Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for 2010

Sandy Alderson Hiring Reactions

By | at

The Mets are bringing in one of baseball’s most experienced executives to turn the franchise into a winner. Sandy Alderson became Oakland’s general manager in 1983, when Theo Epstein, Jon Daniels and Alex Anthopoulos were in grade school. Here are some reactions to the Mets’ decision to pass on Josh Byrnes and bring in Alderson:

  • Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports that former Twins GM Terry Ryan and longtime GM Pat Gillick had some interest in the job. Martino also notes that Mets assistant GM John Ricco wants to be a GM at some point.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post praises the Mets' decision and suggests the team can work through bad contracts and reach the top of the NL.
  • Sherman and Mike Puma say the Mets were impressed with Byrnes, "but not enough to ignore their strong feelings about the instant credibility and sense of direction that would come with hiring someone with Alderson's gravitas."
  • The Mets made an "excellent choice," ESPN.com's Keith Law writes (on Twitter).
  • Jon Heyman of SI.com says he would have hired Byrnes, but admits the Mets' decision is tough to criticize (Twitter link). 
  • Last week, 78% of MLBTR readers said they believe Alderson was a better choice than Byrnes.

Tigers, Peralta “Expected” To Agree On Extension

By | at

The Tigers have already locked up one infielder (Brandon Inge) before the start of the free agency period, and now they may be on the verge of re-signing another.  Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reports that Detroit is "expected" to spend $0.25MM to buy out Jhonny Peralta's $7MM option for 2011 and instead work out a two-year contract with the shortstop.  Morosi predicts Peralta's new deal will be worth "a little less" than the $11.5MM that Inge will earn over the two guaranteed years of his contract.

Peralta had a .703 OPS in 2010, including a .253/.314/.396 line in 242 plate appearances as a Tiger.  He provides solid power from the shortstop position, which is a big plus on a Detroit team that didn't generate much pop beyond Miguel Cabrera and the possibly-departing Magglio Ordonez.  Without Peralta, the Tigers would be forced to explore the very thin shortstop market for a replacement that would've very likely been a downgrade.

Morosi also mentions that Peralta's pending return to Detroit puts an end to any thought of Michigan native Derek Jeter suiting up for his home-state team if he somehow couldn't reach an agreement with the Yankees.   

Mets To Hire Sandy Alderson

By | at

The Mets are set to hire Sandy Alderson as their new general manager, sources have told Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman (via Twitter).  Heyman adds (in another tweet) that the hiring could be announced on Friday, the first off-day of the World Series.

Alderson and former Arizona GM Josh Byrnes were the two finalists for the position and both men conducted follow-up interviews with the Mets over the last two days.  Alderson, 62, has been considered the favorite for the last week, and indeed seems to have been a top candidate ever since his name was first mentioned in connection with the job.

Alderson was general manager of the Athletics from 1983 to 1997, capturing three AL pennants and the 1989 World Series championship during his tenure in Oakland.  He spent eight years as Major League Baseball's executive VP for baseball operations, four years as CEO of the Padres organization and most recently has been working for MLB to investigate drug use and identity fraud among Dominican prospects.  MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith recently profiled Alderson and the influence that he has had on baseball over the last three decades.

Marlins Notes: Relievers, Nunez, Payroll, Ross

By | at

MLB.com's Joe Frisaro answered some Fish-centric topics in a fan mailbag that dealt with a few hot stove rumors.  Here are the highlights…

  • It's unlikely that Florida will go after big-name free agent relievers like Matt Capps or Brian Fuentes this winter.  The club is more likely to explore "a trade or two for some young, emerging arms" to form their bullpen.
  • "It's not guaranteed" that Leo Nunez will be a Marlin next season.  Nunez is headed to arbitration for the second time, and Frisaro predicts the right-hander is due to earn approximately $4MM.  Nunez was terrific in the first four months of the season before a horrific August (a 9.31 ERA and three blown saves in 10 appearances) cost him the closer's job to Clay Hensley, though Nunez did pitch well in September.  Nunez would draw a lot of interest on the trade market if the Marlins decide that he's too expensive.
  • Frisaro predicts the Marlins' 2011 payroll to be around $48-$50MM, with a bit of leeway to bump it up a couple million dollars.  He thinks the club's payroll for 2012 (when the Marlins move into their new ballpark) will be bumped up to the $70MM-range.  Frisaro notes that Florida's season-ticket sales for their new stadium are already better than expected.
  • Even if the Giants hadn't planned on retaining Cody Ross, Frisaro shoots down any chance that the Marlins would've been interested in bringing Ross back.

Odds & Ends: Ortiz, Girardi, Molina, Werth

By | at

On the eve of the World Series, here are some news items to tide you over until the big Lee/Lincecum battle tomorrow night…

Manager & Coach Notes: Valentine, Riggleman, D’Backs

By | at

While some teams continue looking for their new manager, other clubs are settling their 2011 coaching staffs.  Here's a collection of news items about both searches…

  • Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com (Twitter link) "keeps hearing" that Bobby Valentine is one of the finalists to be the next Brewers manager, though Rosenthal wonders if Valentine would take the job and if Milwaukee could afford him.  We heard yesterday that the Brewers had narrowed their search to four men, two of whom were Joey Cora and Bob Melvin and one of whom was suspected to be Ron Roenicke.  Valentine could be the mystery fourth man.
  • Jim Riggleman will manage the Nationals next season, according to a team press release.  The move was widely expected given Washington's 10-win improvement (from 59 wins to 69) in Riggleman's first full season as the team's skipper.  The Nats could have fired Riggleman and paid him a $100K buyout, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, rather than be on the hook for his full 2011 salary.  The team also has an option on Riggleman for 2012.
  • Arizona announced the hirings of Alan Trammell the new bench coach and Charles Nagy as the new pitching coach in a team press release.  The D'Backs also confirmed the hirings of Don Baylor and Eric Young as the hitting and first base coaches, respectively.
  • Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune tweets that with Trammell leaving the Cubs for the Diamondbacks, there is a "door open" for Pat Listach to become his friend Mike Quade's bench coach in Chicago.  We heard today from ESPNChicago.com that Ryne Sandberg (a top contender for the Cubs' managerial job) wouldn't be staying with the Cubs as Quade's bench coach.
  • It sounds like something of a stock "never say never" answer, but Ozzie Guillen sounded open to the possibility of hiring Sandberg as the White Sox bench coach should Joey Cora become Milwaukee's manager.  Guillen made the remarks on WSCR-AM 670's "Mully & Hanley Show," and the news was reported by the Chicago Tribune.
  • Former Rockies manager and current Rangers hitting coach Clint Hurdle tells Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the Brewers didn't consider him to be a candidate for their managerial opening.  (Twitter link)
  • Fredi Gonzalez will bring back his old Marlins bench coach Carlos Tosca for the same job in Atlanta, reports David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  Also, former Florida hitting coach Jim Presley is "a finalist" to take over as the Braves' hitting coach.
  • Presley could also end up as Baltimore's hitting coach, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com (Twitter link).  In other Oriole-related Rosenthal tweets, Billy Ripken and Mike Bordick are being considered for coaching jobs on Buck Showalter's staff, and Mark Connor and Rick Adair are the "leading candidates" to be, respectively, Baltimore's next pitching and bullpen coaches.

Minor League Transactions: Henn, Dodgers, Mendoza

By | at

All of the minor league moves that took place between October 15-25 have been helpfully catalogued by Baseball America's Matt Eddy. Here are a few of the notable names involved…

  • Left-hander Sean Henn re-signed with Toronto, a week after the Blue Jays granted him free agency.  Henn spent his 2010 season pitching for the Jays' Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas, posting a 4.73 ERA in 38 games (nine of them starts).
  • The Dodgers re-signed a number of players with major league experience, such as J.D. Closser, Tim Corcoran and Travis Denker.  Los Angeles also re-signed 11-year veteran Corey Smith, who has yet to get a cup of coffee in the bigs after being drafted 26th overall by Cleveland in the 2000 amateur draft.
  • Luis Mendoza re-signed with Kansas City.  The right-hander has an 8.43 ERA in 36 career major league appearances, 14 of which were starts, with the Rangers and Royals.
  • Houston re-signed Brian Esposito and Wladimir Sutil, both of whom were recently removed from the club's 40-man roster.  In addition, the Astros re-signed Oswaldo Navarro, who picked up 25 plate appearances for Houston last season.

Marlins “Leaning Toward” Retaining Edwin Rodriguez

By | at

The Marlins "are leaning toward" keeping current manager Edwin Rodriguez at least through 2011, tweets The Palm Beach Post's Joe Capozzi, passing on information from Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  Rodriguez took over as Florida's interim manager on June 23 and led the team to an even 46-46 mark over the remainder of the 2010 season after Fredi Gonzalez was fired.    

If the Fish did bring back Rodriguez, it would bring a sudden end to a managerial search that, in the words of the Miami Herald's Clark Spencer, has been "like watching a glacier melt." Bo Porter, Jim Fregosi and Bobby Valentine were a few of the names mentioned in connection with the Florida job, but the consensus was that the Marlins would still bring in a few more candidates for interviews after the World Series.

In a meeting with media on Tuesday, Marlins president David Samson told reporters (including MLB.com's Joe Frisaro) that team management was still having "internal conversations" about the direction of the manager search.  Samson made these comments while taking media members on a tour of the club's new stadium, which is in itself might be the reason why Florida hasn't yet agreed on a manager for 2011 or made movement on long-term deals for Dan Uggla or Ricky Nolasco.

"Everything takes a little longer right now because our allocation of time," Samson said.  "So when [owner Jeffrey Loria] and I speak, it's 85 percent construction and ballpark related." 

"There are decisions on the ballpark that have to get done….Construction doesn't wait for anyone. It's deciding what needs to be done. So in a priority battle, when we talk about players or the ballpark, the ballpark wins every time."

It seems odd to think that a manager could be hired simply as a time-saver, but if Marlins officials are really devoting their focus to the stadium's completition this winter, it would be an easy solution to just retain a familiar and comfortable face in Rodriguez.  If he or the team struggles next season, then Florida could always let him go and bring in a big-name manager to grace the opening of their new ballpark in 2012.

Free Agent Market For Designated Hitters

By | at

With so many quality hitters available to fill designated hitter jobs these days, it's embarrassing for a club to get subpar production out of the spot.  Demand might be high too, though – of the 14 American League teams, only the Indians are locked into a player they must use at DH.  Let's examine the free agent market.

Already Full-Time DHs

David Ortiz, Vladimir Guerrero, and Hideki Matsui each played at least 119 games at designated hitter this year, and won't be looking to transition back to regular field work.  The Red Sox could pick up Ortiz's $12.5MM option after a bounceback season.  Vlad's $9MM option with the Rangers is mutual, but expect the two sides to try to hammer something out after the World Series.  Matsui does not have an option.  The Angels may have to let him go if they'd prefer to move Bobby Abreu or Juan Rivera to DH.

Johnny Damon played 36 games in the outfield this year and 97 at DH.  With his slugging percentage down to .401 this year, he may be a tough sell for Scott Boras as a designated hitter.

Jim Thome picked up just 340 plate appearances this year, but had a big impact with a .283/.412/.627 line and 25 homers.  He's just 11 home runs shy of 600, and he'd like to return to the Twins.  The Twins also must decide on Jason Kubel's $5.25MM option.

Could Occupy Full-Time DH Roles

Manny Ramirez, Lance Berkman, and Aubrey Huff spent much or all of their seasons in the National League.  Ramirez, whose .409 OBP was second only to Thome among free agents, seems a lock to seek a full-time DH job.  Berkman could still be a first base option.  Huff, the Giants first baseman, didn't DH at all this year but has plenty of experience in the role from his time with the Orioles and Rays.  Only Huff is coming off a strong contract year, but any of these three will help on offense.

Adam Dunn and Pat Burrell are a couple of free agents who prefer to play defense, so we won't consider them here.

Fighting For Playing Time

Ten hitters who figure to chase the best opportunity for playing time: Nick Johnson, Marcus Thames, Troy Glaus, Andruw Jones, Brad Hawpe, Jonny Gomes, Russell Branyan, Jose Guillen, Mark Kotsay, and Jorge Cantu.  Some of these guys can still play the field.  A few, such as Thames and Jones, are coming off solid part-time seasons.  Seven of them reached double digits in home runs.

Non-Tender Candidates

Jack Cust had a robust .395 OBP this year for the A's, but they could choose to go in a different direction.  He was non-tendered and then re-signed last winter, but was coming off a worse year.  The Rays have a couple of non-tender candidates in Willy Aybar and Dan Johnson.

Summary

American League teams such as the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Orioles could stay in-house at DH, but there are plenty of vacancies.  If Ortiz, Guerrero, and Thome are re-signed early, Manny, Berkman, and Matsui will become the best available.

Phillies Decline Option On J.C. Romero

By | at

The Phillies declined their $4.5MM option on lefty reliever J.C. Romero, tweets Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  He'll receive a $250K buyout instead.

Romero, 34, posted a 3.38 ERA, 6.8 K/9, and 7.1 BB/9 over 53.3 innings spanning the 2009-10 seasons after tossing 59 innings in '08.  He had flexor tendon elbow surgery in October of '09 and also had a 50 game suspension that year for using a banned supplement. 

The Phillies signed Romero to a three-year, $12MM deal in November of '07, even though he's always demonstrated big control problems.  Romero, who says he's got "a brand new arm," joins Scott Downs, Pedro Feliciano, Arthur Rhodes, and others on the lefty relief free agent market.

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrows scroll to top