Front Office Notes: Orioles, Yankees, Angels
Theo Epstein's signing with the Cubs was the big news of the day, but there's plenty of other front office news in baseball..
- The Orioles are no longer considering Josh Byrnes, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.
- Yesterday we learned that Josh Byrnes (Padres), Gerry Hunsicker (Rays), J.P. Ricciardi (Mets), Thad Levine (Rangers), Tony LaCava (Blue Jays), and Dan Jennings (Marlins) are candidates to become the Orioles' next GM. The wishlist now includes Jerry Dipoto (Diamondbacks), Logan White (Dodgers), Al Avila (Tigers), Tony Reagins (formerly of the Angels), and DeJon Watson (Dodgers), according to Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun.
- The Yankees have granted the Angels permission to interview both Billy Eppler and Damon Oppenheimer for their vacant general manager job, tweets Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter) believes that Oppenheimer would be a good fit as the GM of the Halos.
- As of this evening, no teams have asked permission to speak with any of the Mets assistant GMs about job openings, Newsday's David Lennon tweets.
Magglio Ordonez Wants To Continue Playing
Outfielder Magglio Ordonez is said to want to keep playing, despite the re-break of his ankle, according to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (via Twitter). The veteran re-fractured his ankle on Saturday.
Earlier this month, Ordonez admitted that he nearly retired mid-season due to lingering issues in his surgically-repaired right ankle. The slugger will turn 38 in January and will be eligible for free agency this winter. He earned $10MM in 2011 but should see a significant pay cut if he decides to return in 2012.
Blue Jays President Beeston On Darvish, Lee, Payroll
Blue Jays president Paul Beeston sat down with Richard Griffin of the the Toronto Star to talk about the state of the club, free agents coming north of the border, and even his own contract. Here are some highlights..
- Beeston was reluctant to tip his cap on whether or not the Blue Jays will make a run at Yu Darvish, but he did say that "I think those people at Rogers who never heard of him before, now know this player is in existence." Despite that, he has yet to inform ownership that he is ready to spend extra payroll dollars.
- Beeston said that he's happy for the ex-Jays that made it to the postseason this year with other clubs. Ultimately, he says that there's no way of knowing if the Blue Jays would have made it to the playoffs if they still had players such as Roy Halladay, Shaun Marcum, John McDonald, and Aaron Hill in the fold.
- When discussing Hill, Beeston said, "I think that [General Manager] Alex [Anthopoulos] had determined that he wanted to make a move with Aaron." Toronto shipped Hill and McDonald to the Diamondbacks for Kelly Johnson in an August trade.
- Halladay "made it quite clear" that he was not going to re-sign with the Blue Jays after the 2010 season.
- The Blue Jays didn't make a serious run at Cliff Lee in free agency last year and Beeston believes that doing so would have been a "waste of time".
- Even though the senior people at Rogers aren't baseball fans, Beeston still keeps them informed of major decisions. For example, Beeston discussed the Halladay trade with management before pulling the trigger. Beeston says that Rogers has yet to interfere with or object to a front office decision.
- At a fan get-together in February, Beeston said that the club could possibly spend up to $120MM on payroll. Beeston clarified those comments and says that the $120MM figure is in reference to salaries on the 40-man roster and not including draft bonuses and international free agency.
- That uptick in payroll could happen this year or next year. Beeston plans on adding a big piece at the right time for the right price. He later added that the team first has to show that they can contend before they can land the premier free agents on the open market.
- The Blue Jays have built up the farm system and they're reassured of their talent by the amount of inquiries they get from other teams. The Colby Rasmus trade showed that the club could afford to trade several attractive pieces without mortgaging their future.
- Rumors of Beeston re-upping his contract through 2015 are not true. In fact, he says that he hasn't talked to anyone about an extension of his current deal.
- Beeston said that he sees an opening in the AL East because of the uncertainty in Boston, aging stars in New York, and limited capital in Tampa Bay.
- Even though attendance in down in Toronto, revenue continues to grow for the organization. The belief is that the pace will pick up once the team is contending again.
Quick Hits: Votto, Anderson, Red Sox, Dodgers
Links for Sunday evening as the Brewers have jumped out to a 1-0 lead over the Cardinals in the NLCS..
- The Reds need to ask themselves if they believe that they can pay Joey Votto a market-value contract after 2013, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com. If the Reds don't believe that they can pay him, Olney writes that history says that they should move him between now and July 31, 2012.
- The Red Sox could use Lars Anderson as a trade chip this offseason, writes Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal. The 24-year-old first baseman is stuck behind Adrian Gonzalez and MacPherson identifies several teams who would be interested in the youngster. Anderson was nearly shipped to the Athletics in a deal for Rich Harden in July.
- Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times doesn't expect to see the Dodgers make many changes this winter. If Ned Colletti & Co. don't sign a bopper in free agency, that leaves trading for a big bat and the club doesn't have much to offer in return.
- Tigers closer Jose Valverde represents yet another ex-Astros player achieving success elsewhere, writes Stephen Goff of Examiner.com.
- Brewers right-hander Shaun Marcum sees a bright future for his former teammate, Cardinals lefty reliever Marc Rzepczynski. Marcum, who will start Game 2 of the NLCS on Monday, played with Rzepczynski in Toronto.
MLBTR Originals
Here's a look back at some of the analysis and reporting MLBTR's writing team delivered this week..
- Seven years ago this week, the Tigers claimed Colby Lewis off of waivers from the Rangers, writes Mike Axisa. Lewis is set to start Game Three for Texas on Tuesday but was little more than a failed prospect back then.
- We asked MLBTR readers what they think Jorge Posada will do this offseason. 68% of you think that he'll retire, 24% say that he'll sign elsewhere, and just 9% see him coming back to the Yankees.
- With an aggressive approach in free agency and some successful midseason trades, GM Dave Dombrowski turned the the Tigers into a playoff team. Ben Nicholson-Smith took a look at how the Tigers acquired their newest additions.
- The MLBTR GM Candidate series continued with a look at Logan White, the Dodgers’ assistant GM of scouting.
- This week we kicked off the Offseason Outlook for the Twins, Mariners, Cubs, Marlins, and Astros.
- Mike Axisa rounded up the best baseball analysis from around the web in this week's edition of Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
- If you missed out on our weekly chat, you can check out the transcript right here.
- Service time could be a factor in whether or not Matt Moore is on the Rays to start the 2012 season, writes Ben Nicholson-Smith.
- Tim Dierkes checked in on the stock of free-agent-to-be Clint Barmes. If the Astros fail to sign Barmes, he could be a more affordable alternative for the Twins, Braves, Phillies, Brewers, Pirates, Cardinals, or Giants.
- The best in-season trade made by a playoff team was the Phillies' acquisition of Hunter Pence, according to 42% of MLBTR readers.
- In total, the Rangers obtained nine of the 25 players on their ALDS roster since last year.
- The prevailing opinion is that Yankees ace C.C. Sabathia will opt out of the remaining four years and $92MM remaining on his contract, since he could easily get more money or years. We asked you how much the lefty's next contract will be worth. Opinions were split but 1,372 MLBTR readers (18%) say that his next deal will be worth $121-130MM.
- The Padres, Cubs, and Nationals were profiled in our Arbitration Eligibles series.
- The fatal flaw with Theo Epstein's disappointing 2011 Red Sox club was starting pitching, which prompted Tim Dierkes to investigate his work assembling rotations.
- Ben Nicholson-Smith took a look at how baseball's newest $100MM players fared in 2011.
- Need a refresher on non-tenders? Don't worry, we got you covered.
- Before the season, MLBTR writers identified 13 players who were set for 'make or break' years. We checked in on them now that the regular season's over.
Cardinals Designate Andrew Brown For Assignment
The Cardinals have designated Andrew Brown for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Lance Lynn, according to Matthew Leach of MLB.com. Lynn, a right-handed pitcher, was tabbed by the Cards in the first-round of the 2008 draft.
Brown posted a slash line of .182/.182/.227 in 22 plate appearances for the Cards this season but he hit .284/.382/.501 with 20 homers in 428 plate appearances for Triple-A Memphis. The 27-year-old spent most of this season at Memphis playing in the corner outfield spots but has plenty of first base experience under his belt as well.
Week In Review: 10/2/11 – 10/8/11
It's time to take a look back at the week that was..
- On Thursday the White Sox announced that they have hired Robin Ventura to be their new manager. The sides have agreed to terms on a multiyear deal that makes Ventura the franchise's 38th manager. GM Kenny Williams says Ventura topped his managerial wish list despite his inexperience as a Major League skipper.
- In a radio interview, Red Sox owner John Henry and CEO Larry Lucchino declined to discuss the Cubs’ request to talk to GM Theo Epstein. However, Henry said that a “certain protocol in this game” generally dictates that teams allow employees to consider promotions.
- Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail announced that he will leave his position because of family obligations. MacPhail's contract will expire on October 31, when he will officially part ways with the team. Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava and Marlins assistant GM Dan Jennings are among the rumored candidates for the job.
- It apears that manager Buck Showalter won't move from the dugout to the GM's office as he loves managing and plans to continue in his current role. There was lots of speculation that Showalter, who has developed a strong relationship with owner Peter Angelos, could become Baltimore's GM.
- Robinson Tejeda elected to become a free agent. The right-hander was designated for assignment by the Royals in May and spent the rest of the season pitching for Triple-A Omaha.
- The Dodgers announced that they've declined club options on starter Jon Garland and third baseman Casey Blake, and also outrighted Eugenio Velez to Triple-A. Typically option decisions are announced after the World Series, but Garland and Blake were obvious choices. For Garland, the Dodgers chose a $500K buyout over an $8MM club option. Meanwhile, they chose a $1.25MM buyout over a $6MM club option on Blake.
- Veteran third baseman Eric Chavez is considering retirement. The 33-year-old is "leaning heavily towards" hanging up his cleats after 14 Major League seasons. If this is the end for Chavez, he will retire with a career line of .267/.342/.474 and 232 home runs.
- Jeremy Guthrie has been a steady presence in the Orioles’ rotation for the past five seasons, but they haven’t approached the right-hander about a multiyear deal. The pitcher says he hasn't discussed the possibility with the team since he and his agent brought it up last offseason.
- Jose Reyes says that the Mets haven’t started discussing a new contract with him, but the shortstop hinted that he expects dialogue to begin before long. The Mets have exclusive negotiating rights with the prospective free agent until five days after the World Series ends.
- Ozzie Guillen and Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano reportedly spoke on the phone and discussed the possibility of the hurler joining the Marlins. A source says that nothing is official but a deal could be reached where the Cubs cut the 30-year-old loose and give him the $18MM that he is owed in deferred payments.
- Rockies third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff elected free agency after clearing waivers, MLBTR learned. Word is that multiple teams are interested in signing him to a big league deal.
Quick Hits: Payrolls, Jay, Wilson, Epstein
Here are some links to check out before the NLCS kicks off later this afternoon..
- Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel points out that the somewhat low payrolls of the remaining playoff teams are examples of the importance of drafting, scouting, and player development. The Tigers have the largest payroll (10th), while the Cardinals (11th), Rangers (13th), and Brewers (17th) round out the pack. It's also worth noting that the Diamondbacks rank 25th and the Rays were 29th.
- The progress of center fielder Jon Jay allowed the Cardinals to trade Colby Rasmus at the deadline, GM John Mozeliak told Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepczynski, and Octavio Dotel have been key parts of the team's drive to the NLCS.
- Some people think that C.J. Wilson has keen interest as a free agent in New York, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated. He adds that the Yankees are probably the early favorite to sign him.
- A Lakeview, Illinois resident is "99.9 percent sure" that he saw Red Sox GM Theo Epstein at a Starbucks in Lincoln Park, writes Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. Boston ownership has yet to acknowledge a report that the Cubs have asked for permission to talk to Epstein.
- The Angels continued their front-office purge by not renewing the contract of player development director Abe Flores, a major league source told Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. Flores spent four seasons as the team's player development director after spending the previous six as the team's manager of baseball operations.
- No matter what kind of career pitcher Pedro Strop has, the trade for left-hander Mike Gonzalez at the August deadline was worth it for the Rangers, writes Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com.
Cafardo On Epstein, Red Sox, Sabathia, Rays
If Theo Epstein winds up taking the Cubs' GM job, then the spotlight again will be directed at Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Even if the club tabbed longtime exec Ben Cherington as general manager, it would take time before Cherington would have complete control over the operations. Here's more from Cafardo..
- There's growing sentiment that C.C. Sabathia will opt out of his contract with the Yankees. The Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers, Tigers, and Giants are among the usual suspects if the lefty hits the open market. Boston, however, might have doubts about Sabathia. Cafardo wonders if the front office would take on another sizeable pitching contract and add another overweight pitcher.
- The Rays will be able to make their rotation even scarier by adding 22-year-old Matt Moore to it. Tampa Bay also has righty Alex Cobb and lefty Alex Torres ready for the majors. The Rays could parlay their pitching depth into offense by trading Cobb, Torres, Jeff Niemann or Wade Davis if need be.
- The feeling is that Padres skipper Bud Black has a real chance of becoming the Angels next GM. Black, who is good friends with Mike Scioscia, doesn’t have front office experience but has a pitching expertise that would make him valuable in that position.
- Former Mets GM Omar Minaya thinks that Willie Randolph, Chip Hale, Tim Wallach, and Ryne Sandberg would all be good fits to manage in Boston. Minaya is currently an analyst for the MLB Network and is mulling over a few offers to return to baseball as an adviser to a GM. He expects to make a decision as the winter unfolds.
- Red Sox third base coach Tim Bogar could be retained when a new manager is named. There has also been speculation that Bogar is a candidate for bench coach under new White Sox manager Robin Ventura. Cafardo gives the White Sox credit for being decisive and hiring Robin Ventura rather than wait for a big name like Tony La Russa.
- Former Red Sox coach John McLaren is managing the Chinese national team and might be a candidate to become bench coach with the Mets.
Braun: Team More Likely To Sign Reyes Than Fielder
Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun believes that the club is more likely to land Jose Reyes in free agency than re-sign Prince Fielder, writes Mike Puma of the New York Post.
Braun assumes that Fielder will likely command upwards of $150MM this winter whereas Reyes can be had for around $120MM. The four-time All-Star was quick to admit that he's a huge fan of Reyes.
"[Reyes] is dynamic, man — he is one of the most exciting players in the game," the 27-year-old said. "He plays with a lot of energy and a lot of emotion and I enjoy watching him play. He's one of my favorite players to watch. Whenever their games are on, I love watching him, man. He always plays the game the right way. He always plays hard. He runs everything out."
The Brewers can easily make room at shortstop this winter as they hold a $6MM club option on Yuniesky Betancourt's deal with a $2MM buyout.