Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for 2011

Cafardo On Epstein, Red Sox, Sabathia, Rays

By | at

If Theo Epstein winds up taking the Cubs' GM job, then the spotlight again will be directed at Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  Even if the club tabbed longtime exec Ben Cherington as general manager, it would take time before Cherington would have complete control over the operations.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • There's growing sentiment that C.C. Sabathia will opt out of his contract with the Yankees.  The Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers, Tigers, and Giants are among the usual suspects if the lefty hits the open market.  Boston, however, might have doubts about Sabathia.  Cafardo wonders if the front office would take on another sizeable pitching contract and add another overweight pitcher.
  • The Rays will be able to make their rotation even scarier by adding 22-year-old Matt Moore to it.  Tampa Bay also has righty Alex Cobb and lefty Alex Torres ready for the majors.  The Rays could parlay their pitching depth into offense by trading Cobb, Torres, Jeff Niemann or Wade Davis if need be.
  • The feeling is that Padres skipper Bud Black has a real chance of becoming the Angels next GM.  Black, who is good friends with Mike Scioscia, doesn’t have front office experience but has a pitching expertise that would make him valuable in that position.
  • Former Mets GM Omar Minaya thinks that Willie Randolph, Chip Hale, Tim Wallach, and Ryne Sandberg would all be good fits to manage in Boston.  Minaya is currently an analyst for the MLB Network and is mulling over a few offers to return to baseball as an adviser to a GM.  He expects to make a decision as the winter unfolds.
  • Red Sox third base coach Tim Bogar could be retained when a new manager is named.  There has also been speculation that Bogar is a candidate for bench coach under new White Sox manager Robin Ventura.  Cafardo gives the White Sox credit for being decisive and hiring Robin Ventura rather than wait for a big name like Tony La Russa.
  • Former Red Sox coach John McLaren is managing the Chinese national team and might be a candidate to become bench coach with the Mets.

Braun: Team More Likely To Sign Reyes Than Fielder

By | at

Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun believes that the club is more likely to land Jose Reyes in free agency than re-sign Prince Fielder, writes Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Braun assumes that Fielder will likely command upwards of $150MM this winter whereas Reyes can be had for around $120MM.  The four-time All-Star was quick to admit that he's a huge fan of Reyes.

"[Reyes] is dynamic, man — he is one of the most exciting players in the game," the 27-year-old said. "He plays with a lot of energy and a lot of emotion and I enjoy watching him play. He's one of my favorite players to watch. Whenever their games are on, I love watching him, man. He always plays the game the right way. He always plays hard. He runs everything out."

The Brewers can easily make room at shortstop this winter as they hold a $6MM club option on Yuniesky Betancourt's deal with a $2MM buyout. 

Orioles & Andy MacPhail Links: Saturday

By | at

Yesterday we learned that Andy MacPhail will step down as Orioles president of baseball operations when his contract expires on October 31st. The decision isn't a total surprise, but it will obviously have a big impact on the O's going forward. Let's round up some links on the move…

  • Dan Connolly and Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun say that the team's hierarchy has begun to take shape following MacPhail's departure. The situation with Buck Showalter could be similar to when Davey Johnson was hired as manager in 1995, and Johnson helped lure Pat Gillick over to serve as GM.
  • MacPhail told Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com that he doesn't expect to offer any input on his replacement.
  • Dan Jennings of the Marlins and Tony Lacava of the Blue Jays are on the club's short list for GM, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter).
  • The Orioles have not yet asked permission to interview anyone, according to Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), but that should change soon.
  • Both Connolly and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reiterate that Showalter will remain in the dugout and not take over as GM (all Twitter links). The team is putting together a list of GM candidates according to Rosenthal, and Connolly reports that Showalter will be instrumental in the decision.
  • MASNSports.com's Roch Kubatko speculates about some potential candidates to replace MacPhail. Here is MLBTR's list of the top 20 GM candidates.
  • Connolly grades MacPhail's tenure as a C-, mostly on the strength of his trades (acquiring Adam Jones, Luke Scott, J.J. Hardy, etc).
  • Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com says the first job for the new regime will be to correct the team's scouting and player development system, which has come up short in recent years.

Phillies Links: Howard, Contracts, NL East

By | at

The Phillies won 102 games during the regular season, but won only two during the best-of-five NLDS. Because last night's loss to Chris Carpenter and the Cardinals wasn't bad enough, Ryan Howard suffered a serious Achilles injury on the final play of the game. Let's round up the latest from Philadelphia…

  • In a press release, the team announced that Howard has a rupture of his right Achilles tendon. He'll have surgery after the swelling subsides, and a timetable for his return won't be known until after the procedure is performed. There is "no guarantee he will be ready for spring training," says the release.
  • Bob Brookover of The Philadelphia Inquirer dug through the Phillies roster, and says they might have to go over the luxury tax threshold next season in order to patch all their holes.
  • David Murphy of The Philadelphia Daily News put together of list of questions the Phillies must answer this offseason. Howard's injury figures to impact their 2012 plans.
  • MLB.com's Brian McTaggart wrote about the key contract decisions the team has to make. The Phillies have about $113MM in commitments for next season, but Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Madson, Brad Lidge, and Roy Oswalt can all become free agents (Lidge and Oswalt have pricey options).
  • Ben Goessling of MASNSports.com says the Phillies could open a window of opportunity for the other teams in the NL East if they decide to fill some of their roster holes with youth.

This Date In Transactions History: Colby Lewis

By | at

357110601021_Rangers_at_Rays The Rangers and Tigers kicked off their ALCS matchup tonight, but that's not the only thing tying these two teams together. Our Transaction Tracker shows that GMs Dave Dombrowski and Jon Daniels have gotten together for four trades, most notably the Gerald Laird swap. A seven-year-old waiver claim is the more interesting transaction though; on this date in 2004, the Tigers claimed Colby Lewis off waivers from the Rangers.

Lewis, slated to start Game Three for Texas on Tuesday, was little more than a failed prospect back then. He made three starts in 2004 before requiring rotator cuff surgery, and he'd pitched to a 6.83 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 5.6 BB/9 in 176 2/3 innings for the Rangers before Detroit claimed him. The Tigers got nothing, literally zero innings, out of Lewis in 2005 (majors and minors) because of the shoulder, then he spent the majority of 2006 in Triple-A before making two late season appearances in the big leagues.

That is the extent of Lewis' career with the Tigers, just three innings across two appearances. The team granted him free agency after the season, and he soon caught on with the Nationals. The 2007 calendar year saw the right-hander spend time with the Nats, Athletics, and Royals, but he didn't do enough to stick around. Lewis then headed to Japan and pitched very well for the Hiroshima Carp in 2008 and 2009, putting himself back on the map.

Lewis' performance with the Carp earned him a two-year deal worth $5MM with the Rangers prior to last season, the team that originally drafted him in 1999. The Tigers claimed him seven years ago today hoping he'd realize his potential and help a pitching staff that had just allowed the third most runs in the league. It took a trip to Japan before Lewis figured things out, and in a few days he'll start for the team that waived him and against the team that claimed him.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

East Links: Marlins, Votto, Darvish, Cashman

By | at

For the first time since 2005, there isn't a single team from either East division in the LCS round. That just means we're going to be hearing a lot more about them during the hot stove season. Here are some East Coast links…

  • Earlier today we heard that the Reds are expected to listen to offers for Joey Votto, and Joe Capozzi of The Palm Beach Post thinks the Marlins may kick the tires (Twitter link). The Fish are expected to make a splash before moving into their new stadium, and Votto would certainly qualify. Click here for Tim Dierkes' Offseason Outlook.
  • Although the Marlins are expected to be quite active this offseason, Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel (via Twitter) doesn't expect them to be in on Yu Darvish as the club isn't terribly active in Asia.
  • No surprise here, but Yankees GM Brian Cashman says that he still wants to return next season, writes Chad Jennings of The Journal News. Cashman's contract expires at the end of the month, and ESPN's Buster Olney hears (on Twitter) that talks about a new contract are going smoothly. A deal could be done by the end of next week.
  • Jennings looked back at the trade deadline and asked if the Yankees missed an opportunity. He says it's easy to say they did in hindsight, but he agrees when Cashman says "I don't see there was any missed opportunity I could have done differently."

NL Central Notes: Votto, Cardinals, Carpenter

By | at

Let's take a look at a few items out of the National League Central…

  • Rival executives are getting signals that the Reds won't shop Joey Votto, but the club is fully prepared to listen to offers this winter, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
  • We could see some changes to the Cardinals' coaching staff, writes Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  The Athletics have expressed interest in assistant hitting coach Mike Aldrete and he is believed the leading candidate for the position.  Meanwhile, pitching coach Dave Duncan may choose to step away from baseball as his wife is suffering from a brain malignancy.
  • Before the Cardinals inked a two-year extension with Chris Carpenter in September, they internally discussed whether the veteran's stuff had regressed, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com.  Ultimately, they decided that even though his surface-level stats had taken a dip, Carpenter was still capable of throwing well.
  • Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus (via Twitter) expects the Cubs to name their next GM before the start of the World Series.

Poll: Jorge Posada’s Future

By | at

The Yankees season came to an end on Thursday night, and along with it may have come the end of Jorge Posada’s career. Posada’s four-year, $52.4MM contract expires after the season, and so far the only team he’s ever played for has shown little interest in re-signing him.

Although he hit a career worst .235/.315/.398 with 14 homers in 2011, Posada was the team’s best hitter in the postseason, when he picked up six hits and four walks in the five games against the Tigers (.429/.570/571). He was in the lineup all five games because Detroit used four right-handed starters, and the switch-hitter actually handled righties very well this year (.269/.348/.466). It was lefties that gave him trouble (.092/.169/.108).

Despite seeing his playing time dwindle throughout the summer, Posada said in August that he wants to keep playing beyond this year. The Yankees used him almost exclusively at DH this summer, in part because his defensive skills behind the plate have eroded, but also because of long-term concerns about head injuries. Posada did appear in 14 games at first base in 2011 (eleven starts).

As always, the free agent market is flooded with one-dimensional DH types. Posada’s pedigree is on par with anyone’s, but teams have been shying away from overpaying for name value in recent years. His market may not be as robust as he may like, and may even be non-existent.

Quick Hits: MacPhail, White Sox, Nunez, Twins

By | at

Congratulations to the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals, who will meet in the NLCS after each club won a superb Game Five tonight.  This is the first all-NL Central NLCS since the Astros topped the Cards in 2005, and this is the first time Milwaukee and St. Louis have met in the postseason since the 1982 World Series.  The NLCS begins on Sunday at Miller Park, with Zack Greinke getting the Game One start for the Brewers. 

Some more news as we head into the weekend….

  • There is plenty of reaction to Andy MacPhail's decision to step down as the Orioles' president of baseball operations.  Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun credits MacPhail with leaving the team in better shape than when he arrived, though this wasn't reflected in the win-loss column.  MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli provides a recap of MacPhail's most notable moves in Baltimore.  Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com expects the next O's GM to have "a more aggressive approach [in free agency]…for better or worse" as opposed to MacPhail's practice of "letting the market play out."
  • The White Sox seem to be looking to 2012 as a rebuilding year, writes MLB.com's Scott Merkin.  After a year of seeing how young players develop in the Majors and seeing how rookie manager Robin Ventura adapts to the job, Merkin says Chicago could push for contention in 2013 if all goes well.  
  • With this youth movement in mind, Merkin thinks A.J. Pierzynski and Paul Konerko could be approached about waiving their no-trade clauses.  Both players were somewhat open to the idea, though both clearly stated they wanted to end their careers with the White Sox.
  • How did Juan Carlos Oviedo (a.k.a. Leo Nunez) keep his identity hidden for years?  Frances Robles of the Miami Herald examines Oviedo's situation and the risks that some Latin American players take to escape poverty and reach the Major Leagues.  Oviedo "was able to keep the secret for long, because he was living the dream that every Dominican boy imagines growing up.  If he lied and succeeded, then the end justified the means,” said Charles Farrell, head of the Dominican Republic Sports and Education Academy. “No one was going to fault him for that, no one was going to blow his cover."
  • Farrell also tells Robles that by his estimate, there are at least 30 current Dominican players using false identities.
  • Ron Gardenhire says the Twins aren't likely to sign a top free agent pitcher like C.J. Wilson, reports MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger as part of a mailbag piece.  "I think we're all smart enough to figure out that free agents out there, as far as pitchers go, if they're really good they're probably going to require a little bit more money than we're willing to pay them," Gardenhire said. "All the big shooters. And there's going to be a market for the rest of them."
  • Mark DeRosa could be a good fit as a versatile bench bat for the Braves, provided he can stay healthy, writes MLB.com's Mark Bowman.
  • With the Astros' possible move to the AL West in mind, Fangraphs' Reed MacPhail analyzes how each of this season's National League teams would've fared playing in the AL West. 

Yankees Notes: Montero, Cashman, A-Rod, Sabathia

By | at

You knew there would be a lot of Yankee news the day after the Bronx Bombers were eliminated from the postseason.  Ben Nicholson-Smith already gave us one batch of items out of New York today, and now here are a few more tidbits as the Yanks look ahead to next year…

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrows scroll to top