If team president Mark Shapiro departs to become president of the Blue Jays, Indians manager Terry Francona would not be likely to exercise an opt-out in his deal, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal writes. Francona’s opt-out allows him to leave the organization if Shapiro or GM Chris Antonetti were to leave first. He says he will not use that clause to try to land a job elsewhere. “When I came here, I think I was pretty honest about the fact that I came here because of Mark and Chris,” he says. “Since I’ve been here, my relationship with them has certainly grown, but also with the other people here, to the point where, I guess my point is I would never use that as leverage. That was not the spirit of the way it was written, nor would I use it like that.” Francona is currently in the midst of a deal that will carry him through 2016, at which point a new, two-year deal will kick in. That deal includes team options for 2019 and 2020. Here are more quick notes from around the league.
- David Price was not surprised that the Tigers traded him, MLB.com’s Jason Beck writes. “Just kind of understanding everything in the organization, not really,” said Price when asked if the deal caught him off-guard. “The Tigers are never sellers. They’re always buyers and they’re always making playoff runs and stuff like that. But at that time, I thought that was probably the best move.” Price describes his last few weeks with the Tigers as “just a weird time” in which it was unclear what direction the team would go at the trade deadline.
- Wilmer Flores has become a “cult hero” to Mets fans, as ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin notes. Flores openly cried upon hearing that he would be traded from the Mets to the Brewers. After the deal that was supposed to send Flores to Milwaukee and Carlos Gomez to New York fell through, the Mets have played brilliantly, and he’s become a symbol to Mets fans who love him for wanting so badly to stay with the team. “If you’re saying it has something to do with it, I don’t know. I can’t tell you,” says Flores about his crying on the field. “But since that day, it’s been really fun. On the road and playing at home, it’s been really fun. I can’t tell you it was because of that.”
While the Tigers have been buyers, if ever there was a year to sell for them, this was it. With Cabrera injured, Victor recovering, Sanchez and JV struggling with their command, and Kinsler doing nothing (until after the sell occurred), they weren’t going anywhere. Now they are in a better position financially to add what they need. Hopefully, Avila can build a bullpen better than DD was able to. I would keep Hardy and Wilson and then clean house. The last time the Tigers had a reliable late inning Lefty was Willie Hernandez.
The Tigers should be players for every somewhat notable reliever this offseason.
Clippard, Benoit, O’Day, Webb, Parnell, James Russell, etc.
Wouldn’t hurt to take a long look at Broxton who looks really good again.. because ya know.. Cardinals.
Parnell who hasn’t recovered the last few ticks on his fastball, seems like a typical Tigers RP. One that will eventually disappoint
I would love to see them go after Chapman or McGee. Broxton is too risky unless on a cheap one year deal.
While Flores is a good story, hes still a below average baseball player.
97 OPS+, league average OPS, terrible at SS and average at 2B.
They probably would be better off with an infield of Wright, Murphy, Duda and Tejada moving forward into the playoffs, when Duda gets healthy.
Flores has really come alive when the Mets needed him to though. Since the day of the failed trade, Flores has hit .333/.364/.571 with 4 HR and 14 RBI. He’s also hit .394/.412/.697 over his past 7 games. I don’t think removing Flores from a starting role is in the best interest of anyone other than the Mets’ opponents.
Don’t confuse a hot streak with true talent level. Collins has done a nice job not over exposing him in the second half (coincidently when the team acquired better options then Muno and Campbell)
Still, you don’t bench someone while they are still in the hot streak.
The Guy an Wimp, Plain and simple . Half the World goes to Bed hungry and this Pansy cries about being traded !
Signed: Retired Combat Soldier
Lighten up man.. So what, the guy loved his team and teammates and you give him grief over it? A former soldier should understand that bond..
Signed: Former 3rd Bat Army Ranger
I bet they were tears of joy..