Poll: The Next Losing Team To Make The Playoffs
Eight teams have assured themselves of losing records in 2010, but they're all trying to turn things around and reach the postseason. Could the Diamondbacks, under new GM Kevin Towers, be the first to reach the playoffs? What about the Royals, who have so much minor league talent? Or the Cubs, a big-market team with a number of pieces already in place? It's time to vote on those teams, plus the Nationals, Pirates, Mariners, Indians and Orioles.
Which losing team will reach the playoffs first?
Click here to vote and here to see the results.
Angels Rumors: Rivera, Abreu, Crawford
Angels manager Mike Scioscia and GM Tony Reagins told Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times that offense is not necessarily the team’s biggest issue heading into the offseason. Here are the details on the Angels’ winter plans:
- Reagins and Scioscia gave DiGiovanna the impression that the Angels will look to sign a reliable veteran reliever.
- It appears that the Angels will look to trade Juan Rivera and move Bobby Abreu to DH, according to DiGiovanna.
- That would leave Peter Bourjos in center, Torii Hunter in right and a Carl Crawford-sized opening in left. The Angels are expected to pursue the Rays outfielder, who hits free agency after the season. Crawford fits on the Angels if Hideki Matsui leaves via free agency and the Angels bench or trade Rivera.
Red Sox Rumors: Ortiz, Papelbon
Imagine the Red Sox without David Ortiz and Jonathan Papelbon. Heading into the 2010-11 offseason, it's hard to do, but not utterly impossible. As you'll see below, it now looks like both will be back in Boston next year…
- David Ortiz told Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com that he'd like to retire in Boston, but he realizes it's out of his control. "Sometimes, I feel like I'm part of the family and I'm going to stick around longer but I'm not the one who takes that decision," Ortiz said. The Red Sox can bring Big Papi back for $12.5MM next year, though he has expressed interest in a long-term deal.
- Red Sox GM Theo Epstein told John Tomase of the Boston Herald that he'd like to bring back Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon in 2011. “Having two really good pitchers is better than one,” he said. “Sometimes you don’t want to overcomplicate things.” Both pitchers are under team control, but Papelbon has struggled this year and will make an eight-figure salary in 2011, so he's a trade candidate.
Cardinals Notes: Westbrook, Carpenter, La Russa
In a recent chat, Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post Dispatch writes that few appreciate how much turnover could occur if Tony La Russa does not return to the Cardinals next season. Let's see what else he has for us..
- Offering Jake Westbrook arbitration would be a risky move for the Cards as he is virtually guaranteed to receive an increase over this year's $11MM salary. If St. Louis does want to keep the soon-to-be 33-year-old in the fold, Strauss believes that they will open talks before the free agency filing period like they did with Joel Pineiro and and Kyle Lohse. However, the club locked up Pineiro and Lohse with multi-year deals at market or above-market rates, something that they're probably not capable of doing at this time with Westbrook.
- Speaking of starters, it's hard to imagine the Cardinals giving Chris Carpenter similar money to what he makes now if they re-sign Albert Pujols. Carpenter's contract calls for him to earn $15MM next season with a $15MM club option ($1MM buyout) for 2012.
- It's fair to say that Felipe Lopez found himself unmotivated to perform after the Cards acquired Pedro Feliz last month. The infielder struggled at the plate this season, hitting just .231/.310/.340 with seven homers in 425 plate appearances. The club sent Lopez packing yesterday afternoon.
- Strauss expects to see La Russa back in St. Louis unless he hears something that he doesn't like from the ownership or front office.
Odds & Ends: Stairs, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays, Nats
Links on a very rainy evening in the Bronx..
- Matt Stairs nearly retired this winter but now he tells Corey Brock of MLB.com (via Twitter) that he wants to play for another year or two.
- The Diamondbacks will decide interim manager Kirk Gibson's fate soon, writes MLB.com's Steve Gilbert.
- Toronto could give their entire staff a makeover upon hiring a new manager, writes Shi Davidi of The Canadian Press.
- Stan Kasten told Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post that he's still not sure if he'll return to the Nats next season.
- The Mets may already have their 2011 second baseman in Daniel Murphy, writes Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
- The Reds won't be auditioning Yonder Alonso for a potential deal as Joey Votto is set to return to action on Friday, tweets John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
- Mets GM Omar Minaya told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (via Twitter) that he's not concerned about speculation over his job security.
- It's a good time for ex-Mariners managers, tweets Larry Stone of the Seattle Times.
Cabrera: Ordonez Hopes To Return To Tigers
While Magglio Ordonez hasn't been seen in the Tigers' clubhouse since he underwent season-ending surgery last month, he has kept in touch with teammates such as Miguel Cabrera. Earlier this evening, Cabrera told reporters that his good friend wants to remain in Detroit next season, writes Jason Beck of MLB.com.
"I've talked to [Ordonez]," the first baseman said. "He said he feels better. He wants so bad to play, but his injury, he feels bad. He wants to come back next year here. He wants to stay here."
Ordonez seemed likely to return to the club as he needed just 540 plate appearances or 135 starts in order for his $15MM option for 2011 to vest. However, a broken ankle suffered in late July made it an impossibility.
The 37-year-old slugger hit .303/.378/.474 with 12 homers in 84 games this season.
Dipoto Will Not Return To Diamondbacks
6:36pm: Arizona is still holding out hope that Dipoto will stay in the front office, tweets Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Kevin Towers plans to talk to Dipoto this week, according to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic.
12:54pm: Jerry Dipoto, Arizona's interim GM since July, will not return to the Diamondbacks organization. Kevin Towers is the team's permanent GM, so Dipoto informed the D'Backs that he'll move on, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports and Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic also reported that Dipoto would likely resign (all Twitter links).
Dipoto, 42, was a big league reliever for eight seasons. He spent two of those years with the Mets, one team that could be looking for a GM this offseason. Dipoto, who began the year as Arizona's vice president of player personnel, has interviewed for GM jobs in Seattle and Washington.
Dipoto traded Dan Haren, Edwin Jackson, Chad Qualls and Chris Snyder away in July, creating payroll flexibility and acquiring Daniel Hudson, Joe Saunders and others.
Towers To Prioritize Bullpen, Bench
Kevin Towers says he’d like to see next year’s Diamondbacks team surprise people just like this year’s Padres team did. But only two clubs have lost more games than the Diamondbacks this year, so the new Arizona GM has some work to do. And Towers knows which areas of his new club he'll be targeting first.
“The focus will probably be primarily on the bullpen this winter, as well as the bench,” Towers told reporters via conference call.
That isn’t to say that the entire ‘pen will be turned over, but the Diamondbacks will consider every possible avenue as they look to improve upon an MLB-worst 5.82 bullpen ERA. Towers said he’ll explore major league free agency, minor league free agency, international options and the Rule 5 Draft in search of better production.
Towers gets credit for assembling the Padres bullpen, which has an MLB-best 2.85 ERA this year. Replicating that success in the desert “really boils down to good scouting and good evaluations,” Towers said. In particular, Towers’ scouts will be instructed to look for big pitchers (potentially starters who fit best in the ‘pen) with good fastballs and “plus” secondary pitches.
The Diamondbacks will also look to acquire starting pitching depth this winter; until then, Towers is familiarizing himself with the team and his new staff. After 14 years in San Diego, Towers has many connections in the Padres front office and didn’t rule out the possibility that he might bring some of his former Padres employees to Arizona.
Konerko Could Retire If Unsatisfied With Options
White Sox veteran Paul Konerko may walk away from baseball if he finds himself unsatisfied this offseason, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. When asked if he would follow a path similar to the one taken by his former teammate Jermaine Dye, Konerko acknowledged that it's a possibility.
"I would hope that I have enough perspective where, the game of baseball has been great, it's been great for me, and I've worked hard at it and been good to the game, but I think I've had enough to where if I was out of the game for whatever reason, it's not something that … I'll have other things going on, you know," said the 34-year-old.
If the four-time All-Star does opt to call it a career, he'll certainly be leaving the game of baseball on a high note. In 600 plate appearances this season, Konerko hit .315/.397/.588 while belting 37 home runs. According to Baseball Reference, Konerko has earned nearly $90MM in 14 big league seasons.
Odds & Ends: Sandberg, Nationals, Padres, Bautista
On this date in 1978, the Pirates purchased Cito Gaston from the Braves and the outfielder went on to play his last two major league games in a Pirates uniform (believe it or not, future managers Ken Macha, Phil Garner and Jim Fregosi also played on that Pirates team). When this season ends, Gaston will step down as Blue Jays manager, but he'll do so with a pair of World Series rings and at least 885 wins to his name. Here are today's links…
- Ryne Sandberg is a candidate for the Blue Jays' managerial opening, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
- Later this week the Nationals will likely announce that they're retaining manager Jim Riggleman in 2011, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
- The Padres will at least look outside of the organization for infielders, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock (on Twitter). The Padres lost some depth when Jerry Hairston hit the disabled list again.
- The Mets won't discuss deals with prospective free agents like Jose Reyes and Pedro Feliciano until after their front office is more settled, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
- ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick looks back at this year's moves from the ones that have worked out (the Roy Oswalt deal) to the ones that haven't (the Manny Ramirez claim).
- The Pirates lost Jose Bautista because they "reacted rashly to a rather innocuous situation," according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
- The Red Sox claimed Bautista when the Blue Jays put him on waivers last summer, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com.
- One MLB executive tells Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that Red Sox bench coach DeMarlo Hale is on at least two short lists of managerial candidates.
- Dave Bush is open to returning to the Brewers and curious about the offers he'll see as a free agent, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.