Transaction Analysis: May 8-10
5/11ANAHEIM ANGELS Placed RHP Mike James on the 15-day DL, retroactive to 5/5 (torn muscle – forearm); recalled LHP Jarrod Washburn from Vancouver; announced that RHP William Vanlandingham cleared waivers and his contract was optioned to Vancouver. [5/8] Activated RF Tim Salmon from the DL; optioned LHP Jarrod Washburn to Vancouver. [5/9] Salmon’s return is...
Transaction Analysis: May 5-7
5/08ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS Recalled C Damian Miller from Tucson; optioned LHP Ricky Pickett to Tucson. [5/6] An interesting development. To add a third catcher (who isn’t decisively better than Fabregas or Stinnett), they dump their lone lefty reliever after barely using him. It might mean that they’ll be trading for a new fifth starter after Daal’s...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightTransaction Analysis: May 1-4
5/05ANAHEIM ANGELS Placed RF Tim Salmon on the 15-day DL, retroactive to 4/23 (foot); purchased the contract of LHP Greg Cadaret from Vancouver. [5/1] Recalled RHP Pep Harris from Vancouver; optioned LHP Rich Robertson to Vancouver. [5/4] As long as Omar Olivares in the rotation, and as long as Terry Collins is pretending that nothing...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightTransaction Analysis: April 27-30
5/01ANAHEIM ANGELS Sold 1B Troy Neel‘s contract to the Orix Blue Wave (Japanese Leagues). [4/28] Placed RHP Jack McDowell on the 15-day DL, retroactive to 4/27 (inflamed right elbow); activated INF Craig Shipley from the DL. [4/30] In Black Jack’s absence, Omar Olivares will step into the rotation, and Shigetoshi Hasegawa may finally get some...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightTransaction Analysis: April 24-26
4/28BALTIMORE ORIOLES Placed RHP Scott Kamieniecki on the 15-day DL, retroactive to April 25 (groin strain & inflamed elbow); recalled RHP Nerio Rodriguez from Rochester. [4/26] It’s easy to take potshots at the Orioles and say that Billy Gardner is no Davey Johnson or that Doug Johns is a waste of time, but matters aren’t...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightTransaction Analysis: April 20-23
4/24ATLANTA BRAVES Optioned RHP Paul Byrd to Richmond, and recalled OF Damon Hollins from Richmond. [4/23] When you’re the Braves, I guess you feel you can afford to waste a roster spot for five days to get two mopup innings of relief, because that’s all they got out of Byrd; considering that their bullpen had...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightTransaction Analysis: April 15-19
4/20ANAHEIM ANGELS Placed INF Craig Shipley on the 15-day DL (irritated nerve – right hand); activated 1B Chris Pritchett from 15-day DL and optioned him to Vancouver; recalled LHP Rich Robertson from Vancouver. [4/16] Activated RHP Pep Harris from the DL and optioned him to Lake Elsinore (A). [4/18] Losing Shipley may make the pickup...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightTransaction Analysis: April 6-14
4/16ATLANTA BRAVES Placed Lucky Charm Rafael Belliard on the 60-day DL (torn left quad); purchased the contract of INF Ray Holbert from Richmond. [4/10] Is there any potential downside with replacing arguably the worst major league player with a living, breathing utility infielder? Only in the sense that Cox may feel less comfortable with his...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightTransaction Analysis: March 31-April 5
4/06ANAHEIM ANGELS Purchased the contracts of OF Damon Mashore and 3B Frank Bolick; placed 1B Chris Pritchett on the 15-day DL (inflamed right elbow). [3/31] Mashore weeded through Pat Lennon, Gary Thurman, and Orlando Palmeiro to win a spot as a backup outfielder, while Bolick apparently caught on as a backup to both Hollins at...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightTransaction Analysis: March 27-31
3/31ANAHEIM ANGELS Signed INF Carlos Garcia; optioned OF Orlando Palmeiro to Vancouver; returned C Eric Helfand, INF Steve Scarsone and CF Gary Thurman to Vancouver; outrighted RHP William VanLandingham to Vancouver; acquired INF Craig Shipley from St. Louis for 2B Chip Hale. [3/30] Ick. Adding Garcia and Shipley give them "options" to Paco Martin at...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightTransaction Analysis: March 24-26
3/27ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS Waived RHP Hector Carrasco. [3/25] For all of the hullaballoo about this, Carrasco isn’t a unique talent, and that’s his problem. Finding relievers who throw moderately hard just isn’t very difficult, and if you’re not wedded to the belief that situational usages reflect ineffable qualities like "closer’s moxie" or whatever, you’re left with...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightTransaction Analysis: March 20-23
3/25ANAHEIM ANGELS Placed C Angelo Encarnacion on the 15-day DL. [3/22] Optioned RHP Geoff Edsell to Vancouver. [3/23] With Jason Dickson a probable health risk, and Jack McDowell and Omar Olivares being their uninspiring selves, there’s a very good chance that Edsell could start some games for the Angels this year. He had a rocky...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightTransaction Analysis: March 17-19
3/20ANAHEIM ANGELS Placed C Todd Greene, 2B Randy Velarde, and RHP Pep Harris on the 15-day DL; returned LHPs Rich Robertson and Greg Cadaret, C Ben Molina, and 1B Troy Neel to minor-league camp; assigned 1B Chris Pritchett to minor-league camp for work purposes. [3/19] Greene’s and Velarde’s injuries have been casting a pall over...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightTransaction Analysis: March 6-16
3/18ANAHEIM ANGELS Returned 3B Troy Glaus, RHPs Ramon Ortiz and Mike Bovee, LHPs Scott Schoenweis and Jarrod Washburn, OF Norm Hutchins, C Ben Molina, and INF Nelson Castro to minor-league camp; released OF Patrick Lennon. [3/11] Glaus had an outstanding camp, and Washburn was simply out of luck after the Angels decided to tack on...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightTransaction Analysis: February 27-March 5
3/10ANAHEIM ANGELS Assigned Ps Mo Sanford, Rob Banano, Darryl Scott and Brian Cooper and Cs Ben Molina and Jaime Burke to their minor league camp. [3/3] The only surprise here is that Mo Sanford is still around to throw his wicked breaking stuff. Here’s hope he’s got the aptitude to coach, because it doesn’t look...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightTransaction Analysis: February 19-26
2/27ANAHEIM ANGELS Signed RHP Jack McDowell to a one-year contract; signed 1B/CF Darin Erstad to a four-year contract. [2/25] Both the Angels and Black Jack are treating this as the signing that ices the Mickey-Mouse-gloved stranglehold that they claim to have on the ’98 division title. It definitely forces Omar Olivares into the sixth starter-long...
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