Front Office Notes: Pirates, Mariners, Orioles
The Pirates and Mariners recently agreed to extensions with their respective general managers and it appears that the Orioles will soon have to look to replace president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail. Here are the latest front office notes from around MLB…
- The Pirates announced six promotions in their baseball operations department. Former scouting director Greg Smith is now an assistant general manager, as is former director of player development Kyle Stark. Tyrone Brooks is the Pirates' new director of player personnel and Joe DelliCarri is now the amateur scouting director. The Pirates also promoted Larry Broadway to director of minor league operations and Kevan Graves to director of baseball operations.
- The Mariners announced that they hired Pete Vuckovich as a special assistant to GM Jack Zduriencik. The former Cy Young Award winner had worked on and off of the field for the Pirates in various roles since 1992. Vuckovich, now 58, won the 1982 American League Cy Young Award with the Brewers.
- Jon Heyman of SI.com is hearing John Hart's name as a possibility for the Orioles' GM job (Twitter link). Hart, the former GM of the Indians and Rangers, is close to Orioles manager Buck Showalter, which helps his candidacy.
NL Central Notes: Berkman, Cards, Myers, Pagnozzi
Some news from the NL Central…
- Lance Berkman could be targeted by the Brewers as a replacement for Prince Fielder, opines Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link). I'd suspect that Berkman will get a lot of interest from teams that miss out on Fielder and Albert Pujols this winter.
- Berkman, Rafael Furcal and, of course, Pujols are the biggest question marks for the Cardinals heading into the offseason, writes MLB.com's Matthew Leach, but overall, Leach thinks the 2012 Cards will look much like the 2011 team. Both Leach and Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch indicate that the Cardinals' bullpen is stable, but the team could add another left-handed reliever. Gordon notes that Arthur Rhodes wants to return to St. Louis next year.
- Brett Myers could be trade bait after the season, but MLB.com's Brian McTaggart thinks the Astros could do worse than holding onto Myers to eat innings and provide a veteran presence in the rotation. McTaggart also discusses the Astros' proposed shift to the American League and the Carlos Lee/Brett Wallace first base situation as part of this fan mailbag.
- Chip Bailey of the Houston Chronicle suggests a few areas where the young Astros could look to add veteran parts for next season.
- The Pirates claimed catcher Matt Pagnozzi off waivers from the Rockies yesterday, but Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweets that the Bucs originally tried to get Pagnozzi in June before instead acquiring Michael McKenry from Boston. Biertempfel also says the Pirates are looking at Pagnozzi just as a possible backup in 2012, not as a starter (Twitter link).
- With the Brewers so close to the playoffs, Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel wonders why Fielder and Francisco Rodriguez chose to discuss their likely departure and displeasure with not closing games, respectively.
- Ben Nicholson-Smith delivered another set of NL Central news items earlier today on MLBTR.
NL Central Notes: Fielder, Cubs, Cardinals, Pirates
The Brewers have a 99.8% chance of going to the postseason and the Cardinals have a 4.5% chance of advancing, according to Baseball Prospectus' playoff odds report. Meanwhile, the Astros, Cubs and Pirates are setting themselves up for top ten picks in next year's draft. Here's the latest from the NL Central…
- Prince Fielder told Colin Fly of the AP that nothing has changed regarding his status with the Brewers (link via the Miami Herald). Fielder told TBS that this is probably his last season with the Brewers, but many people around the game have been saying that for over a year now.
- Casey Coleman has two starts remaining to remind the Cubs what he's capable of heading into 2012, Gordon Wittenmyer writes at the Chicago Sun-Times.
- The Cardinals’ biggest trade of the summer paid off in last night’s win against the Pirates, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes. They obtained 24 outs from Edwin Jackson, Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepczynski, the trio of pitchers GM John Mozeliak obtained for Colby Rasmus.
- The Pirates secured another losing season with the loss and Bill Brink of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sums up Pittsburgh's up-and-down year nicely: "They traveled to the same destination for the 19th year in a row, but this season, the Pirates took the scenic route."
Pirates Claim Matt Pagnozzi
The Pirates announced that they claimed catcher Matt Pagnozzi off of waivers from the Rockies. To create 40-man roster space for Pagnozzi, who was designated for assignment on Sunday, the Pirates transferred Steve Pearce to the 60-day disabled list.
Pagnozzi has spent parts of three seasons in the Major Leagues, including seven games in 2011. The 28-year-old spent most of the season at Triple-A Colorado Springs, where he posted a .275/.337/.421 line in 198 plate appearances. Baseball America named Pagnozzi the best defensive catcher in the Cardinals' minor league system entering the 2009 season.
MLBTR's Tim Dierkes predicts that the Pirates will decline their options for catchers Ryan Doumit and Chris Snyder this offseason. In that context, Neal Huntington's claim makes sense; the Pirates obtain depth heading into 2012.
Quick Hits: McCutchen, Upton, Cameron
15 years ago today, the Mariners' acquisition of third baseman Dave Hollins was completed when they sent a 20-year-old first baseman named David Ortiz Arias to the Twins. Arias had just hit .322/.390/.511 for the Low-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. By the following year Ortiz had dropped the Arias in his name and earned a September call-up. Ortiz posted a .266/.348/.461 line in 455 games spanning 1997-2002 with Minnesota, battling wrist and knee injuries. After the '02 season the Blue Jays reportedly expressed interest in Ortiz, but ultimately the Twins non-tendered him in lieu of a raise from his $950K salary. New Red Sox GM Theo Epstein signed Big Papi for $1.25MM, and the rest is history. Today's links…
- The Pirates are far apart in contract talks with Andrew McCutchen, reports ESPN's Jim Bowden. Bowden feels that a six-year deal in the $47-49MM range, plus a club option, would be a fair compromise. In my opinion, there's a good case to be made for a McCutchen contract to exceed the $51.25MM Justin Upton received over six years in March of 2010. McCutchen has played in over 100 more games than Upton had at that point, their offensive lines are very similar, and McCutchen plays center field.
- ESPN's Keith Law discusses MLB's European presence and what must be done for further growth.
- Answering a question from Craig Heist of WTOP about playing in Washington, Rays center fielder B.J. Upton said he'd love to remain in Tampa Bay but otherwise would like to play for the Nationals with old friend Ryan Zimmerman. You can follow Craig on Twitter here; MLB.com's Bill Ladson transcribed the discussion. Upton is heading into his last arbitration year and projects for a $7MM salary.
- MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo names 20 young, next generation GM candidates. To check out MLBTR's top 20 plus honorable mentions, click here.
- Mike Cameron was consistently one of the best players in baseball when he was on the field, writes Dave Cameron of FanGraphs.
- The Orioles will try Chris Davis at third base for the rest of the season, reports Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. The 25-year-old was a key piece of the July 30th Koji Uehara trade with Texas. With Mark Reynolds getting comfortable at first base, it's conceivable that the Orioles will sit out the corner infielder bidding this winter.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports chronicles how Joey Gathright went from being managed by Jose Canseco as a member of the independent league Yuma Scorpions to a minor league deal with the Red Sox.
NL Central Notes: Berkman, Samardzija, Jocketty
Aramis Ramirez, whose solo homer helped the Cubs beat the Reds tonight, will be looking for a multiyear deal this offseason. Here’s the latest from his division, with updates on his current club and the team that first signed him…
- There's no guarantee that Lance Berkman will be back in St. Louis next year, Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes (on Twitter). Berkman has leverage, so a new deal is not a "slam dunk."
- For more on the Cardinals’ offseason plans, click here.
- The Cubs have held internal discussions about Jeff Samardzija as a candidate for the starting rotation, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. The Cubs have less rotation depth than they did earlier this year, as Wittenmyer explains. The right-hander has started five MLB games, but all 69 of his 2011 appearances have been in relief.
- Reds GM Walt Jocketty told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com that he doesn't want to discuss his contract, which expires after the 2011 season. "It's not for public consumption,” he said. “It's not worth commenting on it."
- MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes discussed the free agent prospects of Reds catcher Ramon Hernandez earlier today.
- The Pirates have notified their Venezuelan academy that they're going to end their lease and stop participating in the Venezuelan Summer League, according to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com. Pittsburgh will field two teams in the Dominican Summer League next year, however.
Quick Hits: Red Sox, Dodgers, Peavy, Bauer
Sunday night linkage..
- Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter) wonders if the Red Sox might pursue pitching for the final stretch, even though anyone acquired wouldn't be eligible for the postseason.
- Surprisingly, patience seems to be the new trend in baseball when it comes to GMs, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. This morning, the Pirates announced that they have extended GM Neal Huntington's contract through 2014.
- Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said yesterday that the club won't undergo any major changes this winter and Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times is less-than-enthused.
- The White Sox are shutting down starter Jake Peavy in hopes that rest will help the 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner return to full strength next year, according to the Associated Press. Peavy underwent shoulder surgery on July 14, 2010 and the right-hander posted a 4.92 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9.
- The Diamondbacks might promote top prospects Trevor Bauer and Jarrod Parker to experience the playoff race as they prepare for 2012, tweets Peter Gammons of the MLB Network.
Poll: Pirates Extension Of Neal Huntington
This morning, the Pirates announced that they extended GM Neal Huntington's contract through 2014 with a club option for 2015. In his four years on the job, the Bucs' farm system has gotten an infusion of talent and the club has shown that they are willing to spend on the draft. Most recently, the Pirates gave sizeable deals right-hander Gerrit Cole and outfielder Josh Bell. Pittsburgh also saw success on the major league level as they briefly sat atop the NL Central in late July before a slide in August.
While it appears that the club is headed in the right direction, the Pirates' record in three full seasons under Huntington's watch has been 186-299. Unless they practically run the table to close out the season, this year will mark the team's 19th consecutive losing campaign.
All things considered, do you agree with the Pirates three-year extension of Huntington's contract?
Do You Agree With Huntington's Three Year Extension?
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Yes 70% (3,233)
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No 30% (1,376)
Total votes: 4,609
Pirates Extend Neal Huntington
The Pirates have extended GM Neal Huntington's contract through 2014, according to a team release. The three-year extension also includes a club option for 2015.
Huntington, 42, was hired by Pittsburgh in September 2007, and has added young talent such as Jose Tabata, Pedro Alvarez, Jameson Taillon, and Gerrit Cole to the organization over the last few years. Although the team's streak of losing seasons will reach 19 in 2011, Pittsburgh stayed in contention well into the summer, and will retain a solid core of players going forward.
"While there is still much work to be done," said Pirates chairman Bob Nutting. "Neal and his staff have done an exceptional job of overhauling the scouting and development systems while building a strong foundation by aggressively acquiring talent through all possible avenues. We have begun to see that positive impact on the Major League level this season and expect that improvement to continue as we execute our plan in building a winning organization."
To revisit the signings and trades Huntington has made since he became the Pirates GM, check out MLBTR's Transaction Tracker.
Cafardo’s Latest: Epstein, Nationals, Ethier, D. Lee
With October fast approaching, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe polled experts around the league on the relative strength of the potential playoff teams. As expected, the Phillies topped the list, but the experts' choice for the second-best team may surprise you. Check out Cafardo's piece for the full rankings, along with quotes on each club, as we run down the hot stove highlights from the rest of the column:
- The "baseball community has not dropped" rumors that Theo Epstein could be in the mix for the Cubs' GM opening, says Cafardo. I'd be pretty shocked if Epstein ended up in the Windy City, but if he did, Boston's search for a replacement would probably have them considering many of the same candidates being linked to the Cubs.
- League rules require the Nationals to conduct a managerial search that includes minority candidates this offseason. However, that process may be merely a formality; the team seems very likely to simply retain Davey Johnson for 2012, if he wants to return.
- While GM Ned Colletti has said the Dodgers are prioritizing long-term deals for Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, the Dodgers' financial situation isn't entirely clear, leading Cafardo to speculate that Ethier will be a trade candidate this winter.
- As we heard last weekend, Clint Hurdle would like to see Derrek Lee in a Pirates uniform next season. Michael Sanserino of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has more on that possibility.