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Quick Hits: Baker, Varitek, LaHair, Padres, Berkman

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Reds manager Dusty Baker suffered a minor stroke on Friday, the team told reporters (including MLB.com's Mark Sheldon).  Baker was already in hospital being treated for an irregular heartbeat and was supposed to be released on Friday.  The 63-year-old was released instead on Sunday and is reportedly in good condition, addressing the Reds clubhouse this afternoon.  Bench coach Chris Speier has managed the team in Baker's absence and will continue to do so at least through Cincinnati's weekend series with the Pirates, though Baker is hopeful of returning for the Reds' final series of the year.

Here's some more news from around the baseball world…

AL East Notes: Upton, Escobar, Farrell, Red Sox

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As the Orioles host the Blue Jays and the Rays play at Fenway Park, here's the latest from the AL East…

  • It seems as if B.J. Upton is entering his final days with the Rays, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
  • It shouldn't be seen as a foregone conclusion that the Blue Jays will part ways with Yunel Escobar, opines MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm in a series of tweets.  The Jays aren't in the habit of selling low on players, plus Chisholm argues that Escobar is still an asset given his team-friendly contract and the Jays' need for a second baseman.
  • Also from Chisholm, the Jays were never "actively" looking to deal Escobar before the trade deadline and trade rumors about the shortstop were "drastically overblown." 
  • The Escobar controversy and the Blue Jays' poor record may hurt John Farrell's standing as the perceived favorite to become the next Red Sox manager, an unnamed baseball executive tells ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes.  The executive also suggests that Boston should hire a new manager quickly and make it clear that he is the consensus choice, as opposed to the feeling last winter that team ownership hired Bobby Valentine over GM Ben Cherington's objections.
  • Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe makes a few predictions and thoughts about what the Red Sox need to do this offseason.  Abraham guesses Farrell, Tim Bogar or Torey Lovullo will manage the Sox next year, David Ortiz and Cody Ross will re-sign and the Sox will hire a "director of pitching" to oversee pitchers throughout the organization.
  • Ichiro Suzuki's recent performance has spurred the Yankees and changed the conversation about his playing future, says Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.  "Two weeks ago, the big talk about Ichiro was that his most likely destination next season was Japan. Now, you hear talk that the San Francisco Giants could represent a likely landing spot," writes Baker.  Though the Giants have a history of signing veteran free agents and their outfield will be in flux this winter, I'm not sure they're a good fit for Ichiro given his age and demands for playing time.
  • MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith compiled another set of AL East notes earlier today.

Quick Hits: Dodgers, Youkilis, Red Sox

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Kris Medlen and the Braves can clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Marlins tonight. The Braves, who missed the postseason in excruciating fashion last year, now have a magic number of one. Here are today’s links…

  • This year’s midseason trades haven’t accounted for much of a change in the standings, Bob Nightengale of USA Today writes. The Dodgers remain in second place after making a number of noteworthy additions, while the Reds have extended their division lead despite a relatively quiet July.
  • Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com lists the top 15 moves of this year's trading season, citing names such as Kevin Youkilis, Marco Scutaro and Zack Greinke.
  • Being the high bidder on top free agents could turn out even worse than it has in the past, now that fewer elite players are hitting the open market and team revenues are increasing, Dave Cameron of FanGraphs writes. Cameron focuses on the Red Sox, who will attempt to find value in a potentially inflationary environment this coming offseason.

AL East Notes: Machado, Reynolds, Ortiz, Snider

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Wade Boggs reached the 200-hit plateau for the seventh consecutive season on this date in 1989. Boggs also became the first player in MLB history to collect both 200 hits and 100 walks in four consecutive seasons. Here are some links from the division in which Boggs spent his entire 18-year career…

  • Manny Machado jumped from Double-A to the pennant race, but Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said the infielder “looks like a big leaguer,” Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports. Duquette indicated the Orioles are set at third base for 2013, saying Machado "looks pretty good to me."
  • The Orioles “have interest” in retaining Mark Reynolds for 2013, Duquette said. If the Orioles decline Reynolds’ $11MMM option for 2013, they’ll have to determine whether to tender him a contract through the arbitration process. "We'll see how that shakes out," Duquette said.
  • David Ortiz said his upcoming contract negotiations with the Red Sox are about respect, not just money, Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald reports. The designated hitter said a two-year deal would help him keep his focus on the field. "I think it’s easier for me not to be answering the questions you’re asking me right now the whole year," he said.
  • Shi Davidi details Travis Snider's tenure in Toronto, including his clashes with former manager Cito Gaston, in a revealing feature at Sportsnet.ca. Within the piece Davidi reports that Snider once turned down a contract extension from the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays traded Snider to Pittsburgh for Brad Lincoln leading up to the July 31st trade deadline.

Quick Hits: Prospects, Ross, Wood, Francis

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The Tigers can tie the White Sox for the AL Central lead today, but it'll take a win over the Royals and some help from the Indians, who are visiting the south side of Chicago. Here are today's links…

  • Athletics first-round selection Addison Russell tops Baseball America's list of the 20 best prospects from the rookie-level Arizona League. The A's selected the high school shortstop 11th overall, and he hit .415/.488/.717 in 26 games in the Arizona League before being promoted to Class A ball.
  • Cody Ross has been a bargain acquisition in the past, but he’s likely headed for a raise as a free agent following a strong offensive showing with the Red Sox, Alex Speier of WEEI.com writes. As Speier explains, Ross has been traded for next to nothing in the past.
  • Kerry Wood will work with the Cubs next year, likely as an on-field instructor, Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Wood, who retired in May, said he hopes to have some kind of role in uniform with the Cubs, ideally alongside some of his former teammates.
  • The Rockies will enter the 2013 season with questions related to Todd Helton, Drew Pomeranz, Jim Tracy and others, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes. The Rockies want to bring Jeff Francis back when he hits free agency this offseason, according to Saunders.

Quick Hits: Indians, Red Sox, Dylan Bundy

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On this day in 1949, Cleveland owner Bill Veeck and a group of players held a funeral service to bury the 1948 pennant in centerfield. The Indians were mathematically eliminated from the American League pennant race 24 hours prior on their off-day. Here's the latest news and stories making headlines from around the league…

  • Finding a reliable backup for Asdrubal Cabrera at shortstop should be a priority for the Indians this offseason, opines Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Cleveland has relied on the services of Brent Lillibridge and Jason Donald for the majority of the season but mixed results and general inconsistency have left manager Manny Acta in search of another option. "We really need somebody, when we give Cabby a day off or he goes down, who can step in help us out. It's been an issue… It's been an issue."
  • Pawtucket pitching coach Rich Sauveur's big league aspirations may soon come to fruition with Boston's coaching staff facing uncertainty this offseason, writes Brian MacPherson of The Pawtucket Journal. "I want to be a pitching coach in the big leagues," Sauveur said. "I've wanted that ever since 2000 when I retired." The former Major League left-hander will spend the final two weeks of the season with the Red Sox as a reward for his strong contributions to the PawSox.
  • Orioles top prospect Dylan Bundy's Major League debut against the Red Sox on Sunday didn't come without a hitch, reports MASNsports.com's Roch Kubatko. The 19-year-old right-hander couldn't find his glove when the call came to the bullpen requesting his services on the mound. "Tommy Hunter answered the phone and told me I was going in. I said, 'What?' and I couldn't find my glove. Took me about a minute to find it," Bundy said. "He told me to get going, so I was like, OK, its happening, and I got loose as quick as I could."

Cafardo On Angels, Ross, Loney, Carp, Scioscia

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that there could be a few interesting options for manager Terry Francona this offseason.  There could be two additional openings for the former Red Sox manager with reports indicating that the Angels' Mike Scioscia and Jim Leyland of the Tigers could be in danger of being dismissed this offseason.  Cafardo opines that either team would be ideal for Tito as both teams have the resources to improve and he would be inheriting the same kind of talent-rich team he had in Boston after the 2003 season.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • Outfielder Cody Ross has three major-market teams – the Phillies, Yankees, and Red Sox – very interested in him.  Ross has made it clear that he would like to stay in Boston and Larry Lucchino said earlier this week that the club is beginning the process of keeping him for next season and beyond. 
  • The Red Sox are also thinking about re-signing James Loney and he is receptive to coming back, but he could pick up attention in a thin first base market.  The Rays can be expected to kick the tires on Loney as they are unlikely to re-sign Carlos Pena.
  • Mariners first baseman/outfielder Mike Carp could be expendable as the club is likely committed to Justin Smoak at first base.  Carp is starting to appear on a few teams’ wish lists and one NL scout is rather high on him.  “He’s an interesting name,” said the scout. “He’s been buried on that roster in a big ballpark, and if you take him out of there, he may break out. He’s someone you’d take a chance on.”
  • One Angels exec expects to see Scioscia back in the dugout for the Halos next season.  “It would be shocking for me,” said the executive. “I know there have been some issues, but Mike is one of the best, and that’s widely recognized. Guys like Sosh don’t come along very often, which is why he has the long-term contract that he does.“But I suppose crazier things have happened.”  Scioscia is signed to a lucrative contract through 2018.
  • The Red Sox could consider Ed Wade as they seek experienced front office help.  There has also been talk that the Sox would consider Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava, but that would require LaCava being offered a bigger title.
  • Rays bench coach Dave Martinez may now be the front-runner for the Astros job because they are using Tampa Bay as their model.  Red Sox bench coach Tim Bogar also has the Rays background and is tight with former Astros second baseman Craig Biggio, who is on the panel that will pick the next manager.

AL East Notes: Jeter, Yankees, Red Sox, Hamilton

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Earlier today, the Blue Jays shipped catcher Yorvit Torrealba to the Brewers for cash considerations or a player to be named later.  More out of the American League East..

  • Derek Jeter says that suggestions that he wants to play elsewhere are "comical," and that he obviously wants to end career with the Yankees, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch (via Twitter).  Yesterday, Jeter seemed to imply that he would be open to playing for another club once his contract expires.  The shortstop is under contract for 2013 with an $8MM player option for '14.
  • Most members of the Red Sox braintrust are keeping a close eye on whether the team will have a top-ten pick in this year's draft, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.com.  Outside of the obvious benefits of having a higher pick, top ten selections are protected, giving the Red Sox flexibility in the event that they wanted to pursue a free agent such as Josh Hamilton.  In the case of Hamilton, multiple sources say that Boston is unlikely to join the fray for the 31-year-old, which is in line with what has been previously reported.
  • Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star isn't quite sure if Alex Anthopoulos is the General Manager to take the Blue Jays to the next level.  However, Griffin believes that Anthopoulos is ready to do more traditional things this winter like signing short-term veteran free agents and packaging prospects to land one solid major league talent.

Astros Notes: Martinez, Bogar, Geith

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It was on this day in 2007 that J.R. Towles set a new Astros team record by recording eight RBIs in one game, an 18-1 Houston win over the Cardinals.  The Astros had high hopes for Towles as their catcher of the future, but Towles never developed, hitting just .187/.267/.315 in 484 plate appearances from 2007-2011.  The catcher spent this season playing for the Twins' Triple-A affiliate.

Here's the latest out of Houston…

  • Rays bench coach Dave Martinez and Red Sox bench coach Tim Bogar "are [the] front runners" to become the next Astros manager, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  The Astros were known to want their new manager in place by next week, though that could be delayed if their choice was working for a team going to the postseason.  Interim manager Tony DeFrancesco, Nationals third base coach Bo Porter and Larry Bowa have all also interviewed for the job, with Bowa already dropping out of contention.
  • The Astros announced the acquisition of left-hander Theron Geith from the Rays, completing the August 31 trade that sent Ben Francisco to Tampa Bay.  Geith, 23, was a 39th-round pick for the Rays in the 2011 draft and posted a 2.98 ERA, an 8.1 K/9 and a 4.45 K/BB ratio in 31 relief appearances for high-A ball Charlotte this season.
  • You can keep up on all the breaking news out of Houston on MLBTR's Astros-specific Facebook page, Twitter and RSS feeds.

Red Sox Notes: Lucchino, Aceves, Ross, Loney, Bogar

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The Red Sox lost their 82nd game of the season last night, clinching the franchise's first losing season since 1997.  Needless to say, the Sox will be busy this offseason to ensure they get back over the .500 mark and beyond in 2013.  Here's the latest out of Fenway Park…

  • The Red Sox are looking to add an experienced front office executive to assist GM Ben Cherington, reports Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston.  Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava has been rumored in connection with this role, though since the Jays would only allow LaCava (or any employee) to interview with another team if he was being offered a promotion.
  • Larry Lucchino was non-committal about Alfredo Aceves' future with the team in an interview on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan show.  (WEEI.com's Alex Speier provides the partial recap.)  Aceves has had some disciplinary issues in Boston and the decision about his role in 2013 "will be made next spring by whatever team he is with," said Lucchino.  "Maybe he’s with us. We’ll see. Maybe he’s elsewhere. It’s a little early to answer that question. We have so far [put up with his activities].”  Aceves is arbitration-eligible for the second time this offseason.
  • Lucchino also discussed several other Red Sox players, including pending free agent Cody Ross, who the team "loves" and would like to bring back.  Lucchino said the club is "at the beginning stages of that process.”  Earlier today, Ross said his top priority for free agency would be to sign with a contending team.
  • James Loney tells Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe that he would be interested in returning to Boston if the Sox make him a contract offer this winter.  Loney is set to hit free agency and could prefer to sign with an AL team if he has a choice, as the first baseman says he prefers playing under American League rules.
  • The Sox should move quickly to find a new manager, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, arguing that the team can't afford another long managerial search or protracted negotiations with the Blue Jays over John Farrell.  "The easiest choice" would be to hire bench coach Tim Bogar, who is a management favorite and has already interviewed for the Astros' job. 
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