Marlins Notes: Guillen, Loria, Beinfest
Earlier this week, it was reported that the Marlins are thinking about firing manager Ozzie Guillen and have contacted at least one potential replacement for him. There were also rumblings that owner Jeffrey Loria was ready to shake up the front office starting with a dismissal of president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest, but sources say that won't be taking place. Here's the latest on the Marlins, courtesy of MLB.com's Joe Frisaro..
- Loria made it clear to his front office that he would be keeping the status quo within 24 hours of the report that indicated Beinfest would be bumped in favor of assistant GM Dan Jennings. When asked about the report, Loria told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that he “never comments on any ridiculous and fabricated rumors", but stopped short of a full denial.
- As the rumors about Guillen's status build, a source said that the owner has not reached a conclusion. If Loria had decided to retain Guillen, then he most likely would have said something this weekend as he did with Beinfest and the rest of the front office. Several sources have said that there is a "60 percent" chance that Guillen won't be back.
- Guillen’s status also could be impacted by some other candidates. For example, if the Marlins could convince Mike Lowell to take the job, then Guillen could be out. However, sources told Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald yesterday that Lowell won't be considered for the job.
Cafardo On Angels, Ross, Loney, Carp, Scioscia
In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that there could be a few interesting options for manager Terry Francona this offseason. There could be two additional openings for the former Red Sox manager with reports indicating that the Angels' Mike Scioscia and Jim Leyland of the Tigers could be in danger of being dismissed this offseason. Cafardo opines that either team would be ideal for Tito as both teams have the resources to improve and he would be inheriting the same kind of talent-rich team he had in Boston after the 2003 season. Here's more from Cafardo..
- Outfielder Cody Ross has three major-market teams – the Phillies, Yankees, and Red Sox – very interested in him. Ross has made it clear that he would like to stay in Boston and Larry Lucchino said earlier this week that the club is beginning the process of keeping him for next season and beyond.
- The Red Sox are also thinking about re-signing James Loney and he is receptive to coming back, but he could pick up attention in a thin first base market. The Rays can be expected to kick the tires on Loney as they are unlikely to re-sign Carlos Pena.
- Mariners first baseman/outfielder Mike Carp could be expendable as the club is likely committed to Justin Smoak at first base. Carp is starting to appear on a few teams’ wish lists and one NL scout is rather high on him. “He’s an interesting name,” said the scout. “He’s been buried on that roster in a big ballpark, and if you take him out of there, he may break out. He’s someone you’d take a chance on.”
- One Angels exec expects to see Scioscia back in the dugout for the Halos next season. “It would be shocking for me,” said the executive. “I know there have been some issues, but Mike is one of the best, and that’s widely recognized. Guys like Sosh don’t come along very often, which is why he has the long-term contract that he does.“But I suppose crazier things have happened.” Scioscia is signed to a lucrative contract through 2018.
- The Red Sox could consider Ed Wade as they seek experienced front office help. There has also been talk that the Sox would consider Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava, but that would require LaCava being offered a bigger title.
- Rays bench coach Dave Martinez may now be the front-runner for the Astros job because they are using Tampa Bay as their model. Red Sox bench coach Tim Bogar also has the Rays background and is tight with former Astros second baseman Craig Biggio, who is on the panel that will pick the next manager.
Marlins Unlikely To Shake Up Front Office
Despite rumors to the contrary, two sources say that owner Jeffrey Loria does not plan to make any changes to his front office staff, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest, under contract through 2015, would appear safe for at least another year.
While Beinfest may not have to worry about losing his job this winter, manager Ozzie Guillen's status is still very much in the year. Sources say that Loria is still mulling a decision on whether to fire Guillen after meeting Friday with his front office contingent and club president David Samson in New York. Mike Lowell has been among the names connected to the job, but sources say that he would not be among those considered.
Yesterday, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the club has already contacted at least one potential managerial replacement and are likely to go with an inexpensive alternative if they move on from Guillen.
Heyman On Hamilton, Upton, Peavy, Victorino
Earlier today, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com checked in with an American League executive to get his predictions on what kind of deals this winter's top free agents might get. Here are some highlights..
- The exec sees Josh Hamilton getting a five-year, $150MM deal, giving him a guaranteed average annual value of $30MM and eclipsing the record set by Alex Rodriguez's ten-year, $275MM pact. The Rangers aren't known for giving out excessively-long deals, meaning that he would likely have to take five years to stay in Texas. One person in the know wondered if the Rangers would even go to five to keep the outfielder.
- Executives believe that the Rays will make the qualifying offer of around $13MM for B.J. Upton as his nice all-around season should net him at least a four-year deal elsewhere. The exec sees $60MM over five years for Upton, but Heyman notes that it's a pretty good center field market with Michael Bourn and Shane Victorino also out there.
- White Sox pitcher Jake Peavy could get a two year deal worth $25-30MM in the opinion of the AL exec. Heyman adds that it isn't hard to see the Dodgers making a play for Peavy after years of watching him dominate for the Padres.
- The executive thinks Dodgers outfielder Shane Victorino could fetch a two-year, $25MM deal and Heyman sees the Nationals, Mets, Braves, Phillies, and Giants as possible fits. However, he'll have to lower his expectations after originally seeking a five-year deal.
- The AL exec sees Angels pitcher Zack Greinke getting $125MM over six years. Nats pitcher Edwin Jackson is in line for a four-year, $55MM deal, according to the exec, though Heyman thinks he'll get less.
Quick Hits: Cabrera, LaRoche, Astros, A’s
Earlier today, Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera announced that he is removing his name from consideration for the National League batting title in the wake of his suspension. "I have no wish to win an award that would be tainted. I believe it would be far better for someone more deserving to win…I am grateful that the Players Association and MLB were able to honor my request by suspending the rule for this season. I know that changing the rules mid-season can present problems, and I thank the Players Association and MLB for finding a way to get this done." More from around baseball as Friday turns into Saturday..
- Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo told Adam LaRoche and his agent they will talk about his future shortly after the playoffs, writes MLB.com's Bill Ladson. LaRoche has a $10MM option on his contract for next season but the veteran has made it clear that he hopes to remain in Washington.
- Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com tweets that some people in baseball believe that Dan Radison will be the Astros' next manager. Former catcher Brad Ausmus was said to be in the running for the job but he removed his name from consideration earlier this evening.
- Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow confirmed that he has spoken with nine potential candidates for the managerial vacancy and has trimmed down the list somewhat, write Brian McTaggart and Clark Goble of MLB.com. However, Luhnow wouldn't say how many candidates remain in consideration.
- Athletics owner Lew Wolff believes his team's fight for a new ballpark will be settled within the next year, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. Wolff went on to say that he isn't interested in battling things out with the Giants in a courtroom.
East Notes: Utley, Phillies, Lowe, Mets
Chase Utley recently suggested to the Phillies that he could give third base a try next season, giving them a much needed boost at the position. However, the idea isn't quite the slam dunk that it would appear to be, writes Eric Seidman of Fangraphs. On the surface, Utley would give the club a better upgrade that free agent options such as Geoff Blum, Miguel Cairo, Kevin Kouzmanoff and Scott Rolen. On the other hand, it wouldn't be a true win for the Phillies unless they could find a suitable fill-in for Utley at second. There are a few appealing middle infield options on the open market that could possibly be had on low-cost, short-term deals like Jeff Keppinger and Stephen Drew, but there's not much beyond that. Here's more out of the NL and AL East..
- Derek Lowe says that he doesn't regret signing with the Yankees despite the fact that he likely won't make the postseason roster if the Bombers qualify, writes Zach Schonbrun of the New York Times. The veteran also didn't get the opportunity to make a start while Ivan Nova and Andy Pettitte were sidelined. The 39-year-old isn't sure if he wants to pitch out of the bullpen next season, but recently agent Scott Boras admitted that it would be difficult to find Lowe a starting job with a contender.
- The Mets front office remains committed to Terry Collins beyond this season despite the team's slide, tweets Mike Puma of the New York Post. Puma was told emphatically that Collins is returning next year, which has been the tone of the reports surrounding the manager's future for most of the summer.
- Former Nationals pitcher Livan Hernandez says that if he were in General Manager Mike Rizzo's shoes, he would have shut down Stephen Strasburg too, writes Amanda Comak of The Washington Times. In a recent poll, more than 60% of MLBTR readers said that they disagreed with the Nats' decision.
AL East Notes: Jeter, Yankees, Red Sox, Hamilton
Earlier today, the Blue Jays shipped catcher Yorvit Torrealba to the Brewers for cash considerations or a player to be named later. More out of the American League East..
- Derek Jeter says that suggestions that he wants to play elsewhere are "comical," and that he obviously wants to end career with the Yankees, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch (via Twitter). Yesterday, Jeter seemed to imply that he would be open to playing for another club once his contract expires. The shortstop is under contract for 2013 with an $8MM player option for '14.
- Most members of the Red Sox braintrust are keeping a close eye on whether the team will have a top-ten pick in this year's draft, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Outside of the obvious benefits of having a higher pick, top ten selections are protected, giving the Red Sox flexibility in the event that they wanted to pursue a free agent such as Josh Hamilton. In the case of Hamilton, multiple sources say that Boston is unlikely to join the fray for the 31-year-old, which is in line with what has been previously reported.
- Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star isn't quite sure if Alex Anthopoulos is the General Manager to take the Blue Jays to the next level. However, Griffin believes that Anthopoulos is ready to do more traditional things this winter like signing short-term veteran free agents and packaging prospects to land one solid major league talent.
Quick Hits: A’s, Pirates, Hurdle, Soriano
Sunday afternoon linkage..
- There have been indications that commissioner Bud Selig might rule on the A's move to San Jose by the end of the year, but he may be considering a ruling that could challenge both the A's and Giants to fulfill certain criteria, writes Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. "I think there will be an effort to be Solomonesque," said someone who has spoken with Selig. "This is not a 'yes or no' sort of thing."
- Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington says that manager Clint Hurdle's job is not in jeopardy despite the club's recent slide, according to Rob Biertempfel and Karen Price of the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review.
- Paul Swydan of Fangraphs believes that if Rafael Soriano opts out of his deal with the Yankees in search of a multi-year deal with an average value of $14MM per year, either he'll be disappointed or the team that signs him will be. Yesterday, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports opined that Soriano would be making a mistake if he cut the cord on his three-year, $35MM contract in search of a better deal.
- The Nationals don't plan on celebrating when they officially clinch a playoff spot as the team has goals within reach more worthy of a champagne bottle, writes Amanda Comak of The Washington Times.
- Stephen Strasburg's season isn't completely over as he's staying involved with the team by playing catch and participating in a rehab program crafted by the Nationals, says Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post. Pitching coach Steve McCatty says the young ace has handled the transition better than outsiders may perceive. “I don’t think he’s ready for a straitjacket, if that’s what you’re getting at,” McCatty said. “… Stephen is doing fine. He’s handling it.”
Daniel Seco contributed to this post.
NL West Notes: Rockies, Giants, Tulowitzki
On Friday, Mike Axisa checked in on the stock of free-agent-to-be Marco Scutaro. The veteran has proved to be one of the most high-impact trade deadline pickups since being dealt from the Rockies to the Giants. Scutaro was initially high on staying put in Colorado but has quickly warmed up to San Francisco and says that he would like to stay put. With that said, the free agent market doesn't have a ton to offer when it comes to middle infielders and retaining the 36-year-old could cost the Giants a pretty penny. Here's more out of the NL West..
- Despite Troy Tulowitzki's injury-related setbacks this season, there is no sign that the Rockies are willing to explore a trade for him, writes Troy Renck of The Denver Post. Renck asked the soon-to-be 28-year-old if he would be open to possibly shifting over to third base, but the shortstop rejected that idea.
- Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that it is highly unlikely that we will see suspended outfielder Melky Cabrera appear in a postseason game for the Giants. Doing so would require leaving a roster spot open until the sixth playoff game of the year, which would be a sizable commitment considering that they don't know what he could bring to the table. Beyond that, the Giants are likely upset with Cabrera on a personal level.
- Rockies manager Jim Tracy is happy about the club's decision to go with a five-man rotation in 2013, Renck writes. The Rockies experimented with a four-man starting rotation this season but will now modify that plan to have five starters on a 90-100 pitch count with three "piggyback" relievers. Renck writes that the tweak should make the Rockies more appealing to veteran pitchers such as Kevin Millwood this winter.
- More from Renck, who writes that the Rockies are working to get a better handle on how the altitude of their home ballpark effects them and how they can approach the game differently. That has manifested itself in the form of the aforementioned pitching experiment but could also result in other creative changes going forward.
Quick Hits: Pirates, Upton, Angels, Wright, Mets
Sunday night linkage..
- “I don’t think it’s ever fair to speculate on people’s jobs … My approach has always been to fully support the team we have in place, and when it’s time to make a change, we make a change," said Pirates owner Bob Nutting to Rob Biertempfel and Karen Price of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review when asked if there would be any front office or coaching staff changes after the season.
- Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com surveyed four MLB execs about B.J. Upton's free agent outlook, and their estimates varied greatly. A National League GM predicted sees a three-year, $27MM deal for Upton while the other estimates ranged from four years at $50MM to five years at $70MM. The Rangers, Nationals, Phillies, Braves, Red Sox, Yankees, Reds, Giants, and Cubs are among the teams that could be in need of outfield help this winter.
- Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto says he is not ready to call this year's team a disappointment, writes Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. Dipoto also declined to discuss what owner Arte Moreno might be feeling about this season after investing in Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson over the winter and trading for Zack Greinke in July.
- Dave Cameron of Fangraphs believes that the Mets should exercise David Wright's option rather than extend him given his second-half slump. By picking up his reasonably-priced $16MM option, the Mets could buy themselves more time and properly evaluate whether he is worth a hefty extension.
Mike Axisa contributed to this post.