Quick Hits: Strasburg, Cubs, Dodgers, Rockies
Sunday afternoon linkage..
- In a terrific article, Jonathan Newton of the Washington Post looks at Stephen Strasburg's recovery from Tommy John surgery and explains the four key advancements since the operation's initial occurence that have made it so commonplace and so successful.
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney has an interesting take on the Cubs' extension of player personnel director Oneri Fleita. The move means that the incoming general manager will not be allowed to pick his own executive in that spot. Olney says that high-profile GM candidates like Theo Epstein, Andrew Friedman, or Billy Beane would likely want to fill that position themselves.
- Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said that if he had to choose between a big bat or a quality arm this winter, he'd choose the former, writes Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. Of course, their financial situation could hamstring them in the offseason. Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, and Ted Lilly are all set to return but with Rubby De La Rosa possibly missing the 2012 season, the Dodgers could have two spots to fill in the rotation.
- Troy Renck of The Denver Post writes that the Rockies have money to spend and they shouldn't be gun-shy this winter. Their payroll situation is helped largely by Aaron Cook's $9.25MM deal coming off the books.
- Mike Gonzalez already feels comfortable with his new club, writes Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com. On Thursday we learned that the Brewers were also in on Gonzalez before he was dealt to the Rangers.
Cafardo’s Latest: Fielder, Nathan, Hart, Mauer
One major league source told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that a lot of lefty relievers were blocked by teams and never got through waivers in August. The price tag on most of them was steep so most teams bit the bullet and decided to go with what they had. The Giants were one of those clubs as GM Brian Sabean opted to stick with Javy Lopez and Jeremy Affeldt. Here are some other highlights from Cafardo's column..
- The Mariners re-upped GM Jack Zduriencik this week and Cafardo wonders if Seattle will be in the mix with Prince Fielder this offseason, even though they already have Justin Smoak at first. It's hard to predict how much the M's will be willing to spend and it's possible that the four-year, $36MM deal given to Chone Figgins in December 2009 could make ownership gun-shy.
- The Twins didn’t seem to have anything major working for Joe Nathan at the deadline, but they asked him to waive his trade-veto rights just in case and Nathan declined. Nathan's future with the club is uncertain as he heads into free agency but he has a shot at staying if he accepts a hometown discount. It's unlikely that the Twins will pick up his $12MM option this winter. The club can buy him out for just $2MM.
- Cafardo writes that Brewers rightfielder Corey Hart would fit nicely with the Red Sox. However, it seems likely that they'll lose Fielder this summer so they probably won't entertain a deal involving Hart.
- Twins GM Bill Smith says that Joe Mauer will be a catcher for the foreseeable future, but he continues to leave the door open for a possible shift of positions down the road. There are also no plans for the Giants to move Buster Posey elsewhere, according to Sabean.
Rosenthal On Papelbon, Yankees, Fielder, Pujols
A Marlins shakeup is looming and the focus is on the team's minor league system, says Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports in this week's edition of Full Count. Jim Fleming, the vice president of player development and scouting, has informed his staff that he will be reassigned. The club's revenues will grow once they move into their new stadium but they still need to do a better job of producing homegrown talent. Let's take a look at some more highlights from Full Count..
- The Red Sox are reluctant to give lucrative long-term contracts to closers, but with Jonathan Papelbon they might not be able to resist. Papelbon will want an increase from his $12MM salary, perhaps something closer to Mariano Rivera's $15MM average yearly pay. It's possible that no team will want to go there but Rivera has just one year left on his deal and Rafael Soriano hardly looks like the heir to Mo's throne. Rosenthal wonders aloud if the Yankees would jump in and offer Papelbon a backloaded deal to take over as closer.
- The Rangers would seem to be an obvious suitor for Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols, especially in light of Mitch Moreland's recent struggles. Texas will have to spend on pitching if they lose C.J. Wilson in free agency and they might prefer to keep both their payroll and roster flexible. Josh Hamilton is only one year away from free agency and Ian Kinsler is only two years away.
- The sale of the Astros to Jim Crane is not yet official and some in baseball believe that he will not be approved as owner. Others, however, view a deal as inevitable. Current owner Drayton McLane wants out and Crane is offering a fair price for the club. Perhaps most importantly, there does not appear to be any other bidders. McLane has been loyal to the commissioner's office and he will want to see that loyalty reciprocated.
Quick Hits: Millwood, Wilson, Cubs, Cordero
Links for Saturday afternoon..
- The Rockies would like to have Kevin Millwood back next season but Troy Renck of The Denver Post (via Twitter) thinks that the club would prefer to bring him back on a minor league deal.
- In a piece for ESPN.com (Insider req'd), Dave Cameron of Fangraphs explains why he sees C.J. Wilson as a good free agent buy. Because he began his career as a reliever, the Rangers' lefty has thrown just 670.2 innings thus far in his major-league career.
- The Cubs have extended the contract of player personnel director Oneri Fleita, one of the key additions of former GM Jim Hendry, writes Dave van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune. The 44-year-old's deal is for four years, according to Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times.
- Earlier today, Reds closer Francisco Cordero reiterated his desire to stay in Cincinnati, writes John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. However, the veteran said that his agent and the club have not had discussions on whether the Reds will exercise his $12MM option.
Rivera Hopes To Return To Dodgers
The Dodgers took Juan Rivera off of the Blue Jays' hands in mid-July and the outfielder has been solid in 40 games for Los Angeles. Rivera is obviously comfortable with his new club and told Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times that he would like to stay put.
"I would like to be back with this team," Rivera said. "I hope after the season, or even before, that we can agree on an extension or something."
The 33-year-old was lackluster at the plate for the Blue Jays this year but is hitting .292/.346/.438 for the Dodgers. Rivera is in the final season of a three-year, $12.75MM deal which he originally inked with the Angels.
Quick Hits: Soria, Bourn, Transactions, Wilson
Sunday linkage..
- A look at Royals closer Joakim Soria's contract situation shows that his $6MM option vested on July 30, when he pitched his 110th game between the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Soria's option vesting merely locks in his salary for 2012; he'd have been arbitration-eligible at any rate.
- David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wonders if the Braves should extend Michael Bourn, and what the cost of it would be. As O'Brien points out, it's hard to come by comparables for Bourn, and the best may be Juan Pierre, whose contract is widely regarded as a tremendous mistake.
- Baseball America's Matt Eddy runs down the week's minor league transactions.
- Recently, impending free agent C.J. Wilson said that now is not the time to look ahead to the offseason and his next contract. In an interview on 103.3 FM ESPN (audio link), Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine seemed to agree and said that the club isn't looking to negotiate mid-season, writes Bryan Dolgin of ESPNDallas.com.
- Infielder Felipe Lopez will report to the Brewers' Triple-A affiliate on Monday after being outrighted on Wednesday. The veteran didn't impress on Milwaukee's big league roster this year, batting .182/.245/.182 in 51 trips to the plate.
- It's time for Athletics GM Billy Beane to move on to a different challenge, writes Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle. While he's been linked extensively to the Cubs job, Jenkins wonders if Beane could be a fit for the Dodgers if GM Ned Colletti winds up being hired by Chicago.
- The Marlins have begun the process of looking at managerial candidates and there is still interest in some corners of the Florida organization in Ozzie Guillen, writes ESPN.com's Buster Olney. The White Sox skipper has another year on his current deal but it remains to be seen whether Guillen will be invited back.
MLBTR's Steve Adams contributed to this post.
Thanks to Cot's Baseball Contracts for the contract information used in this post.
NL West Notes: Loney, Ethier, Rockies
Let's take a look at a few items out of the NL West..
- Andre Ethier backed off the comments he made suggesting that the team was pushing him to play injured, writes MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. Ethier expressed his desire to stay in Los Angeles, and GM Ned Colletti said that Ethier has not requested a trade. Colletti hopes he can extend Ethier.
- Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times wonders if a strong finish could save James Loney's career with the Dodgers. Loney is making $4.785MM this year as he enters his final year of arbitration. The 27-year-old wants to return to the club but is likely due for a raise that would put him in the neighborhood of $6MM.
- The Dodgers will also see Andre Ethier enter his final year of arbitration this winter. Ethier is battling an injury to his right knee that will require surgery in the offseason, but the team is oddly pushing him to play, writes T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times. General Manager Ned Colletti admitted that the outfielder's poor second-half performance could be slightly advantageous for the club in arbitration.
- The Rockies have other holes to fill as well, but look for them to prioritize starting pitching this winter, writes Troy Renck of The Denver Post.
Week In Review: 8/21/11 – 8/27/11
As we approach the waiver trade deadline, let's take a look back at the week that was..
- The Angels signed ace Jered Weaver to a five-year, $85MM contract extension. The deal includes a full no-trade clause and various "significant" bonuses for winning the Cy Young and MVP awards and for earning All-Star berths. Weaver was slated to hit free agency after 2012 and the extension buys out his final year of arbitration eligibility and four years of free agency,
- The Diamondbacks acquired second baseman Aaron Hill and shortstop John McDonald from the Blue Jays for Kelly Johnson. Johnson should still be a Type B free agent in the AL which is likely Toronto's motivation in acquiring the impending free agent. Meanwhile, Hill has an $8MM club option which is expected to be declined after the season.
- After a nine-year absence from Cleveland, Jim Thome is back with the Tribe. The Indians are hoping that their all-time home run leader can help them leapfrog the Tigers in the standings and reach the playoffs once again. The Indians will send a player to be named later to the Twins on or before October 15th.
- B.J. Upton was claimed off trade waivers by an unknown team and the Rays have until Monday to work out a trade with the claiming team or pull him back. The center fielder is scheduled to become a free agent after 2012 and will be arbitration-eligible again this winter. Meanwhile, Upton told reporters that he doesn't expect to return to the club next season.
- The Blue Jays claimed Dewayne Wise after he was DFA'd by the Marlins, meaning that the outfielder is now in his third stint with the club. In 72 plate appearances, he posted a .239/.278/.269 line for Florida, appearing in left and center field.
- The Giants were awarded the waiver claim on Padres closer Heath Bell, but the two sides were unable to work out a deal. Bell's future with the club is anything but certain but the closer said that he would accept arbitration if he is offered.
- Health permitting, the Cardinals will exercise their two-year, $21MM option on Adam Wainwright for 2012-13. It's all still unofficial at this point since the Cardinals don’t have to make a decision until after the season ends.
- The Rockies acquired third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff and cash considerations from the A's for a player to be named or cash considerations. The 30-year-old posted a .221/.262/.353 line with four homers in 149 plate appearances for Oakland this year.
- Joe Nathan would consider moving on from the Twins under the right circumstances and says that he would look at possible deals on a case by case basis.
- Don't expect the Cardinals to make any more moves, says GM John Mozeliak.
- Some baseball people who know A's GM Billy Beane well say that he might consider an offer to join the Cubs if they approach him about their vacant GM job. There’s concern within the organization that Beane might leave if the A’s don’t get permission to build a stadium in San Jose and the team is sold. The Cubs are also interested in Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti, Rick Hahn, Josh Byrnes, and Yankees GM Brian Cashman.
- Lance Berkman intends to play in 2012 and that the Cardinals would be his first choice.
- The Rockies claimed Wandy Rodriguez off of waivers but balked when the Astros insisted on getting prospects and salary relief in return for the 32-year-old. Rodriguez earns $10MM next year and $13MM in 2013. If he's traded, the Astros $13MM option for 2014 becomes a player option.
- The Nationals don't intend to go after Prince Fielder once he reaches free agency. Instead, the Nats may be more focused on finding a center fielder and a leadoff hitter.
- The Dodgers designated catcher Dioner Navarro for assignment and recalled A.J. Ellis in a corresponding move.
- After being released by the Phillies on Saturday, Aaron Heilman inked a minor league deal with the Pirates on Sunday.
- The Pirates designated lefty reliever Joe Beimel for assignment to open a spot on the active roster for Ross Ohlendorf. Beimel, 34, has a 5.33 ERA, 6.0 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, 2.1 HR/9, and 41.2% groundball rate with 34 hits allowed in 25 1/3 innings this year.
- The Orioles designated Felix Pie for assignment to create roster space for Matt Angle. Pie wound up being outrighted to Triple-A and he's expected to accept the assignment.
Rosenthal On Kubel, Carroll, Ramirez, Fielder, Pujols
Let's take a look at the latest edition of Full Count from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports..
- The free agent market for outfielders is rather thin and after Carlos Beltran, Jason Kubel might be the next most attractive option. Rosenthal floats the idea of Kubel going to a more hitter-friendly park, such as Fenway where he can replace a departing J.D. Drew. The Twins want to re-sign Kubel, but he intends to test the market.
- Veteran Jamey Carroll is on waivers and almost certain to be claimed. The Dodgers might be more open to dealing Carroll than they were before the July 31st deadline. Justin Sellers has played well, Dee Gordon should be back soon, and Ivan DeJesus is a candidate for promotion. The Brewers had interest in him before the trade deadline but they've since acquired Jerry Hairston Jr. and Rickie Weeks will return to action soon.
- Aramis Ramirez has cleared waivers but he'll remain with the Cubs this month. His agent, Paul Kinzer, told Rosenthal in July that his client might be open to waiving his no-trade clause in August, but he's since turned red hot and will play it out in Chicago. He'll be a very interesting decision for the Cubs' next GM and maybe an interesting free agent.
- Rosenthal says that the choice between Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder is no longer obvious. Fielder has had the better season and he's nearly four-and-a-half years younger than Pujols. Still, Pujols has 31 homers and a slugging percentage that's just ten points lower. The big question for both men is how will they look three years and five years from now.
Quick Hits: Kubel, Bell, Marlins, Upton
Hurricane Irene has resulted in the cancellation of five Saturday games, but we still have plenty of news for your to pore over..
- The Indians and Twins did exchange names on a potential Jason Kubel deal but Minnesota wanted more than the Tribe was willing to give for a short-term rental, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
- More from Rosenthal (via Twitter) as he says that the talks between the Padres and Giants on Heath Bell never got very far. The claim was more than just a block, but the Giants didn't want to give up real value for the closer.
- The Marlins preference is to hire a manager who they believe will hold that job for years to come rather than keep Jack McKeon, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com. McKeon will celebrate his 81st birthday this fall.
- No surprise here but Olney tweets that it's unlikely that we'll see B.J. Upton traded following the waiver claim. The Rays would probably be benefit from listening to multiple teams this winter.