Red Sox Rumors

East Links: Ortiz, Hunter, Oliver, Marlins, Phillies

By Mike Axisa | October 31, 2012 at 10:46pm CDT

Earlier tonight we had some West and Central links, so now let's complete the trifecta with some notes from baseball's two East divisions…

The Red Sox and David Ortiz are still "not very close" to a new contract, reports Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe. The two sides have reportedly been discussing a new two-year deal recently.
The Yankees have some interest in Torii Hunter, reports Mark Feinsand of The New York Daily News (on Twitter). Since the Angels are unlikely to make Hunter a qualifying offer, it wouldn't cost a draft pick to sign him.
Earlier today the Blue Jays exercised their $3MM option for Darren Oliver, but Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com hears that the veteran left-hander is still leaning towards retirement (Twitter link).
The Marlins looked into trading for Ervin Santana before the Royals acquired the right-hander earlier today, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter).
Bob Brookover of The Philadelphia Inquirer listed the pros and cons of some free agent corner outfielders who could be of interest to the Phillies.

Managerial Notes: Butterfield, Blue Jays

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | October 30, 2012 at 12:06pm CDT

The Tigers signed manager Jim Leyland to a one-year contract extension today, which means there are still just three teams looking for managers. Here are the latest managerial notes, starting in the AL East…

The Red Sox announced that they've hired longtime Blue Jays coach Brian Butterfield to coach third base in Boston. Butterfield joins manager John Farrell and bench coach Torey Lovullo as former Blue Jays personnel in Boston.
Multiple teams were actively courting Butterfield before he signed in Boston, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter).
The Dodgers have granted the Blue Jays permission to interview third base coach Tim Wallach for their managerial opening, Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times reports. The Blue Jays wanted to interview Wallach the last time they had a managerial opening, in 2010. However, Wallach wasn't allowed to interview because of a clause in his contract. Sandy Alomar Jr., DeMarlo Hale and Don Wakamatsu also appear to be in the mix for the Toronto job. Butterfield had been a candidate before accepting his new position in Boston.

Cafardo On Dodgers, Hamilton, Brewers, Otani

By Zachary Links | October 28, 2012 at 8:57am CDT

For most of his eight-year tenure with the Dodgers, General Manager Ned Colletti had to mindful of the budget and the bottom line. Now, Colletti has the financial freedom to make bold moves, such as the trade with the Red Sox which brought Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Nick Punto, and Carl Crawford aboard. Colletti has no doubt that Crawford is ready to regain his old form. "He’s still a dynamic player," Colletti said. "A couple of years ago, he was one of the most sought-after free agents in the game for good reason. People in Tampa saw it a lot. People in the AL East saw it a lot — a combination of abilities not many players have. In this league, the ability to hit and steal, doubles and triples — this is a tough park for home runs sometimes — his ability to create things offensively with speed and ability to hit." Here's more from today's column..

There’s mounting evidence that the Brewers could be one of the teams that emerges in the market for Josh Hamilton. Milwaukee is at least looking into the possibility, though their top priorities are still finding a starting pitcher and revamping their bullpen.
The Cubs appear to be players for 18-year-old pitcher Shohei Otani, but Theo Epstein recently expressed trepidation about plunging back into the Japanese market. Otani was recently taken with the first-overall pick in the NPB draft and the Nippon Ham Fighters have until March to try and sign him. A major league club can still sign him at any time, but it would likely irritate Japanese baseball officials.
Bobby Valentine declined to say whether he'd like to be considered for the managerial openings with the Rockies, Marlins, and Blue Jays. The manager also clarified some of his recent remarks on the Red Sox and noted that his line about leaving a note for incoming manager John Farrell was merely an old-time baseball joke.
After removing himself from the interview process with the Astros and declining to meet with the Marlins, it's possible that Brad Ausmus only had his eye on the Red Sox job. However, teams will still try to lure the former catcher who quickly found himself in high demand.
Terry Francona did speak with the Marlins earlier this year, but he wanted to be with the Indians all along.

AL East Links: Peterson, A-Rod, Otani, Orioles, Loney

By Mark Polishuk | October 26, 2012 at 10:02pm CDT

The Red Sox will interview Rick Peterson for their pitching coach job, reports Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). The Orioles granted Boston permission to interview Peterson, who is currently Baltimore's director of pitching development and is a former pitching coach with the A's, Mets and Brewers.

Here's the latest from around the AL East…

No teams have yet contacted the Yankees about a possible Alex Rodriguez trade, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
The Orioles have scouted Japanese right-hander Shohei Otani, reports Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun, confirming an earlier report from Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News that the O's had interest in the 18-year-old prospect. Since Otani has already been drafted (though not signed) by the NPL's Nippon Ham Fighters, Connolly suspects the O's might not make any quick attempts to sign Otani given the Orioles' issues last season in trying to sign Korean southpaw Seong-Min Kim.
Zack Greinke and Josh Hamilton are both too expensive for the Orioles' taste, writes MASNsports.com's Roch Kubatko in an analysis of free agents who won't be pursued by the O's this winter. The team doesn't have interest in free agent pitchers Derek Lowe, Jeremy Guthrie, Edwin Jackson or Erik Bedard, while Kevin Youkilis is a longshot based on Baltimore's concerns about his health.
James Loney has a less than 50-50 chance of returning to the Red Sox, reports MLB.com's Evan Drellich, though the Sox see Loney as a "Plan B" if they're still looking for first base help later in the offseason.
The Rays have been denied permission by St. Petersburg mayor Bill Foster to explore new stadium sites in nearby counties in Tampa Bay, reports Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune. The Rays' lease at Tropicana Field runs through the 2027 season.
Mariano Rivera's retirement could help the Yankees avoid a tough decision with the closer's job, opines Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York. If Rivera retired, the Yankees could then pursue a new contract with Rafael Soriano without worrying about committing too much payroll space on closers.
From earlier today, Joel Sherman of the New York Post had more items about the Yankees.

Minor Moves: Lin, Del Rosario, Thompson, Cubs

By Mark Polishuk | October 26, 2012 at 5:57pm CDT

Here are some of the minor transactions from around the league…

The Astros have claimed outfielder Che-Hsuan Lin off waivers from the Red Sox, reports MLB.com's Brian McTaggart (Twitter link). Lin made his Major League debut this season, appearing in nine games for Boston before being designated for assignment last week.
In a corresponding move, the Astros announced that right-hander Enerio Del Rosario has been designated for assignment. Del Rosario posted a 9.00 ERA in 19 relief innings for Houston last season.
Outfielder Rich Thompson has elected free agency, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Thompson was outrighted to Triple-A by the Rays earlier this week. The 33-year-old appeared in 23 games for the Rays last season, his first taste of Major League action with a six-game stint with the Royals in 2004.
The Cubs outrighted Joe Mather, Blake Parker and Justin Germano to Triple-A Iowa, tweets MLB.com's Carrie Muskat. Manny Corpas was also among Chicago's outright assignments today and the reliever has already chosen to become a free agent.
Matt Eddy of Baseball America recaps the week's minor league transactions, including the news that the Orioles have officially released Dontrelle Willis, who intended to retire back in July.

Managerial Notes: Marlins, Rockies, Red Sox

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | October 26, 2012 at 4:42pm CDT

The Rockies (98 losses), Marlins (93 losses) and Blue Jays (89 losses) are all searching for new managers as they look to rebound from disappointing seasons. Here are the latest managerial notes from around MLB…

The Marlins have also interviewed former MLB player and manager Larry Bowa for their managerial opening, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (Twitter links). Marlins candidates are conducting separate interviews with owner Jeffrey Loria and the baseball operations department, according to Rosenthal.
Bryan Price interviewed for the Marlins' managerial opening today, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. Price has been the Reds' pitching coach since 2009.
The Marlins asked to speak with Padres special assistant Brad Ausmus about their managerial opening only to hear that the former MLB catcher isn't interested, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports. Ausmus interviewed for Boston's managerial vacancy and was considered by the Astros before withdrawing his name from consideration. Price and Mike Redmond are also candidates for the position in Miami.
The Rockies have spoken with former MLB shortstop Walt Weiss regarding their managerial vacancy, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports. Weiss, the 1988 American League Rookie of the Year, joins Jason Giambi and Tom Runnells as a contender for the position.
The Rockies are also expected to interview Matt Williams, Renck reports (on Twitter). The former third baseman hit 378 home runs over the course of a 17-year MLB career.
The Red Sox officially named Torey Lovullo their bench coach today. The 47-year-old former second baseman coached first base for the Blue Jays last year under current Red Sox manager John Farrell.

Quick Hits: Verlander, Hamilton, Rangers, Lincecum

By Zachary Links | October 25, 2012 at 10:33pm CDT

It’s not a huge surprise, but Tigers president and General Manager Dave Dombrowski said that he would like to make Justin Verlander a Tiger for life, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The right-hander still has two years remaining on his five-year, $80MM deal and extending him won’t be cheap. However, the Tigers made a similar move when they inked Miguel Cabrera to his eight-year, $152.3MM deal two years before he was set to hit the open market. Here’s more from around baseball as the Giants celebrate their Game 2 victory..

People familiar with the Brewers’ thinking told Heyman that the club is seriously considering a run at Josh Hamilton this winter. Owner Mark Attanasio declined comment on the possibility, but the team is said to believe that Milwaukee is a viable market for the slugger. The Brewers would obviously have a hard time competing with major market teams for Hamilton, but it helps that the Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers likely won’t be in the mix.
Rangers General Manager Jon Daniels said that he sees some similarities between what his club did in 2007 and the Red Sox’s blockbuster deal this year, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Texas traded star first baseman Mark Teixeira to the Braves in the summer of 2007, netting the club Elvis Andrus and freedom to build the roster. Daniels, who was a guest on WEEI’s Red Sox Hot Stove show, also said that he doesn’t expect to trade Andrus or Kinsler despite having Jurickson Profar close to being major league-ready.
Despite his struggles in 2012, General Manager Brian Sabean ruled out the possibility of Tim Lincecum moving to the bullpen next season, tweets Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. Lincecum is entering his walk year in the 2013 season and will earn $22MM.
One person connected to the Giants told Heyman that there’s no way that Lincecum will be traded, in part because of how the fans in San Francisco respond to him.
Commissioner Bud Selig told reporters before tonight’s game that he has spoken with Blue Jays president Paul Beeston and has yet to hear a complaint from the organization regarding possible tampering with manager John Farrell, tweets Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.

AL East Notes: Rivera, Farrell, Blue Jays, Red Sox

By Zachary Links | October 25, 2012 at 6:05pm CDT

After tearing his ACL in a freak injury back in May, Yankees closer Mariano Rivera vowed to reporters that he would return. “I am coming back. Write it down in big letters. … I’m not going out like this,” said the 42-year-old. Now, General Manager Brian Cashman says that Rivera’s future is less-than-certain, writes Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com. Marchand notes that a new contract could also be tricky for Rivera as his two-year, $30MM contract has expired. Here’s more out of the American League East..

The John Farrell compensation talks came down to Mike Aviles or Andrew Bailey, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The Blue Jays of course wound up with Aviles, who gives the club flexibility with Yunel Escobar.
Rather than hire one of the many experienced managers available, Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star would rather see the Blue Jays hire a fresh face. Griffin suggests that Alex Anthopoulos & Co. should speak with Sandy Alomar Jr., Sal Fasano, Dave Martinez, Paul Molitor, and others.
The Red Sox’s uncertain contender status will impact the way that they build their roster this winter, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Speier writes that the Red Sox will likely treat trade opportunities similar to how they did leading up to the July 31st deadline. That means holding on to key prospects unless its for worthwhile players that are under control for multiple years.

Managerial Notes: Marlins, Blue Jays

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | October 25, 2012 at 12:06pm CDT

Three teams are still looking for managers: the Marlins, Blue Jays and Rockies. Here’s the latest on the managerial searches, starting in Miami…

Ozzie Guillen told Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald that he doesn't think the Marlins made the right decision in firing him earlier this week. Guillen had three years and $7.5MM remaining on his contract at the time of his dismissal.
Former MLB catcher Mike Redmond has impressed baseball people such as Jack McKeon and Fredi Gonzalez with his knowledge of the game, Spencer reports. Redmond, a minor league manager in the Blue Jays organization, appears to be a leading candidate for the Marlins' managerial position. The Marlins hope to interview others, including Reds pitching coach Bryan Price, according to Spencer.
Red Sox bench coach Tim Bogar won’t be interviewed for the Blue Jays job, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports (on Twitter). The Blue Jays interviewed Bogar for the position two years ago before hiring John Farrell.

AL East Links: Red Sox, Ortiz, Yankees, Orioles

By Mike Axisa | October 24, 2012 at 7:40pm CDT

We've already had two managerial changes in the AL East this offseason, and a ton of player moves will surely follow this winter. Here's the latest from the only division to house three 90-win teams in 2012…

"I wouldn't be trying to re-sign him if I had any concern about David's commitment to baseball or to the Red Sox," said Red Sox GM Ben Cherington to ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes when asked about former manager Bobby Valentine's recent disparaging comments about David Ortiz's commitment to the team. The Sox and Ortiz are reportedly working on a new two-year contract.
In a recent radio interview, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said he would like to make his team younger but will only do it if it makes them better according to Kristie Ackert of The New York Daily News. "In theory, I want us to get younger and better, but in reality, that’s not always realistic," he said.
Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun lists ten free agents who could be fits for the Orioles next season, from stars like Josh Hamilton to role players like Jeff Keppinger.

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