Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Red Sox Rumors

Central Notes: Ventura, Ordonez, Sizemore, Epstein

By | at

If the Tigers win the ALCS, we could see the first all-Central World Series since St. Louis topped Detroit five years ago.  Today's AL and NL Central links…

  • The White Sox announced they'll introduce new manager Robin Ventura tomorrow at an 11am central time press conference.  ESPNChicago's Doug Padilla reported today that Mark Parent will come aboard as Ventura's bench coach and Joe McEwing will serve as the third base coach.  Jeff Manto is ahead of Tim Laker in terms of hitting coach candidates, Padilla reports.
  • The Tigers' Magglio Ordonez re-fractured his ankle Saturday, reported MLB.com's Jason Beck.  The right fielder will see specialists after returning to Detroit, tweets Tom Gage of the Detroit News.  Ordonez, 38 in January, is eligible for free agency this winter.
  • "It seems highly unlikely" that the Indians will exercise their $8.5MM club option on center fielder Grady Sizemore, opines MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.  The Indians revealed Tuesday that Sizemore had a right knee arthroscopy but is expected to be ready for Spring Training.  Should the 29-year-old reach free agency, I'd rank him around 30th on my top 50 list.
  • A rival executive talked to ESPN's Buster Olney on Red Sox GM Theo Epstein and the Cubs: "If he met with the Cubs, what it means is that if he gets the offer he wants, he's gone [to Chicago]."  Earlier today, however, SI's Jon Heyman wrote that most baseball insiders "believe it's more likely than not [Epstein will] remain in Boston, at least for now."
  • Brewers reliever Francisco Rodriguez reflected on this summer's trade, telling Mike Puma of the New York Post, "I'm winning, and [the Mets] needed pretty much to get rid of me."  K-Rod told Puma he holds no grudge toward the Mets.
  • Of the 11 Pirates players eligible for arbitration this winter, only Joel Hanrahan, Jeff Karstens, Charlie Morton, and Evan Meek are absolutely certain to be tendered contracts, writes MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch.  She notes that "if the Pirates do not intend to tender a contract to someone on the list, there is a good chance that player will be removed in November so that the Pirates can open up roster spots to protect players from being taken in the Rule 5 Draft."  Click here for MLBTR's projected salaries for the Pirates' arbitration group. 
  • The chances of lefty Paul Maholm returning to the Pirates next year are less than 50-50, in the opinion of Langosch.  I'd say Maholm ranks toward the back end of the top ten free agent starters this winter.
  • Check out my offseason outlooks for the Cubs and Astros.

Quick Hits: Votto, Anderson, Red Sox, Dodgers

By | at

Links for Sunday evening as the Brewers have jumped out to a 1-0 lead over the Cardinals in the NLCS..

  • The Reds need to ask themselves if they believe that they can pay Joey Votto a market-value contract after 2013, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com.  If the Reds don't believe that they can pay him, Olney writes that history says that they should move him between now and July 31, 2012.
  • The Red Sox could use Lars Anderson as a trade chip this offseason, writes Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal.  The 24-year-old first baseman is stuck behind Adrian Gonzalez and MacPherson identifies several teams who would be interested in the youngster.  Anderson was nearly shipped to the Athletics in a deal for Rich Harden in July.
  • Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times doesn't expect to see the Dodgers make many changes this winter.  If Ned Colletti & Co. don't sign a bopper in free agency, that leaves trading for a big bat and the club doesn't have much to offer in return.
  • Tigers closer Jose Valverde represents yet another ex-Astros player achieving success elsewhere, writes Stephen Goff of Examiner.com. 
  • Brewers right-hander Shaun Marcum sees a bright future for his former teammate, Cardinals lefty reliever Marc Rzepczynski.  Marcum, who will start Game 2 of the NLCS on Monday, played with Rzepczynski in Toronto.

Quick Hits: Payrolls, Jay, Wilson, Epstein

By | at

Here are some links to check out before the NLCS kicks off later this afternoon..

  • Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel points out that the somewhat low payrolls of the remaining playoff teams are examples of the importance of drafting, scouting, and player development. The Tigers have the largest payroll (10th), while the Cardinals (11th), Rangers (13th), and Brewers (17th) round out the pack. It's also worth noting that the Diamondbacks rank 25th and the Rays were 29th.
  • The progress of center fielder Jon Jay allowed the Cardinals to trade Colby Rasmus at the deadline, GM John Mozeliak told Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepczynski, and Octavio Dotel have been key parts of the team's drive to the NLCS.
  • Some people think that C.J. Wilson has keen interest as a free agent in New York, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated.  He adds that the Yankees are probably the early favorite to sign him.
  • A Lakeview, Illinois resident is "99.9 percent sure" that he saw Red Sox GM Theo Epstein at a Starbucks in Lincoln Park, writes Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.  Boston ownership has yet to acknowledge a report that the Cubs have asked for permission to talk to Epstein.
  • The Angels continued their front-office purge by not renewing the contract of player development director Abe Flores, a major league source told Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.  Flores spent four seasons as the team's player development director after spending the previous six as the team's manager of baseball operations.
  • No matter what kind of career pitcher Pedro Strop has, the trade for left-hander Mike Gonzalez at the August deadline was worth it for the Rangers, writes Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com. 

Cafardo On Epstein, Red Sox, Sabathia, Rays

By | at

If Theo Epstein winds up taking the Cubs' GM job, then the spotlight again will be directed at Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  Even if the club tabbed longtime exec Ben Cherington as general manager, it would take time before Cherington would have complete control over the operations.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • There's growing sentiment that C.C. Sabathia will opt out of his contract with the Yankees.  The Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers, Tigers, and Giants are among the usual suspects if the lefty hits the open market.  Boston, however, might have doubts about Sabathia.  Cafardo wonders if the front office would take on another sizeable pitching contract and add another overweight pitcher.
  • The Rays will be able to make their rotation even scarier by adding 22-year-old Matt Moore to it.  Tampa Bay also has righty Alex Cobb and lefty Alex Torres ready for the majors.  The Rays could parlay their pitching depth into offense by trading Cobb, Torres, Jeff Niemann or Wade Davis if need be.
  • The feeling is that Padres skipper Bud Black has a real chance of becoming the Angels next GM.  Black, who is good friends with Mike Scioscia, doesn’t have front office experience but has a pitching expertise that would make him valuable in that position.
  • Former Mets GM Omar Minaya thinks that Willie Randolph, Chip Hale, Tim Wallach, and Ryne Sandberg would all be good fits to manage in Boston.  Minaya is currently an analyst for the MLB Network and is mulling over a few offers to return to baseball as an adviser to a GM.  He expects to make a decision as the winter unfolds.
  • Red Sox third base coach Tim Bogar could be retained when a new manager is named.  There has also been speculation that Bogar is a candidate for bench coach under new White Sox manager Robin Ventura.  Cafardo gives the White Sox credit for being decisive and hiring Robin Ventura rather than wait for a big name like Tony La Russa.
  • Former Red Sox coach John McLaren is managing the Chinese national team and might be a candidate to become bench coach with the Mets.

Red Sox Notes: Epstein, Wallach, Lackey, Padres

By | at

Here's the latest from Fenway Park…

  • "People around the game [are] getting [the] idea that" Theo Epstein will likely remain as Boston's GM, reports Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link).  Yesterday, Heyman reported that "a slight majority" of people around baseball believed Epstein would turn down a job offer from the Cubs.
  • Dodgers third base coach Tim Wallach is under consideration for the manager's job, reports Michael Silverman of the Boston Globe.  Wallach "is still at the stage of being considered for an interview," according to several sources.  Wallach's name was mentioned in connection with the open managerial jobs with the Dodgers, Marlins and Blue Jays last winter.
  • A Padres official tells Tom Krasovic of the Inside The Padres blog that it "is not farfetched at all" that San Diego would consider a trade for John Lackey this winter.  Krasovic thinks Lackey could benefit from pitching at Petco Park and reuniting with Bud Black, who was Lackey's pitching coach with the Angels.  Krasovic proposes a trade that would require Boston to pay most of Lackey's salary, take Orlando Hudson in return and also send "a young big leaguer or a good prospect, or two" back to the Padres.  It sounds lopsided in San Diego's favor, but given how low Lackey's stock has fallen, the Red Sox will have to meet similar trade criteria in any potential Lackey deal.

Henry & Lucchino On Epstein’s Future

By | at

Red Sox owner John Henry and CEO Larry Lucchino declined to discuss the Cubs’ request to talk to GM Theo Epstein this morning, insisting that rival teams express interest in Boston’s personnel every year. In an extended appearance on WEEI’s Dennis & Callahan Show, Henry allowed that a “certain protocol in this game” generally dictates that teams allow employees to consider promotions.

Epstein could theoretically add president to his title in Chicago, which would be considered a promotion. It’s fair to assume that the longtime GM will move on from his current role at some point, though the transition won’t necessarily occur in the near future. 

"I think there's a certain shelf life in these jobs," Henry said. "If you're sane, you can only be the general manager, you can only be the manager for a certain period of time. … Theo is not going to be the general manager forever."

Henry confirmed that the Red Sox would probably not have picked up their two-year $8.75MM option for Terry Francona after the season. The owner suggested that the decision to part ways wasn't completely mutual, since Francona made a decision before his bosses did.

Epstein has been searching for Boston’s next field manager along with assistant GM Ben Cherington. Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com hears that Dale Sveum is a candidate on their list. The former Red Sox coach has managed on an interim basis in Milwaukee.

Managerial Notes: Red Sox, Alomar, Francona

By | at

The White Sox's unexpected hiring of former third baseman Robin Ventura is Thursday's hot news item regarding managers, but here are a few other nuggets of note:

  • The Red Sox now have the managerial market to themselves with the White Sox filling their vacancy, tweets Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com.
  • Indians bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr. must be the favorite, among the candidates we know, to become next Red Sox manager, McAdam adds in a separate tweet.
  • Alomar says he never heard from the White Sox about their opening and he's excited to be the Tribe's bench coach, tweets Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
  • Similarly, the White Sox did not contact Francona, who was a minor league manager in their system in the early 1990s, a source tells Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. All of the 30 Major League teams currently have managers, as Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com notes, so there will have to be turnover for Francona to be a skipper in 2012. That is still possible, though, as the Cubs, Astros and Orioles could be in the market, pending front-office changes, and the Cardinals may have to commence a search if Tony La Russa retires or moves on after the postseason.
  • The good news for the Red Sox, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.com, is that Rays bench coach Dave Martinez and Alomar are still available.

Red Sox Notes: Epstein, Francona, Reddick

By | at

Everyone in baseball expects the Cubs to offer Theo Epstein their GM job, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link) and a slight majority expect that the Red Sox GM would turn such an offer down. Here are today's Red Sox-related links…

  • Former manager Terry Francona appeared on WEEI's The Big Show and explained that he considers Boston's ownership "second to none." Francona acknowledged that he and Epstein "butted heads" at times, not that it’s a surprising admission given the public, stressful nature of their jobs. Francona added that he's interested in managing in the right situation next year.
  • Rob Bradford of WEEI.com looks back to 2002, when the Red Sox, then under new ownership, tried to end their championship drought by hiring an established GM (Billy Beane of the A's). If that sounds familiar, it's because the Cubs now want Epstein to end their title drought. 
  • Bradford also explores the issue of compensation – it was discussed nine years ago and would come up again since Epstein is under contract in 2012.
  • The Boston Herald looks ahead to next year's outfield and says the Red Sox will look to add a younger, more durable player to replace J.D. Drew. Josh Reddick and Ryan Kalish are internal options for Boston.

Quick Hits: Angels, Buehrle, Zambrano

By | at

At least one division series per league is going to a full five games this year, with the first elimination game taking place in the Bronx tomorrow night. Here are some links to read in the meantime…

  • A's GM Billy Beane and MLB.com's Peter Gammons reflect on the decision Beane made in 2002, when he nearly joined the Red Sox before realizing he wanted to remain in Oakland. Gammons compares Beane to Red Sox GM Theo Epstein, who is at a similar career crossroads now that Boston missed the playoffs and the Cubs are interested in him as their next GM. 
  • The Angels are also looking for a new general manager and former GM Jim Bowden compiles a list of candidates at ESPN.com. Kim Ng of MLB, Jason McLeod of the Padres and Bill Geivett of the Rockies are among the names on Bowden's list (MLBTR's list of GM Candidates offers some more candidates to consider). 
  • Though the Rangers wanted Cliff Lee last offseason, they have many reasons to celebrate the near-miss, Jon Paul Morosi writes at FOX Sports. Texas signed Adrian Beltre, whose three-homer game sent them back to the ALCS, instead. 
  • Jim Margalus of South Side Sox looks back at Mark Buehrle's last contract and determines that it was a good one for the White Sox because the left-hander didn't really age.
  • Carlos Zambrano knows his future with the Cubs is undetermined until they hire a GM, but he says he is talking with new Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen on a near-daily basis, according to Ormúz Jesús Sojo of Líder en Deportes (translation via MLBTR's Nick Collias).
  • Check out Rumores de Béisbol for all of the latest rumors in Spanish.

Heyman On Beltre, Wilson, Orioles

By | at

The Rangers’ front office has recovered from some blunders (trading Adrian Gonzalez, for example) to become a group known for its shrewd decision making, Jon Heyman writes at SI.com. GM Jon Daniels and assistants such as Thad Levine and A.J. Preller had a successful offseason, acquiring Mike Napoli in a trade and signing Adrian Beltre away from the Angels, who play 45 minutes from the third baseman’s home. Here’s the latest from Heyman:

  • The Rangers are pleased with Beltre so far, according to president Nolan Ryan. "He's done what we'd hoped he do,'' Ryan said. Dave Cameron of FanGraphs recently made the case that Beltre has solidified his place as one of the best players in baseball.
  • One Rangers person says the odds are “40-60” that the Rangers will be able to re-sign C.J. Wilson after the season.
  • Yesterday I examined the moves that led to the Rangers’ second consecutive ALCS appearance.
  • Buck Showalter, who has flown to Texas, appears to be deciding between the Orioles’ GM job and their manager job, according to Heyman.
  • Blue Jays first base coach Torey Lovullo may not be a fit as Boston’s next manager, according to Heyman. However, GM Theo Epstein will consider candidates with limited MLB managing experience.
Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top