Sunday night linkage..
- Orioles manager Buck Showalter is signed through next season, and he told Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com that he has interest in remaining with the team beyond then. Team owner Peter Angelos told Dubroff that he is interested in keeping Showalter around long-term as well.
- Mike Lupica of The New York Daily News wrote about Yankees' ace CC Sabathia, the rare big money free agent pitcher who is living up to his contract. Sabathia threw a complete game in the team's ALDS Game Five win over the Orioles yesterday.
- In an interview with Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, commissioner Bud Selig said that Angels owner Arte Moreno has never mentioned the idea of moving on from Angels Stadium when he can opt out in 2016. The Halos were able to fuel their winter spending spree behind a brand-new television contract and could conceivably look for a new revenue boost in the form of a new ballpark.
- Despite the Orioles' surprising success this season, executive vice president Dan Duquette told reporters that he doesn't expect to chase top-tier free agents this winter, writes Britt Ghiroli of MLB.com. Duquette declined to talk about individual contract situations like Mark Reynolds and his $11MM option but praised his second-half play and overall toughness.
- Today's news on Sean Burnett requiring surgery could be of interest to the Cardinals as they will be in the market for a left-handed reliever this winter, tweets Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Burnett has a $3.5MM mutual option with the Nationals for 2013 but he is likely to decline it given the going rate for lefty bullpen arms.
- The Cardinals will be without Jaime Garcia for at least the early portion of the 2013 season as the left-hander is set for shoulder surgery, writes Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. General Manager John Mozeliak confirmed that he expects Garcia to have an "exploratory" procedure but wouldn't comment on what it might mean for his availability.
- Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News writes that the Reds might not be able to match the best offers that come in for Ryan Ludwick, but the club may be able to come close enough to make the outfielder want to give them a discount out of loyalty. Ludwick and the Reds have a $5MM mutual option for 2013 but he is expected to decline it.
- The Red Sox will need much more out of their underachieving rotation in 2013 if they expect to turn things around, opines John Tomase of the Boston Herald.
Mike Axisa contributed to this post.
Today is Saturday.
I clicked on the comments hoping I would see this. I got a little worried I slept through Saturday.
To be honest, I thought this was a facetious comment in response to John Tomase’s opinion about the Red Sox rotation needing to turn it around next year.
Then I saw it said “Sunday afternoon” at the top.
It was funnier at first.
Anyone else reminded of a young Papelbon from August on during the season watching Tazawa? 95-98FB consistently and Papelbon even didn’t hit 96-8 very often when he was that age. nasty splitter and a **3rd** and **4th** pitch that Papelbon really never had that can be thrown for strikes in a changeup and curve?
Tazawa should have been the closer in September anyway, or at least the latter half. hopefully whomever takes over the helm as manager has a sit down with Bailey during ST and explains it to him that Tazawa is just flat out better and he better get used to setting him up.
I wouldn’t go that far but I will agree that Tazawa was one of the few bright spots for the Sox pitching staff. While Bailey is highly likely to continue to be closer I wouldn’t be surprised if Tazawa takes over as primary set up man.
so what’s the consensus on Ludwick AAV? $8 mill per? $10?
Bad news for Jamie. I’m having my labrum tear repaired in December and boy am I not looking forward to this. Just the recovery alone is a solid month and a half before you can start working back to the normal things.