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Archives for September 2009

Odds & Ends: Chapman, Indians, Dye, Cubs

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Let's take a look at the wire…

  • Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times talked to Angels scouting director Eddie Bane about his level of interest in Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman.  Bane once again stated that he is intrigued by the 21-year-old lefty, but must see him face live batting before considering making an offer.
  • A clause in Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell's contract prevents him from accepting an outside managerial position until after the 2010 season, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Farrell, who served as Cleveland's farm director before joining the BoSox, was expected to be a candidate to manage the Indians if Eric Wedge is not brought back.
  • More from Ken Rosenthal as he reports that the Brewers are "seemingly on the verge" of retaining Ken Macha and are considering hiring pitching coach Rick Peterson. Macha and Peterson were on the Oakland staff together from 1999-2003.  Peterson served under Macha in 2003, his first year as the A's skipper.
  • MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports that Ozzie Guillen hopes "it's not the end" for him and Jermaine Dye, as 2010 marks a mutual option year.  Dye wants to return but the White Sox are unlikely to pick up the 35-year-old's $12MM option.
  • Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports that Lou Piniella doesn't expect the Cubs roster to change too much.  "Last year we had about 10 changes here," Piniella said. "If we have half that, that's a nice number. Some changes [last year] were out of necessity. I see us being selective in what we do."
  • Toronto's Jose Bautista is improving his stock heading into arbitration, writes MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.
  • Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News writes in his blog that Brian Sabean denied telling season-ticket holders that he would "undoubtedly" look to pick up Freddy Sanchez's option, but said that the Giants want to hang on to him.

Juan Uribe Lobbying To Stay With Giants

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Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that Juan Uribe, who has pieced together a strong year for the Giants, wants to stay on board in 2010.  The 30-year-old's numbers have exploded in the last month as he has been brought into the everyday lineup, hitting his way to an OPS of 1.091.

Uribe proved to be a great value as he inked a $1MM minor league deal with the Giants in late January.  Fangraphs estimates his worth in 2009 to be $12.8MM.  The Dominican Republic native has recorded his best slash line since his rookie year, posting .298/.336/.507 in 116 games.  Brian Sabean believes that Uribe can produce at a similar level with a more regular workload. 

With the Giants holding an $8MM option on 31-year-old second baseman Freddy Sanchez, they could conceivably let Sanchez walk and put Uribe in his place.  In 110 games this year at the position, Sanchez posted a UZR/150 of 5.8 compared to Uribe's 11.1 over 38 games.  Offensively, Sanchez has posted an OPS to top Uribe's 2009 mark just once.

As the Giants, would you extend a multi-year offer to Uribe, or would you let another team allow him to cash in?

Cito Gaston Talks 2010 Starting Rotation

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Manager Cito Gaston predicts that the Blue Jays will stick with a similar starting five next season, writes Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. Assuming they hang on to Roy Halladay, Gaston sees Shaun Marcum along with lefties Ricky Romero (Toronto's top pick in 2006) and Marc Rzepczynski as Doc's support in spots two through four. 

The fifth slot is, of course, a long way from being ironed out, but 27-year-old David Purcey is an early candidate in the eyes of Gaston.  General Manager J.P. Riccardi characterized Purcey as a guy who is "in the mix."

Gaston indicated that he does not think that starting pitching should be the team's main concern this offseason and should instead stand pat with what they have.  Marcum, Romero and Rzepczynski have all posted solid numbers, with each recording a K/9 north of 7. 

Would you focus on sprucing up the Blue Jays' rotation or improving on an offense that finished fourth in baseball's toughest division in OPS (.764)?

Week In Review: 9/20/09 – 9/26/09

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One week to go in the regular season, and it looks like we're in for an exciting one as the AL Central and NL Wild Card are coming down to the wire. Who said there'd be no good races? Here's your look back at the last week:

  • Aroldis Chapman, the fireballing young lefty from Cuba, finally established residency this week – in Andorra of all places. He's been declared a free agent by Major League Baseball, so let the bidding war begin. We know the Yankees, Orioles, and Angels all have interest, and we heard the Red Sox will be in on him too, but who else? The list of suitors should be plenty long. Unless, of course, there's no interest in a 21-year-old lefty who can throw over 100mph.
  • Another international player making headlines this week was Wagner Mateo, who saw his $3.1MM contract voided by the Cardinals after it was revealed that his vision in his right eye was not as clear as they thought. Mateo's representatives say the eye is the same as it was at the time of the signing, but general manager John Mozeliak says he has no plans to renegotiate at this time.
  • The Cubs have suspended problematic outfielder Milton Bradley for the rest of the season due to his interactions with the Chicago media. Bradley signed a three-year, $30MM contract this offseason, and while he's managed a solid OBP, the rest of his numbers have been largely disappointing. Even more disappointing have been the antics which have sadly become routine for the talented outfielder. The Cubs could look to move him this offseason, and the Padres may have some facet of interest. You'd have to imagine the Cubs would eat the majority of Bradley's salary in any trade.
  • One of the most successful managers of the past generation has signed on for one more year, but only one more. Bobby Cox will take the helm for the Braves one more time in 2010, before hanging up the manager's hat. He'll remain with the Braves in a consulting role through 2015, however. Win or lose Bobby, congrats on one heck of a career.
  • We've heard talk that the D'Backs might not pick up Brandon Webb's $8.5MM option for 2010, and that decision just got even more complicated, as Webb says he is not open to a restructured deal. Having seen the contracts signed by starters coming off injuries last season like John Smoltz, Webb is not interested in taking a paycut for Arizona. Is it really worth $6MM to risk losing out on a healthy Webb? I think the D'Backs have to go for it.
  • Curious who's available this offseason? Tim's got the free agent market covered for DHs and starting pitchers. And if you're even more forward-looking than that, check out the 2011 free agent market.
  • For other offseason storylines, here's a rundown of all the biggest potential stories to look out for.

Odds & Ends: Astros, Mateo, Aurilia, Rays

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Some more links on this Sunday afternoon…

  • The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers writes that Tim Bogar and Manny Acta are early front-runners for the Astros managerial job.  Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio could get called in for interviews by general manager Ed Wade.
  • Joe Strauss gives us an overview of the dispute the Cardinals are having with recently signed Dominican outfielder Wagner Mateo.
  • Veteran Rich Aurilia doesn't expect to be a part of the Giants' plans in 2010 according to John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle.
  • Mike Hargrove, who last managed the Seattle Mariners, could land a job this winter, says Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com.
  • Marc Topkin tells us, via Twitter, that Rays' manager Joe Maddon will talk with his coaching staff immediately after the season, but doesn't anticipate any changes. Tampa's playoff hopes plummeted when they dropped 14 of their first 16 games in September.
  • Even at the age of 42, Omar Vizquel would still like to return for another season, according the AP. Can you think of any teams in need of the veterans services? Omar's only logged 189.2 innings at shortstop, but it's no surprise to see a tremendous 21.6 UZR/150.
  • Dejan Kovacevic checks in with the latest and greatest from Pirates' GM Neal Huntington, who once again stresses that the Buccos will not be spending money just to spend money this offseason.

Padres Notes: Gonzalez, Bell, Latos

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A few weeks ago, when Kevin Towers said he expects the Padres to be "pretty good" in 2010, many scoffed at the notion. ESPN's Buster Olney teams up with Baseball Prospectus and a few other members of the ESPN Insider staff to take a look at the Padres, what went wrong, what to expect in the future, and why there may be some hope for the Friars soon. ESPN Insider is required, but here's the highlights for those without:

  • No surprise to see Olney say that the divorce of then-owner John Moores hit the team hard. That's a large part of the payroll cuts, and being forced to part with both Trevor Hoffman and Jake Peavy.
  • Olney says that after going 32-21 since July 28, it's unlikely that the Padres trade Adrian Gonzalez this offseason. The Padres do feel they have a chance to be good.
  • Olney likens the Padres free agent spending this offseason to going into a candy store with 50 cents, only being able to buy one thing. To put it another way, the Padres have a little to spend, but can't miss like the Rays did with Pat Burrell.
  • Marc Normandin Baseball Prospectus highlights the contributions of young talent, such as Everth Cabrera (16.4 VORP), Will Venable (14.9) and Kyle Blanks (9.8). While Kevin Kouzmanoff and Chase Headley have disappointed, Normandin points out Kouzmanoff's strong second half. To his credit, Headley goes unmentioned but has tallied a very nice line of .305/.378/.445 in 66 second half games himself.
  • The report suggests fielding offers on Heath Bell in order to allow pursuit of top free agents such as Randy Wolf or possibly even John Lackey and Chone Figgins. Bell's value will never be higher, and according to the report, many in the San Diego area expect Kevin Towers to listen on the All-Star closer. Interesting thought, but it's hard to picture the Padres in serious talks for Lackey or Figgins.
  • Miguel Tejada is also mentioned as a possibility through free agency, to compensate for a lack of power in the middle infield.
  • If what Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus has to add to the report is true, the Padres may not be as in need of a frontline starter as some would think. Goldstein quotes one front-office official hailing rookie Mat Latos as a potential ace if his change-up develops more. "Seeing him in person was one of those 'holy [crap]' moments," the official said.

Discussion: Should Dodgers Extend Colletti?

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The Dodgers currently sit at 93-62, their best record since 1988 when they won their last World Series title. Since Ned Colletti took over as general manager four years ago, the Dodgers have tasted postseason baseball three times.

Colletti's current deal has a mutual option for 2010, and while it might seem like a logical move for both sides to exercise the option and see what happens after 2010, Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com doesn't seem to think that Colletti will return next season without receiving a multi-year extension.

Colletti is certainly largely responsible for the Dodgers' success, but he's also made his share of unsuccessful moves, including the signings of big-name, big-money busts like Andruw Jones and Jason Schmidt. Then again, it's hard not to praise Colletti for moves such as the Manny Ramirez trade and the bargain signings of Randy Wolf and Orlando Hudson.

Bloom is in favor of a Colletti extension, pointing out how quickly the club turned around after a 71-91 record in 2005. Additionally, he points to the biggest number of all: the Dodgers' attendance mark of 3,601,611. The Dodgers are managing the best attendance in baseball this season in the worst economy in recent history.

So what do the readers think? Should Colletti be extended through 2010 and beyond? It's hard to argue with the product on the field this season, but how quick should fans be to forgive the failed gambles in recent Dodger history?

Peavy For Zambrano?

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Phil Rogers of The Chicago Tribune says that there is some buzz regarding a Second City swap of Jake Peavy and Carlos Zambrano:

"Some baseball people believe the White Sox could have interest in the Cubs' Carlos Zambrano, possibly even for the newly acquired Jake Peavy.  It would be a way for two teams without much money to spend to shake things up, but wouldn't Peavy have more value than Zambrano at this point?"

Peavy, as you may remember, listed the Cubs as a team he was willing to be traded to when the Padres first looked to move him.  Zambrano has solid numbers for the year, posting an ERA of 3.69 and 8 strikeouts per 9 innings. 

With just two starts in black and white, people are already wondering if Peavy will be a part of the team's 2010 plans.  Big Z has had a very strong September (2.81 ERA, 38 K's in 32 IP) but frustrations on the north side of Chicago have put every Cubbie under the gun.

Starting in 2010, the continuation of Peavy's contract will pay him $52MM over three years plus a club option.  Zambrano will earn $53.75MM in the next three years with a vesting player option for 2013 worth $19.25MM.

Could an intra-city trade of this magnitude ever happen?  Should either team pursue such a trade or is this simply a case of the grass being greener on the other end of the Windy City?

Fixing The Mets

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The New York Post's Joel Sherman offered up some suggestions for shaking things up in the Mets clubhouse this offseason.  He worries that Luis Castillo won't be able to replicate his strong 2009 and that Jeff Francoeur (.826 OPS with New York) may not be able to build on his solid second half.  Unsurprisingly, his chief concern is the Mets starting rotation.

However, Sherman suggests that the Mets first address their other holes before looking at starting pitchers, considering the weak crop available this winter:

"Put out strong one-year offers with a 2011 option to a group at each position. Say Rod Barajas/Bengie Molina/Miguel Olivo at catcher; Nick Johnson/Russ Branyan/Adam LaRoche at first: and Bobby Abreu, Mark DeRosa and Jermaine Dye for left field. The first guy to take the offer in each group gets the contract."

The Mets were linked to Bobby Abreu for some time last offseason, so it would make sense for them to re-visit that idea again this year.  Adam LaRoche looks like a completely different player in Atlanta, posting .354/.432/.618 with 12 HRs in 49 games.  Abreu projects to be a Type A free agent whereas LaRoche should be a Type B. 

Should the Mets address their pitching woes via free agency?  As badly as they need to bolster spots two through five, there won't be a great deal of options available.  Would you extend multi-year deals to the likes of Rich Harden or Joel Pineiro?  Should the Mets pick up where they left off last year and consider Randy Wolf?

Discussion: Randy Wolf

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In the midst of a renaissance year at the age of 33, it's hard to peg Randy Wolf's value heading into free agency.  The left-handed starter has posted an ERA of 3.24 (4.25 xFIP) to go along with a 6.8 K/9 and a career best 2.3 BB/9.  Detracting from his value of course, is his injury history.  Wolf averaged just 94 innings per season between 2004 and 2007.

Even the Astros had a hard time ascertaining his value in a slumping economy last winter.  Ed Wade offered Wolf a three-year deal worth $28.5MM before pulling it almost immediately. 

Wolf proved to be one of the biggest bargains of the 2009 free agent class, signing a one-year deal with the Dodgers with a base value of $5MM.  Even when factoring in the incentives that Wolf will earn for his 200+ innings, (bringing the total to $8MM) he is still a tremendous value as Fangraphs estimates his worth up to this point to be $14MM.

Jayson Stark sees Wolf as the second best starting pitcher in the 2010 free agent class.  Stark also quotes one general manager as saying, "I don't think there's one pitcher in this entire group I'd invest a lot of money in. Not one." 

Would you extend a major contract offer to Wolf considering his injury-riddled past?  Could Wolf command a contract in the vicinity of $40MM over three years?

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