MLB Notebook: Abreu's rookie year nearing elite status

White Sox slugger Jose Abreu needs just four doubles and 17 RBIs to join Hal Trosky, Ted Williams and Albert Pujols as the only rookies with 30 doubles, 30 homers and 100 RBIs in their rookie year


After a stint involving 11 games for the Indians in 1933, 21-year-old Hal Trosky played in 154 of the Tribe's contests the following year and set an imprint that few rookies have ever been able to match.

Collecting 206 hits, Trosky sent 89 of them for extra-bases, drove in 142 runs, and compiled 374 total bases. No other rookie has ever had that many extra-base hits, and only one -- Tony Oliva in 1964 -- has matched that mark for total bases. Two other rookies -- Walt Dropo (144 in 1950) and Ted Williams (145 in 1939) -- have surpassed the RBI total.

Trosky and Williams are linked in another way too as they are two of three rookies in Major League history -- along with Albert Pujols in 2001 -- to have at least 30 doubles, 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in their debut season. That's the kind of company looming in the not-so-distant future for White Sox rookie Jose Abreu, who needs just four doubles and 17 RBIs before the 2014 season's end to join Trosky, Williams, and Pujols in this particular 30-30-100 club.

On Wednesday, Jose Abreu singled, doubled and homered while driving in four runs in the White Sox 11-4 win over the Tigers. He now has 31 home runs on the season.

• His 31 homers through his first 92 career games tie him with Rudy York for the second most in history, behind Mark McGwire and his 33.

• At 31, Abreu is tied (with Williams in 1939, Jim Ray Hart in 1964 and Tim Salmon in 1993) for the 18th most by a rookie. Next up, at 32: Oliva (1964), Matt Nokes (1987), and Chris Young (2007).

• Abreu's 83 RBIs through his first 92 career games are the most for any White Sox player since 1914, surpassing Zeke Bonura's 81. Since 1914, the total is the fifth highest, behind Walt Dropo's 95, Rudy York's 94, Joe DiMaggio's 90 and Williams' 87.

• Abreu's 58 extra-base hits through his first 92 career games are the second most since 1914, behind DiMaggio's 64. • Abreu's three hits extended his hitting streak to 18 games -- the second time this season he has hit safely in 18 straight. According to the White Sox press notes, he is the second White Sox player with multiple 18-game (or longer) streaks in a single season, joining Eddie Collins. In 1920, Collins authored a 21-game and a 22-game hitting streak.

Yanks step up interest in Cuban outfielder with $45M bidding war brewing

New York Post | Jul 30

According to several people with knowledge of the situation, Cuban defector Rusney Castillo worked out for the Phillies on Tuesday at the club’s spring training home in Clearwater, Fla.

Castillo, who was impressive in a Saturday workout in Miami that was attended by almost all 30 major league clubs and drew four scouts from the Yankees, is a free agent outfielder free to sign with any club and has fielded offers from teams.

The Yankees have invited Castillo, a right-handed hitter who displayed opposite-field power in the Miami showcase, to their Tampa facility for a private workout next week.

Some team officials believed the 27-year-old will be signed by the end of the week, but that appears to be unlikely.

Roc Nation, led by Jay-Z, represents Castillo and isn’t commenting on private workouts or when he will sign.

Nevertheless, Castillo plans on playing in the big leagues this season so he would likely have to sign soon.

Estimates to what the speedy Castillo is worth range from $30 million to $45 million.

Pirates' baserunning error leads to double play on walk:

http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2 ... Twi/SNMain

Report: Pirates Considering Blockbuster Trade For Jon Lester, Other Red Sox
by Zack Cox on Wed, Jul 30, 2014 at 12:11PM
By now, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ interest in Jon Lester has widely been reported.

But the ace might not be the only Boston Red Sox player the Buccos have their eyes on.

The Pirates also have interest in relievers Koji Uehara and Andrew Miller, left-handed starter/reliever Felix Doubront, outfielder Jonny Gomes, first baseman/outfielder Mike Carp and third baseman Will Middlebrooks, any of whom reportedly could be packaged in a deal involving Lester, John Perrotto of the Beaver County Times reported Tuesday.

Pittsburgh would be willing to send a “significant” package of prospects back the Red Sox’s way, a club source told Perrotto, who also reported that the package could include big leaguers Starling Marte and Pedro Alvarez if Boston is willing to part with players who are not in the final year of their contracts. Doubront, Carp and Middlebrooks fit this criteria.

Carp has requested a trade, and Doubront has said he would be open to one after being relegated to the bullpen.

The Boston Herald’s Scott Lauber noted Tuesday that the Pirates showed some interest in Carp last offseason, and Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that the team has “interest in members of Boston’s bullpen.”

Since Lester, who was scratched from his Wednesday start, likely would be only a rental in Pittsburgh, Perrotto’s source said the Pirates are not willing to offer their top prospects — right-handers Tyler Glasnow, Nick Kingham and Jameson Taillon, catcher Reese McGuire and outfielders Josh Bell and Austin Meadows — in a deal for the lefty.

This runs contrary, however, to an earlier Yahoo! Sports report, which states that Bell, a switch-hitting 21-year-old currently at Double-A, is at the center of the negotiations. Biertempfel also reported that the package could include both Bell and Glasnow, who has a 1.75 ERA this season in 17 starts at High-A Bradenton.

The non-waiver trade deadline is 4 p.m. Thursday.

Source: Red Sox trade John Lackey to Cardinals
07.31.14 at 12:42 pm ET
By Alex Speier

A source confirmed to WEEI a report that John Lackey is being traded to the Cardinals.

CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman indicated the Red Sox are expected to net a major league-ready outfielder and pitcher from St. Louis.

Update, 12:58 p.m.: The Red Sox will get right-handed pitcher Joe Kelly and outfielder Allen Craig, while surrendering a minor leaguer.

Kelly, in his third major league season after being drafted in the third round in 2009 by St. Louis, is 2-2 with a 4.37 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in seven starts this season. He’s fanned 25 while walking 10. Last year he was 10-5 with a 2.69 ERA and 1.35 WHIP, with 79 strikeouts and 44 walks.

Craig, a fifth-year major leaguer who hit over .300 the last three seasons, is struggling along at .237/.291/.346 with seven home runs and 44 RBIs in 97 games this year. His career line is .291/.343/.460 with 57 home runs and 291 RBIs.

DETROIT --

Jose Abreu's single to left off of Detroit's Drew Smyly in the first inning of Thursday's contest at Comerica Park extended the rookie's hitting streak to 20 straight games. Abreu has hit in 38 of 39 games, with his only miss coming on July 5 against the Mariners at home.

Abreu stands third all-time in terms of franchise rookie hitting streaks, trailing Guy Curtright (26, 1943) and Chico Carrasquel (24, 1950). Carlos Lee holds the overall franchise mark of 28 set in 2004.

Brewers trade for Arizona OF Gerardo Parra

John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 reports the Diamondbacks have traded Gerardo Parra to the Brewers.
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick says that outfield prospect Mitch Haniger, a supplemental first-round pick from 2012, is headed to Arizona in return. The Diamondbacks will also get left-hander Anthony Banda, a 10th-round pick from 2012. Parra hasn't hit very well this season, but he's a very good defensive outfielder.
Source: John Gambadoro on Twitter
Jul 31 - 2:02 PM

Mariners add Denorfia for Almonte, prospect

Mariners acquired OF Chris Denorfia from the Padres for OF Abraham Almonte and RHP Stephen Kohlscheen.
Seattle had to do something to fortify an uninspiring outfield consisting of Endy Chavez, James Jones, and Dustin Ackley, and Denorfia will have to do. He never offered a ton with the bat, and provides even less now (.242/.293/.319), but is a good defender who the M's can comfortably slot into all three positions as needed.

Jul 31 - 2:45 PM

Orioles grab reliever Miller for Rodriguez

Orioles acquired LHP Andrew Miller from the Red Sox for LHP Eduardo Rodriguez.
It's likely that Boston didn't want to ship Miller to a division rival, but there wasn't a lot they could do when Dan Duquette put Rodriguez on the table. This is a steep price, but Baltimore absolutely had to bulk up its bullpen for the stretch run, and they weren't going to do better than Miller. The left-hander boasts a 2.34 ERA and 69/13 K/BB ratio in 42 1/3 innings this year and now teams with Zach Britton and Brian Matusz to give Baltimore an elite trio of southpaw relievers.
Jul 31 - 3:13 PM

Red Sox ship SS Stephen Drew to Yankees

According to ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes, shortstop Stephen Drew has been traded to the Yankees.
It's a rare swap between the two bitter rivals. Drew has struggled to the tune of a .176/.255/.328 slash line since returning to the major leagues on June 1, but he plays steady defense at shortstop and there's reason to expect that he'll hit better down the stretch.
Source: Gordon Edes on Twitter
Jul 31 - 3:44 PM

Austin Jackson was just pulled from the game in Detroit, in the middle of the inning.

Report: Price being traded in three-team deal

According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, a three-team trade is being pieced together involving David Price.
Topkin suspects that the Mariners and Tigers are joining the Rays in this deal. Stay tuned for the details.
Source: Marc Topkin on Twitter
Jul 31 - 3:32 PM

Tigers acquire ace David Price from the Rays

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Tigers have acquired David Price from the Rays.
It's part of a three-team swap that also involves the Mariners, as suggested earlier by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Source: Ken Rosenthal on Twitter
Jul 31 - 3:50 PM

DET acquires Price in three-team blockbuster

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Tigers have acquired David Price from the Rays.
It's part of a three-team swap that also involves the Mariners, as suggested earlier by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The Rays will get shortstop prospect Nick Franklin from Seattle and left-handed starter Drew Smyly from Detroit. The Mariners will get center fielder Austin Jackson. And the Tigers wind up with another ace to add to a rotation that already includes Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez, and Justin Verlander.
Source: Ken Rosenthal on Twitter
Jul 31 - 3:50 PM