Billy Wagner Leaning Toward Retirement
Billy Wagner is planning to retire, based on comments the pitcher made to Mike Puma of the New York Post yesterday. It was previously thought that Wagner would seek a closing job this winter and attempt to get the 15 additional saves he needs to reach 400 for his career.
Puma admits that Wagner might just need a "cooling period" now that the Red Sox have been eliminated from the playoffs. Wagner's agent Bean Stringfellow, talking to the Boston Herald, said he believes his client will play next year. If Wagner does try to pitch in 2010, his situation will become more complicated if the Red Sox offer him arbitration (he projects as a Type A free agent).
Rockies Rumors: Betancourt, Marquis, Hawpe
With the Rockies' 2009 season over, Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post is already discussing 2010. Here's the latest:
- Look for GM Dan O'Dowd to receive a new contract soon. O'Dowd will then attempt to re-sign manager Jim Tracy.
- Rafael Betancourt has a steep $5.4MM club option for 2010. The reliever wants to return, and Renck finds it possible. He says catcher Yorvit Torrealba, who has a $4MM mutual option, is less certain to remain with the team.
- The Rockies are expected to let free agent starter Jason Marquis leave and replace him with Jeff Francis. Presumably the Rockies will not offer arbitration to Marquis, a probable Type B free agent. Jason Giambi, Jose Contreras, and Joe Beimel are possibilities to re-sign.
- Renck sees Garrett Atkins as a trade or non-tender candidate. It wouldn't make much sense for a team to acquire Atkins prior to the non-tender deadline in mid-December.
- Renck considers right fielder Brad Hawpe a trade candidate given the Rockies' outfield depth. Hawpe will earn $7.5MM in 2010, but he can void his $10MM option for 2011 if traded. During the last four seasons, Hawpe has posted OBPs of .381 or better and SLGs of .498 or better. The knock is that he can't hit lefties, but he did a tolerable job against them in 2008-09. The other knock against Hawpe is his subpar defense. He still might fit with the Cubs or Mets, in my opinion.
Giants Rumors: Sabean, Bochy, Bradley, Kikuchi
A few notes on the Giants from Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News…
- As Luke mentioned last night, Baggarly expects manager Bruce Bochy and GM Brian Sabean to sign new contracts shortly.
- Baggarly asked a Giants executive with veto power whether he'd approve an Aaron Rowand for Milton Bradley trade. The exec said yes, which makes sense with Bradley owed $21MM and Rowand owed $36MM. Nonetheless Baggarly does not expect the Giants to get involved on Bradley due to potential team chemistry issues.
- Giants scouting director John Barr recently returned from Japan, where he observed hard-throwing high school southpaw Yusei Kikuchi. Baggarly expects the Giants to "make a legitimate run" at Kikuchi if he chooses MLB. The Giants are at least one of ten teams in on the pitcher.
Odds & Ends: Cards, Red Sox, Jenks
After a great ending to the NLDS in Colorado, we'll be without baseball for a couple days. But not to worry, the links are still coming. Here's another set….
- In their ESPN wrap-up of the St. Louis Cardinals' season, the Baseball Prospectus staff speculates that if Dave Duncan leaves town, his reclamation projects like Joel Pineiro might follow to wherever he lands.
- The BP staff also takes a look at the Boston Red Sox for ESPN, pointing out that it'll be difficult to upgrade the offense in 2010, with the contracts of Mike Lowell and David Ortiz still on the books. Olney suggests that Miguel Tejada could provide solid production for the Sox if Theo Epstein could convince the infielder to sign at a discount for a chance to "win now."
- MLB.com's Scott Merkin writes that, while Bobby Jenks wants to stay in Chicago for 2010 and beyond, the closer isn't happy about the team's comments about his conditioning.
- Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News expects Bruce Bochy and Brian Sabean to sign new contracts that will keep them in San Francisco — "probably within the next couple days."
- The most important "free agents" for the New York Mets to target aren't actually players, according to Ben Shpigel of The New York Times. He wants the team to pursue managerial and front office options like Tony LaRussa and Kevin Towers, but is worried that none will still be available by the time the Mets give up on Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya.
- Seeing Wilson Betemit mentioned as a minor league free agent prompted Tyler Hissey of Around the Majors to revisit last November's Nick Swisher deal that sent Betemit to Chicago.
- U.S.S. Mariner's Dave Cameron provides an interesting read about putting together a major-league roster.
Odds & Ends: Yankees, Varitek, Sheffield
A few links to browse while we watch to see if the Phillies can finish off the last of the Division Series….
- Benjamin Kabak of River Ave. Blues wonders how Johnny Damon's recent slide and Hideki Matsui's hot streak will affect the New York Yankees' decisions this winter.
- Josh Beckett wants Jason Varitek back in Boston in 2010, according to Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com.
- MLB.com's Kelly Thesier writes that Joe Mauer has spoken to agent Ron Shapiro about his contract status, but that there haven't been any "serious discussions" yet.
- Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald reports that Gary Sheffield wants to return to Florida. "It would be nice to finish my career with the Marlins," Sheffield said. "This is where I made a name for myself.''
- The Houston Astros aren't handling the managerial interview process well, according to Richard Justice of The Houston Chronicle. Justice's pick for the opening, Jim Fregosi, wasn't one of the ten candidates announced by the Astros.
- Chris Ruddick of the Sports Network, via the Miami Herald, speculates on the next moves for St. Louis and Boston. He isn't opposed to letting Tony LaRussa and Matt Holliday walk, and suggests that Jonathan Papelbon could be shopped for a "young bat" this winter.
- The Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fay writes that former Diamondbacks pitching coach Bryan Pryce is on the Reds' list of candidates for their pitching coach. The Brewers have also expressed interest in Pryce.
- Within a mailbag on MLB.com, Chris Haft writes that players like Matt Holliday and Jason Bay will be out of the San Francisco Giants' price range, and that the team is more likely to acquire a "hard-hitting utilityman."
Odds & Ends: Yankees, Varitek, Sheffield
A few links to browse while we watch to see if the Phillies can finish off the last of the Division Series….
- Benjamin Kabak of River Ave. Blues wonders how Johnny Damon's recent slide and Hideki Matsui's hot streak will affect the New York Yankees' decisions this winter.
- Josh Beckett wants Jason Varitek back in Boston in 2010, according to Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com.
- MLB.com's Kelly Thesier writes that Joe Mauer has spoken to agent Ron Shapiro about his contract status, but that there haven't been any "serious discussions" yet.
- Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald reports that Gary Sheffield wants to return to Florida. "It would be nice to finish my career with the Marlins," Sheffield said. "This is where I made a name for myself.''
- The Houston Astros aren't handling the managerial interview process well, according to Richard Justice of The Houston Chronicle. Justice's pick for the opening, Jim Fregosi, wasn't one of the ten candidates announced by the Astros.
- Chris Ruddick of the Sports Network, via the Miami Herald, speculates on the next moves for St. Louis and Boston. He isn't opposed to letting Tony LaRussa and Matt Holliday walk, and suggests that Jonathan Papelbon could be shopped for a "young bat" this winter.
- The Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fay writes that former Diamondbacks pitching coach Bryan Pryce is on the Reds' list of candidates for their pitching coach. The Brewers have also expressed interest in Pryce.
- Within a mailbag on MLB.com, Chris Haft writes that players like Matt Holliday and Jason Bay will be out of the San Francisco Giants' price range, and that the team is more likely to acquire a "hard-hitting utilityman."
Tigers Notes: Strieby, Polanco, Closer
Jason Beck at MLB.com is the latest to look ahead to the Detroit Tigers' 2010 season. A few of his predictions:
- GM Dave Dombrowski will avoid any major free-agent splashes, instead sticking to cheap, "smaller, targeted moves."
- The Tigers could be happy with Gerald Laird and Alex Avila behind the plate next year. They figure Avila should only improve with more big-league experience, and that Laird will hit better if he's used more sparingly than he was in 2009. Considering Laird's .306 OBP this season was exactly in line with his career numbers, I'm not sure that's a safe assumption.
- Stuck behind first baseman Miguel Cabrera, prospect Ryan Strieby will have to move to the outfield if he's going to earn major-league playing time.
- Placido Polanco is probably a goner. The club will use Ramon Santiago and Ryan Raburn as fallback options at second base if Scott Sizemore isn't ready for the full-time job.
- There will be no everyday designated hitter, with two or three players instead rotating in and out of the role.
- With Magglio Ordonez seeing time at DH, the Tigers could add another corner outfielder.
- The team will try to sign an outside veteran arm to fill their closer vacancy.
- Excepting lefty Bobby Seay and whoever the closer turns out to be, the bullpen will be young and full of short-term contracts.
Manager Rumors: Astros, Indians
Teams with managerial openings will be deciding soon who will man their dugouts for the 2010 season. Some rumblings on the candidates….
- MLB.com's Brian McTaggart writes that the Houston Astros' list of candidates features many familiar names, including Bob Melvin, Ned Yost, Manny Acta, and former Astros skipper Phil Garner.
- Jim Bowden of FOX Sports suggests (via Twitter) that Jim Fregosi is in the mix in Houston too, but McTaggart makes no mention of Fregosi.
- Although he's likely not an early frontrunner, Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills is excited about being considered by the Astros, according to ESPN.com's Amy K. Nelson. He says that he'd "love the opportunity [to manage]."
- The Cleveland Indians have been granted permission to talk to Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell, writes Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. However, even though MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince thinks that Farrell would be the best fit for the job, it sounds like Farrell wants to stay in Boston. In another Twitter update, FOX's Jim Bowden suggests that Farrell will remain a Red Sox in hopes of replacing Terry Francona down the line.
- It's not a managerial opening, but the Milwaukee Brewers are searching for a pitching coach. Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel thinks Rick Peterson remains the odds-on favorite, though the team continues to conduct other interviews.
Minor League Free Agents
Baseball America's Matt Eddy has a list of "the first wave of minor league free agents." See anyone you like?
RHP Greg Aquino
RHP Josh Banks
3B Brian Barden
C Edwin Bellorin
RHP Kris Benson
1B Wilson Betemit
LHP Travis Blackley
RHP Bryan Bullington
LHP Brian Burres
RHP Vinnie Chulk
RHP R.A. Dickey
3B Joe Dillon
RHP Brandon Duckworth
OF Chris Duffy
RHP Geoff Geary
RHP Enrique Gonzalez
C Michel Hernandez
RHP Philip Humber
OF Mitch Jones
2B Matt Kata
LHP Javier Lopez
RHP Shane Loux
RHP Edwin Moreno
RHP Joe Nelson
C Guillermo Quiroz
RHP Steven Register
LHP Royce Ring
RHP Connor Robertson
LHP Glendon Rusch
OF Jeff Salazar
C Dane Sardinha
RHP Chris Schroder
3B Chris Shelton
2B Jason Smith
3B Craig Stansberry
RHP Denny Stark
LHP R.J. Swindle
LHP Jon Switzer
Minor League Free Agents
Baseball America's Matt Eddy has a list of "the first wave of minor league free agents." See anyone you like?
RHP Greg Aquino
RHP Josh Banks
3B Brian Barden
C Edwin Bellorin
RHP Kris Benson
1B Wilson Betemit
LHP Travis Blackley
RHP Bryan Bullington
LHP Brian Burres
RHP Vinnie Chulk
RHP R.A. Dickey
3B Joe Dillon
RHP Brandon Duckworth
OF Chris Duffy
RHP Geoff Geary
RHP Enrique Gonzalez
C Michel Hernandez
RHP Philip Humber
OF Mitch Jones
2B Matt Kata
LHP Javier Lopez
RHP Shane Loux
RHP Edwin Moreno
RHP Joe Nelson
C Guillermo Quiroz
RHP Steven Register
LHP Royce Ring
RHP Connor Robertson
LHP Glendon Rusch
OF Jeff Salazar
C Dane Sardinha
RHP Chris Schroder
3B Chris Shelton
2B Jason Smith
3B Craig Stansberry
RHP Denny Stark
LHP R.J. Swindle
LHP Jon Switzer