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Archives for October 2012

AL Central Notes: Tigers, Francona, Alomar

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Anibal Sanchez will take the ball in Oakland tonight as the Tigers look to advance to the ALCS for the second consecutive season. In the meantime, here are some AL Central links…

  • The Tigers' decision to trade for Sanchez and Omar Infante looks better than ever, Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press writes. Sanchez, a free agent this offseason, said he doesn't think much about what will happen when his contract expires. "Right now, I just focus on what I'm going to do tomorrow," he said.
  • Manager Terry Francona said he's not worried about how much the Indians spend on payroll, Sheldon Ocker of the Akron Beacon Journal reports. "My job is to build a relationship with every player on the team and get the most out of them,” Francona said. The skipper is believed to be earning something close to the $4MM salary he earned in Boston, Ocker writes.
  • Francona and GM Chris Antonetti have talked to Sandy Alomar Jr. about joining the Indians’ on-field staff, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports (via Sulia). Alomar told Hoynes he expects to return, though managerial opportunities could emerge elsewhere. Alomar, a 20-year veteran of the Major Leagues, was a finalist for the Indians job.

Arbitration Eligibles: Kansas City Royals

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The Royals are next in our 2013 Arbitration Eligibles series.  Matt Swartz's salary projections are below.

In Wood and Paulino, the Royals have a pair of promising pitchers who endured Tommy John surgery this year.  Both are worth retaining (Wood seems likely to garner Super Two status).  Despite a myriad of injuries, Getz worked his way into a starting role for the Royals at second base toward the end of his season.  I expect the team to keep him in the mix.

Hochevar, drafted first overall in 2006, has a 5.39 ERA through 771 big league innings, including a 5.73 mark this year.  If you're digging for a silver lining, the 29-year-old throws relatively hard, takes the ball every fifth day, and has exhibited skills suggesting an ERA closer to 4.20.  Given Hochevar's maddening flashes of brilliance, it seems the Royals are up for another go-round at our estimated $4.4MM salary.

The offensive promise once shown by Pena seems long gone.  Still, the 30-year-old Cuban wants to retire a Royal, and it won't require much of a raise to keep him around as Salvador Perez's backup for 2013.  Assuming everyone is retained in the Royals' group, we're projecting $10MM in salary for five arbitration eligible players.

Matt Swartz's arbitration projections are available exclusively at MLB Trade Rumors.  To read more about his projection model, check out this series of posts.

Rockies Notes: O’Dowd, Fowler, Coaches

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The Rockies' season didn't go anywhere close to how they'd hoped, as it was marred by significant injuries to Troy Tulowitzki and disappointing performances from highly touted trade acquisitions such as Drew Pomeranz and Alex White. Jim Tracy resigned as the club's skipper yesterday, but that's not the end of news relating to the Mile High City's team…

  • The Denver Post's Patrick Saunders told readers in a recent mailbag piece that GM Dan O'Dowd is safe for the foreseeable future. O'Dowd still has the confidence of owner Dick Monfort, though O'Dowd is no longer responsible for day-to-day baseball operations following an August front office restructuring. Former assistant GM Bill Geivett assumed the role of senior VP of Major League operations in that shuffle.
  • Within that same piece, Saunders reports that the team is not actively shopping Dexter Fowler, but confirms earlier reports that they will entertain offers on Fowler in order to acquire young pitching.
  • Saunders also notes that the Rockies have asked the Marlins for permission to interview scout Mark Wiley to serve as the director of pitching operations. If that happens, former Royals and Red Sox pitching coach Bob McClure is likely to be brought in as pitching coach.
  • Saunders' colleague Troy Renck reports that the Rockies have dismissed hitting coach Carney Lansford and third base coach Rich Dauer. Saunders noted in his piece that Geivett's authority to mold the coaching staff as he sees fit could have played a role in Tracy's decision to resign.

Wren Talks Bourn, Free Agency, Catchers, Hanson

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The Braves' season ended in a game that will be remembered for a controversial call last week, as did the likely Hall of Fame career of Chipper Jones. With a feeling that he could only describe as "emptiness," general manager Frank Wren talked with David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the playoffs, his team's upcoming offseason and several of the decisions they'll have to make…

  • Wren suggested that he's not a fan of the Wild Card format and that he'd like to see the system amended to give the Wild Card teams a three-game series, beginning with a day-night double-header.
  • He also said that it's worth revisiting the trade deadline, which Wren feels is "pretty early for the current system." August 15 would be a more logical date for teams to determine whether or not they want to push for the Wild Card, in Wren's estimation.
  • Wren says he's looking forward to a "focused" offseason. The front office recognizes that they have to replace Jones at third base, and they hope to retain Michael Bourn, whose contract expired at season's end. The team would like to address center field and the leadoff position in the same move — a role which Bourn can obviously fill. The Braves contacted Bourn's representatives about an extension in Spring Training but were told to wait until after the season to engage in negotiations.
  • Atlanta would love to have David Ross back in the fold in 2013. Wren spoke very highly of his backup catcher to O'Brien.
  • The Braves chose not to have Brian McCann undergo an MRI with a dye injection during the season because the recovery is too long. McCann will undergo that test in the near future, which could reveal a need for surgery, but for the time being the Braves believe their catcher needs only rest to recover.
  • Jason Heyward could handle center field "for a few days," but Wren and his associates don't view him as a long-term answer in center. Wren said he considers Heyward among the best defensive right fielders in the game and wouldn't want to diminish his defensive value by moving him.
  • The Braves have options on McCann ($12MM), Tim Hudson ($8MM) and Paul Maholm ($6.5MM), and they'll address those decisions in the coming weeks.
  • It would take a "very, very big piece" to trade Randall Delgado or Julio Teheran this winter. The trade market does figure to be in play for the Braves though, as Wren said he won't be "going outrageous salary-wise" on free agents. The team will be "looking for premium players," but Wren cautions they're not looking to add a player to the team as much as they are looking to add value. If they feel that adding two players can give them more than one premium name, they'll pursue that route instead.
  • Jair Jurrjens' situation is different from Tommy Hanson's, in Wren's mind. Wren spoke more definitely of Hanson's future with the team than that of Jurrjens. The Braves "will have a determination" on Jurrjens' future this winter. Jurrjens earned $5.5MM in 2012 and is a non-tender candidate for 2013 in the mind of MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith.
  • Wren confirmed that the entire coaching staff will be offered the opportunity to return to the team.

Indians Hire Terry Francona

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8:16pm: The Indians aren't commenting on Olney's tweet referring to Francona's out clauses, according to Hoynes (via Twitter).

7:30pm: Francona's option contains out clauses that he can exercise if the people he's working for are dismissed from the organization, according to ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter). Presumably, that's in reference to Antonetti and Shapiro.

MONDAY, 9:57am: The Indians announced that they have signed Francona to a four-year deal through 2016.

SATURDAY, 6:25pm: The Indians have announced the hiring of Francona and will formally introduce him at a press conference on Monday morning.

4:42pm: The Indians and Francona are discussing a four-year deal, according to Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer.  The manager also implied to Hoynes that while a deal may be close, it has yet to be finalized.

3:24pm: The Indians are set to hire Terry Francona as manager with an announcement likely for Monday, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Francona, currently an analyst for ESPN, said last night that his two options at present were to either manager in Cleveland or remain with the network.

The former Red Sox skipper has linked to the vacancy ever since the dismissal of Manny Acta, but many wondered if Cleveland could offer him a satisfactory deal.  Sandy Alomar Jr. was also viewed as a strong candidate for the job, having guided the club for its final six games of the season with obvious ties to the organization.  At the same time, Tito has strong relationships with GM Chris Antonetti and team president Mark Shapiro following his 2001 stint with Cleveland as a special assistant to the GM.

Francona now takes over for a club that finished 68-94 in 2012 and has a limited budget to work with.  For his career, the 53-year-old has a 1,029–915 record across a total of 12 seasons as a big league skipper.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

West Notes: Rangers, Tracy, Rockies, Giambi, Hamilton

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Items out of the AL and NL West..

  • Much has been made of the Rangers' Josh Hamilton dilemma this offseason, but GM Jon Daniels will also need to re-tool his pitching staff this winter, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. The Rangers will have money to spend, but also have Colby Lewis and Neftali Feliz working their way back from injuries. Martin Perez remains an option for the team as well.
  • Jim Tracy told Troy E. Renck and Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post that there wasn't one particular issue that led to his resignation from the Rockies, but rather a number of factors.  It would seem that Tracy was irked by some of the club's unconventional ideas and his overall decrease in power.
  • Meanwhile, Jason Giambi would retire as a player if he were given consideration for the managerial opening, a source close to the Rockies veteran told Renck and Saunders. 
  • Given Hamilton's injury history and age, Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com doesn't think that the Rangers should give him more than three guaranteed years in a new contract.  However, Durrett believes that there's at least one team out there that will go beyond that for the outfielder.  A vesting option for a fourth year based on whether Hamilton stays healthy could be a concession the Rangers could comfortably make.
  • Dave Cameron of Fangraphs wonders if Hamilton might be the most confusing free agent ever.  Cameron could see the slugger landing a five-year, $125MM deal from a team that chooses to ignore all the risk but can also envision him taking a one-year pact somewhere to prove that his second half wasn't a sign of things to come.

Quick Hits: Braves, Leyland, Soriano, Phillies, Rays

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Depending on what happens with Michael Bourn, the Braves could potentially have two major holes to fill in their lineup.  Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) offers some suggestions for replacing Bourn and Chipper Jones and notes that the club could have some added flexibility if Martin Prado can be shifted from left field to third base.  Ben Revere of the Twins, Peter Bourjos of the Angels, and Chris Young of the Diamondbacks could all be trade targets in center field.  There aren't a lot of great third base options on the open market but Atlanta could zero in on guys like Mike Olt of the Rangers, Chase Headley of the Padres, and maybe even the Mets David Wright.  Here's more from around baseball..

  • Tigers manager Jim Leyland has been telling people in recent days that he has no plans to retire, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.  Given his desire to return, it's likely that Leyland will be managing the Tigers in 2013.  Leyland's contract expires at the end of the season.
  • Even though he has been linked the Marlins opening, Mike Lowell tells Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that he has no interest in managing at this point in his life.  The former third baseman is currently working for the MLB Network as an on-air analyst.
  • The Yankees' desire to keep their payroll under $189MM in 2014 could complicate their chances to sign Rafael Soriano to a long-term deal once he opts out, writes Heyman.  Soriano's three-year, $35MM deal seemed like a stretch last year but it now seems like the Bombers view the possibility of a last year at $14MM more favorably than the right-hander.
  • The members of the Philadelphia Daily News staff bring us their suggestions for retooling the club heading into 2013.  David Murphy believes that Ruben Amaro & Co. should start by revamping the bullpen while Marcus Hayes writes that the club should stick to making small moves while allowing the younger players to flourish.
  • Bill Parker of DRays Bay looks in the rear view mirror to discuss what the Rays could have done differently in 2012.  The trade of John Jaso to the Mariners for Josh Lueke was among the missteps highlighted.

Yankees Designate Cory Wade For Assignment

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The Yankees have designated right-hander Cory Wade for assignment, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).  In a related move, Dellin Betances was reinstated from the 60-day disabled list to play in the Arizona Fall League.

Wade, 29, appeared in 79 games for the Yankees across the last two years, posting a 4.23 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 during that stretch.  The reliever spent his first two big league seasons with the Dodgers and had a brief minor league stint with the Rays before joining the Bombers in June of 2011.

Wade would have been eligible for arbitration for the first time this offseason had he not been designated for assignment.

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Blue Jays, Farrell, Ichiro

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The Red Sox have plenty of money to spend but a soft free agent market means that General Manager Ben Cherington will have to get creative to improve the club heading into 2013.  Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald looks at some of the available options, including Yankees first baseman/outfielder Nick Swisher.  It doesn't seem likely that Swisher would be a fit for the Red Sox as he will turn 32 in November and believes that he's in store for a Jayson Werth-type deal.  While executives don't see the veteran getting something in the neighborhood of $126MM over seven years, he's still likely to net a lucrative multi-year pact.  Here's more out of the AL East..

  • The Blue Jays continue to suggest that they won't let manager John Farrell go to the Red Sox, but Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com isn't sure why as they don't seem to be sure about him in the long term.  Several people around baseball suggest that things are less-than-perfect between Farrell and the Toronto front office.
  • Of course, the Blue Jays could have a change of heart, and Alex Speier of WEEI.com looks at what it might cost the Red Sox to pry Farrell away.  The two deals that happened last year involving decision-makers suggest that Boston wouldn't have to forfeit an elite prospect in a trade.  While the Marlins shipped right-hander Jhan Marinez and infielder Osvaldo Martinez, ranked fourth and fifth in their farm system, to the White Sox for Ozzie Guillen, Jim Callis of Baseball America notes that their rankings were a reflection of Marlins' lack of minor league talent.
  • The union between Ichiro Suzuki and the Yankees has turned out to be an ideal marriage, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  General Manager Brian Cashman told Ichiro prior to the trade that he would have to shift to left field and hit towards the bottom of the lineup.  However, the outfielder has since moved up to second in the order and has seen time at all three outfield spots.

Indians Notes: Francona, Alomar, Masterson

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A lot of people in baseball think that Terry Francona is crazy for taking the Indians job, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd).  However, the skipper knew that Cleveland was where he wanted to be thanks in large part to his strong relationships with GM Chris Antonetti and president Mark Shapiro.  In fact, Tito showed how much he wanted the job by handing the club a 16-page breakdown of their team, the organization, and what he envisions for their future.  Earlier this afternoon, the Indians formally introduced Francona as their next manager.  Here are some highlights..

  • Francona was asked if he came to Cleveland in part because he preferred a smaller market as opposed to his previous stops in Philadelphia and Boston, tweets Alex Speier of WEEI.com.  The skipper insisted that he wasn't looking to avoid the pressures of a big market but instead came to Cleveland because he's not "afraid of a challenge."  He added that he was treated well by the media in Boston for the most part.  
  • The skipper said that negotiations for his four-year deal "took about ten minutes", according to Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer (via Twitter).
  • Acknowledging the challenge that he will be faced with, Francona said that he's in it for the long haul, Hoynes tweets.  "I don't want to be a rental manager. I want to be part of the solution. I want to stick around," said Francona.
  • Antonetti and Francona have talked to Sandy Alomar Jr. several times about a coaching job, but Alomar still isn't sure if its a good fit, tweets Hoynes.  Meanwhile, Antonetti expects to get calls on Alomar about managerial vacancies this winter (Twitter link).
  • Francona plans to keep Justin Masterson in the starting rotation next season, tweets Hoynes.  Masterson turned in a 4.93 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 34 starts last season.

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