Here are some links from around the league as the League Division Series round of the postseason opens…
- “Center field is something we have to address. That will be one of our priorities," said Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. Salisbury looked at some free agent and trade options who could fit the team's needs.
- The Indians hired Terry Francona earlier today, and MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports (on Twitter) that interim manager Sandy Alomar Jr. has been offered a spot on the team's coaching staff.
- Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter) that had the Indians not hired Francona, he would have not taken the Tigers' manager job had they fired Jim Leyland after the season.
- The Red Sox have not yet begun their search for a new manager after firing Bobby Valentine on Thursday, a source insists to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe (on Twitter).
- White Sox GM Kenny Williams confirmed to CSNChicago.com that the team's entire coaching staff will return next season.
I’m kind of intrigued by BJ Upton and what he could do playing 81 games at Citizens Bank Park. For the right price, I think he could be a good buy.
4 years $54 million is reasonable I think.
Agreed. No reason to overpay for bourn.
God, I hope Phillies don’t. Bourn is Victorino lite, albeit two years younger. Let someone else overcommit to Bourn.
Bourn is better than victorino. He does a decent job at getting on base and stealing bases, but $15M+ aav is a bit much for a .350 obp 25 double hitter, with no hr power.
Bourn’s career numbers (at age 29) are dismally similar to Victorino’s (at age 31). I’d rather take a chance on Mayberry Jr. in CF next year than either Bourn or Vic.
Just that Bourn has been better over the past 4 years at getting on base. Pretty important at top lineup.
I see no reason for Bourn’s numbers to improve at this stage of his career. Vic hit the ball harder than Bourn, but if Bourn’s power improves, then it would likely be at the expense of his speed. Bottom line: do you want the Phils to sign Bourn? I don’t/
Plus Bourn is lefty. They need some more right handed hitting.
Somebody else will overpay for Upton. I’m still not sure if that’s good for the Phils, or bad.
I’m not sure either. That’s about as high as I would go.
It’s a $13.5 million AAV. I think realistically he’s got to get around $10-$13 million per. I just used the qualifying offer as a base.
It’s hard to value him IMO because he’s got so much upside yet he’s never really tapped into it on a consistent basis.
Agree with your numbers. I just think whoever signs Upton is going to be sorry. Think J. D. Drew.
JD Drew put up good numbers in Boston though…
They’re not really good comparables at all though. JD was 31 when he signed, BJ’s 28 so you’re going to be buying the best years of his career.
They’re also very different offensive players.
Drew’s numbers in Boston were nowhere near his salary. Upton is a tease; he looks like a stud, but has never shown consistent quality offensive numbers.
JD Drew was vastly overpaid. 5yr/$75m
Did he put up good numbers when healthy? Yeah, you betcha’.
However, Drew was often injured, and ultimately his production was nowhere close enough to justify his salary.
SO in that sense, Drew and Upton are different cases, but my pessimism still stands. At max, Upton’s true value is 4yrs/$42m + club option, for a total of 5yrs/$50m. However, this is the free agent market, so you know a club will likely overpay for both AAV and length.
IMO $13.5 is still way too much for Upton. Real bidding could go pretty high but I am really not sold on him. If he could ever repeat 2007/08 then it would be a good value, but for the past 4 years he has really been mediocre offensively. I definetely think it would be a decision that would have to be made with the coach’s decisions taken into account.
Currently his offensive production is terrible, but he has tons of talent and has had success. Overall he seems to strike out more often than earlier in his career, so maybe his swing is getting too long trying to hit for power. He is still getting walks at a pretty decent clip 7% this year and 11% 10-11. If he can get his avg up a bit more he could be extremely valuable. If a team could snatch him up at 4/40 then it might we worth it to see if they can fix it. 4/54-56 is too much with his current offensive approach.
yah, I kind of DOUBT that the sox have not started the manager search….. My guess is, is that they are trying to keep everything under wraps until its “official” (aka keep the boat free from leaks)
BC said in an interview that he wants this to take LESS time then the last manager search did…
There’s no such thing as keeping something “under wraps” in Boston. If there’s something to tell, they’ll leak it out…
Basically, they’re saying it’s Farrell if they can get him, Bogar if they can’t. Too bad, too. Alomar is out there, along with Dave Martinez, Trammell, etc. Only upside is that if anyone can resurrect Daniel Bard, it’s Farrell.
Ryan Sandberg is the way to go
Yup, this means that Rube will sign Torri Hunter………….
FML.
What is Boston waiting for? It’s going to hard to sign some free agents and such if they don’t have a manager. I’m not talking about big time, marquee names.
Flip side? Farrell was around when Bard’s NC team mate Andrew Miller had delivery issues and he couldn’t help, but the Sox minor league instructors, even Bard himself did.
Farrell isn’t the cure for every fix. Maybe some like Masterson should they get him (both), but not all.
Color me shocked and surprised by the Indians hiring of Francona. I really thought they were bringing him in as PR stunt and had no intention of offering him the manager’s job.
then why not just resign Vic. Why overpay (which we don’t tend to do) for Bourne or Upton?
Victorino is declining. Has been now since 2009. Someone will offer him 4/50 and I hope it ain’t the Phils.