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Phillies Acquire Stefan Jarrin

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The Phillies announced that they have acquired infielder Stefan Jarrin from the Dodgers. The move completes the July 31st trade that sent Shane Victorino to Los Angeles for Ethan Martin, Josh Lindblom and player to be named or cash.

Jarrin, 22, spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons with the Dodgers' Rookie ball affiliate. The 2011 40th round selection has a .211/.309/.336 batting line in 175 plate appearances over the course of two seasons with the Arizona League Dodgers. He played one game at shortstop but has spent most of his professional career at second base. Jaime Jarrin, the Hall of Fame Spanish language broadcaster of the Dodgers, is Stefan Jarrin's grandfather.

Bottom Nine Teams Obtain Protected Picks

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For MLB teams to obtain a protected first round draft pick in 2013, they will have to finish this year with one of the nine worst records in baseball. Though the top ten draft choices are protected under the sport’s new collective bargaining agreement, one of those selections will go to the Pirates, who did not sign their 2012 first round pick, Mark Appel. This means the nine teams with the worst records in baseball will have protected first round selections in 2013, MLB confirmed to MLBTR.

MLB determines the order of its amateur draft by upending the order of the previous year’s standings. As MLBTR’s Reverse Standings page shows, the Astros, Cubs, Rockies, Twins, Indians, Marlins, Blue Jays, Red Sox and Royals would obtain protected draft picks if the season ended today. The Mets, Marlins and Padres could obtain protected draft picks depending on the results of the season’s final week.

Teams must forfeit a draft pick to sign a free agent who declined a qualifying offer from his former club. If a team's first round pick is protected, the team will forfeit its next highest selection.

“A Club that signs one Qualified Free Agent who is subject to compensation shall forfeit its highest available selection in the next Rule 4 Draft,” the CBA reads. “Notwithstanding the above, a Club shall not be required to forfeit a selection in the top ten of the first round.”

Top first round selections are especially valuable under baseball’s CBA. Not only does a top-ten draft choice provide teams with a wider selection of players, it assures them of a protected pick, regardless of what happens in free agency. 

While the top ten selections cannot be forfeited as draft pick compensation, picks from 11 on are vulnerable. This year finishing with the tenth-worst record in MLB won't be enough to obtain a protected pick.

Twins Release Tsuyoshi Nishioka

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The Twins announced that they have unconditionally released Tsuyoshi Nishioka at the infielder's request. Nishioka had been under contract for 2013, but he will relieve the Twins of the $3.25MM remaining on his contract. Nishioka thanked his fans and the Twins in a statement released by the team.

"I take full responsibility for my performance which was below my own expectations," Nishioka said. "At this time, I have made the decision that it is time to part ways. I have no regrets and know that only through struggle can a person grow stronger."

Nishioka signed a three-year, $9MM contract with the Twins before the 2011 season. The Twins are no longer responsible for his $3MM salary in 2013 or for the $250K buyout on his 2014 contract option.

Nishioka, 28, appeared in 68 games with the Twins last year but missed considerable time with a broken leg suffered early in the season. He has spent most of the 2012 season at Triple-A, where he posted a .258/.315/.324 batting line in 431 plate appearances.

It's rare for an MLB player to pass up guaranteed money. Royals starter Gil Meche walked away from $12MM before the 2011 season.

Colletti On Gonzalez, Crawford, Mattingly

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Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti confirmed that he and manager Don Mattingly will return in 2013, Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com reports. The GM also reflected on the eventful 2012 season in an extended interview with Bloom. Here are some highlights…

  • Colletti explained that the team’s midseason trades should help the team in 2013 and beyond, regardless of whether the Dodgers make the playoffs this year. “When we made these trades, we thought that these players were going to be with us for a while,” Colletti said.
  • The GM said he'll be pleased if Gonzalez can continue producing at this clip for the remainder of his Dodgers career. Gonzalez has a .276/.328/.431 batting line with 21 RBI in 134 plate appearances.
  • There’s a chance Carl Crawford will open the 2013 season with the Dodgers, Colletti said. The left fielder’s throwing arm should be at full strength by May, but he could open the season with the club if he’s progressing well.
  • Colletti said it’s been a great experience working with the Dodgers’ new ownership group, including veteran MLB executive Stan Kasten. “He's someone who understands baseball very well,” Colletti said. “He's been in the game for three decades.” 
  • Manager Don Mattingly succeeds for a variety of reasons, Colletti said. “He continues to learn every day. He's open-minded. He's ultra-competitive. And a very hard worker.”

Drew Could Return To A’s In 2013

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No one with the Athletics is discounting the possibility of bringing Stephen Drew back for another season, even though most believe his $10MM option would be overly expensive, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Drew’s contract includes a $10MM mutual option for 2013 ($1.35MM buyout) and even if he hasn’t considered his options thoroughly, he’s open to the idea of returning.

“I know I have an option and I've got to sit down and discuss it with my family,” Drew told Slusser. “So far, I haven't really thought about it, I just want help this team win."

Many baseball people believe the 29-year-old would be wise to explore his options in free agency, Slusser reports. Shortstops are at a premium, so one person suggested the market for a player such as Drew would be “robust.” He appears to have recovered from the ankle injury that sidelined him for the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012, posting a .269/.331/.400 batting line with Oakland since being acquired from Arizona on August 20th.

Managerial Notes: Porter, Marlins, Red Sox

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The Astros officially named Bo Porter their next manager today, publicly endorsing his experience and leadership skills. "He brings an energy to the clubhouse that is contagious and a teaching and motivating style that is appropriate for players of all ages and tenures," GM Jeff Luhnow said in a statement from the team. Here are more managerial notes from around MLB, starting with Porter and the Astros…

  • The Astros will wait until Porter finishes his season with the Nationals before making any decisions about the coaching staff, writes Clark Goble of MLB.com.  Porter will also be among those involved in the construction of the staff, according to Luhnow.  Interim manager Tony DeFrancesco will have a role with the club, but it's not yet known what that will involve.
  • The Astros considered a long list of candidates for the position before interviewing nine candidates, narrowing the list to four finalists and selecting Porter. Interim manager Tony DeFrancesco was another finalist for the position, according to the team.
  • The Nationals allowed Porter to meet with the Astros despite his obvious value in D.C., general manager Mike Rizzo said in a statement issued by the team. “He is smart, talented, and as fiery a competitor as there is in the game today,” Rizzo said.
  • The Marlins talked extensively about Porter, a former Miami coach, as a possible replacement for Ozzie Guillen, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports (on Twitter).
  • Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington hasn’t officially said that Bobby Valentine will be dismissed at the end of the regular season, but he discussed the logistics of searching for a manager in an appearance on WEEI’s the Dennis & Callahan show (transcript via Kirk Minihane). “One of the things, as I look back at last offseason, that didn't go perfectly was simply the amount of time that we spent on the manager search and what that did to the rest of the offseason. I would like to spend less time on it this offseason, that's for sure." Though Cherington didn’t quite say Valentine is getting fired, there’s not that much room for interpretation here.

Alomar Favored To Obtain Indians Position

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4:16pm: Francona has already had preliminary contact with the Indians, sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  However, Rosenthal writes that the Tribe may not be able to pay the former Red Sox skipper enough to make him walk from his job as an analyst for ESPN.  Francona earned an average annual salary of $4MM in his final contract with Boston.

3:22pm: Indians interim manager Sandy Alomar Jr. is the favorite to obtain the permanent managerial position, according to multiple reports. Alomar is the “heavy favorite” to obtain the permanent job, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer calls Alomar the "leading candidate" and notes that former Red Sox manager Terry Francona is another possibility for the position, which opened up this afternoon when the Indians dismissed Manny Acta (Twitter link). 

Francona told Heyman he loves working for ESPN, but would “have to think about it” if the right opportunity emerged. However, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe suggests Francona would want to go somewhere he could win right away (Twitter link). Before managing in Boston, Francona spent the 2001 season in Cleveland’s front office.

Meanwhile, general manager Chris Antonetti still has the support of team president Mark Shapiro and CEO Paul Dolan, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports (Twitter link).

Heyman On Francona, Red Sox

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One managerial job was filled today, but hours later another one opened up. The Astros officially announced that they’ll make Bo Porter their next manager just a few hours before Manny Acta was dismissed in Cleveland. Here are some notes on MLB managers from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com…

  • Francona’s name has surfaced in insider circles as a possible manager for the Indians or Tigers, Heyman reports. "I'm really uncomfortable talking about any jobs," Francona said, acknowledging he'd consider certain opportunities. Sandy Alomar Jr. is favored for the position in Cleveland, however.
  • Ben Cherington’s comments on WEEI seemed to suggest the Red Sox would be searching for a manager again this offseason, but the GM told Heyman he didn’t mean to allude to Bobby Valentine during his radio interview this morning. "It had nothing to do with Bobby,” Cherington said. “But if it came across that way, my mistake.''

Indians Dismiss Manny Acta

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Cleveland's second half slide cost Manny Acta his job. The Indians announced that they've dismissed Acta and replaced him with Sandy Alomar Jr. on an interim basis for the remainder of the 2012 season.

"Managerial changes are never easy or taken lightly, but as we approached the end of the season and turned our attention to assessing the year, we determined a change was necessary,” GM Chris Antonetti said in a statement.

The Indians have a 65-91 record, including an American League-worst 21-50 record in the second half. In three seasons under Acta, Cleveland has a 214-266 record.

The Indians will immediately start searching for a permanent replacement and Alomar will be a candidate for the full-time position. The 46-year-old former MLB star joined the Indians' coaching staff in 2010 following a 20-year playing career. The Indians announced that they aren't making further changes to the coaching staff during the season.

Angels Notes: Isringhausen, Greinke, Weaver

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The Angels trail the Athletics by two games with one week remaining in the regular season schedule. Here are some notes on the team’s offseason plans from Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com…

  • Reliever Jason Isringhausen estimates that there’s a 70% chance he’ll retire after the season, Gonzalez reports. Isringhausen said he misses his family but added "there's no telling what will happen once I get home." 
  • Right-hander Jered Weaver indicated that he won’t mind if the Angels sign Zack Greinke to a contract that’s larger than his five-year, $85MM deal. "Whatever they have to do to make our team better," Weaver said. Greinke, the top free agent starter available this offseason, figures to obtain a contract worth $100MM-plus.
  • Weaver would have been a free agent this winter if he hadn’t re-signed with the Angels, but he sounds content to have a contract in place. "That's why I got my deal done a year ago," he said.

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