determine a “comp,” something baseball people love to do, Brewers director of pro scouting Zack Minasian went off the board entirely. Minasian mentioned a player that Brewers general manager Doug Melvin once acquired for the Texas Rangers, but one who bears absolutely no physical resemblance to Segura. Are you sitting down? Michael Young. Segura, Melvin said, is similar to Young because of his energy, his instincts, even his relatively low profile when he was a prospect in the Angels organization. Young, too, was mostly unknown early in his career with the Blue Jays. Young exceeded expectations, and now it appears that Segura — the centerpiece of the Brewers’ three-player haul for right-hander Zack Greinke last July — might do the same. Segura, 23, skipped Triple A after the Brewers promoted him on Aug. 6, opened the current season as the team’s Wed, 01 May 2013 14:15:17 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/an_unusual_comparison_for_segura/13529144 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/an_unusual_comparison_for_segura/13529144 An unusual comparison for Segura http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/an_unusual_comparison_for_segura/13529144 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The St. Louis Cardinals may not need to shop for a closer after all. Earlier this week, it appeared the Cardinals would be an early and enthusiastic entrant to the marketplace for bullpen help. With closer Jason Motte already on the disabled list and possibly done for the year, Mitchell Boggs surrendered four earned runs while recording only one out in Sunday’s loss to Philadelphia.     But the Cardinals haven’t lost since – thanks, in large part, to their bullpen. Edward Mujica – substitute closer, fill-in closer, whatever term you’d like to use – recorded saves in every game of the Cardinals’ three-game road sweep in Washington. Mujica is 4-for-4 in save opportunities and has a 1.00 ERA in nine appearances this season. Also, 24-year-old Joe Kelly has not allowed a run in his last four outings, as manager Mike Matheny has shifted his responsibilities later in the game. So, it appears Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak was correct in expressing confidence earlier this week that the C Sat, 27 Apr 2013 09:36:46 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/cards_not_looking_to_upgrade_bullpen_yet/13497101 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/cards_not_looking_to_upgrade_bullpen_yet/13497101 Cards not looking to upgrade bullpen -- yet http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/cards_not_looking_to_upgrade_bullpen_yet/13497101 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander is among the many pitchers across the majors who have shown decreased velocity early this season, as Jeff Passan detailed in a recent story for Yahoo! Sports. Verlander’s average fastball this season has registered 93.2 miles per hour, according to PITCHf/x data on FanGraphs.com. That’s his lowest mark in the seven seasons for which such data is available; his average last year was 94.7 mph. Passan’s research cited figures from Baseball Info Solutions (91.9 mph) and Brooks Baseball (92.5 mph), in comparison to Verlander’s April 2012 reading of 93.8 mph, according to FanGraphs.com. So, the drop could be as much as roughly 2 miles per hour. Verlander, 30, acknowledged Wednesday that he’s aware his velocity is down. But he doesn’t seem concerned, either. “The most encouraging thing is it’s been picking up my last couple starts,” he said. Verlander, who said he feels completely healthy, pointed out that he’s still building arm strength because he delay Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:36:09 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/verlander_unconcerned_by_early_velocity_dip/13478347 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/verlander_unconcerned_by_early_velocity_dip/13478347 Verlander unconcerned by early velocity dip http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/verlander_unconcerned_by_early_velocity_dip/13478347 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Most of the early talk about the baseball schedule concerns the unfortunate April weather — snow in Colorado and Minnesota, and cold in the Northeast and Midwest.  Two Diamondbacks veterans, outfielder Cody Ross and third baseman Eric Chavez, pointed out another issue last week in comments to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic: Night games on getaway days. Look no further if you’re wondering why your favorite team often appears flat after late-night travel. It’s a problem, and one that has become more apparent since baseball banned amphetamines in 2006. No one is advocating that the sport make such drugs legal again. The solution — if there is one — would be to reduce the number of night games on getaway days, enabling players to get their proper rest. Consider the Diamondbacks’ schedule last week. First, they played a 12-inning night game at Yankee Stadium on Thursday that lasted four hours, 11 minutes. They then flew to Denver, arrived early in the morning and had to play Friday night. Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:35:32 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/weather_travel_wreak_havoc_on_schedule/13467220 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/weather_travel_wreak_havoc_on_schedule/13467220 Weather, travel wreak havoc on schedule http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/weather_travel_wreak_havoc_on_schedule/13467220 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The Blue Jays aren’t ready to move Brett Lawrie to second base full-time. But they are satisfied that he can handle the position, giving them alternatives both short- and long-term. Lawrie, coming off a strained left rib cage muscle, played two games at second for Class A Dunedin on his rehabilitation assignment, but will be at third when he makes his season debut for the Jays on Tuesday night. Which isn’t to say that he will remain at third every game as the Jays await the return of shortstop Jose Reyes, who is expected to be out three months with a sprained left ankle. “It’s nice to have flexibility,” Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Tuesday. “Brett’s our third baseman. (Jose) Bautista is our right fielder. This just gives us one more option. And that’s never a bad thing.” Bautista prefers playing right, and believes he is better defensively at that position than at third base. But Anthopoulos said there might be games in the near future where Lawrie is at second and Bautista Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:15:21 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/explaining_the_jays_thinking_on_lawrie/13413133 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/explaining_the_jays_thinking_on_lawrie/13413133 Explaining the Jays' thinking on Lawrie http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/explaining_the_jays_thinking_on_lawrie/13413133 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The big question, now that second baseman Robinson Cano has hired CAA and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports as his new agents, was whether the switch means that the New York Yankees stand a better chance of signing him. Brodie Van Wagenen, who will be Cano’s primary baseball agent for CAA, didn’t answer that question directly in an interview with FOXSports.com on Tuesday night. But Van Wagenen made the obvious clear: Cano, who is eligible for free agency at the end of the season, enjoys playing for the Yankees and is open to staying with the club. “New York and Yankees fans have been great for Robbie,” Van Wagenen said. “He has flourished in pinstripes and loved his time in the city. His primary focus is continuing to represent that brand and help his team win games. “Is there an opening for him to explore a contract? You know us. We’re not going to talk publicly about that. We certain will continue to work diligently to help him achieve his goals both on and off the field.” CAA, however, has a Tue, 02 Apr 2013 19:58:02 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/boras_blindsided_by_canos_decision/13299163 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/boras_blindsided_by_canos_decision/13299163 Boras blindsided by Cano’s decision http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/boras_blindsided_by_canos_decision/13299163 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The Rangers’ 10-year commitment to shortstop Elvis Andrus sounds huge, almost unfathomable. And it would be, if not for one thing: The commitment is not likely to be a 10-year commitment at all. Andrus, who is under contract for the next two seasons, is expected to finalize his eight-year, $120 million extension with the Rangers later this week. But his deal includes an opt-out clause after 2018, according to Fox Sports Southwest’s Anthony Andro, potentially reducing the team’s commitment to four years, $60 million. The potential escape is critical for Andrus and his agent, Scott Boras; Andrus likely will opt out if he stays healthy, becoming a free agent at age 30 instead of 34. Why would the Rangers make such a concession? Because it enables them to accomplish the rare feat of buying out four free-agent years on a Boras client — Boras generally shuns extensions, preferring his players to establish their values on the open market. This way, the Rangers will control Andrus from his age 26 to 29 s Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:41:12 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/andrus_opt_out_could_cut_length_of_extension_in_half/13295773 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/andrus_opt_out_could_cut_length_of_extension_in_half/13295773 Andrus opt-out could cut length of extension in half http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/andrus_opt_out_could_cut_length_of_extension_in_half/13295773 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png   In the past five days, teams have made nearly $600 million worth of commitments in contract extensions, including shortstop Elvis Andrus’ pending deal with the Rangers. Don’t expect the trend to end. The Dodgers remain in discussions with left-hander Clayton Kershaw, according to major-league sources. The Indians continue to talk to second baseman Jason Kipnis and outfielder Michael Brantley, though a Kipnis deal is considered unlikely, sources say. The flurry of recent extensions is partly attributable to the calendar - players and teams often use Opening Day as a deadline for contract negotiations. But a number of clubs are seeking to lock up additional players, reflecting the game’s rising revenues, sources say. Starting in 2014, the amount of money that teams receive from baseball’s national television contracts will increase from about $25 million per season to about $52 million. Some teams also are drawing significantly increased revenue from their local television deals. The large numb Mon, 01 Apr 2013 08:32:04 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/look_for_the_extensions_to_keep_coming/13283626 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/look_for_the_extensions_to_keep_coming/13283626 Look for the extensions to keep coming http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/look_for_the_extensions_to_keep_coming/13283626 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The Yankees correctly view their acquisition of outfielder Vernon Wells as one with little financial downside. But the move still raises the question of why the team wasn’t more aggressive on other players during the offseason, notably free-agent catcher Russell Martin. Insurance from the World Baseball Classic on first baseman Mark Teixeira — money that wasn’t available to the Yankees in November — will help defray most or perhaps even all of the cost of Wells in 2013. Martin, though, told the Yankees he was willing to accept a one-year contract in the $9 million to $10 million range, according to two major-league sources. When the Yankees balked, he agreed to a two-year, $17 million deal with the Pirates. A one-year deal for Martin would not have affected the Yankees’ desire to get under the $189 luxury-tax threshold in ’14. Instead, the Yankees will enter the season with two less proven catchers, Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart. Perhaps, one source suggested, the Yankees did not expect Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:25:00 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/explaining_the_wells_deal_and_yanks_loss_of_martin/13239247 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/explaining_the_wells_deal_and_yanks_loss_of_martin/13239247 Explaining the Wells deal - and Yanks' loss of Martin http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/explaining_the_wells_deal_and_yanks_loss_of_martin/13239247 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The Dodger Beast seemingly lurks at every turn. The latest concern for rival clubs stems from the stunning spring-training performance of outfielder Yasiel Puig — and not simply because the Dodgers’ $42 million investment soon might like a bargain. No, rival executives are concerned that Puig’s ascent eventually will help the Dodgers secure other top prospects. How? By pushing the Dodgers to trade one of their expensive corner outfielders, Carl Crawford or Andre Ethier, and secure additional young talent by paying most of that player’s contract as part of the deal. In other words, the Dodgers not only can outbid teams for stars, but also can buy their way out of mistakes and come out ahead. And, at a time when teams face new restrictions on spending for both domestic and international amateurs, the Dodgers’ financial might could give them a huge advantage in amassing top prospects. Such moves would be perfectly acceptable under the collective bargaining agreement, provided that commissioner Bu Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:10:10 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/puig_could_deliver_big_returns_in_more_ways_than_one/13233331 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/puig_could_deliver_big_returns_in_more_ways_than_one/13233331 Puig could deliver big returns — in more ways than one http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/puig_could_deliver_big_returns_in_more_ways_than_one/13233331 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png There is a measure of consolation for teams that lose players to injuries related to the World Baseball Classic — insurance from the WBC may cover those players’ salaries if they miss time during the regular season. In general, a player must miss at least 30 days for the coverage to apply, according to a major league source. Once he misses at least 30 days, his salary for the lost time will be covered in full, no matter how long he is out. Thus, the salaries of Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira and Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez will be covered while they are on the disabled list for their respective clubs. Teixeira suffered a torn tendon sheath in his right wrist before the tournament began while swinging a bat in a drill as a member of Team USA. Ramirez tore a ligament in his right thumb while playing in the championship game for the Dominican Republic. Ramirez required surgery and is expected to be out at least two months. Teixeira is expected to miss about the same out of time, but could be ou Sun, 24 Mar 2013 20:38:09 -0400 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/wbc_insurance_could_cover_mlb_teams_for_extended_injuries/13224415 http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/wbc_insurance_could_cover_mlb_teams_for_extended_injuries/13224415 WBC insurance could cover MLB teams for extended injuries http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/article/wbc_insurance_could_cover_mlb_teams_for_extended_injuries/13224415 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png