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Dodgers Links: Sale, Offseason, Infielders, Rivera

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On this day in 1988, Los Angeles right-hander Orel Hershiser won the NL Cy Young Award by a unanimous vote after going 23-8 with a 2.31 ERA. Here are a few items of note regarding the Dodgers …

  • Tom Golisano, the former owner of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres, is preparing a bid to purchase the Dodgers, according to Craig Karmin and Matthew Futterman of the Wall Street Journal. Golisano is "one of the first to declare an interest in buying the franchise who actually has the money to pull off the transaction," according to the report.
  • Outgoing owner Frank McCourt hasn't told GM Ned Colletti not to spend on free agents — even ones of Prince Fielder's caliber — this offseason, a source tells Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.
  • The Dodgers are "aggressively pursuing" infielders and are also interested in acquiring a catcher and starting pitchers, Major League sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. Los Angeles is targeting Clint Barmes, Aaron Hill and Mark Ellis to play second base and/or a utility position.
  • Juan Rivera's new contract with the Dodgers could be worth as much as $9MM over the next two seasons, according to Hernandez. The outfielder is guaranteed $4MM in 2012, with a $4MM option or $500K buyout for 2013, and he can earn as much as $500K in each of the next two seasons depending on his number of at-bats.

NL East Notes: Prado, Cuban, Madson

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There’s been lots of chatter about Martin Prado and Ryan Madson this week. Prado could be traded and Madson may or may not sign a lucrative new deal with the Phillies. Here are the latest updates from the NL East…

  • The Rockies aren't the only team to inquire on Prado, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
  • David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wonders if Mark Cuban would have interest in buying the Braves should they hit the market at some point. Just as importantly, would MLB have interest in letting Cuban buy a team? The Dallas Mavericks owner has a reputation for challenging the status quo. 
  • Executives and agents are split on whether $44MM in guaranteed money is too much for Madson, according to Heyman (Twitter links). The Phillies had been nearing a four-year deal for the closer that would have included a vesting option for 2016, but there's not much optimism that Philadelphia CEO David Montgomery will approve the deal, Heyman reports.
  • MLBTR’s Mike Axisa checked in on the Mets earlier today.

Quick Hits: Aoki, Cespedes, Pirates, Doumit

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The Royals acquired Vin Mazzaro from the Athletics for David DeJesus on this date last year. A few days ago, Kansas City acquired Jonathan Sanchez from the Bay Area's other team. Here are today's links…

  • The A's, Nationals, Mets and Indians could be interested in Norichika Aoki, the three-time Central League batting champion who will be posted this offseason, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. SI.com's Jon Heyman suggests those same four teams could be interested in Grady Sizemore (Twitter links).
  • ESPN.com's Keith Law previews the market for starting pitching and explains that if there's an available ace it's Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes previewed the market for starting pitching earlier this week.
  • Ben Badler of Baseball America explains that international scouts have known about Yoenis Cespedes for a while. The recent showcase video and the subsequent reaction gave fans the impression that the center fielder appeared out of nowhere, but that’s not the case.
  • Danny Knobler of CBS Sports hears from someone who expects Cespedes to sign for upwards of $30MM (Twitter link).
  • The Yankees and Pirates had preliminary discussions about trades involving catchers, but the Pirates' deal with Rod Barajas makes a trade between the Pirates and Yankees seem unlikely, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post explains (on Twitter).
  • Speaking of Pirates catchers, free agent Ryan Doumit has obtained multiple offers and expects to sign this month, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (Twitter links). The versatile 30-year-old is looking for a one-year deal.

AL West Notes: Fielder, Pujols, Athletics

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Some rival executives view the Rangers as the team most likely to have a dynasty in the next decade, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. The two-time defending AL pennant winners have an impressive Major League team, talent rising through the minor leagues and a lucrative media deal on the horizon. Here’s the latest on the Rangers plus other updates from the AL West…

  • The Rangers could likely afford Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder, but Olney suggests the record-setting Alex Rodriguez deal may linger in the minds of team officials. Texas signed Rodriguez to a ten-year, $252MM deal in 2000, only to trade him three seasons into the contract.
  • When ESPN.com's Jayson Stark polled MLB executives about likely destinations for Fielder, the Rangers were the most popular choice (though they obtained just 25% of the votes).
  • For more on the Rangers, including why a deal for Pujols or Fielder isn't a great fit, check out my offseason outlook from last week.
  • Commissioner Bud Selig has given Athletics owner Lew Wolff tacit assurances that MLB will eventually allow the A's to move to San Jose, according to Bill Madden of the New York Daily News.

White Sox Notes: Buehrle, Danks, Floyd

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The White Sox went all-in in 2011, only to finish with a disappointing 79-83 record. Here's the latest on the team as preparations for Robin Ventura's first season in the dugout begin…

  • Mark Buehrle has told the White Sox he's not going to give them a hometown discount, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times (on Twitter). Approximately ten teams, including the Marlins, Yankees, Red Sox and Rangers are interested in the left-hander.
  • The White Sox are drawing trade interest in John Danks and Gavin Floyd, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Large-market teams may be drawn to Danks, the more expensive of the two, while small-market teams may prefer Floyd, who will earn $7MM in 2012 and can be retained for $9.5MM with a club option for 2013. 
  • The Rangers are believed to be interested in Danks, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). Texas selected Danks with the ninth overall pick of the 2003 draft and traded him to Chicago for Brandon McCarthy in 2006.
  • Outfielder Carlos Quentin may be the most likely White Sox player to be traded, as Rosenthal points out.
  • The White Sox also announced that they signed left-handers Donnie Veal and Jose Quintana.

Minor Moves: White Sox, Indians, Valdes

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The latest minor moves…

  • The White Sox announced that they signed left-handers Donnie Veal and Jose Quintana. Veal, 27, posted a 4.22 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 in the Pirates' system this past season. Quintana, 22, posted a 2.91 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 for the Yankees' Class A team in 2011.
  • The Indians announced that they signed catcher Michel Hernandez to a minor league contract and invited him to Spring Training. The 33-year-old hit .273/.384/.381 in the upper minors of the Indians' and Orioles' systems in 2011.
  • The Phillies have signed left-handed reliever Raul Valdes to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Valdes pitched 12 total innings for the Yankees and Cardinals in 2011 after spending the 2010 season with the Mets. In 63 2/3 innings at Double-A and Triple-A this past season, Valdes posted a 4.38 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9.
  • The Twins re-signed Brian Dinkelman to a minor league deal, according to Morosi (on Twitter).
  • The Brewers re-signed Erick Almonte, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The 33-year-old utility player appeared in 16 games for the Brewers in 2011, playing first base and right field. Almonte spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he hit .303/.380/.447.
  • The Mariners signed right-hander Jeff Marquez to a minor league deal, according to his agency, Sosnick Cobbe Sports (via Twitter). Marquez, a first-round pick in 2004, was granted free agency by the Yankees last week.

Stark On Pujols, Fielder, Manny, Royals

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MLB executives expect Albert Pujols to re-sign in St. Louis, but predicting Prince Fielder’s next team is considerably more challenging. ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark surveyed a dozen MLB executives about likely landing spots for the two free agent first basemen and the details are worth examining. Here they are, along with more notes from Stark:

  • The average prediction for Pujols’ next contract was more than $28MM per season for 8.5 years. All but one respondent expect Pujols to re-sign with the Cardinals, though there’s buzz that the Cubs, Marlins and Rangers are “gearing up” for him.
  • Executives expect Fielder to sign a seven-year deal in the $22-23MM range. Some doubt NL teams would commit more than five years to Fielder because of concerns that he’ll be incapable of playing passable defense once he hits his mid-thirties.
  • Manny Ramirez tried out for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, but it didn’t go well, possibly because Japanese teams prefer to avoid players with baggage.
  • The players and owners are considering significant changes to the schedule in talks for a new collective bargaining agreement. The sides are considering a proposal that would split MLB teams into six divisions of five teams, ensure identical schedules for teams within the same division and boost inter-league play considerably.
  • Stark hears that the Nationals are focused on finding veteran starting pitching and a center fielder. One executive believes the team prefers Mark Buehrle to C.J. Wilson or Roy Oswalt.
  • The Phillies have interest in Jason Kubel and have checked in on Grady Sizemore. 
  • More than six teams have expressed interest in Jimmy Rollins.
  • The Braves seem interested in shedding salary and they continue to float Jair Jurrjens’ name. It appears that they’d move Martin Prado after his disappointing 2011 season.
  • Rival teams say the Royals are no longer looking to trade for a top-of-the-rotation starter, according to Stark. They acquired Jonathan Sanchez earlier in the week and now prefer to hold their prospects and spend on back-of-the-rotation arms.
  • The Red Sox are less likely to spend on a right fielder if they re-sign free agent DH David Ortiz.

Offseason Outlook Series

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Over the course of the past month, Tim Dierkes and I have examined the challenges facing each of baseball's 30 teams. The resulting series provides a comprehensive look ahead to the offseason from the perspective of all 30 clubs. Many thanks to Jessica Velez for her contributions as the editor of the series. Here's a link to each piece with a one-sentence summary for every team:

American League East

  • Yankees – The Yankees' offseason is all about their search for starting pitching, though they'll look to add bench help and a second left-handed reliever as well.
  • Rays - The Rays will work within their budget in an attempt to boost their offense, but they don’t intend to sacrifice run prevention along the way.
  • Red Sox – Ben Cherington will try leading the Red Sox to their first playoff appearance since 2009 by improving the pitching staff and tinkering with the offense.
  • Blue Jays - The Blue Jays will look for a second baseman, relief pitching and rotation help this offseason. They might consider some of the top free agents available.
  • Orioles - Once the Orioles sort out the uncertainty in their front office, they'll have to improve a disappointing rotation and add balance to their promising lineup.

American League Central

  • Tigers - The Tigers have openings at second base, the back of the rotation and in the bullpen, but the AL Central champions' core will return in 2012.
  • Indians - The Indians face major decisions in center field and in the rotation this offseason. GM Chris Antonetti begins the winter with the expectation that payroll will rise.
  • White Sox - Expect the White Sox to consider trading established players as they retool for manager Robin Ventura's rookie season in 2012.
  • Royals – The Royals' offseason revolves around their search for top-of-the-rotation pitching.
  • Twins - The Twins must add pitching and stabilize their offense this winter if they are to rebound from an awful 2011.

American League West

  • Rangers - The two-time defending American League champions will focus on acquiring pitching this offseason.
  • Angels – The Angels, soon to be under new leadership, will look to add a minimum of one starting pitcher, improve their offense and tinker with their bullpen.
  • Athletics - As the Athletics await resolution on their stadium situation, they’ll look to restore outfield depth and improve their weak offense.
  • Mariners – Jack Zduriencik is back and he’ll have to improve Seattle’s tepid offense for the Mariners to be relevant all season long in 2012.  

National League East

  • Phillies - The Phillies are poised to spend big on a closer and also must consider acquisitions at left field, shortstop, and third base.
  • Braves - The Braves are unlikely to do much free agent shopping, but improvements at left field and shortstop are possible. 
  • Nationals - The Nationals aim to add an outfield bat and a starting pitcher this offseason, which might be enough to vault them into contention in 2012.
  • Mets - The Mets' attempt to re-sign Jose Reyes will dominate their offseason and determine how much they can spend on other areas of need, like the bullpen.
  • Marlins - Prepare for the most exciting Marlins offseason in recent memory.  With new manager Ozzie Guillen's arrival and the opening of the team's new ballpark, ownership wants to make 2012 unforgettable.

National League Central

  • Brewers - The Brewers could compensate for the probable loss of Prince Fielder by acquiring corner infielders, a shortstop, and a few late-inning relievers, but payroll flexibility may be limited.
  • Cardinals - Their offseason revolves around re-signing Albert Pujols, who is on the brink of free agency for the first time in his career.
  • Reds - Look for the Reds to be active on the trade market, as GM Walt Jocketty decides whether to use his trade chips and limited payroll flexibility on a front-of-the-rotation starter or a middle-of-the-order bat.
  • Pirates - The Pirates have money to spend this offseason, but their team has more holes than free agency can possibly fill.
  • Cubs - The Cubs are at a crossroads this offseason, as they seek a new GM and face the temptation of adding more big free agent contracts.
  • Astros - Expect a quiet offseason for the Astros, who conducted their fire sale in July.  Intrigue may come from possible ownership, GM, and league changes.

National League West 

  • Diamondbacks - Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers seems to be planning a quiet offseason, though the team must address second base and determine the future of Joe Saunders.
  • Giants - The Giants want to determine the long-term futures of their top starting pitchers, and support them in 2012 with improved offense at shortstop or in the outfield.
  • Dodgers - The Dodgers' ownership battle may be coming to a close, but Ned Colletti must endure uncertainty for one more offseason as he tries to improve the team's offense and sign a veteran starter.
  • Rockies - The Rockies intend to add an innings-eater and a right-handed hitter this offseason, likely focusing on the trade market rather than free agency due to budgetary constraints.
  • Padres - Prepare for another offseason of short-term free agent deals from the Padres in their attempt to stop the bleeding on a perennially lousy offense.  The Friars also have more bullpen patchwork ahead than usual.

Outrighted: Jason Pridie

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The latest players to be removed from their teams' rosters…

  • The Mets removed outfielder Jason Pridie from their 40-man roster, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (on Twitter). Pridie, 28, is expected to clear waivers. He hit .231/.309/.370 in 236 plate appearances while playing all three outfield positions in 2011. The Mets now have 33 players on their 40-man roster.

Rockies Notes: Fowler, Prado, Hudson, Barmes

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The Rockies have asked the Braves about Martin Prado, who could play second base for Colorado in 2012. Here’s a follow-up on the trade talks and an update on some alternatives at second base…

  • Rockies outfielder Dexter Fowler is off-limits in trade talks, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter links).
  • The Braves and Rockies are expected to keep lines open about a possible deal involving Prado, according to Renck. Fowler won't be going to Atlanta, but the Braves do like Seth Smith.
  • The Rockies have had internal conversations about trading for Padres second baseman Orlando Hudson or signing former Rockie Clint Barmes, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. The Rockies sent Barmes to the Astros a year ago this month and he responded with a .244/.312/.386 line and solid defense in Houston.

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