SB Nation - Merkin Valdez

Rangers outright Hurley, Beltre, three others

Adam J. Morris — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 20:40:51 -0000

The Rangers have made some 40 man roster moves, outrighting five players -- Eric Hurley, Omar Beltre, Esteban German, Andres Blanco, and Merkin Valdez -- from the 40 man roster.

Hurley and Beltre are the two moderate surprises. Both have seen their careers derailed because of injuries, and Beltre missed several years when he could not come into the United States after a marriage/visa scandal. Beltre was more highly regarded than similarly marooned Alexi Ogando when both were allowed back last season, although Ogando has been the pitcher who has blossomed since then.

All of these players will become free agents, although I suspect that the Rangers will have some level of interest in bringing each of them back. Beltre was the only player of the five with options remaining, so even if the Rangers had kept these guys on the 40 man roster all season, they'd either have to be on the major league roster to start the season or would have to clear waivers.

The Only Ex-Giant in the World Series

Grant Brisbee — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:07:07 -0000

There will be 50 players on a World Series roster this year. Only one of them has ever played for the Giants. That's hard to do. It's also a testament to just how crappy the team was before that skinny kid from Washington showed up.

The Rangers actually had three former Giants on the roster at one point this year. Strangely, though, Brett Tomko and Merkin Valdez didn't make it onto the postseason roster. Weird. They're probably injured or something.

The one player who did make it is one of the great Alternate Timeline Giants in franchise history. Maybe that will be a series for this offseason. What would have happened if the Giants kept George Foster? Would the Giants have won a championship in the '60s if they had anyone other than Hal Lanier? Hey, Candy, did you ever think about not diving?

For this era, though, there isn't a better Alternate Timeline Giant than Yorvit Torrealba.

In 2002, Torrealba was a 23-year-old catcher who hit .279/.355/.397 in 136 at-bats. That looks pretty good in retrospect, but his minor-league numbers never suggested he was that good. It was probably a sample-size fluke.

But the Giants loooooooove those small samples. Why, 136 at-bats is enough to get a definitive read on a player! Add in spring training stats, and you don't need any more stats for the player's career; they'd just be redundant. For whatever reason, though, the Giants weren't impressed with Torrealba holding his own. With Benito Santiago going elsewhere, the Giants never considered making Torrealba the starter. They traded for A.J. Pierzynski instead.

This is the big difference, then, about concocting an alternate timeline before 2010. Before the Giants won the World Series, here's how I assumed things would have gone:

Yorvit Torrealba starts at catcher

Joe Nathan stays

The 2004 Giants aren't messing around with Dustin Hermanson as the closer

The 2004 Giants make the playoffs because of Nathan

Barry Bonds hits eleventy home runs in the playoffs

The Giants win the World Series

The Giants win the World Series

The Giants win the World Series

They're goin' crazy. They're goin' crazy

In the dark of 2005 through 2008, I would think about this often, actually. This is because I'm a sad, sad little man.

But 2010 happened. Changed our perspective of everything, it did. Here, then, is the alternate timeline as I see it now:

Yorvit Torrealba starts at catcher

The 2004 Giants make the playoffs because of Joe Nathan

The Giants lose Game 7 of the NLCS because Nathan throws a pickoff throw into center field, and Tony Womack scores all the way from second

No, wait. The Giants lose Game 7 of the World Series when Bill Mueller hits a walk-off home run off Nathan at Fenway Park

Francisco Liriano makes the Giants an 80-81 team in 2006

The Giants select Michael Main with the 17th pick in the 2007 draft, a few picks after the Marlins select Madison Bumgarner

The Giants and Rangers can't agree on a prospect to make a Bengie Molina trade work in 2010. He remains the Giants' starting catcher. Not that it matters with Bumgarner on the Padres (traded by the Marlins for some goofball reliever like Cla Meredith)

No World Series win

Pain

More pain

We're free from the shackles of Yorvit-related what-ifs! Free from complaining about Francisco Liriano! Free, I tell you!

I'm not a fan of Yorvit -- too chirpy, and too hits-well-against-the-Giantsy -- but I'm not depressed by him anymore. In fact, I'm grateful. Thanks for not being a little bit better, Yorvit. Thanks for the Pierzynski trade. Thanks for not sticking around long enough to think, gee, maybe we don't need to draft a college catcher.

Thanks for doin' that Yorvit thing the most Yorvit way you knew how, Yorvit. We owe you one. Also, we'll never pay that debt because it's not like the Pierzynski thing was pleasant at all.

More Ranger Roster Moves

Adam J. Morris — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:41:02 -0000

The Rangers have made a series of roster moves today, the first day that active rosters can expand to 40 players. The moves:

Adrian Beltre and Andres Blanco have been activated from the disabled list

Infielder Esteban German has had his contract purchased from AAA Round Rock

Righthanded pitcher Merkin Valdez has had his contract purchased from AAA Round Rock

Omar Quintanilla has been outrighted to AAA Round Rock

Pedro Strop has been sent to Baltimore as the player to be named later in the Mike Gonzalez trade

With German and Valdez added and Strop and Quintanilla removed from the 40 man roster, the 40 man stays full at 40.

German was a September callup last year, and will provide the Rangers with insurance at second base and third base while also providing Ron Washington with a pinch runner late in games.

Valdez is a former top prospect (BA's #40 in 2004, #58 in 2005) who joined the Round Rock staff after opting out of his minor league deal with the Dodgers. He had a 2.35 ERA in 15.1 innings for the Express.

Same Old Vogelsong & Dance For Dodgers

Eric Stephen — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 05:13:02 -0000

Ryan Vogelsong had a chance to join Los Angeles this winter, but he didn't want to be a Dodger. Can you blame him? A four-run sixth inning by the Giants put the Dodgers away tonight, 5-0 losers in the opening game of a three-game set at AT&T Park in San Francisco. It was the third straight loss for the Dodgers.

Billingsley gave up a towering home run to Pablo Sandoval in the bottom of the fourth inning, a ball up around Sandoval's eyes that he crushed to right center field to give the Giants a 1-0 lead. The score was the same entering the bottom of the sixth inning, when Billingsley's night went south in a hurry. Three successive singles added a run to the Giants' ledger, then after a strikeout of Aubrey Huff, a double by Cody Ross and a single by Brandon Crawford added three more.

Vogelsong pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings for the win, and now that he has enough innings to qualify for the ERA title, he leads the National League with a 2.02 mark.

Reason To Still Watch

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Matt Kemp made, according to Vin Scully, "a catch Willie Mays would be proud of." Andres Torres hit the ball to just about the deepest part of the ballpark in center field, and Kemp somehow ran it down, catching the ball over is shoulder just before running into the padded wall. After seeing the replay and the crowd's stunned reaction to the play, Scully said of Kemp, "He has just become a giant, while still a Dodger."

Notes

Buster Posey was injured on May 25. Since then, his replacements at catcher for San Francisco have hit a collective .218/.309/.327 in 180 plate appearances. During that same span, Dodgers catchers have hit .197/.263/.280 in 176 PA.
Juan Uribe had two singles, his first multi-hit game in three weeks.
Rafael Furcal had a walk tonight, but went hitless in his three at-bats. Furcal is 0 for his last 18, and has three hits in his last 39 at-bats.
Relief pitcher Merkin Valdez opted out of his minor league contract today, and will be a free agent, per Chris Jackson of the Albuquerque Examiner. The 29-year old Valdez was 4-2 with a 3.58 ERA and four saves with Albuquerque this season, with 24 walks and 43 strikeouts in the hitter-happy Pacific Coast League.
The Dodgers won four of their first five games against the Giants this season, but have lost their last five encounters.
Rubby De La Rosa and Madison Bumgarner will do battle Tuesday night in the battle of Armenia.

WP - Ryan Vogelsong (7-1): 6 2/3 IP, 7 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts

LP - Chad Billingsley (8-8): 5 1/3 IP, 9 hits, 5 runs, 4 strikeouts

Box Score

Dodger Minor League Review : Trayvon Robinson Walks Off

Phil Gurnee — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 17:29:43 -0000

Minor League Player of the Day – Trayvon Robinson only had one hit but it was a big one so he gets the honor.

AAA – Trayvon Robinson hit a walk off home run in the bottom of the 10th to give the Isotopes and Merkin Valdez a 7 - 6 victory. Major League refugess, IDJ, Ellis, Mitchell, and Hoffman all collected two hits a piece. Sands could only find his way to one knock. Valdez deserved the win with two scoreless innings, striking out five with zero walks.

AA –El Camino Real's Savage won his seventh game behind the solid relief work of future Dodger's Shawn Tolleson and Aames. Savage went 6 2/3 giving up two runs, and the boys finished it off with 2 1/2 scoreless innings. Tolleson is no longer striking everyone out but he's also not letting anyone score having given up only one run in his five appearances. Alfredo Silverio once again paced the offense with two hits. Alfredo has a 1.053 OPS in his last ten games. For the season Silverio now has 31 extra base hits, with his 10 triples just jumping out at you. My apologies to Kevin Goldstein.

HiA – Wilborn blew a fine start by Andres Santiago as the Lookouts lose 5 - 3. Santiago gave Wilborn a 3 - 2 lead in with two outs in the 7th but by the time the 9th was done Wilborn had given up three runs in his 2 1/3 innings of work.

LoA – Loons were crushed 20 - 2. Nuff said

DSL – Phil don't do DSL

Albuquerque Isotopes Box Score (AAA)

Chattanooga Lookouts Box Score (AA)

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes Box Score (HiA)

Great Lakes Loons Box Score (LoA)

Dominican Dodgers Box Score (DSL)

http://firstinning.com/daily/la

Wednesday Pebble Report: Sky Sox Come From Behind With Ten Run Ninth

Andrew T. Fisher — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:00:48 -0000

Eye On - Ben Paulsen - AA 1B

If catcher Jordan Pacheco impressed the most in Spring Training, first basemen #23 PuRP Ben Paulsen (2009, 3rd round) was second. The left-handed hitter went 11-for-24 with four triples, a home run, four walks and just four strikeouts. This came after a solid season in Modesto in 2010: .313/.354/.476 with 12 home runs. Many wanted to tab him as Todd Helton's heir just two months ago, but he hasn't created any buzz after heading east to Tulsa.

In 40 games for the Drillers, Paulsen is hitting just .235/.299/.370 with five home runs. His numbers aren't deflated by a recent slump either - quite the contracy. The left-handed slugger has just eight multi-hit games this year, and three of them came in his last three games, capped with a 3-for-5 performance Monday with a home run. Hopefully, it is a sign of things to come.

AAA Colorado Springs - W 15-6 (19-27, 4th, 8.0 GB)

Monday night, the Sky Sox rallied late and came up one run short against the Albuquerque Isotopes. Tuesday, they would leave no doubt in their comeback. Down one run in the ninth inning with Merkin Valdez (he of SpillySlam fame) on the hill, the Sky Sox put TEN runs on eight hits on the board. At one point, ten consecutive batters reached base. Here is how it happened.

Eric Young singles to second base.

Charlie Blackmon pops out.

Chris Nelson hit by pitch.

Matt Macri doubles to right field. Score tied 6-6.

Josh Fields intentionally walks .

Eliezer Alfonzo singles to left field. Sky Sox lead 7-6.

Jordan Pacheco singles to center felder. Sky Sox lead 8-6.

Willy Taveras doubles right field. Sky Sox lead 10-6.

Matt Pagnozzi singles to center field. Sky Sox lead 12-6.

Eric Young singles to center field.

Charlie Blackmon homers to right field. Sky Sox lead 15-6.

Chris Nelson walks.

Matt Macri grounds into double play.

Ian Stewart went 0-for-2 with a strikeout, dropping him to just 4-for-17 with NINE strikeouts since his demotion. I haven't discovered why he was replaced after just two plate appearances. #12 PuRP Rex Brothers (2009, sandwich) worked a hitless eighth inning for the win. Eric Young Jr. (2003, 30th round) reached base in all six of his plate appearances, while #7 PuRP Charlie Blackmon (2008, 2nd round) went 3-for-5 with 4 RBI and that ninth inning big fly.

The rest of the minor league system had the day off. According to Tulsa pitchers Rob Scahill and Christian Friedrich, the air conditioning in the team hotel in Midland, Texas broke last night, leaving Scahill coming up with creative ways to stay cool.

AA Tulsa Off Day (22-16, 1st)

The Drillers were one of three Rockies affiliates to have an off day yesterday. #2 PuRP Wilin Rosario (2008, DR FA) and his teammates traveled from Tulsa to Midland for a three game series against the Rock Hounds (Athletics). #3 PuRP Christian Friedrich (2008, 1st round) will get the start, looking to build on his steadily decent performances of late. Hopefully Friedrich got enough sleep in his hot hotel room.

High-A Modesto Off Day (21-24, t-4th, 6.0 GB)

The Nuts got a travel day to head out to High Desert to commence a 4-game set against the Mavericks (Mariners). The starting pitchers have not been decided for either side.

Low-A Asheville Off Day (20-25, 4th, 2.5 GB)

The Tourists had an off day and traveled to Hagerstown to open a four game series at the Suns (Nationals), whose 28-16 record is best in the South Atlantic League. Asheville's starter has yet to be determined.

De La Rosa, Sands Share Jim And Dearie Mulvey Award

Eric Stephen — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 23:55:31 -0000

For the first time in the 43-year history of the award, the Jim and Dearie Mulvey Award, given annually to the top rookie in Dodgers' spring training camp, went to two players. The award, which is voted on by coaches, went to Rubby De La Rosa and Jerry Sands, who won the organizational minor league pitcher and player of the year, respectively, in 2010.

De La Rosa gets the call to start tonight, in the Dodgers' final exhibition game, at Dodger Stadium against the Mariners. In 14 spring innings, De La Rosa has a 3.21 ERA with three walks and 10 strikeouts.

Lineups

Mariners		Dodgers
RF	Ichiro	SS	Furcal
2B	Figgins	2B	Carroll
LF	Bradley	RF	Ethier
DH	Cust	CF	Kemp
1B	Smoak	3B	Uribe
CF	Langerhans	1B	Loney
SS	Ryan	LF	Thames
2B	Wilson	C	Gimenez
C	Moore	P	Rubby

Erik Bedard, who is back from injury and the fourth starter for Seattle, gets the start tonight for the Mariners. Also scheduled to pitch for Seattle are Tom Wilhelmsen, Brandon League, and Chris Ray.

Notes

Clayton Kershaw will donate $100 for every strikeout this season to Arise Africa, "a non-profit organization dedicated to helping end poverty on the continent through health care, education, business and discipleship." Kershaw and his wife Ellen took a trip to Zambia in December, where they helped build a school and raised money for an orphanage.
The same 11 players from minor league camp that have suited up the last two nights will also be in uniform tonight: Dee Gordon (wearing uniform number 70), Jerry Sands (68), Corey Smith (98), Allen Webster (88), Randy Keisler (91), Justin Sellers (72), Matt Wallach (87), Michael Antonini (92), Steven Ames (93), Jon Huber (71), and Merkin Valdez (97).
In case you missed it earlier, Fernando Valenzuela will throw out the ceremonial first pitch on opening day tomorrow night against the Giants.
Among the Giants Kershaw will face Thursday night is Brandon Belt, the rookie who won the first base job for San Francisco. Kershaw and Belt were competitors growing up in Texas, both graduating high school in 2006. Guillermo Mota also made the Giants.

Game Time: 7:10 p.m. PST

TV: None, though the game will be shown online at Dodgers.com.

MLB Gameday

Chad Billingsley Reportedly Close To Three-Year Extension

Eric Stephen — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:12:43 -0000

Say whatever you want about the Dodgers, but at the very least they will have Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley together at the top of the rotation for at least four more seasons. The Dodgers are close to signing Billingsley to a three-year contract extension, according to several sources. The deal was first reported by Joe McDonnell of Fox Sports Radio (hat tip to Roberto Baly of Vin Scully is My Homeboy for the link).

The deal would cover 2012-2014, buying out Billingsley's final year of arbitration, plus two years of free agency, per Tony Jackson of ESPN LA. In addition, there could be an option for a potential third year of free agency, in 2015. Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times says the total value of the deal, including the option buyout, is between $35-36 million, and that the value of the option is still being negotiated.

That value fits in nicely with the Ricky Nolasco three-year contract signed this winter. Back in December I advocated the Dodgers use Nolasco's deal as a template for a potential Billingsley deal since they were on the same salary growth path. However, that was before Billingsley signed a one-year deal for $6.275 million for 2011, avoiding arbitration. Here's a comparison of salaries between the two pitchers over the last few years, including my guess as to the breakdown of Billingsley's deal:

Year	Nolasco	Billingsley
Arb	$3.8m	$3.85m
Arb	$6m	$6.275m
Arb	$9.5m	$9.5m
FA	$11m	$12m
FA	---	$13.5m
FA	---	$1m buyout

The final two years of Nolasco's deal, covering one arbitration year and one year of free agency, pay a total of $20.5 million. Add in a slight bump for Billingsley for those two seasons, and there's the framework for a deal.

Frankly, this is great news for the Dodgers. The only multi-year deals given in the past few years to the core of players have been two-year deals to Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, and Jonathan Broxton, but none of those deals bought out any free agency years. For Billingsley, he gets the financial security of a multi-year deal, and he still gets to be a free agent at age 30 or 31.

Tonight's Game

The Dodgers host the first leg of the two-game Freeway Series with the Angels. Ted Lilly will make his final spring start, and will be followed by Jonathan Broxton, Matt Guerrier, Hong-Chih Kuo, Mike MacDougal and Kenley Jansen.

Ervin Santana starts for the Angels. Fernando Rodney and Jason Bulger are also scheduled to pitch for the Angels.

Lineups

Angels		Dodgers
2B	Izturis	SS	Furcal
1B	Kendrick	LF	Gwynn
LF	Abreu	RF	Ethier
RF	Hunter	CF	Kemp
3B	Callaspo	1B	Loney
SS	Aybar	3B	Uribe
CF	Bourjos	C	Barajas
C	Wilson	2B	Carroll
P	Santana	P	Lilly

Notes

Before the game, manager Don Mattingly told reporters that Jay Gibbons "is still not seeing the baseball the way he needs to. Its going to be tough to count on him for Opening Day"
In addition, Mattingly said he was leaning toward starting Jamey Carroll at second base and Tony Gwynn Jr. in left field on opening day.
Casey Blake is back in Arizona rehabbing his back, and he homered today, per DodgerTalk's Joe Block
There are 11 minor leaguers are in uniform for tonight's game: Dee Gordon (70), Jerry Sands (68), Corey Smith (98), Allen Webster (88), Randy Keisler (91), Justin Sellers (72), Matt Wallach (87), Michael Antonini (92), Steven Ames (93), Jon Huber (71) and Merkin Valdez (97)

**********

Game Time: 7:05 p.m. PST

TV: KCAL

MLB Gameday