Alumni Thread

[mls4]

Tony Graffanino actually made the Indians' opening-day roster at the last minute as an injury replacement.

Ron Villone was signed a minor-league contract by the Mets.

Scott Podsednik signed a minor-league contract by the White Sox.

Nelson Figueroa back with the Mets, of course to pitch against the Brewers today.

[Mass Haas]

Just-released infielder Michael Bell found work with the Fort Worth Cats of the independent American Association.

 

Also just let go by the Brewers, pitcher Adam Arnold signs with the independent Frontier League's Kalamazoo (MI) Kings.

[mls4]

Nelson Figueroa DFA after his one start with the Mets, opted for free agency and must have found little interest as he has re-signed a minor-league deal with the Mets.

 

Mike Lamb also signed a minor-league contract with the Mets.

 

Saul Rivera optioned by the Nationals; but recalled 2 days later.

[Mass Haas]

mls4, we really appreciate your work with the alumni, particularly on the big league level.

 

We're hoping by this time next week to have the new alumni thread started with the minor leaguers for 2009 listed. If you could confirm the current alumni on big league 25-man rosters or disabled lists and post it here this week, that'd be great. Your list a few posts up is probably right on the money, but if you could confirm, thanks.

[mls4]

Sure thing, a couple other updates I missed are:

Zach Jackson, optioned by Indians

Luis Vizcaino, DFA by Cubs

Claudio Vargas, put on DL by Dodgers

 

So as far as I can tell, the following are currently on a 25-man roster:

Carlos Lee - Astros

Dana Eveland - A's

Marco Scutaro - Blue Jays

Lyle Overbay - Blue Jays

Jeff Bennett - Braves

Doug Davis - Diamondbacks

Scott Linebrink - White Sox

Nelson Cruz - Rangers

Chris Coste - Phillies

Matt Stairs - Phillies

Mark Loretta - Dodgers

Guillermo Mota - Dodgers

Jorge delaRosa - Rockies

Glendon Rusch - Rockies

Gary Sheffield - Mets

Wes Helms - Marlins

Jamey Wright - Royals

RA Dickey - Twins

Craig Breslow - Twins

Brian Shouse - Rays

Grant Balfour - Rays

Gabe Kapler - Rays

Gabe Gross - Rays

Henry Blanco - Padres

Chad Moeller - Orioles

Dennis Sarfate - Orioles

David Weathers - Reds

Francisco Cordero - Reds

Laynce Nix - Reds

Russell Branyan - Mariners

Ronnie Belliard - Nationals

Julian Tavarez - Nationals

Saul Rivera - Nationals

CC Sabathia - Yankees

Tony Graffanino - Indians

 

Currently on major league 60-day DL:

Mike Adams - Padres

Claudio Vargas - Dodgers

[Mass Haas]

Just-released catcher Andy Bouchie latched on with the Long Beach Armada of the independent Golden Baseball League.

[Mass Haas]

Reliever Steve Bray was signed from the independent ranks after one outing, by who? Well, Jack Z., of course.

 

BRAY SIGNED BY MARINERS

[Mass Haas]

Nice story on former Brewer lefty Shane Nance, now coaching high schoolers, one special one in particular, down in Texas

[mls4]

Three more new additions to 25-man rosters:

Jeff Weaver - Dodgers

Brian Wolfe - Blue Jays

Scott Podsednik - White Sox

[Mass Haas]

Good for Stephen Chapman (and agent39) -- Chapman was signed quickly out of the independent ranks by the Cincinnati Reds organization.

[battlekow]

Matt LaPorta's getting called up to Cleveland. Tony Graffanino DFA'd in the same move.

[wvpowerblkwel]

Any word on where Chapman is? I can't find him on milb or anywhere else for that matter.

[Mass Haas]

Any word on where Chapman is? I can't find him on milb or anywhere else for that matter.

 

The indy league only noted this Friday, so MiLB.com will need to catch up from over the weekend. Check again at end-of-week.

[mls4]

Dana Eveland optioned to AAA Sacramento by Oakland.

Saul Rivera optioned to AAA Syracuse by Washington.

[mls4]

Tony Graffinino outrighted to AAA Columbus (DFA earlier).

Ron Villone called up by Washington.

Chad Fox called up by the Cubs.

[mls4]

Joe Dillon traded from A's to Rays and assigned to AAA Durham. He hasn't yet played this season because of a back injury.

Joe Bateman signed with the Rays and also assigned to AAA Durham.

Gary Glover released by the Nationals. He had been at AAA Syracuse.

Chad Fox to the DL with the Cubs after only 2 appearances.

[TheCrew07]

A Steve Garrison update here.

 

He's expected to return to the mound by July.

[mls4]

Javier Valentin signed to a minor-league contract by the Mets, and assigned to AAA Buffalo. He apparently opted for free agency after the Nationals outrighted him this spring.

Nelson Figueroa called up by the Mets, for the 2nd time this season.

Luis Vizcaino signed by the Indians after his Cubs release. It will be his 8th major-league club, and 6th in the last 5 years after leaving the Brewers.

[battlekow]

According to Paul DePodesta, Joe Thatcher recalled:

Joe Thatcher has pitched well this season in AAA Portland, going 14 innings with 12 hits, five walks, and 17 k's. What's particularly good is that Joe has held left-handed hitters to a .557 ops and right-handed hitters to a .661. His ground ball ratio has also been 4:1, so all that indicates that his cutter looks more like the 2007 version.

[mls4]

Glendon Rusch DFA by the Rockies.

Greg Aquino called up by the Indians.

[Bernman23]

Will Inman's line on Sunday: 7 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 7 K, 1 BB

 

On the season his ERA is down to a pretty impressive at 3.05, especially for the hitter friendly (to my knowledge) Texas League.

 

Can someone inform me as to why he's at AA for the 3rd straight season, though. His ERA last season was nothing to sneeze at.

 

Regardless the reason, it would be kind of nice to have a legit prospect like him at the upper levels of our minor league system who is actually performing. That Linebrink trade right now is haunting as of right now, and a lot of people who would criticize it would not be doing so in hindsight.

[TheCrew07]

His pitch counts have been so high he's usually done around the 5th, he needed to be more economical with his pitches. I was surprised by his 3 peat of AA this year as well.