"One of a GM's biggest tasks is to have the understanding and power to manage up (his ownership) as well as manage down (his manager)," said a GM to MLB.com's Peter Gammons (Twitter link). Here is the latest from around the league…
- Jason Isringhausen told reporters (including MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez) that he won't accept an assignment to Triple-A if he loses his roster spot when Jordan Walden returns from the DL (Twitter link). The 39-year-old has pitched to a 4.02 ERA in 40 1/3 innings for the Angels this year.
- A former Mets executive told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter) he believes the club will nontender Andres Torres in December. The 34-year-old, who is earning $2.7MM this year, is hitting .234/.343/.337 with two homers in 309 plate appearances.
- There are "strong indications" that the Rockies will make a push to re-sign Jeff Francis after the season, reports Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post. The 31-year-old southpaw has pitched to a 6.07 ERA in 15 starts since returning to Colorado earlier this year.
- "Nothing happens quick in the off-season," said Brewers GM Doug Melvin to Todd Rosiak of The Journal Sentinel. "You wait until the GM meetings, the winter meetings. The only free agents that sign early are the ones who get overpaid … We'll determine what level of involvement we'll have with free agents. I don't know that we'll be that heavily involved. I know the list that's out there."
- Hal McCoy of The Dayton Daily News argues that the Reds should pick up the team's $5MM club option for outfielder Ryan Ludwick next season. The 34-year-old has hit .271/.339/.568 with 23 homers for Cincinnati this season.
“The only free agents that sign early are the ones who get overpaid”
That might be true in some cases, as in maybe Papelbon ,but no Boras client signs early and they are ALL overpaid.
A logical error from your part. What he says is that every free agent signing early is overpayed, but that doesn’t mean that every overpayed free agent signs early.
LOL. I was just throwing a Boras jab out there also. Cheers :-)
ok ;)
I was going to make a joke about the Rockies wanting to re-sign a guy with a 6.07 ERA, but it turns out he has a 4.36 xFIP, so I guess he’s not SO bad, and maybe they can get a team-favorable deal thanks to his bad luck.
good luck outpitching your peripherals in Coors Field with an 86 mph heater…
The question isn’t whether the Reds will pick up the mutual option at this point, it is whether or not Ludwick will accept it. He has carried this team for 2-3 months, especially since Votto has been out.
Also, Hal says the $5M option is a club option, but I’m pretty sure I remember it was a mutual option, and a quick google search seems to confirm that it is a mutual option. What is Hal thinking?
He has stepped up big time when they needed him the most. From all accounts he loves playing for Dusty, loves the atmosphere in the clubhouse, and playing for the Reds was a childhood dream-he grew up a Reds’ fan.
I don’t think it’s going to be that difficult to get him signed.
COT’s has it listed as a mutual option, so i’d think there’s little hope that Luddy would accept it from his side. It well could be his last contract and who can blame him for trying to maximize his deal.
Jeff Francis? Seriously?
Sorry, Colorado pitchers believe that using PEDs aren’t the way to win.
But seriously, Francis is the guy that the Rockies thought Moyer was going to be at the beginning of this season. The veteran arm that is going to help their 200 young starting pitcher prospects along. The advantage with Francis is that he at least knows how to pitch at Coors field. It’s not like having to rely on the dense air and pitching friendly ballpark in San Francisco.
Yeah I don’t know if the Rockies could get someone as amazing as Francis. They better make a really strong push, maybe wine him and dine him. Otherwise I see him signing on with Philly and making Doc become their 4 starter.
LOL Agreed. Maybe they had best sit down and ponder over Francis and Aaron Cook to decide whether or not they need a RH/LH rubbish thrower the most in their rotation?
I have a feeling this is how the dinner would go.
Rockies: “Jeff, we’d like to offer you a contrac…”
Francis: “YES… er I mean, go on…”
Ludwick may not go for the 5 mil option but they could likely get him on a 2 yr / 18 mil deal. He fits well for that park too.
$9 million a year on Ryan Ludwick seems like a contract that a team could regret very quickly.
wow, it’s really that bad in Colorado
That’s what I was thinking..
Yeah because a 6 ERA is worthy of re-signing..
For the sad-sack Rockies rotation, it sadly is.
What happens if they non tender a player? Do they not give him arbitration or a new contract?
Correct. The player becomes a free agent and can sign anywhere.
Hey Jason Isringhausen, start pitching like you want that spot then you wouldn’t have to even worry about it.
He shouldn’t have even made the team. Then we wouldn’t have this problem.
Isringhausen might well end up claimed if he is DFA’ed. I forgot that he was still pitching.
Take him he is terrible in the clutch and kinda decent when it doesnt matter.