Atlanta organization (AAA Gwinnett) activates Jose Lugo from the disabled list.
White Sox organization (AAA Charlotte) places Michael Restovich on the seven day disabled list., then activates him again.
Milwaukee reinstates LaTroy Hawkins from the disabled list.
Milwaukee assigns LaTroy Hawkins to Nashville (AAA).
Philadelphia organization promotes Jeff Lanning from Williamsport (short-season) to Lakewood (A).
Pittsburgh selects the contract of Joe Beimel from Indianapolis (AAA).
St. Louis activates Nick Punto from the disabled list.
Toronto organization acquires Yohan Pino for cash considerations, promotes him from New Hampshire (AA) to Las Vegas (AAA) for two days, then sends him back to New Hampshire (AA).
Also, Seth Greisinger has been demoted from the Yomiuri Giants to the Kawasaki Giants (a demotion to the Japanese minor league). H/t AMR.
will Michael Restovich ever get a crack at the big league club? It seems like he has been in Charlotte for 6 years
Unfortunately, I'd have to say it's doubtful. He's 32, and he hasn't been in the majors since 2007, when he got 28 at-bats with Washington. He might have been able to help somebody if he'd been given the chance, but it seems likely that his time for getting that chance has run out.
Restovic doesn't even have a full 162 season worth of games played over six different years he's appeared in the majors.
has he qualified for his minor league pension yet?
According to a story at You Go Pro Baseball.com, a player vests after five years of service. Apparently the Non-Uniformed Personnel Pension Plan for Minor League Players (NUPP) for service prior to 2008 was 2 percent of final average club pay times years of service. He also mentions that the Twins have (had?) a somewhat different scheme, but doesn't clarify.
This seems to be the go-to site for info on the pension system -- tons of links back to it. Restovich has parts of 13 seasons of service in the minors. I don't know how that translates to service credit, nor how (if at all) his major league time would factor in. But I might speculate that the pension benefits are on his mind at this point in his career. He's still a bit young to move into the coaching ranks and still has enough AAAA in him to have hope for another tour of duty. Crash Restovich!
JeffA,
I'm bummed my Greisinger tip didn't make it. :'(
I'm on my in-laws' computer now, should I go digging for that again or will it show up next week?
It has been added. I fully intended to put include it. I wish I had a good excuse, but the truth is that I just forgot. Sorry.
It's all good. I was just so excited b/c it's the first tip I had.
That is a helluva tip, AMR. How'd you find that one out?
Yesterday, I mentioned the good bullpen arms that the Twins had out of middling starters. To make sure I didn't miss anyone, I looked back through the rosters of 2002-2010. Came across Greisinger and asked myself, "Wonder what the heck ol' Greasy's doing now." Wikipedia said he played in NPB last year and had a good record and ERA, but had no info on his 2011 season. Wasn't sure if that started yet, so I went looking for NPB info, which is darned near impossible to find unless you know Japanese. I did a Google News search and found this.
Greasy was demoted "so that he work on a few things and pitch in a Ni-gun game or two." This comes just one day after a bad start after which he "told reporters that his performance ... (2 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 4 R, 4 ER) was the worst of his career."
The ni-gun is (are?) NPB's one-level farm system.
Here is the story about that bad start.
Seth Greisinger..there is a blast from the past
Jason Pridie is back in the bigs
recently announced: angel pagan to DL, jason pridie to be called up.