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AL Notes: Chen, Hamilton, Athletics, Walters

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Wei-Yin Chen’s start against the Yankees on Saturday was likely his last for the Orioles, Rich Dubroff of CSNmidatlantic.com notes. Chen is expected to depart via free agency. “I would be happy if I was given the chance to come back here,” says Chen. “But sometimes as a professional player, it’s inevitable that you have to change teams and adapt to a new environment. I don’t know where I will pitch next year, I just know I will do my best to pitch [in] each game.” Chen’s initial big-league contract, which covered the 2012-14 seasons, included a 2015 option, and ended up costing a total of about $16MM, was a success for the Orioles — Chen gave them more than 700 quality innings, posting an ERA+ at or better than league average in all four seasons. At age 30, he’s now in good position to cash in on the free agent market. As MLBTR’s Jeff Todd noted in August, though, the qualifying offer the Orioles figure to extend could affect Chen’s value, particularly given the market’s strong group of pitchers. Here’s more from the American League.

  • As part of their complex deal to acquire him in April, the Rangers control Josh Hamilton’s rights through 2017, with the Angels taking on most of his salary. FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal tweets that the Rangers’ obligation going forward is extremely minimal — they’ll pay Hamilton nothing in 2016 and only $2MM in 2017. Hamilton has played a small role on the 2015 Rangers, batting .247/.287/.407 in 174 plate appearances.
  • Billy Burns and Mark Canha both unexpectedly played key roles for the Athletics this year, John Hickey of Bay Area News Group writes. Burns thought he would spend most of the year with the Athletics’ Triple-A affiliate in Nashville, while Canha thought he’d be with the Marlins’ Triple-A team in New Orleans. Instead, Burns started about three-quarters of Oakland’s games in center field and hit .295/.333/.394, also stealing 26 bases. Canha, meanwhile, headed to the A’s in the Rule 5 Draft and batted .249/.308/.413. Their emergences have been bright spots in what has otherwise been a lost year for the Athletics.
  • The Indians have announced that infielder/outfielder Zach Walters had shoulder surgery on Friday to fix a labral tear. He’ll be out five to six months, and the team hopes he’ll be ready for the start of the 2016 season. The Indians acquired Walters for Asdrubal Cabrera in 2014 after a hot half-season at Triple-A Syracuse, but he hasn’t been able to maintain the power-hitting pace he set then, either in the minors or the big leagues. He spent most of this season with Triple-A Columbus, batting .249/.310/.416 in 379 plate appearances.

Dipoto On Marte, Wilhelmsen, Mariners’ Core

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New Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto touches on a variety of topics in a wide-ranging interview with Larry Stone of the Seattle Times. Here are some of the highlights.

  • Dipoto says he is not planning a full-scale rebuild, and therefore is not looking to trade core players like Kyle Seager, Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz or Felix Hernandez. “The greater likelihood is, we’ll focus on those four guys, and Taijuan Walker, as the core we’re trying to build around,” says Dipoto. “And we’ll have to be more creative in finding ways to augment that group, rather than using that group to build a new program.”
  • Dipoto hasn’t yet seen rookie shortstop Ketel Marte play live much, but he sounds open to the possibility that Marte could play the position full-time.
  • The GM reiterates that re-signing Hisashi Iwakuma will be a priority, as was previously reported this week.
  • Dipoto says he would be happy with Tom Wilhelmsen as the Mariners’ closer next year, but adds that another possibility is that he could also acquire another reliever to close and use Wilhelmsen as a setup man.
  • Dipoto praises hitting coach Edgar Martinez but has not yet committed to Martinez remaining in that position 2016.
  • The GM is aware that the Mariners could get a protected top-ten pick in next year’s draft if they do poorly this weekend, but he says he hasn’t discussed that topic with manager Lloyd McClendon. “It’s something that as a team-planner, an organization builder, I’m aware of the value that’s associated with that,” Dipoto says. “But as a former player, and understanding how it works out there, I try to turn the volume down in my head. Because these guys have to go out and compete.”

Reds To Retain Bryan Price

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2:53pm: GM Walt Jocketty has officially announced that Price will return next season, according to C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer  (Twitter links). Decisions on the Reds’ coaches will be made in the coming weeks.

9:44am: The Reds plan to keep manager Bryan Price for 2016, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported earlier this week that the Reds were considering retaining Price, although changes could be made to his coaching staff.

The Reds have suffered through an ugly 63-97 season and are currently in the midst of a 13-game losing streak, and Price himself attracted headlines earlier this season for a profanity-laced tirade directed at a reporter. They also finished just 76-86 in 2014, Price’s first year on the job.

Via Rosenthal, however, the idea behind keeping Price might be that he is not responsible for trades of veterans like Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake and Marlon Byrd, and neither is it his fault that the Reds haven’t gotten full, healthy seasons from key players like Devin Mesoraco, Homer Bailey, Billy Hamilton and Zack Cozart. The Reds’ rotation currently consists entirely of rookies, so perhaps it’s not surprising that they’re struggling.

The Reds promoted Price from pitching coach to manager following the 2013 season, when they dismissed Dusty Baker. Price is signed to a three-year deal that continues through 2016. There has been no indication yet that the Reds plan to extend Price.

Marlins Front Office To Undergo “Significant Changes”

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2:22pm: As has been previously reported, the Marlins have offered Jennings a spot in their front office. He’s still deciding what to do, however, as Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald writes. “From a standpoint of if I’m asked to go back upstairs, then there are conversations that are going to have to take place because I want to understand where things are, because I’ve been removed for 4 1/2 months,” says Jennings. “There’s catch-up that I have to be involved in and conversations that need to take place so that I’m up to speed as to how things have evolved in the front office.”

12:02pm: The Marlins have talked to Rays director of player personnel Matt Arnold about a front office job, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets.

10:12am: There will be “significant changes” in the Marlins’ front office, Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports tweets. Current assistant GM Mike Berger will take over a role similar to that of GM, although it’s unknown at this point what his actual title will be. It’s not clear what role, if any, current manager and former full-time GM Dan Jennings will occupy. Lately, owner Jeffrey Loria has reportedly listened to Berger and others more closely than Jennings. Also, the Marlins recently fired pro scout Mickey White and reassigned vice president of player personnel Craig Weissmann, both close associates of Jennings.

The Marlins are also currently interviewing candidates for their managerial job. It had previously been reported that they had offered Jennings a job in their front office, although perhaps he’ll go elsewhere, with the Phillies being one possibility.

It has, of course, been a disappointing season in Miami. The Marlins acquired Mat Latos, Martin Prado, Dee Gordon, Dan Haren, Michael Morse, Ichiro Suzuki and others last winter in an attempt to contend, but they struggled out of the gate, fired manager Mike Redmond, and have slouched to a 69-90 season so far amidst injuries to key players like Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Fernandez.

Rosenthal On Eppler, Cherington, Orioles, Black

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Here’s the latest from Ken Rosenthal, via a video on FOX Sports:

  • Nothing is official, and it’s hard to tell what Angels owner Arte Moreno might be thinking, but the Yankees still believe assistant GM Billy Eppler will get the open GM job in Anaheim. One possible reason the Angels haven’t yet made the announcement is that they might have to face the Yankees in the AL Wild Card matchup.
  • Former Red Sox GM Ben Cherington isn’t likely to try to get a GM job this offseason, but perhaps the Phillies job could be appealing to him, since he and Phillies owner John Middleton both went to Amherst. If Cherington takes a GM job, he’ll want to work with someone he trusts.
  • The Orioles have extended bench coach John Russell’s contract, but have not done the same for their other coaches, and it looks like changes could be afoot. Pitching coach Dave Wallace appears most likely to head elsewhere (and other teams are already inquiring about his availability). Any potential coaching changes could lead to disagreements between GM Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter.
  • The Marlins and Nationals could be potential landing spots for manager Bud Black, and the Braves might also become a possibility at some point, given that he once worked as an assistant to current Braves exec John Hart. The Dodgers might also come into play if they part ways with Don Mattingly.

Tigers Notes: Closers, Rondon, Simon

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Manager Brad Ausmus says he thinks GM Al Avila will try to acquire a closer this winter, MLive.com’s Chris Iott writes. “I would think we would,” says Ausmus. “That would definitely be high on the priority list. It’s a lot easier to say it’s high on the priority list. It’s a lot harder to do.” The Tigers traded Joakim Soria to the Pirates earlier this season and have tried a variety of other pitchers at closer, without much success. Their bullpen has been a significant problem all season, posting a 4.41 ERA that ranks fourth-worst in the big leagues. Here’s more out of Detroit.

  • Included on that list of unsuccessful Tigers closers is Bruce Rondon, who produced a 5.81 ERA, 10.5 K/9 and 5.5 BB/9 before being sent home two weeks ago due to his “effort level.” Rondon won’t be guaranteed a spot in the Tigers’ 2016 bullpen. Iott notes (via Twitter) that the Tigers didn’t use an option on Rondon this season, so he has two remaining. Reserve catcher Bryan Holaday is, however, out of options.
  • Tigers starter Alfredo Simon says he has struggled with a knee injury for most of the year, MLB.com’s Jason Beck tweets. He will have a platelet rich plasma injection today. Via Iott (on Twitter), Simon is interested in staying with the Tigers for 2016. Simon is headed toward free agency after a season in which he’s produced a 5.05 ERA, 5.6 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 187 innings in Detroit. He might have gotten a significant free agent deal had he been eligible last winter, when he was coming off a strong season with the Reds, but at 34 and after a mediocre season, that now seems unlikely.

East Notes: Staub, O’Day, Hanley

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Former MLB star Rusty Staub suffered a medical emergency on a recent flight home from Ireland, the Mets have announced (via ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin on Twitter). That emergency was a heart attack, Mike Puma of the New York Post tweets. The flight was diverted back to Ireland, and Staub is currently in a hospital there. His prognosis is good. Staub, an outfielder and first baseman also known as “Le Grand Orange,” was a key figure in the early years of both the Expos and Mets. After spending his first several years in the big leagues with the Houston Colt .45’s / Astros, he was traded to the Expos in time for their first season in 1969, and he became the franchise’s first star, hitting 29 homers in his first season in Montreal. The Expos later traded him to New York, where he was a key figure on the Mets’ early-’70s teams. He then played several seasons in Detroit before heading briefly back to Montreal and on to Texas before returning to the Mets for his last several years in the league. In 23 seasons, Staub won six All-Star berths and hit 292 homers. Here’s more from the East divisions.

  • Reliever and impending free agent Darren O’Day says he would like to re-sign with the Orioles, CSNmidatlantic.com’s Rich Dubroff tweets. The team has reportedly expressed interest in a reunion as well. O’Day will be 33 later this month, perhaps somewhat limiting his earnings potential on the open market, but he’s had a string of excellent seasons for the Orioles and is now finishing what’s been arguably his best year in the bigs — he currently has a 1.54 ERA, 11.3 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 64 1/3 innings. In a recent Free Agent Stock Watch piece on O’Day, MLBTR’s Jeff Todd noted that O’Day could well command a three-year contract this offseason, perhaps similar to Luke Gregerson’s deal with the Astros.
  • Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski hopes Hanley Ramirez will return for 2016 as a more “athletic” player, MLB.com’s Ian Browne writes. Ramirez was bigger than usual in 2015 and was trying to hit for more power. “I did hear that he came in bigger just for the simple fact he was thinking, ’I’m going to be a left fielder or maybe a power guy,'” says Dombrowski. “Sometimes that extra weight doesn’t always translate into what you’re trying to accomplish.” Even though Ramirez will play next season at first base, Dombrowski says the Red Sox aren’t concerned about his home run totals. Ramirez’s first year in Boston was, of course, a very poor one — he hit 19 home runs but produced just a .291 OBP, and he struggled horribly with the transition from the infield to left field. He’s been out since August 26 due to shoulder trouble.

Manfred Interested In MLB Expansion To Mexico

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MLB commissioner Rob Manfred was in Mexico this week to meet with baseball officials there, and it appears the addition of an MLB team south of the border is a possibility. If MLB were to expand, it could consider expanding into Mexico, Manfred tells Maury Brown of Forbes. “We see Mexico as an opportunity internationally,” says Manfred. “We also think a team in Mexico and a larger number of Mexican players in the big leagues could really help us continue to grow the Hispanic market in the United States.”

Expansion into Mexico is not likely to happen immediately, however, Manfred tells MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez. Manfred says he would like to start by having exhibition and Spring Training games in Mexico. (He toured a new stadium in Culiacan this week and says he’s excited to have exhibition games there.) MLB would then progress to having occasional regular-season games in Mexico before settling on a location for a full-time MLB team. In the meantime, MLB will open an office in Mexico City next year. “The prospects of having a Major League team here in Mexico are realistic. The difficult issue is the time frame,” Manfred says.

In his interview with Brown, Manfred also notes that MLB could add a team or teams in the US, and that Montreal is interested in having a team again. Television territories would not be a significant obstacle to expansion, Manfred says, as long as the new teams aren’t too close to existing ones. If MLB were to expand to 32 franchises, teams would continue to play 162-game schedules, but would be realigned in eight four-team divisions, Manfred says, noting that would actually make scheduling easier.

This isn’t the first time Manfred has suggested that expansion into Mexico or Canada could be a possibility. “Mexico and Canada present the most fertile ground just in terms of the level of baseball interest and the proximity to our existing franchises,” Manfred told Frederic Daigle of the Canadian Press in March. He voiced similar sentiments in an interview with Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times in February. He told Daigle that he was more interested in expansion than in relocating an existing franchise, although he did not rule out the possibility of relocation.

Stephen Piscotty Leaves Game After Collision

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TUESDAY: Piscotty has been released from the hospital, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny told Casey Stern and Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (audio link).  The outfielder “had a couple of bruises but overall everything checked out very clean.  He had a couple more tests today and things came back as positive as we could hope for, so that was very fortunate,” Matheny said.

MONDAY, 10:03pm: All tests Piscotty has undergone have been negative, the Cardinals have announced. He will stay at the hospital overnight.

8:45pm: Cardinals outfielder Stephen Piscotty has left this evening’s game against the Pirates after appearing to get hit in the head in a nasty collision. Piscotty and Peter Bourjos were both chasing a fly ball hit to left center field when Piscotty dove and appeared to strike his head hard against Bourjos’ knee. Piscotty was on the ground for several minutes afterwards and was then removed on a stretcher. He gave a small wave to fans at PNC Park as he was carted off. Jon Jay replaced him in left field.

The details of Piscotty’s injury aren’t yet known — the Cardinals announced he was diagnosed with a “head contusion,” but that he would undergo further tests. It would be very surprising if he didn’t miss significant time. Piscotty was pressed into duty due this season to a series of injuries to other Cardinals’ outfielders, and he’s had a terrific rookie year, batting .313/.365/.507 in 249 plate appearances.

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