Heyman On Minaya, White Sox, D’Backs
The 63-62 Mets likely need a “big finish” for GM Omar Minaya to return in the same role next year, people familiar with the team tell Jon Heyman of SI.com. Minaya’s contract guarantees him about $1MM in 2011 and the same amount in 2012, but the Mets would still consider firing or reassigning Minaya. Here are the details on the Mets, plus the rest of Heyman’s rumors:
- Disappointing and expensive Minaya additions like Jason Bay and Francisco Rodriguez aren’t doing their GM any favors. Mets execs haven’t been impressed with all of Minaya’s major signings.
- Heyman lists Kevin Towers, Pat Gillick and in-house candidates John Ricco and Wayne Krivsky as potential replacements for Minaya.
- A person connected to the White Sox says the team offered the Dodgers two proposals for Manny Ramirez at the end of July, but received no counter-offers. Ken Rosenthal reported today that the White Sox will claim Manny if he reaches them on waivers.
- Heyman says it would be “a surprise if Kirk Gibson isn't retained” as D’Backs manager next year. Interim GM Jerry Dipoto also has a “decent chance” of keeping his job.
D’Backs Release Bobby Crosby
The Diamondbacks released infielder Bobby Crosby to create roster space for Ryan Roberts, according to the team. Crosby, who was acquired in the Chris Snyder trade, spent less than a month in Arizona.
Crosby, 30, hit .220/.294/.298 in 189 plate appearances with the Pirates and D'Backs this year. His best seasons came with the Athletics, starting in 2004 when he won the American League Rookie of the Year award. He followed his rookie season up with a .276/.346/.456 line in 2005, but missed considerable time with injuries as a member of the A's and hasn't been able to reinvigorate his career since.
Odds & Ends: Heilman, Overbay, Delgado, Reds
As Nationals fans cross their fingers about Stephen Strasburg, here's some news from around the majors…
- Aaron Heilman is looking forward to his first taste of free agency, reports MLB.com's Andrew Pentis. Heilman said that he and his agent hadn't had any talks yet with the Diamondbacks about a new contract.
- Lyle Overbay thinks he has a chance of returning to the Blue Jays next season, writes Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. Given the Overbay trade rumors we've been hearing all year, this would certainly be a surprise, especially since the Jays have given Adam Lind a few starts at first recently.
- Carlos Delgado has been placed on the seven-day disabled list by the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox, reports Sportsnet New York's Ben Wagner (via Twitter). Delgado is experiencing soreness in his back and left hip, not his twice-operated on right hip. The slugger signed a minor league contract with Boston on August 7.
- Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News thinks the Reds should "make signing Bronson Arroyo a priority," implies that 2010 is Ramon Hernandez's last year in Cincinnati and gives some other opinions in a fan mailbag.
- Was Khalil Greene the biggest loss for the Rangers this season? Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News thinks so, given the team's ongoing depth problems.
- Ricky Nolasco's contract extension talks with the Marlins may be on hold. Josh Friedman and Craig Mish of The Ticket 790AM radio report (via Twitter) that the Florida right-hander may miss the rest of the season with a partially-torn meniscus.
- Dontrelle Willis has been promoted to Triple-A Fresno, and Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News tweets that Willis is a candidate to join the Giants when the rosters expand on September 1.
- LaTroy Hawkins will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder, reports MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. It's unknown if the scope will reveal more severe damage, but Hawkins says he plans on pitching in 2011. Since signing a two-year, $7.5MM contract with Milwaukee last December, the injury-plagued Hawkins has made just 18 appearances for the Brewers, posting an 8.44 ERA.
Diamondbacks Sign Mike Hampton
The Diamondbacks have signed Mike Hampton to a minor-league contract, according to a team press release. Hampton will be assigned to Arizona's Triple-A franchise in Reno.
When last we heard from Hampton, he was set to miss the entire 2010 season after undergoing surgery on his left rotator cuff. It was just the latest in a series of health setbacks for Hampton, who made just 25 total starts between 2005 and 2008 due to a variety of injuries, including Tommy John surgery. Hampton is a two-time All-Star, but the southpaw is best known for the eight-year, $121MM deal he signed with Colorado before the 2001 season that is often included in "worst contract ever" discussions.
According to Jack Magruder of FOXSportsArizona.com (Twitter link), Hampton will start for Reno on Monday but pitch just the first inning, as Hampton is being converted to relief pitching. Hampton threw a 60-pitch bullpen session for the Snakes on Wednesday and D'Backs GM Jerry Dipoto told Magruder that Hampton will be a "positive influence" on his younger teammates (both Twitter links).
Rosenthal On Uggla, Cubs, D’Backs, Ramirez
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com has some hot stove items to share in his latest Full Count video…
- Contract negotiations between Dan Uggla and the Marlins are "not off to a great start." Rosenthal reports that the Marlins are offering a three-year contract but Uggla wants a five-year pact. We heard last week that the Marlins were offering a three-year, $30MM deal, but Rosenthal guesses that Uggla is looking for something in the range of $55-60MM over the desired five years.
- The Cubs' "number-one need" in the offseason is a left-handed power bat at either first base or right field, with Tyler Colvin available to play the other position.
- Starting pitching is also a need for the Cubs, as Rosenthal says the team wants to bring in at least one new starter "regardless of what they do with Carlos Zambrano." One option could be to bring back a recently-traded ace — Rosenthal says Chicago "still has a lot of interest in Ted Lilly."
- Arizona president and CEO Derrick Hall says "it would be crazy" to not interview other manager and general manager candidates despite the fact that he's happy with the work done by interim manager Kirk Gibson and interim GM Jerry Dipoto. Hall says he will start a GM search at the beginning of September, with Dipoto "at the top of [the] list." Rosenthal expects Kevin Towers, Dodgers assistant GM Logan White and Yankees vice-president Damon Oppenheimer to all draw interest from the Diamondbacks, though New York would have to grant Arizona permission to talk to Oppenheimer.
- Now that Manny Ramirez is off the disabled list, Rosenthal provided an update to his news from last week about the possibility of Ramirez on the waiver wire. The Dodgers will wait to put Ramirez on waivers since teams will want to make sure that he is both healthy and hitting well. Rosenthal repeats that the White Sox are the club "most likely" to put in a claim for Ramirez, since the Sox "don't like Brad Hawpe all that much" and they doubt that Detroit would trade them Johnny Damon.
Odds & Ends: Red Sox, Dobbs, Paulino, Hawpe
Links for Saturday, as Ubaldo Jimenez prepares for his third attempt at his 18th win….
- Alex Speier of WEEI spoke to Red Sox draftees Anthony Ranaudo and Brandon Workman about their down to the wire negotiations.
- Greg Dobbs has cleared waivers and accepted a minor league assignment, tweets Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Phillies designated Dobbs for assignment earlier this week.
- After sending Conor Jackson back to the disabled list, the Athletics could use another bat, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal notes that the market for right-handed hitters is fairly thin.
- Despite being suspended 50 games for a drug policy violation, Ronny Paulino could be back with the Marlins next year, writes Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
- As Jim Tracy tells Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post, Brad Hawpe's DFA doesn't mean the 31-year-old will never be a Rockie again.
- A few Reds who spoke to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon are hoping Dusty Baker will accept the team's extension offer.
- Recently-acquired Joe Saunders is excited about the future in Arizona, according to Jim Gintonio of the Arizona Republic.
Poll: Adam LaRoche’s Future
Adam LaRoche has cleared waivers and could still be traded in the next ten days, but he reportedly isn't drawing much interest. The lack of interest is a bit of a surprise, since LaRoche's numbers are in line with his career norms, and he's traditionally a very strong player after the All-Star break. For his career, his .910 second-half OPS dwarfs his .776 first-half figure.
With LaRoche seemingly unlikely to be moved, the Diamondbacks have had preliminary discussions about extending his contract. The 30-year-old signed a one-year deal with a $7.5MM mutual option ($1.5MM buyout) for 2011. The two sides may just decide to exercise the option, but if LaRoche wants longer-term security, he could sign an extension with the D'Backs or turn down the option (forfeiting the buyout) in search of a multi-year deal elsewhere.
What does Adam LaRoche's future hold?
Adam LaRoche Not Drawing Much Interest
The Diamondbacks can trade Adam LaRoche to any team now that he has cleared waivers, but he isn't drawing much interest, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). That's a little surprising given the first baseman's 21 homers and .273/.340/.493 line, but it won't concern the D'Backs.
As Jack Magruder of FOXSportsArizona.com reported yesterday, the sides have had preliminary discussions about an extension. There's mutual interest in working out a deal, though talks have been general so far. Rosenthal adds that the D'Backs would prefer to sign LaRoche to a favorable extension and move prospect Brandon Allen to left field (Twitter link).
LaRoche makes about $1.1MM between now and the end of the season and there's a $1.5MM buyout on the team's 2011 option to take into consideration, too.
D’Backs, LaRoche Exploring Contract Extension
The Diamondbacks and first baseman Adam LaRoche are in "very preliminary" discussions about an extension that would keep LaRoche in the desert past his current deal's expiry date after the 2011 season, reports Jack Magruder of FOXSportsArizona.com.
LaRoche signed a one-year, $4.5MM contract with the Snakes in January that carries a mutual option worth $7.5MM for 2011. The buyout of that mutual option is worth $1.5MM, thus costing Arizona $6MM overall for a first baseman who has posted a solid .840 OPS in 464 plate appearances while battling some lingering quad and knee injuries.
The extension talk is a bit surprising given that LaRoche's name has popped up in trade rumors virtually all season long thanks to Arizona's quick plunge to the bottom of the NL West. LaRoche, who will turn 31 on November 6, cleared trade waivers yesterday and could be moved to any team, though a trade would increase the value of his mutual option to $9.5MM. Magruder notes, however, that since the D'Backs have already moved Dan Haren, Edwin Jackson and Chris Snyder, those deals freed up enough payroll for the club to try and keep LaRoche in the fold.
Adam LaRoche Clears Waivers
Adam LaRoche cleared waivers, so the D'Backs can now trade him to any team, according to John Gambadoro of KTAR.com (on Twitter). The 30-year-old, who was traded twice last year, has a .272/.339/.489 line with 20 homers this season. That line is virtually identical to LaRoche's career averages, so this level of production seems sustainable.
The D'Backs owe LaRoche $1.15MM between now and the end of the season, plus a $1.5MM buyout on a $7.5MM mutual option for 2011 (the option climbs in value to $9.5MM after a trade). LaRoche currently projects to be a Type B free agent after the season, though there's no guarantee that his team will offer arbitration.
The Red Sox had interest in left-handed first basemen early in the month and the Rays and White Sox could also have interest in LaRoche's bat. Here's MLBTR's complete list of players who have cleared waivers.