D'backs Sell Rusty Ryal to Yomiuri Giants

by Andrew Johnson

Filed under: Diamondbacks, MLB Transactions, MLB Hot Stove

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced Thursday that they have sold utilityman Rusty Ryal to Japan's Yomiuri Giants of the Nippon Professional Baseball League.

Ryal, who played 36 games in left field, 24 at first base and eight at third base this past season, hit .261 with three home runs and 11 RBI for Arizona in 2010.

Ryal, 27, is in many ways following in the footsteps of his father Mark.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Mark Trumbo Joey Votto Brett Wallace Ty Wigginton

Carlos Pena Being Pursued by Orioles

by Steve Phillips

Filed under: Orioles, Rays, MLB Rumors, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Winter Meetings

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The Orioles have landed third baseman Mark Reynolds in a trade with the Diamondbacks, but they may not be done adding strikeout-prone power hitters. Baltimore is interested in free-agent first baseman Carlos Pena, a source told FanHouse.

Reynolds, the only man to strike out more than 200 times in a season (a feat he has accomplished three times), would be joined by Pena, a player who shares his approach. Reynolds' .198 average and 32 home runs in 2010 are awfully similar to Pena's .196 average and 28 home runs.

That's a tradeoff the Orioles appear willing to make after finishing 10th in the American League in home runs this season.

Baltimore recorded the fifth-fewest strikeouts of any team in the league as well, so it is willing to sacrifice contact for the infusion of power Reynolds, and perhaps Pena, would bring in 2011.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Joaquín Árias Garrett Atkins Mike Aviles Erick Aybar

Jose Lima Autopsy Finds Pitcher Likely Died of Cardiac Arrhythmia

by FanHouse Staff

Filed under: Astros, Dodgers, Mets, Royals, Tigers

An autopsy on former major league pitcher Jose Lima did not reveal a definitive cause of death but did determine his system was free of any illegal substances when he died May 23.

The autopsy and toxicology tests found moderate levels of alcohol in Lima, who was 37, and notes that he likely died of cardiac arrhythmia. There had been speculation in some quarters that drugs might have played a part in Lima's death at such a young age, and his widow took the autopsy reports as vindication.

"Now Jose will be able to rest in peace," Dorca Astacio, told ESPNdeportes.com. "Those of us who loved Jose have not only suffered his death, but also the quick judgments lashed out by many people about the supposed reasons for his death."

Lima's family members received copies of the reports Wednesday.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Adrián González Alberto González Álex González Alex Gordon

Yankees Hit With $18M Luxury Tax Bill

by FanHouse Staff

Filed under: Red Sox, Yankees, Sports Business and Media

The Yankees didn't win it all in 2010 but they remained baseball's standard-bearer when it comes to spending.

New York owes $18 million in luxury tax, one of only two teams pushed into the red this year by its massive payroll. The other, naturally, was the Red Sox -- but Boston owes only $1.5 million according to figures obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press

As gaudy as the Yankees' luxury tax figure is, it actually represents their lowest penalty since 2003. They paid $25.7 million in 2009 and were the only franchise to owe money last year.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Adam Dunn David Eckstein Brad Eldred Mark Ellis

Reds Maintain NL Central's Weak Playoff Legacy, Hope for Another Chance

by Tom Krasovic

Filed under: Astros, Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs, Pirates, Reds, NL Central, MLB Playoffs, National League Division Series

CINCINNATI -- If baseball wants to liven up its Octobers, here's a thought:

Tell the National League Central to take a hike.

Always happy to help, West Coast Bias made that suggestion early Sunday night while watching another chumplike champ from Flyover Land.

"Out of the six teams, you want me to cancel them all?" Katy Feeney replied in jest.

Feeney is Major League Baseball's senior VP for club relations and scheduling. Because she has a sense of humor, she'll never work for the NFL, but she is adept at making quick points.

In less time than it took Reds hitters to make a few more outs Sunday -- in other words, no time at all -- Feeney reminded me that clubs from NL Central reached the World Series from 2004-06.

Two of those teams were swept by the American League champion. The third -- the Cardinals of 2006 -- became the first World Series champion from the NL Central since the division was created in 1994.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Diory Hernandez Luis Hernández Brandon Hicks Chin-lung Hu

Rick Ankiel Reportedly to Join Nationals

by FanHouse Staff

Filed under: Nationals, MLB Rumors, MLB Hot Stove

The Nationals reportedly have agreed to a one-year deal with Rick Ankiel, adding another new piece to their outfield.

Ankiel will make $1.5 million in 2011 and could earn an additional $1.25 million in incentives, reports SI.com.

It should not be a surprise at this point that Ankiel is a Scott Boras client, as the super-agent and the Nationals seem to join forces at every available opportunity these days. (There are now seven Boras clients on the Nationals' 40-man roster, Mark Zuckerman notes.)

Ankiel will presumably compete with Roger Bernadina for time in left field.

The 31-year-old former pitcher had a mostly forgettable 2010 with the Royals and Braves, though he did provide one of the more memorable moments of the playoffs with an 11th-inning homer in the NLDS against the Giants.

During the regular season, Ankiel managed only 240 plate appearances, hitting .232 with a .709 OPS. He was slowed much of the year with hamstring problems.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Yonder Alonso Lars Anderson Garrett Atkins Willy Aybar

Jesse Crain, White Sox Have 3-Year Deal

by FanHouse Staff

Filed under: White Sox, MLB Rumors, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Free Agency

The Chicago White Sox and reliever Jesse Crain have agreed to terms on a three-year deal, according to MLB.com's Peter Gammons.

The total value of Crain's deal is approximately $13 million, reported FOXSports.com Wednesday night.

Crain, a right-hander, has spent the past seven seasons with the division rival Minnesota Twins, almost all of them in middle relief. He has just three career saves.

He went 1-1 over 64 innings last season with a 3.04 ERA. The latter mark was his lowest in the ERA department over a full season since 2005, his first in the big leagues.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Jorge Cantú Mike Carp Chris Carter Jeff Clement