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Manager Roundup: Mariners, Cardinals

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Here's the latest on a pair of big-name managers, with more details to come throughout the day:

Mariners

The Mariners told Bobby Valentine that he is no longer a candidate for their managerial opening, according to Larry Stone of the Seattle Times. The Mariners may be nearing a decision, writes Stone. Eric Wedge, Lloyd McClendon, Cecil Cooper, Clint Hurdle and Daren Brown are possible candidates. John Gibbons also heard that he isn't getting the job, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

Eric Wedge did "very, very" well in his interview with the Mariners, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter link).

Cardinals

The Cardinals are in daily contact with Tony La Russa, but it's not clear which way he's leaning, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). However, the AP reports (via ESPN) that talks are going well between the two sides. Pitching coach Dave Duncan knows that he'd like to return to St. Louis for at least three more seasons, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Blue Jays Rumors: Manager Search, Buck

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The Blue Jays are searching for the successor to Cito Gaston, and they're not rushing the process. An unnamed source points out to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that the Blue Jays "want to get it right" (Twitter link). Here are the details on the team's search for a new manager, plus other notes:

  • Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun has a summary of the Jays’ search: the team has already interviewed Rockies hitting coach Don Baylor, Red Sox third base coach Tim Bogar, Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell, Red Sox bench coach DeMarlo Hale, former manager Bob Melvin, Padres coach Rick Renteria, Angels bench coach Ron Roenicke, Yankees third base coach Rob Thomson, former manager Bobby Valentine and former Indians manager Eric Wedge plus internal candidates Brian Butterfield, Sal Fasano, Nick Leyva and Luis Rivera. The club has yet to interview White Sox bench coach Joey Cora, Rangers hitting coach Clint Hurdle, Nationals third base coach Pat Listach, Rays bench coach Dave Martinez, Juan Samuel, Ryne Sandberg, and former Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu. That's a whole lot of candidates to consider.
  • Rangers GM Jon Daniels told MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan that he's expecting clubs to ask about Hurdle, though no team has formally requested permission to interview the former Rockies manager just yet.
  • The Blue Jays will consider bringing John Buck back next year and the catcher says he would love to return, but as MLB.com's Jordan Bastian shows, J.P. Arencibia's presence may mean that Buck's best offers come from other teams. 

What They Were Saying: NL Central GMs

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Remember when Ed Wade was part of a new generation of GMs? It's OK if you don't since we dug up the details on Wade and the rest of his NL Central counterparts. Here's how they were perceived when they got their first GM jobs:

Doug Melvin

“When the Rangers signed Melvin to a three-year contract, they made a commitment to pitching and defense. They need it. In 1994, the Rangers finished 13th in pitching and 14th in fielding in the American League. Poor performances in those areas played a large role in their 52-62 record. Melvin said he wants a team built around pitching and defense.” – Jean-Jacques Taylor, The Dallas Morning News, October 11th, 1994

Walt Jocketty

“Walt Jocketty and his brother played baseball in the backyard when they were growing up and pretended they were St. Louis pitchers Lindy and Von McDaniel, who are brothers.

Jocketty appreciates the Cardinals' tradition. And finally he has become a general manager after interviewing for that position with Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Colorado in the past and Texas recently, only to have that job filled by Doug Melvin.” – Larry Harnly, The State Journal-Register, October 18th, 1994

Ed Wade

“Wade, bespectacled, conservatively dressed, his sandy hair precisely parted, was an efficient and loyal administrator who shouldered the contract and deadline matters his boss disliked.

But Tuesday, this 41-year-old native of Pennsylvania's coal regions who has a journalism degree from Temple moved out of [former GM Lee] Thomas' shadows. Wade was named the Phillies' acting general manager after Thomas was fired, and immediately there were questions about his readiness. Wade is the latest example of a powerful trend in the sport, one that has seen businesslike administrators replacing gritty baseball veterans as GMs.” Frank Fitzpatrick, The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 9th, 1997

Jim Hendry

“The time has come for Cubs president/general manager Andy MacPhail to delegate full authority to Jim Hendry, whose onerous title of vice president of player personnel is too cumbersome and corporate for someone as earthy and unpretentious as Hendry. GM sounds just right for him.” – Mike Kiley, The Chicago Sun-Times, June 14th, 2002 

Neal Huntington

“Neal Huntington, a former Cleveland Indians assistant general manager who was moved to a mostly scouting role two years ago, was hired Tuesday as the Pittsburgh Pirates' general manager. The 37-year-old Huntington replaces Dave Littlefield, who was fired earlier this month after failing to produce a winning season since being hired in July 2001. The Pirates are finishing up a 15th consecutive losing season, one short of the major league record, and their fifth with 90 or more losses since 2000.” – Alan Robinson, The Associated Press, September 25th, 2007 

John Mozeliak

“John Mozeliak has a Clark Kent look about him, so naturally Cardinals fans are wondering if he'll have the necessary muscle to reshape the franchise and give it a push forward, into the future. In his introductory press conference after being named the Cardinals' general manager, Mozeliak spoke calmly and in somewhat measured tones, so it was easy to miss some of the punch that went into what he said.” – Bernie Miklasz, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 1st, 2007

Royals Acquire Pucetas, Complete Guillen Trade

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The Royals acquired right-hander Kevin Pucetas as the player to be named to complete the Jose Guillen trade, the team announced. The Royals added the 25-year-old to their 40-man roster. Pucetas, a 17th round pick in 2006, has made three minor league All-Star teams, appeared in the Futures Game and finished first or second in ERA three times in his pro career.

Despite his early-career honors, Pucetas is no top prospect. He has struggled in two seasons at Triple-A and had yet to succeed in the upper minors. This year, he posted a 5.69 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 26 starts at Triple-A Fresno. The silver lining for the Royals? As MLBTR’s Howard Megdal showed earlier this month, the return for Guillen has usually been better than expected.

Rangers Rumors: Daniels, Hicks, A-Rod

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As the Rangers prepare to face off against the Yankees, GM Jon Daniels faces speculation that he'd be interested in running the team he grew up rooting for: the New York Mets. But as Newsday's Ken Davidoff reports, Daniels remains focused on his team's playoff run and the Mets haven't asked to speak to anyone in the Rangers organization. Here's the latest on Daniels and the Rangers:

  • Davidoff says "even if the Mets don't look at [Daniels] personally, they should at least look at the Rangers and try to emulate them." 
  • Daniels told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick that the Rangers' success comes from a simple approach. "Our plan isn't rocket science," the GM said. "We're not the first team that said, 'Hey, let's build from within.' We've had success to this point because our evaluators are good. Our scouts are good. Our development people are good."
  • Daniels wouldn't have the chance to opt out of his Rangers contract if Tom Hicks hadn't sold the team. Now on the outside looking in, Hicks tells Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork that he regrets signing Alex Rodriguez to a ten-year $252MM deal.

Poll: Who Will Win The ALCS?

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The Yankees, winners of 40 American League pennants, take on the Rangers, a team trying to win its first, in the ALCS tonight. The storylines are compelling: Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira return to Texas and Cliff Lee takes on the team that nearly acquired him a few months ago and figures to bid aggressively on him this winter.

But those stories are secondary to the right to represent the Junior Circuit in the World Series, so it's time to make some predictions…

Who will win the ALCS?

Click here to vote and here to view the results.

Manager Roundup: Jays, Pirates, Mariners, Cubs, Marlins

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The managerial rumors don't take a break, even if the playoff schedule does. Here are yesterday's rumors and here are today's rumblings, with the latest updates at the top of the page:

Blue Jays

Rays bench coach Dave Martinez will interview for the Jays' opening, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

The Blue Jays have interest in a third Red Sox coach. Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun hears that John Farrell is in the mix for the Jays job, along with DeMarlo Hale and Tim Bogar (Twitter link). Lauber heard that Farrell hadn't interviewed for a managerial job yet, but perhaps he has an interview coming up.

Rosenthal reports that the Blue Jays will interview Farrell if they haven't already. The Blue Jays will also interview Padres first base coach Rick Renteria, but another NL West coach will not interview for the position. The Dodgers didn't allow the Jays to speak with Tim Wallach, though he was allowed to interview with the Brewers, according to Rosenthal.

Pirates

Joel Sherman of the New York Post believes the Pirates should be looking to land Bobby Valentine. According to Sherman, Valentine would be the perfect choice for Pittsburgh, since, in addition to being a great evaluator of talent, he could make the Pirates relevant. The team doesn't appear to be considering him though.

The Pirates interviewed former Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca for their managerial vacancy today, according to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com.

Mariners

Bobby Valentine’s interview with the Mariners went well, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. However, the Mariners’ other candidates also fared well and Valentine isn’t necessarily the favorite. As Rosenthal reminds us, Cecil Cooper, Eric Wedge, John Gibbons, Lloyd McClendon and Daren Brown are also options for Seattle.

Brewers

The Brewers have asked the White Sox for permission to interview Joey Cora, but Cora hasn't heard from Milwaukee yet, according to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com. Bob Melvin remains the favorite to manage in Milwaukee, according to Levine.

Cubs

The Cubs have continued interest in Yankees manager Joe Girardi, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. Several insiders tell Wittenmyer that they expect an announcement before the World Series begins, unless Girardi becomes a serious candidate. Rival teams have not asked the Cubs for formal permission to interview Mike Quade or Ryne Sandberg, according to the Sun-Times. As we heard yesterday, Quade has become the favorite for the Cubs job.

Meanwhile, Chris De Luca of the Sun-Times calls Eric Wedge a "bland tactician" and says Sandberg is the man for the job. The Hall of Fame second baseman tells De Luca that he is more qualified to manage in the majors than he was the last time the Cubs considered him.

Marlins

Red Sox coach DeMarlo Hale, a candidate for the Blue Jays and Mariners, may also be a candidate to manage the Marlins, according to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. 

Bobby Valentine turned down an offer to manage the Marlins, according to Sunil Joshi and Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. Dave George of the Palm Beach Post says "some other Type-A scrapper still could be the ticket, someone whose ego is a match for Hanley Ramirez and whose confidence allows room to tell everyone in the organization, including the owner, to back off."

Edwin Rodriguez, who managed the Marlins to a 46-46 record after taking over midway through the season, told Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald that he'd accept a one-year deal to have a shot at managing the team for an entire season.

Heath Bell Hopes For Three-Year Deal

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Heath Bell’s good at what he does and he’d like some job security. The Padres closer, who received MLB's Delivery Man of the Year award this week, told Dan Hayes of the North County Times that he’d like a multi-year deal from the Padres this offseason.

"Three years is perfect," Bell said. "I don't expect more because I'm an older guy."

Bell, who earned $4MM this year, hits free agency after next season. The subject of near-constant trade rumors, Bell says he’s “optimistic” that Padres GM Jed Hoyer will hold onto him. The Padres can keep Bell for 2011 even if they don't offer him an extension.

If the Padres decide to part with the big 33-year-old, they’d likely find a number of suitors. Bell posted a 1.93 ERA with 47 saves last year and made the All-Star team for the second consecutive season. Armed with a mid-90s fastball and a curve, Bell posted 11.1 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 last year, anchoring the Padres’ strong ‘pen.

Hermida, Wolf Elect Free Agency

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Jeremy Hermida and Ross Wolf elected free agency today after the A’s outrighted them to Triple-A, according to the team. Left-hander Brad Kilby was also outrighted, but he did not elect free agency.

The A’s signed Hermida to a minor league deal in September, after he spent most of the season in the Red Sox organization. The 26-year-old posted an overall line of .216/.268/.351 in 239 plate appearances this year. Five offseasons ago, Baseball America ranked him fourth among all prospects, but Hermida has yet to be an impact player for a full major league season. He posted an .870 OPS in 123 games for the 2007 Marlins, but has struggled to match that level of production since.

The A’s acquired Wolf from the Orioles for Jake Fox in June. Wolf turns 28 next week and is coming off a season in which he threw just 12.2 major league innings. The righty posted a 4.26 ERA with 6.4 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9 this year. In the minor leagues, Wolf posted a 2.62 ERA with twice as many strikeouts as walks, so he appears to have some value as an organizational arm.

Odds & Ends: Twins, Izturis, Rangers, Yankees

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Seven years ago today, Luis Castillo popped a ball up into the stands at Wrigley Field and a fan caught it, even though Moises Alou was right there. The Cubs were five outs away from clinching a World Series berth, but they ended up losing the 'Steve Bartman game' and the 2003 NLCS. Here are your links for Thursday…

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