TCR Friday Notes
...lightning round...go!
- David DeJesus ends up going to the Rays, essentially confirming hat the Nationals weren't all that interested in DeJesus afterall and claimed him only in a hope to block him from another team. Instead they ended up with $2.5M committment that they were able to shift to the Rays. The Rays will throw a player to be named later or cash (more likely cash) towards the Nats, which will then most likely get forwarded to the Cubs. You think they Western Union for that?
Looks like the Rays have use for DeJesus as they said he'll play against most righties, mostly instead of Kelly Johnson.
- The Cubs and Rangers completed their deal for Matt Garza today once the Cubs were awarded a waiver claim on RHP Neil Ramirez. The 24-year old right-hander is striking out over 11 per 9 this year in AA, but with a healthy walk rate of 3.8. Before the 2012 season, John Sickels had him as the Rangers #7 prospect, ahead of both Christian Villanueva and Justin Grimm and had this to say:
Held his own in Triple-A until sore shoulder issue sent him back to previously-skipped Double-A level for rehab. A breakout candidate who broke out.
2012 didn't go too well though, putting up a 6.28 ERA between AA and AAA and seeing a significant drop in his K rate. That dropped him to #18 on Sickels pre-2013 prospect list.
Tough to get a handle on after wildly erratic season, failed in Triple-A and was spotty after going down to Double-A though sometimes effective. I have been very high on him in the past but he might do better with a change of scenery. Trade bait?
And so they Rangers sent him back to AA for 2013 to try and master it, and he's put up good numbers going: 9-3, 3.84 ERA, 11.1 K/9 3.7 BB/9 and 0.7 HR/9/. But as Sickels mentions in mid-season review, he'll have to get through AAA before folks get to excited about him.
- Cubs have moved to a game and a half behind the White Sox for the third pick in the draft, thanks to an unlikely 6-game winning streak for the South Siders. The Cubs have 35 left to play and are on pace for 93-94 losses. The remaining breakdown of the schedule for the Cubs look like this (All are 3 game series unless otherwise noted):
Away
@ Padres, @ Dodgers, @ Cincinnati, @ Pittsburgh (4), @ Milwaukee (4)
Home
Philadelphia, Miami, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, St. Louis
Have a good weekend everyone.
Comments