Colby Rasmus Hires Beverly Hills Sports Council
Blue Jays outfielder Colby Rasmus has hired Beverly Hills Sports Council to represent him, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). Rasmus, who turns 25 Thursday, had been a TWC Sports client. Current Blue Jays Aaron Hill and Jesse Litsch are also BHSC clients, as our Agency Tracker shows.
Rasmus heads to arbitration for the first time this winter and is under team control through 2014. Based on arbitration rewards for comparable players such as Adam Jones ($3.25MM this year) and B.J. Upton ($3MM in 2010), Rasmus will likely earn $3MM or so in 2012.
Tigers Extend Dombrowski, Leyland
The Tigers announced that they have agreed to extensions with president and general manager Dave Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland, whose contracts were set to expire after 2011. Dombrowski's extension runs through 2015, while Leyland's extension covers the 2012 season.
Owner Mike Ilitch said the Tigers are confident in Leyland, who is in his sixth season as Detroit's skipper, and Dombrowski, who is in his tenth season with the Tigers. The Tigers also announced that they have extended the contracts of assistant GM Al Avila, special assistant David Chadd, VP of player personnel Scott Reid and legal counsel John Westhoff.
“Collectively, it’s as fine a group of quality baseball people as you will find,” Dombrowski said. “They continue to make significant contributions to the organization.”
The Tigers, who currently lead the AL Central, have a record of 485-442 under Leyland. The 2006 Tigers made it to the World Series under Leyland and Dombrowski, though Detroit hasn't returned to the playoffs since.
NL East Notes: Phillies, Strasburg, Reyes
Dan Uggla will look to extend his hitting streak to 29 games tonight, when the Braves take on the Marlins, Uggla's former team. Here's the latest on the division, as Florida starter Brad Hand prepares for Uggla and his teammates…
- Bill Conlin of the Philadelphia Daily News shows that the Phillies have traded prospect after prospect in recent years. But the established big leaguers they've obtained – Brad Lidge, Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence – have propelled the Phillies from contender to baseball superpower, Conlin writes.
- Stephen Strasburg can mean to the Nationals what Justin Verlander means to the Tigers, Yahoo's Jeff Passan writes.
- Newsday's Ken Davidoff wonders how MLB teams including the Mets will value Jose Reyes this offseason, when the shortstop hits free agency. Reyes left yesterday's game with an injury and questions about his health could prevent teams from guaranteeing $142MM, the amount Carl Crawford obtained last winter.
Pirates Notes: Cole, Huntington, Pitching
The Pirates were buyers at the July 31st trade deadline, acquiring Ryan Ludwick and Derrek Lee, but they haven't won a game this month. Here's the latest from Pittsburgh as the 54-59 Pirates look to post their first winning record since 1992…
- Pirates GM Neal Huntington must sign first overall draft pick Gerrit Cole by next week's deadline, Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes.
- Kovacevic also says president Frank Coonelly should complete an extension for Huntington, whose contract expires after the season.
- Huntington told Michael Sanserino of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the Pirates could solve their bullpen problems by calling up pitchers such as Tim Wood, Chris Leroux and Danny Moskos.
- Kovacevic points out that the Pirates' dropoff in starting pitching performances has contributed to the club's current ten game losing streak. Paul Maholm agrees that the results have to improve. "It's on us," Maholm said. "We're the ones who go out there and pitch."
AL East Notes: Millwood, Posada, Lawrie
The Red Sox walked off against the Yankees last night after a rare blown save from future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera. Here's the latest on the first place Red Sox, the Yankees and the rest of their division…
- Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun expects the Orioles' front office to at least internally discuss the possibility of adding Kevin Millwood, who was released yesterday. A reunion would surprise Zrebiec, however.
- Jorge Posada is no longer the Yankees' regular DH and the final chapter of his career may be characterized by inactivity, writes Mike Bauman of MLB.com.
- As Bill Madden of the New York Daily News writes, manager Joe Girardi has delivered potentially embarrassing news to Posada before a nationally televised game twice this season. Girardi batted Posada ninth back in May and the switch-hitter pulled himself from the lineup.
- Brett Lawrie tells Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca that it's the same game at the Major League level, but with more breaking balls in the strike zone and bigger stadiums. The Blue Jays prospect is five for his first 11 with a homer as a big leaguer.
AL East Notes: Bundy, Carmona, Papelbon
The AL East won't be short on storylines tonight, when the Red Sox host the Yankees in Boston and Blue Jays prospect Brett Lawrie makes his MLB debut against the Orioles in Baltimore. Here's the latest from the division…
- Top Orioles draft pick Dylan Bundy is in Baltimore for a physical and he told Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun that he hasn't yet started negotiations with the team (Twitter links).
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Red Sox made a late push for Fausto Carmona before the trade deadline.
- Jonathan Papelbon told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he is not going to set up for anyone. Papelbon, who hits free agency after the season, then reinforced his point by speaking about himself in the third person. "Cinco don't set-up," he said. "Never."
- Justin Duchscherer had successful hip surgery today, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The right-hander hopes to pitch in 2012, but it won't be with the Orioles, who released him earlier in the week.
- As Zrebiec explains, the regression of the Orioles' top young arms is the biggest reason that it's hard to see the club threatening for a playoff spot in the near future.
Heyman On Nationals, A’s, Reyes, White Sox
Two of baseball’s interim managers are expected to return in 2012, Jon Heyman of SI.com reports. Here are the details and other notes from around the league…
- The Nationals have intended all along for interim manager Davey Johnson to manage the next two seasons, though he’s officially a consultant for 2012-13. Heyman reports that Johnson can have the Nationals’ managing job if he wants it, though Washington will likely conduct an official search.
- A’s interim manager Bob Melvin is also expected to return next year, though he doesn’t have a contract for 2012 yet.
- Jose Reyes, a free agent, after the season, wants to remain with the Mets, according to Heyman’s sources. The Mets seem to be prepared to offer a five-year deal and might be willing to expand their offer to six years. We heard this morning that the Mets aren’t comfortable with the idea of a Carl Crawford-like seven-year deal.
- Highly regarded White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper isn’t under contract for 2012 and Chicago’s other coaches aren’t either.
Outrighted To Triple-A: Mitch Talbot
The latest players to get outrighted to the minors…
- The Indians announced that they outrighted Mitch Talbot to Triple-A to create roster space for Ubaldo Jimenez. Cleveland had designated Talbot for assignment on Sunday. The 27-year-old posted a 6.33 ERA with 5.4 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 58 1/3 innings for the Indians before hitting the disabled list with a lower back strain in July. The Indians note on Twitter that Talbot, who has never been outrighted before, has to accept the assignment.
Stark On Twins, Kuroda, Phillies
The Twins were willing to listen to offers for Francisco Liriano leading up to the trade deadline, according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark. However, Minnesota wanted a massive prospect return for the left-hander and no club met their asking price. Here’s the latest on the Twins with more of Stark’s notes from around MLB…
- The chances that the Nationals can restart talks with Minnesota about Denard Span over the winter are not good, Stark reports. Minnesota wanted Drew Storen for their bullpen in an attempt to win now, but the Twins’ sense of urgency figures to disappear this offseason.
- Rival teams say the Tigers and Red Sox each believed they were closing in on a deal for Hiroki Kuroda before the right-hander decided not to waive his no-trade clause.
- The Red Sox and Rockies discussed an expanded deal that would have sent Josh Reddick to Colorado and Seth Smith to Boston while considering possible moves involving Ubaldo Jimenez. Talks between the 2007 World Series foes had essentially stopped by Saturday, though.
- Though GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has publicly said Domonic Brown was not available, Stark hears from three different teams that the Phillies were willing to move the young outfielder in the right deal.
- Teams that have spoken with the Phillies don’t expect them to be active on the waiver wire this month, since they want to avoid paying MLB’s luxury tax.
Blue Jays Notes: Lawrie, Snider, Encarnacion
Alex Anthopoulos says Brett Lawrie has done everything the Blue Jays have asked of him, but the GM doesn't assume the top prospect will succeed instantly given that some of baseball's best young players take months or even years to thrive in the Major Leagues. Anthopoulos discussed Lawrie and other Blue Jays this morning with Jeff Blair of Sportsnet Radio FAN 590 in Toronto. Here are the details:
- Though Lawrie is "not a finished product by any stretch," the Blue Jays want to get a look at him for seven weeks so they have a sense of how he matches up against MLB pitching.
- The Blue Jays haven't talked about moving Lawrie to second base and they view him as their long-term third baseman.
- Travis Snider, who was optioned to the minor leagues to create roster space for Lawrie, is "100%" a part of the Blue Jays' future. "He doesn't need a change of scenery," Anthopoulos told Blair.
- Edwin Encarnacion, who has a .293/.359/.530 line since the beginning of June, still "has the chance to be an impact bat," Anthopoulos says. The Blue Jays have a $3.5MM option for Encarnacion in 2012 and aren't ready to give up on him.