text:
Reconsolidated wood product and process and apparatus for forming the product, the product being formed from webs of splintered natural wood broken down by crushing or like processes, the webs being consolidated by compression and bonded with an adhesive.
1. Reconsolidated wood product including at least one flexible open lattice work web of naturally interconnected wood strands, said strands extending substantially parallel to each other in the direction of the grain of the natural wood and a bonding agent bonding together said strands which have been consolidated to substantially their original orientation.
2. Reconsolidated wood products as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wood product is formed from a plurality of said webs.
3. Reconsolidated wood product as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are defined, within the product, a plurality of bonded together local volumes, each volume having at least one of said webs bonded by said bonding agent, the strands within each local volume being generally aligned in the same direction and the strands in at least two of these local volumes being aligned in different directions.
4. Reconsolidated wood product as claimed in claim 3, wherein said local volumes are formed by respective overlying laminations, each lamination comprising one or more said webs.
5. Reconsolidated wood product as claimed in claim 1, having a surface portion at which the said strands are aligned in one direction, said surface portion having therein a plurality of indentations substantially between said strands, which indentations are elongate in said direction and have opposed sides which extend in said direction and which, where they meet the surface portion, define respective lines which diverge from generally pointed ends of the respective indentations towards respective wider intermediate portions of the indentations.
6. Reconsolidated wood product as claimed in claim 5, wherein said product is planar with a separate said surface portion defining each opposed major face of the product, the said direction being the same at each said opposed surface portion and said indentations being on each opposed said surface portion, and not opposed to one another.
7. Reconsolidated wood product as claimed in claim 6, wherein each said indentation varies in depth from a maximum depth at said intermediate portion thereof to a minimum depth towards each said end thereof.
8. Process for forming a reconsolidated wood product consisting substantially of the steps of rending natural wood to form a flexible open lattice work web of substantially parallel aligned, naturally interconnected strands, compressing the web to consolidate the strands and bonding said strands together.
9. Process as claimed in claim 8, wherein said rending is effected by subjecting the natural wood to pressure by roller means.
10. Process as claimed in claim 9, wherein said rending is carried out by engaging the natural wood with a roller having a smooth cylindrical outer surface.
11. Process as claimed in claim 9, wherein said rending is carried out by engaging the natural wood with a roller having a textured outer surface.
12. Process as claimed in claim 9, wherein said rending is effected by passing the natural wood successively through successive cooperating roller pairs to produce progressively increased splintering at each pair.
13. Process as claimed in claim 12, wherein nips of said roller pairs are non-parallel when viewed in the direction of travel of the natural wood therethrough.
14. Process as claimed in claim 9, wherein said roller pairs are driven such that the peripheral speeds of the rollers of the roller pairs are not the same for all roller pairs.
15. Process as claimed in claim 8, wherein said rending is effected or assisted by subjecting a length of said natural wood to torsional stress by counter rotating the opposite ends of said length.
16. Process as claimed in claim 8, wherein said rending is effected or assisted by repeatedly impacting or piercing said natural wood, at spaced locations along the length thereof.
17. Process as claimed in claim 8, wherein said compression is effect by passing the web through presser rolls or between a pair of belts driven to engage the web from opposed sides and to move the web through the pair of belts.
18. Process as claimed in claim 8, wherein said compression is effected by loading said web into a mould and applying pressure thereto.
19. Process as claimed in claim 8, wherein said bonding is effected by use of a bonding agent added to said web.
20. Process as claimed in claim 18, wherein bonding agent to effect said bonding is introduced into said mould prior to said compression within the mould.
21. Process as claimed in claim 17, wherein bonding agent to effect said bonding is applied to said web prior to said compression by dipping it into a bath of said bonding agent in liquid form.
22. Process as claimed in claim 21, wherein excess liquid is removed after said dipping and prior to said compression by subjecting it to an air blast.
23. Process as claimed in claim 22, wherein the web is dried before dipping and subjected to a warm environment to allow evaporation of moisture therefrom after dipping.
24. Process as claimed in claim 8, wherein indentations are formed into the consolidated web during said compression thereof and prior to completion of the bonding, said indentations being aligned with the direction of lengthwise extent of the wood strands by pressing tapered elongated projections into the web as it is being consolidated so as to force said strands apart without cutting of the strands.
25. Process as claimed in claim 8, wherein a number of said webs are combined to form said matrix.
26. Process as claimed in claim 8, wherein a number of said matrices are combined to form said product, the directions of alignment of strands in adjacent said matrices being nonparallel.
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 787,735, filed Apr. 15, 1977, now abandoned.
This invention relates to a reconsolidated wood product.
Reconstituted wood products, such as "particle boards" formed by binding small wood flakes with adhesive, are well known and in wide-spread use in furniture and other consumer products. Such materials are normally available in the form of sheets only since, in general, they exhibit poor ability to sustain bending loads, as compared with natural timber, and are thus largely unsatisfactory as structural beams. In this respect, natural timber exhibits directional mechanical properties, owing to the natural alignment of wood fibres along the direction of extent of the tree trunk, tensile strength and elastic modulus, for example, being much greater in directions parallel to the grain direction than normal thereto. On the other hand, the random alignment of wood flakes in particle boards and like reconstituted wood products results in substantially isotropic mechanical properties, these properties, further, being generally analogous to the relatively poor mechanical properties possessed by wood in directions normal to the grain. Attempts have been made to produce reconstituted wood products in which preformed wood flakes are oriented in a single direction, in order to provide a structure more akin to natural wood, and such products do possess directional strength characteristics, exhibiting relatively improved strength in directions parallel to the direction of alignment. For example, Canadian patent specification No. 966,409 (MacMillan Bloedell Limited) discloses a method of making a board product from aligned but discrete wood strands or fibres. The strands or fibres are produced by breaking down timber by slicing, crushing, shaving, peeling or the like. When the fibres are combined to form a board (by the use of a suitable adhesive) it is necessary to physically orient them in side-by-side disposition. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,219 (Herbert C. Harvey, Jr., assigned to Tennessee Valley Authority) wood is broken into splinter products in the form of a spongy mass of loosely matted fibre strands. This mass of strands is then scrubbed to produce discrete fibres which are subsequently formed into board products by known techniques. The alignment of preformed wood flakes is a difficult operation so that manufacturing processes for such products tend to be relatively complex and the strength of materials produced this way still tends to be somewhat less than that of natural timber.
According to this invention there is provided a reconsolidated wood product including numerous wood splinters a substantial proportion of which are substantially separately defined but non-discrete the splinters being bonded together. Preferably, said substantial proportion of splinters comprises a matrix of generally aligned splinters. The bonding may be effected by use of a suitable bonding agent or alternatively the splinters may be treated with a suitable material, such as ammonia to render plastic the outer surfaces of the splinters whereby they can be bonded by application of pressure thereto. Preferably, the matrix is formed from at least one web of said splinters, which web has been consolidated by compression. The web is preferably obtained by breaking down natural wood, the breaking down not being carried to an extent beyond which said substantial proportion of said splinters remain maintained at least partly interconnected and substantially aligned in the initial grain direction of the natural wood. The breaking down may be effected by rendering the natural wood such as in a crushing process. The matrix may be formed from a plurality of the said webs and there may, for example, be a plurality of local volumes within the product each with a said matrix embedded in set bonding agent, the splinters in at least two of these local volumes being aligned in different directions. Thus, the local volumes may comprise overlying laminations.
The product may have a surface portion at which the said splinters are aligned in one direction, this surface portion having therein a plurality of indentations, which indentations are elongate in said direction and have opposed sides which extend in said direction and which, where they meet the surface portion, define respective lines which diverge from generally pointed ends of the respective indentations towards respective wider intermediate portions of the indentations.
The invention also provides reconsolidated wood product including numerous wood splinters a substantial proportion of which are aligned in one direction and form a matrix of said splinters, the splinters being bonded together; said product having a surface portion at which the splinters of the product are substantially aligned in said one direction, this surface portion having therein a plurality of indentations, which indentations are elongate in said one direction and have opposed sides which extend in said one direction and which, where they meet the surface portion, define respective lines which diverge from generally pointed ends of the respective indentations towards respective wider intermediate portions of the indentations.
The invention further provides a process for forming a reconsolidated wood product comprising rendering natural wood to form splinters a substantial proportion of which are substantially separately defined but non-discrete and bonding said splinters together, for example by use of a bonding agent applied either during said rendering or thereafter or by suitable surface treatment of the splinters as mentioned previously. Preferably said rendering is effected such that said substantial proportion of splinters comprises a matrix of substantially aligned splinters. The matrix preferably comprises a web of said splinters the substantial proportion of the said splinters being maintained oriented in the direction of the grain of the natural wood. The web is preferably formed by breaking down said natural wood; preferably the breaking down is carried out only to an extent such as to form the said splinters without effecting complete separation of said substantial proportion of said splinters, and preferably without substantially damaging the essential structure of the wood forming the splinters. The breaking down is preferably performed by applying force to said natural wood such as by rolling it or repeatedly piercing it at intervals along its length. The wood may be harvested or processed into portions of high aspect ratio before breaking down is effected. Rolling of the wood may be carried out by passing it past a roller having a smooth or contoured cylindrical outer surface, or between pairs of such rollers, or each roller may have a textured, serrated or toothed outer surface designed, for example, to produce areas of weakness at predetermined distances along the length of the natural wood as it is passed therethrough and to facilitate passage of the wood through the rollers. If each roller is toothed it is preferred that there be a plurality of circumferential sets of teeth spaced along the length thereof with teeth of adjacent sets pitched such as to be out of phase one relative to the other. Preferably the natural wood is passed through successive roller pairs to induce progressive splintering at each pass. The pairs of rollers may be arranged such that alternate ones thereof have the nips thereof contained in a plane spaced from a plane containing the nips of the other pairs thereof or be otherwise arranged so that the natural wood passing therethrough is conformed to a serpentine configuration to assist in inducing flexibility into the resultant web. The axes of successive roller pairs may also be angularly displaced by 90� each relative to the next. Differential speeds may be established between successive rolls to stimulate splitting. Breaking down may be effected, alternatively, by inducing torsion into a length of said natural wood, or such torsion may be induced merely to assist the breaking down, for example prior to passage of the wood through a roller pair. A predetermined pattern of grooves may be impressed on a leading end of a billet of the natural wood before application of breaking down forces thereto, in order to effect initiation of cracking of the billet along desired planes. Alternative processes, such as impacting with hammers or the like or striking and piercing parallel to the grain, repeatedly, at intervals along the wood length may also be employed to break down the natural wood. Preferably the said web is consolidated by compression to form the matrix prior to the said bonding and this may be effected, for example, by passing the web through a pair of rollers or compressing bands or by loading it into a mould and applying pressure thereto. The said bonding agent may, if a mould is employed, be introduced into the mould, such as in foam form, prior to insertion of the web thereinto, or alternatively the bonding agent may be sprayed or otherwise applied onto the web, either during or after formation thereof, this latter step being applicable also where compression of the web is effected by use of rollers. Preferably however the bonding agent is applied by dipping the webs into a bath of the bonding agent in liquid form. Normally drying of the wood is effected before bonding agent is applied thereto and this is normally essential where green timber is employed. A number of the said webs may be combined to form the aforementioned matrix and a number of matrices may be combined to form the said wood product. In the latter case, the directions of alignment of the splinters in adjacent matrices may be non-parallel. The texture of the layers may be varied and/or zones of unaligned wood particles may be introduced. Other reinforcing materials such as wire mesh may also be introduced. Prior to the step of breaking down the said natural wood, steaming may be effected to facilitate breaking down, and heating of the web after application of the bonding agent may be effected in order to ensure proper curing of the bonding agent. Preferably the process of the invention is carried out whilst maintaining the splinters as produced in a constant alignment, such as in the direction of passage through the processing equipment.
The invention further includes apparatus for producing a reconsolidated wood product comprising first means for rendering natural wood to form numerous splinters of natural wood, a substantial proportion of which splinters are substantially separate but non-discrete and second means for bonding said splinters together. The first means preferably comprises at least one pair of crushing rollers for crushing the natural wood to form a web of said splinters, the said substantial proportion of said splinters remaining aligned in the direction of the grain of said natural wood, together with means for compressing said web. The means for compressing the web may comprises presser rollers and tracks together with a suitable means for passing the web through these. The latter means may also include means for combining together a plurality of said webs for then passing these through the presser rollers together. The first means may also include means for applying torsion to the natural wood before passing it through the said crushing rollers. Means may also be provided for applying a predetermined groove pattern to the end of the natural wood to facilitate cracking along predetermined planes. The said means for compressing the said web may also comprise a mould, means for feeding the said web into the mould whilst maintaining alignment thereof and means for pressing the web into the mould. A continuous belt press type moulding device may also be employed for the compression. Heating means may be provided for curing the bonding agent, and steam treatment means may be provided for subjecting the natural wood to steaming prior to being passed to the said first means.
The invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an apparatus and method for forming a reconsolidated wood product in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a reconsolidated wood product formed in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a timber billet which has been partially processed by the method illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a web produced by crushing a timber billet and ready for combining to form the product of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a side view of an alternative form of roller usable in the apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a web like the web of FIG. 4 but shown in greater detail;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a web like that of FIG. 4 but shown in greater detail, part thereof being processed to a form like that illustrated in FIG. 2;
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an alternative apparatus and method for forming a reconsolidated wood product in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a reconsolidated wood product formed by the apparatus and process of FIG. 8.
In the apparatus of FIG. 1, milled timber billets 10 are steamed in a steaming chamber 12 and then subjected to initial cracking by twisting the billets axially at a torsion station 14. The billets are each milled with the wood grain direction extending lengthwise thereof and twisting of the billets at station 14 is effected by engaging the opposite ends with engaging members 14a, 14b which members are then turned one relative to the other. After this initial twisting and resultant cracking, the billets are passed through a succession of pairs of rollers 16, 18, 20, 22. At each pair of rollers, the billets are fractured along numerous longitudinal crack lines so that the final product emerging from rollers 22 is, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, a somewhat flexible web 24 comprised of numerous wood splinters 26 which are still loosely interconnected to form a continuous flexible "fabric", alignment of the splinters being maintained in a convenient manner, the splinters preserving the original orientation of the grain of the billets. As the billets pass between rollers 18 and 20, they are subjected to predrying by means of heaters 28 and as they pass between rollers 20 and 22 adhesive is sprayed thereon via spray nozzle 30. FIG. 3 shows a partially broken down billet 10 as this would appear when partway through the first pair of rollers 16. It will be seen that, already, at the part which has passed through the rollers 16, the billet is broken down to form splinters 26, although these may be of larger size than is desired for the final splinters in the web 24. Thus, by the stage of breaking down at which the billets emerge from rollers 20, the splinters 26 are well defined so that the adhesive, as sprayed from nozzle 30, will penetrate well into the web 24. Compression applied via the rollers 22 assists in distributing the adhesive evenly through the webs.
A succession of webs 24 leaving rollers 22 are combined together at a combining station 32. In this instance, the webs are combined by laying them one over the other and, if desired, in overlapping side by side disposition also to make up any desired width and structure of final product. After combining, the desired number of overlaid webs 24 is then passed through compressing rollers 34 to compress the webs 24 so that the individual splinters 26 form a compacted matrix structure 38. This is then passed through a heating and pressing station 42 to cure the adhesive and produce the final product 40. The product 40 is held between opposed heated pressing plates at station 42 to effect curing. These steps can be effected by use of well known apparatus of the type customarily employed for making particle board and is therefore not described in detail. As shown in FIG. 2, the product 40 is characterized by consisting of numerous splinters 26, which splinters are held together by the adhesive in a compacted matrix. It has been found that, even with moderate pressure applied at the pressing station 42, it is possible to achieve a relatively smooth exterior surface on the final product with relatively few voids, either in the surface or within the product.
In FIG. 7 a web 24 has been processed at one end only to the stage of formation of the splinters 26, and at the other end fully processed to the stage represented in FIG. 2, part of the latter end being cut away to show the final structure.
The rollers 16, 18, 20, 22 may be smooth surfaced, or contoured or may have projections therefrom to bruise the splinters 26 at spaced locations along the length thereof whereby to make the resultant web 24 more flexible and conformable after drying. FIG. 5 shows a roller 44 made up of a plurality of sprocket wheels 46 positioned side by side on an axle 48, teeth 50 of each sprocket wheel being "out of phase" with those of the adjacent sprocket wheel(s). Rollers of this form have been found to produce very satisfactory webs, provided the pitch of teeth 50 is not such as to allow segments of splintered wood produced between adjacent teeth from pulling out of the final product when the product is subjected to tensile stress causing premature non-composite mode failure.
In the apparatus of FIG. 8 slender natural wood stems 110 are passed through a succession of roller pairs 116, 118, 120. At each roller pair the billets are fractured along numerous longitudinal crack lines so that the final product emerging from the roller pair 120 is a web 124 like the web 24 previously described. The roller pair 116 is driven from a motor 180 via a belt 182 and interconnecting pulleys 184, 186, which pulleys are respectively on the motor shaft and a drive roller of pair 116. The rollers of pair 116 are interconnected by respective meshing coaxial gears 188, 190 attached to these rollers, for synchronous driving thereof. A drive roller of roller pair 18 is driven from an endless belt 192 interconnecting two pulleys 194, 196 respectively on drive rollers of pairs 116, 118, whilst, similarly, a drive roller of pair 120 is driven from an endless belt 198 interconnecting pulleys 200, 202 on drive rollers of the respective pairs of rollers 118, 120. Rollers of pair 118 are synchronously driven via respective meshing coaxial gears 204, 206 thereon and rollers of pair 120 are synchronously driven by respective coaxial gears thereon, only one of which gears, designated by numeral 208, is visible in FIG. 8.
The diameter of pulley 194 is smaller than that of pulley 196 and that of pulley 200 is smaller than that of pulley 202. Thus, when motor 180 is operated, rollers of pair 116 are synchronously rotated at a speed greater than that of the synchronous rotational speed of rollers of pair 118, whilst the rollers of pair 120 are synchronously rotated at a lower speed than those of pair 118. It has been found that the progressively decreasing speeds of rotation of rollers of the roller pairs 116, 118, 120 so produced induces an effective crushing action on the wood stems 110. The axes of rollers of pair 116 are horizontal, whilst those of the rollers of pair 118 are at an inclined angle to the horizontal, and those of the rollers of pair 120 are vertical. It has been found that this progressive relative angular displacement of these axes as viewed in the direction of travel through the roller pairs also assists in the crushing action.
After removal from roller pair 120, webs 124 are successively advanced through the remainder of the apparatus by conveyors 242, 244. First, the webs are passed through a pre-drying station 128. Pre-drying at this station may be carried out, such as by the use of heaters, for a period of between 10 to 30 minutes at about 100� C. After passage through pre-drying station 128, webs 124 are cooled and then dipped in liquid resin composition, contained in a bath 130. Typically, the bath may contain 5 to 35% resin solids and immersion carried out for between 5 and 20 seconds. After removal from bath 130 the webs 124, properly held and supported by the conveyors are subjected to air blasts from nozzles of air doctors 132, 134 to upper and lower faces thereof, these being supplied from a sorce 136 of pressurized air. The air blasts remove excess liquid which can be retained for re-use. The webs 124 are then passed to a post evaporation station 138 where evaporation of excess moisture is effected. Typically, the webs may be subjected, at station 138, to a temperature of 35� C. for 5 to 20 minutes. A warm air current may be used to accelerate this process. Webs 124 are then overlaid to make up a desired thickness and passed to a belt press 140 of a type customarily employed for manufacture of particle board products. This includes two endless belts 140a, 140b having opposed inner runs which extend in closely spaced parallel relationship and between which the consolidated webs 124 are compressed so that the final product 142 (shown in detail in FIG. 9) emerges therefrom, this being generally in the form of the product 40 previously described. Heat may be applied during passage of the webs through the press 140 to facilitate curing of the resin.
The endless belts 140a, 140b carry projections 140c which are arranged to press into the webs 124 passing through press 140 to form indentations 144 which appear in the corresponding final product 142. It will be understood that similar indentations may likewise be provided in product 40 produced by the apparatus of FIG. 1, such as by providing projections like projections 140c on the pressing plates at pressing station 42.
The indentations 144 are elongate, extending in the direction of alignment of the splinters making up the product 142. The indentations are each of wedge shaped transverse section with inwardly convergent side walls 144d, 144e. Each indentation also tapers, in the lengthwise direction, from an intermediate portion 144a thereof towards opposite pointed ends 144b, 144c. The indentations 144 are arranged in a regular array on each of two opposed faces of the product 142 the indentations being at regular pitch spacings in parallel rows running in the direction of the grain of the product. Alternate rows have indentations which are displaced one half a pitch distance, in the direction of extent of the rows, from indentations in the intervening rows. The indentation patterns on each face of product 142 are the same with the rows on one face overlying respective rows on the other face. However, indentations in each pair of so overlying rows are displaced apart relative to each other by one half of the pitch distance. The indentations are preferably of maximum depth at the intermediate portions thereof, becoming shallower towards the opposed ends 144b, 144c.
The projections 140c may conveniently be formed by cutting chords from disc shaped members which disc shaped members are circular and taper in thickness from a central portion towards a thin peripheral edge, so that the indentations 144 are similarly of complementary configuration to such chords. The indentations may extend, as shown, to a depth of about 2/3 the thickness of the product 142 or may even extend completely through the product.
The pattern of the indentations on each face of the product 142 is such as to form therebetween a plurality of sinuous lengthwise extending upstanding portions 142a on the corresponding faces. It has been found that this assists in ensuring stability of the product under varying ambient conditions, as well as increasing the total surface area of splinters which is bonded and inducing properties which are more closely allied to those of the parent natural wood. It will be appreciated also that the indentations reduce the average distance over which heat must travel from the exterior of the product to the interior thereof during curing of the bonding agent. Again, the use of projections 140c facilitates local consolidation of the webs 24 or 124 into a 3-dimensional lattice work at the locations where these engage the webs. This minimizes the need to ensure very even positioning of the webs during consolidation. The average density of the product and weight/stiffness ratio are also reduced, thereby increasing the effective yield from wood forrests supplying raw material for the product.
The indentations 144 may also advantageously be provided in the surface of a reconsolidated wood product even if not produced in accordance with the process described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 8. Particularly any reconsolidated wood product formed from bound together aligned wood splinters may advantageously employ such indentations.
Wood products formed in accordance with the invention and from poplar have been found to exhibit strength of the order of eight times that of ordinary pinus radiata particle boards, when measured in directions transverse to the direction of splinters 26. Samples from pinus radiata wood have been found to possess about two thirds the strength of selected grade natural wood and fail structurally in a true composite mode, much as does natural wood, under load tests; that is to say failure is by structural failure of the wood splinters rather than by failure of the bonding agent. It is believed that this arises because of the directional alignment of the splinters and furthermore because the splinters, individually, exhibit a wood structure which approaches that of natural timber. Because of this, products formed in accordance with the invention possess good machinability, and can retain nails, screws or other fastenings much more effectively than conventional particle boards. The product can be manufactured from a wide variety of timbers including poplar, pinus radiata and Australian native species such as eucalyptus and acacia, e.g. E. Viminallis and A. Dealbata.
The product of the invention can be manufactured from mature trees, or preferably from thin young coppiced wood alike, affording great flexibility in selecting raw materials. The ability to use young stock allows afforested areas to be brought into production much sooner than is otherwise possible for producing structural wood products. The product is more homogenous than natural wood and engineering safety factors may be lower. Processing steps and/or wood species may be selected to give a wide variety of splinter sizes. For example, in experiments, splinters or strands of poplar ranging in cross sectional area from about 1 to 100 square millimeters have been found to provide satisfactory end products. Thicker splinters may, however, be employed provided satisfactory contact between splinters to give adequate adhesion is obtained. The adhesive used may, for example, comprise urea formaldehyde, although other resins may be utilized. Foaming techniques may be applied to foam the resin to assist in spreading the resin and to fill any voids which might occur between the splinters. It is, of course, possible to combine the webs 24 in ways other than that described, such as by arranging them in layers with adjacent layers having "grain" directions angularly disposed one relative to the other. Although the described product is in the form of a board, the techniques herein disclosed can, of course, be applied to manufacture a wide variety of cross-section of wood product, including for example "I" beams or other sections. These need not be linear, and may, for example be curved.
Although the described product is formed by use of an adhesive to bond the splinters, this is not essential as it is possible to bond the splinters by use of a suitable surface treating agent such as ammonia which when applied to the splinters plasticizes the surfaces thereof permitting the splinters to be bonded by application of pressure thereto to merge the surfaces.
Whilst the described breaking down of billets 10 and 110 involves the use of rollers other devices, such as repeatedly striking or piercing the billets at intervals along the length thereof may be employed, or both rolling the striking and piercing may be together employed.
The described indentations 144, where provided in a product 142 or 40 may be varied. For example, indentations may be provided on only one face or on all faces of the product and may be of different shapes to those described. The process of the invention has the particular advantage that it readily enables the natural wood used to be processed without taking special precautions to ensure that the splinters produced during processing are maintained aligned. For example, in the apparatus shown in FIG. 9, the parent wood and the webs 124 produced therefrom are easily transported through the apparatus by conveyors 240, 242, 244 these naturally maintaining splinter orientation, an additional conveyor 246 running above conveyor 242, positioned to prevent webs floating within bath 124, being the only additional transport mechanism necessary.
Freshly harvested Acacia Dealbata was passed repeatedly through a pair of rollers, the spacing between the rollers being progressively decreased until a flexible web of the wood was produced. The rollers were driven with a peripheral speed of about 40 feet/minute. The web was dried to oven dryness in an oven, drying being carried out for 20 minutes at 100� C. The web was then immersed for 5 seconds in a resin bath made up of 25% urea formaldehyde solids. Surplus resin liquid was then blown off thoroughly with compressed air. The thus resinated web was then dried at 35�-40� C. for about 20 minutes, during which time the resin concentration on the web strands was raised to about 40%. The web was then pressed in a mould, between steam heated platens at a temperature of about 120� C. for 20 minutes, with an applied pressure of about 400 p.s.i. The final product was a matrix of aligned splinters, bonded with the adhesive.
The described constructions have been advanced merely by way of explanation and many modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Patent Citations
Referenced by
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Just like its older brother, the new Surface 3 features a high-resolution display, promises great battery life, offers a decent amount of storage, packs an x86 processor and runs Windows 8.1. The optional Type Cover keyboard makes an appearance as well, and so does Surface Pen. But there are some differences, of course. So which one should you buy?
Cyntur JumperPack mini -- give both your car and phone battery a jump
Here in New York, we just encountered a very brutal winter. While shoveling is an inconvenience, it is dangerous too. Having a heart attack from the strain is not uncommon. Plus, slippery roads and walkways make both driving and walking potentially risky activities.
Injuries aside, the last thing you want to experience in a snowstorm, however, is being stranded. If your car battery dies, a pair of jumper cables can save the day, but only if another motorist drives by and is willing to help. Today, Cyntur announces the JumperPack mini. Not only can you use it to jump-start your car without another vehicle, but it can charge your phone too.
The Net Neutrality mystery
My friend Andy Regitsky, whom I have known for more than 30 years, follows the FCC, blogs about them, and teaches courses on -- among other things -- how to read and understand their confusing orders. Andy knows more about the FCC than most of the people who work there and Andy says the new Net Neutrality order will probably not stand. I wonder if it was even meant to?
You can read Andy's post here. He doesn't specifically disagree with my analysis from a few days ago, but goes further to show some very specific legal and procedural problems with the order that could lead to it being killed in court or made moot by new legislation. It's compelling: Andy is probably right.
From the Black Forest to the Black Sea -- cruise the Danube with Google Maps
When you think of the world's majestic rivers many names come to mind -- the Mississippi, Amazon, Nile, Seine, Thames, and several others. The Danube also springs to mind, as the beauty of the famous river sprawls out, spanning multiple nations and attracting those who wish to go on one of its famous cruises.
The allure was too much to resist for Google and the company dispatched a Street View team to take that popular boat ride. The result is a stunning journey down the famous body of water, going from one end to the other.
Backup? What's a backup? One in five Brits don't save their PC data
Today is World Backup Day, I'm not sure if it's significant that it comes just before April Fool's Day, but it does seem that the backup message isn't getting through to everyone.
A new survey of 1,000 UK adults by digital storage manufacturer Verbatim reveals that one in five have never backed up their home computers and more than a third never back up their mobiles.
Microsoft announces Surface 3 -- thinner, lighter, and runs full Windows
Surface Pro 3 is the tablet that can replace your laptop, according to Microsoft. Assuming you spend money buying a Type Cover for it of course. My colleague Brian Fagioli absolutely loves his Surface Pro 3, but it's not cheap.
If you fancy the slate, but your budget won't stretch to the asking price, there's good news -- Microsoft has just announced a cheaper follow up to Surface 2, called, naturally enough, Surface 3, and it's cheaper than the Pro version, and doesn't run Windows 8.x RT like its predecessor.
Anonymous proxies used to carry out shotgun DDoS attacks
We're all increasingly concerned about our privacy and the footprint that we leave on the internet. It's not surprising then that more of us are turning to anonymous proxies to hide our origin IP and HTTP details.
But new research from website security company Incapsula has uncovered a darker side to the use of anonymizers as a source of DDoS attacks.
Project Spartan: fat, chunky, and devoid of style and features
After all of the talk, some action. Microsoft has been gentling building the hype about Spartan for some time now, but it's only with the release of Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 10049 that we get to, officially, go hands on. This is the web browser that's replacing Internet Explorer, the default web browser in Windows 10, so it has quite a role to perform.
It's a browser that's "built for the modern web" -- whatever that means -- and it sees Microsoft trying to shed the shackles of IE and move forward. Microsoft has been talking the talking for months, but does Spartan walk the walk? No. Spartan, at the moment, appears to be a joke. Let me elaborate.
Firefox 37 implements new HeartBeat ratings system
Mozilla has released Firefox 37.0 FINAL for desktop, with Firefox for Android 37.0 due to follow in the coming days.
The new release debuts the Heartbeat user rating system, plus a number of incremental improvements and tweaks. Version 38 has also been made available in Beta and includes some more radical changes, including a new tabbed-based preferences UI.
Windows 10 will support ASS, SRT and SSA subtitle formats
One of the main reasons why third-party media players like Media Player Classic and VLC are extremely popular among Windows users is the proper subtitle support. A lot of folks watch videos in a foreign language, and having the option to easily attach a subtitle in their mother tongue, no matter the format it's made available in, is a must-have feature for many.
It would help if Windows Media Player or the built-in Video app, the latter of which is part of Windows 8 and newer versions of the OS, would meet their needs, but, so far, that hasn't been the case. However, Microsoft wants to change that with Windows 10.
Enterprise security places increased reliance on threat intelligence
It's easier to combat security threats if you're prepared for them so it isn't perhaps surprising that security teams are increasingly turning to threat intelligence to stay ahead of the game.
A new report commissioned by endpoint protection specialist Webroot and prepared by the Ponemon Institute shows that most companies believe threat intelligence is essential for a well-rounded cybersecurity defense and has proven effective in stopping security incidents.


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Based on 1 review
Help make it easier for other Avvo users to choose the right lawyer by sharing your experience with this attorney. It's fast, simple, and safe.
Lawyers: Use the Peer Endorsements section to provide input about other attorneys.
Steven took my case which was entirely time sensitive and ran with it and won a summary judgement that lifted a lien that had been illegally placed by a bad actor. Steve gathered the facts, and made; filed, pled and won the case in a matter of weeks, which was what was needed to preserve my partnerships investment and profit.
Steve did all this while going up against a major international law firm that sent three lawyers to plead the defendant's case.
My partnership stood to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars that it had invested and walk away from a multi-million sales price had Steve not performed as he did.
And all of this with empathy and a sense of humor!


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Hotel Dore
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TripAdvisor Reviews Hotel Dore Castelnuovo del Garda
Travel Blogs from Castelnuovo del Garda
Day 12
... stop was the amphitheater a truly spectacular sight where they still perform opera and ballet. They really built things to last here!!! Final stop in Verona was the Giardino Giusti gardens which were created at the end of the 15th century and from the top offer a beautiful panorama of Verona. All in all I think Verona has been the place I have enjoyed the most in Italy. Off to Switzerland ...
Day 11
This is the last leg of our Italian adventure. Left Venice this morning by water taxi from our hotel to the train station. After a short train journey arrived in Verona. Our hotel is a beautifully converted palazzo very grand!!! Of course we had to explore the shops first although shock and horror there is no Prada!! Very strange when there has been several in every other city we have stayed. So we crossed the oldest roman bridge in Verona Ponte pietra ...
A city of balconies
... The Arena is a Roman amphitheater built in the 1st century completed in 30 AD. It's the third largest in Italy, the size and complexity of the structure made it an important predecessor in planning the Colosseum in Rome which began construction in 80 AD. The arena hosted popular entertainment of the time including gladiator combats and staged hunts on exotic animals, seating over 39000 spectators. Although ...
An Unexpected Gem
... to the historic arena, locked up the gear and
started to stroll. We had a coffee in a pavement caf� in front of
the arena, and wandered down the shopping streets until we came
across the market square. More coffee, or maybe beer followed.
Every street we turned down led to a hidden square, fabulous old
architecture or something else of interest. This city proved to be
the unexpected gem of the holiday and it was a pity we did not have
more time.
Desanzano & Sirmione
Without such a rush
today and the weather being a bit wet, we walked back to the ferry
jetty to catch a boat to Desanzano to the west and on the southern
shore. This was another larger town with a marina again. The
weather just was not inviting today and put a dampener on our walk
around the town. We enjoyed a coffee in a pedestrianised street but
decided not to wait for a later ferry but to return to Sirmione on
the ...


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shabby coat rack with sofa feet
sherreeFebruary 11, 2005
Found this porch post and got the "feet" right off an old duncan phyfe sofa that was in the dumpster. (i always have a screwdriver in the car with me when i go dumpster diving!) if you can imagine the feet are actually turned the wrong way. you are actually viewing the back or bottom of the sofa leg. added finial and board to top it off. already had the door knobs and the coat hooks. i also used a distressing kit to paint the whole thing and give it that "shabby" look.


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It's weird when I uncover old stuff like this and have no idea what it's for. I guess it's possible that I drew it just for the fun of it. Your guess is as good as mine.
Number 1715: Tut-tut for King Tut
3 hours ago
A random collection of material from comic artist Kevin Nowlan. Started with the best of intentions, but like most other efforts, doomed to perish from neglect as soon as the novelty wears off.


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"This is a MUST OWN lens in the Nikon AF line. Not only sharp and fast, but my favorite perspective and CHEAP to buy! It's the best way to learn how ALL of the photojournalists in the 40s-70s shot EVERYTHING they printed."
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"No technical stuff whatsoever, just plain and simple questions complete with examples so that any user can understand"
"I love that I can pull up different lenses in my price range that will fit my DSLR."


text:
Updated 04/22/2014
Seating up to 18,000 people, this relatively new arena, affectionately known as "El Choliseo," is the top venue for international musical events on the island. Previous perfomers have included Ozzy Osbourne, Paul McCartney, Shakira, Beyoncé, and, of course, hometown favorite, Ricky Martin.
50 Calle Arterial B, San Juan, 00918, Puerto Rico
Website: www.coliseodepuertorico.com
Updated 04/22/2014


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Brian Dozier
Started by Mr. Ed , Apr 23 2012 01:13 PM
31 replies to this topic
Posted 23 April 2012 - 01:13 PM
The Twins 2011 prospect of the year is following up with a solid start in AAA. not surprising to me, as I was hoping they'd leave him in the bigs, and cut ties with the inconsistent Alexi Casilla. .311 BA in Rochester, and an OPS of .832 This is the kind of offense the Twins need in the bigs. I've followed Brian since the Twins drafted him in the 8th round, and had high hopes for him after watching the CWS. He handled himself well on the caravan, and am excited for him to solidfy the middle for the next several years. It's only a matter of time. 5'11"/190 pound RH hitter, who turns 25 on the 15th of May.
Posted 23 April 2012 - 01:17 PM
Minor League Baseball.com has Dozier's current numbers, as well as his numbers since being drafted in 2009:
Posted 25 April 2012 - 10:15 PM
1-4 night with a run scored, after a rain out, in a Roch loss for Brian.
Roch Democrat/Chronicle guy Jim Mandelaro cited Brian for a stellar defensive night.
Roch Democrat/Chronicle guy Jim Mandelaro cited Brian for a stellar defensive night.
Posted 28 April 2012 - 01:58 PM
Dozier got back into the hit column with a couple knocks today in Roch's 4-3 loss,a nd his 9th rbi. 4th error. Average currently at .275
Posted 28 April 2012 - 02:25 PM
Dozier got back into the hit column with a couple knocks today in Roch's 4-3 loss,a nd his 9th rbi. 4th error.
Average currently at .275
So a .275 average in the minors deserves a promotion? Let's wait until he has earned a promotion before recalling him in a rebuilding year. There is no reason to rush him.
Posted 01 May 2012 - 11:35 AM
First month: .274 in 24 games.Just 6 runs scored, despite hitting in the top 2 spots. 6 doubles/HR/10RBI, 7BB/13K, 1-3 steals. .326 OBP, .381 SLG
Posted 06 May 2012 - 03:47 AM
Dozier called up with Morneau going to the DL. Good luck Brian!
Posted 07 May 2012 - 04:00 PM
Debut tonight vs Meat Weaver. Gardy puts Dozier at SS, 2nd in the lineup. Nothing like a little pressure.
Posted 07 May 2012 - 04:11 PM
Mr. Ed, how is Dozier defensively? I have heard more about his breakout as a hitter than being good or bad in the field. Is he an upgrade over Carroll-Casilla when combined with Carroll?
Posted 07 May 2012 - 04:17 PM
I wish him well...hope he can get a hit off Weaver.
Posted 07 May 2012 - 09:00 PM
Mr. Ed, how is Dozier defensively? I have heard more about his breakout as a hitter than being good or bad in the field. Is he an upgrade over Carroll-Casilla when combined with Carroll?
I've read he is solid defensively. Some think he's more suited to 2nd,but i've heard no negatives as a fielder.
Posted 07 May 2012 - 09:00 PM
And CONGRATS on that first ML hit in the 8th Brian Dozier!
Posted 07 May 2012 - 09:23 PM
Dozier made a nice first impression tonight. He seems to have good discipline at the plate and a nice, level swing. Hopefully he can provide a little bit of a spark for a lineup in desperate need of one.
Posted 08 May 2012 - 08:53 PM
Another nice Dozier evening at the Target. Multiple smooth fielding plays, a couple hits/first RBI, a walk. Handled the #2 spot in the lineup well.
Posted 12 May 2012 - 10:17 PM
Awesome article on Dozier written by Ben Goessling of the Pioneer Press. It discusses where he's from and who he is and what's important and what baseball means. Great stuff!! Definitely recommend the article!
Posted 13 May 2012 - 07:47 PM
What did Dozier get his mom for Mother's Day? Story by FSN's Tyler Mason: http://www.foxsports...?blockID=728434
Posted 13 May 2012 - 07:49 PM
Video of Dozier's first career HR: http://mlb.mlb.com/v...9240415202-1803
Posted 13 May 2012 - 10:21 PM
PINK SHOES. Congrats Brian on the HR! Now I'm reading in Souhan's column/blog that the thought is out there to bring up Florimon at SS, and move Dozier to 3B to cover that gaping hole. Can't say I'd be thrilled with that.
Posted 14 May 2012 - 05:36 AM
At John Sickels' Minor League Ball site, Brian Dozier is the Prospect of the Day: http://www.minorleag...minnesota-twins
Posted 14 May 2012 - 07:42 AM
Jim Souhan's article on the Twins Shortstop: http://www.startribu.../151323805.html


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Three Little Kittens
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Austin Hedges Rumors
NL West Notes: Giants, Friedman, Greinke, Padres
Despite coming off their third World Series title in five years, many pundits aren't expecting much of a title defense for the Giants, which Tim Hudson tells ESPN's Jerry Crasnick is just fine by the clubhouse. "I think the guys in here embrace the underdog role. It's like they say, 'OK, everybody is picking us to finish mid-pack again. We're gonna show 'em.' I think it's great," Hudson said. "I would rather be the underdog than the favorite. The pressure is on the favorite all the time." Here's some more from around the NL West…
- Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register) that he likes the team's internal options as replacements for the injured Kenley Jansen. This said, the Dodgers are "open-minded" about free agent additions, Friedman said. L.A. is known to be looking at acquiring bullpen help, and are reportedly interested in Joba Chamberlain.
- Zack Greinke will, unsurprisingly, wait until the end of the season before deciding whether to exercise the opt-out clause in his Dodgers contract, the righty told reporters (including MLB.com's Ken Gurnick). Greinke reiterated that he enjoys pitching for the Dodgers and said he's open to discussing a new contract with the team.
- The opt-out clause, Greinke said, is "all to your benefit. If things are going good, you can use it for more power. There's no negative to it." He also made some telling remarks about why he wanted the clause in the first place, seemingly based on regrets over his first multi-year contract when he pitched for the Royals. "I know you can't really trust the front office and what they tell you. Guys have signed long deals and get traded the next year. It happens all the time," Greinke said. "Teams do what's best for them and you can't fault them, but you can't trust them to do what's best for you. Their job is to do what's best for the team."
- Signing Rafael Soriano or Francisco Rodriguez to bolster the bullpen will be costly, though Steve Dilbeck of the L.A Times opines that the Dodgers shouldn't shy away from using their financial resources now when a proven closer could help the team win a championship.
- According to recent reports, the Padres offered Austin Hedges and Hunter Renfroe to the Phillies in exchange for Cole Hamels. With the assumption that it was a legit offer that the Phillies rejected, and that no other players or money were involved, Fangraphs' Jeff Sullivan examines the proposal and feels that the Phils were probably right to turn it down. While "the offer seems in the vicinity of fair" and wouldn't have been a bad return for Hamels, there are significant questions about Hedges and Renfroe's long-term future as major leaguers. Sullivan thinks Philadelphia could find a better deal elsewhere, even if he doesn't think they'll be able to land a true blue-chip prospect for Hamels.
- In other NL West news from earlier today on MLBTR, Mark Trumbo won his arbitration hearing against the Diamondbacks.
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Full Story | Comments | Categories: Austin Hedges | Cole Hamels | Hunter Renfroe | Los Angeles Dodgers | Philadelphia Phillies | San Diego Padres | San Francisco Giants | Zack Greinke
Cole Hamels Hopes To Be Traded To Contender
Phillies lefty Cole Hamels would prefer to be dealt to a contender, he tells Bob Nightengale of USA Today. "I want to go to a place where I can win again," said Hamels. Though he made clear he was not demanding a trade, Hamels did indicate that he wants to play for a winning ballclub, saying "I know it's not going to happen here."
Hamels, 31, has represented perhaps the biggest unconsummated trade story of the offseason. With all major arms now signed off of the free agent market, and most teams presumably set to enter camp with their rotations intact, he may well be the only achievable prize left for clubs looking to add an impact starter.
According to Nightengale, the Phillies have continued to work hard to find an acceptable deal. The Padres have dangled a package of Hunter Renfroe and Austin Hedges, but that was not deemed sufficient by the Philadelphia front office. And the Phils have been unsuccessful in prying their key targets from teams like the Red Sox (who won't include Blake Swihart), Dodgers (who haven't offered any of the team's top four prospects), and Cardinals (who have not agreed to move Carlos Martinez).
Hamels says that he will do his best to prepare for the season in the normal course, and gave no indication that he will do anything other than honor his contract, particularly with camp set to open. "Now that I'm here, I plan on being here for the next six weeks," said Hamels, explaining that he had kept an eye on rumors over the winter. "I think it would be pretty chaotic if that's not the case. But it's out of my control."
The veteran southpaw says that he crafted his no-trade list by identifying the nine teams he would most want to play for and leaving himself unprotected from those clubs. Only the Yankees and Rangers can deal for him without approval among American League teams, though Hamels notes that he would be "all ears" to the possibility of waiving his no-trade protection were the Red Sox to work out an agreement to acquire him. (He did not address the idea, advanced in some earlier reports, that he might seek inducements, such as a guarantee of his fifth-year option, from a team over which he possesses veto power.)
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Padres, Rays, Nationals Nearing Agreement On 3-Team Deal
Reports emerged yesterday that the Padres and Rays were discussing a deal that would send outfielder Wil Myers to San Diego. Subsequent reports greatly expanded the possibilities of that deal, including multi-team concepts, different packages from San Diego, and spin-off deals. If you would like to catch up on the earlier rumors, follow the page break link.
Various reports have indicated that a deal is close but that multiple different permutations are still in play. Here's the latest, from this morning on:
- Jim Bowden of ESPN.com reports on Twitter that the deal is done, while Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that it is nearing the finish line. No draft choices will be moved in the deal, says Sherman.
- The Rays are down to two possible scenarios, and are waiting to hear whether the Nationals are in or out, Topkin tweets. Regardless, Tampa is set to move Myers, Hanigan, and two lower-level minor league players. On its end, San Diego would send Rivera, Smith, and Bauers, as well as Ross and Turner. It appears that Tampa would either keep the latter two players or flip them to D.C. for Souza and an A-ball lefty. (Twitter links.) Turner, of course, was taken 13th overall in last year's draft and would therefore need to be included as a player to be named later.
- Lefty Jose Castillo is one of the other players that would move from Tampa, ESPN.com's Keith Law hears (Twitter link). Since signing to a $1.55MM bonus, the 18-year-old Venezuelan has spent each of the last two years with the Rays' Rookie league affiliate, mostly as a reliever. Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs recently gave an update on Castillo in his Rays prospect breakdown, noting that the projectable hurler has a big fastball and has returned to health after sitting out much of 2014 with a tender arm.
- Another young lefty, Travis Ott, appears to be the final name in this potential scenario, according to a report from Rosenthal (Twitter links). Rosenthal cautions that this is not a final agreement, but the scenario a source outlined for him, and adds that competitive balance picks could also be a component. (The Padres have the fifth competitive balance Round A choice, which is currently the 41st overall choice.)
Earlier Updates
- The Rays are interested in San Diego's first-round pick from last year, shortstop Trea Turner, according to Heyman (Twitter link). It is not clear that the young N.C. State product is in play, however, Heyman adds.
- Another element of the deal being discussed is a swap of catchers Ryan Hanigan and Rene Rivera, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets.
- The primary deal under contemplation includes 19-year-old first baseman Jake Bauers, right-handed pitching prospect Joe Ross, the fellow young righty Burch Smith, and two other players from San Diego's side, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com tweets. A draft comp pick may also be involved in the swap, but prospects Matt Wisler and Austin Hedges are not believed to be, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post indicates in a tweet that the Nationals and Rays have an agreement in place involving outfielder Steven Souza in the event that the primary deal is consummated. He says that Tampa "will spin players" to D.C. if the Myers trade goes down. Earlier reports from Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter) and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter) connected the teams on that player, after Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweeted that the Nats had become involved.
- Ben Zobrist is not expected to be part of the potential deal between the Nationals and Rays, Sherman tweets. Indeed, neither Zobrist nor Evan Longoria are involved in any of the scenarios under consideration, Topkin tweets.
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Full Story | Comments | Categories: Atlanta Braves | Austin Hedges | Justin Upton | Newsstand | San Diego Padres | Tampa Bay Rays | Washington Nationals | Wil Myers
Dodgers Notes: Outfielders, Ogando, Non-Tenders
The Orioles, Padres and Mariners have shown interest in Matt Kemp, writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. However, one source tells Heyman that Baltimore has gotten "nowhere" in trade talks with Los Angeles. The Padres have spoken to the Dodgers about Kemp, and while the Dodgers may have some interest in top catching prospect Austin Hedges, Heyman feels San Diego is more inclined to move Rene Rivera or Yasmani Grandal. The Mariners may not have the budget after signing Nelson Cruz and extending Kyle Seager. Generally speaking, Heyman hears from rival executives that the Dodgers still seem reluctant to pull the trigger on any Kemp deal.
More Dodgers notes…
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports looks at how much money the team would have to eat to move Kemp, Andre Ethier or Carl Crawford. Rosenthal estimates each player's market value and notes that teams aren't going to part with prospects for the right to pay an overpaid player at his true market rate. Rather, the Dodgers will need to pay down additional millions of dollars, meaning that a player like Ethier, in Rosenthal's estimation, could need to be accompanied by as much as $30-36MM to facilitate the deal.
- The Dodgers will take a look at recently non-tendered right-hander Alexi Ogando, reports Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles (Twitter link). However, as Saxon notes, Ogando figures to draw interest from many clubs. The righty is rehabbing from an elbow injury but has previously proven himself to be a capable starter or reliever.
- In a more general sense, Saxon spoke with GM Farhan Zaidi (Twitter link), who noted that there are a lot of pitchers with high ceilings that were non-tendered as they rehab from injuries, and the Dodgers will look into those arms to see if there's a match. Among the top names from the non-tender class include now-former Braves righties Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy (as well as Ogando).
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Full Story | Comments | Categories: Alexi Ogando | Andre Ethier | Austin Hedges | Baltimore Orioles | Brandon Beachy | Carl Crawford | Los Angeles Dodgers | Matt Kemp | Rene Rivera | San Diego Padres | Seattle Mariners | Yasmani Grandal
NL West Notes: Tomas, Padres Backstops, Kemp, Giants
The Giants were the runners up in the pursuit of Yasmany Tomas, who earlier today reportedly agreed to terms with the Diamondbacks, according to a Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). For their $68.5MM, Arizona is getting a player with undeniable upside, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick writes after speaking with three scouting sources.
- The Padres are receiving a "ton of inquiries" on backstops Yasmani Grandal, Rene Rivera, and Austin Hedges, according to a tweet from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Each member of that trio has his own particular appeal, along with factors that hold down their trade value.
- In other Padres news, Rosenthal notes (Twitter links) that he has received additional confirmation that San Diego had engaged with talks on Matt Kemp with the Dodgers. He hastens to add that these discussions were not "that recent" and that nothing is close to getting done, as the Friars continue to turn over a number of rocks in search of upgrades after missing on Pablo Sandoval and Tomas. Los Angeles would presumably have interested in arms and catching were talks to move forward.
- The Giants will indeed seek to apply the money they hoped to spend on Sandoval or Tomas toward another top-end free agent, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reported this morning (before the Tomas signing was reported). As reported yesterday, the club is opening a broad search for a way to bolster its roster, aided by a bloated purse from winning the team's third World Series in five seasons.
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Full Story | Comments | Categories: Arizona Diamondbacks | Austin Hedges | Discussion | Los Angeles Dodgers | Matt Kemp | Pablo Sandoval | Rene Rivera | San Diego Padres | San Francisco Giants | Yasmani Grandal | Yasmany Tomas
West Notes: Ethier, Andrus, Rangers, Padres
The gap between the haves and have-nots in baseball have lessened because of revenue sharing and financial incentives not to overspend in the draft and free agency, writes Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle. The Dodgers, however, are utilizing a different model to maximize their financial advantage: buying front office talent. Drellich notes the $7MM average annual value Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman earns would make him the Astros' third-highest paid player. "Big-market, small-market potential difference," Astros GM Jeff Luhnow said. "There does seem to be increased competition for talented people that have had success in our industry. That's not the first time we've seen it. It's not the last time we're going to see it. As far as front offices with different layers that don't exist in our organization, it's a way to get more people in the organization." Luhnow also pointed out the distinction between a city's population and its market size and how that affects a franchise's financial resources. Houston is "the fourth-largest city in the country, but we're not the fourth-largest market in the country, not even close," Luhnow remarked. "We're not ever going to be a small market necessarily, but our revenues are not proportionate with our city size relative to other big metropolitan areas."
In other news involving MLB's West divisions:
- Some rival evaluators believe Andre Ethier is by far the most likely Dodgers outfielder to be traded, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com (on Twitter). However, Los Angeles will weigh their options. Carl Crawford and, perhaps to a lesser extent, Matt Kemp, also appear to be trade candidates.
- Rangers GM Jon Daniels told Jim Bowden of Sirius XM (on Twitter) he will "listen" on Elvis Andrus because of the club's infield depth. Texas also has middle infielders like Luis Sardinas, Jurickson Profar, and Rougned Odor in the fold.
- Daniels went on to say the Rangers' needs are at starting pitcher, catcher, left field, or DH and these vacancies are more likely to be solved via trade than free agency (link). Last month, our own Brad Johnson previewed the Rangers' offseason.
- The Padres must consider trading one of their catchers (Yasmani Grandal, Rene Rivera, or propsect Austin Hedges) in order to improve their offense, opines Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
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Full Story | Comments | Categories: Andre Ethier | Austin Hedges | Carl Crawford | Elvis Andrus | Houston Astros | Jon Daniels | Jurickson Profar | Los Angeles Dodgers | Luis Sardinas | Matt Kemp | Rene Rivera | Rougned Odor | San Diego Padres | Texas Rangers | Yasmani Grandal
NL West Notes: Francoeur, D'Backs, Sandoval, Hedges
Rookies are usually the easiest targets for clubhouse pranks, yet veteran Jeff Francoeur was the victim of a month-long running gag from his teammates on the Padres' Triple-A affiliate. Padres farmhand Cody Decker created a short YouTube video chronicling the prank, and it's definitely good for a few chuckles. Here's some news from around the majors…
- The Diamondbacks' slow start has made them "candidates for early change" in the view of executives from around the league, ESPN's Buster Olney tweets. Manager Kirk Gibson and GM Kevin Towers both signed extensions in February that kept both men from being lame ducks in 2014, though there was speculation that this was a make-or-break year for the two men following consecutive .500 seasons for the Snakes.
- Pablo Sandoval is off to a slow start in his contract year, and given how much speculation has already swirled about Sandoval's contract talks with the Giants, manager Bruce Bochy hopes that his third baseman is keeping his focus. "He's the only one who can answer that I guess, if it's on his mind," Bochy tells MLB.com's Alex Espinoza. "The one thing you don't want Pablo to do is to get away from playing the game the way he normally plays it — with a lot of passion and enthusiasm. Thinking about the contract, it can be a distraction. He assured me it's not."
- Padres catching prospect Austin Hedges continued to impress scouts during Spring Training, Tom Krasovic writes for Baseball America. While the catcher still has a bit of work to do with the bat, a scout tells Krasovic that "Hedges probably could have caught in the big leagues two years ago. He is so advanced from a receiving and throwing standpoint. He was a treat to watch. Barring injury, he is going to be a big leaguer for a long time." Hedges is one of the game's consensus top prospects (ranked 24th by MLB.com, 27th by Baseball America and 33rd by ESPN's Keith Law in their preseason lists) and he'll start the season at Double-A.
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Full Story | Comments | Categories: Arizona Diamondbacks | Austin Hedges | Pablo Sandoval | San Diego Padres | San Francisco Giants
Prospect Rumor Roundup: All-Prospect All-Star Team
Where did the year go?
The 2013 minor league regular season is in the books, and the lucky few are currently competing in the playoffs. We've seen a lot of exciting moments during the year. We've also seen a lot of prospects significantly improve their values. To celebrate the best of the best, MLBTR is celebrating the 2013 All-Prospect All-Star Team, which features the top players in the minors at each position. Given the depth at some positions — as well as the lack there of at others — this was no easy task.
The players were chosen by considering a mixture of future potential and statistical results.
Catcher: Austin Hedges, Padres — Because of his abilities on both defense and offense, San Diego's catcher of the future narrowly edged out the Yankees' Gary Sanchez. His abilities on both sides of the ball also impressed his employers, according to Padres Assistant General Manager of Player Personnel Chad MacDonald. "He has the tools and skill set to impact both sides of the ball… and we are excited about his future with the San Diego Padres," MacDonald said.
Hedges will probably never be the strongest offensive catcher in the league but he won't embarrass himself, either. Behind the plate, he's perhaps the best defensive catcher in the minors if you take everything into consideration: arm, receiving, blocking, game calling and leadership.
First Base: Dan Vogelbach, Cubs — This position was the hardest one to find a deserving candidate. The Astros' Jonathan Singleton missed the beginning of the year due to a suspension and then struggled with his consistency. The Angels' C.J. Cron failed to consistently tap into his raw power. Vogelbach, just 20, performed well at two A-ball levels and showed the ability to hit for average and power while also getting on-base at a solid clip.
Brandon Hyde, the Cubs' director of player development, said Vogelbach's successes came from hard work. "It was an impressive season with raw power to all fields," he said. "He has an advanced approach for his age, and he controls the strike zone."
Second Base: Rougned Odor, Rangers — Second base was another tough position to settle on the winner. The Angels' Taylor Lindsey, Cardinals' Kolten Wong, and Twins' Eddie Rosario also received serious consideration before the award went to Odor. The Rangers' prospect hit more than .300 between High-A and Double-A with a strong OPS and 32 stolen bases — all at the age of 19. The left-handed hitter also popped 58 extra base hits, including 41 doubles. With all the middle infield depth in Texas, Odor could make things very interesting — and crowded — in short order.
Third Base: Miguel Sano, Twins — Sano was the runaway winner at third base, although the Cubs' Kris Bryant could give him a run for his money in a year's time (assuming both prospects are still in the minors). The Dominican native launched 35 home runs and produced a .610 slugging percentage. However, he didn't hit for a great average after his promotion from High-A to Double-A, and he combined to strike out 142 times in 123 games, so there are some holes in his game that need to be addressed.
Shortstop: Javier Baez, Cubs — There were five players that were considered in this slot, including Xander Bogaerts (Red Sox), Francisco Lindor (Indians), Addison Russell (Athletics) and Carlos Correa (Astros). Baez, though, came out ahead when considering his outstanding statistical results and the fact that he has a chance to be as good as any other player on the list. Just 20, he finished the year in Double-A and hit a combined 37 home runs with 20 stolen bases and a .920 OPS.
Hyde was impressed with Baez's ability to make adjustments after being promoted to Double-A. "He hit in the middle of the order on a prospect-laden team. He made huge strides defensively and with his plate discipline," Hyde said. "He has a unique combination of raw power, speed and off-the-charts instincts, especially for a 20 year old in Double-A."
Outfielder: George Springer, Astros — Springer, 23, had an eye-popping season while playing at both Double-A and Triple-A. He narrowly missed becoming a 40-40 player (HR-SB) with 37 homers and 45 steals while playing at the highest levels of the minors. Springer's approach produces massive strikeout numbers, but he showed improvements in that area as the year progressed.
The prospect impressed the club's front office not only with his play but also his attitude, according to Quinton McCracken, the Astros director of player development. "George is an exceptional five-tool talent, and even better person. He has great makeup, work ethic, off-the-chart intangibles coupled with incredible athleticism… He's a very special player," he said.
Outfielder: Byron Buxton, Twins — Buxton was the biggest no-brainer on this list. Just 19 and in his first full pro season, the five-tool outfielder played at two A-ball levels while hitting more than .330 and producing double digits in doubles, triples and homers. He also got on base at a .424 clip, stole 55 bases in 74 tries and played above-average defense in centerfield. The Twins have one of the best minor league systems in all of baseball and could be a massive threat in two to three seasons.
Outfielder: Gregory Polanco, Pirates — Polanco edged out a few other players because, at a very young age, he showed a five-tool approach and had an impact in numerous areas. The 21-year-old outfielder showed that he may one day develop into a 20-20 or perhaps even a 30-30 player. After beginning the year in A-ball, he ended the season in Triple-A.
Pirates Director of Minor League Operations Larry Broadway said the most impressive thing about Polanco's growth has been his maturity. "He has fit into each clubhouse and added value to the culture of each club that he's been on," Broadway explained. "He continues to approach the game with a learner's mentality and is always looking to find a way to get better. He's not afraid to make a mistake in the process, which has allowed him to progress well in all areas of his game."
Starting Pitcher: Archie Bradley, Diamondbacks — Bradley and Dylan Bundy grew up playing baseball together, but the former passed the latter on top prospect lists after the Orioles' prospect blew out his elbow. Just 20 years old, Bradley spent the majority of the year in Double-A and finished the season with a combined ERA of 1.84 and 162 strikeouts in 152 innings of work. He also allowed just 115 hits.
Starting Pitcher: Taijuan Walker, Mariners — Utilizing a strong fastball and excellent breaking ball, Walker, who just turned 21 on Aug. 13, made older competition look foolish as he produced outstanding numbers in Double-A and Triple-A before earning his MLB promotion. The right-hander struck out 160 batters in 141 1/3 innings while allowing just 112 hits.
Chris Gwynn, the Mariners director of player development, said Walker is oozing talent but he's also an extremely hard worker. "Going into the offseason last year he realized there were some things he needed to work on to get better," Gwynn said, listing fastball command (down in the zone, to both sides of the plate) and improved secondary pitches as two of those things. "Coming into this season he was a man on a mission… and had a dominant season in Double-A and Triple-A didn't phase him. It shows he wants it really bad."
Starting Pitcher: Noah Syndergaard, Mets — Jameson Taillon (Pirates), Kevin Gausman (Orioles) and Robert Stephenson (Reds) also received consideration as the one of the top pitchers in the minors but the final spot went to the Mets' prospect. Syndergaard showed a rare combination of power (his fastball can tickle triple digits) and control when he struck out 133 batters in 117 2/3 innings and issued 28 free passes. Just 20, the Texas native finished the year with 11 starts at the Double-A level.
Reliever: Steve Geltz, Rays — It's hard to find a worthy reliever because many of the best MLB bullpen aces originally come from the starting ranks. Geltz, though, is still only 25 years old and he was the hardest pitcher to hit in Triple-A (minimum 50 innings) by allowing a batting-average-against of just .152. That mark was actually the seventh lowest in the entire minor leagues. His strikeout percentage (31.3 percent) was good for 12th in Triple-A ball. Not bad for a player that went undrafted and signed with the Los Angeles Angels as a free agent in 2008.
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Full Story | Comments | Categories: Archie Bradley | Arizona Diamondbacks | Austin Hedges | Byron Buxton | Chicago Cubs | Dan Vogelbach | George Springer | Gregory Polanco | Houston Astros | Javier Baez | Miguel Sano | Minnesota Twins | New York Mets | Noah Syndergaard | Pittsburgh Pirates | Prospect Rumor Roundup | Rougned Odor | San Diego Padres | Seattle Mariners | Steve Geltz | Taijuan Walker | Tampa Bay Rays | Texas Rangers


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