Week In Review: 9/18/11 – 9/24/11
Just three days remaining in the season following today, and plenty of drama surrounding both Wild Card races, but let's take a step back for a moment to run down this week's top stories at MLBTR:
- The Cardinals and Lance Berkman agreed on a one-year extension for $12MM that includes a full no-trade clause. Have to think Puma could've pulled in multiple years, but he opted to stay where he wanted to be.
- The Mets extended Tim Byrdak for the 2012 season as well. The Mets rarely entertain extensions at this point in the season, but Byrdak was aggressive and approached the team.
- The Reds extended GM Walt Jocketty through 2014 this week, while the A's gave manager Bob Melvin a three-year extension as well.
- Jocketty also publicly stated that Brandon Phillips will be back with the Reds in 2012, but the outspoken Phillips was sure to chime in that he wouldn't be giving Cincinnati a hometown discount if they want to work out a multi-year deal.
- Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd said this week that manager Jim Tracy would be back in 2012, and possibly beyond. He also stated that the club plans on exercising Jason Giambi's option.
- Leo Nunez was placed on the restricted list by the Marlins this week after it was revealed that he's been playing under an assumed name and that he is actually 29 years old, not 28.
- The struggling Red Sox tried to acquire Chris Capuano from the Mets to make one start prior to the end of the season. Capuano wouldn't have been eligible for their postseason roster, should they make it.
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman admitted this week that his meeting with Carl Crawford at last year's Winter Meetings was intended to drive up his price.
- Rays executive VP of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said that the club doesn't plan on entering the offseason thinking they can afford to move some starting pitching, since pitching depth can be so fleeting.
- Giants ace Tim Lincecum is one of the rare (maybe the only) young stars who prefers short-term deals to a long-term contract. Then again, as Ben Nicholson-Smith pointed out in that post, that may be because he can earn as much in arbitration as most elite free agent pitchers receive on the free agent market.
- Kerry Wood will retire if the Cubs aren't interested in bringing him back in 2012.
- The Marlins will consider big-name free agents this offseason, and they've got their sights set on Aramis Ramirez, to name one.
- Major offseason signings are also possible for the Dodgers, and GM Ned Colletti talked about how the team could seek to improve their offense in the "most dramatic" way possible.
- The Nationals had a scout at C.J. Wilson's last start and have been said to be targeting an impact pitcher this offseason.
- Japanese lefty Tsuyoshi Wada has his sights set on pitching in the Majors next season.
- Orioles DH Vladimir Guerrero hopes to play for another two or three seasons before retiring.
- Once considered a major part of the Royals' future, Kila Ka'aihue was designated for assignment this week.
- Manny Ramirez now says he wasn't prepared for retirement and is willing to serve out his 100-game suspension if given the chance to sign somewhere and return to baseball.
- MLB would like to add an additional Wild Card team in each league and a one-game playoff to determine which Wild Card winners will advance. The system could be implemented next season but 2013 is more likely.
- The Astros officially "clinched" the No. 1 pick in the 2012 Draft this week.
Jocketty To Meet With Phillips’ Agents
With the Reds heading to New York to play the Mets, general manager Walt Jocketty plans on meeting with the agents for Brandon Phillips while in the Big Apple, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
Seth and Sam Levinson, the agents for for Phillips, are the same pair that helped the 30-year-old second baseman work out the current four-year, $27MM contract that he's currently finishing up. It's already all but decided that the Reds will exercise Phillps' $12MM option for the 2012 season, but it's been well-publicized that Phillips would consider merely exercising the option a "slap in the face."
Current discussions are expected to be preliminary, and Jocketty tells Sheldon that the negotiations could very well carry on into the winter. We've seen a few September extensions from other teams this season (Chris Carpenter, Tim Byrdak, and Lance Berkman), but none of those three signed a deal that would be of the size or magnitude that it would require to lock up Phillips.
Phillips has certainly upped his stock in September, batting .326/.402/.628 with six homers entering play today to raise his season line to .301/.352/.459. His .811 OPS would be his highest since the .816 mark he posted in his 30-30 season in 2007, while his OPS+ of 120 would be a career-high.
Rockies Notes: Smith, Iannetta, Wigginton, Offseason
Let's round up the latest updates on the Rockies, courtesy a pair of Denver Post scribes….
- The deepest part of the Rockies' roster is the bullpen, writes Troy Renck. The team figures to try to take advantage of that depth, and deal from a position of strength when they discuss trades this winter.
- Within the same piece, Renck adds that, while Colorado will listen to inquiries on Seth Smith and Chris Iannetta, Ty Wigginton is the position player most likely to be traded. There are "strong indiciations" that the Rox would pay a chunk of Wigginton's salary if it would help facilitate a deal.
- GM Dan O'Dowd discussed the team's outlook with Renck's colleague Jim Armstrong, saying that his approach in the offseason will depend on what's available on the trade market: "In reality, to be a championship club, we probably need a front-of-the-rotation starter, and we also need another middle-of-the-lineup bat."
- More O'Dowd: "I'm telling you we absolutely will (spend), but it's got to be something we really like. We're not going to spend money for the sake of spending money. If we don't find that piece, it will be more finding the Mark Ellises and complementary pieces that bridge the gap until the (prospects) are ready to come."
NL Central Rumors: Pujols, McCutchen, Fielder
The division has been clinched, but the NL Central games today are still very much worth monitoring. The Brewers are a game up on the Diamondbacks in the race for first-round homefield, while the Cardinals need to win today's rubber match against the Cubs to stay on the Braves' heels in the Wild Card race. Here are the rest of today's items of interest out of the NL Central:
- Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that today's contest could be Albert Pujols' last home game as a Cardinal. Strauss goes on to preview the upcoming Pujols negotiations, noting that the Cards aren't currently inclined to top the nine years and annual figure of $22-$22.5MM they offered last winter.
- Strauss goes on to say that the Cardinals are "wary of bidding against themselves," meaning they likely wouldn't increase last year's offer until they have a better idea of their competition for Pujols.
- Extension talks will resume between the Pirates and Andrew McCutchen this winter, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Biertempfel hears from team and industry sources that the Pirates will likely offer a six-year deal with a club option.
- Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times ranks the best of the upcoming free agent class, with the NL Central duo of Pujols and Prince Fielder occupying two of the top three spots.
Cafardo’s Latest: Fielder, Orioles, Wilson, Capuano
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe discusses player conditioning and expanded rosters in his latest column, before sharing a few notes and rumors from around the league. Here are a few highlights from the piece:
- While the Brewers have been all but ruled out of the Prince Fielder sweepstakes in some corners, Cafardo hears from big league sources that the Brew Crew may make a bid to retain their first baseman after all.
- It appears Buck Showalter will have a significant infuence on Orioles' moves and decisions going forward. If Andy MacPhail leaves the team this winter, the O's may hire someone to hold the general manager title, but have Showalter acting as the de facto GM.
- Cafardo speculates that the Orioles, Red Sox, Yankees, Twins, Tigers, and Cardinals could all be in on C.J. Wilson this offseason.
- "Nobody has any real answer" about why the Red Sox and Mets couldn't reach an agreement on a Chris Capuano trade. We heard earlier this week that the Sox tried to acquire Capuano to help them clinch a playoff spot, but that talks were dead.
- Although Manny Ramirez has mentioned the possibility of playing in Japan, Cafardo doesn't think a Japanese team would be willing to take on a two-time PED user.
- Cafardo has heard Bobby Valentine mentioned as a potential replacement if the Red Sox and Terry Francona part ways. Earlier today, FOX's Ken Rosenthal looked into whether or not Francona's job is in jeopardy.
AL East Notes: Reyes, Rays, Francona, Montero
All eyes will be on a trio of AL East matchups today, as the Rays take on the Blue Jays while the Yankees and Red Sox play a split doubleheader in the Bronx. By the end of the day, we could see a massive swing one way or the other in the Wild Card race. If the Sox sweep the doubleheader and the Rays fall to Toronto, Boston would clinch at least a tie of the Wild Card. On the other hand, if the Rays beat the Jays and the Yanks win a pair at home, Tampa Bay and Boston will be tied heading into the season's final series. While we look forward to today's slate of games, let's check out the latest links from the division….
- The Rays asked the Mets about Jose Reyes' availability in June, according to Newsday's Ken Davidoff. Reyes' stock was incredibly high at the time – he was healthy and hit .352/.397/.529 through the season's first three months – so the Mets turned away the Rays' inquiries.
- Within Davidoff's piece, Rays GM Andrew Friedman said his team won't feel the need to trade any starting pitching this winter: "We can't be cavalier about the depth that we have right now."
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports takes a look at Terry Francona's future in Boston, wondering whether the skipper will be the scapegoat if the Red Sox miss the playoffs.
- The Yankees should give Jesus Montero a chance to catch the season's last few games to see if he's a viable option behind the plate, argues Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Athletics’ Spending Decisions On Hold
The Athletics and manager Bob Melvin agreed to an extension earlier this week, but that could be the last deal the A's make for a little while. Josh Willingham's agent, Matt Sosnick, told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that he approached the club with ideas for a multiyear contract for his client. However, Sosnick was told by GM Billy Beane that the Athletics' spending decisions are on hold until the team's stadium situation is resolved.
"We gave the A's an idea of where we were, and we were told they have interest in bringing Josh back, but before they did anything, they want to see what happens with the stadium," Sosnick said. "Josh and I both made it clear he'd like to stay, but at this point, I'm pretty sure he'll test the free-agent market…. We talked about a time frame, given that Billy would like Josh back, but it seems like Billy is sort of hamstrung right now."
As Slusser writes, the A's have been awaiting a decision on their move to San Jose for over two and a half years. Beane and other club officials have indicated for the first time recently that they expect resolution soon.
According to one of Slusser's sources, the stadium decision will affect the way the A's spend their money this offseason. If San Jose were approved, the club would cut back on payroll and go into "all-out rebuilding mode," while if they remained in Oakland, short-term spending is more likely, in an attempt to increase gate and possibly attract potential buyers.
Quick Hits: Capuano, Nunez, Ramirez, Jackson
Some links on this Saturday evening…
- Mets lefty Chris Capuano told Ron Chimelis of The Springfield Republican that he didn't hear anything about a potential trade to the Red Sox until after the deal was dead. "I didn't hear about it until after my start Thursday in St.Louis," said the lefty. "That's when I spoke briefly with (Mets GM) Sandy Alderson, who said there was just some talk that didn't pan out.''
- MLB.com's Peter Gammons reports (on Twitter) that two teams trying to trade for Marlins closer Leo Nunez at the deadline were told no. "Now I know why," said the GM of one of those teams, referring to Nunez's identity scandal. "I admire Larry Beinfest for doing what he did."
- Meanwhile, Clark Spencer of The Miami Herald reports that Nunez came clean about his identity because it was his dying father's last request.
- Third baseman Aramis Ramirez told ESPN 1000 Chicago that he wants to sign with a contender this winter. On Tuesday, the veteran said that he's probably played his last game with the Cubs.
- Cardinals right-hander Edwin Jackson would like to return to the team next season, writes Steve Overbey for MLB.com. However, there might not be a spot for him in the rotation next season if Adam Wainwright returns healthy.
- Darryl Strawberry regrets leaving the Mets for the Dodgers prior to the '91 season and says that impending free agent Jose Reyes should stay in New York, writes Peter Botte of the New York Daily News.
- As ESPN.com's Buster Olney touched on earlier today, the acquisitions of Shaun Marcum and Zack Greinke helped propel the Brewers to the division crown. Outfielder Ryan Braun was quick to say that it was pitching that put the club in this position, writes MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.
- Questioning the logic of the Diamondbacks' Dan Haren deal from July 2010 seems unfair, writes Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Piecoro also writes that the club's increased scouting for the 2009 draft proved to be beneficial at the 2010 deadline.
Outrighted To Triple-A: Jason Rice, Juan Perez
Let's keep track of the day's outright assignments right here, starting with a pair of moves courtesy of the International League transactions page…
- The Indians have outrighted Jason Rice to Triple-A. The 25-year-old had been designated for assignment earlier this month, soon after Cleveland claimed him off waivers from the Athletics, who had acquired him from the Red Sox for Conor Jackson. Rice posted a 3.69 ERA, 9.4 K/9, 4.4 BB/9, and 0.6 HR/9 in 85 1/3 Triple-A innings this year.
- The Phillies have outrighted Juan Perez to Triple-A. The 33-year-old lefty pitched to a 5.70 ERA in 36 1/3 Triple-A innings this season, and was generally ineffective in five appearances with the big league team. He was designated for assignment last weekend as part of a flurry of roster moves.
Astros Notes: Free Agents, Barmes, Sale
Stephen Goff of Examiner spoke to several people within the Astros organization recently, so let's round up the news. All links go to Goff's Twitter feed…
- GM Ed Wade does not expect the team to be very active in this winter's free agent market. "It would run contrary to what we did at the trade deadline," he said. "Our goal is to trend to a younger club to where we can sustain success for an extended period."
- Wade likes the job Clint Barmes has done this year and would like to re-sign him, but the team's "economic environment" might not allow them to do so. Ben Nicholson-Smith revisited the trade that brough Barmes to Houston earlier this month.
- Owner Drayton McLane said he expects the final sale of the team to Jim Crane to be approved by MLB within the next three or four weeks.