Nationals' Adam LaRoche to test free agency: MLB moves
First baseman Adam LaRoche and left-handed reliever Sean Burnett are free agents after voiding mutual options in their contracts with the Washington Nationals.
LaRoche bypassed a $10 million US option for 2013, while Burnett would have earned $3.5 million next season under his old deal.
The Nationals still could sign both players, who can have a chance to test the free-agent market.
LaRoche's 33 homers and 100 RBIs helped the Nationals win their first NL East division title this season, and he collected his first Gold Glove this week.
Burnett went 1-2 with a 2.38 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 56 2-3 innings over 70 appearances in 2012.
The Philadelphia Phillies have spent the week starting to put their 2013 plans into place.
Phillies exercise option on Ruiz, decline Wigginton
General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. and the Phillies exercised the $5 million 2013 option on Carlos Ruiz and declined options on utilityman Ty Wigginton ($4 million) and reliever Jose Contreras ($2.5 million). Each Wigginton and Contreras each will receive $500,000 buyouts.
Philadelphia also declined a $5.5 million option on third baseman Placido Polanco, who gets a $1 million buyout.
The Phillies on Thursday hired Dave Brundage as the manager for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Brundage managed the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A affiliate for the last six years. He has a career record of 1,086-1,028 (.514) in 13 seasons as a minor league manager.
Coming off a strong season in which he hit .325 with 16 homers and 68 RBIs, Ruiz was rewarded as the Phillies try and move past last season's disappointment of missing the playoffs, ending their five-year run as the NL East champions.
After an uncharacteristically slow start, the Phillies played their best baseball during a 7 1/2-week stretch from July 31 to Sept. 21, going 31-17 to climb back into the post-season race after falling to a season-worst 14 games under .500 right after the All-Star break.
They were 13 games out of a wild-card spot when they traded two-time All-Star outfielders Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino hours before the non-waiver deadline, and were already looking ahead to 2013.
Since winning the franchise's second World Series title in 2008, the Phillies have taken one step backward each season. They lost to the New York Yankees in six games in the 2009 World Series, lost to the San Francisco Giants in six games in the 2010 NLCS, lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in five games in the 2011 NL division series.
Ruiz was a beacon of hope throughout the season to forget. He posted career highs in average, home runs, RBIs, hits (121) and doubles (32).
Outfielder Juan Pierre and catcher Brian Schneider also became free agents this week.
Giants part ways with Huff
The World Series champion San Francisco Giants are parting ways with Aubrey Huff, declining to exercise his $10 million club option Thursday after two disappointing seasons following a big year during the team's title run two years ago.
A day after the Giants celebrated their second championship in three years with a lavish parade through downtown, vice-president of baseball operations Bobby Evans made the announcement regarding the first baseman and outfielder — though it hardly came as a surprise. Huff will receive a $2 million buyout as part of the $22 million, two-year contract he signed in November 2010.
"I thank him for his major contribution in helping us win the World Series in 2010 and being there to help in whatever role we had him in this year," manager Bruce Bochy said.
He batted .192 with a home run and seven RBIs in 52 games during an injury-plagued year featuring three stints on the disabled list. One of those happened after Huff sprained his right knee while jumping over the dugout railing to celebrate Matt Cain's perfect game June 13 and went on the disabled list.
He landed on the knee and had to be helped off the field.
In late April, Huff was placed on the DL so he could undergo treatment for an anxiety disorder. He later revealed to the San Francisco Chronicle he experienced an eight-hour panic attack that began in his New York hotel room early on April 23, when the Giants played a doubleheader against the Mets. Huff headed home to Florida and had another such attack the following day, then called Giants athletic trainers and told them what happened after initially saying he had a family emergency.
This time around, understandably, Wednesday's parade was much different for the 35-year-old Huff after he played such a limited role this year. He and his family attended the festivities and it served as his San Francisco farewell.
In 2010, Huff hit .290 with a team-leading 26 home runs and 86 RBIs while playing in 157 games, then starred during the post-season by hitting .268 with one home run and eight RBIs.
Brewers outright Morgan to AAA
The Milwaukee Brewers have outrighted outfielder Nyjer Morgan to AAA Nashville.
Morgan hit .304 while helping Milwaukee win the NL Central in 2011, but slumped to .239 this year and the Brewers failed to make the playoffs. He is a .280 career hitter over six seasons with Pittsburgh, Washington and Milwaukee.
Milwaukee also announced Thursday that right-hander Jose Veras declined his assignment to Nashville and decided to become a free agent. Veras was 5-4 with a save and a 3.63 ERA in 72 appearances for the Brewers this season.