East Links: Marlins, Votto, Darvish, Cashman
For the first time since 2005, there isn't a single team from either East division in the LCS round. That just means we're going to be hearing a lot more about them during the hot stove season. Here are some East Coast links…
- Earlier today we heard that the Reds are expected to listen to offers for Joey Votto, and Joe Capozzi of The Palm Beach Post thinks the Marlins may kick the tires (Twitter link). The Fish are expected to make a splash before moving into their new stadium, and Votto would certainly qualify. Click here for Tim Dierkes' Offseason Outlook.
- Although the Marlins are expected to be quite active this offseason, Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel (via Twitter) doesn't expect them to be in on Yu Darvish as the club isn't terribly active in Asia.
- No surprise here, but Yankees GM Brian Cashman says that he still wants to return next season, writes Chad Jennings of The Journal News. Cashman's contract expires at the end of the month, and ESPN's Buster Olney hears (on Twitter) that talks about a new contract are going smoothly. A deal could be done by the end of next week.
- Jennings looked back at the trade deadline and asked if the Yankees missed an opportunity. He says it's easy to say they did in hindsight, but he agrees when Cashman says "I don't see there was any missed opportunity I could have done differently."
NL Central Notes: Votto, Cardinals, Carpenter
Let's take a look at a few items out of the National League Central…
- Rival executives are getting signals that the Reds won't shop Joey Votto, but the club is fully prepared to listen to offers this winter, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
- We could see some changes to the Cardinals' coaching staff, writes Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Athletics have expressed interest in assistant hitting coach Mike Aldrete and he is believed the leading candidate for the position. Meanwhile, pitching coach Dave Duncan may choose to step away from baseball as his wife is suffering from a brain malignancy.
- Before the Cardinals inked a two-year extension with Chris Carpenter in September, they internally discussed whether the veteran's stuff had regressed, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com. Ultimately, they decided that even though his surface-level stats had taken a dip, Carpenter was still capable of throwing well.
- Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus (via Twitter) expects the Cubs to name their next GM before the start of the World Series.
Quick Hits: Giants, Red Sox, Smith, Dodgers, Orioles
Here are some items from around baseball to peruse after a great night of October baseball..
- Giants GM Brian Sabean said that the club's paryoll in 2012 will be around $125MM but he may ask for more money based on a specific player they are targeting, writes Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. Schulman believes that if Sabean wants to re-sign Carlos Beltran and needs more payroll room to do it, ownership will be willing to listen.
- Former Red Sox manager Terry Francona plans to manage next season if offered the opportunity, a source close to Francona told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
- Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (via Twitter) suggests that Torey Lovullo is a name to consider for the Red Sox managerial vacancy. Lovullo managed Boston's Triple-A affiliate in 2010 and currently serves as the first base coach of the Blue Jays.
- There's been a great deal of trade talk surrounding the Rockies' Seth Smith lately but the outfielder says that he's trying not to think about it too much, writes Jim Amstrong of The Denver Post. If Colorado were to sign an everyday left fielder like Michael Cuddyer, Smith could be flipped for pitching.
- The Dodgers have asked the judge in their bankruptcy case to reconsider limits he placed on their arguments, write Bill Shaikin and Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. The team's attorneys want to present Bud Selig's dealings with other teams involving similar transactions.
- Everybody is still waiting for both shoes to drop in the Orioles front office, writes Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun.
Everybody is still waiting for both shoes to drop in the Orioles front office, where the respective status of president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail and manager Buck Showalter remain both intertwined and apparently undecided.
NL East Notes: Johnson, Phillies, Nationals, Flores
Let's take a look at a few items out of the NL East..
- There's no question in the mind of MLB.com's Bill Ladson that Davey Johnson will be back as manager of the Nationals in 2012 as players and people in the front office have told said that they want Johnson back in the same role. Ladson also writes that Carlos Beltran is not a fit for the Nats and believes that he should get no more than a one-year deal due to his injury history.
- The Red Sox will consider Phillies coach Pete Mackanin as a managerial candidate, sources tell Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Jorge Arangure Jr. of ESPN The Magazine spoke with Ruben Amaro Jr. and Ed Wade about how Amaro came to join the Phillies as assistant GM. The former outfielder had zero experience between going from the field to the front office.
- Nationals catcher Jesus Flores sounds like a player who may want to continue his career elsewhere, writes Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post. Kilgore says that Flores doesn't seem bitter or angry about his lack of playing time, but he doesn't sound content.
AL West Notes: Angels, DiSarcina, Mariners
Earlier today, we learned that the Angels dismissed assistant GM Ken Forsch and special assistant Gary Sutherland. This comes after the Halos parted ways with GM Tony Reagins on Friday. Here are some notes on their GM search and other items out of the American League West..
- Today's dismissals make the possibility seem unlikely, but if the Angels decide to fill their GM vacancy from within, two candidates stand out above all the rest, writes Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. Gary DiSarcina, the former shortstop who is a special assistant to the GM, and Tory Hernandez, the team's manager of baseball operations, would have the best crack at the job. Meanwhile, Oakland assistant GM David Forst and Chicago White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn are believed to be very interested in the position.
- The Halos are fighting perception that team is run in total by manager Mike Scioscia, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated. A competing GM remarked to Heyman that "[Scioscia is] the GM" of the club.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter) echoed similar sentiments, wondering aloud if the Angels will hire an actual GM or another figurehead for the position.
- The Mariners used this past season as a developmental year for their young players, but GM Jack Zduriencik is open to bringing in key veterans to bolster that group next season, writes Greg Johns of MLB.com. Of course, Zduriencik expects a major boost from within with a healthy return of Franklin Gutierrez and a stronger year from Justin Smoak.
Quick Hits: Mets, Rockies, La Russa, Vizquel
Links for Sunday..
- Mets lefties Pat Misch and Mike O'Connor declared minor league free agency, writes Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. O'Connor posted an ugly 5.22 ERA but strong 9.8 K/9 in 60 1/3 innings at Triple-A, while Misch posted a 4.00 ERA, 6.0 K/9, and 2.6 BB/9 in 141 2/3 innings.
- The Rockies will look to bolster their rotation this winter, writes Jim Armstrong of The Denver Post. General Manager Dan O'Dowd says that he'll especially be looking for an innings eater.
- Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (via Twitter) believes that Tony La Russa can have the White Sox job if he really wants it, though that is a big if. Heyman also tweets that he doesn't see Francona coming to the South Side of Chicago.
- Shortstop Omar Vizquel talked with Edgar Leal Suarez of La Verdad (Spanish link, translation provided by Nick Collias) about the 2011 campaign and his future plans. The veteran reiterated that he hopes to continue playing next season and will evaluate his opportunities after the World Series.
- David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter) expects the Braves to go target shortstops, corner outfielders, and utility infielders this winter.
- Yankees left-hander C.C. Sabathia is expected to opt-out of his contract but earlier today he confessed that New York is the best place to play baseball, tweets David Waldstein of the New York Times.
Week In Review: 9/25/11 – 10/1/11
It's time to take a look back at the week that was..
- This week we learned that the Red Sox and manager Terry Francona have decided to part ways. In eight years as Boston's manager, Francona amassed a 744-552 record, reaching the playoffs five times and winning two AL pennants. However, the partnership could not survive after the team's meltdown in the final month of the season.
- The Marlins introduced Ozzie Guillen as their new manager and his four-year contract is reportedly worth about $10MM. To land the outspoken skipper, the Fish sent reliever Jhan Marinez and infielder Osvaldo Martinez to the White Sox as compensation. The Marlins also got right-hander Ricardo Andres in the swap.
- The Marlins' managerial post became available when Jack McKeon announced his retirement. The last-place Marlins posted a 39-48 record under the octogenarian after manager Edwin Rodriguez resigned in June.
- Meanwhile, Rays bench coach Dave Martinez is at the top of Chicago's managerial wish list. The White Sox also like Yankees bench coach Tony Pena for the job.
- The Angels announced that General Manager Tony Reagins resigned, though he'll remain with the club as a special assistant. The Halos haven't been to the playoffs since 2009 and wrapped up the 2011 campaign with 86 wins.
- The White Sox and Sergio Santos agreed to a three-year, $8.25MM deal. The contract includes three guaranteed years (2012-14) and three option years for the White Sox (2015-17). The deal appears to be modeled on the one Joakim Soria signed with the Royals in 2008.
- Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp is a year away from hitting free agency and if they don’t lock him up by the time the 2012 season starts, it appears that he’ll test the open market. Agent Dave Stewart says that he hopes to complete an extension for by Opening Day 2012.
- The Marlins are more likely to look internally for third base help than they are to sign a major free agent like Aramis Ramirez. Meanwhile, Ricky Nolasco appeared to be off-limits as recently as July, but the Marlins will reportedly give serious thought to trading Nolasco this offseason.
- Yankees president Randy Levine says that he wants general manager Brian Cashman to continue in his current role after the season, when Cashman’s contract expires.
- On Wednesday when the Red Sox thought they might wind up in a play-in game on Thursday, they considered acquiring a starter specifically for that game. Royals lefty Bruce Chen was among Boston's trade targets but ultimately they decided against such a move and it turns out there was no play-in game for Boston anyway.
- There has been speculation that Billy Beane could leave the A's for another job, possibly with the Cubs, but Beane said that he plans on staying in Oakland in 2012.
- Jimmy Rollins finds the prospect of free agency "exciting," and the shortstop says that he's looking for a five-year deal on his next contract.
- The Athletics have received outfielder Eliezer Mesa from the Rockies to complete the Mark Ellis trade. Colorado acquired Ellis from Oakland for a player to be named later at the end of June.
- The Cubs have DFA'd right-handers Justin Berg and Brian Schlitter for assignment and put Carlos Zambrano back on the club's 40-man roster.
- The Marlins reached an agreement with second baseman Omar Infante on a two-year contract believed to be worth $8MM. The Marlins acquired Infante in last November's Dan Uggla trade and plugged the 29-year-old in at second base this year.
- The Indians announced that they exercised their 2013 option for manager Manny Acta. Acta's three-year contract had been set to expire after the 2012 season.
- The Mets have exercised Terry Collins' contract option for 2013. The manager signed a two-year deal for 2011 and 2012 last November, but GM Sandy Alderson has been pleased enough with Collins' work that he will bring him back for a third year.
- Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has told GM Ned Colletti that he will have the money needed to sign Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier to long-term contracts this off-season and the money required to compete in the free-agent market.
- 45-year-old knuckleballer Tim Wakefield says that he wants to pitch an 18th season for the Red Sox next year.
- On Tuesday, the Athletics acquired first baseman Kila Ka'aihue from the Royals for minor league pitcher Ethan Hollingsworth.
- The Twins claimed right-hander Esmerling Vasquez off of waivers from the Diamondbacks.
Zambrano Spoke To Guillen About Joining Marlins
Ozzie Guillen and Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano recently spoke on the phone and discussed the possibility of the hurler joining the Marlins, according to Ignacio Serrano of El Nacional (Spanish link). Serrano spoke with Félix Luzón, a friend of Zambrano's who was present during the call.
Luzón 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. Cubs manager Mike Quade recently said that he would ideally like to have Zambrano back in 2012, but didn't sound optimistic about it happening.
Translation of the article was provided by Nick Collias.
AL East Notes: Orioles, Red Sox, Francona
The Yankees and Rays are in the playoffs but the rest of the AL East is in offseason mode…
- Under John Henry's ownership, the Red Sox have fired three managers and each move seemed to work out for the club, writes Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. General Manager Theo Epstein says that he plans to use the same process as he did when hiring Terry Francona eight years ago.
- The Orioles have lots of needs but finding a starter seems to be their top priority, writes Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com. Kubatko asked manager Buck Showalter if the club might go against their grow-the-arms philosophy and sign a pricey free agent starter and the skipper left the door open to the possibility.
- Speaking of Francona and the Orioles, don't expect the skipper to land in Baltimore, says Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun. The O's will have a managerial spot open if Andy MacPhail leaves his position as president of baseball operations and Showalter moves up to that post.
- After giving lucrative deals to John Lackey and Carl Crawford, the BoSox are committed to getting them to turn things around in 2012, writes Michael Vega of the Boston Globe. Lackey signed a five-year, $82.5MM deal in 2010 while Crawford inked a seven-year, $142 million deal last December.
Pirates Notes: Huntington, Cole, Coaches
The Pirates were unable to use their momentum to propel them into the playoffs this year but things are looking bright in Pittsburgh. Here are a few items on the Bucs..
- Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington says that he didn't do a great job with the free agents he signed last winter, writes Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The Bucs lost Kevin Correia to injury in mid-August while Lyle Overbay and Matt Diaz were unable to get on track this year.
- Even though Huntington was tough on himself for his offseason signings, Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette gave the GM a B+ for his work this season. Brink credits Huntington for landing Derrek Lee and Ryan Ludwick but says that the signings of top draft picks Gerrit Cole and Josh Bell were even more significant.
- All of manager Clint Hurdle's assistants will return for the 2012 season, a team source told Biertempfel. A formal announcement likely will come Monday.