In today’s column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes looks at six teams that badly need some fixing this offseason. The list starts with the Braves, who have been held back in part by B.J. Upton’s five-year, $75MM deal. The Rangers also need some serious help in the form of two starting pitchers, a right-handed power bat, and possibly a catcher. The Phillies are in the toughest spot of all, Cafardo writes, as they are overloaded with older players on bad contracts. Here are some of the highlights from today’s column..
- As teams start putting together lists of pitchers who could be had in trade this offseason, Jeremy Hellickson’s name has been surfacing. One AL team believes that the Rays could make another Wil Myers–Jake Odorizzi for James Shields–Wade Davis type of deal centering around Hellickson, who is still just 27 and inexpensive.
- It looks more and more like Twins manager Ron Gardenhire will return next season. A Twins executive said he would be “surprised” if Gardenhire didn’t come back based on his young team playing hard and having fun playing the spoiler role down the stretch.
- Even with Alex Rodriguez coming back, Cafardo sees the Yankees as a possibility for Hanley Ramirez if the Dodgers don’t retain him.
- The Red Sox haven’t committed to bringing David Ross back next season but it doesn’t appear he’ll have to worry about finding a job. A few teams have privately discussed Ross as a backup/mentor. If Boston moves on from Ross, there aren’t many clear-cut alternatives on the open market.
- Red Sox vice president of player personnel Allard Baird had a very good interview for the Diamondbacks’ vacant GM job, but Tony La Russa is still leaning towards Dave Stewart or Gary LaRocque, according to a source. Baird, of course, was the GM of the Royals from 2000-06.
- Red Sox third base coach Brian Butterfield is beginning to receive more interest as a managerial candidate. Don’t be surprised to see his name mentioned more often for openings, Cafardo writes.
Cafardo did a great job with this article.
I was reading something the other day about my beloved Yankees and the players that are signed for next season. A total of 11 players, (including Matt Thornton now with the Nationals) are signed for a total of 172 million.
After you let that number sit for a while and then you realize that it is only for 11 players, get back to me with your response. NY is in trouble for the next few years, especially if they let Robertson walk. This team got old really quick. 2008 seems so long ago.
They’re in trouble regardless of what happens to Robertson. Philly has a lights out closer and set-up man. Where has that gotten them?
The team doesn’t need an expensive closer because closers only help you if you win games.
They’re reaping what they sowed. For years, the Yankees’ strategy was to fall all over themselves offering the biggest contracts imaginable, including the number of years. The expectation was that there would always be that next guy to throw money at to solve all of your problems, and heck, throw enough money at the ones who go bad and you can get them out of your hair too. And frankly, the approach was so successful that they constantly had poor draft picks, lost draft picks to signings, and traded away prospects to help that year’s team.
Then teams began treating young players differently, with long-term, early-career extensions. The contract prices that they themselves had such a strong hand in driving up were astronomical for those who did reach free agency. The draft rules were changed. The international rules were changed. The luxury tax started biting down. Now they have a roster full of problems and few good solutions and somehow I find it hard to muster up a tear for them.
I think you are being overly pessimistic. I checked the Cot’s MLB site. The ten players the Yankees have signed for 2015, are about the same as the other teams in the AL East.
I like the development of the young pitching in 2014 and hope Betances, Warren, Green, Pineda & Tanaka can continue their good work in 2015.
A healthy Tanaka and signing J.J. Hardy to play SS should be a priority for 2015
Not that it makes a huge difference but when the Yankees let Matt Thornton go to the Nationals on a waiver claim, the Nationals became responsible for the entire remainder of his contract. So whatever fraction was left of this season and all $3.5 million for 2015 is on the Nationals’ books now, not the Yankees.
Hellickson is not going to get a top prospect, let alone the top prospect in baseball plus another MLB caliber player. The Rays would need to pair him with Archer to get a deal like that done. Hellickson is more of the Davis player in the deal rather than Shields.
Right on. His value has fallen a ton this year between the injuries, and the 5 era last year.
Let’s not cheapen Hellickson’s talent. He’s starter calibur not a reliever like davis so it’s not a great comparison. In this day and age teams overpay for young cheap pitching that can hold down a rotation spot as the price for even average starters has skyrocketed in recent offseasons. I’ll give you that Hellickson is no Big Game James but you may be surprised in his return.
Davis was a starter at the time of the trade.
Teams don’t overpay for non ace caliber pitching in the form of multiple top prospects. Myers and Odorizzi was a very steep price to pay and Hellickson will not go anywhere near that. They couldn’t even get that for Price.
Have to agree with you on that. The Shields deal seems like the last of the “we fleece your farm system” deal. Who knows which team will have the better end of the deal depending on how far the Royals go this year. Odorizzi is turning out to be the best part of that trade although would like to see what Montgomery could do out of the bullpen. Myers has been a bust this year. Would like to see Hellickson get packaged in deal with Joyce or Jennings for a bat…Gattis maybe?
Davis was in the bullpen. He said he was excited about the trade because he would get to start again.
They were going to lose Price anyway!! The reason the return on price was so paltry was they virtually had no leverage in any deal. They should have dealt him BEFORE the season started or maybe even before that. They played that hand horrifically!
I would hate, and I think the Red Sox players would hate, to lose Butterfield. But what a treat it would be to watch him turn around a young, struggling team. He has both the enthusiasm and know how, to take over & be successful now. It’s firing season in MLB. Which other jobs will be available in another week? Go Butter!
I would not be “surprised” if the Twins lose their season ticket base if Gardenhire returns.