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NL West Roundup: Giants, Padres, Dodgers

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The Internet is filled with insight into the teams of the Pacific Coast…

  • MLB.com Giants beat reporter Chris Haft answered a number of reader questions, shooting down both the idea that the Giants can stand pat offensively and trade suggestions from a reader for Prince Fielder and Carl Crawford. Haft offers plenty to chew on in this comprehensive piece.
  • Haft's San Diego counterpart Corey Brock answers plenty of Padre questions as well. Brock believes Ken Griffey Jr. is not a good target for the Padres and Kevin Correia absolutely will return. Brock touches on the long-term plan for the Padres and other topics as well.
  • CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler discusses a trade not made by the Dodgers: Los Angeles' failure to acquire Cliff Lee, who shut them down in Sunday night's game.

Discussion: Jonathan Papelbon

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MLB.com's Ian Browne doesn't think Jonathan Papelbon's final appearance with the Red Sox will be his meltdown in Game 3 of the ALDS. A reader inquired in Browne's mailbag column whether Papelbon could be jettisoned, with Daniel Bard getting a shot at closing duties.

Browne notes that Papelbon has been an All Star during each of his four years as closer, and says of Boston, "I think the Red Sox would much rather work with Papelbon to try to get him back to his 2006-08 form than trade him away."

There are some reasons to think the Red Sox would be well-advised to deal Papelbon if the price is right. Later in the same mailbag, Browne noted that Red Sox GM Theo Epstein shares the commonly-held belief that Boston's best prospects are 2-3 years away. A Papelbon deal for high-level prospects could allow the Red Sox to restock the upper tier of their farm system, with Bard or Billy Wagner (whom the Sox can offer arbitration to) closing in 2010.

Papelbon also had some warning signs in his 2009 statistical line. While his ERA actually dropped from 2008's 2.34 to 1.85 in 2009, that is deceptive. Papelbon's walk rate more than tripled, from 1.0 to 3.2 walks per nine innings. His Fielder Independent Pitching (FIP) rose more than a run, from 2.01 to 3.05. He'll be expensive in arbitration this winter, and will hit free agency in his early 30s (he turns 29 on November 23).

In his defense, he's Jonathan Papelbon. Few closers have been better, even during his "down year" in 2009.

So what should the Red Sox do? What should it take to pry Papelbon loose from Boston?

Odds & Ends: Webb, Abreu, Indians

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Here are some afternoon tidbits:

  • The Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro, in his latest piece, reiterates that Brandon Webb only wants to discuss his 2010 option. The Diamondbacks are hoping to add a 2011 option to the deal. Webb, however, hopes a healthy 2010 will increase his 2011 value.
  • Dave Cameron at Fangraphs breaks down Bobby Abreu's value, and concludes that a two-year, $16MM offer from the Angels is a fair one.
  • Both Bobby Valentine and Clint Hurdle refused to comment on Cleveland's managerial search, adding to speculation that both are being considered for the job.
  • The Baltimore Sun's Peter Schmuck thinks that Bob Melvin should be Baltimore's next bench coach.

Latest Rick Peterson Rumors

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MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reports that Rick Peterson is still the leading candidate to be named Milwaukee's pitching coach, and that Milwaukee likely tops Peterson's destination wish list.

But, as McCalvy put it, "the Brewers are looking at other coaches, and Peterson is reportedly looking at other teams."

Peterson told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that he was interested in Florida's opening.

"I think they can win and I think they can win very soon," Peterson said. "With their young pitching, obviously you have to keep them healthy and get a little more production out of them. That's pretty much been my track record in my career."

According to McCalvy, Peterson also reached out to the Reds, though he has yet to be formally interviewed by Cincinnati.

Wakefield Era Set To Continue In Boston

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Good news, knuckleball fans!

WEEI's Rob Bradford reports that Tim Wakefield is set to have surgery on the herniated disc in his back next week, likely on Wednesday.

Why is this good news? Not only have the doctors told Wakefield that the surgery won't hinder his ability to get ready for next season, but Boston GM Theo Epstein indicated that, assuming all goes well, Boston will likely exercise the $4MM team option they hold on Wakefield.

“Wake is someone that is in our plans and we hope makes starts for us next year and is a member of the rotation,” Epstein said. “We haven’t sat down and finalized anything. Obviously we want to see how the surgery goes and then both sides will sit down and talk.”

Wakefield, an up-and-comer who was named to his first All Star team this season weeks before his 43rd birthday, posted an 11-5 record in 2009 with a 4.58 ERA.

Odds & Ends: Nationals, Cardinals, Rangers

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Still tired from last night's NLCS?

This should brighten your morning…

  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo describes Jim Riggleman as "a terrific in-house candidate" for the managerial position.
  • Cardinals GM John Mozeliak expressed "surprise" over Albert Pujols' lack of urgency to sign an extension.
  • NPB Tracker takes a look at possible acquisitions by the Hanshin Tigers, both from Japan and the United States.
  • The Rangers will begin meetings with groups interested in purchasing the team.
  • Carney Lansford, recently-fired hitting coach of the Giants, has some harsh departing words for San Francisco's hitters.
  • Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle thinks the McCourt divorce could lead to big trouble for the Dodgers.

Odds & Ends: Cardinals, Rangers, Astros

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Time for your afternoon snack!

  • Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch weighs a reader question: is it time to trade Albert Pujols? As Goold writes, "Ain’t happening, shouldn’t happen (on both sides), but it makes for fine hot-stove jabber." Still, children all of St. Louis (and many adults) rightly shudder at even the hypothetical Pujols trade.
  • The Cardinals are looking to bring John Smoltz back, according to the Associated Press. Smoltz had a 4.26 ERA and 40/9 K/BB ratio in 38 innings with the Cardinals, so their interest is understandable.
  • The Dallas Morning News' Tim Cowlishaw worries that the uncertain ownership situation of the Rangers will keep the club from making big-ticket improvements for 2010.
  • SI's Jon Heyman acknowledges these concerns, but still thinks John Lackey could end up in Texas.
  • Ned Yost is interviewing for Houston's managerial job this afternoon, even though the Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice thinks Phil Garner should be the hire.
  • And the Washington Nationals keep adding front office personnel.

Discussion: Jason Bay and Toronto

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Dave Perkins has an interesting idea in the Toronto Star: should the Blue Jays go get Jason Bay this offseason?

Perkins points out that Bay's .921 OPS certainly didn't suffer after coming to the American League- it was best in the junior circuit among outfielders. He's also Canadian-born and would make a solid addition to an outfield that also figures to have Travis Snider and Vernon Wells returning in 2010.

Perkins also adds that Bay will be just 31 on Opening Day 2010, and the Jays will not only benefit from having Bay, they will also benefit by taking Bay from the Boston Red Sox.

The reality is that Bay will probably be too rich for Toronto's taste. After all, despite just $63MM committed to next year's players, they spent the run up to the non-waiver trade deadline this summer trying to deal Roy Halladay, rather than sign him long-term.

But if April is a time for every team to dream of how the season will go, shouldn't October be for how the off-season will go?

Mets Notes: Wilpon, Minaya, Jaramillo

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According to Peter Gammons, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon is the general manager of the Mets, not actual GM Omar Minaya.

Gammons went on to describe Minaya as "the one out there to take the heat” on Michael Kay's 1050 AM radio show Wednesday.

This has implications for how the Mets will proceed this winter, of course. The good news is that if Wilpon wants to spend money on a player, he doesn't need to run it by ownership, since he is, in fact, ownership. The bad news is, no one knows exactly how much baseball expertise Jeff Wilpon has.

The quote from former Mets' co-owner Nelson Doubleday in 2003 isn't encouraging:

“Mr. Jeff Wilpon has decided that he’s going to learn how to run a baseball team and take over at the end of the year… Run for the hills, boys.  I think probably all those baseball people will bail… Jeff sits there by himself like he’s King Tut waiting for his camel.”

This has ramifications for recently-jettisoned Texas Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo as well. After all, Jaramillo has been linked to the Mets before, and the well-respected coach once managed a young minor leaguer named Omar Minaya.

While a failure to bring in Jaramillo doesn't prove much, if the Mets do bring him in, it goes a long way toward showing that Minaya still has some power with the Mets.

Odds & Ends: Indians, Dodgers, Blue Jays

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Because baseball should be in all four seasons, no matter what Forbes Magazine thinks…

  • As Buster Olney first reported on October 3, Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell officially took his name out of the running for next manager of the Cleveland Indians.
  • Joe Torre denied that life with the Dodgers is "a living hell", as Peter Gammons told Michael Kay on his radio show Wednesday. Torre did say, however, that he doesn't expect to manage past his 2010 contract. 
  • Perhaps the phrase will be used instead in the upcoming divorce proceedings between Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and his wife, Jamie. As a source described it to Ken Rosenthal: "They've already 'lawyered' up. They're trashing each other terribly. It's going to be World War III."
  • Orlando Hudson is glad the Blue Jays traded him. Considering that he's still playing, and J.P. Ricciardi is out of a job, one can guess Ricciardi feels otherwise.

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