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Marlins Notes: Guillen, Lee, Third Base

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Marlins president David Samson has said he can’t “imagine being in the game" without president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest, but it's clear that the entire Marlins front office is under scrutiny following a disappointing season in Miami. Here’s the latest as the club prepares for the offseason…

  • Manager Ozzie Guillen seems like a safe bet to return in 2013, but there’s a perception among some rival evaluators that the Marlins aren’t competitive this month, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney writes. Guillen is in the first year of a four-year contract and isn’t exempt from scrutiny himself.
  • Ken Rosenthal reported today that the Marlins seem more likely to make front office changes than replace Guillen.
  • The Marlins will talk to Carlos Lee’s representatives about what it would take to bring the first baseman back for 2013, Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post reports. It’s more likely that the Marlins will move Logan Morrison to first base, however.
  • The Marlins want a legitimate power bat at third base, especially if they open the season with Donovan Solano at second. Miami is expected to consider a variety of options for third base, Capozzi writes.

Managerial Notes: Girardi, Dodgers, Marlins

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The Astros are the only team currently looking for a manager, but within a few weeks there’s a good chance other MLB teams will be in the market for managers of their own. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports lists those who could be managing for their jobs between now and the end of the regular season. Here are the highlights…

  • Joe Girardi of the Yankees is a good manager who doesn’t deserve to be fired, Rosenthal writes. However, Girardi’s job security will be in question if the Yankees don’t win the AL East.
  • It’d be reasonable to ask if Jim Leyland got enough out of the Tigers roster if Detroit misses the postseason. The Tigers could decide it’s time for a change after seven seasons under Leyland, Rosenthal writes.
  • Though Mike Scioscia is under contract through 2018, Angels owner Arte Moreno would be disappointed to miss the playoffs after an offseason of aggressive moves.
  • The Dodgers will likely pursue a contract extension with manager Don Mattingly no matter how their season ends, Rosenthal reports.
  • Bobby Valentine won’t be back in Boston. If the Red Sox can’t pry John Farrell away from the Blue Jays, they’ll have to look elsewhere for a replacement.
  • Some Marlins people believe their season started deteriorating when Guillen spoke publicly about Fidel Castro in April. However, it appears more likely the Marlins will re-structure their front office than fire Guillen.
  • Rosenthal suggests Terry Francona could be a fit in Cleveland if the Indians dismiss Manny Acta following their disappointing second half. Francona will likely have options elsewhere and he might be prohibitively expensive for Cleveland.
  • Fredi Gonzalez probably won’t have to worry about his job security as long as the Braves make the playoffs.

Orioles, Showalter Expected To Discuss Extension

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Not only have the Orioles officially ended their streak of 14 consecutive losing seasons, they retain a share of the AL East lead with an 81-62 record. Manager Buck Showalter is under contract for 2013, but the Orioles could look to sign him to an extension that covers additional seasons, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports. 

The Orioles want Showalter to stay and though there’s no timetable for extension talks, they could take place over the winter or during the 2013 season. Neither side has broached the subject of an extension so far, Kubatko reports. However, Showalter has no interest in discussing an extension with just 19 games remaining in the regular season. A high-ranking Orioles official told Kubatko Showalter has done enough to earn an extension when the time comes to discuss one. 

"We don't want him to leave,” the person said. “We want him to stay and he's going to stay. He's a special guy."

Showalter joined the Orioles toward the end of the 2010 season and led the team to a 69-93 record last year. His contract runs through 2013.

Samson Talks Ozzie, Beinfest, Hanley

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Marlins president David Samson said executives, coaches and players share responsibility for the team’s disappointing season, Barry Bloom of MLB.com reports. Samson also discussed the team’s recent trades and potential next moves in the interview with Bloom. Here are the highlights:

  • Samson characterized manager Ozzie Guillen’s first year on the job as disappointing. “It just didn't turn out the way we thought it would when we drew it up,” he said. “That's how life goes sometimes.”
  • Samson said he can’t “imagine being in the game" without president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest. However, he stopped short of saying Beinfest has complete job security. Owner Jeffrey Loria will evaluate all of his employees after the season, Beinfest included.
  • The Marlins traded Hanley Ramirez, their longtime star, because they felt it was time to move on without him. “We just realized we couldn't win with him. It was that simple,” Samson said.
  • Owner Jeffrey Loria said he’s asked his staff for recommendations and will start making evaluations toward the end of the season. Loria declined to speak about Guillen and Beinfest in specifics earlier in the week.

Rafael Soriano Likely To Opt Out

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There’s a good chance Rafael Soriano will exercise the opt-out clause in his contract with the Yankees after the season and hit free agency early, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. Soriano must choose between another year in New York with a salary of $14MM and opting out for a $1.5MM buyout and the uncertainty of the open market.

Yankees people believe they have a very solid relationship with Soriano, who’s a client of the Boras Corporation. Team executives aren’t convinced he’d opt out and pass up $14MM, according to Heyman. If Soriano opts out, the Yankees can still make him a qualifying offer valued at $13MM-plus and link him to draft pick compensation.

Mariano Rivera will hit free agency this offseason, but if he re-signs with the Yankees he’d presumably have the closer’s job and push Soriano into a setup role. The sides could also work out a multiyear deal with the idea that Soriano could set up in 2013 and close after that, Heyman writes.

Soriano, 32, signed a three-year, $35MM contract with New York following the 2010 season. He has a 2.17 ERA with 9.3 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 and 37 saves in 58 innings so far in 2012.

Red Sox Notes: Henry, Lucchino, Youkilis

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The Red Sox aren’t for sale despite some rumors to the contrary. Here’s the latest from Boston…

  • Red Sox owner John Henry insisted that the team is not for sale, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports. "A sale of any kind is so far from our thinking it hasn't even come up apart from technical planning issues involving death or disability. [The FOX Business Network] report is completely without foundation," he said.
  • Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino said on WEEI’s Dennis & Callahan Show that he intends to continue with the team after 2012. "This is the place I call home," Lucchino said (transcript via Kirk Minihane of WEEI). "I hope to be here for the foreseeable future. I've got no plans to go anywhere else."
  • Henry said on WEEI that Lucchino has signed a contract extension, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports (on Twitter). Lucchino's contract had been set to expire following the 2012 season.
  • The Red Sox are without a long-term solution at first base after trading Adrian Gonzalez to Los Angeles, so Alex Speier of WEEI.com previews the free agent market at the position. Speier suggests it's unlikely Kevin Youkilis would re-sign with the Red Sox, even if Bobby Valentine is no longer the team's manager. Youkilis will hit free agency if the White Sox decline their $13MM club option after the season.

Lucchino: Red Sox Not For Sale

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The owners of the Red Sox are considering selling the team and have quietly started shopping it to possible buyers, Charlie Gasparino of the FOX Business Network reports. However, Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino said on WEEI’s Dennis & Callahan Show said the team’s owners are not contemplating a sale.

"Nonsense," Lucchino said (transcript via Kirk Minihane of WEEI). "As I said, they feel the same kind of competitive juices that the fans feel, that I feel. There's an opportunity here to put the team back on the track it was on for a decade. … There has not been one word, one word of discussion regarding that. We are committed, better or worse."

The Red Sox would be seeking $1.3 billion for the team, according to Gasparino’s sources. The Padres recently sold for $800MM and Dodgers recently sold for a record $2 billion. In that context it'd be surprising if the Red Sox didn't seek to match the Dodgers' sale price of $2 billion. A group led by John Henry & Tom Werner has owned the Red Sox since 2001.

Jonathan Lucroy Projected To Miss Super Two Cutoff

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Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy projects to fall short of super two status by three days this coming offseason. It would cost him the chance at $2MM. The structure of Lucroy’s contract would change if he qualifies as a super two player this offseason, but it doesn’t look like he’ll have enough service time to earn the designation and the money that accompanies it. 

Lucroy will finish the 2012 season with two years and 134 days of service time and while it appeared that would be enough to qualify as a super two, CAA announced this morning that the cutoff now projects to be two years and 139 days. In other words Lucroy probably won’t earn the additional $2MM, according to the agency’s latest projections.

Before the season began Lucroy and the Brewers agreed to a five-year, $11MM contract that includes an option for a sixth year. The 26-year-old Sports One Athlete Management client has since posted a .322/.377/.512 batting line in 285 plate appearances. He also spent time on the disabled list with a broken hand.

Projected Super Two Cutoff

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The cutoff for super two players following the 2012 season now projects to be two years and 139 days of service time, according to CAA (Twitter link). Earlier in the 2012 season, the agency had projected a super two cutoff of two years and 134 days. 

Super two status entitles certain players to four years of arbitration eligibility, rather than the usual three. As a result, players who earn the super two designation generally earn more than their peers. Under baseball's new collective bargaining agreement, 22% of players qualify as super twos. This represents an increase from 17% and helps explain why the cutoff is lower than it was a year ago.

The following players will finish the season with less than two years and 139 days of service time: Justin Smoak, Danny Valencia, Michael Brantley, Jordan Schafer, Giancarlo Stanton, Stephen Strasburg, Daniel Hudson, Dan Runzler, Andrew Cashner and Alexi Ogando. These players don't project as super twos. 

Michael Saunders, Alex Burnett and Esmil Rogers would qualify for super two status if the cutoff is two years and 134 days, but not if it's two years and 139 days. Meanwhile, Tyler Colvin should have exactly two years and 139 days of service when the 2012 season ends. All players that are tied at the cutoff get super two status under baseball’s new collective bargaining agreement.

A year ago CAA correctly anticipated that the 2011 cutoff would be two years and 146 days of service time. The official cutoff date can't be determined until the season ends.

Rockies Notes: Hernandez, Gonzalez, Tulowitzki

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Ramon Hernandez ruptured his left distal hamstring tendon and will miss the remainder of the season, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes. The 36-year-old will undergo surgery next week after playing in just 52 games. Here are more Rockies-related notes from Troy Renck of the Denver Post…

  • Hernandez would probably have been an offseason trade candidate, Renck writes (on Twitter). Completing a deal will now be more challenging because of Hernandez’s injuries and age. Hernandez will earn $3.2MM in 2013, the final season of the two-year, $6.4MM contract he signed last offseason.
  • The Rockies need pitching, but Renck repeated that he wouldn't trade Troy Tulowitzki or Carlos Gonzalez for arms (Twitter link). It's risky to assume pitching performances will translate in Denver, as Renck notes.

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