AL Central Links: Leyland, Willingham, Choo
The White Sox may be in first place in the AL Central but they're apparently going to be making some front office changes this winter. Here are some more items from around the division….
- Jim Leyland remains the right person to manage the Tigers, even though the team trails the White Sox in the AL Central, Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press writes. Leyland has questionable job security with two weeks remaining in the regular season.
- The Twins have a number of offseason needs but manager Ron Gardenhire told reporters (including MLB.com's Zack Meisel) that starting pitching is his team's top priority.
- Josh Willingham recently said he'd be open to an extension with the Twins, a prospect that Seth Stohs of the Minneapolis Star Tribune thinks the club should wait to explore until after the 2013 season. Willingham is finishing the first season of a three-year, $21MM contract and I'd agree that Minnesota should be in no rush to extend an outfielder who will be 35 years old when his current deal expires.
- Shin-Soo Choo's trade value and his worth on the free agent market after 2013 will be limited by his inability to hit left-handed pitching, writes Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Choo, a left-handed hitter, has just a .556 OPS against southpaws this season and a .246/.334/.353 line against lefties for his career.
- MLB.com's Jordan Bastian looks at the Indians' pitching struggles this season how the Tribe will try to fix the problem this winter. Pitching upgrades are likelier to come through trades than by spending on free agents, as Bastian asks, "What team should spend big after a 90-plus loss season? The time has come again to shift the focus back to building a better foundation. The current core is not breeding confidence, especially on the mound."
MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post
Reds Notes: Ludwick, Baker, Speier
The Reds clinched a postseason spot with today's 5-3 victory over the Cubs. Cincinnati will return to the playoffs for the second time in three seasons and the team's magic number to clinch the NL Central stands at just two. Here's the latest from the Queen City…
- "I've told numerous people I like it here," Ryan Ludwick told MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. "I'm definitely going to do everything in my ability on my side to stay here. I know it's a business and budgets become factors in an organization. I'm really hoping everything works out." Ludwick signed a one-year, $2.5MM deal with the Reds in January that contains a $5MM mutual option for 2013, with a $500K buyout. The outfielder has enjoyed a big comeback season, hitting .276/.349/.532 with 26 homers in 460 plate appearances entering today's action, so it's a pretty good bet that the Reds will exercise their end of Ludwick's option.
- Dusty Baker will be at Great American Ballpark on Friday for the Reds' game with the Dodgers, though it isn't clear if Baker will resume his duties as manager, GM Walt Jocketty told media (including Sheldon). Baker is in hospital in Chicago undergoing tests for an irregular heartbeat, and Jocketty said his manager was feeling good when he visited him on Thursday morning.
- Bench coach Chris Speier has been managing the Reds in Baker's absence and Speier told reporters (including Sheldon) that he hopes to at least receive an interview for a managerial opening this winter. "I think everybody in baseball understands that I would love to have the opportunity to at least go through the interview process and be part of that," Speier said. "That's never been a secret. I don't put myself out there. People know what I've done and what I am capable of doing. The reputation that I hopefully have around is one that if it's warranted for an opportunity, that I will get that."
White Sox To Promote Williams; Hahn To Be GM
5:43pm: Williams didn't comment on Nightengale's report, telling reporters (including CSNChicago.com's Dan Hayes) that the club is focused on the playoff race and won't discuss contract issues until the offseason.
3:03pm: The White Sox will promote their top two baseball executives following a surprising season that has the team leading its division. The team is expected to promote longtime general manager Kenny Williams to the role of vice president of baseball operations and shift assistant GM Rick Hahn into the GM role, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
Williams has been Chicago's GM since the end of the 2000 season. He is the fifth longest tenured general manager in baseball, behind only Brian Sabean (Giants), Billy Beane (Athletics), Brian Cashman (Yankees) and Dan O'Dowd (Rockies).The White Sox have reached the playoffs twice under Williams; they won the 2005 World Series and won the AL Central in 2008. Chicago entered Thursday's games with a 81-67 record and a two game lead over the Tigers in the AL Central.
Hahn featured prominently on MLBTR's list of GM candidates last summer. He was considered for general manager jobs last offseason, including one with the Cubs.
Red Sox Notes: Lucchino, Aceves, Ross, Loney, Bogar
The Red Sox lost their 82nd game of the season last night, clinching the franchise's first losing season since 1997. Needless to say, the Sox will be busy this offseason to ensure they get back over the .500 mark and beyond in 2013. Here's the latest out of Fenway Park…
- The Red Sox are looking to add an experienced front office executive to assist GM Ben Cherington, reports Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston. Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava has been rumored in connection with this role, though since the Jays would only allow LaCava (or any employee) to interview with another team if he was being offered a promotion.
- Larry Lucchino was non-committal about Alfredo Aceves' future with the team in an interview on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan show. (WEEI.com's Alex Speier provides the partial recap.) Aceves has had some disciplinary issues in Boston and the decision about his role in 2013 "will be made next spring by whatever team he is with," said Lucchino. "Maybe he’s with us. We’ll see. Maybe he’s elsewhere. It’s a little early to answer that question. We have so far [put up with his activities].” Aceves is arbitration-eligible for the second time this offseason.
- Lucchino also discussed several other Red Sox players, including pending free agent Cody Ross, who the team "loves" and would like to bring back. Lucchino said the club is "at the beginning stages of that process.” Earlier today, Ross said his top priority for free agency would be to sign with a contending team.
- James Loney tells Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe that he would be interested in returning to Boston if the Sox make him a contract offer this winter. Loney is set to hit free agency and could prefer to sign with an AL team if he has a choice, as the first baseman says he prefers playing under American League rules.
- The Sox should move quickly to find a new manager, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, arguing that the team can't afford another long managerial search or protracted negotiations with the Blue Jays over John Farrell. "The easiest choice" would be to hire bench coach Tim Bogar, who is a management favorite and has already interviewed for the Astros' job.
Managerial Notes: Scioscia, Tigers, Indians
The Marlins and White Sox plan to re-structure their respective front offices, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported today. Nightengale also has some updates on the job security of a few MLB managers. Here are the details…
- Mike Scioscia is in the middle of a heated internal debate in Anaheim, Nightengale reports. Though Scioscia’s contract runs through 2018, he will “likely” be a scapegoat if the Angels miss the playoffs. The Angels are four games behind the Athletics and Orioles in the Wild Card race.
- Jim Leyland could take the fall if the Tigers don’t reach the postseason. Leyland's contract expires after the 2012 season.
- The Indians have gone 15-41 since the All-Star break and Manny Acta is in danger of losing his job, Nightengale writes.
AL East Links: Blue Jays, Reynolds, Yankees
The Rays' chances of making the playoffs are slim at 4.4%, but the Yankees and Orioles are on track to secure postseason berths, according to the playoff odds report at Baseball Prospectus. Here are some afternoon links from the AL East…
- The Blue Jays had two scouts at the Tigers-Athletics series in Detroit this week, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports. The Blue Jays could have interest in trading for A's left-hander Brett Anderson, who left yesterday’s game with a strained oblique, or signing Tigers right-hander Anibal Sanchez. Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos is expected to seek starting pitching this coming offseason.
- It wasn’t long ago that Mark Reynolds’ 2013 option ($11MM with a $500K buyout) seemed unreasonable from the Orioles’ perspective. Now that Reynolds is producing at the plate, it’s at least worth debating, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com writes. The Orioles appear to want Reynolds back for 2013, which wasn’t the case for the first few months of the season.
- On the other side of the infield, Manny Machado is making a solid case for entering the 2013 season as Baltimore’s starting third baseman, according to Kubatko.
- Homegrown starters Phil Hughes, David Phelps, and Ivan Nova have helped the Yankees immensely at a time that the team's veteran starters are struggling, Mike Axisa writes at River Ave. Blues. The Yankees get criticized for not developing enough pitching, but Hughes, Phelps and Nova have pitched well of late.
- For more notes from the AL East, check out this post from earlier today.
White Sox Expected To Decline Peavy’s Option
The White Sox have signaled to Jake Peavy that they’re unlikely to exercise their $22MM club option for 2013, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. Instead, the team is expected to pay a $4MM buyout in a move that would make Peavy a free agent.
The White Sox might try to re-sign Peavy after declining the option, but it seems likely he’ll reach the free agent market. Peavy enjoys playing for the White Sox and would like to return, agent Barry Axelrod told Heyman. The right-hander prefers manager Robin Ventura to former manager Ozzie Guillen and appears to have favorable feelings about the White Sox, Heyman reports.
Peavy could be the second best free agent starting pitcher behind Zack Greinke this offseason (FanGraphs' version of wins above replacement suggests as much). Peavy, 31, has a 3.26 ERA with 8.0 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 and a 36.8% ground ball rate in 198 2/3 innings this year. The shoulder problems that limited him to approximately 100 innings per season from 2009-11 no longer appear to be holding him back.
The White Sox could raise payroll for 2013, especially if they make the playoffs. However, they aren’t currently discussing new contracts with prospective free agents A.J. Pierzynski, Brett Myers, Francisco Liriano and Kevin Youkilis, Heyman reports.
Cody Ross Talks Next Contract
Cody Ross is open to discussing an extension with the Red Sox before he hits free agency in six weeks or so. But he knows what he’ll be looking for if he does reach the open market. The 31-year-old told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that his top priority will be joining a contender.
“Number one this season is probably going to be winning,” he told Bradford. “I’m to that point where I want to win.”
Ross noted that he’ll also take into account role, location, and length and value of contract when weighing offers. The Red Sox have exclusive negotiating rights with Ross until five days after the World Series ends.
The SFX client has a .274/.339/.500 batting line with 21 home runs and 32 doubles in 479 plate appearances for Boston this year. He has played all three outfield positions and continues to thrive against left-handed pitching (11 home runs, .313/.398/.670 batting line). Ross suggested that he can repeat — and even improve upon — these numbers.
“I’m me now. This is me now. What I’m doing this year. This is me,” Ross said.
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AL East Notes: Middlebrooks, Ichiro, Blue Jays
On this date in 1998, Cal Ripken Jr. took himself out of the Orioles' starting lineup and ended his consecutive games played streak at 2,632. The Orioles haven’t made the playoffs since, but this could be their year; they’re currently in playoff position. Here are today’s AL East links…
- There are indications that the Red Sox won't pursue a long-term extension with Will Middlebrooks this offseason, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports. The team's front office executives aren't in a rush to make a long-term judgment about Middlebrooks. “Obviously it’s a possibility,” Middlebrooks said.
- Ichiro Suzuki and Brett Gardner are too similar to be the Yankees' corner outfielders in 2013, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post writes. The Yankees hope to have Gardner back at full health next year, so Ichiro might have to sign elsewhere as a free agent. Davidoff won't be surprised if Ichiro's still unsigned in January.
- Blue Jays president Paul Beeston characterized the last few months as the "half season from hell," Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun reports. Beeston said "there is a feeling of emptiness" at not being able to deliver for fans and added that he’s “actually pissed off” that the A’s and Orioles are headed for the playoffs while the Blue Jays are not.