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Rosenthal On B.J. Upton, Bourn, Morse, Ethier

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Here's the latest from FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal as he dissects the buzz and rumors currently circulating around the league…

  • The addition of two former members from the Rays organization has nothing to do with a potential pursuit of center fielder B.J. Upton, says Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr.
  • While some teams may prefer Upton over Michael Bourn thanks to his age (nearly two years younger) and the ability to hit for power, Rosenthal points out that Bourn's value comes from being a well-rounded player. 
  • Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche's decision regarding his free agency may greatly impact Washington's course of action this offseason, especially with left fielder Michael Morse. 
  • The notion that the Dodgers may consider moving Andre Ethier just months after signing him to a five-year, $85MM contract simply wouldn't be the best move for Los Angeles heading into 2013, opines Rosenthal.
  • Look for the Yankees to re-sign Russell Martin, but the Bombers have had their eye on free agent David Ross, who has served as Brian McCann's backup with the Braves since 2009.
  • The Cardinals and second baseman Skip Schumaker may be parting ways this offseason as the veteran no longer has a defined role with the club thanks to the emergence of young talent. 

Week In Review: 10/21/12 – 10/27/12

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The Giants are the 2012 World Series Champions after sweeping the Tigers in four games. The victory marks the Giants' second championship in three seasons and gives the National League three straight World Series titles. With the trophy presentation just moments away, let's take a break from the action to catch up on the week that was here at MLBTR…

  • The Red Sox announced the hiring of John Farrell as their new manager and his agreement to a three-year deal that will run through 2015. As compensation to the Blue Jays, to whom Farrell was under contract through 2013, Boston traded shortstop Mike Aviles for right-hander David Carpenter. 
  • The White Sox promoted long-time GM Kenny Williams to executive VP and Rick Hahn to senior VP and general manager. Williams, 48, has been Chicago's GM since the end of the 2000 season.
  • The Marlins fired manager Ozzie Guillen after one season with the team. Guillen, a 16-year MLB veteran who made three All-Star teams as a player, managed the White Sox for eight seasons before joining the Marlins. 
  • Right-handers Dustin Moseley and Tim Stauffer cleared outright waivers and elected to become free agents. Both pitchers were entering their third year of arbitration eligibility and both were seen as likely non-tender candidates by MLB.com's Tim Dierkes in his look at the Padres' arb-eligible players.
  • The Angels signed infielder Angel Sanchez to a minor league deal. The contract contains an invitation to the Halos' Major League Spring Training camp.
  • The Blue Jays designated Tyson Brummett for assignment five days after claiming the right-hander off of waivers from the Phillies. Brummett made his MLB debut earlier this month, getting two strikeouts against the Nationals.
  • Right-hander Manny Corpas elected free agency after being outrighted off of the Cubs' 40-man roster. Corpas made 48 relief appearances in 2012, posting a 5.01 ERA with 5.4 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 46 2/3 innings.
  • The Royals claimed Chris Volstad off of waivers from the Cubs. Volstad, 26, had been a non-tender candidate in Chicago following a season in which he posted a 6.31 ERA in 111 1/3 innings.
  • The Mets claimed catcher Anthony Recker from the Cubs. Recker, 29, posted a .143/.263/.245 slash line in 58 plate appearances for the Athletics and Cubs in 2012. 
  • Right-hander Chad Beck finds himself with a new team after the Pirates claimed him off waivers from the Blue Jays. The 27-year-old appeared in 14 games for the Blue Jays this year after spending most of the season at Triple-A.
  • The Mariners released infielder Munenori Kawasaki.The left-handed hitter posted a .192/.257/.202 batting line in 115 plate appearances. The team also parted ways with Miguel Olivo as it declined its option on the veteran catcher.
  • The Twins declined their 2013 club option for Matt Capps. The option was worth $6MM and the veteran right-hander will instead receive a $250K buyout.
  • The Padres requested unconditional release waivers for right-hander Micah Owings. 
  • Bobby Wilson's headed north of the border as the Blue Jays claimed the catcher off waivers from the Angels. Wilson, 29, posted a .211/.277/.292 batting line in 201 plate appearances and prevented 29% of stolen base attempts from behind the plate. 

Week In Review: 10/14/12 – 10/20/12

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As the Cardinals and Giants prepping for Game 7 on Monday, let's take a break from the action to catch up on the week that was here at MLBTR…

  • The Diamondbacks acquired Heath Bell, infielder Cliff Pennington, and cash considerations from the Marlins in a three-team deal with the Athletics. Miami will receive minor league infielder Yordy Cabrera from the A's and Oakland will get outfielder Chris Young and $500K from Arizona.
  • The Reds agreed to a two-year contract extension with manager Dusty Baker. Cincinnati has won the NL Central twice since Baker was hired, and its overall winning percentage for the five year period is .517. 
  • Arizona stayed busy all week as the Diamondbacks exercised their $6.5MM club option for J.J. Putz. Putz, 35, has pitched to a 2.48 ERA with 10.1 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 in two years with the D'Backs while saving 77 games in 86 chances. 
  • The Athletics announced that Jeremy Accardo cleared outright waivers and chose to become a free agent. Accardo posted a 4.82 ERA in 37 1/3 innings with the Indians and A's in 2012, with his Oakland experience amounting to just two innings after signing with the club in August.
  • The Blue Jays claimed right-hander Tyson Brummett off of waivers from the Phillies. Toronto's 40-man roster is full after claiming Brummett, Cory Wade and Scott Cousins.
  • Right-hander Cory Wade found a new home this week as the Blue Jays claimed him off waivers from the Yankees. New York designated him for assignment last week. Outfielder Scott Cousins will also be joining him in Toronto after the team claimed him off waiver from the Marlins.
  • The Red Sox designated outfielder Che-Hsuan Lin for assignment.The move creates room on the 40-man roster for the recently-claimed Sandy Rosario.
  • The Cubs acquired minor league right-hander Marcelo Carreno and cash considerations from the Tigers to complete the August trade involving Jeff Baker. 

Week In Review: 10/7/12 – 10/13/12

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On a day jammed full of American League and National League Championship Series games, let's take a break in the action to catch up on the week that was here at MLBTR…

  • Mets GM Sandy Alderson has made it no secret that signing both David Wright and R.A. Dickey beyond 2013 is one of his top offseason priorities, and formal contract negotiations with both players could begin next week.
  • Jim Tracy resigned as the manager of the Rockies after coaching the team for three seasons. Tracy had been under fire after leading the Rockies to a last place finish in the NL West with a franchise record for losses at 64-98. 
  • Following his 50-game suspension for a performance-enhancing drug and word of an alleged cover-up attempt, the odds of the Giants re-signing Melky Cabrera this offseason seemed unlikely. However, there is now more openness within the Giants organization to retain the outfielder.
  • The Reds want manager Dusty Baker back for the 2013 season. Cincinnati won the NL Central twice since Baker was hired, and their overall winning percentage for the five year period is .517. 
  • Contract talks between the Red Sox and Cody Ross have gained some momentum. The Red Sox are attempting to re-sign the outfielder, who is on track to hit free agency once the World Series ends.
  • Five years into Frank Wren's tenure as the Braves' general manager, the team continues contending on an annual basis. Wren will have at least two more seasons to bring a championship to Atlanta, as he has agreed to a contract extension through 2014. 
  • Veteran third baseman Scott Rolen is preparing to retire, though he will delay an official announcement until later in the offseason. Rolen hit .245/.318/.398 in 330 plate appearances for Cincinnati this year, with his playing time limited by both injuries and the Reds' desire to fit rookie Todd Frazier into the lineup.  
  • The Yankees designated right-hander Cory Wade for assignment. Wade, 29, appeared in 79 games for the Yankees across the last two years, posting a 4.23 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 during that stretch. 

NL Notes: Nationals, Rockies, Chris Carpenter

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As the Cardinals and Giants do battle in San Francisco, let's take a minute away from the action to catch up on the latest news and headlines from around the National League…

  • After enjoying a successful regular season with a 98-64 record, Nats Insider's Mark Zuckerman wonders if Washington can repeat a similar campaign next year. Zuckerman says that the team is positioned to be a strong club in 2013, but suggests that there are no guarantees of repeat playoff appearances in baseball even with a talented roster like that of the Nationals. 
  • The Rockies' timeline toward once again becoming a competitive franchise remains unclear given the poor performance of the team's management and ownership, writes The Denver Post's Woody Paige. The veteran columnist points to questionable decisions by the team including installing a four-man rotation, 75-pitch counts and moving the co-general manager's office into a conference room just off the home clubhouse. 
  • Chris Carpenter's rise to veteran leader of the Cardinals clubhouse can be explained by his experience learning from the pitchers who made their mark before him in both Toronto and St. Louis, says Matthew Leach of MLB.com. "My presence has changed, because I'm the only one left," Chris Carpenter said. "So it's definitely changed. I feel like I'm a St. Louis Cardinal. I feel like I always will be in the organization and the clubhouse, the team, I love it all and I enjoy being in there, and I think my presence has changed a lot just because I've been here that long."

Week In Review: 9/30/12 – 10/6/12

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As we wind down from a Sunday chock full of playoff baseball, let's take a break from the action to catch up on the week that was here at MLBTR…

  • The Indians announced the hiring of Terry Francona and will formally introduce him at a press conference on Monday morning. For his career, the 53-year-old has a 1,029–915 record across a total of 12 seasons as a big league skipper.
  • Manager Bobby Valentine will not return to the Red Sox next season. Valentine led the Sox to a 69-93 record and a last place finish in his only season at the helm. 
  • The Twins announced that they removed the interim label from Terry Ryan's job title, making him the permanent general manager once again. Ryan, who first became the Twins' GM in 1995, spent more than a decade in the role before stepping aside in September of 2007.
  • The Angels agreed to sign catcher Chris Iannetta to a three-year extension worth $15.5MM. When healthy he appeared in 79 games, hitting nine home runs and posting a .240/.332/.398 batting line in 253 plate appearances. 
  • The Red Sox received right-hander Rubby De La Rosa and outfielder Jerry Sands to complete their blockbuster deal with the Dodgers from earlier this summer. In a related move, the club has designated catcher Guillermo Quiroz for assignment.
  • Starter Ben Sheets retired on Wednesday after joining the Braves at midseason. The Brewers selected Sheets with the tenth overall pick in the 1999 draft and he spent most of his career in Milwaukee.

AL Notes: Duquette, Red Sox, Showalter, Neshek

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On the night that playoff baseball returns to Baltimore for the first time since 1997, we take a break from the action to catch up on the latest news and stories making headlines around the American League…

  • Orioles general manager Dan Duquette says there's no need to increase the team's payroll for next season given Baltimore's current success, says Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). The Orioles' payroll for the 2012 season saw the team spend $82MM — down $6MM from one season ago.
  • History says that the Red Sox will have to pay a steep price to the Blue Jays if they hope to secure John Farrell's services next season at manager, writes Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. Most recenly the Marlins sent the White Sox their fourth- and fifth-best prospects in exchange for manager Ozzie Guillen. The trade proved to be an ill-fated one for Miami as the front office may not retain Guillen for the 2013 season.
  • O's manager Buck Showalter has done a masterful job taking undesirable pieces and shaping a competitive club under his tutelage, says Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports. "I kind of noticed this right when I got here," Nate McLouth said. "He's the kind of guy who even when he's not looking at you, he's watching you. He knows what's going on. All the time. Everywhere."
  • Mere days after the death of his newborn child, Athletics reliever Pat Neshek and his wife turned to baseball as a tool to aid in the mourning process, writes Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News. Neshek returned to the team on Saturday after tragedy struck on Wednesday to retire two batters in a row and successfully guide the A's out of a jam. "You could just see the emotion in his eyes," said Derek Norris. "You could see how much it meant to him."

Quick Hits: Kurt Suzuki, Scott Hairston, Nate McLouth

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After an arduous start with the Dodgers, Brandon League has settled in nicely as the team's closer, writes Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times. The right-hander turned his season around thanks to 18 scoreless appearances out of his last 19, giving him a 0.44 ERA during that stretch. Here's a look at the news and stories making headlines on the final Sunday of the regular season…

  • Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki has exceeded all expectations for Washington after the team acquired him from the A's at the non-waiver trade deadline, writes Dan Kolko of MASNsports.com. The 28-year-old's strong performance has come on both sides of the ball, especially with his bat. "He's gotten clutch hits," Ryan Zimmerman said. "I think we all knew he was a better hitter and his track record shows he was a better hitter than what he was doing this year.
  • Thanks to a strong campaign replete with increased playing time, Mets outfielder Scott Hairston heads into the offseason looking for a deal that will allow him to continue to expand his role in 2013, says Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Hairston will be able to use his 1.9 Wins Above Replacement as a negotiating chip as he looks to become an everyday player for the entirety of the season. "I pretty much played in every role possible, and the last few weeks or so I've been playing every day," Hairston said. "It's just one of those things where I really don't know what's going to happen. I'm just going to prepare myself this offseason as if I'll be playing every day."
  • The resurgence of Nate McLouth hasn't been an easy endeavor for the former All-Star, but the hard work has the scrappy outfielder playing a major role in the Orioles' success, writes Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun. "It's part of the path that God has laid out for my life. And I don't question it. Were the last couple years tough? Heck yeah they were. But I know I am stronger and better because of it," McLouth said.

Week In Review: 9/23/12 – 9/29/12

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As the regular season gives way to the playoffs this week, let's take a break from the excitement to catch up on the week that was here at MLBTR…

  • The Astros named Nationals third base coach Bo Porter their new manager on Thursday morning. Porter will remain with Washington until they complete their postseason run.
  • The Orioles claimed first baseman/outfielder Steve Pearce off of waivers from the Yankees. Pearce owns a .234/.309/.369 slash line across six big league seasons with a .266/.343/.464 line against left-handers.
  • Cleveland's second half slide cost Manny Acta his job. The Indians dismissed Acta and replaced him with Sandy Alomar Jr. on an interim basis for the remainder of the 2012 season.
  • Terry Francona will interview for the Indians' managerial position either Wednesday or Thursday. Francona has strong relationships with GM Chris Antonetti and team president Mark Shapiro following his 2001 stint with Cleveland as a special assistant to the GM. 
  • The White Sox finalized the signing of Dominican shortstop Johan Cruz with a $450K deal. Cruz, a 6'1" right-handed hitter, was the club's only pickup from the July 2nd class of this year.
  • The Phillies acquired infielder Stefan Jarrin from the Dodgers. The move completes the July 31st trade that sent Shane Victorino to Los Angeles for Ethan Martin, Josh Lindblom and player to be named or cash.
  • The Twins unconditionally released Tsuyoshi Nishioka at the infielder's request. Nishioka had been under contract for 2013, but he will relieve the Twins of the $3.25MM remaining on his contract. 
  • Barring another unexpected setback, Adam Greenberg will finally get an official at-bat in the Major Leagues. Greenberg, who was hit in the head with a pitch when he debuted with the Cubs seven years ago, has signed a one-day MLB contract with the Marlins.
  • The Yankees designated left-hander Justin Thomas for assignment. Thomas also appeared in four Major League games for New York, allowing three runs in three innings of work.
  • Shortstop Jack Wilson will retire following a 12-year MLB career. Wilson, 34, decided along with his family that the 2012 season would be his final one in the Major Leagues.
  • The Tigers acquired right-hander Greg Ross from the Braves. The move completes the August 31st trade that sent Jeff Baker from Detroit to Atlanta for a player to be named later.

Week In Review: 9/16/12 – 9/22/12

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With the addition of a second Wild Card causing madness in both the American and National Leagues, let's take a moment to catch up on the week that was here at MLBTR…

  • The Brewers acquired catcher Yorvit Torrealba from the Blue Jays for a player to be named later or cash considerations. In 212 total plate appearances with Texas and Toronto this year Torrealba has a .233/.297/.339 batting line.
  • The White Sox will promote their top two baseball executives following a surprising season that has the team leading its division. The team is expected to promote longtime general manager Kenny Williams to the role of vice president of baseball operations and shift assistant GM Rick Hahn into the GM role.
  • Jake Peavy and the White Sox may be parting ways after this season as Chicago's unlikely to exercise their $22MM club option for 2013. Instead, the team is expected to pay a $4MM buyout in a move that would make Peavy a free agent.
  • The Diamondbacks designated outfielder Cole Gillespie for assignment. Gillespie, 28, hit .308/.390/.494 with 13 homers in 510 plate appearances for Arizona's Triple-A affiliate this season. 
  • Colby Lewis and the Rangers agreed to a one-year contract extension for 2013. Lewis' deal is worth $2MM in guaranteed money plus incentives.

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