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Diamondbacks Retain Gibson, Dipoto

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The Diamondbacks signed manager Kirk Gibson to a two-year extension with a club option for 2013, reports MLB.com's Steve Gilbert.  Additionally, he tweets that former interim GM Jerry Dipoto will become the senior vice president of scouting and player development under new GM Kevin Towers.  As first noted by the Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro on Twitter, only Matt Williams (first base) and Glenn Sherlock (bullpen) will remain on Arizona's coaching staff.  Bo Porter (bench) and Jack Howell (hitting) were let go, while Mel Stottlemyre Jr. (pitching) and Joel Youngblood (third base) were offered other jobs in the organization.

The Diamondbacks posted a 34-49 record under Gibson this year; he took over for A.J. Hinch while Dipoto succeeded Josh Byrnes.  Dipoto engineered the trades of Dan Haren, Edwin Jackson, Chad Qualls, and Chris Snyder in July.

Athletics Release Akinori Iwamura

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The Athletics released infielder Akinori Iwamura, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.  Iwamura would have filed for free agency a month from now anyway, but it makes sense to remove him from the 40-man roster now.

Iwamura, 31, was acquired by the Pirates from the Rays for Jesse Chavez in November.  The Bucs exercised Iwamura's $4.85MM option as part of the deal, making him their highest-paid player.  He was terrible for the Pirates and was designated for assignment by June.  Iwamura was released in September and signed with the A's.  He'll need to rebuild value with a minor league deal.

Trade Market For Catchers

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Trading a catcher this offseason won't be easy, because there are plenty of free agents and many teams are going young.  We analyzed the free agent catching market here; now it's time to consider the trade market.

Non-Tender Candidates

MLBTR broke the news last week that the non-tender deadline was moved up ten days, to December 2nd.  The non-tender candidates mentioned here – including Russell Martin, Ronny Paulino, Mike Napoli, Jeff Mathis, and Dioner Navarro – will presumably be shopped in advance of that date – before the Winter Meetings.  Of course, non-tender rumors can kill a player's trade market, as we saw with Kelly Johnson and Matt Capps last winter.

Catchers Under Contract

Three catchers under multiyear extensions may be trade candidates: Ryan Doumit, Chris Iannetta, and Kelly Shoppach.  Doumit, owed $5.6MM for one year, would be a salary dump on the Pirates' part.  They seem likely to move him somehow.  Iannetta, owed $6.1MM over two years, had a lost season after the Rockies signed Miguel Olivo.  If Olivo is re-signed for 2011, the Rockies might want to trade Iannetta before his stock drops further.  Shoppach is owed $3MM next year and has a club option for '12.  If the Rays have faith in the strong play of John Jaso, they could trade Shoppach and find a cheaper backup.  Shoppach missed significant time due to knee surgery this year, however.

Summary

The trade market for catchers offers no stars.  Instead you'll find bounceback candidates and useful but overpaid players.  Offensive-minded clubs should look to the trade market, with Doumit, Napoli, and Iannetta possibly available.

Free Agent Market For Catchers

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It's time to kick off a new series with a look at the free agent market for catchers.  The Red Sox, Blue Jays, White Sox, Angels, Rangers, Marlins, Reds, and Dodgers are among the teams facing uncertainty behind the dish.  You can check out our full 2011 free agent list here.

Big Names

Victor Martinez stands alone as the big name among free agent catchers this offseason.  The switch-hitter missed over a month with a broken thumb, but still hit .302/.351/.493 with 20 home runs in 538 plate appearances.  ESPN's Gordon Edes says Martinez hopes to return to Boston, but is excited to test the free agent waters.  He turned down a reported two-year offer from the Red Sox during the season, and should cost a draft pick if he signs elsewhere.  Martinez is also capable of playing first base, and he told Edes, "I'll do anything."  V-Mart is not known for his defense, but he did improve throughout the year.

Solid Regulars

John Buck, Ramon Hernandez, Miguel Olivo, Yorvit Torrealba, A.J. Pierzynski, Bengie Molina, and Rod Barajas are your solid regulars, with Gerald Laird on the fringe after an awful offensive season.  Buck is appealing for his power and youth, while Hernandez led free agent backstops in OBP.  Olivo and Barajas have good pop.  Pierzynski and Hernandez are Type A free agents, so they may cost a draft pick to sign if they turn down arbitration offers from the White Sox and Reds.

Non-Tender Candidates

Russell Martin, due more than $5MM next year in his third year of arbitration, could be non-tendered by the Dodgers if they can't find a trade match.  Martin's power seems lost but he still gets on base.  Other non-tender candidates include Ronny Paulino, Mike Napoli, Jeff Mathis, Dioner Navarro, Brayan Pena, Koyie Hill, and Humberto Quintero.  Napoli is intriguing for his bat, though he's more likely to be traded than cut loose.    

Club Options

Backups Ramon Castro and Jose Molina could be plucked off the market if their club options are exercised.  The Brewers are expected to decline their option on Gregg Zaun, while Olivo and Torrealba have mutual options.

Summary

Beyond V-Mart, it looks like a buyer's market for catchers.  All but a few teams have decent young options behind the plate.  A team like the Marlins, who are known to be seeking a veteran catcher, should be able to get a bargain by offering an opportunity to start.  And don't forget the trade candidates likely to flood the market, which we discuss in a separate post.

Brewers Decline Option On Macha

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MONDAY: The Brewers announced today via press release that they declined Macha's 2011 option.

SUNDAY: Ken Macha informed the Associated Press tonight that the Brewers told him they will not be exercising his club option for 2011.  Earlier today, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported the same through a source, saying an official announcement should come tomorrow.  Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported two weeks ago that Macha was "almost certain" to be let go.

Macha posted a 157-167 record in two seasons as the Brewers' manager.  Haudricourt notes in his blog post that Macha had limited interaction with his players, partially due to the generation gap.

Reds Sign Dusty Baker To Extension

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The Reds announced their two-year extension with manager Dusty Baker, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.  Baker's likely deal was first reported by Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News on September 30th.

The Reds initially hired Baker with a three-year, $10.5MM deal back in '07.  The Reds finished under .500 in '08 and '09 but won the NL Central this year.

Mets Relieve Omar Minaya, Jerry Manuel Of Duties

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The Mets relieved GM Omar Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel of duties, according to a press release.  Minaya is not a part of the organization at present, but would not rule out a return in a new role.  Assistant GM John Ricco will fill in for Minaya in the interim.  Mets COO Jeff Wilpon had this to say:

"We are extremely disappointed in this year’s results and the failures of the past four seasons.  We need to hire a new General Manager with a fresh perspective who will transform this club into a winner that we want and our fans deserve.  We appreciate all that Omar and Jerry have done for the Organization and thank them for their time and effort.  Changes like these are never easy, especially when you are dealing with people you like and respect."

Minaya was hired by the Mets six years ago.  He made big trades involving Mike Cameron, Carlos Delgado, John Maine, Angel Pagan, Oliver Perez, Xavier Nady, Heath Bell, Brian Bannister, Lastings Milledge, Johan Santana, and Jeff Francoeur.  Minaya spent big bucks on Pedro Martinez, Carlos Beltran, Billy Wagner, Jason Bay, and Perez as free agents and also extended Santana, Jose Reyes, and David Wright.  The Mets made one playoff appearance under Minaya, in 2006.

Astros Option Decisions: Blum, Michaels

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MONDAY: Wade confirmed today via press release that Michaels' option will be exercised and Blum's will be declined.

SUNDAY: The Astros informed Geoff Blum they will not be exercising his $1.65MM option for 2011, the infielder explained to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.  The Astros will instead pay a $150K buyout.  They will exercise Jason Michaels' option for $900K, according to McTaggart's source.

Astros GM Ed Wade told McTaggart he's leaving the door open to re-signing Blum anyway.  However, Blum's comments suggest he'll move on:

"I do know that I will not be here.  I'll miss being here, trust me. I've had several conversations with people within the organization and my services are not going to be needed here."

Blum, 37, hit .267/.321/.356 in 218 plate appearances this year while playing all infield positions aside from catcher.  He battled elbow and neck injuries.

Michaels, 34, convinced the Astros to retain him by hitting .254/.312/.470 in 202 PAs and playing all three outfield positions.

Pirates Fire John Russell

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The Pirates fired manager John Russell today, according to a press release.  GM Neal Huntington offered praise for Russell but added, "We decided that new leadership in the clubhouse would give us the best opportunity to move this major league team forward."

Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote Sunday that Russell was expected to be fired as early as today.  Russell was hired to manage the Pirates after the '07 season.   His teams posted a 186-299 record.

Free Agent Innings Eaters

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It's difficult to define an innings eater these days, as almost all pitchers miss significant time due to injury at some point.  Still, let's take a shot in regard to the upcoming free agent class.

Regular Season Innings Leaders

1. Carl Pavano – 221
2. Bronson Arroyo – 215.6 (club option)
3. Cliff Lee – 212.3
4. Jake Westbrook – 202.6
t-5. Jon Garland – 200 (mutual option)
t-5. Rodrigo Lopez – 200
7. Hiroki Kuroda – 196.3
8. Ted Lilly – 193.6
9. Kevin Millwood – 190.6
10. Dave Bush – 174.3

Two years ago, who would have predicted Pavano would top this list?  Only six free agents reached 200 innings, and Arroyo could be off the market if the Reds pick up his option.  Pavano, Arroyo, and Lee will bolster their innings totals with playoff work.  Arroyo, Lee, Garland, Javier Vazquez, and Doug Davis exceeded 200 regular season innings last year.

If you're looking for efficiency, Lee and Pavano lead all of MLB in fewest pitches per inning.  Lilly and Arroyo fall within the top 20.

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