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Archives for October 2010

Royals Intend To Listen To Offers For Greinke

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The Royals boast baseball's best farm system, deep with impact bats and power arms, but the timetable for those prospects might not match up with their best player, starter Zack Greinke. Because of that, ESPN's Buster Olney reports (Insider req'd) that the team intends to listen to "any and all" offers for the righthander, who has two years and $27MM left on his contract before free agency.

Five days away from his 27th birthday, Greinke would instantly become the best available starter on the trade market this offseason and the second best available pitcher overall behind free agent-to-be Cliff Lee. The 2009 Cy Young Award winner posted a 4.17 ERA in 2010, but his peripherals were still excellent (7.4 K/9, 2.3 BB/9) and his fastball was as lively as ever. The high ERA is the result of a 65.3% left-on-base rate, well below the 72.2% league average. Kansas City's porous defense (-44.5 UZR, third worst in MLB) had a hand in that.

Olney notes that because Greinke is under contract for two more years, they don't have to trade him just yet. They could wait until the deadline or next offseason to get the offer they want, and there's always the possibility of an extension assuming Greinke likes what he sees as far as the rebuilding process. He sounded pessimistic about those efforts back in August, though.

Greinke does have a limited no-trade clause in his contract for this season according to Cot's, though the extent of his veto power is unknown.

Odds & Ends: Lee, Alderson, Choo, Lowrie

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As the ALCS gets underway, let's look at some news from around the majors…

Gammons On Red Sox, Crawford, Moreno, Liverpool

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Peter Gammons made one of his regular appearances on WEEI's The Big Show today to discuss the playoffs and look ahead to Boston's winter moves.  Albert Vontz of WEEI.com has a partial transcript, and here are some highlights…

  • The Red Sox are "going to go real hard after Carl Crawford."  Gammons thinks one advantage Boston has is that they're looking at Crawford as middle-of-the-order bat rather than as a leadoff man, and Crawford "doesn’t want to be the guy trying to steal 70 bases."
  • The Angels are another team rumored to be pursuing Crawford this winter, and they'll have the money to do so.  Gammons hears that Angels owner Arte Moreno "is on the cusp" of a new local television deal worth approximately $4BB.  Gammon says Moreno and the Halos are moving fast to "swallow up even more of the Dodgers market" what with the Dodgers embroiled in the McCourt ownership dispute.
  • In the wake of the Red Sox ownership group's purchase of Liverpool FC of the English Premier League, Gammons thinks Red Sox fans will blame the soccer club if the Sox can't acquire and/or afford any major free agents this winter.  Gammons was told, however, that Liverpool is "a $1BB business that they bought for about $400MM" and surmises that majority owner John Henry sees the purchase as "a great business deal…[that] might help the Red Sox in a ten-year period."

GM/Manager Rumors: Pirates, Valentine, Marlins, Avila

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With the reports that Seattle has hired Eric Wedge, one spot on the managerial carousel has been filled.  Here's a look at some other management rumors…

  • Wedge wasn't just Seattle's first choice, but he was also "seen as the favorite" in Pittsburgh according to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link).  Heyman says the "job seems wide, wide open" even though the Pirates have interviewed a half-dozen other candidates.
  • Bobby Valentine spoke to SIRIUS XM's Chris Russo today and Tom Haudricourt of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has some transcribed highlights.  Valentine says he doesn't have a "burning desire" to manage again, but rather a desire that has to be "cultivated" by an interested suitor.  Valentine also noted that he doesn't expect to hear back from the Blue Jays, and that he has had "conversations" about the Brewers job but not a formal interview.
  • The Miami Herald's Clark Spencer says the Marlins might wait 7-10 days before even starting the interview process.  Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com tweets that Bo Porter is the favorite of some Florida officials.
  • The Mets have asked the Tigers for permission to interview Detroit assistant GM Al Avila, reports John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press (and passed on by Newsday's Ken Davidoff).
  • Don Baylor has been replaced as Colorado's batting coach, reports The Denver Post's Troy Renck.  Baylor, who's a candidate for at least one managerial job (Toronto), has been offered a new position with the Rockies as a special assistant to GM Dan O'Dowd.
  • Nolan Ryan "would be shocked" if Rangers GM Jon Daniels exercised the opt-out clause in his contract this winter, tweets the New York Post's Joel Sherman.

Managers And GMs On Expiring Contracts

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If you haven't gotten enough of this offseason's dugout and front office hot stove action, it's never too early to look ahead to what positions could be open next winter.  With a tip of the hat to Cot's Baseball Contracts, here's a look at the managers and GMs who are entering the final year of their current deals.

  • Baltimore — We've already heard that Andy MacPhail, the team's president of baseball operations, isn't planning to discuss an extension this winter.  This isn't necessarily a sign that MacPhail is either a lame duck or wants to leave after next season, since Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun points out that MacPhail isn't the type to negotiate a new contract in the media.
  • Boston — Terry Francona is technically on this list since 2011 is the last guaranteed year of his contract, but he has club options for both 2012 and 2013.  Barring something totally unforseen, it's a lock that the Red Sox will pick up those options and have their two-time World Series-winning manager in the dugout for years to come.
  • Chicago — Ozzie Guillen has a club option for 2012 that becomes guaranteed if the White Sox win the AL Central next season, and the manager has been vocal about wanting to "know where he stands in the eyes of the organization."  Given the roller-coaster relationship between Guillen and GM Kenny Williams, who knows what might happen next winter if the Sox aren't division champions.  Williams, for his part, has a unique perpetual contract with the club that rolls over every season and pays him a year's severance if he's fired.  Williams would probably be favored to stay if he and Guillen's relationship ever deteriorated into a 'he goes or I go' showdown.
  • Cincinnati — Manager Dusty Baker has already received an extension from the Reds, and GM Walt Jocketty is likely to receive the same treatment this offseason.
  • Detroit — The Tigers have almost $70MM worth of salaries coming off the books, thus making it a very important winter for GM Dave Dombrowski to set up not just the 2011 Tigers as contenders, but the next several editions of the team.  Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland built up a lot of goodwill in Detroit after winning the AL pennant in 2006, but the Tigers haven't returned to the postseason since.  Leyland already feels the pressure, and though Dombrowski has done an admirable job in rebuilding the Tigers from their laughingstock status at the start of the century, the GM could be on the hot seat too if this winter's moves backfire in 2011.
  • New York — The three-year extension that Brian Cashman signed after the 2008 season is up after 2011, but it's hard to see Cashman leaving, especially if he gets another World Series ring this fall.  As we've seen with Joe Girardi, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, the Yankee policy of avoiding in-season negotiations extends to even the franchise's biggest names, so we likely won't hear any news about a new deal for Cashman until October 2011 at the earliest.
  • Philadelphia — Charlie Manuel signed a one-year extension for 2011 after the Phillies won the 2008 World Series, and GM Ruben Amaro Jr.'s deal also runs out after next season.  The Phils won't let either man go anywhere. 
  • Pittsburgh — GM Neal Huntington signed an extension through 2011 last winter and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him receive another one-year extension this offseason.  The Pirates have seen their loss total increase in each of the three seasons of Huntington's tenure (95 to 99 to 105) and the firing of manager John Russell indicates that there is some urgency in Pittsburgh to get the franchise back on track.  Expectations are still very modest for next year's club, but another 105-loss campaign will probably get Huntington fired.
  • San Francisco — Bruce Bochy and Brian Sabean both have club options for 2012 that look like locks to be picked up given the Giants' ongoing playoff success.
  • Texas — Jon Daniels is under contract through 2011 but he has the option of opting out of his Rangers contract this winter since the team was sold.  There have been whispers about the Mets being interested in Daniels, but there has been no contact between the Amazin's and the Texas GM.  As in the Giants, Phillies and Reds situations, playoff success is a great way to earn an extension.  Count on Daniels and manager Ron Washington to still be at the Ballpark through 2012.
  • Washington — Though Stephen Strasburg's injury erased any hope the Nationals had of contending next season, the team is ready to spend some money this winter, even looking at top-tier free agents like Cliff Lee.  The bottom line is that continued improvement is expected in Washington, or else manager Jim Riggleman won't have his club option picked up for 2012.

 

Iwamura Wants To Stay In Majors

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Akinori Iwamura wishes to continue playing in North America next season, tweets Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker.  The infielder is coming off by far the worst of his four major league seasons, posting a .535 OPS in 229 plate appearances with the Pirates (who released him in September) and the Athletics (who released him two weeks ago).  Iwamura's ability to play both second and third makes him a candidate for teams in need of infield depth this winter, but it seems almost certain that he'd have to sign a minor league contract and then perform well in spring training to win a spot on a big league roster.

If this scenario doesn't play out for the 31-year-old and he decides to return to his native country after all, Newman believes that Iwamura's Japanese rights are still held by Yakult.  Iwamura played all nine of his professional seasons in Japan with the Swallows, and it was Yakult who acquired the $4.5MM posting fee for the infielder when his rights were obtained by Tampa Bay in the 2006-07 offseason. 

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Nationals Eye Lee, Ready To Spend On Pitching

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Several baseball officials tell Ben Goessling of MASNSports.com that they believe the Nationals will target Cliff Lee this winter. Washington would like to add a top-of-the-rotation pitcher and Lee will be by far the most appealing free agent to become available after the season.

After a third consecutive dominant campaign, Lee was already in position to demand a nine-figure deal at the beginning of the month. Two shutdown playoff starts later, his stock has only risen and he may be looking to match C.C. Sabathia’s $161MM contract. 

That’s a lot of money, but baseball sources tell Goessling that the Nationals are ready to spend big. Apparently the club would be willing to commit $125MM over five years to an ace pitcher. Troy Renck of the Denver Post also hears that the Nationals are telling agents they’re willing to overspend on starting pitching if necessary.

Signing Lee would give the Nationals a fearsome duo atop the rotation once Stephen Strasburg returns from Tommy John surgery. However, the Yankees, Rangers and other clubs figure to have visions of Lee atop their respective rotations, too.

Re-Introducing Sandy Alderson

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There was a time when Sandy Alderson needed no introduction. Back in 1997, when he stepped aside as general manager of the A’s to make room for Billy Beane, Alderson was the longest-tenured GM in baseball. 

But for a new generation of baseball fans, Alderson is far less recognizable than, say, Theo Epstein. After more than a decade of behind-the-scenes work – first as Padres CEO and then confronting identity fraud and drug use in the Dominican Republic – Alderson is re-emerging as a GM candidate, this time for the Mets.

Some consider Alderson the favorite for the position, even though he hasn’t been a GM since Ruben Tejada was a third grader. Thirteen years later, Alderson signings like Miguel Tejada and Miguel Olivo still appear on major league rosters, but don’t let that fool you – most of Alderson’s players retired long ago.

Dusty Baker and Willie Randolph, two players involved in Alderson trades, have since become major league managers. Joe Morgan, Goose Gossage, Rickey Henderson and Reggie Jackson are among the Hall of Famers who played under Alderson.

The 62-year-old is well-established enough that even veteran GMs like Beane and Kevin Towers look up to him.

“Having seen what Sandy did in Oakland, he's always been kind of a mentor,” Towers told the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2005.

And while Beane is the poster boy for “Moneyball” thinking, Alderson was a forward thinker in the A’s front office. He surrounded himself with people trained in quantitative analysis to make the most of the team’s resources.

The A’s, like the Padres, operate on a limited budget, so despite all of his time in the game, Alderson’s experience comes mostly from small West Coast markets. In fact he has a history of speaking out against massive contracts. Ten years ago, when Scott Boras negotiated a $252MM deal for Alex Rodriguez, Alderson was not pleased.

"On hearing it for the first time, a certain amount of disbelief set in on my part,'' Alderson told the Los Angeles Daily News at the time. ''I'm sort of stupefied by the whole thing. We have effectively doubled the previous most lucrative contract [Mike Hampton's] in two days. I don't like the exponentiality of all that. To me, it's incredible. I think every club is going to have to consider the impact on them.”

Even if he gets the Mets job, there’s a good chance Alderson will never sign anyone to a $252MM deal. But in New York he’d likely have more spending power and more exposure than he had in Oakland or San Diego – a new challenge for a veteran GM.

Manager Roundup: Mariners, Cardinals

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Here's the latest on a pair of big-name managers, with more details to come throughout the day:

Mariners

The Mariners told Bobby Valentine that he is no longer a candidate for their managerial opening, according to Larry Stone of the Seattle Times. The Mariners may be nearing a decision, writes Stone. Eric Wedge, Lloyd McClendon, Cecil Cooper, Clint Hurdle and Daren Brown are possible candidates. John Gibbons also heard that he isn't getting the job, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

Eric Wedge did "very, very" well in his interview with the Mariners, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter link).

Cardinals

The Cardinals are in daily contact with Tony La Russa, but it's not clear which way he's leaning, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). However, the AP reports (via ESPN) that talks are going well between the two sides. Pitching coach Dave Duncan knows that he'd like to return to St. Louis for at least three more seasons, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

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