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Rogers On Chapman, Vazquez, Valentine, Gonzalez

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Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune looks at a few hot stove topics from around the league in his latest article. Here are some of his thoughts:

  • He speculates that the Seattle Mariners' interest in Aroldis Chapman stems from their desire to still have a front-line starter if they eventually decide to move Felix Hernandez.
  • Rogers is skeptical that the two Chicago teams have the resources to compete seriously in the Chapman sweepstakes. Be sure to check out MLBTR's complete Chapman review.
  • With Tim Hudson on the verge of re-signing with the Braves, Ken Rosenthal indicated that Javier Vazquez or Derek Lowe could be shopped for a bat. Rogers suggests it'll be Vazquez that's put on the trading block.
  • Bobby Valentine could be out of the mix for a major-league managerial spot this season, as the Washington Nationals look likely to give Jim Riggleman their full-time gig.
  • Rogers thinks it's "wishful thinking" to expect new Padres GM Jed Hoyer to deal Adrian Gonzalez to Hoyer's former employer, the Boston Red Sox.

Discussion: Hideki Matsui

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Despite belting a crucial home run in Game 2 of the World Series, Hideki Matsui will not start tonight in Philadelphia. The 35-year-old DH's knee issues have been much-discussed this season, as he has yet to play a single inning in the field. Tonight's Yankees lineup, which has the ice-cold Nick Swisher starting in right field, once again raises questions about Matsui's future.

When we last looked at Matsui's offseason prospects, his situation was a little different. It still looked obvious that the Yankees would retain Johnny Damon and cut ties with Matsui, given Damon's strong campaign and the health problems that prevented Matsui from playing in the outfield.

The Yankees' decision is a bit more complicated now though. Damon has struggled down the stretch, posting a .631 OPS in September and hitting just .220/.250/.360 in the playoffs so far. Matsui, meanwhile, posted a .900+ OPS in each of the last three months and has hit .278/.422/.472 in the postseason. Throw in the fact that Damon is a year older than Matsui, and not a strong defender (he recorded a -11.9 UZR/150 in left field this season), and the gap between the two players isn't nearly as wide as it looked earlier in 2009.

Matsui said recently that he's comfortable with the Yankees, despite being unsure if they'll want him back. He has also insisted he's healthy enough to play in the outfield, or even to try first base, opening up the door for a National League team to take a chance on him this winter. It's still hard, however, to envision a team like the New York Mets committing millions of dollars to Matsui when he has yet to be given the chance to play defense.

If you were the GM of your favorite National League team, would you be confident enough in Matsui's knees to offer him a deal, or is Matsui staying in the American League in 2010? If so, will he be in New York or with another AL team? And what about you, Yankees fans: Do you still prefer Damon to Matsui, heading into next season?

Odds & Ends: Rockies, Orioles, Mets

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A few more links to peruse while the baseball world waits for tonight's game in the Bronx….

  • Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post discusses Colorado Rockies manager Jim Tracy and GM Dan O'Dowd, and the deals they'll likely sign this week. Renck praises O'Dowd's recent acquisitions and suggests that this winter the GM will be looking for starting pitching and a right-handed bat.
  • MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez reports that the Baltimore Orioles' potential corner infielders of the future, Josh Bell and Brandon Snyder, are currently tearing up the Arizona Fall League.
  • In the first part of a feature, Viva El Birdos takes a look at the "untradeable" Kyle Lohse.
  • Michael Baron at MetsBlog summarizes a few opinion pieces on the Mets from around the internet, including one by Mike Silva of the New York Baseball Digest about inexpensive free agents.

Red Sox Notes: Hoyer, Ellsbury, Okajima

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Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald shares a few of his thoughts about the Red Sox hot stove. Here are some highlights:

  • With Jed Hoyer taking the reins as the Padres' GM and Kevin Towers having been offered a position in Boston, Silverman thinks Adrian Gonzalez trade talks will restart in the offseason. Given how well Hoyer knows the Red Sox farm system, talks could progress faster than they have in the past.
  • Silverman says, though, that Hoyer's history with Boston doesn't necessarily mean a trade will happen. He points to former Epstein assistant and current Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes, and notes that Arizona and Boston haven't made a significant deal since Byrnes was hired.
  • If the Padres decide to hang on to Gonzalez, the Red Sox could potentially turn to Prince Fielder or Miguel Cabrera in their search for a power-hitting corner infielder.
  • Jacoby Ellsbury's below average defense in center (he posted a -12.3 UZR/150 in 2009) has the Red Sox thinking of moving him to left field.
  • If the team were to move Ellsbury to left (Silverman doesn't expect they will), it would be more difficult to find a replacement center fielder than a left fielder. Silverman thinks Boston should keep an eye on Carlos Beltran's situation in New York, given the Mets' struggles this year and the fact that Beltran would likely only be about $2MM more expensive per season than someone like Jason Bay.
  • Hideki Okajima is eligible for arbitration, but his contract states that he must be made an offer by November 10, so expect that to happen within a couple weeks.

Odds & Ends: La Russa, Indians, Arguelles

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A few links to start your Sunday….

  • Tony La Russa didn't officially say he'll be back in St. Louis in 2010, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. But it sounds like he's leaning towards returning, and that an announcement could be made within a couple days.
  • Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that Bobby Valentine would be the best choice as an "impact" manager for the Tribe. He thinks that Manny Acta is the favorite though.
  • The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw also gives his two cents on the Indians' managerial hunt, opining that Valentine's "outside-the-box interview strategy figures to backfire."
  • At least four teams are very interested in Cuban lefty Noel Arguelles, according to Kiley McDaniel of Baseball Prospectus (via Twitter). In the same tweet, McDaniel mentions that Wagner Mateo still looks headed to the San Francisco Giants.
  • Michael Baron of MetsBlog agrees with MLB.com's Marty Noble when he says the New York Mets have to address their need for a catcher.

Heyman On Jaramillo, Holliday, Mets, Nationals

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11:24pm: Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com says the Cubs will announce the signing of Jaramillo tomorrow.  The Cubs paid up for the hitting coach's services – three years, $2.42MM.

6:01pm: SI.com's Jon Heyman discusses a variety of hot stove topics in his latest column and in an appearance on WFAN, which Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog summarizes. Here are a few of Heyman's main points….

  • The Mets will be the main player for Matt Holliday, with the Giants and Braves in the mix as well. In addition to the Cardinals, the Red Sox and Yankees are also contenders for the star outfielder.
  • Rather than make a run at Roy Halladay, the Mets may be more inclined to sign free agents and keep their top prospects.
  • Intermin manager Jim Riggleman is the favorite to manage the Washington Nationals in 2010.
  • The Mariners' management is glad that Kenji Johjima opted out of his deal, since they "never thought much of him as a player."  That's Heyman's quote, not anything from the team.
  • Rudy Jaramillo, who seems likely to become the Cubs' hitting coach, has had success working with Alfonso Soriano in the past. Heyman hears that Jaramillo will sign a multi-year deal with Chicago that will make him the highest-paid hitting coach in the league.

Nationals Notes: Manager, Desmond, Maxwell

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Byron Kerr of MASN.com spoke to Washington Nationals interim manager Jim Riggleman, who is the favorite to manage the team in 2010, according to Jon Heyman. A few highlights of the conversation….

  • Riggleman indicates that the Nationals' managerial hunt is working around the playoff schedule, and that it will probably be after the World Series before a manager is named.
  • He suggests the Nationals could use another veteran starter.
  • He says that although they don't necessarily need to sign a big-name closer, Washington would benefit from some bullpen help.
  • Cristian Guzman's offseason progress is important. If he's not able to throw, the Nationals could look to add infielders, and it could mean more playing time for Ian Desmond.
  • Riggleman feels Justin Maxwell's spot on the 25-man roster is his to lose, and that Maxwell could start against lefties.

Odds & Ends: Mariners, Pujols, Indians, Lincecum

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A few more evening links….

Red Sox Notes: Bay, Ortiz, Saito

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Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald covers a handful of Red Sox topics in his latest column. Here are some of the highlights:

  • Silverman expects Jason Bay and the Sox to haggle more about the length of a new contract than the dollar amount. Bay will want to guarantee himself a minimum of four or five years, while the Red Sox would rather stick to three years, plus an option.
  • Matt Holliday is an alternative to Bay, but he'll likely be looking for six years and more money per season than Bay. Plus there's no guarantee Holliday can thrive in Boston, while Bay has proven he can.
  • Even if they were to sign Bay or Holliday, the Red Sox would just be maintaining their offense, not upgrading it. Silverman thinks they need to add a big left-handed bat too, though he implies that may have to wait until David Ortiz's contract is up, a year from now.
  • One lefty hitter that Silverman notes is currently on the trading block: Brad Hawpe.
  • Ortiz is committed to improving his conditioning and fitness this winter, hoping to avoid another slow start in 2010.
  • While the Sox likely won't pick up Takashi Saito's $6MM option, there's "mutual interest" for the reliever to re-sign.

Odds & Ends: Mets, Yankees, Brewers

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A few links to browse while you recover from last night's 13-inning marathon in the Bronx….

  • The New York Post's Joel Sherman has a plan for the Mets' rotation: take advantage of spacious Citi Field by pursuing fly ball pitchers instead of the ground ball pitchers that everyone else will covet. Sherman's ideas include Jeremy Guthrie, Gil Meche, and Ervin Santana.
  • Adam Rubin at the New York Daily News hears that the Mets want to acquire a right-handed first baseman to complement Daniel Murphy in 2010. Rubin anticipates that the team's bigger move will be adding a power-hitting outfielder though.
  • Bill Madden of the New York Daily News expects the Yankees to re-sign either Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui as the team's regular DH, letting the other player go. Brian Cashman could then use that money to sign a left fielder who wouldn't be a defensive liability.
  • After the Cincinnati Reds hired Bryan Price as their pitching coach, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel becomes more confident than ever that Rick Peterson is headed for the Brewers' open pitching coach position.

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