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AL East Links: Johnson, Orioles, Ortiz

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Blue Jays prospect Travis d'Arnaud will have surgery to repair torn ligaments in his thumb after getting hurt while catching for Team USA at the World Cup in Panama, reports Bob Elliott of The Toronto Sun (on Twitter). Toronto acquired d'Arnaud from the Phillies in the Roy Halladay trade, and he's considered one of the very best prospects in all of baseball. Here are some links from the AL East…

  • Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com says one of the first things the Blue Jays have to do this offseason is figure out if Kelly Johnson fits into their long-term plans. "I thought Kelly did a nice job, and he's definitely in the mix for us," said GM Alex Anthopoulos. "We have an opening, he is a free agent, and in the coming weeks, we'll certainly reach out to his agent and talk to him, but it's hard to characterize where any of that is going to go."
  • The Orioles may expand their GM search beyond the names that have already been mentioned, reports ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter). Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun says regardless of who is hired, their first priority will be fixing the team's player development system.
  • In another tweet, Olney speculates about a possible fit between the Blue Jays and David Ortiz. The soon-to-be-free agent DH would be a veteran mentor for their younger hitters, and he's close to Jose Bautista.

West Notes: Dipoto, Cruz, Kemp

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On this date in 1988, Dodgers outfielder Kirk Gibson slugged his historic walk-off homer off Oakland's Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the World Series. Here are some notes on clubs that reside in MLB's West divisions, including one on another Los Angeles outfielder:

  • The Angels have received permission from the Diamondbacks to interview Jerry Dipoto, Arizona's senior vice president of scouting and player development, a major league source tells Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. The Angels will also interview Yankees executives Damon Oppenheimer and Billy Eppler, and Dipoto is expected to interview for the Orioles' GM job.
  • Dipoto is considered the favorite to become Baltimore's next GM, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
  • Rangers slugger Nelson Cruz recently rehashed his near move to Japan a few years ago with Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com. Nick Collias of MLBTR and Rumores de Beisbol was kind enough to translate: "My agent told me they were really interested and they'd pay me a relatively large amount of money for the last two months of the season," Cruz said. "I was in the minor leagues, I didn't have a future with the Rangers, and I wanted to begin to explore other options." The interested team was the Yomiuri Giants, and the salary would have been $800K, but Texas GM Jon Daniels declined. Good thing for the Rangers that he did.
  • Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp was named Major League Player of the Year by Baseball America. Kemp tied for the highest adjusted OPS (BA's version) among center fielders in the past 30 seasons, matching Ken Griffey Jr.'s 171 in 1997, writes Joe Haakenson.

Latest On Orioles’ GM Search: Avila, Ricciardi

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The Orioles are searching for a successor to Andy MacPhail and we learned yesterday that they received permission to interview Diamondbacks executive Jerry Dipoto. Today, they're continuing to reach out to general manager candidates around the league. Here are the latest updates on Baltimore's search:

  • The Marlins (Dan Jennings) and Tigers (Al Avila) can prevent top executives from interviewing with the Orioles, as Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun points out. Both Jennings and Avila are on long-term deals, so it's possible that the Orioles would have to offer their teams compensation to complete a deal. The Marlins have denied teams permission to interview Jennings three times before, according to Connolly.
  • There's a sense that the Orioles haven't requested permission to speak with Avila or Dodgers executives Logan White and De Jon Watson, according to Connolly (Twitter link).
  • Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com hears that the Orioles haven't yet contacted J.P. Ricciardi about their job opening (Twitter link).
  • The Orioles received permission to interview Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava, according to Connolly (Twitter links). The interviews for LaCava and Dipoto haven't been set up yet and are expected to take place in Baltimore next week.
  • For more on LaCava and Dipoto, check out MLBTR's GM Candidate pieces from earlier in the summer.
  • The Orioles contacted the Marlins seeking permission to interview Dan Jennings, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter links). However, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria is in Europe, so the decision is on hold.

Orioles GM Links: Dipoto, Reagins, Levine, Ricciardi

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Here's the latest from Baltimore as the O's look to replace Andy MacPhail…

  • The Diamondbacks have given permission for the Orioles to interview Jerry Dipoto, reports Scott Miller of CBSSports.com.  Dipoto is Arizona's senior VP of scouting and player development and served as the club's interim GM after Josh Byrnes was fired midway through the 2010 season.
  • Dipoto's interview should come this weekend, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.  The Orioles also hope to speak to Al Avila (Tigers), Dan Jennings (Marlins), Tony LaCava (Blue Jays), De Jon Watson and Logan White (both Dodgers), all of whom have been mentioned in connection to the Baltimore job.  Avila could be passed over since "the Orioles want to wrap up this process as soon as possible" and can't wait until the Tigers finish their playoff run.
  • Two names that will apparently not be part of the process, according to Kubatko, are former Angels GM Tony Reagins and Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine.  Both men could still resurface as candidates, Kubatko notes.  Given that Texas is still alive in the postseason, Levine could be facing the same issue as Avila.
  • J.P. Ricciardi is on the "short list of decision-makers" that the Orioles are considering, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.  Since the O's are just starting their search, Olney says it's too early to say if Ricciardi or any others on the short list are favorites for the job.  Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports (via Twitter) that the Mets haven't received requests from any team to interview Ricciardi or Paul DePodesta about a general managing job.
  • No surprise here, but Olney says "it's pretty clear that Buck Showalter will have extensive influence in the selection of the Orioles' GM."

Keith Law On Epstein, Sizemore, Votto, Ricciardi

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ESPN's Keith Law gave his thoughts on a number of prospects during a chat with readers today, and also expounded on a few Major League items.  The highlights…

  • Cubs fans should be excited about Theo Epstein's "ability to turn the Cubs' baseball ops department into a process-oriented, professionally run organization. You can't run a baseball team the way they were run 20 or 30 years ago. It's a business now, one where smart decisions based on sound processes are necessary and innovation is increasingly critical."
  • Law describes Brett Jackson (taken 31st overall by the Cubs in the 2009 amateur draft) as a "non-star prospect" and thinks he would be fair compensation for Epstein.
  • Law doesn't think Grady Sizemore can remain healthy as an everyday center fielder.  The Indians have a $9MM club option on Sizemore next season but will take their time in deciding on it, given that Sizemore just underwent knee surgery.
  • Between Joey Votto and Yonder Alonso, Law would deal Alonso and "look to win" in the remaining two years that Votto is under Reds' control.  Cincinnati GM Walt Jocketty recently shot down rumors that the Reds were listening to offers for the reigning NL MVP.
  • Law hears from his sources that J.P. Ricciardi isn't currently on the Orioles' short list of general manager candidates, as was reported on Tuesday by Law's ESPN colleague Buster Olney.  Law worked for the Blue Jays' front office from 2002-06 when Ricciardi was the team's general manager.
  • The Mariners "might have the best rotation in baseball by 2013 or so."
  • If given a choice of signing either Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols to a seven-year contract worth the same money, Law says he would choose the younger Fielder.  "Pujols is the better player right now, but even at his listed age I worry about his durability and potential decline," Law says.
  • Despite Alex Avila's breakout 2011 season, Law said he still prefers Matt Wieters as the better long-term player.

AL East Notes: Ortiz, Cherington, Swisher, Rays

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The Red Sox' reputation may have been damaged in recent weeks, but Shi Davidi of Rogers Sportsnet writes that Boston isn't going to suddenly stop being a major force in the AL East.  Some other notes from around the division….

  • David Ortiz wouldn't be a fit with the Yankees, writes Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.  Ortiz called the Yankee organization "a great situation" earlier today, but Feinsand points out that Ortiz wouldn't be willing to come to New York only as a part-time designated hitter.  The Yankees still need to give some DH at-bats to Alex Rodriguez and Jesus Montero, so Ortiz wouldn't be able to play every day.
  • Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd, who worked with incoming Red Sox GM Ben Cherington in Cleveland, praised Cherington's humility and experience to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.
  • Josh Beckett may not be a popular figure in Boston right now, but Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe thinks the Red Sox would be foolish to trade the right-hander given the club's need for pitching.
  • Mike Axisa of the River Ave Blues blog thinks that Nick Swisher's $10.25MM option for next season is an obvious pickup for the Yankees, even if New York picks up the option with the intent of trading Swisher elsewhere.
  • The Rays want to add a big hitter this winter, but won't do so at the expense of their core of pitching and defense, reports MLB.com's Bill Chastain.  "If you add offense, more than likely you're detracting from the defense," said Andrew Friedman.  "So we're not going to do things where it's a net neutral move, or even to where we take a step back."
  • Rays owner Stuart Sternberg has been open about how critical a new stadium is to his franchise's future in the Tampa Bay area, but Fangraphs' Alex Remington gives several reasons why the Rays won't be leaving Tampa and/or Tropicana Field anytime soon.
  • Joe Jordan, formerly the Orioles' director of amateur scouting, talks to MASNsports.com's Steve Melewski about his seven years in Baltimore.  Jordan was hired yesterday as the Phillies' new director of player development.
  • Unsurprisingly, the Orioles are holding off on any coaching and front office staffing decisions until their new head of baseball operations is hired, reports Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun.

Front Office Notes: Orioles, Yankees, Angels

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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.

AL East Notes: Sabathia, Burnett, Orioles

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Two AL East front offices will have different looks next year, as Theo Epstein is heading for Chicago and the Orioles are searching for a new GM. Here's the latest on the division…

NL East Notes: Phillies, Mets, Morgan

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Jimmy Rollins said earlier today that there's a "good chance" he re-signs with the Phillies after the season. Here are some more updates from around the NL East, where all five teams are in offseason mode…

  • Ryan Howard's five-year, $125MM contract ranks fourth on Joe Posnanski's list of the ten worst contracts in baseball at SI.com. Howard, whose deal kicks in next season, is "becoming a less and less useful player all the time," Posnanski writes.
  • The Phillies interviewed Orioles scouting director Joe Jordan for their director of player development position this week, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. Philadelphia now has a short window to decide whether they're going to offer Jordan the job, which previously fell under Chuck LaMar's responsibilities.
  • The Phillies will look to sign a free agent closer this offseason and a division rival could be interested in similar relievers. GM Sandy Alderson has hinted that the Mets will find their next closer on the free agent market, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
  • A Spring Training conflict between Jayson Werth and Nyjer Morgan nearly escalated to the point that punches were thrown, according to Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post. Now a member of the Brewers, Morgan has emerged as a star (along with his many alter egos). 

Orioles Considering Several GM Candidates

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The Orioles have assembled a list of six candidates to be their next general manager, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. Josh Byrnes of the Padres, Gerry Hunsicker of the Rays, J.P. Ricciardi of the Mets, Thad Levine of the Rangers, Tony LaCava of the Blue Jays and Dan Jennings of the Marlins are considered possible successors to president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, according to Olney.

The Orioles are forming a panel to interview the candidates, Olney writes. Others may enter the mix for the position, which MacPhail announced he will not be returning to. 

Manager Buck Showalter and owner Peter Angelos are expected to meet tomorrow to discuss candidates, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Connolly notes that the Orioles haven't asked for permission to interview anyone at this point and suggests that the club won't consider more than five candidates.

Hunsicker recently told Murray Chass that he'll listen if a team expresses interest in him as a GM, but he doesn't sound eager to leave the Rays. "This is a unique situation," he said. "This means a whole lot more to me than running a baseball team under less than ideal circumstances.” Ricciardi told Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal that he'd listen if the Orioles contact him (Twitter link).

Connolly suggests former Reds GM Wayne Krivsky, Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer, Phillies assistant GM Scott Proefrock and Rangers senior director of player development Scott Servais are also possible candidates. For more information on GM Candidates in MLB, check out our list.

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