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Quick Hits: Pujols, Nunez, Mets, Moneyball

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With some Major League teams restricting players from consuming energy drinks, you'll have to rely on these late-night news items to perk you up…

  • The Cardinals' re-signing of Lance Berkman is a good move for several reasons, argues Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  Berkman's presence will help convince Albert Pujols that the Cards can remain competitive or, if Pujols did leave, Berkman could replace Pujols as the club's first baseman.
  • Speaking of Pujols, Tony La Russa praised his star for not being distracted by his pending free agency, reports MLB.com's Steve Overbey.  La Russa also commented on Pujols' future, saying "I just know both parties want to stay here, so I'm hopeful it will work out."  No doubt Pujols' decision will factor heavily in La Russa's own decision about exercising his side of the mutual option on his contract for 2012.
  • Leo Nunez (a.k.a. Juan Carlos Oviedo) could face jail time in the Dominican Republic for using a false identity, reports Ezra Fieser and Frances Robles of the Miami Herald.
  • The Mets recently signed 16-year-old, Venezuelan right-hander Luis Carreno, tweets Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.
  • Scouts from around baseball are telling Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that they won't be going to see Moneyball given how the A's scouts are portrayed in the movie.  Slusser herself objected to how former A's manager Art Howe was turned into "a villain" in the picture.  "It’s essentially character assasination of a man who is well-liked all over the sport," Slusser writes.
  • For more on Moneyball, check out my review of the film.

NL West Notes: Dodgers, Haren, Posey, Rockies

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Notes from the NL West as the D'Backs could clinch an improbable division title tonight….

  • Major League Baseball has asked a federal bankruptcy judge to order that the Dodgers be sold, reports Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times.  The filing even threatened that the Dodgers could be suspended from the league in order to keep Frank McCourt from being able to keep the team via a new television contract.
  • The Giants will use Buster Posey as a catcher next season, though manager Bruce Bochy said a position change might come "down the road," reports Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.
  • Kevin Millwood will be looking for a Major League contract this winter, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post.  Millwood and the Rockies have a mutual interest in each other, but as noted earlier this month, the Rockies would prefer to bring the veteran starter back on a minor league deal.
  • From that same item, Renck says J.C. Romero's first choice would be to re-sign with the Rockies, and Colorado players are expecting some changes to the coaching staff.
  • You can't blame the Diamondbacks for the Dan Haren trade in 2010, argues Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, since nobody saw the club turning things around as quickly as they did this season.
  • Bobby Borchering, the Diamondbacks' first-round pick in the 2009 draft, is being transitioned to left field, tweets Piecoro.  Borchering has played first and third base in his first three pro seasons.

Front Office/Managerial Notes: Melvin, Padres, ChiSox

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A few items about some shuffling in a few Major League front offices and some potential moves in the dugout for next season…

  • Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio said the club's postseason push is holding off discussions of a contract extension with GM Doug Melvin, writes Adam McCalvy and Jordan Schelling for MLB.com.  "Doug, with everything going on with the team, doesn't want any distractions," Attanasio said. "After the season, I'm sure, it's something we could talk about. Obviously, we are very happy with Doug. We have one of the three best records in baseball."  Melvin's current deal with Milwaukee is up after the 2012 season.
  • The Padres have extended the contracts of A.J. Hinch, Jason McLeod and Fred Uhlman Jr. through 2013, according to a team press release.  McLeod and Uhlman Jr. are assistants to the general manager and team vice-presidents, while Hinch is being promoted to that same position after serving as San Diego's VP of professional scouting.
  • Kenny Williams said he didn't feel a change in leadership was necessarily needed in Chicago, reports MLB.com's Scott Merkin.  The White Sox GM was non-committal about his team's offseason plans and the future of manager Ozzie Guillen, though Williams also noted the team hadn't held any formal organization meetings yet.
  • The Marlins will interview third base and outfield coach Joe Espada and Nationals third base coach Bo Porter on Monday about the manager's job for next season, reports MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.  Both men were candidates for the job last season before the club decided to bring Edwin Rodriguez back for 2011.
  • The Mets have informed front office members Wayne Krivsky and Bryan Lambe that they won't be back in 2012, reports Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.  The moves were expected, as both men were hired by ex-Mets GM Omar Minaya.

Marlins Will Consider Big-Name Free Agents

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The Marlins are prepared to look into signing even the most expensive free agents this offseason, sources close to the team tell Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post.  This includes the likes of Albert Pujols, C.C. Sabathia or Prince Fielder, though Capozzi notes that it could be a stretch seeing any of those players in South Beach next year.

Still, with the team's new ballpark opening in Miami in April, team president David Samson says owner Jeffrey Loria is prepared to spend to put a competitve team on the field in 2012.

"Basically, what Jeffrey has instructed all of us is that no stone will be left unturned in order to make this year a memory and make next year unforgettable,' Samson said.  "He said, 'I want people to forget about '11, forget about Sun Life Stadium, forget about the Florida Marlins, and I want the Miami Marlins to have their franchise start by making history.' "

We've already heard about Florida's interest in Aramis Ramirez and C.J. Wilson and Capozzi adds that the Marlins are also keeping an eye on Joey Votto should the Reds decide to make their star first baseman available.  Though any team would be interested in the likes of Votto, Pujols and Fielder, this focus on first basemen could indicate the Marlins are dissatisfied with Gaby Sanchez and could look to make a move at first even if they don't acquire a superstar.

One source tells Capozzi that the Marlins' payroll could be close to $100MM next season.  Cot's Baseball Contracts records Florida's 2011 payroll at a bit under $58MM and MLBTR's Tim Dierkes recently looked at what the Fish could spend on their arbitration-eligible players.

Ohio Notes: Thome, Jimenez, Willis, Reds

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As the Indians celebrate Jim Thome Night at Progressive Field, it's only fitting that the veteran slugger provide the party's highlight.  Thome hit his 15th homer of the year (and 604th of his career) this evening, which led to an obligatory curtain call for the Cleveland fans.

Here's the latest about the Indians and Reds, including one item about Thome himself…

  • Thome says he's physically capable of playing another season, reports The Associated Press.  Thome says he'll discuss things with his family this winter and he currently isn't leaning one way or the other towards retirement.
  • Ubaldo Jimenez has regressed from his 2010 form, but MLB.com's Jordan Bastian argues that it is far too early for Tribe fans to give up on the right-hander.
  • Dontrelle Willis "would love" to pitch for the Reds in 2012 and praised the organization for giving him a chance to resurrect his career, reports MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.  Willis is an intriguing veteran depth option for any team, and since his asking price won't be too exorbitant, it wouldn't be a shock to see him re-sign in Cincinnati.
  • The Reds' coaches will all return in 2012, Walt Jocketty tells John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link).

NL East Notes: Wang, Rollins, Nunez, Capuano

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The Nationals have won nine of their last eleven games, including a four-game sweep of the Phillies.  They'll try to keep their hot streak alive tonight against the struggling Braves, who hold just a two-game lead over the Cardinals in the NL wild card race.  Some news from the NL East….

  • The Nationals are in the "preliminary stages" of negotiations with Chien-Ming Wang about an extension, Wang's agent Alan Nero tells MLB.com's Bill Ladson (Twitter link).
  • C.C. Sabathia thinks Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins may sign with the Giants in the offseason, reports Jon Heyman from Sports Illustrated (Twitter link).  Sabathia and Rollins are long-time friends and, as Heyman notes, Rollins was the first to predict that Sabathia would sign with the Yankees in the 2008-09 offseason.
  • The Marlins may have been unable to deal Leo Nunez at the trade deadline due to the ongoing saga of Nunez's true identity, reports Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.  Within that same link, Dan LeBatard is reporting that Major League Baseball (who must've been aware of Nunez's issues, as the Marlins were) nixed a deal involving Nunez last July.
  • Chris Capuano is interested in returning to the Mets next year but said he prefers to be a starting pitcher whenever he goes, reports Andy Martino of the New York Daily News.
  • Jose Reyes likes playing for the Mets but isn't sure how his free agency will play out this winter, reports Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.  "This is the only team that I played [for] so far in my whole career," Reyes said. "I feel comfortable here. I feel good with the ownership. I feel like we are family and stuff like that. At the same time, this is a business. And to be honest with you, I don't know what's going to happen. 
  • Davey Johnson wants the Nationals to add some outfield depth this winter, writes MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
  • Tyler Kepner of the New York Times explores the possibility that southpaw Mike Zagurski (dealt from the Phillies to the Diamondbacks earlier today) could end up returning to Philadelphia as the player to be named later in the deal, a rare "traded for himself" move.

Rockies Plan To Exercise Jason Giambi’s 2012 Option

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The Rockies intend to exercise their half of Jason Giambi's $1MM mutual option for 2012, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post.  Colorado GM Dan O'Dowd noted the plan earlier this week, with Giambi once again slated to serve as a pinch-hitting option and backup first baseman to Todd Helton.

It seems likely that Giambi will exercise his side of the option, given that he enjoys playing in Colorado so much that he was already talking about re-signing with the Rockies in 2012 if he was traded earlier this season.  Giambi has been an unusual fit with the club, given that he and Helton are both left-handed, but Giambi has performed well as a Rockie — he has a .254/.375/.492 line in 405 plate appearances since joining Colorado in August 2009.

Can MLB Keep Manny From Playing Winter Ball?

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Manny Ramirez’s announcement that he is coming out of retirement may have grabbed more headlines, but his earlier decision to play winter ball in the Dominican Republic may ultimately generate more debate. Ramirez’s plan to play with the Cibao Eagles for the first time since 1994 has caused very different reactions in New York and the Caribbean, highlighting a legal gray area between the two leagues. And the ultimate outcome may depend simply on how much Ramirez is willing to force the issue.

Ramirez’s winter plans seemed to have been definitively stalled earlier this week when Rob Manfred, MLB's executive VP of labor relations, told ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick that the player needed approval from the commissioner in order to play with the Eagles. However, the president of the Dominican Baseball League, Leonardo Matos Berrido, quickly took umbrage to the categorical nature of the league’s stance in a pair of Spanish-language interviews:

“As of right now, our organization has not received any documents from the [Major Leagues]. Everything that has been heard is speculation,” Matos Berrido told Juan Mercado at the Domincan daily Hoy (link in Spanish), adding, “everything that is not prohibited is permitted.” He expounded on his answer in a piece co-authored by Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes and Freddy Tapia of the Dominican Listín Diario (link in Spanish), saying: “I don’t know where it says that the office of the commissioner can influence or decide things for the Dominican League. I don’t know where. We haven’t received any information about Manny Ramirez, but I understand that he hasn’t been sanctioned by the Major Leagues. He retired, and I understand that the agreement between the Winter Leagues and the Major Leagues doesn’t have any regulation in respect to that.”

His quotes point the crux of the debate, which is the unclear nature of the affiliation between the Major Leagues and the Winter Leagues. In a lengthy guest piece for ESPN Deportes yesterday, lawyer Arturo Marcano analyzed the link within the context of the Winter League Agreement between the two leagues, and concluded, “Technically, Ramirez can put on whatever uniform he wants, and without restrictions.” The case would be different should Ramirez want to join a major or minor league team, but the rules in the Winter League agreements that Marcano cites are unequivocal: “The Winter Leagues are not, and should not be considered, minor leagues.”

By this logic, because Ramirez retired prior to being suspended, he would not need league approval to play this winter. Retired players often fill spots on foreign rosters for years after their retirement from Major League teams, while the two leagues have a more specific prohibition in place in regard to anti-doping.

“That is why the allegation of such an affiliation does not have much basis, since the Winter Leagues are independent, and they have a working agreement with MLB, just as there are agreements between MLB and Japanese and Korean leagues,” Marcano wrote. “In fact, the same rules prohibit owners in the Winter Leagues from buying minor league teams, which further confirms that they are distinct things.”

But there’s a catch, which Marcano ceded to have merit: "Article 11 of the Winter League agreement indicates that the commissioner has the last word in regard to executing the Winter Agreement and can take whatever disciplinary actions it deems necessary to maintain the honesty and integrity of the game of baseball, its players, umpires, and officials."

These sweeping powers seemingly put the ball in Ramirez’s court: Will he force the league to exclude him, or does his decision to come out of retirement mean he has given up on playing in the Dominican and set his sights elsewhere? If the former is true, Marcado notes, “Now all that remains is to wait on word from the commissioner, keeping in mind that it has nothing to do with the Winter Leagues being affiliated with MLB, nor with the affects of the anti-doping program, but rather with the powers established in the Winter League Agreement.”

Free Agent Stock Watch: Roy Oswalt

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Late Thursday night, Phillies starter Roy Oswalt quietly joined the ranks of (likely) free agents. The right-hander is no longer considering retirement after this season, but the Phillies probably won't exercise their end of his $16MM mutual option for 2012, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, although they might be interested in bringing back Oswalt on a more affordable deal. To decline the option, the Phillies will have to pay Oswalt a $2MM buyout.

Oswalt, who turned 34 in August, joined the Phillies last season after ten years in Houston, where he was the staff ace. With the Phils, he's the fourth starter in an historically deep rotation, behind Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels. No shame in being the fourth-chair violin in that orchestra.

Though he's 34 and has struggled with a back injury in 2011, Oswalt has been mostly sturdy throughout his career, making fewer than 30 starts only twice (2003 and '11) in ten full seasons. Along with that dependability, Oswalt has posted strong numbers: 3.22 ERA (3.35 FIP), 7.35 K/9, 2.09 BB/9 and a 47% groundball rate. Those figures earned him a five-year, $73MM extension with the Astros in 2006.

Since Oswalt makes $16MM this season, and the Phils won't be exercising their end of his $16MM mutual option, they obviously won't offer him arbitration. That will make him more attractive to suitors on the free-agent market, as any team that signs him won't have to forfeit compensatory draft picks (as MLBTR's latest Elias Rankings show, Oswalt projects as a Type A free agent).

As of now, it's tough to say what kind of contract Oswalt will be seeking this offseason, because we don't know how long he'll want to pitch. He has flirted with retirement before, so he might prefer to work on a year-to-year basis, not unlike the Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda. In that case, there would be a lot of suitors for Oswalt's services, and he could probably sign with a contender for a salary in the neighborhood of Kuroda's $12MM. If Oswalt is happy with the Phils and wants to return to the stacked rotation for a year, he'd likely have to take a salary below market value — maybe $8MM or so — as the Phils are already on the hook for that $2MM buyout, not to mention their other financial commitments and likely pursuits of re-signing Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Madson, and extending Hamels.

If Oswalt wants a multiyear deal, there are two recent cases that make for interesting comparisons. Earlier this month, the Cardinals extended Chris Carpenter for two years and $21MM. I think Oswalt would have plenty of bidders at that price. Here's another: Two years ago, the Braves extended Tim Hudson, then only 16 months removed from Tommy John surgery, for three years and $28MM. Oswalt's eventual deal might compare favorably to either of those, since he will be negotiating with many teams rather than one, but they should provide a rough basis.

Reds Extend Walt Jocketty Through 2014

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The Reds announced that they have agreed to a three-year contract extension with GM Walt Jocketty that will keep him in place through 2014 (Twitter link). Reds owner Bob Castellini promised last week that he would bring the longtime GM back.

The Reds currently have a 76-80 record (though they have scored more runs than they've allowed) and sit in third place in the NL Central. They won the division with a 91-71 record last year and made their first trip to the postseason since 1995. They lost in the Division Series, but only after re-establishing their relevance in the division and boosting attendance by over 3,000 per game.

MLBTR's Transaction Tracker provides complete documentation of Jocketty's moves with Cincinnati. This is Jocketty's third full season with the Reds (this was the last year on his previous contract), but he has been a big league GM since 1994. Click here to see what they were saying when the Cardinals first hired him 17 years ago.

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

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