One executive who spoke with Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports sensed that the Colorado Rockies have made shortstop Troy Tulowitzki "available" in a trade, but are not selling him hard.
Tulowitzki would be an interesting trade candidate for the Rockies, considering that he would draw a large prospect haul for a team that should start their rebuild. Also, he has reportedly wanted out of Colorado, with Tulowitzki allegedly meeting with his agent in May on whether to demand a trade. Rockies GM Jeff Bridich told The Denver Post in May that he had no plans to trade the star shortstop and that the whole thing was a "media production." With the way the Rockies are going, it appears that Bridich could, and perhaps should, have a change of heart. The team is 38-49 and is in the bottom of the NL West. They are 8 1/2 games out of the second Wild Card and Baseball Prospectus gives them a 0.1 percent chance of making the playoffs. Tulowitzki's trade value is very high right now. He is batting .314/.353/.472 with nine homers and 46 runs batted in over 312 plate appearances. He's also healthy, which has been an issue throughout his career. The 30-year-old is signed through the 2020 season on a six-year, $118 million deal that includes a team option for 2021. --Devan Fink
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With July 2--otherwise known as "international signing day"-- quickly approaching, prospects all around the world are perfecting their craft in hopes that they will get a minor league contract from a Major League club.
Cover Those Bases has learned of the agreements of 17 Venezuelan international prospects, per a source with knowledge of the situation.
Other Interesting Notes
--Devan Fink
MAY 14: Tulowitzki will not ask for a trade from the struggling Rockies, reports MLB.com's Thomas Harding.
MAY 12: For months, whether the Colorado Rockies would move superstar shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was a much debated topic throughout baseball, by many inside and outside the game. A trade may finally be coming. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Tulowitzki is going to meet with his agent Paul Cohen on Thursday to discuss whether the shortstop should request a trade from Colorado, who is 11-17 and buried at the bottom of the National League West. Tulowitzki has reportedly wanted out of Colorado for quite some time now. However, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Rockies aren't quite ready to move him. The Mets, Mariners, Pirates, and Padres are teams that Sherman lists as possible suitors for Tulowitzki. The Mets have been heavily rumored as a possibility for him throughout the offseason, while the others could be a good fit depth-wise. On the season, Tulowitzki is hitting .307/.317/.495 (107 OPS+; 0.4 rWAR) with two homers and 10 runs batted in over 104 plate appearances this season. --Devan Fink
Two top international prospects have committed to Major League teams, Cover Those Bases learned yesterday.
Venezuelan right-handed pitcher Alvaro Seijas has comitted to the St. Louis Cardinals, a league source said. His bonus is expected to be $750,000. Fellow Venezuelan and outfielder Daniel Montano has committed to the Colorado Rockies for a bonus of $2 million. Both deals will not become official until July 2, otherwise known as "international signing day." The 16-year-old Seijas is rated as the sixth-best international prospect, according to MLB.com. Seijas has a fastball that has reached 94 mph and a good makeup. Seijas trains at Carlos Guillen's academy, which should help his growth as a pro. As for Daniel Montano, 16, the outfielder is ranked as the seventh-best international prospect, also according to MLB.com. Montano has impressed scouts with his ability to hit balls into gaps. Scouts also believe that he will end up in center field due to his good defensive instincts. He's a good hitter and has shown some power. --Devan Fink Free agent outfielder Juan Pierre has officially retired from baseball, he announced on his personal Twitter account on Friday. Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald first reported the news. The speedy outfielder notched 614 stolen bases over a 14-year career with the Rockies, Marlins, Cubs, Dodgers, White Sox, and Phillies. Pierre's best attribute was easily his speed, as his 614 stolen bases ranked 18th all-time and first amongst active players at his retirement. Pierre did not play Major League Baseball in 2014, so retirement comes as far from a shock. The 37-year-old Pierre attended the University of South Alabama and was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 13th round of the 1998 MLB Draft. He worked his way quickly through the minors, reaching the big leagues in 2000 at age 22, and never going back to the minors until rehabbing from an injury with the Dodgers in 2008. Pierre was not a home run hitter. In fact, he launched only 18 home runs during his 8000+ plate appearances. However, Pierre's speed helped him to get over five times as many triples as home runs, as he had a career 94 three-baggers. Overall, Pierre is a lifetime .295/.343/.361 hitter, mostly out of the leadoff spot, where he was slotted at in 80.6 percent of his plate appearances. As a big leaguer, Pierre earned himself $57 million, according to Baseball Reference, and was worth a total of 23.2 fWAR and 83.2 Base Running Runs (BsR). I wish Juan Pierre the best in retirement and enjoyed watching him play, especially during the ladder part of his career. It still astounds me that he could be that effective on the bases even at that age. --Devan Fink |
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