MLB - NEWS & NOTES

Yanks 1B Greg Bird to have season-ending shoulder surgery

NEW YORK (AP) ? Yankees first baseman Greg Bird, who displayed a powerful swing after making his major league debut last August, will miss this season because of a damaged right shoulder that needs surgery.

The Yankees said Monday that Bird's labrum will be repaired by Dr. David Altchek at The Hospital for Special Surgery on Tuesday. The team said the injury is a reoccurrence of one originally sustained last May.

Bird, who turned 23 in November, made his big league debut on Aug. 13 and took over at first base when Mark Teixeira got hurt. Bird hit with 11 homers, 31 RBIs and nine doubles in 157 at-bats while hitting .261. He had been viewed as protection against injuries to the oft-hurt Teixeira, who is entering the final season of his contract.

 

Brewers' Braun says he's making progress after back surgery

MILWAUKEE (AP) ? The makeover at Miller Park means outfielder Ryan Braun keeps moving up in seniority in the Brewers clubhouse.

At 32 and entering his 10th season in the majors, Braun seems to be embracing the youth movement in Milwaukee. He hopes to be back at 100 percent by the time the regular season starts following offseason back surgery.

"It's an interesting time for us," Braun said Sunday. "But I think we have probably more potential young, impact players than we've had in a long time, probably since I've been part of the organization."

 

he needs more steroids to get back to being 100% hahahaha

 

Andre Ethier, who is owed a staggering $38 million, is probably heading to the White Sox!

 

Dodgers hire Maddux and Ibanez as special assistants

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The Dodgers have hired Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux and 19-year veteran Raul Ibanez as special assistants to Andrew Friedman in the team's front office.

The team said Tuesday that Maddux and Ibanez will help Friedman, who is president of baseball operations, while also working in scouting, player development and interacting with players at the major and minor league levels.

Maddux spent the last four years as special assistant to Texas general manager Jon Daniels in the Rangers' organization, where his brother Mike was the pitching coach. Before that, he was an assistant to Cubs GM Jim Hendry in 2010. The 49-year-old, four-time NL Cy Young Award winner pitched for the Dodgers in 2006 and 2008 during a 23-year major league career. He went 355-227 with a 3.16 ERA in 744 games with the Cubs, Braves and Padres in addition to the Dodgers.

Ibanez played for Seattle, Kansas City, Philadelphia, the Yankees and Angels during his career, when he batted .272 with 305 home runs and 1, 207 RBIs in 2,161 games. The 43-year-old outfielder-first baseman will be working in a front office for the first time.

 

i know ibanez was going for the KC job a year or so ago. glad he's back in baseball. when he was in philly everyone praised him as a real good guy.

 

Not an appealing move to me, but the Sox seem interested. I woudnt even consider it unless some cash was picked up.

 

Two good pick-ups for the Dodgers. Cant really have enough brains behind these baseball players, in my opinion.

 

hell yeah Will. that's a ton of loot.

 

yeah the phils just got a top guy from Google to help out.

 

Phils trade former first rd pick and homegrown talent now bust Jesse Biddle to Pitt for a player to be named later and a Primanti's sandwich!

Biddle is out for the 2016 season with Tommy John Surgery.

Phils gave him every change to succeed and he couldn't take it. Adios!

 

A player to be named later and a cheese steak, right? Great news. Anyways, let me tell you a story about how the Pirates pitching coaches get pitchers that nobody wants and turns them into starters.....One of the Pirates strengths is getting cheap pitching and getting them into the rotation or bullpen.....Believe it or not.....

 

biddle never made it past AA and had control issues the entire time. the phils gave him a ton of chances. i never liked him as his HS record was not against top local Philly talent and he played in a weak league.

so good luck.

 

Jose Bautista: ?It would be an honour? to be a Blue Jay for life



Toronto slugger Jose Bautista would like to be a Blue Jay for life. It appears to be up to the team?s new front office to make the next move.

Bautista, who is entering the final year of his contract, is coming off one of his best seasons and helped the Blue Jays end their long playoff drought last year. He made it clear in a phone interview Thursday that he would like to finish his career with Toronto.

"It would be an honour if I had the opportunity to do so," Bautista told The Canadian Press from Tampa, Fla.

Now the question is when ? or if ? general manager Ross Atkins and/or team president Mark Shapiro will be willing to spend the big dollars needed to get him signed to another multi-year extension.

"I have to have something to consider at some point if I'm going to make that decision, which hasn't happened yet," Bautista said. "So I'm going to continue to go about my business just like any other year and any other day because I don't really have a decision to make right now."

Bautista, who has been a top power hitter for several years, posted big numbers again last season with 40 homers and 114 RBIs. Teammate Edwin Encarnacion, who hit 39 homers and had 111 RBIs, is also entering the final year of his deal and their long-term status will be a key talking point with spring training set to begin this month. (SN)

 

Orioles, LHP Matusz agree to $3.9 million, 1-year contract

BALTIMORE (AP) ? The Orioles have reached agreement with left-hander Brian Matusz on a $3.9 million, one-year contract, avoiding arbitration.

Matusz went 1-4 with a 2.94 ERA in 58 appearances out of the bullpen last season for Baltimore. He struck out 59 over 49 innings.

The 28-year-old, who made $3.2 million last year, has a career record of 27-41 with a 4.76 ERA in seven seasons.

 

Rays' Smyly wins 1st MLB salary arbitration case of year

PHOENIX (AP) ? Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Smyly has won baseball's first salary arbitration case this year.

The three-person panel decided Thursday in Smyly's favor, dealing the Rays their first loss in seven arbitration hearings.

The 26-year-old lefty asked arbitrators Elizabeth Neumeier, Andrew Strongin and Phillip LaPorte for a raise from $2.65 million to $3.75 million during a hearing Wednesday. The Rays argued for $3.2 million.

Smyly was 5-2 with a 3.11 ERA in 12 starts last year. He started the season on the disabled list because of left shoulder tendinitis, made three starts and then went back on the DL until mid-August because of a torn labrum in the shoulder.

Tampa Bay had prevailed over pitcher Esteban Yan (2002), catchers Josh Paul (2006 and 2007) and Dioner Navarro (2009), outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. (2010) and pitcher Jeff Niemann (2012).

Hearings are scheduled through Feb. 19.
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Hoping things get straightened out for JD Martinez in Detroit. Important to get these things over with before its time to play ball.

 

i dont know how it works so forgive me - if they are under contract, how can they ask for a raise? i am missing something...

thanks.

 

Will and or Mut - do you think JD Martinez repeats his breakout season of last year? I have him in fantasy baseball and i have 1 keeper spot left open and it's between him or pujols. I'm favoring Martinez as he is younger and i can keep him 2 more seasons. thanks.

 

It happens as they enter the last year of their contracts... most cases are agreed to without a hitch, but sometimes the bickering on a new contract gets settled by outsiders.