Oakland Athletics LHP Dallas Braden has suffered a setback in his recovery from shoulder surgery with a left shoulder strain. The strain was suffered while he was playing catch following a bullpen session before the team traveled to Japan to open the season against Seattle. Before the setback, Braden was expected to return by May.
The 28-year-old Braden underwent left shoulder surgery last May to repair a torn capsule after going 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in three starts. He went 11-14 with a 3.50 ERA in 30 starts in 2010. Braden was on a throwing program this Spring, but had yet to appear in an exhibition game.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Atlanta, Cincinnati swap Prospects
Atlanta has acquired 3B Juan Francisco from Cincinnati in exchange for RHP J. J. Hoover. Francisco was ranked as Cincinnati's top-ranked power-hitting prospect by Baseball America in 2011. Last season he batted .307 with 15 homers and a .334 on-base percentage for Louisville and also batted .258 with three homers and a .289 on-base percentage with Cincinnati.
Francisco is out of options and was about to be cut by Cincinnati, which is why he was traded as opposed to waived of outrighted, and he is expected to crack the Opening Day roster for Atlanta and should get some starts in place of injured 3B Chipper Jones. Francisco lost out on the job to back up 3B Scott Rolen to IF Todd Frazier and had no place on the team. Hoover had a 2.64 ERA in the Minors last season and has gone 25-19 with a 3.14 ERA in his Minor League career.
Francisco is out of options and was about to be cut by Cincinnati, which is why he was traded as opposed to waived of outrighted, and he is expected to crack the Opening Day roster for Atlanta and should get some starts in place of injured 3B Chipper Jones. Francisco lost out on the job to back up 3B Scott Rolen to IF Todd Frazier and had no place on the team. Hoover had a 2.64 ERA in the Minors last season and has gone 25-19 with a 3.14 ERA in his Minor League career.
Cain Signs $127.5 Million Extension with San Francisco
RHP Matt Cain will be staying in San Francisco for the time being. And why not, Cain has been an All-Star, second ace to RHP Tim Lincecum, and postseason hero in the Bay Area. And now Cain has been awarded a big contract for his contributions, past, present, and future.
The extension has netted Cain $127.5 million over the next six years, a record for a right-handed pitcher. Cain had already been guaranteed $12 million this season, but was due to become a free agent at the end of the season. The extension also gives Cain a vesting option for 2018 if he reaches 200 innings pitched in 2017 and/or pitches a combined 400 innings pitched combined in 2016 and 2017.
This long extension comes after Lincecum agreed to a two-year, $40 million extension earlier this off-season. Oh by the way, Cain's record deal for a righty is also the third biggest contract of all-time for a pitcher, behind the ones awarded LHP Johan Santana of the Mets and LHP C. C. Sabathia of the Yankees. The second-largest contract ever awarded a righty was RHP Kevin Brown's seven-year, $105 million contract awarded him by the Dodgers in 1998.
Cain, only 27, went 12-11 with a 2.88 ERA last season and reached 200 innings pitched for the fifth season in a row, after not allowing a run all postseason in 2010 when San Francisco won the World Series. Cain and his agents had intimated that he wanted "fair value" from whatever team gave him a contract, and he was awarded similar money to that of LHP Cliff Lee of Philadelphia and LHP C. J. Wilson and RHP Jerad Weaver of the Angels. GM Brian Sabean said that the contract talks with Cain and his agents were constant and professional.
And look out Philadelphia fans, LHP Cole Hamels now figures to be the top free agent pitcher this season, and he'll probably want a bigger contract than Cain. Not that San Francisco is worried about that, or were they worried about spending top-dollar for Cain, after they signed free agent bust LHP Barry Zito to a seven-year, $126 million deal in 2007. And Cain isn't worried about either of those two things, he's just happy to be staying in San Francisco.
The extension has netted Cain $127.5 million over the next six years, a record for a right-handed pitcher. Cain had already been guaranteed $12 million this season, but was due to become a free agent at the end of the season. The extension also gives Cain a vesting option for 2018 if he reaches 200 innings pitched in 2017 and/or pitches a combined 400 innings pitched combined in 2016 and 2017.
This long extension comes after Lincecum agreed to a two-year, $40 million extension earlier this off-season. Oh by the way, Cain's record deal for a righty is also the third biggest contract of all-time for a pitcher, behind the ones awarded LHP Johan Santana of the Mets and LHP C. C. Sabathia of the Yankees. The second-largest contract ever awarded a righty was RHP Kevin Brown's seven-year, $105 million contract awarded him by the Dodgers in 1998.
Cain, only 27, went 12-11 with a 2.88 ERA last season and reached 200 innings pitched for the fifth season in a row, after not allowing a run all postseason in 2010 when San Francisco won the World Series. Cain and his agents had intimated that he wanted "fair value" from whatever team gave him a contract, and he was awarded similar money to that of LHP Cliff Lee of Philadelphia and LHP C. J. Wilson and RHP Jerad Weaver of the Angels. GM Brian Sabean said that the contract talks with Cain and his agents were constant and professional.
And look out Philadelphia fans, LHP Cole Hamels now figures to be the top free agent pitcher this season, and he'll probably want a bigger contract than Cain. Not that San Francisco is worried about that, or were they worried about spending top-dollar for Cain, after they signed free agent bust LHP Barry Zito to a seven-year, $126 million deal in 2007. And Cain isn't worried about either of those two things, he's just happy to be staying in San Francisco.
Votto Signs ten-year, $225 Million Extension
Arguably the biggest off-season splash in the history of the Cincinnati Reds organization came when they acquired CF Ken Griffey Jr. in a trade with Seattle shortly before the start of the 2000 season. But that won't be the case for much longer. 1B Joey Votto has told reporters that he is close to signing a ten-year, $225 million extension with the team.
If true and the numbers are correct, this would be the fourth largest deal in MLB history, not adjusted for inflation. And the 28-year-old Votto will be the third first baseman to sign a $200-million contract in the past four months, joining 1B Albert Pujols of the Angels and 1B Prince Fielder of Detroit. Before this off-season, the only player to ever crack the $200 million mark was IF Alex Rodriguez, who did so twice, once as a shortstop with Texas in 2001 and a second time as a third baseman with the Yankees in 2007.
Just for reference, Votto was already set to make $9.5 million this season and $17 million in 2013. Also, by opting to build around Votto, this probably means that 2B Brandon Phillips will not be retained by Cincinnati when he becomes a free agent at the end of this season. The 30-year-old Phillips will more likely get a three-year contract in the off-season, most likely somewhere outside of Cincinnati.
If true and the numbers are correct, this would be the fourth largest deal in MLB history, not adjusted for inflation. And the 28-year-old Votto will be the third first baseman to sign a $200-million contract in the past four months, joining 1B Albert Pujols of the Angels and 1B Prince Fielder of Detroit. Before this off-season, the only player to ever crack the $200 million mark was IF Alex Rodriguez, who did so twice, once as a shortstop with Texas in 2001 and a second time as a third baseman with the Yankees in 2007.
Just for reference, Votto was already set to make $9.5 million this season and $17 million in 2013. Also, by opting to build around Votto, this probably means that 2B Brandon Phillips will not be retained by Cincinnati when he becomes a free agent at the end of this season. The 30-year-old Phillips will more likely get a three-year contract in the off-season, most likely somewhere outside of Cincinnati.
Spring Training cuts
Boston made an important Spring Training cut today, optioning C Ryan Lavarnway to Pawtucket. There was some speculation that Lavarnway - a top prospect who has torn up Minor League pitching and has looked capable of making the next step to the Majors - would be awarded the starting catcher's job over incumbent C Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
The Mets have also gone through their most recent wave of cuts, beginning on Thursday when they optioned SS Jordany Valdespin to Buffalo. On Friday, they then optioned RHP Chris Schwinden to Buffalo. In addition, the team signed LF Bobby Scales, who was released in Spring Training by the Cubs, to a Minor League contract today.
The Yankees have also been tweaking their roster since last Tuesday, when they claimed C Craig Tatum on waivers from Arizona and signed 1B Steve Pearce - a free agent who had been released by Minnesota this Spring - to a Minor League contract. On Thursday, they outrighted Tatum to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He has the option of refusing the assignment and becoming a free agent. And today, they signed RHP Jason Bulger - who had been released by Minnesota this Spring - to a Minor League contract.
The Mets have also gone through their most recent wave of cuts, beginning on Thursday when they optioned SS Jordany Valdespin to Buffalo. On Friday, they then optioned RHP Chris Schwinden to Buffalo. In addition, the team signed LF Bobby Scales, who was released in Spring Training by the Cubs, to a Minor League contract today.
The Yankees have also been tweaking their roster since last Tuesday, when they claimed C Craig Tatum on waivers from Arizona and signed 1B Steve Pearce - a free agent who had been released by Minnesota this Spring - to a Minor League contract. On Thursday, they outrighted Tatum to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He has the option of refusing the assignment and becoming a free agent. And today, they signed RHP Jason Bulger - who had been released by Minnesota this Spring - to a Minor League contract.
Santana Named Opening Day Starter
LHP Johan Santana has been named the Opening Day starter by the Mets. He learned that he would be given the Opening Day assignment during a meeting with manager Terry Collins on Thursday. The rest of the rotation will include RHP R. A. Dickey, LHP Jon Niese, RHP Mike Pelfrey, and RHP Dillon Gee.
There had been doubt about Santana's availability all Spring as he hasn't pitched in the Majors for 19 months, and that doubt was reinforced as he left an exhibition game with shoulder soreness last week, but his strong bullpen session yesterday convinced Collins that he was ready to go.
There had been doubt about Santana's availability all Spring as he hasn't pitched in the Majors for 19 months, and that doubt was reinforced as he left an exhibition game with shoulder soreness last week, but his strong bullpen session yesterday convinced Collins that he was ready to go.
Robinson's son Commits to Notre Dame
Corey Robinson has committed to Notre Dame. He picked Notre Dame over Iowa, Navy, Wake Forest, North Carolina, and Kansas. The wide receiver is the son of NBA Hall of Famer David Robinson.
It appears that Wake Forest was Robinson's second pick. He committed to Notre Dame after visiting the school on Junior Day and meeting with academic advisers.
It appears that Wake Forest was Robinson's second pick. He committed to Notre Dame after visiting the school on Junior Day and meeting with academic advisers.
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