Here's the latest from both of MLB's Central divisions…
- MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm doesn't put much stock in the latest Gavin Floyd trade rumors between the White Sox and the Blue Jays because of the Jays organization's "cone of silence" under Alex Anthopoulos. "There’s a general rule of thumb Toronto’s GM likes to use in these type of situations," Chisholm writes. "If a report gets out that a deal is done then it very likely is done. If a report comes out that two teams are discussing something, or that a team and agent have begun serious negotiations, more often than not it’s false."
- Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer declined to comment on whether the team was any closer to a multiyear extension with Matt Garza, reports Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com. We heard last month that the two sides planned to talk contract during Spring Training.
- Dusty Baker was non-committal about his future with the Reds as he enters the last year of his contract, Baker told the media (including MLB.com's Barry M. Bloom). "This year, it's my decision, as well as a [Reds] ownership decision. It depends whether I'm asked back. It depends on my feelings," Baker said. "You get to that certain point in your life. We'll see at the end of the year or before it, depending on how things go."
- Indians right-hander Roberto Hernandez (a.k.a. Fausto Carmona) has agreed to complete a work program in the Dominican Republic in exchange for having the false identity charges against him dropped, reports The Associated Press. Hernandez is currently on Cleveland's restricted list while the matter is being investigated. It is still unknown when Hernandez will be allowed to obtain a new visa and resume his baseball career.
- The Indians are interested in Jorge Soler, but Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer thinks the Tribe will be outbid for the Cuban outfield prospect. At least nine teams are known to have some level of interest in Soler, with the Cubs considered by "most in the industry" to be the favorites.
- The Pirates' process of rebuilding their minor league system in order to restock their team's talent base is slowly beginning to pay dividends, writes MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince.
- Pirates right-hander Gerrit Cole's first pro Spring Training experience and his road to being the first overall pick in last summer's amateur draft are profiled by J. Brady McCollough of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Please tell me Baker’s considering retirement…I really feel like he’s been a big part of why the Reds fell last year, some of his late inning decisions are bone-headed and I have to say I think he’s getting too old for this.
If the Reds want to save money AND have a guy who can manage like Baker, I can do it. Pay me $1 million dollars (a pay cut from what Baker is making) and I can do the following just, like Baker does:
1) Make excuses for why a veteran player should be brought in and overpaid.
2) Have WAAAAYYYYY too many players in Spring Training.
3) Make excuses for why a veteran player made the team (instead of a younger, better, less expensive player).
4) Have a fast Center Fielder bat lead-off, no matter if they can actually hit or not or draw a Walk (Corey Patterson, Wily Taveras) and no matter if they Strike Out at a record pace (Drew Stubbs).
5) Bat a Short Stop second for no apparent good reason other than they are a Short Stop (Alex Gonzalez, Orlando Cabrera, Edgar Renteria, Paul Janish, Zach Cozart).
6) Make sure two Left Handed hitters don’t bat back to back in the order (no matter if they are above average hitters or if they have better stats against Left Handed Pitchers than the Right Handed batter that takes one of their places)
7) Bat the Catcher eighth.
8) Let hitters face pitchers they have bad stats against just because I “feel” they can get a hit.
9) Make double switches late in Games just to make it look like I am doing something as a Manager.