1/10
Battlecats, Hooks deal:
Michigan sent 26 year old OF Chris Green to Corpus Christi for 21 year old IF Raymond Nelson. Green is a career .249 hitter in 156 IBL games. He’s one of the premier LHH power prospects in the IBL and will likely hit 3rd of 4th for the Hooks. Nelson was Corpus Christi’s 6th pick out of ASU in the 2017 draft. Scouts love his bat as a high average, high OBP above average infielder at 2B/SS and 3B.
1/14
Battlecats continue to rebuild staff:
Michigan signed 26 year old setup man Pedro Quintero to a 1 year 2.32M dollar contract today, further rebuilding the entire staff. David Castillo is the only SP remaining from the opening day rotation last season.
RETIREMENT NEWS
2012 and 2013 Frontier League Koufax Winner Ernie Kelly has hung up his spikes. The 38 year old battled injuries and inconsistency the past 3 seasons and was moved to the Dayton pen, but decided this was his last year. He ends his brief career 65-38 with a 3.31 ERA in 190 games, 124 starts, and took home the 1st 2 Koufax Awards in FL history while helping propel Dayton to a 2012 World Series appearance. Talk is that he has interest in coaching (and we’ll certainly have interest in opening a position for him).
1/25
Pittsburgh signs Cantu:
The Bulldogs announced the signing of 28 year old IF Manny Canut to a 2 year 9.74M dollar deal today. The left handed hitting SS will handle the everyday role for Pittsburgh. He was the 2016 CL Gold Glove winner at short. He’s a career .270/.355/.377 hitter with 116 doubles and 101 SB’s.
NEWS
Jean Chartier remains a free agent. We talked again today but his stance is firm at 20+M in AAV. I’m wondering if he’s not going to find himself at home when spring training opens…
1/28
Houston extends star catcher:
The Roughriders and Catcher Mike Johnston have announced an agreement on a 3 year 24M dollar extension for the 30 year old slugger. Johnston, a 2017 All Star, was acquired last year by Houston and helped propel them to the Coastal League Championship series with a career best .279-32-94 year.
1/30
River Cats extend White:
2B Jason White has agreed to a 3 year 14.76M contract extension with Sacramento. The 28 year old has a 2 year guarantee of 9.84M with a 3 year player option at 4.92M.
He’s been with Sacramento since 2012, and their everyday 2B since 2013, hitting .247/.316/.439 with 115 homers and 358 RBI’s in 693 games.
2/1
Managed to snag 55 year old Jim Johnson to fill our last minor league post, AA manager. The former pitching coach has an outstanding reputation for handling players of all types and we think we got a steal, signing him to a 5 year 120K per deal.
Buffalo extends SP Barry:
28 year old Jimmy Barry has agreed to a 2 year 11.6M dollar contract extension with the Bisons. Berry wasa 14 game winner in 2013 and has been struggling the past 3 seasons after bouncing back and forth between the Buffalo rotation and bullpen. Apparently the Bisons feel he’s ironed out the kinks in 5 starts late last season (he was 3-1 3.86 in 37 games, 5 starts last year) and has told him he’ll get the ball opening day.
IBL RULE CHANGE
The DFA time period has been extended to 11 days for players designated for assignment.
Chicago deals top P prospect, C Moran to Dayton:
We sent 25 year old Mike Alexander (15-4 2.97 in 21 AAA starts) and 26 year old C Mark Moran (defensive stud) and our 5th round draft choice to Dayton for 25 year old SP Jesus Estrada and their 2nd round draft choice. Estrada was 7-12 5.17 last year in 47 games, 21 starts and has the potential to be a mid rotation guy if needed. For now he’ll serve as AAA rotation insurance. This deal also opens up a 40 man spot that we’ll use for 21 year old Roberto Martinez, who has nothing left to prove in AAA and will hopefully grab the 5th rotation spot in spring training.
2/3
Diablos land another big free agent:
El Paso has signed 27 year old SP Ray Anderson to a 7 year 66.5M dollar deal. The move further cements the Diablos as a runaway FL favorite. Anderson is anyone else’s 1 or 2, and he’ll go fourth in the El Paso rotation. A career 52-49 4.69 for the Knights, where he was their 1st pick, 3rd overall, out of Oklahoma State in 2012. He was a 2016 All Star. El Paso now has 24 year old Barry Zito (2016 Koufax winner) 26 year old strikeout machine Corey Elkins (2016 all star who missed all of last year with back/shoulder problems) 25 year old Artie Johnson (22-8 4.10 last year) Anderson and 25 year old rookie lefty Dave Wamboldt (2 time A ball pitcher of the year and 2 time minor league all star who has 1179 K’s in 1009 minor league innings) as their 5 man rotation.
2/4
Buffalo strengthens their pen:
The Bisons signed 26 year old RP Leslie Daniels to a 3 year 9.6M dollar free agent deal. Daniels will move into the closers role in Buffalo and former closer Glenn Hanna (176 saves) has agreed to be the primary setup man for the youngster.
Baltimore signs Trent:
RH reliever Craig Trent has agreed to a 1 year 6.7M dollar contract with the Railcats. The 29 year old will become Baltimore’s new closer, with 32 year old former closer Clinton Quinn moving into a setup role. Quinn had 39 saves last season and finished 3rd in the Mariano Rivera Award race.
Chartier chatter….
He’s now talking in terms of 3-4 years, 15-18 million. Still high, but it’s certainly a conversation worth having. If I can get him to bite on a 4-5 year 15M AAV or so deal, I can figure out how to make that work… I am still leery of money that big for a guy hurt that much.