Four years ago today, the Cubs signed Starlin Castro as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic. He became the team's starting shortstop in May at the age of 20, debuting with a .300/.347/.408 performance. Links for Monday:
- Dave Duncan's new deal with the Cards will make him the game's highest paid pitching coach, tweets Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- ESPN's Keith Law (via Twitter) believes that Sandy Alderson would be a better choice for Mets GM than Josh Byrnes. Roughly 78% of MLBTR readers feel the same way.
- After being bumped from consideration for the Brewers' managerial vacancy, Tim Wallach will almost certainly become the Dodgers' third-base coach, according to Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Rick Honeycutt has agreed to stay on with the Dodgers as pitching coach, tweets Ken Davidoff of Newsday.
- For you fantasy baseball junkies, I took a look at Brandon Morrow at RotoAuthority.
- Don Baylor will receive a two-year deal to be the Diamondbacks' new hitting coach, reports Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic adds that former Indians hurler Charles Nagy is the leading candidate to become the team's new pitching coach.
- Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times reveals quotes from Mariners president Chuck Armstrong from six weeks after the Cliff Lee trade. Armstrong said that when talks with the Yankees stalled, the White Sox, Twins, and Rangers were among the teams to get involved.
- Yahoo's Tim Brown previews the hot stove season with ten names to watch.
Pretty cool that the Diamondbacks are stocking up on coaches/management as former players who have a lot to offer to a very young inexpierenced team. Baylor, Young, Gibson, Nagy. These guys have been there and done that at the very least, have all been fantastic players during their respective careers. Hopefully someday Baylor will get to manage a team like he wants to.
Tim question, wasn’t Curt Young supposed to be the Diamondbacks pitching coach? If it’s Nagy, does that mean that Young might be interested in being the pitching coach for the Red Sox or Yankees?
I’d be happy with Young as the Yanks pitching coach. He did a great job over there in Oakland with the youn pitching staff, and could contribute in NY, hopefully fixing Joba, adjusting Hughes, and hopefully being able to help the young farmheads coming up.
Exactly, because he did a remarkable job with the A’s young pitchers. How else do you explain that they had one of the top 3 young rotations in Baseball this season with a great young bullpen. Not only Hughes and Joba (because Joba might get traded to the Royals!…joke Henry) but Nova, Robertson, and even that young prospect guy Rivera…Thats his name right? He needs some coaching.
Phil Hughes needs adjusting? Who knew…
I can read your sarcasm but, Phil Hughes needs to use his cutter and chnage-up more and develop them more to complement his electric fastball.
Hughes’ 2010 pitch distribution (woo Fangraphs!):
FB – 63.6%
CT – 16.4%
CB – 16.5%
CH – 3.5%
It’s not like he barely ever uses his cutter, and the change is his third-best off-speed pitch, why emphasize it? That seems like a perfectly acceptable pitch distribution to me. Using your two best off-speed pitches nearly equally is pretty much perfect, and he’s not going out there with a David Price 75% fastball usage.
As a D-backs fan, that idea reminds me of what happened when the D-backs were trying to emphasize Edwin Jackson’s change-up and curveball when his two dominant offerings are his fastball and slider. Really, really bad things happened.
Well, he needs an out pitch. Seriously.
Sometimes, there’s more to baseball than just numbers. Hughes had trouble most of the season putting hitters away when ahead in the count. If he can develop his change to a point where it’s a plus pitch, he could be a top of the rotation starter. Until then, he’ll probably be a very streaky pitcher who gets knocked out of games early because he threw 100 pitches in 5 innings.
Exactly. An out pitch.
wrong it means mark reynolds will bat like .150 with baylor
But the good news is he’ll only strike out 210 times, 1 less than he did this season.
Or he’ll be traded.
Don Baylor as a hitting coach is a coupe. I’m sure the Astros knew Bagwell was not coming ba Why didn’t they grab him? That explains why they have been sliding over the years–because they don’t keep up with who is available and act on it swiftly. Ya snooze, ya lose–and the Astros’ record is confirmation of that.
Tim Brown must not be paying attention. He claims the tigers have a need at 3rd base and lists them as a possible suitor for Beltre.
I noticed the exact same thing. Then doesn’t list them as a suitor for Werth. Not exactly making himself too credible
he also didn’t list additinonal Matt Kemp suitors as I think it’s fair to say that with a little bit of help from Zack Greinke, Matt Kemp could very well be a Royal.
Are you suggesting a Greinke for Kemp swap?
Would be bold….not sure that helps the Royals though going forward since Kemp will be a free agent before the Royals can compete IMO.H
No I am not suggesting a Greinke for Kemp swap.
I’m suggesting a Greinke and Louis Coleman for Matt Kemp, Rubby De La Rosa, and Kenley Jansen.
Or Zach Greinke for Dee Gordon, Trayvon Robinson, Allen Webster, and Kenley Jansen
The first trade is ridiculous (i.e. even DMGM would laugh at Colletti… hopefully). Second deal is more like it.
Minus de la Rosa and the first trade would work.
You’re removing value from the wrong side of that trade… that, or you’re just grossly overvaluing Kemp.
I didn’t know that you’re saying the Kemp one was “weaker” than the Gordon one. In that case, Kemp, Gordon, Webster, and Jansen.
And Coleman to the Dodgers.
I realize that De La Rosa and Jansen are both relievers, but they are probably the two best arms in the Dodgers farm system right now, with Jansen already putting in a solid contribution at the major league level. Both are closer material. Way too much for the Dodgers to give up plus Kemp.
The 2nd trade proposal is a bit more reasonable.
De la Rosa is a starter. He put up a 1.41 ERA in 8 AA starts this season.
So the Royals are considering dealing Greinke because they won’t be really competitive until 2012 when he’s a free agent, but they deal him for Kemp who will be a free agent at the same time? Doubtful. Even more doubtful that the Dodgers gut a mid-tier (at best) farm system for a potential head case. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Dodger fan who would love to see Greinke in Dodger Blue, but dealing four top-10 prospects for any guy isn’t Colletti’s M.O.
Teams need to stop stealing/trying to steal Tribe coaches/personel! lol
Farrell to Boston (then Blue Jays), Skinner gone to Oakland, Alomar nearly gone to Toronto, now Nagy possibly to the D’backs.
Scary to think how raided we’d get if we were actually you know…good.
Really hope Nagy sticks around. Has strong ties to the Cleveland/Ohio community and C-bus isn’t far away. Can’t fault him though for going after a big-league job. Liked what Belcher did this year so don’t think Nagy will be in line for a promotion in the near future.
I hate that Nagy’s leaving. I understand though. If you want to move up from the minors, you have to take a ML job if one is offered. Who knows how long it will be before the next job is offered?
And there’s another name off the list for Braves hitting coach. I wish we’d hear a rumor every now and again.
Milwaukee’s loss is our gain. It will be great to see Wallace remain in a Dodger uniform.
I agree, selfishly I’m glad to see him stay with Dodgers for the year. He’ll be a good person to have around in the clubhouse, much better for the young guys (esp guys he’s managed) than, say, Larry Bowa would be.
(Btw, of course you know but it’s Wallach, not Wallace… 😉 )
Yup, a typo. I figured for sure he’d be another good one who got away.
Cashman comes off pretty smug in that interview.
Well, Duncan certainly deserves to be the highest paid pitching coach in the game.
The White Sox were in on Cliff Lee? What were they offering? Triple-A Charlotte?