NL East Notes: Phillies President, Beachy, Marlins

It’s unclear who is steering the ship for the Phillies, writes Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer. There is speculation that team president Dave Montgomery may have been ousted. The Phillies partially denied the report, saying “no determination [has been] made.” Others suggest a decision could be reached in January. Montgomery is currently recovering from jaw cancer surgery. Hall of Fame executive Pat Gillick is the interim president.

• On a related topic, Phillies minority owner John Middleton may be interested in acquiring a majority share of the club. Middleton currently has a 48 percent stake in the team. From my vantage, the Phillies should try to get ahead of these stories which have plagued them all offseason. Uncertainty over future stakeholders can only hurt the club’s position with free agents and in the trade market.
• Recently non-tendered Braves starter Brandon Beachy is drawing interest from 10 teams, tweets Chris Cotillo of SB Nation. The Braves are among the interested clubs, but aren’t the most aggressive. He’s expected to land a major league deal and has multiple offers on the table. Beachy is currently rehabbing from his second Tommy John surgery. An aggressive rehab schedule could have Beachy back on the mound in the early part of the season, but the average recovery time would indicate a mid-to-late season return.
• Extension candidates top the list of Winter Meeting activities for the Marlins, writes Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. Jose Fernandez, Christian Yelich, Adeiny Hechavarria, and Marcell Ozuna are among those with open discussions. Other topics of interest include the club’s interest in Jake Peavy and potential willingness to trade Garrett Jones.
• Derek Jeter’s recent visit with the Marlins could signal his interest in purchasing the team, suggests Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. He has long talked about his plans to purchase a club, and he has some ties to Florida. It’s unclear if current owner Jeffrey Loria is willing to sell. Jeter doesn’t possess the wealth necessary to buy a majority stake in a major league franchise, but he could headline a consortium.