SB Nation - Juan Salas

Behind the Prospects

FreeZorilla — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:00:08 -0000

More photos » by Lynne Sladky - AP

Every season and every draft we get very excited about our prospects. Obviously, its somewhat a crap shoot trying to figure out who will pan out and who will not. Who will make it through the farm system unscathed by injury? What level will some of these prospects fizzle out? Let's take a fun look at BaseballAmerica's 2008 top 31 Rays prospect list.

Evan Longoria graduated from the list and has fully integrated himself as one of the best players in the majors. Other players reappeared on the 2009 list and have offered contributions to the major league club such as David Price, Jeff Niemann, and Reid Brignac.

The following names also reappear on the 2009 prospects and remain in the farm system: Wade Davis, Jake McGee, Desmond Jennings, Nick Barnese, Jeremy Hellickson, John Jaso, Fernando Perez, Heath Rollins, Mitch Talbot, Alex Cobb, Ryan Royster, and Justin Ruggiano.

Aside from the 2008 draftees, other names have played themselves onto the 2009 prospct list. These names are: Matt Moore, Albert Suarez, Reid Fronk, Chris Luck, Joseph Cruz, Alexander Colome, Kyeong Kang, Shawn O'Malley, and Mayo Acosta.

So what happened to the other fifteen names that disappeared from 2008's Top 31 list. Sit back, as DRB presents Behind the Prospect.

Chris Mason

The Buildup: In 2007, then 23 year old RHP Chris Mason went 15-4 with a 2.57 ERA in AA ball with a FIP of 3.10 earning him the #10 Rays prospect slot from BaseballAmerica.

The Prospect: Things did not go so well for Mason, as he went 3-10 for Durham in 2008 with a FIP of 5.09. This was driven by an increase in HR/9 from .39 to 1.57.

Where is he now? Mason in back in AA ball with the Rays struggling to regain his 2007 form. His K/9 is at 5.02 down from 7.59 in 2007. He is FIPping 4.32. He made a spot start in Durham earlier this year with largely the same results as last year giving up 8 hits and 4 runs in 4 innings including a HR.

Glenn Gibson

The Buildup: The Rays traded Elijah Dukes for a former 4^th rd southpaw in the Nationals organization, Glenn Gibson. Gibson had posted FIPs of .87 and 2.75 in A- ball prior to being acquired. His K/9 of 9 earned him the #11 Prospect position in 2008.

The Prospect: While still playing in A- ball, Gibson saw his BB/9 rise from 2.33 to 5.82. In 22 games in class A, he 4-8 with a 7.22 ERA for Columbus. His FIP was 5.58.

Where is he now? Gibson will once again find himself in A- ball, trying to reestablish himself with the Hudson Valley Renegades.

Juan Salas

The Buildup: In 2007, The Juice took the Durham Bulls by storm with a K/9 of 12.46 and a FIP of 1.47. He pitched most of 2007 with the big league club pitching in 35 games which proved to be a rough go around. His K/9 fell to 6.44 with K:BB of 1.53. Nonetheless he was listed as the #12 prospect in 2008.

The Prospect: In 2008, he was once again excellent in Durham striking out over 10 per 9 with a K/BB of 4.82. His FIP was an attractive 2.28. He finished the year with the Rays pitching 6.1 innings striking out 8 while walking 4.

Where is he now? The Rays traded Salas in February for minor league infielder Isiaias Valasquez. The Indians released Salas in May. Salas was a converted third baseman who had issues with a falsified birth certificate and a PED suspension. In 2008, he had seizure issues and a visa problem.

Eduardo Morlan

The Buildup: Morlan, a RHP, was selected by the Twins in the 3^rd rd of the 2004 amateur draft. Morlan was a stud on the Minnesota farm system tearing up A and A+ ball with FIPs of 2.80 and 2.65 along with K/9s of 10.58 and 12.61 in 2006-07. He was included in the deal that brought over a head case named Matt Garza and an error prone shortstop named Jason Bartlett. Morlan, along with his near 100 MPH fastball, was named the #15 prospect in the Rays organization.

The Prospect: Morlan battled shoulder issues that shut him down for most of the first half of 2008 in Montgomery. He finished the season with a 3.80 FIP but his K/9 were greatly reduced from 12.61 to 8.62.

Where is he now? Morlan was chosen by the Brewers in the 2008 Rule 5 draft. However, he was designated for assignment in Spring Training and returned to the Rays. He is once again pitching for Montgomery with a FIP to date of 4.02 while his K/9 is down to 8.15.

Josh Butler

The Buildup: The RHP was a 2^nd round selection in 2006 draft out of the University of San Diego. He fared well through A- and A ball before slowing down the second half of 2007 after being boosted to A+ ball. He was promising enough to earn Baseball America's #16 prospect ranking.

The Prospect: Butler made 3 starts for the Rays in A+ in 2008 posting a FIP of 4.02 and striking out 5.29/9. He was then traded to Milwaukee for Gabe Gross, a key cog in the Rays 2008 AL Championship run. Butler went on to struggle in A+ ball for Milwaukee with a FIP of 5.07. He struggled with his control as his walk rate climbed to 4.37/9.

Where is he now? Butler has had a solid year for the Brewers. He has made 9 stats in A+ ball, 1 start at AA, and 3 starts at AAA. In double A and triple A combined he has struck out 21 batters in 21 innings while walking just 2. His FIPs are 3.53/2.20/3.53 from A+ to AAA in 2009.

James Houser

The Buildup: Houser was drafted in the 2^nd round of the 2003 draft out of Sarasota High School. BaseballAmerica immediately named the southpaw the #4 prospect in the organization. Houser began his ascension through the farm system one year at a time from 2005-07 going from A ball to AA in Montgomery. In Montgomery, the still 22 year old Houser posted a FIP of 3.99. Following 2007, he was ranked as the #18 prospect.

The Prospect: Houser stuck around in AA and took a step backwards as his K/9 fell from 7.81 to 7.25 while his BB/9 rose from 3.39 to 3.82.

Where is he now? Despite the setback , Houser was promoted to Durham where he has really struggled. In 12 starts his BB/9 has increased up to 6.43 while his K/9 is down to 5.3. His FIP is 6.11.

Matt Walker

The Buildup: Walker was the Ray's 1th round pick in 2004. He got off to a very fast start at Princeton for an 18 year old striking posting a K/9 of 10.8 and a 2.64 FIP. The right hander with a big curveball struggled somewhat with control in 2006 with a K:BB of 1.66 at A Ball. In 2007 at the A+ level Walker declined greatly walking 7.71/9 innings. During the same year, his best friend was killed in a house fire. Still, Walker was young and earned the #20 prospect ranking for 2008.

The Prospect: Walker continued to struggle with his control in a repeat of A+ ball walking 6.35/9 while FIPping 5.43 before he was suspended for 50 games for amphetamines.

Where is he Now? Walker was released by the Rays in May and has not been picked up by another team.

Mike McCormick

The Buildup: McCormick, a catcher was selected out of high school in the 5th round of the 2005 draft. McCormick had a solid season in rookie ball for a high schooler putting up a slash of .252/.339/.441. In 2006, also at Princeton, the right hander improved his OPS to .864. IN 2007 he converted from 3B to catcher at Hudson Valley where he continued to mash with an OPS of .821 with 8 HR. He was named as a representative in the NY-Penn League's all star game. BA selected McCormick as their #21 prospect in 2008.

The Prospect: McCormick slowed down in A Ball with a slash line of .216/.276/.365 with 13 HR. He struggled mightily against left handed pitching OPSing just .536.

Where is he now?: McCormick is in Bowling Green in Class A where his numbers have continued to decline. He is OPSing just .511 on the season with a K% north or 30%.

Will Kline

The Buildup: Will Kline was drafted with the first pick in the 2nd round of the 2007 draft out of Ole Miss. The right handed pitcher had already undergone a Tommy John surgery but recovered to have a successful college career. Kline had a fair debut in A ball with a FIP of 4.37 with a K/9 of 8.38. BA listed him as the #23 prospect for 2008.

The Prospect: Kline missed all of 2008 with a shoulder injury which was his second major surgery on his throwing arm. It is unclear how he will recover.

Where is He Now? raysprospects.com believes Kline will either make his return with Bowling Green or Charlotte.

Wade Townsend

The Buildup: Townsend was the Rays first round selection in 2005 out of Rice University. The right hander had been selected 8th overall in 0-4 by the Orioles but instead returned to Rice. Townsend struggled as a 22 year old in Hudson Valley mostly with velocity and control as he walked 5.36/9. His FIP came out to 5.17.Townsend was forced to miss all of the 2006 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He made his return in 2007 in A ball where he posted a FIP of 5.39. His numbers were pretty poor but his draft stock still left him at BA's #24 prospect.

The Prospect: Townsend began the year in AA with Montgomery where his struggles were much worse. His FIP rose to 6.82 allowing 17 walks and 17 strikeouts in 23.2 innings. He also was tagged for 5 home runs. He quickly was demoted to A+ ball where he did post a more respectable but not buzz worthy 4.69. Townsend underwent shoulder surgery in the Fall and is expected to miss all of 2009.

Where is He Now? Townsend is expected to miss all of 2009. Wikipedia actually has Townsend retiring on today's day of June 23. 2009 though I have been unable to confirm it.

Nevin Ashley

The buildup: Ashley was selected in the 6th round of the 2006 draft. The right handed hitting catcher tore up rookie ball with a slash of .333/.440/.477 with 4 HR. He also threw out 12 of 23 base stealers. In 2007, Ashley found himself in A ball where he went for .280/.354/.431 with 12 HR and 20 steals. Ashley was named as a South Atlantic all star representative. He was named as the #26 prospect by BA.

The Prospect: Ashley began to slow down in 2008 at A+ ball where he batted .235/.348./315. He did walk a very nice 13% of appearances but his slugging disappeared.

Where is he Now? Ashley began the year in Charlotte in A+ ball batting .212/,293/.314. He was nonetheless named to the All Star team. However he was promoted to AA Montgomery before the All Star Game. To date in Montgomery he is batting .132/.313/.158. Ashley was been slow to prove he can provide slugging at the advanced levels of the minor leagues. He has also struck out in 12 of his first 35 at-bats in AA.

Rhyne Hughes

The Buildup: The 1B Hughes was selected in the 8th round out of community college in the 2004 draft. The left hander performed well in 2005 in Hudson Valley putting up a slash of .279/.335/.470 with 8 HR. In 2006 at A ball Hughes hit for a disappointing .231/.294/.321 with only 3 HR. He would really develop in 2007 playing most of the year at A+ Vero Beach going for .331/.392/.516 with 12 HR. Hughes won the batting title and was named the FSL's best defensive 1st baseman by BaseballAmerica. Hughes had a cup of coffee in August at Montgomery in AA OPSing .804. He was named BA's #28 prospect for 2008.

The Prospect: Hughes played all of 2008 at Montgomery posting a slash of.268/.356/.448 with 14 HR. His K% rose to 28.4%. All in all pretty respectable stuff. However, split became a factor as Hughes batted only .165 with an OPS of .622 vs LHP.

Where is he now? Hughes once again remained in Montgomery to begin the year, but he took the league by storm forcing a promotion to Durham. He posted a .260/.351/.521. His OPS vs lefties improved to .712. He led the Southern League in HR at the time of his promotion with 15. He has handled the promotion well going .288/.327/.500 since being called up. Hughes K% did climb in AA to 35.4%, but he has it back down to 24.5% in Durham. Hughes still deserves the prospect label.

Joel Guzman

The Buildup: Guzman arrived as the headliner in a package deal for Julio Lugo. Guzman is a large 3B standing 6'6 250 Lbs. The former international free agent played at Durham in 2007 hitting .243/.281/.308 with 16 HR. Guzman was a free swinger with a BB% of 5.3% and a K% of 28.3%. He had a 16 game call up with the big league club where he OPSed .660. BA named him the #29 prospect.

The Prospect: Guzman played all of 2008 in Durham where he did OPS .714 while hitting 2o HR.

Where is he now? Guzman was signed away as a free agent by the Nationals. He began the year in AAA where he OPSed a beastly .293 in 12 games before being demoted to AA. He has done well in AA OPSing .774 while getting his K% all the way down to 14.6% when it has been in the mid-20s all of his career.

D.J. Jones

The Buildup: Jones was a toolsy high schooler from Alabama selected in the 11th round of the 2007 draft. Based on his tools, he was named BA's #30 prospect in the Rays organization.

The Prospect: Jones was 21 on opening day for Princeton in 2008. His overall slash was extremely mediocre at .229/.297/.306. He did fare much better in his 25 at-bats vs left handed pitching OPSing .810. His struggles vs the righties is a bit surprising given that he is a lefty.

Where is he now: Jones season just got underway in Hudson Valley. To date, he is 1-6 with 3 Ks.

David Newmann

The Buildup: Newmann, a 6'2 lefty, was selected in the fourth round of the 2007 draft out of Texas A&M. He had missed all of 2006 with Tommy John surgery at A&M, but rebounded to go 11-1 with a 2.98 ERA as a senior. Newmann was named the #31 prospect in 2008 by BA.

The Prospect: Tough luck Newmann tore a knee ligament in Spring Training and missed the entire season.

Where is he now? Tomorrow Newmann will turn 24. He has pitched extremely well for Charlotte this season in A+ ball and has put himself back on the prospect map. He is FIPping 2.94 with 65 strikeouts in 61.2 innings while allowing 23 walks. He is inducing an attractive 61% ground balls. Unfortunately, Newmann went on the 7 day disabled list last week with a finger injury. He is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Transactions: The Wheel of Relievers

Ryan — Tue, 19 May 2009 03:07:28 -0000

More photos » by Reinhold Matay - AP

David Huff, the latest in a long list of recent pitching moves.

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If you haven't heard, the Indians have had some problems with their bullpen. And in the absence of any real fixes, the Indians have been trying anything and everything in the hopes of blundering onto at least a couple of hidden gems.

5-6-09

Optioned LHP Rafael Perez to Columbus (AAA)

Released RHP Juan Salas

Purchased the Contract of RHP Matt Herges and Recalled him from Columbus (AAA)

Rafael Perez is I think the epicenter of this year's bullpen disaster. He's struggled from Opening Day, and because of his very good history of relief, not to mention being (until recently) the only left-hander in the bullpen, got many chances to give up key runs. He was at times the only thing preventing last year's bullpen from total collapse, throwing 76.1 innings behind a very good starting staff. This year, without a competent Perez or as good a starting staff, we've seen a total bullpen collapse. He's made four appearances in Columbus, but the main work is being done with personal instruction, not game action.

The Indians claimed Juan Salas off waivers late in Spring Training, but he didn't pitch a game in the organization, and the Indians didn't even bother to send him through waivers.

Matt Herges has probably been the best of the bullpen call-ups. His best years as a reliever were with the Dodgers around the turn of the century, but he had a nice 2007 season for the pennant-winning Rockies. In 2008 it looked like he was through, allowing 79 hits in 64.1 innings, and could only sign a minor-league deal with the Indians. His few appearances for the Clippers weren't that impressive, but the beggarly Indians couldn't afford to be choosy. And at that point, they weren't looking for dominance, just innings. Herges has given up two home runs in his 5 appearances with the Indians, but his strikeout/walk ratio is 10:1, and those gaudy numbers have earned him a prominent position in the bullpen. For this week.

5-7-09

Designated RHP Vinnie Chulk for Assignment

Outrighted IF Tony Graffanino to Columbus (AAA)

Recalled LHP Jeremy Sowers from Columbus (AAA)

This move was supposed to help shore up the bullpen, for Sowers was to take the place of Aaron Laffey in the rotation, and Laffey was to move to the bullpen. In theory it was a terrible tactical move, for the Indians were not only putting more pressure on the bullpen by downgrading the rotation, but not getting the most out of Laffey, who would be throwing less innings. In reality, the Indians didn't have any credible options in the bullpen, so they had to turn a starter into a reliever. For the most part, Laffey has given the Indians what they were looking for: he's gone multiple innings when called upon, saving what little effectiveness is in the bullpen for more higher-leverage situations. But now the Indians have a problem with their rotation, which we'll look at later.

Vinnie Chulk was impressive in March, but not in April and May, when the games count in the standings.

5-12-09

Reinstated IF Jamey Carroll from 15-day Disabled List

Optioned IF Josh Barfield to Columbus (AAA)

Carroll's return to Cleveland precipitated the Jhonny-to-third experiment, since the Indians now had good depth at second base and a need to improve their infield defense. Unfortunately, this meant games with Mark DeRosa at first or Ryan Garko in the outfield, which had the opposite effect at those positions. With the DH available, there should be no reason why the Indians can't put Garko and DeRosa in the lineup without resorting to crazy positional calisthenics. Of course that means David Dellucci sits on the bench, but I don't think the offense will suffer too much if that happens.

5-14-09

Optioned LHP Jeremy Sowers to Columbus (AAA)

Outrighted RHP Vinnie Chulk to Columbus (AAA)

Signed RHP Luis Vizcaino to a major-league contract

I can't recall too many times the Indians signing an in-season free agent and bringing him straight to the majors, but the bullpen being what it is, the rare is quickly becoming the commonplace. Vizcaino has fit right in, giving up a walk-off home run in his first appearance.

While Aaron Laffey has given the Indians some innings in the bullpen, Sowers wasn't able to do the same in the rotation. It's now become rather clear that Jeremy's stuff doesn't translate well from AAA (where he's pitched well this season) to the majors. Maybe a move to the National League would be a good move for the Indians and for Jeremy.

5-17-09

Transferred LHP Scott Lewis from the 15-day Disabled List to the 60-day Disabled List (left forearm)

Optioned LHP Tony Sipp to Columbus (AAA)

Outrighted RHP Masa Kobayashi to Columbus (AAA)

Purchased the Contract of LHP David Huff and Recalled him from Columbus (AAA)

Purchased the Contract of RHP Greg Aquino and Recalled him from Columbus

The big blow is Scott Lewis' lingering arm injury. He experienced pain when rehabbing his arm, and has been shut down for now. So with Lewis out, Sowers not effective, and Laffey still needed in the bullpen, the Indians brought up David Huff, their best pitching prospect, who's probably not a finished product, but a much better option than anybody else in Columbus.

Tony Sipp was fantastic for his first couple appearances, but has had some disastrous appearances after that. He's struck out 9, but walked 8, and relievers who can't throw strikes don't stick around long even if their stuff is fantastic.

Masa Kobayashi was in recent weeks just taking up a roster spot, as he was completely unusable. Maybe he'll regroup in Columbus.

Greg Aquino had been Columbus' closer, and was therefore a prime candidate to become a Cleveland Indian. He gave up one run in eight innings with the Clippers.

Friday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:17:45 -0000

More photos » by Al Behrman - AP

Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Bill Hall catches a line drive. It has nothing to do with the Mug, but it's a cool picture nonetheless.

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Some things to read while labeling things for your zombie friends.

So, even following last night's loss, PECOTA is projecting the Brewers to win 86.6 games and gives them a roughly 30% chance of making the playoffs. I'll take that at this point.

Micah Owings was pretty good last night as both a pitcher and a hitter. Before the game, Baseball Musings wondered when one makes the decision to move him off the mound full time. Right now, I think I'd keep him on the mound.

Meanwhile, Reds SS Paul Janish probably won't return to the mound anytime soon: Janish was complaining of soreness after throwing 35 pitches Wednesday night, but was forced to play last night anyway after Brandon Phillips was scratched with the flu.

Now that several position players have pitched in a game this season, TheJay has updated Recondite Baseball's list of the last position player to pitch for each team. The Brewers last had one in 2004, when Trent Durrington made a mound appearance.

Chris Duffy might have gotten a bruise or two in the late innings of Wednesday night's game, but he doesn't care. The Official Site talked with Duffy about his highlight reel catch and prioritizing defense.

Speaking of outfielders who can play some defense, Mike Cameron checked in at #28 on Circling the Bases' list of potential 2010 free agents.

Around the league:

Cardinals: Placed Rick Ankiel on the DL.
Dodgers: Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games for a violation of the league's drug policy.
Indians: Released reliever Juan Salas and designated Vinnie Chulk for assignment.
Marlins: Are expected to place Anibal Sanchez on the DL today with shoulder discomfort.
Mets: Angel Pagan, who was in Florida for a rehab assignment, was arrested yesterday for driving with a suspended license and several unpaid fines for traffic violations.
Nationals: Designated reliever Mike Hinckley for assignment.
Orioles: Utilityman Ryan Freel was scratched from a rehab appearance yesterday, and could be activated or designated for assignment today.

Odds are you've heard about Manny Ramirez's suspension. I probably skipped over 50 or more posts and columns about it this morning, and I'm not about to write another one. There is one thing I'd like to mention, though: Now that I know that a player like Ramirez can get caught and baseball won't sweep it under the rug, I have significantly more faith in the current testing program.

Also, a note on Angel Pagan: I know pursuing warrants for minor violations isn't a top priority for law enforcement, but how did it take years to arrest Pagan for outstanding warrants dating back to 2005? Anyone who took five minutes to look at his team's schedule could tell you where he'll be every day.

I picked Cecil Cooper, so I would have lost my money: D-Backs manager Bob Melvin was the first manager fired in 2009 yesterday, and he took hitting coach Rich Schu and pitching coach Bryan Price with him. Babes Love Baseball thought Ken Macha would be the first manager canned. If Macha is canned now, the Brewers could hire Melvin to form a Doug Melvin-Bob Melvin braintrust that would confuse columnists and talk radio callers across the land.

The news might not be good for former Brewer farmhand and current Orioles reliever Dennis Sarfate, currently on the DL with a circulatory problem. Sarfate is expected in for more tests today, but it's possible the issue is career-threatening.

Meanwhile, Brian Shouse, who seems to show up in conversations about obscure stats and rules all the time, picked up his first Rays win last night despite not entering the game until after the Rays had the lead.

Oh, and Brett Lawrie's sister can knock you out.

Drink up.

Transactions: Spring Training Cuts

Ryan — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:15:17 -0000

From 3-15-09:

Reassigned RHP Tomo Ohka and LHP Ryan Edell to Minor League Camp

Although all Spring Training stats need to be treated with a high degree of skepticism, a pitcher fighting for a roster spot giving up 14 hits and 10 runs in 3.2 innings is a sign that he's not very good. That's what the Indians saw in Tomo Ohka.

Edell was a starter all of last year, but the Indians brought him to major-league camp to (I assume) take a look at him as a reliever. If he makes the Clippers as a reliever we'll know if they liked what they saw.

Optioned LHP Rich Rundles to Columbus (AAA)

Rundles looked like he had a decent chance of making the bullpen after making the 40-man roster late last season, but Eric Wedge saw some things he still had to work on:

''It's getting to the point where innings are tough to come by,'' Wedge said. ''Rundles needs to be very good against left-handers and be able to defend himself against right-handers. It's fairly new for him to be dropping down [throwing sidearm], and he has to get more consistent with that. So he has more development to do.''

With Rundles going down, it's very unlikely the Indians will be taking a situational lefty north with them.

From 3-19-09:

Reassigned the following to Minor League Camp:

1B: Jordan Brown, Beau Mills, Stephen Head

Brown and possibly Head will be playing in Columbus; Mills is headed to Akron. Mills is the prime prospect, Brown the sort-of prospect, and Head the not prospect.

RHP Jack Cassel

SS Jesus Merchan

3B Wes Hodges

A lot of things outside of Hodges' control has gone right for him. The Indians, instead of moving Jhonny Peralta to third, traded for Mark DeRosa, who is a free agent at the end of this season. And Andy Marte is for all intents and purposes not in the indians' future plans. That means Hodges now has the opportunity to play himself onto the 2010 roster. I still think it's more likely Peralta's playing at third next season, but if Hodges plays well, it will make the Indians' decision much more difficult.

Optioned the Following Players to Columbus (AAA):

2B Luis Valbuena

While Hodges is going to have to play his way into the Indians' future plans, Valbuena seems to be the default option at second in 2010. If the Indians do shift the infield around next season, his performance this season in Columbus will be the impetus for it.

LHP Tony Sipp

Sipp hasn't been able to stay healthy (tommy John in 2007, shoulder problems last season), but the only thing preventing him from pitching with the Indians this season is proof that he can handle a relievers' workload.

RHP John Meloan, Adam Miller, and Juan Salas

It was a given that Salas would be optioned to AAA as depth. Meloan washed out of the bullpen battle fairly quickly, but my expectations are still pretty high. Adam Miller looks like he'll undergo season-ending surgery on his right middle finger; the injury is possibly career-threatening. Miller's never pitched for the Indians, but it's a huge loss nonetheless. A healthy Miller in this year's bullpen would have given Eric Wedge a relief ace capable of filling in a multi-inning cap if a starter had to come out early, and eventually a late-inning setup man.

Optioned C Carlos Santana and Hector Rondon to Akron (AA)

Both players did nothing this spring to dampen the high expectations already placed on them. Santana is already an advanced hitter, but the Indians are fine at catcher and won't need to promote him agressively. Rondon, on the other hand, probably needs a full season in Akron.

[Update: Although not listed in the official transactions, the Indians also assigned LHP David Huff to Minor League camp.]

Transactions: Indians Trade for Juan Salas

Ryan — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 23:11:27 -0000

Traded IF Isaias Velasquez to the Tampa Bay Rays for RHP Juan Salas

The Rays had DFAd Salas earlier, so it looks like the Indians didn't to want risk being trumped by another club's waiver claim.

Valasquez has spent two seasons with the Indians domestic farm teams, last year playing mostly shortstop and second base with Mahoning Valley. The Panamanian is two years younger (in baseball years) than Luis Valbuena and Asdrubal Cabrera, and at best a full three years away from the majors, assuming he progresses a level a year. Tony Lastoria ranked Velasquez #82 in the Cleveland organization, noting his athleticism and versatility.

So the Indians gave up a very young and marginal prospect...what did they get in return? They got a 30-year-old reliever with impressive minor-league numbers but no real major-league success. The Indians are only the second organization for Salas; he was signed by Tampa way back in 1998 as a third baseman, but he couldn't hit. Like most young third baseman, Salas had a strong arm, and because of it he remained in professional baseball as a pitcher.

His first full season on the mound was a success; he averaged more than a strikeout an inning with Visalia (A+) and Montgomery (AA) in 2004. In 2005 he completely dominated Southern League hitters in his second season with Montgomery, striking out 52 in 35 innings, and not allowing an earned run. He was promoted to Durham, continued to impress, and pitched in 8 September games for Tampa. He appeared ready to jump to a full-time role with the Rays the next season.

But after an uneven first month with the Rays in 2007, he was suspended by Major League Baseball 50 days for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He returned from the suspension in late July and finished the season in the majors, but his final line showed vast underachievement for a pitcher with his stuff; he allowed 36 hits in 36.3 innings, struck out just 26, and walked 17. In 2008 Salas encountered more off-the-field problems; he couldn't obtain a work visa until April, so he went to Durham in order to get his arm back into shape. He ended up spending most of the season with the Bulls, striking out 53 batters in 44.2 innings. He only appeared in 5 games with the Rays, performing poorly in his first two appearances. He was left off the postseason roster, and was Designated for Assignment earlier this month when Tampa signed free agent reliever Brian Shouse to a one-year contract.

The major reason the Indians were interested in Salas, besides his minor-league success and low-90s cut fastball, was that, believe it or not, Salas still has an option year left. That means the Indians can stash him in Columbus and have their pitching coaches work with him in a lower-pressure and lower-stakes environment, and if he works out, will have a very nice option in the minors to call upon if needed.

Friday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:39:03 -0000

Some things to read while...seriously, bacon wrapped meatloaf with a mac and cheese layer? I need a recipe.

You know it's a slow news day when, as noted in this FanPost, Ryan Braun's new clothing line is your top story. Perhaps those of us who suggested a certain blogger launch a fashion blog were right on the money.

Every spring about this time hitters start facing live pitching, and we get the first "(Pitcher) has nasty stuff" stories of spring. Would you have guessed that pitcher in Brewers camp would be R.J. Swindle? If you really can get awkward swings and misses while throwing 55, I may have a big league career after all.

Of course, this transition to hitting off of actual pitchers is long overdue, because hitters are ahead of the coaches at this stage of spring training.

I had promised myself today would be the day I stopped talking about Eric Gagne, so of course today is the day he made news three different ways:

He withdrew from the World Baseball Classic.
He had lasik surgery over the offseason, ending the need for goggles.
He's a few days behind the other pitchers and may need a couple of extra days before pitching in his first spring game.

When you start feeding stray veteran pitchers, pretty soon they come to you: Ray King showed up at camp yesterday, looking for work. He's reportedly lost some weight, but was told camp is full.

Perhaps Ken Macha isn't singling out Jason Kendall, but it's starting to feel like it: a few days after saying he'll reduce Kendall's playing time in 2009, he announced he's also controlling the running game from the bench. This would be different if Kendall was struggling with it, but Kendall seemed to handle it pretty well in 2008.

Yesterday was picture day in Brewer camp. Click the link for a list of pictures I found, then check the comments for a link to the whole gallery.

I cringed when I started reading it, but based on Two-Fisted Slopper's recap, it sounds like Cecil Fielder's appearance on the MLB Network last night went off without any father-son chicanery. Slopper's post also has some great screenshots of a 12-year-old Prince.

On the transaction wire:

Braves: Signed Tom Glavine to a one year deal worth $1 million plus incentives.
Indians: Acquired Juan Salas from the Rays and designated third baseman Andy Marte for assignment. (h/t FanShots)
Padres: Are reportedly close to a deal with Mexican pitcher Walter Silva.
Royals: Claimed Tug Hulett off waivers from the Mariners.

Regardless of how bad Ned Yost was or how bad Ken Macha may be, we can always take comfort in knowing they're not Dusty Baker. Today, Baker had this to say on Edinson Volquez and his plans for 2009:

If [pitch counts] are what we have to worry about — last year no one knew what we had," Baker said. "That’s already progress. A lot of times that second year, you’re trying to get a guy to have a winning record.
...
I’ve seen Greg Maddux throw 150 pitches early in his career."

That one should be filed away as part of The Tao of Dusty.

Some days I come across stories that aren't really Brewer related, but just demonstrate how a really good sports writer can make a mundane topic interesting. Here are two from today: Royals beat writer Sam Mellinger on visa issues, and Nationals beat writer Chico Harlan on the weather in Florida.

Of course, sometimes good beat writers are not well rewarded: Tim Hudson blamed Braves beat writer David O'Brien for the team's failure to sign Ken Griffey, and the two had to be separated in the Braves clubhouse yesterday.

Speaking of Griffey, I've seen notes around the web suggesting the signing was a bad decision, a useless piece added to a rebuilding team, but it's already paying for itself. The Mariners sold 16,000 extra tickets yesterday. Assuming my baseline of 1 ticket sold = $50 for the team (after factoring in parking, food, merchandise, etc), the Mariners made $800,000 off of Griffey yesterday alone.

From the "too much information" file: Jose Guillen, facing surgery to remove an ingrown toenail, got a tweezers and did the job himself. Don't try that one at home.

So how much does lineup position impact RBI opportunities? Perhaps not as much as you'd think. Research suggests one thing we all expected: Players who hit in the first and second spot get a decreased opportunity to drive in runs. But, on the flip side, players batting anywhere between third and eighth all have nearly identical opportunities.

Oh, and I'd like to join Royals Review in increasing the use of the word "pleonasm."

Drink up.

Juan Salas Traded To Cleveland Indians

Tommy Rancel — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:04:01 -0000

Just got word that Juan Salas has been dealt to the Indians for minor leaguer, Isaias Velasquez. Velasquez is a 20 year old second basemen out of Panama. He signed with the Indians as an undrafted free agent in August of 2004. He spent 2008 in the NY-Penn league where he was an all-star. On the season he hit .281/.368/.343.

Here is a recent scouting report on him:

Strengths & Opportunities: Velasquez is a very exciting player to watch who has a lot of athleticism and swings the bat very well. He has worked really hard in the cages to improve as a hitter, and as he refines his swing and learns to try and not do too much he should start driving some balls into the gaps with authority and even out of the ballpark. He is a very good fundamentally sound middle infielder, though he needs some work as he makes some good plays, but makes unnecessary throws. He is very versatile and can play anywhere in the infield, though his strongest position is probably second base.

Outlook: Velasquez looks like a good utility player in the making, and should open the 2009 season either as the starting second baseman at Single-A Lake County or be the utility player there.

Friday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:38:45 -0000

Some things to read while letting nothing stand in the way of your music.

In just a few short hours (at noon, to be specific), pitchers and catchers will report to Maryvale. View From Bernie's Chalet has the appropriate level of excitement.

I haven't heard yet if the two newest Brewers will be joining the team today, or if they need some extra time to make arrangements. First, Braden Looper: He officially signed with the Brewers yesterday. Troy Renick of the Denver Post has the best rundown of specifics and incentives in Looper's deal that I've seen. Here they are, best as I can tell:

Looper will make $4.75 million in 2009.
His incentive clauses start kicking in at 19 starts, and he can add up to $750,000 to his deal by making 30 starts.
He gets an extra $750,000 if traded this season, or $250,000 if traded next season.
The deal has a $6 million mutual option for 2010, with a $750,000 buyout.
That buyout escalates to $1 million if Looper makes 30 starts or pitches 180 innings.

Also yesterday, as noted in this FanShot, the Brewers picked up SP Nick Green off waivers from the Angels. To make room for Looper and Green, the team designated Luis Pena and Vinny Rottino for assignment. Joshua Kusnick of 39 on the Line is Pena's agent, and he gives us a quick look into what it's like to be the agent of a player on the move.

I'm starting to feel like I'm piling onto Corey Hart, but on top of posting a .300 OBP in 2008, he also had the fourth worst outfield arm in baseball last season according to Beyond the Box Score, costing the Brewers 4.6 runs.

As most of the Brewers were packing for Arizona, one former Brewer prospect packed for a longer trip: 2008 Nashville Sound Nic Ungs is headed to Taipei to pitch for the Brother Elephants in the Chinese Professional Baseball League. New Brewer bullpen coach Stan Kyles has some nice things to say about him.

Ben Sheets had successful surgery yesterday and could still pitch in the second half of 2009 if rehab goes well. Best of luck to him.

Speaking of luck, there's still time to test yours in the two remaining Brewer Advent Calendar giveaways: You have until noon today to sign up to win a ball autographed by the 2008 Nashville Sounds and until noon tomorrow to sign up to win Wisconsin Timber Rattler tickets and a Brewers/Timber Rattlers hat.

Now that spring training is starting I guess it's time to retire the hot stove, but there's still news to report on the transaction wire:

Marlins: Lost their arbitration case with Dan Uggla, who will earn $5.35 million in 2009.
Nationals: Are no longer interested in Orlando Hudson.
Rays: DFA'd reliever Juan Salas to make room on their roster for Brian Shouse.

It appears we can lay concerns about MLB coverage on satellite radio to rest: While Sirius-XM is still expected to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the near future, both MLB and the NFL are protected from said filings.

Every spring we get at least one bizarre injury that has nothing to do with baseball. The Mets narrowly avoided one when Mike Pelfrey rolled a golf cart carrying he and John Maine. It appears no one was harmed, but Pelfrey wore a helmet in workouts yesterday, just to be safe.

Oh, and the Braille on the "Umpires Room" sign at Dodger Stadium probably isn't necessary...I hope.

Brian Shouse Officially Signs With Rays; Juan Salas DFA

Tommy Rancel — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:42:50 -0000

We finally have an official deal after almost two weeks of waiting. The deal is for 1 yr worth $1.35 million with an option for 2010 at $1.90 million or a buyout of 200k. Shouse was worth 0.4 WAR last year or $1.8 million dollars. His overall numbers took a hit because of the way he was used. For some reason, he had more PA's vs. right handed batters (108) than left handed batters(104). That is bullpen mismanagement 101 and part of the reason Ned Yost is no longer a manager.

To make room for Shouse, The Rays have DFA'd Juan Salas, who probably will be picked up by another team. Salas had excellent minor league numbers, but never translated them into major league sucess. He pitched in a career high 34 games in 2007 and while his ERA was 3.72, his FIP was 6.13. Good luck to the Juice

For the Rays, Shouse is an upgrade over Trever Miller, who served as the team's loogy last year. Shouse at $1.35 million is below market value and also cheaper than Miller, who received a 1yr/~2 million dollar deal with the Cardinals this off season. Here is a breakdown of their numbers vs LHB.

2008	BAA	OBP	SLG
Shouse	0.180	0.196	0.290
Miller	0.209	0.327	0.382

Career	BAA	OBP	SLG
Shouse	0.212	0.264	0.325
Miller	0.235	0.327	0.382

Shouse is pretty much death to a left handed batter, so should see plenty of David Ortiz this year. He also joins Troy Percival as the old men on the young Rays team. In fact when camp opens, they will be playing along side Tim Beckham, who was just six months old when they were drafted in 1990

Here is our original post on the signing and welcome to the Rays Mr. Shouse

And here is Salas' DRB2009 profile:

Juan Salas RHP

Salas has had much success in the minor leagues, but that hasn't yet translated to the majors. He dominated AA and AAA in 2006 with K/9 rates of 13.50 and 10.36 before getting called up and throwing 10 innings for the big club. Salas threw most of his 2007 innings in the majors, racking up a 3.72 ERA but an ugly 6.13 FIP and low 6.44 K/9. His 2008 season was marred by visa problems that saw him miss a chunk of the start of the season, and a bout with epileptic seizures. He did throw 44.2IP in AAA with a 2.62 ERA and 2.28 FIP while maintaining a K/9 of over 10(10.68), but never really got a shot with at the major league level throwing just 6.1 innings.

The Bullpen Matrix

R.J. Anderson — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:06:40 -0000

A while ago Rich Lederer at Baseball Analysts put together a "matrix" of pitcher types using groundball percentage and strikeout percentage. I wanted to do something similar for the bullpen candidates, and here it is:

It's important to note that Rodriguez, Salas, Thayer, and Childers' numbers are all from Triple-A relief work, but we can still gather some observations:

- Chad Bradford gets a lot of grounders and not a load of strikeouts.

- Balfour is the anti-Bradford.

- Percival/Wheeler are strikingly alike.

- Hammel is meh on both.

- Rodriguez is less like Bradford and more like Howell.

- Childers was Bradford with strikeouts (note: Childers other minor league stats don't really back his GB% up, he's more likely in the 55% range than 60%)

- I didn't include Niemann or Talbot because their numbers are as starters.

- Joe Nelson would place right underneath Thayer.

- The Rays should NRI a few more relievers for Durham and so we can all pointlessly obsess on their pros and cons.