Though he's yet to officially retire, 43-year-old slugger Jim Thome would like to be a big league manager at some point, writes Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. Thome, who took a position in the White Sox' front office last summer, told Van Schouwen: "I want to look at what the next phase is for me getting back on the field, competing at a high level. There is a side to me that wants to manage someday and prepare myself for it if that opportunity came calling." More out of the AL Central as Spring Training picks up steam…
- Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes that one conversation three years ago changed Glen Perkins' future with the team entirely. The bad blood between Perkins and his hometown Twins was well documented, as he had been weighing a grievance against Minnesota regarding his service time. Perkins approached pitching coach Rick Anderson and manager Ron Gardenhire and simply told them he had no desire to play elsewhere. Anderson tells Souhan: "He came to me right here and said, ‘Can I talk to you? I was born and raised in Minnesota, I’ve spent my entire life in Minnesota, I want to be a Twin. I want to be a better teammate, I want to be a better pitcher, don’t give up on me.’" Perkins, a 2013 All-Star, has developed into one of the game's best closers since that time.
- The Twins have signed 18-year-old Australian first baseman Jack Barrie to a six-figure bonus, according to a report from Australian news outlet SBS. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN confirmed that it's a six-figure deal and adds that the team still has money left in its 2013-14 international free agent budget after the signing (Twitter link).
- In the latest edition of his "Hey, Hoynsie!" mailbag, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tells one reader that he would be "stunned" if the Indians made a late play for Ervin Santana. Though Cleveland's name has been connected to the former Angels and Royals hurler, Hoynes says that the team values its first-round pick too highly to make such a move.
- Jhonny Peralta was planning on appealing his suspension last season in order to remain with his teammates through the playoff push, writes USA Today's Bob Nightengale. However, when the club acquired Jose Iglesias from the Red Sox, Peralta says he "knew [he] had to take [his] suspension." Nightengale spoke with GM Dave Dombrowski, who told him: "We talked to his agent (Seth Levinson, at the time) and we knew he was thinking of appealing. There was a time I was thinking he was going to appeal. And at that point, we wouldn't have made a trade. But my gut told me the closer we got to the (trade) deadline, and talked to them, he wasn't going to appeal."
Glen Perkins has always seemed like a class act to me, even more so lately.
The “bad blood” was overplayed my the media. I think it was a bigger deal to the fans than it was to the Twins. I didn’t blame Perkins one bit for filing that grievance. He thought the Twins were jerking him around, and honestly, they might have been. The Twins were notoriously cheap during the Metrodome years out of necessity, and delaying a player’s service clock could be worths many hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.
Letting Jimenez walk and then signing Santana would make no sense for Cleveland. Jimenez has more upside than Santana and re-signing him would have allowed Cleveland to keep a higher draft pick than letting him walk and signing Santana would.
Santana has much better durability. It would make a lot of sense for the Indians to replace Ubaldo with Santana.
It’s a shame Santana and his agent wanted so much money or he could be a Royal right now!!!
Remember when Santana wanted $100MM? Good times.
Can’t blame him.
Can blame the agent, though.
The Indians might be better off just signing Santana. He’s more durable that Ubaldo. Plus, the odds of your 21st pick even becoming a successful major leaguer are very slim. If that pick was in the top 10, then I’d understand that stance. If it were in the top 5 then I’d say no way and keep that pick. But 21st pick? They’re better off adding the proven starter who can help them win now. Especially if Santana dragging things out leads to him just accepting a 1 or 2 year deal.
I think Mike Trout (25th pick), Jim Thome (333rd pick) and Albert Pujols (402nd pick) would disagree that the 21st round pick has a slim chance of becoming a major leaguer.
That still doesn’t disprove the odds being slim. That’s just 3 players drafted in either the bottom of the first round or later, and as such were all lightning in a bottle for the teams that drafted them.
I didn’t have the space or the time for all those picked after the 21st round that made the major leagues.
The point is the list of players who eventually produce more value at those slots than Santana is likely to produce is much shorter than the list of players who produce less.
It’s not a straight vacuum move though… it involves 4 seasons of financial obligation at $50m or more for a team that needs to value it’s farm system and continue to invest in its young xore. Its not just choosing between a #2-3 starter and a gamble on potential.
It’s the 21st overall pick in the first round not the 21st round.
It’s the 21st overall pick in the first round not the 21st round.
Jimenez is > than Ervin Santana + 1st round pick. What are the odds of a first round pitcher be coming an MLB average starter…which Santana basically is. Any difference in Jimenez and Santana is nullified by the compensation attached to Santana. Ask the Angels about forfeiting that top pick lately.
If it were a top 10 pick, then it would be protected anyway!! Then they would give up a 2nd rounder instead
Interesting, using the appeals process not for it’s intended purpose of a fair day in court, but to use mandatory delay in stand down and aid the team, despite being guilty. One would know that this was obvious, but to hear it being quite clearly stated..
That makes me forgive Peralta a little bit more and makes me glad he got a good contract. He made a mistake and was willing to make a big sacrifice in his pay if he had the 50 game suspension to start the season. Good teammate and I hope he does well with the Cards.