Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Offseason Outlook: Chicago Cubs

By | at

The Cubs enter the 2012-13 offseason with multiple needs, but their pitching staff requires the most attention at this point.

Guaranteed Contracts 

Arbitration Eligible Players (estimated salaries)

Contract Options

  • None

Free Agents

Sometimes the second offseason under a new front office can be the first 'normal' winter for a team's baseball operations department. A year ago, in the first offseason under Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer, the Cubs had to conduct a managerial search, fill out their front office and create a plan for player development. Now, as the Cubs begin their second winter led by Epstein and Hoyer, team executives can focus on their primary task: turning a 101-loss team into a contender and, eventually, bringing that elusive World Series title to the North Side of Chicago.

Jeff Samardzija - Cubs (PW)

The Cubs spent in excess of $100MM on payroll in each of the past five seasons, so we know the resources are there. Yet to this point, they've committed just $42MM to next year's team, not accounting for arbitration eligible players. That should provide lots of flexibility for Cubs executives, but if last offseason provides any indication, they won't spend for the sake of spending. Instead, the Cubs figure to complete short-term free agent contracts and trades.

The Cubs could start by dealing one of their most experienced players. Alfonso Soriano had a good year in 2012, posting .262/.322/.499 batting line and hitting 32 home runs (reaching the 100 RBI-threshold won't hurt his value, either). Though Soriano has made it clear he'd consider waiving his no-trade rights, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein has said he won't deal the 36-year-old unless the Cubs get something of value in return. It's hard to envision Soriano's trade value rising much from here, so if the Cubs intend to create room for younger players and free up some salary, it's now time to make a move.

The Cubs will also need a contingency plan for center field. Just about half of Brett Jackson's at bats (59 of 120) ended in strikeouts this year, an indication that he won't make enough contact to maintain a respectable on-base average. He has some power, plays a premium position and can draw walks, but his contact skills create legitimate questions about the likelihood that he'll realize the potential that placed him on many top prospect lists earlier in his career.

Between a possible trade for Soriano and the need for a legitimate option behind Jackson, the Cubs could be in the market for outfielders this offseason. They could wait on a deep class of free agent outfielders or contact teams like the Diamondbacks and Twins, who have enviable outfield depth.

If the Cubs retain Luis Valbuena they'll be set at all four infield positions, with Starlin Castro, Darwin Barney and Anthony Rizzo occupying the three other spots. The Cubs could look to improve their catching depth following a season in which Chicago catchers placed 28th of the 30 MLB teams in OPS (.616). The free agent market seems relatively strong at catcher this year, and the Cubs could call teams such as the Blue Jays about possible trades.

The Cubs have a mid-sized group of arbitration eligible players that includes a number of non-tender candidates. Chris Volstad figures to be cut loose following a poor season; Ian Stewart's wrist issues place him in uncertain territory; Manny Corpas' chances of returning seem slim. Valbuena, the team's fourth non-tender candidate, has earned praise from his manager, an indication he could start the 2013 season as the Cubs' third baseman. Still, management might prefer to have options other than Valbuena and 23-year-old prospect Josh Vitters.

Jeff Samardzija has emerged as an extension candidate following his breakout season — an unexpected ascent that represented one of the primary positives of the Cubs' 101-loss season. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes has suggested a deal in the four-year, $27MM range could work for both the Cubs and Samardzija, who's under team control through 2015.

Despite Samardzija's production and a solid half-season from Matt Garza, Cubs starters struggled to complete innings (922 2/3, 24th in MLB), limit walks (3.1 BB/9, 23rd in MLB) and prevent runs (4.52 ERA, 23rd in MLB) this past season. Hoyer will be in the market for starting pitching, and could consider trades or free agent signings. The Cubs will presumably look for certainty given the state of their current rotation, so starters like Joe Blanton, Gavin Floyd and Jeremy Guthrie could make sense. Shaun Marcum, Dan Haren and Brandon McCarthy have health and performance-related questions, but they could also be intriguing free agent options for Hoyer to pursue if the players' asking prices are reasonable.

While it's not yet time for the Cubs to spend aggressively on top MLB free agents, they shouldn't hold back on elite international players (though spending restrictions do apply internationally). Prospects such as 18-year-old right-hander Shohei Otani could be worthwhile targets if Cubs scouts are impressed. The Cubs have already begun leveraging their status as a large market team by spending on international players such as Jorge Soler and they must continue adding talent to the organization in this way to the extent that it's possible under the sport's new collective bargaining agreement. The Cuban market could offer impact players as well, though this year's class doesn't appear to be as deep as the one that produced Soler and Yoenis Cespedes.

Garza, a midseason trade candidate this past summer, figures to stay put after missing the end of the 2012 season with an elbow injury. He'd likely have more value if he can prove he's healthy, so the timing isn't ideal for an offseason trade. If Garza's healthy midway through the 2013 season, the Cubs should trade him for the best controllable players they can get.

Cubs relievers performed less effectively than the team's starters this year, walking more than one batter per two innings (4.8 BB/9, 30th in MLB), generating few strikeouts (7.4 K/9, 29th in MLB) and posting a 4.49 ERA (27th in MLB). While it wouldn't make sense for the Cubs to spend aggressively on top free agent relievers such as Rafael Soriano, they must devote resources and attention to their relief corps this offseason. Trade candidates, minor league free agents and non-tendered players should all be on the team's radar. Perhaps the Cubs can even find a taker for Carlos Marmol, who will earn $9.8MM in 2013 after walking nearly one batter per inning this past season.

The Cubs lost 100 games for the first time since 1966 this past season. Even for a franchise that’s grown accustomed to losses that’s a lot of defeats. But they can be closer to contention within a few months if the front office completes a successful offseason by seeking pitching depth and pursuing impact talent whenever possible.

Photo courtesy of US Presswire.

Rockies To Interview Jason Giambi

By | at

The Rockies will interview 18-year MLB veteran Jason Giambi for their managerial vacancy, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports. No date has been set for the Rockies to interview Giambi, the team's final in-house candidate. 

Giambi has spent the past three and a half years of his career playing for the Rockies. Renck and Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reported earlier this month that the 41-year-old would retire as a player if given the opportunity to manage the Rockies. Giambi, a free agent this coming offseason, has not coached at any level or ruled out another year as a player.

The Rockies interviewed bench coach Tom Runnells for their managerial opening last week, and the former Montreal Expos manager said he's excited about the state of the franchise, according to MLB.com’s Thomas Harding. Rockies senior VP of Major League operations Bill Geivett said the Rockies will look outside of the organization for more candidates, according to Renck.

Triple-A manager Stu Cole could obtain a coaching position, but he won't be the team's next manager. The Rockies don't have plans to interview Vinny Castilla, a current front office member and former Rockies star.

Quick Hits: Beltran, Prospects, Cano, Nationals

By | at

Chris Carpenter and Ryan Vogelsong will oppose one another at AT&T Park a few hours from now. Here are some links from around MLB to keep you entertained while waiting for the NLCS to resume…

  • Giants assistant general manager Bobby Evans told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle that the team had approximately a dozen offseason conversations with Carlos Beltran's agent, Dan Lozano. That's a stark contrast from Beltran's statements, who said the two sides never talked. Shea speculates that Lozano didn't convey any of the communication to Beltran, who is of course, squaring off against his former teammates in the NLCS.
  • Matt Eddy of Baseball America has a rundown of 10 minor league deals that reaped significant Major League benefits, including Gregor Blanco, Brandon Moss and Quintin Berry.
  • Mets 2011 draftee Bradley Marquez will undergo surgery on his left knee after sustaining an injury playing football at Texas Tech, writes ESPN's Adam Rubin. The Mets allowed Marquez to continue playing football in order to facilitate the signing of their 11th-round selection.
  • Alex Rodriguez may be in the midst of a disappointing October, but at least he has a long-term contract in place. Robinson Cano, an offseason extension candidate, may have diminished his bargaining power by hitting poorly in the postseason, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. Plus, Rodriguez's struggles probably won't make the Yankees over-eager to spend a comparable amount on another struggling player.
  • The Nationals are set at every infield position but first base heading into the offseason, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post writes. Ian Desmond could be in line for an extension this offseason, and Kilgore suggests a six-year, $45MM contract could work for both sides. It sounds as though there's a good chance Adam LaRoche will re-sign in Washington, even if he declines his side of the mutual option on his contract.
  • Giants GM Brian Sabean said coaches Ron Wotus and Dave Righetti would be excellent managers given the opportunity, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). Wotus is the Giants' bench coach and and Righetti is the team's pitching coach.

Baseball’s Longest-Tenured GMs

By | at

It’s been an unusually quiet offseason for general manager turnover — so far. The Rockies re-structured their baseball operations department, the Marlins are mulling changes, and the White Sox are expected to promote two top executives. Otherwise, it’s been relatively slow, with no dismissals midway through a month that’s often filled with GM turnover.

Using Baseball America's executive database I’ve compiled a list of baseball’s longest-tenured general managers. The list shows how long GMs have been with their current teams, not when they got their first gig running a team. That list would look different, with Dave Dombrowski, Sandy Alderson and Dan Duquette at the top (I'm using the term 'GM' loosely; some of the executives below have different titles on their business cards). 

The Bay Area has two of the sport’s three longest-tenured GMs in Brian Sabean and Billy Beane. There's been lots of turnover in the past five years, as nearly half (14) of baseball's GMs were hired in that time. Here's the complete list:

  1. Terry Ryan, Twins, 1994 (stepped aside from 2007-11)
  2. Brian Sabean, Giants, 1996
  3. Billy Beane, Athletics, 1997
  4. Brian Cashman, Yankees, 1998
  5. Dan O'Dowd, Rockies, 1999 (Bill Geivett assumes many GM duties as Sr. VP of Major League operations)
  6. Kenny Williams, White Sox, 2000 (expected to be promoted, replaced by Rick Hahn)
  7. Larry Beinfest, Marlins, 2002
  8. Dave Dombrowski, Tigers, 2002
  9. Doug Melvin, Brewers, 2002
  10. Jon Daniels, Rangers, 2005
  11. Andrew Friedman, Rays, 2005
  12. Ned Colletti, Dodgers, 2005
  13. Dayton Moore, Royals, 2006
  14. Neal Huntington, Pirates, 2007
  15. Frank Wren, Braves, 2007
  16. John Mozeliak, Cardinals, 2007
  17. Walt Jocketty, Reds, 2008
  18. Jack Zduriencik, Mariners, 2008
  19. Ruben Amaro, Jr., Phillies, 2008
  20. Mike Rizzo, Nationals, 2009
  21. Alex Anthopoulos, Blue Jays, 2009
  22. Kevin Towers, Diamondbacks, 2010
  23. Chris Antonetti, Indians, 2010
  24. Sandy Alderson, Mets, 2010
  25. Jed Hoyer, Cubs, 2011
  26. Josh Byrnes, Padres, 2011
  27. Jerry Dipoto, Angels, 2011
  28. Jeff Luhnow, Astros, 2011
  29. Ben Cherington, Red Sox, 2011
  30. Dan Duquette, Orioles, 2011

Check out MLBTR's 2010 series on the reaction each GM generated upon taking his first GM job: AL East, AL Central, AL West, NL East, NL Central, NL West.

Latest On Boston’s Managerial Search

By | at

Padres special assistant Brad Ausmus and Dodgers third base coach Tim Wallach are candidates for Boston's managerial opening, but the former MLB stars aren’t the only ones being considered for the position. Here’s the latest news on the managerial search…

  • Wallach was “very impressive” in his interview with the Red Sox, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). It’s not clear if Wallach’s interview will be enough to land him the job, however.
  • DeMarlo Hale's interview will take place Thursday, according to Tim Britton of the Providence Journal (on Twitter). Ausmus will interview Wednesday, Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter).
  • Alex Speier of WEEI.com provides a complete rundown of Tony Pena, the Yankees coach who's a candidate for Boston's managerial job.
  • The Red Sox will interview Yankees bench coach Tony Pena today, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. The 55-year-old managed the Royals from 2002-05 before joining the Yankees, who have today off and will resume the ALCS in Detroit on Tuesday.
  • The Red Sox have plans to interview Hale, the Orioles' third base coach, for the position at some point this week, according to Bradford.
  • Joe Torre said he has no plans to manage and isn't a candidate for the Red Sox position, John Tomase of the Boston Herald reports. Nick Cafardo reported yesterday that there's talk Torre would consider managing again.

How To Use MLBTR

By | at

An explanation of the many ways to enjoy MLB Trade Rumors:

  • If the main site doesn't load perfectly on your cell phone, try the more mobile-friendly mlbtraderumors.mobi.  It's a simple page that shows you just the headlines and lets you click through to what you want to read.
  • If you're an iPhone user, be sure to pick up our app for the latest news and rumors. MLBTR just introduced an Android app as well.
  • If you want only the hard news in the form of transactions, our transactions page is the ticket.  You can also get only the transactions via Twitter or RSS. 
  • To return to the main page at any time, just click on the title or the Home button on the navigation bar below the title. 
  • The navigation bar will cover many of your needs.  Use the About dropdown to learn about this site or any of its writers. 
  • The Contact button takes you to a page where you can write an email message to the MLBTR writers.  If you have a link to a rumor we've missed, please send it in through the Contact page!  Also use the Contact page to inquire about advertising on MLBTR.
  • The Archives dropdown shows you 15 months worth.  If you need to go back further, click on Site Map at the very bottom of the page.  Site Map also lists out every MLBTR post category, including players, teams, and features.
  • The Tools dropdown takes you to a number of different places. The MLBTR Widget allows website owners to easily add a constantly updated box with all of MLBTR's headlines to their sites.
  • Also under the tools tab is our Transaction Tracker, which enables you to search about anything and everything to do with baseball trades, signings and extensions. 
  • Under the tools tab, you'll find a link to our Forums, a message board community of MLBTR readers with over 9,100 members.  You can discuss any baseball-related topic on the Forums, and start your own thread too.
  • MLBTR's Agency Database lets you know which agencies represent which players. It's searchable by team, agency or player, so be sure to check it out.
  • Feeds By Team is a very useful dropdown.  Hover over it to see all 30 teams.  Click on the team name to bring up a page of every post containing information about that team, with the latest on top.  These are the same pages you'll find if you go to the Rumors By Team section on the sidebar and select A's Rumors, Angels Rumors, etc.  
  • Also under the Feeds By Team dropdown, you'll find RSS and Twitter buttons.  Those links allow you to follow a single team's rumors via RSS or Twitter.  Did you know we have a separate Twitter account for each of the 30 teams?  For example you can follow @mlbtrtigers, where you would get the latest Tigers updates.
  • You can also follow Tim Dierkes and Ben Nicholson-Smith on Twitter for more MLBTR content.
  • On the far right of the Navigation bar, you'll see buttons for Twitter, Facebook, and RSS.  MLBTR has over 206,000 Twitter followers, over 60,000 Facebook fans, and over 53,000 RSS subscribers.  Sign up for these and you'll be the first to receive all of our posts.
  • Be sure to check out your favorite team's MLBTR page on Facebook so you can receive and comment on the latest rumors.
  • On to the sidebar.  It begins with a list of our Top Stories, which our writers update any time major hard news occurs.  Go here for a quick update on the most important stories.  Below that is the site's Search Box, where you can type in any player's name and get the latest on him. 
  • MLBTR Features has all kinds of goodies, including our free agent lists.  Many of the MLBTR Features are constantly updated by our writers, so be assured that our free agent lists are always fresh. 
  • Below Features you've got headlines for all the Recent Posts, in case you'd rather not scroll to see all the headlines.  Then there's a box for our Mailing List, where you can sign up to receive a daily email containing MLBTR's posts.  Use this option if you don't need the news as soon as possible.
  • Next we have Featured Posts, where you'll find original work from MLBTR writers we consider noteworthy.  For example, check out our Offseason Outlook series.
  • There's also a contact form in case you need to reach MLBTR.

Reds Extend Dusty Baker

By | at

The Reds announced that they've agreed to a two-year contract extension with manager Dusty Baker (Twitter link). Baker, whose previous contract expired at the end of the 2012 season, will be under contract through 2014 on his new deal.

Dusty Baker - Reds (PW)

The Giants eliminated the Reds from the playoffs last week after a season that included 97 regular season wins and the NL Central title. Baker, who has managed the Reds since 2008, recently missed some time after suffering a mini-stroke. However, both sides have maintained interest in working out a new deal.

The Reds have won the NL Central twice since Baker was hired, and their overall winning percentage for the five year period is .517.  The 63-year-old earned $3.5MM per season on his first contract with Cincinnati. In 19 seasons managing the Giants, Cubs and Reds, Baker has a 1581-1432 record, one NL pennant and three Manager of the Year awards.

General manager Walt Jocketty has said the contract situations of the team's coaches will be addressed once Baker's situation is resolved.

Photo courtesy of US Presswire.

 

AL Central Notes: Tigers, Valverde, Twins

By | at

The Tigers, now just two wins away from advancing to the World Series, have the day off before hosting the Yankees in Detroit tomorrow night. Here are some links from the only division in baseball that did not feature a 90-win team in 2012…

  • Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski built Detroit's starting rotation for the postseason and it's working, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com writes. "These four guys have the capability of shutting down anyone when they're throwing good," Dombrowski said of Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Doug Fister and Anibal Sanchez.
  • John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press examines the dynamic between Jose Valverde, the closer who can no longer be relied upon, and Jim Leyland, the manager who must juggle egos and matchups as a result of Valverde's poor performances. In my opinion Valverde's free agent stock has diminished considerably this past month. If MLB executives share this view, agent Scott Boras could have difficulty finding serious interest in his new client.
  • Twins senior director of minor league operations Jim Rantz announced that he will retire at the end of the year, the team announced. Rantz, 75, has been a member of the Twins' organization since its inception in 1961.

Offseason Outlook: Arizona Diamondbacks

By | at

The Diamondbacks will look to reinforce the left side of their infield and acquire starting pitching depth while weighing trades for their outfielders.

Guaranteed Contracts 

Arbitration Eligible Players (estimated salaries)

Contract Options

Free Agents

Some general managers prefer to keep their offseason plans private, speaking in abstractions instead of specifics and offering up vague or evasive answers. It’s their prerogative, of course, and a case can be made that controlling information leads to a competitive advantage. At the same time, it’s a whole lot simpler to listen to someone like Kevin Towers outline an offseason plan.

Justin Upton - Diamondbacks (PW)

When Towers recently explained his goals to Barry Bloom of MLB.com he didn’t leave much to the imagination. The Diamondbacks will pursue veteran pitching via trades, look for upgrades on the left side of the infield, trade an outfielder and exercise J.J. Putz’s option. As for the team’s payroll, Towers said it could rise as high as $85MM or so. 

Longtime Diamondbacks shortstop Stephen Drew leads a relatively unremarkable class of free agent shortstops, but he's "probably not" coming back to Arizona in the words of his former GM. If Towers looks to free agency for solutions on the left side of the infield, players such as Marco Scutaro and Kevin Youkilis could catch his attention. Yet the trade market might offer more variety, especially if Towers looks to acquire a long-term answer. Shortstops such as Elvis Andrus, Yunel Escobar or Jed Lowrie could draw trade interest from Arizona this offseason if Towers decides to bypass the free agent market.

Toward the end of the regular season, the Diamondbacks seemed content to rely on internal options at third base, and they have a fallback plan of using Chris Johnson (vs. RHP) and Cody Ransom (vs. LHP). Staying within the organization at shortstop seems less likely, as Willie Bloomquist and John McDonald aren't viewed as everyday options at the position.

Unfortunately for the Diamondbacks, their most prominent organizational strength — outfield depth — happens to be a strength of the upcoming free agent market. There will still be demand for Arizona's outfielders, and at least one of Justin Upton, Chris Young, Jason Kubel and Gerardo Parra figures to be traded. The presence of Adam Eaton and A.J. Pollock means Towers can — and should — explore potential trades.

Upton, the 25-year-old right fielder whose name surfaced in trade rumors all summer long, would likely bring the most substantial return. The Rangers, Mariners, Mets are a few of the many teams that could have interest in completing a deal for Upton. The former first overall selection battled thumb injuries this past season, before finishing strong, with six September home runs. Towers knows Upton could play at an MVP level again as soon as next year, but the GM can't justify an exorbitant asking price for a player whose overall performance was good but not great in 2012. It means the Diamondbacks could keep Upton and trade someone else.

Kubel would draw interest coming off of a 30-home run season. So would Young despite a so-so season at the plate. And Parra, the youngest and most affordable of the three with a projected salary in the $2MM range, would appeal to many teams as well. Towers and other top Diamondbacks executives will have to weigh numerous possibilities with so many trade candidates to choose from — it's a good problem to have.

The Diamondbacks could seek an experienced starting pitcher in a trade for an outfielder. Though they have an assortment of promising young starting pitchers, Towers has said he'd like to acquire a veteran starter this winter. Rival teams will no doubt have interest in the likes of Tyler Skaggs, Patrick Corbin and Trevor Bauer, but to this point there's been no indication those young starters will be available. While manager Kirk Gibson figures to enter Spring Training with an enviable selection of starting rotation options, such depth can disappear quickly so it'd be imprudent to make moves based on the assumption that the rotation will always seem so deep.

Josh Johnson, a ground ball pitcher with one year remaining on his contract, might appeal to the Diamondbacks, who pursued top-of-the-rotation arms this past summer. His $13.75MM salary could be prohibitive, so a pitcher like Jon Niese might be preferable.

Reliever J.J. Putz will return, assuming the Diamondbacks exercise his 2013 option, as expected. Retaining a shutdown reliever for one additional season at a net price of $5MM makes sense for Arizona. As challenging as it can be to predict reliever performances accurately, the right-hander adds lots of value and the Diamondbacks can afford the $6.5MM commitment. Conversely, Matt Lindstrom's option could safely be declined. The hard-throwing right-hander looks more like a $2MM player in this market, so it'd be unnecessarily expensive to exercise his option at $4MM. Instead, free agents like Jeremy Affeldt, Randy Choate and Tim Byrdak could appeal to Towers, who has indicated he's interested in adding left-handed relief.

The Diamondbacks have committed approximately $55MM to next year's payroll, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts. This gives them $20-30MM to work with, using Towers' estimate of next year's payroll. About half of that sum would go to the team's arbitration eligible players, assuming Brad Ziegler, Matt Albers, Chris Johnson, Gerardo Parra and Ian Kennedy are tendered contracts. That scenario has Arizona non-tendering Ransom, Wil Nieves, Mike Zagurski and Brad Bergesen instead of retaining them for another year.

Though Kennedy didn't appear to have interest in an extension last offseason, the Diamondbacks could explore the possibility of a new contract with agent Scott Boras this winter. Towers might also ask Aaron Hill about his interest in a contract extension that would cover 2014 and beyond.

There's no ambiguity about Towers' offseason goals. If he hasn't bolstered the left side of his infield and acquired starting pitching depth by Opening Day, the offseason will arguably have been a disappointment. But if the Diamondbacks follow the path they've traced for themselves and their fans, this team should enter the 2013 season with the expectation of contending again.

Photo courtesy of US Presswire.

Outrighted To Triple-A: Dodgers, Brewers

By | at

The latest outright assignments from around MLB…

  • The Brewers announced that they outrighted infielder Eric Farris and right-hander Cody Scarpetta to Triple-A Nashville. Farris appeared in 13 games for the Brewers this past year, but spent the majority of the season as a second baseman and utility player at Triple-A. Scarpetta, 24, posted a 3.85 ERA in 117 innings at Double-A Huntsville in 2011 but missed the 2012 season to undergo Tommy John surgery.
  • The Dodgers outrighted right-hander Blake Hawksworth and outfielder Matt Angle to Triple-A Albuquerque, Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times reports (on Twitter). Hawksworth didn't pitch at the MLB level in 2012 and underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in August. Angle, 27, spent the 2012 season at Triple-A, posting a .303/.376/.412 batting line in 447 plate appearances.

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top