MLB Daily Dish - All Posts

Royals option Kelvin Herrera to minors, recall Louis Coleman

2013-05-23T22:00:07Z

The Kansas City Royals optioned Kelvin Herrera to Triple-A on Thursday, less than a year removed from being one of the Royals best relief pitchers.

To take Herrera's roster spot, Louis Coleman has been recalled, according to the Royals' official Twitter handle.

Herrera, 23, had a phenomenal season in 2012 pitching out of the Royals' bullpen. Appearing in 76 games during his rookie season, Herrera posted a 2.35 ERA with a 1.186 WHIP and 8.2 K/9.

This year, Herrera saw his K/9 just to 10.6, but seemed to lose his control as his walk rate rose and, more importantly, he began allowing large numbers of home runs. In fact, in just 19 games Herrera has already allowed eight homers, double his total from 2012. The Royals will hope that a stint in the minors helps their young reliever relocate his control.

Coleman, 27, has pitched extensively in the majors for the Royals over the past two seasons. Over 90 games, he has a 3.35 ERA along with phenomenal strikeout numbers. However, he too has suffered from high walk and home run rates.

He has been nothing short of phenomenal in the minors this season. Over 14 games, Coleman has allowed just three earend runs with 30 strikeouts in just over 26 innings.

Coleman will be in uniform and available for Thursday's game against the Angels.

Blue Jays to call up pitching prospect Nolin for start on Friday

2013-05-23T21:00:02Z

Sean Nolin, one of the Toronto Blue Jays top pitching prospects, will be called up tomorrow to start against the Baltimore Orioles. Nolin has been pitching for Double-A New Hampshire this season.

R.A. Dickey will follow Nolin on Saturday, with Chad Jenkins taking the mound on Sunday, according to Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun.

Nolin was ranked by John Sickels of Minor League Ball as the Blue Jays fourth best prospect coming into 2013, giving him a B grade. Here is what Sickels had to say about him:

I don't know why this guy doesn't get more attention. He's big (6-5, 235), has a solid fastball, good curve, change coming along, throws strikes, great performance record. Just needs to stay healthy.

Nolin, 23, has dominated the minor leagues since 2012. He spent most of that season at High-A before a bump up to Double-A. Overall, he posted a 2.04 ERA with a 9.6 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9. Those great numbers have continued this year in New Hampshire where he has allowed just two earned runs in his first three starts with a 16:5 K:BB.

Toronto has suffered heavily from injuries in the rotation this season. Currently, Josh Johnson and J.A. Happ are both on the disabled list while Brandon Morrow, Mark Buehrle, and Dickey have all had minor ailments over the year.

The Blue Jays will need to make room on the 40-man roster in addition to the active roster for Nolin, as well. Blue Bird Banter theorizes Russ Ortiz will be designated for assignment to create a space on both.

Indians call up Scott Barnes, designate David Huff for assignment

2013-05-23T20:02:29Z

The Cleveland Indians called up left handed pitcher Scott Barnes from Triple-A Columbus on Thursday. The team hopes that he can help a bullpen that has been heavily used over the past week.

To make room for Barnes, LHP David Huff was designated for assignment, according to the Indians' official Twitter handle.

This is the second time this season the Indians have designated Huff for assignment. The first came at the beginning of Spring Training, when the Indians did not have any room on their roster for the lefty. He was added to the 40-man roster again two weeks ago, but now his spot was needed once more. This time, Huff could elect free agency if he passes through waivers.

In three major league relief appearances, Huff, 28, allowed five earned runs. After being the 39th overall draft pick in the 2006 draft, Huff has a career 5.40 ERA over parts of five seasons.

Barnes, 25, pitched in three games earlier in the season for the Indians, allowing two earned runs in four innings. In 12 relief appearances for Columbus, Barnes has posted a 5.74 ERA.

Rangers sign Mark Teahen, grant Derek Lowe unconditional release

2013-05-23T18:19:07Z

The Texas Rangers announced a pair of moves on Thursday, granting veteran pitcher Derek Lowe his unconditional release and signing Mark Teahen to a minor league deal, reports Rangers Vice President of Communications John Blake.

Texas had designated Lowe for assignment on Monday. Lowe, who will be 40 in a week, cleared waivers, but refused an outright assignment to the minors and instead elected to become a free agent. He had pitched poorly for the Rangers in nine relief appearances, allowing 13 earned runs over 13 innings.

Were another team to sign Lowe in hopes that he could start for them, he would likely need some time to stretch out as he has not started since midway through 2012.

Teahen, 31, has not played in the majors since 2011. He had been with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but the team granted him a release last week. They had come to a trade agreement earlier in the month with the Cincinnati Reds, but that deal fell through due to Teahen failing his physical. Both Teahen and the Diamondbacks were adamant that he was healthy, however.

Over seven major league seasons, Teahen hit .264/.327/.409 while playing at the outfield and infield corners. While playing for Triple-A Reno this season, Teahen posted a .571 OPS.

Angels injury updates: Jered Weaver, Ryan Madson, Peter Bourjos

2013-05-23T17:01:08Z

Weaver excels in rehab start

Jered Weaver took a big step in his recovery Wednesday, tossing 5⅓ innings of one-run ball in an extended spring training game, and could be back in the Angels' rotation next week, reports Kevin Baxter of the LA Times.

The right-hander threw 75 pitches overall (62 for strikes), fanning nine batters and walking none in his first real(ish) action since fracturing his non-throwing elbow on April 7. Next on the docket for Weaver is an extended bullpen session this weekend in Kansas City, which may be followed by his reinsertion into the rotation when the club returns to Southern California next week.

When Weaver does return, it's likely he'll bump the struggling Joe Blanton into the bullpen.

Madson suffers another setback

Ryan Madson was slated to move his rehab assignment to Triple-A Salt Lake this week, but the inflammation in his elbow resulting from his inning of work at Single-A last Monday never subsided, leading to another delay in his recovery, reports Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com.

The right-hander's road to recovery from Tommy John surgery has been a long one, and it doesn't appear to be ending any time soon. Madson threw just six pitches in his stint with the Inland Empire affiliate but has been shut down for over a week as a result. Just goes to show that not all TJS recoveries are the same.

Bourjos nearing rehab

Peter Bourjos is hopeful that he can begin a rehab assignment before the month ends, adds Baxter. The Angels' speedy center fielder has been sidelined since April 30 with a hamstring strain, and was expected to sit for six weeks. If he's able to stick to that timeline, he should be back on the field by the second week of June.

Bourjos was excelling in his new role as the club's leadoff hitter prior to his injury, batting .313/.370/.458 in 96 plate appearances through the club's first 25 games. JB Shuck has taken over in the outfield in Bourjos' absence, and has played rather well.

Mariners to send down Jesus Montero

2013-05-23T15:25:04Z

The Mariners will send down catcher Jesus Montero to Triple-A Tacoma, reports Ryan Divish of The News Tribune.

More Mariners: 20-27: Mariners Lose to Angels 7-1

Jesus Sucre will be called up to take Montero's spot on the roster. Montero, a once highly-touted prospect, has struggled to hit with any consistency in the Major Leagues, and will have to work out his kinks in Triple-A.

Sucre, 25, has been a minor-league journeyman catcher in the Mariners and Braves system since 2006. He is still young, but is not considered to be too much of a prospect.

Montero has struggled this season, batting .208 with an OPS of .590. His demotion also likely signals his final move away from the catcher position, as Tacoma already has last year's third overall pick Mike Zunino behind the plate.

Montero was acquired a few seasons ago for promising young-pitcher Michael Pineda, but as of now the trade has not worked out for either Seattle or the Yankees.

At just 23-years old, Montero still has plenty of time to develop and will be young for the Pacific Coast League. As was seen with Royals prospect Alex Gordon, it can take time for even can't-miss prospects to pan out. Montero certainly has plenty of time to work out the kinks in his swing.

Rockies option 2B Josh Rutledge, will activate Michael Cuddyer

2013-05-23T13:00:10Z

The Colorado Rockies have demoted starting second baseman Josh Rutledge to Triple-A after two months of poor play, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post.

More Rockies: The Growing Conflict at 2B

Rutledge, 24, earned the starting second base gig after making a good impression at shortstop in the second half of 2012. Playing in place of the injured Troy Tulowitzki, Rutledge batted .274/.306/.469 with eight home runs in 291 plate appearances, compelling the Rockies to move him to second base at the start of this year.

Rutledge has struggled mightily in his 43 games at second this year, however, batting just .242/.298/.357 in 173 plate appearances. He does have five long balls and is five of five on stolen-base attempts, but nothing else has really gone his way thus far.

Taking over the second base gig in Rutledge's stead is the guy he took the job from, DJ LeMahieu. Also 24, LeMahieu has been up with Colorado since last week, notching seven hits in his first 17 at bats. He appeared in 81 games for the Rockies last season -- mostly at second base -- and batted .297/.332/.410 in 247 plate appearances.

Colorado will activate outfielder Michael Cuddyer from the 15-day disabled list on Friday to take the roster spot vacated by Rutledge. Cuddyer has been out the last two weeks with a bulging disc in his neck.

Cardinals notes: Chris Carpenter could return by July

2013-05-23T12:00:04Z

First, he was contemplating retirement. Then he was coming back, but only as a late-season reinforcement out of the bullpen. Now, it seems that Chris Carpenter might actually make his way into the St. Louis Cardinals' starting rotation by sometime in July, reports Scott Miller of CBS Sports.

More Cards: When Bad Things Happen to Good Labrums

The 38-year-old right-hander has been throwing "rigorous bullpens" of up to 80 pitches, and has not experienced any setbacks in his recovery thus far. When news broke in February that the nerve issue in his neck and shoulder was continuing to be a hindrance, there seemed to be no chance that Carp would take the mound in 2013, but now it's more a matter of when, not if.

Carpenter is scheduled to throw an extended bullpen session today (Thursday), and if all goes well he could face live hitters as soon as next week. GM John Mozeliak said that Carp's progress is "very encouraging," but would not give a target return date for fear of a setback.

The right-hander would be a welcome veteran addition to a youth-heavy rotation in St. Louis. With Jake Westbrook incurring a setback in his rehab, and Jaime Garcia sidelined for the year with a shoulder injury, St. Louis has had to rely on a small fleet of young starters -- Shelby Miller, Lance Lynn, John Gast, and Tyler Lyons -- to keep the team atop the NL Central. The quartet has pitched incredibly well thus far, but adding another established arm certainly wouldn't hurt the rotation.

MLB Daily Dish - All Posts

Royals option Kelvin Herrera to minors, recall Louis Coleman

Blue Jays to call up pitching prospect Nolin for start on Friday

Indians call up Scott Barnes, designate David Huff for assignment

Rangers sign Mark Teahen, grant Derek Lowe unconditional release

Angels injury updates: Jered Weaver, Ryan Madson, Peter Bourjos

Weaver excels in rehab start

Madson suffers another setback

Bourjos nearing rehab

More from MLBDD:

Mariners to send down Jesus Montero

More Mariners: 20-27: Mariners Lose to Angels 7-1

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Rockies option 2B Josh Rutledge, will activate Michael Cuddyer

More Rockies: The Growing Conflict at 2B

Chatwood back in the rotation

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Cardinals notes: Chris Carpenter could return by July

More Cards: When Bad Things Happen to Good Labrums

Garcia done for the year

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