Cubs optimistic after claiming Rondon in Rule 5

Former Indians Minors star returns to health; Chicago loses four in Draft

By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com | 12/06/12 12:25 PM ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. --

The Cubs feel Hector Rondon not only is finally healthy but also could be a key part of the bullpen in 2013.

The Cubs selected Rondon, who was the Indians' Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2009, with the second pick overall in the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday at the Winter Meetings.

Rondon, 24, has been limited the last three seasons following right elbow UCL reconstruction surgery on Aug. 25, 2010. He fractured the same joint during winter ball in Venezuela in 2011.

The Cubs have been following him in Venezuela this winter, where he's pitching for Leones del Caracas and had a 2-1 record and 3.71 ERA in 19 games, all in relief. He has struck out 11 and walked five over 17 innings. Hitters were batting .172 against him this winter.

"Coming up through the Cleveland organization, he was one of the top prospects," said Cubs player development director Jason McLeod. "He's always been a prolific strike thrower with great stuff. Now he's missed the better part of three years with the elbow, and there's obviously risk involved."

Cubs coach Franklin Font is on the Leones staff in Venezuela and has filed reports on Rondon, plus the Cubs have sent their scouts to watch the right-hander. All the reports have been good, McLeod said.

"You take the risk with the elbow," McLeod said, "but if he comes in healthy, he's got a chance to not only make the team, but help the team. The way he's been throwing, his stuff is really good."
Rondon led the Indians' organization in strikeouts in 2009 with 137 and was fourth in innings pitched. He's made just 13 appearances in the last three years as he rehabs his elbow.

"He was a really good prospect with the Indians," Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said. "We've been watching him in Venezuela this winter, and he's been throwing really, really well. He's got a great arm, and we feel we can capitalize on that he's healthy now and throwing the ball well."

Ross Atkins, Indians vice president of player development, said he wasn't surprised Rondon was selected.

"Hector is a very good pitcher that we obviously have a lot of respect for and a history with," Atkins said. "We hate to see him go, but we're happy for him in this opportunity and certainly, selfishly, hope we get him back."

Atkins' reports on Rondon's progress in Venezuela were that he was aggressive with his fastball.

"His strikeouts were a little bit down probably for Hector, but he was very aggressive and obviously very effective while he was there, and he's been healthy and durable," Atkins said. "With Hector, you're looking at a guy who was in the Futures Game and was obviously a top-tier prospect. He had a real tough break with his surgery and the procedures. The reports were good. I think most importantly for Hector, he was healthy."

Last year, the Cubs selected Lendy Castillo in the Rule 5 Draft. The right-hander, a converted infielder who had only been pitching for two seasons, posted a 7.88 ERA in 13 games and was sidelined with a groin injury. He will open the 2013 season in the Cubs' Minor League system.

Royals To Acquire James Shields, Wade Davis
By Daniel Seco [December 9 at 10:02pm CST]
The Royals have bolstered their starting rotation for 2013 thanks to the addition of two quality pitchers. Kansas City has agreed to acquire right-handed pitchers James Shields, Wade Davis and a player to be named or cash from Tampa Bay in exchange for outfielder Wil Myers, right-hander Jake Odorizzi, left-hander Mike Montgomery and third baseman Patrick Leonard, according to a team release.

For the Rays, blessed with more than enough pitching to continue to call their rotation an asset, the addition of Myers provides Tampa Bay with another building block to complement their star player in Evan Longoria. Myers, who turns 22 on Monday, enters the 2013 season as the reigning 2012 Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year after hitting .304/.378/.554 in 99 games this season at Triple-A Omaha. Beyond Myers, the Rays also acquired three prospects from the Royals who all share the commonality of being young.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times first broke the details of the trade (via Twitter).


Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/#h4O56YzKyx4E7kJW.99

WoW!

Dodgers sign both Greinke AND Ryu !!

Between Greinke and Ryu, the Dodgers spent $208.7 million on two pitchers this weekend and will have a 2013 payroll of at least $225 million, a Major League record.

Ryu also represents another success in the club's international renaissance. Once a trailblazer in signing and developing non-Americans, the Dodgers had all but abandoned scouting overseas.

But new ownership -- in addition to spending lavishly for established Major league stars like Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford -- made a statement by signing Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig for $42 million this summer and by beefing up the front office with the addition of vice president of international scouting Bob Engle and his staff from Seattle.

Money can't buy you love but it sure can buy you ballplayers.

Capitalism at its best.

I like that deal between the Rays and the Royals. That one will help both teams. I wish we had enough talent here to swing that deal. I really like Wil Myers.

For years, the Royals have had some very good players on offense. That's really never been their problem. Year after year their pitching has let them down. I think that's about to change in 2013.

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In MLB.com's list of the Royals' Top Prospects, Myers was ranked first, Odorizzi third and Montgomery sixth.

"It's not easy to give up prospects but it's important that we start winning games," Moore said.

The Royals already are considered to have a solid starting lineup and a strong, deep bullpen, so this trade likely will place them among the title contenders in the American League Central.

"Let's make something very clear. Billy Butler, Alex Gordon, Salvador Perez and Alcides Escobar signed here long-term with the full expectation that we, as a baseball operations department, would do everything that we can to put the best team on the field every single night," Moore said. "That's what we've committed to our fans, that's what we've committed to our players, so when an opportunity comes along that you can acquire a pitcher like James Shields and Wade Davis, we have to do it."

White Sox weigh in on effect of Royals-Rays trade

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | 12/10/12 7:10 PM ET

CHICAGO --

The debate raged on Monday via established media outlets and social media alike as to whether the Royals paid too steep of a price in acquiring the bona fide No. 1 starter that is James Shields in a trade with the Rays.

One camp applauds Kansas City's "win now" approach in adding the workhorse to a team filled with talented young hitters and a deep, talented bullpen. The other side argues that giving up one of the game's top prospects in Wil Myers, highly touted pitching prospect Jake Odorizzi and two other Minor Leaguers for Shields and fellow right-hander Wade Davis greatly hampers the Royals beyond the next two years.

As for the White Sox, a prime American League Central rival of the Royals, the deal doesn't really seem to affect them in one direction or the other -- at least not immediately. The South Siders lost the AL Central in 2012 in part because of their 6-12 record against the Royals, so this trade made an already challenging 2013 task even tougher.

"You knew Kansas City was going to look to add pitching to their young offensive core, so it's not a surprise to see them do it," said White Sox general manager Rick Hahn, speaking during a Monday conference call to announce the three-year, $12 million deal with Jeff Keppinger.

"They did it in a big way that makes them stronger," Hahn said. "They added two very good arms in Shields and Davis. They've played us tough over the last several years, so it should make the race more interesting."

That Sunday night trade gives the Royals a starting rotation of Shields, Jeremy Guthrie, Davis and the recently acquired Ervin Santana. Bruce Chen, Luke Hochevar and Luis Mendoza remain firmly in the mix.

Ask any White Sox fan or even any player on the team, and they would probably point to Chen, Guthrie and Mendoza as their biggest fears among that rotation, as opposed to the pitcher with a greater pedigree, such as Shields. Guthrie finished with a 1-0 record and one earned run allowed over 29 2/3 innings covering four starts against the White Sox last season, and Chen has a combined 6-2 mark in the last two seasons against the White Sox.

Even Hochevar, who struggled mightily with an 8-16 record and 5.73 ERA in 2012, posted a 2.84 ERA in three starts against the White Sox. Adding Shields, Santana and Davis makes the Royals' rotation decidedly better, but still leaves it behind the Tigers and White Sox within the division.

Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Doug Fister add up to a highly potent trio for the Tigers, and the potential return of free-agent starter Anibal Sanchez gives Detroit the AL Central's deepest rotation. The combination of Chris Sale, Jake Peavy, Gavin Floyd, a healthy John Danks, Jose Quintana and Hector Santiago certainly puts the White Sox firmly in the top rotation picture.

That group of six quality starters doesn't factor in such near-Major League-ready hurlers as as Simon Castro or Charlie Leesman, meaning that as the Zack Greinkes and Shields of the world come off the board, interest in Chicago's depth of riches will continue to pick up. Conceivably, the White Sox could use one of these starters, such as Floyd, to help upgrade in another area.

According to Hahn, though, keeping these pitchers together remains his preference.

"I've mentioned this a couple of times, but we've been fairly popular because of our depth. We're not really inclined to move any of that strength," Hahn said. "We'll continue to listen and explore options, and should there be something that we feel is so strong we can't pass it up, we'll do it.

"But at this point, we like our pitching staff and rotation and how we match up against anyone one through five. We like our strength in the bullpen. It's not something we are looking to do, but we have an obligation to hear out alternatives, and if one of those makes us stronger, we'll certainly pull the trigger on the right deal."

Moving top prospects for an important veteran piece or two was not a foreign concept for previous GM Ken Williams or Hahn, who worked with Williams for 12 years. There's a delicate balancing act to be found in trying to win the only title currently up for grabs, which would be 2013 in this instance, without trading away the future and creating a must-win scenario in the present that might be unrealistic. The discussion continues as to which category this Royals' deal falls.

"Our intention is to put us in the best position to win in 2013, but at the same time, we don't want to sacrifice multiple seasons after," Hahn said. "Ideally, you want to feel like you are not only improving your chances to win in the upcoming season, but also the next few years after.

"When you start to rob from the future to serve the present, you need to be awfully certain that you are that much better. You have to improve in a way to significantly increase your chance to win right now, as opposed to just moving the time frame around."

Trade gives Rays flexibility on which they thrive

By Adam Berry / MLB.com | 12/10/12 11:00 AM ET

ST. PETERSBURG --

The Rays added four high-level prospects to their roster and a bit of breathing room to their payroll at the cost of two sure things in Sunday night's seven-player blockbuster trade with the Royals.

Tampa Bay dealt away right-handers James Shields and Wade Davis for a package of young prospects -- outfielder Wil Myers, right-hander Jake Odorizzi, lefty Mike Montgomery and third baseman Patrick Leonard. The move exemplifies the Rays' belief that they have to balance their current standing with their long-term outlook more so than most other Major League clubs, as well as the reality that they must monitor their finances as closely as any other club.

Shields is slated to make $10.25 million in 2013, and his contract includes a $12 million club option for '14. Davis, groomed as a starter before spending this past season in the bullpen, is signed to a club-friendly long-term contract, but he would have become fairly expensive for a reliever over the next few years. Davis will make $2.8 million next season and $4.8 million in '14, and his deal includes club options worth $7 million in '15, $8 million in '16 and $10 million in '17, with a $2.5 million buyout.

"We run the team as if we're balanced on the head of a pin, and there's very little margin for error -- I'd say zero margin for error," team president Matt Silverman said. "We've accepted that. We understand that. It factors into all the decisions we make."

While the Rays were mindful of the financial implications of this trade, Silverman insisted the move was not a product of budget concerns. Since Tampa Bay reached the playoffs for the first time in 2008, its payroll has fluctuated from as low as $42 million in '11 to as high as about $73 million in '10.

Silverman and the rest of the Rays' brass often note that the club made the postseason in 2008 and '11 despite having payrolls in the low $40 million range, but it missed the playoffs in '09 and '12, when that figure sat around $63 million.

"As you know, we operate within a range, and whenever we extend far, or too far, there's always going to be some sort of pullback at some point," Silverman said. "We look to put a talented and compelling club on the field every year. Sometimes that means running a $65 million payroll. Sometimes it means running a $40 million payroll.

"We've made the playoffs with a $40 million payroll twice, and when we've run the $60 million payroll, we haven't. That's sort of the range that we've been in, and certainly, there are some savings from this, but it's not motivated by those savings."

Indeed, as is usually the case with Tampa Bay, this deal was motivated by what best serves the club's long-term interests without doing irreparable harm to its short-term goals. Executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman admitted it was the toughest trade he's made in his tenure, and despite their wealth of pitching talent, the Rays will feel the impact of losing Shields both on the field and in the clubhouse.

But by parting with two proven Major League pitchers and nearly $13 million in 2013 payroll commitments, the Rays added a handful high-level prospects, each with six years of club control, whom they believe will help them stay competitive in 2013 and beyond.

"None of them are easy, but when you're talking about two guys who have a history with this franchise, two guys who were so additive to our current club, it's a tough decision to make," Silverman said. "But it's one that we feel we have to make, as we look ahead for the next several years to try to sustain the success that we've had."

Guthrie finished with a 1-0 record and one earned run allowed over 29 2/3 innings covering four starts against the White Sox last season

Good lord, that sounds like a team that cannot both hit and field.

Free agent right-hander Kevin Correia has reached agreement on a two-year, $10 million contract with the Minnesota Twins, a baseball source said Monday night.

Correia, 32, is 60-65 with a 4.54 ERA in 10 seasons with the San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates. He went 12-11 with a 4.21 ERA for Pittsburgh last season.

Over the past two weeks, Minnesota general manager Terry Ryan has made several additions to fortify the team's pitching. He picked up prospect Alex Meyer from Washington in a trade for center fielder Denard Span, and added pitchers Vance Worley and Trevor May at the winter meetings in Nashville in a deal for outfielder Ben Revere.

Worley and Correia will join a Minnesota rotation that went 39-75 with a 5.40 ERA in 2012. Only the Colorado Rockies' rotation was worse, with a 29-68 record and an ERA of 5.81

[Tribe wasn't much better and has done nothing to improve the pitching yet this winter. We have traded Esmail Rodgers and given up Rafael Perez and added no one.]

Why would you think that Correia is an addition when you were glad to see Carmona/ Heredia leave ?

Correia will have a 5 plus ERA in the AL.

Dickey disappointed deal isn't done with Mets

Frustrations are beginning to bubble over for R.A. Dickey, who expressed "disappointment" Tuesday that he and the Mets have yet to strike a contract agreement.

Could the Mets be a willing trade partner??

I see some familiar names in Transactions.....Dan Wheeler and Willy Taveras sign minor league contracts with KC.

Willy hasn't been in the majors for several years, or has he?

37 major league at bats in 2010 were his most recent. But he's still only 30 years old. Lots more time for him to hope for a big league encore.

Must See HighLight Film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwDwEzHn ... 6DD92D722F