Peavy Out For A Month

Padres pitcher Jake Peavy is expected to miss at least a month with an ankle injury, meaning he may be out until after the All-Star Break. He was scratched from his Saturday start versus the Angels, a start you can expect the Angels would be watching closely. However, an MRI revealed a tear behind his right ankle. 

"I was getting treatment and we were getting by," said Peavy, who had the ankle heavily taped for his previous two starts and did limited work between outings. "Up until yesterday, I thought it was manageable. It could have gotten ugly if we didn't take the action that we did."

Peavy is 6-6 with a 3.97 ERA in 13 starts this season. He vetoed a trade to the White Sox earlier this season, and this injury does not help the Padres chances of dealing him before next offseason. 

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Hangin' With Hunter with Big Papi

One of my favorite shows from last season, Hangin' with Hunter is back. Angels outfielder Torii Hunter kicks off this season with Big Papi.

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Angels Could Move Aybar

Angels shortstop Erik Aybar is hit .303 in the month of May, bringing his season total to a .277 average with 1 home run. Aybar, 25, is blocking top prospect Brandon Wood, who is hitting .308 with 11 home runs in 39 games for the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees. If the Angels were to trade Aybar, it would open up a spot for the long awaited. 

Ken Rosenthal mentions in his Full Count that the Mets, Cardinals, or Royals could be possible destinations, but I wouldn't rule out the Padres either. The Padres are looking to trade Jake Peavy, but do want to trade him to the Dodgers. They nearly worked out a trade with the Cubs, but it is becoming more clear that the Cubs can't make a move until the ownership is settle, which at the current pace, probably won't be complete until Opening Day 2010. 

If the Angels were to package Aybar in a deal with three other prospects, they could probably land starting pitcher Jake Peavy. Trevor Reckling and Trevor Bell are two solid young pitchers that the Padres could target. 

John Lackey is going to be a free agent at the end of the season, and will likely command a good deal despite the down economy. However, if the Angels add Peavy, it gives them a lot of leverage in negotiations with Lackey. If Lackey decides to sign elsewhere, the Angels would likely receive a compensation draft pick. 

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

2009 MLB Draft Order

Here is the order for this years MLB Draft, which is set to take place in June.

1. Washington Nationals
2. Seattle Mariners
3. San Diego Padres
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
5. Baltimore Orioles
6. San Francisco Giants
7. Atlanta Braves
8. Cincinnati Reds
9. Detroit Tigers
10. Washington Nationals*
11. Colorado Rockies
12. Kansas City Royals
13. Oakland Athletics
14. Texas Rangers
15. Cleveland Indians
16. Arizona Diamondbacks
17. Arizona Diamondbacks*
18. Florida Marlins
19. St. Louis Cardinals
20. Toronto Blue Jays
21. Houston Astros
22. Minnesota Twins
23. Chicago White Sox
24. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
25. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim*
26. Milwaukee Brewers
27. Seattle Mariners*
28. New York Yankees*
29. Boston Red Sox
30. Tampa Bay Rays
31. Chicago Cubs
32. Colorado Rockies*

10 - Washington Nationals receive this pick as compensation for not signing 2008 1st Round Pick, Aaron Crow.

# 17 - Arizona Diamondbacks receive this pick as compensation for the Los Angeles Dodgers signing 2B Orlando Hudson

# 24 - Los Angeles Angels receive this pick as compensation for the New York Mets signing Francisco Rodriguez.

# 25 - Los Angeles Angels receive this pick as compensation for the New York Yankees signing Mark Teixeira.

# 27 - Seattle Mariners receive this pick as compensation for Philadelphia Phillies signing Raul Ibanez.

# 28 - New York Yankees receive this pick as compensation for not signing 2008 1st Round Pick, Gerrit Cole.

# 32 - Colorado Rockies receive this pick as compensation for Los Angeles Angels signing Brian Fuentes.

(Courtesy of 2009 MLB Mock Draft)

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Yankees, Angels Interested In Lopez

The Boston Herald is reporting that the Red Sox have put Javier Lopez on waivers and are waiting to hear whether or not he can be assigned to Triple-A Pawtucket. Lopez is 0-2 with a 9.26 ERA in 14 games this season, but had a 2.43 ERA last season in 70 games. The Yankees are believed to be considering Lopez, mostly because they have the third worst bullpen ERA in the AL (5.85).

One AL executive wouldn't be surprised to see the Angels make a move. Even though they are close to adding Rudy Seanez, adding a reliever with Lopez's talent could be worth your while when he starts to turn it around. He has only appeared in 14 games, so a turnaround is inevitable.

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Angels Close In On Seanez

Right handed pitcher Rudy Seanez is closing in on a minor league deal with the Angels. Seanez, who would be joining his 12th organization in 17 seasons, had a 3.53 ERA last season with the Phillies. Seanez has a 4.10 career ERA, and the Angels hope the 40-year-old can have an impact on the bullpen, which owns a league worst 6.90 ERA.

Seanez will report to extended Spring Training before reporting to Triple-A Salt Lake City.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.
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Will the Mariners Be Sellers?

Foxsports.com's Ken Rosenthal has an interesting piece out on why the Mariners and Athletics aren't set on being sellers just yet. The Mariners have good group of veterans they could deal, but currently lead the AL West by 1 1/2 games and the Angels pitching, particularly the bullpen, has been subpar. But if the Mariners were to fall out of contention, here are the players who would likely be available:

Adrian Beltre, 3B: Beltre is in the final year of five year deal making 12 million dollars this season. Beltre is hitting just .208 with 0 HR this season, but is a career .285 hitter after the trade deadline. The power should come, and if it does, he could be on the block.

Erik Bedard, SP: Bedard is making 7.75 million dollars this season and is off to a good start in five games, going 2-1 with 2.61 ERA and 32 strikeouts. Teams will definitely be interested in the left hander if he is made available. He's never pitched more than 200 innings, but if he could give you 140-150, he could still make for an above average two or three starter.

Jarrod Washburn, SP: Washburn is also in the last year of his contract, making 10.35 million dollars. Washburn is 2-1 in five games with a 2.97 ERA. The Mariners have tried to unload Washburn in years past, but could never come to a deal. You know the Twins will likely be in on him again, and it will be interesting to see if other teams jump in. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Nationals dangle an outfielder at them. Maybe Lastings Milledge in a package of players.

Russel Branyan, 1B: Branyan has always had power, but he has never carried an average like he has in 2009. Branyan is hitting .320 with 7 HR in 20 games. A team looking for a power boost could look at Branyan at a low cost upgrade. The Mariners could capitalize on Branyan's strong start.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Mets, Others Consider Martinez

With teams pitching rotations starting to take hits, the Pedro Martinez race is slowly heating up. At this point, teams are not going to pay Martinez 5 million dollars to pitch. Martinez was 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA in 20 games last season for the Mets, but averaged a little over five innings per start. The Rangers and Nationals are both in desperate need of a starting pitching, but are in no position to add that kind of money. One agent, who asked for anonymity on the matter, thinks the Nationals could target Paul Byrd for the time being and hope they can sign Stephen Strasburg soon after the draft. 

Martinez does not have the stamina and not the same zip on his fastball that he once had, not to mention he hasn't made 30 starts in three seasons. He will probably have to settle for a one year deal worth 2-3 million dollars, plus incentives that could bring it to five million dollars. The Angels and Dodgers are out of the mix, and small market teams are not looking to add payroll right now, so he might be out of luck.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Byrd Interested In Angels?

Free agent pitcher Paul Byrd is reportedly interested in joining the Angels, the LA Times is reporting. The report goes on to say that the Angels do not have much interest in signing Byrd, mostly because they are not looking to add money to their payroll. "My agent talked to them pretty recently . . . but they're not spending money, and they say they're going to stay in-house," Byrd said by phone. "They have [John] Lackey and [Ervin]Santana coming back, [Kelvim]  Escobar. They want to see what their young guys can do. I take no offense."

The Angels opted to go with Anthony Ortega for the time being, and may look to trade for a pitcher before going out to the market. You can probably rule out the Angels for Pedro Martinez, who sources say, is expected to sign within the next two weeks.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Quick Hits: Angels, Roberts, Free Agents, O'Day

Quick Hits:

• Contrary to reports, the Angels have not made offers to free agents Paul Byrd or Pedro Martinez. The Angels are interested however, and will continue to discuss their possibilities internally.
• Free agent Dave Roberts is set to interview for a job at the MLB Network. A veteran player with playoff and World Series experience - should be a solid pick up for them. 
• ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick has a free agent update out on his blog.
• The Rangers have claimed Darren O'Day off waivers from the Mets. He was their Rule 5 pick from the Angels, so he must be kept on the 25-man roster or he will be offered back to the Angels.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Weekly Roundup

What started as a nice start to another baseball season, we were blindsided with the news that Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in an automobile accident. Off to a promising start with a six inning shutout performance, the top pitching prospect looked to be blossoming into a true major leaguer. The news of his death was a tragedy, not to mention the three other lives that were taken as well. The Angels, already with their three top pitchers on the DL, are now forced to find a replacement. The Angels held a very nice ceremony for the victims before Saturday's game, and were able to beat the Red Sox in his honor. On a lighter note, there were several young players who had nice weeks, and teams are looking to these guys to build off their strong starts.

Jordan Schafer, Braves: .348 AVG, 2 HR, .423 OBP.

- Schafer has put up great numbers at the plate and has shown off his speed in the outfield. 

Emilio Bonifacio, Marlins: .500 AVG, 1 HR, .517 OBP, 4 SB.

- Bonifacio is off to a great start at third for the Marlins. The talent has always been there, it's poor consistency that has been the problem.

Adam Lind, Blue Jays: .400 AVG, 3 HR, 12 RBI, .419 OBP.

- Entering his third major league season, Lind has taken big strides at the plate. He could play a big role in the Blue Jays playoff hopes this season.

Jeremy Guthrie, Orioles: 2-0 W-L, 2.25 ERA, 5 K, 12 H.

- Guthrie has been an Orioles project for the past three seasons, and he might be putting his stuff together. He did put up 10 wins last season, and is off to a good start this year.

Josh Johnson, Marlins: 2-0 W-L, 0.57 ERA, 1 ER, 15 SO.

- Johnson is a big, hard throwing right hander who combines his fastball with a hard slider. He was able to beat Johan Santana today, and is hoping to lead that young rotation.

Here are some other young players whose first week is something they would like to forget:

John Lannan, Nationals: 0-2 W-L, 10.00 ERA, 10 ER, 3 BB, 9 IP. 

- The Nationals hope Lannan can breakout for the Nationals after putting up 10 wins last season, but he hasn't been able to command his fastball early on.

Scott Olsen, Nationals: 0-2 W-L, 14.63 ERA, 8 IP, 13 ER, 2 HR, 6 BB.

- The Nationals hoped that when they traded for Olsen, he would emerge into a solid top of the rotation starter to lead the Nationals. So far, that hasn't been the case.

Chris Davis, Rangers: .045 AVG, 1 H (22 AB), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 10 SO.

- There is a lot of pressure on Davis to put up big numbers after having a breakout 2008 campaign. So far he has struggled mightily and the Rangers could be scrambling if Davis doesn't pick it up.

Injuries

Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks: 15-day DL, shoulder tightness.

Doug Brocail, Astros: 15-day DL, strained rotator cuff.

Rumors

After Cole Hamels struggled through his first outing, several believe that he is showing the effects of an overworked pitching from last season. Hamels told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he is "fine now."

The Angels may be forced to add another pitcher with Escobar, Lackey, and Santana on the DL. Pedro Martinez is available. The LA Times mentions Anthony Ortega and Darren Oliver asi in-house possibilities.

Dodgers outfielder Delwyn Young is out of options, and several scouts have been watching him during his rehab assignment. The Indians, Pirates, and Phillies are interested.

Minor League Update

Juan Miranda, Yankees (AAA): .474 AVG, 2 HR, 11 RBI.

- The Yankees won't hesitate to recall Miranda if Teixeira goes down for an extended amount of time.

Matt LaPorta, Indians (AAA): .625 AVG, 1 HR, 1 SO, .667 OBP.

- LaPorta could be playing for the Indians very soon if he continue to swing a big bat.

Tyler Flowers, White Sox (AA): .417 AVG, 1 HR,  2 RBI, .500 OBP

- Flowers is the young power hitter the White Sox hope can fill the shoes of Jim Thome or Jermaine Dye when there time with the team runs out. So far he is looking really good.

David Price, Rays (AAA): 0-0 W-L, 4.91 ERA, 4 SO, 3.2 IP.

- Price will be pitching for the Rays at the major league level really soon. Once he gets comfortable and into more of a routine will the Rays give him the opportunity. 

What to look for next week...

Interviews will start to be scheduled next week.

Rich Harden, who is coming off a solid 10 strikeout performance, will be making his second start of the season. Some think that Harden is already DL bound, so it will be interesting to see if he can string together back to back strong outings.

The Pirates, Cubs, Nationals, Rays, Dodgers, and Mets all have their home openers. 

Tigers pitcher Rick Porcello will make his second start of the season.

 

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Angels To Pursue Martinez?

The Angels could be in serious trouble if they do not add a pitcher. The sudden death of Nick Adenhart on Thursday shocked the Angels, not to mention putting a hole at the bottom of their rotation. With Lackey, Escobar, and Santana on the DL, the Angels have Jered Weaver and Joe Saunders leading their rotation. Dustin Mosely and Shane Loux follow, making for a pretty mediocre rotation. 

The Angels expect Lackey, Escobar, and Santana to be out till late May, so adding a veteran like Pedro Martinez to come in and loosen up the clubhouse could help the team morale. Martinez refuses to back off his contract demands, so the Angels may look elsewhere. But, Martinez has a 5-1 record with a 2.83 ERA in 9 career games at Angels Stadium.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

2009 American League Predictions

American League East

1. Tampa Bay Rays: 93-69

2. Boston Red Sox: 89-73

3. New York Yankees: 86-76

4. Toronto Blue Jays: 82-80

5. Baltimore Orioles: 73-89

The AL East is going to be a really close race, but the depth the Rays have will keep them on top the whole season. While the Yankees have strong pitching, they are more vulnerable to injuries because of their age.

American League Central

1. Chicago White Sox: 90-73

2. Minnesota Twins: 86-76

3. Cleveland Indians: 83-79

4. Detroit Tigers: 79-83

5. Kansas City Royals: 77-85

The AL Central is up in the air so it is hard to predict, but I expect strides from all teams in the Central. If the Tigers don't hold a fire sale midseason, they could pose a threat for the division. 

American League West

1. Los Angeles Angels: 86-76

2. Texas Rangers: 83-79

3. Oakland Athletics: 78-84

4. Seattle Mariners: 75-87

The Athletics and Rangers both made improvements over the offseason, but the A's young pitching and the Rangers spotty rotation still has them behind the Angels. As for the Mariners, they need to trade their veterans to bring in more young prospects. 

American League MVP: Evan Longoria, Rays

American League Cy Young: Roy Halladay, Blue Jays

American League Rookie of the Year: Matt LaPorta, Indians

American League Manager of the Year: Ozzie Guillen, White Sox

ALDS: Red Sox defeat Rays; White Sox defeat Rays

ALCS: Red Sox defeat White Sox

American League Champion: Red Sox

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Angels' Adenhart Dies In Car Wreck

Angels starting pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed last night by a suspected drunk driver. Adenhart, 22, has been one of the teams top pitching prospect for the past several seasons. "It is a tragedy that will never be forgotten," he said at an Angel Stadium news conference. Adenhart's dad was even in town to see his son make his fourth career start. Adenhart pitched six scoreless innings, and was very happy with his performance after the game. "After the game, "he was so elated...he felt like a major league," agent Scott Boras said, weeping.

Adenhart was 37-28 with 3.88 ERA in 91 minor league games, and has one major league win. My heart goes out to his family, the Angels organization, and anyone else affected by this tragedy. 

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Angels To Rework Matthews Jr.'s Contract?

The Angels are trying very hard to move outfielder Gary Matthews Jr., but have been unsuccessful thus far. They talked to the Reds about a deal, which would have involved Aaron Harang or Bronson Arroyo. But talks stopped when the Angels were unwilling to part with a pitcher along with Matthews. If the Angels don't find a taker, it is possible the Angels could work out a new deal that involves deferrals in payments.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Quick Hits: Price, Santana, De La Cruz, Paulino

Quick Hits:

• Rays top prospect David Price has been sent down to Triple-A Durham, the Tampa Bay Rays announced. Price pitched in five games last season, but the Rays want him to get into a good rhythm in Triple-A before calling him up. Sources say the Rays would like to add Price to the roster, but it would probably have to take an injury or an impressive showing at Triple-A to get him up sooner.
  
• The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Santana will miss the month of April because of a strained ligament in his elbow. While every team in the AL West is looking better than last year, the Angels are still the favorite and losing Santana might not impact them significantly.
• The Padres, in a quest to find quality pitching, traded for Marlins pitcher Eulogo De La Cruz. De La Cruz came over from the Tigers in the Cabrera trade, and has some upside.
• Phillies catcher Chris Coste beat out Ronny Paulino for the back up job, making Paulino expendable. Paulino could hit 10-12 homeruns, making him a possible trade candidate.
  

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Quick Hits: Matthews, Geren, Garcia, Blue Jays

Quick Hits:

• Angels outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. is unhappy with his role with the Angels and could waive his no trade clause if something doesn't change. He is entering the third year of his five year, fifty-million dollar deal, so he may be hard to move. If it gets any worse between Matthews and the Angels, they could work out a deal that includes deferred cash.
• Manager Bob Geren's entension runs through 2010 with a club option for 2011.
• Mets pitcher Freddy Garcia was reassigned to minor league camp and will likely work in Triple-A before receiving a call up. That means that Livan Hernandez is the Mets' fifth starter. 
• The Blue Jays are scouting shortstop Chin-Lung Hu of the Dodgers, as well as Eric Patterson of the A's. They could be looking to add a young middle infielder.  

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Lackey Talks Progressing Slowly

Talks between the Angels and John Lackey are moving slower than expected, MLB.com is reporting. Lackey told MLB.com that he was not impressed with the Angels' efforts, saying that he is not inclined to give a hometown discount. Lackey is reportedly looking for a deal similar to A.J. Burnett, perhaps five years in the range of 85-90 million dollars. However, the economic recession has hurt the value of dollar in the baseball, driving prices way down. This has already halted negotiations between the Red Sox and Jason Bay, and could do the same to Lackey.

Lackey, who is 91-63 with a 3.81 ERA in 207 career games, would be the top available pitcher if he were to become a free agent next season.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

2009 Los Angeles Angels Projection

DH Juan Rivera

.285 AVG, 17 HR, 69 RBI

C Mike Napoli

.244 AVG, 24 HR, 66 RBI

1B Kendry Morales

.283 AVG, 18 HR, 74 RBI 

2B Howie Kendrick

.313 AVG, 9 HR, 67 RBI

3B Chone Figgins

.286 AVG, 4 HR, 50 RBI

SS Erik Aybar

.266 AVG, 4 HR, 44 RBI

LF Bobby Abreu

.297 AVG, 16 HR, 88 RBI

CF Torii Hunter

.274 AVG, 24 HR, 85 RBI

RF Vladimir Guerrero

.312 AVG, 29 HR, 108 RBI

OF Gary Matthews Jr.

.257 AVG, 10 HR, 41 RBI

SP John Lackey

13-8 W-L, 3.84 ERA, 139 K

SP Ervin Santana

10-5 W-L, 3.58 ERA, 136 K

SP Joe Saunders

11-10 W-L, 4.02 ERA, 121 K

SP Jered Weaver

12-10 W-L, 3.76 ERA, 145 K

SP Dustin Mosely

7-12 W-L, 5.24 ERA, 85 K

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Stock Rising or Falling

The first installment of Stock Rising or Falling for the 2009 season:

Mike Fontenot, Cubs: Fontenot came into Spring Training knowing that he would be competing for the starting job at second against Aaron Miles. Fontenot is hitting .363 (12-33) with 2 HR and six extra base hits so far this Spring, and is playing well at second base.

Brett Anderson, Athletics: Anderson, 21, is off to a good start this Spring and may be on the fast track to joining the Athletics rotation. In 5.2 innings this Spring, Anderson has given up five hits and two earned runs. I think the talk is a little premature, considering his command is still a little shaky, but this guy definitely has a future in the Athletics rotation. 

Netherlands National Team: They defeated the heavily favored Dominican National Team and have become the WBC underdog overnight. 

Stock Falling:

Joe Mauer, Twins: Mauer has been complaining of a sore back, which may put his contract talks on hold. He hasn't played in a Spring Training game yet, and doesn't have a timetable to return either.

J.R. Towles, Astros: Once a highly touted Astros prospect, Towles is being faced with another demotion if he cannot find his swing at the plate. The Astros have considered signing Pudge Rodriguez, but nothing is serious just yet. He is just 1-for-12 this Spring.

Ervin Santana, Angels: Santana has been shut down and may miss Opening Day dealing with his elbow. Santana pitched 219 innings last season, plus 5.1 from the playoffs, as well as 16 innings in the Winter Leagues.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.