It was just under a decade ago that Mickey Callaway agreed to become the interim head coach for Texas A&M International University, which sparked his interest in teaching and training young players. Though Callaway pitched in Taiwan and in independent baseball in 2008, that was his final season as a player, as Callaway tells Newsday’s Marc Carig that “It was hard to concentrate on playing after feeling that I was ready to start coaching.” Carig’s profile of Callaway’s first time running a team is well worth a read, providing insight into the man who has become a big league manager for the first time after being hired by the Mets.
As we enjoy a wild Game Five of the World Series, here’s more from around baseball….
- The Indians seem prepared to spend in the short-term to keep their window of contention open, Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer opines during his look at the some of the Tribe’s free agents this winter. Pluto figures Carlos Santana will be issued a qualifying offer, and the team will monitor the markets of Santana and Jay Bruce to see if either could be re-signed for a reasonable amount, a la how several other veteran sluggers received smaller-than-expected deals last winter (which allowed the Tribe to sign Edwin Encarnacion). As for other decisions, Pluto thinks Bryan Shaw and Boone Logan will both be pitching elsewhere in 2018, while Joe Smith seems the likeliest of the relievers to return to Cleveland. Josh Tomlin’s $3MM club option seems like a good bet to be exercised by the team.
- Also from Pluto, newly-hired pitching coach Carl Willis said two other teams had made him job offers and two others showed interest in his services. With this kind of interest, the Indians had to jump to sign the veteran pitching coach just a few days after ex-pitching coach Mickey Callaway left for the Mets.
- Mets hitting coach Kevin Long has been mentioned as a candidate for the Yankees’ managerial job, though he may also be a contender to be the Yankees’ next hitting coach, George A. King III of the New York Post writes. Long previously served as the Bronx Bombers’ hitting coach from 2007-14 before moving over to his post across town with the Mets. Alan Cockrell has been the Yankees’ hitting coach for the last two years, though with a new manager coming, there are likely to be changes made to the Yankees’ coaching staff.
Kevin Long playing the NY Merry-go-round.
Kevin Long…no thank you
Santana has to be re-signed. His skillset as a DH ages well (OBP) and I see him as worth a 3/$45m commitment.
Letting Shaw, Logan and Smith go in favor of complimenting the insane pitching depth with buy-low pieces and waiting until late-January to add a power bat cheaply to replace Bruce will allow them the payroll space to bring back Santana.
He is up for the Gold Glove at 1B.
Rafael Palmerio won a gold glove at first after playing 28 games there.
Santana seems like the easiest to replace and also the most problematic going forward especialy with EE in the mix. He plays elsewhere next year.
Santana just might take a qualifying offer at 17M plus and then reenter the market next year at 32 without one.
Tribe will also have until the end of the week to decide whether or not to pick up Brantley’s option.