Heyman On Crawford, Pujols, Buehrle, Madson
At least one Molina brother has been in six of the past ten World Series, as Jon Heyman points out at SI.com (that includes Yadier, who will play again this year). Heyman also passes along some hot stove notes; here they are:
- Red Sox owner John Henry “threw $60MM into the air,'' by making it clear that he views the Carl Crawford signing as a mistake, according to one baseball person. Henry said on the airwaves of 98.5 the Sports Hub that he was not in favor of signing the left fielder for $142MM.
- One agent says Albert Pujols should look for a six-year, $240MM deal in free agency. It’s hard to imagine anyone, even Pujols, signing for $40MM per year.
- The White Sox are expected to try to keep Mark Buehrle on a two-year deal, according to Heyman. The left-hander profiles as a Type B free agent, as our rankings show.
- Jayson Werth, who played with Ryan Madson in Philadelphia, is trying to sell the free agent closer on the Nationals. Keep in mind that the Nationals already have Drew Storen.
- Zack Greinke told Heyman that he would have accepted a trade to the Rangers last winter, when the Royals were shopping him.
Red Sox Wanted Matt Garza For Epstein
The Red Sox asked the Cubs to include Matt Garza as compensation for GM Theo Epstein, according to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com. However, the Cubs declined and the sides have moved on to minor leaguers. The Red Sox currently appear to be focused on Cubs pitching prospect Trey McNutt.
White McNutt is a valuable prospect, he's not as desirable as Garza. The 27-year-old right-hander posted a 3.32 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 for the Cubs this year and remains under team control through 2013. It's no surprise that the Red Sox were interested and it's equally unsurprising that the Cubs balked at Boston's request. The Cubs acquired Garza from the Rays in the January deal that sent Chris Archer, Hak-Ju Lee, Robinson Chirinos, Sam Fuld and Brandon Guyer to Tampa Bay.
Red Sox Focused On McNutt In Epstein Talks
The Red Sox are "believed to be focused" on Cubs pitching prospect Trey McNutt in the Theo Epstein compensation talks, writes Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com. Mooney says Cubs center field prospect Brett Jackson is "untouchable and not part of the discussions," while prospects such as Josh Vitters and Matt Szczur are considered unlikely. A source close to the talks said the Red Sox have been asking for "ridiculous combinations," writes Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus.
McNutt, 22, posted a 4.55 ERA, 6.2 K/9, 3.7 BB/9, and 0.5 HR/9 with 120 hits allowed in 95 innings for the Cubs' Double-A affiliate this year. Baseball America ranked him second among Cubs prospects heading into the season and he was a consensus top 70 prospect in the game. McNutt dealt with blister problems and bruised ribs in a disappointing 2011 season, and is currently pitching in the Arizona Fall League. ESPN's Keith Law scouted him there, noting "great velocity but well-below-average command and control."
The World Series, scheduled to begin Wednesday, seems to serve as a deadline for the talks between the Cubs and Red Sox. That is the latest point the Red Sox expect a resolution, writes Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. One major holdup is determining which front office members Epstein can take with him to Chicago. Silverman's informed speculation suggests Red Sox vice president of baseball operations Brian O'Halloran, special assistant to the GM Dave Finley, and head athletic director and assistant director of medical services Mike Reinold "could be part of Epstein's request." Senior vice president of baseball operations Josh Byrnes and assistant GM Jason McLeod could be candidates to come from the Padres.
East Notes: Backman, Red Sox, Rays, Phillies
Here are a handful of items out of the AL and NL East …
- MLB.com's Bill Ladson cites three different sources in reporting that Wally Backman, who currently manages in the Mets minor league system, was never offered a position with the Nationals' Major League club.
- Backman told Ed Randall of New York's WFAN radio that he will remain in the organization rather than accepting a position on another team's Major League staff, according to MetsBlog. Backman interviewed for the Mets' managerial vacancy before it went to Terry Collins last year.
- The Red Sox are not expected to interview former Diamondbacks skipper A.J. Hinch for their managerial vacancy, a source familiar with the situation tells Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Hinch is currently vice president of pro scouting for the Padres.
- The Rays are unlikely to make quick decisions on whether to re-sign free agents Johnny Damon and first baseman Casey Kotchman, writes Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. Tampa will look to improve its offense, according to Topkin, but that won't be easy without detracting from its deep well of pitching talent, which it won't want to do. Andrew Friedman will likely do most of his roster shuffling via trade, writes Topkin.
- As their core position players are getting older and dealing with injuries, the Phillies' window of opportunity may be closing, opines Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer. One talent evaluator told Brookover that the Phillies should let Jimmy Rollins walk in free agency. "It might be time to find out about a guy like Freddy Galvis," the scout said. "I saw him this year and he really is improving. I don't know if he's ready to be an everyday player in the big leagues, but I just think they need to get younger."
- Former Yankees pitching prospect Brandon Weeden, now 28, has resurfaced as the starting quarterback of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, writes Tom Spousta of the New York Times (cap tip to Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues). Weeden was a second-round pick of the Yanks in 2002 (a compensatory selection for Tino Martinez signing with the Cardinals), but he washed out of baseball by 2007 due to injuries and ineffectiveness.
Quick Hits: Reyes, Darvish, Montero, Yankees
Some links as we look forward to Game 6 of the NLCS tonight..
- The only way Jose Reyes will sign in the exclusivity period is if the Mets blow him away with an offer, and that isn't happening, writes Steve Popper of the Bergen Record.
- With his team's spot in the playoffs already locked up, Yu Darvish will skip his start on October 18th, according to the Kyodo News Agency (Japanese link). Orioles player development director John Stockstill traveled to Japan to watch Darvish pitch in this game. (Translation provided by Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker)
- The Yankees will look for in-house fixes this winter, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman wonders aloud if the club might deal Jesus Montero for a starter and further open the DH slot, but a team official said that it wouldn't make sense to throw more dollars and add risk to the offense. Sherman added that he doesn't sense that the club has a strong affinity for free agent left-hander C.J. Wilson.
- Some of the Red Sox coaches have been granted permission to explore other opportunities while awaiting their fate, multiple sources tell Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.
Theo Epstein Compensation Links: Sunday
Yesterday it was reported that talks have grown "increasingly contentious" between the Red Sox and the Cubs as they try to figure out what Boston will receive for relinquishing the rights to Theo Epstein. The Red Sox are looking to get prospects in return for their former GM while the Cubs want to complete the deal with just cash. Here's the latest on the talks..
- A deal might not get done by Tuesday but the Red Sox think that the compensation talks with the Cubs will end before the World Series begins on Wednesday evening, writes Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald.
- All signs point toward a resolution by Tuesday, the day after a potential NLCS Game 7 and the day before Game 1 of the World Series, writes Silverman. The asking price for Epstein could increase as it is believed that he is looking to bring some BoSox staffers with him to Chicago. As of yesterday, there were no plans in place for any other Red Sox personnel to join the Cubs.
Cafardo On Red Sox, Lackey, Buehrle, Epstein
Upon joining the Cubs, Theo Epstein will leave behind one contractual headache in John Lackey and acquire another one in Carlos Zambrano, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. The difference between the two, as a National League scout pointed out, is that Zambrano could once again be a top-of-the-rotation hurler while some doubt if Lackey is even a No. 4 or 5 starter. The answer for both clubs could be a "garbage-for-garbage" deal that allows them to exchange one bad contract for another. Some prime candidates include Chone Figgins, Barry Zito, Vernon Wells, and Derek Lowe. Here more from Cafardo..
- While Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle is an interesting free agent possibility for the Red Sox if they could get him on a two-year deal. The veteran could be their No. 5 starter or serve as a strong lefty in the bullpen.
- It's hard to tell if David Ortiz is serious about leaving the "drama" of Boston for the Yankees, but the veteran wouldn't be a fit in New York as they have no need for a DH.
- A.J. Hinch, the vice president of pro scouting for the Padres, could have interest from teams like the Red Sox, and possibly the Cubs with Epstein there. Las Vegas agrees, as oddsmaker Jimmy Shapiro placed Hinch as the odds-on favorite to get the Sox managerial job. Meanwhile, Josh Byrnes is currently a special assistant with San Diego and could depart for a bigger role with Epstein in Chicago.
- Mariners skipper Eric Wedge is a very interesting name that could be involved in the Red Sox’s managerial search. However, getting Wedge out of his deal in Seattle could be a problem as he has a good deal of personnel power there.
- Tony La Russa would be an interesting choice for Boston, but it appears he'll be staying in St. Louis or retiring. La Russa has always spoken fondly of the city, but it doesn’t appear at this stage of his career that he would want to deal with some of the issues in the BoSox organization.
- Brian Cashman's contract extension is nowhere near done. The Yankees GM’s deal expires at the end of the month, but neither side is feeling any pressure to get something completed.
- Meanwhile, Cashman's top two assistants, Billy Eppler and Damon Oppenheimer, are being interviewed by the Angels for their GM job. Cashman told the paper that he feels both men are absolutely qualified to take the next step. Recently, our own Ben Nicholson-Smith spoke with Oppenheimer about the possibility of becoming a GM.
- Cafardo wonders if history will be kinder to Dan Duquette now that the Theo Epstein era is concluding in Boston. Duquette never won a championship as the Red Sox's GM but the 2004 team certainly had his fingerprints on it. Now working as a business consultant, the longtime MLB exec never got the chance to be a GM again, but hasn't ruled out doing so in the right situation.
Davidoff On Red Sox, CBA, Rangers, Darvish
In today's column, Ken Davidoff of Newsday tackles a number of topics including what's next for Boston. Here are some highlights..
- When the dust settles, the Red Sox are expected to name Ben Cherington as Theo Epstein's successor in Boston. While the club could take one step toward closing their credibility gap by hiring an experienced manager to complement their rookie GM, that's not likely to be the case. The Red Sox already view Cherington as having GM experience because of the work he has done with the organization. They'll more likely look to hire someone with a willingness to utilize statistical analysis and work with the rest of the baseball operations department.
- This year, MLB and the Players Association had hoped to announced their next collective-bargaining agreement during the World Series like they did in 2006. However, with the World Series just three days away, people in the loop aren't optimistic. The two sides are meeting virtually every day and the biggest rancor appears to be surrounding Bud Selig's desire for hard slotting in the amateur draft. It's hard to imagine that this will result in any kind of a work stoppage, but it does seem like they'll miss out on the great PR opportunity that they were able to capture five years ago.
- We don't see the Rangers and Angels as trading partners because there's too much anxiety over being burned. However, the Rangers used to admire Halos catcher Mike Napoli from a distance, and were able to trade for him immediately after the Blue Jays acquired him. Davidoff asked Daniels if he kept an eye on players in the divison whom he couldn't acquire by trade but could hope would get dealt to a different club so he could pounce. For Daniels, it's not that clear-cut, but he says that he checks in when someone he's interested in moves out of the AL West.
- Baseball officials are increasingly convinced that righthander Yu Darvish will be posted to the major leagues, and industry folks wonder how much will teams pay. The Red Sox paid more than $51MM five years ago to talk with Daisuke Matsuzaka, and that hasn't panned out for them. The expectation is that in light of Boston's disappointment with Matsuzaka, teams won't bid as much for Darvish.
Theo Epstein Compensation Links: Saturday
It's been three days since Red Sox GM Theo Epstein agreed to a five-year contract worth $18.5MM to take over as GM of the Cubs, and now the two teams are discussing compensation for Boston letting Epstein out of the final year of his contract. Yesterday we learned that the Cubs would like to complete the deal with just cash, but the Sox want "something real" in return. Let's keep track of today's compensation talk news here, with the latest up top…
- Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe hears from a source that talks are "business-like, civil and moving forward over the weekend." (Twitter link)
- Brett Jackson will not head to Boston as compensation, tweets MLB.com's Carrie Muskat.
- At the moment, no other Red Sox personnel will be joining Epstein in Chicago, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
- David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com reports that talks between the two sides have grown "increasingly contentious." A source told Kaplan that Boston president Larry Lucchino is "trying to make it very difficult for Epstein to accept his dream situation in Chicago because of his fractured relationship with his one-time protege."
- The Red Sox "are believed to be requesting at least two top players from the Cubs’ farm system," according to Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald.
- Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune says talks are not expected to be completed this weekend.
MLBTR's Mark Polishuk also contributed to this post
Red Sox Notes: Sandberg, Pitching, Youkilis
While the Red Sox and Cubs are still trying to figure out a compensation package for Theo Epstein, here are a few more items from Fenway Park….
- The Red Sox and Cubs could cross paths again over Ryne Sandberg's managerial services, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Epstein tried to hire Sandberg to manage Boston's Triple-A affiliate last year and Cubs owner Tom Ricketts is looking to mend fences with Sandberg after he was passed over for Mike Quade as Chicago's manager last year. "If Epstein hires a manager without major-league experience, he probably would have little choice but to go with Sandberg," Rosenthal writes, since if another rookie manager got the job, it "could alienate Sandberg from his former team for good."
- WEEI's Alex Speier looks at Boston's options for upgrading its troubled rotation, saying that the Red Sox will probably shy away from big free agent pitchers in the wake of John Lackey's struggles. Options like calling up a minor league arm or putting Alfredo Aceves into the rotation also wouldn't provide automatic stability.
- Speier also lists a few trade candidates like Gavin Floyd and Wandy Rodriguez are mentioned but, "according to multiple industry sources, the number and quality of available starters is expected to be so limited that those clubs that are in position to part with a potential rotation member are expected to ask for a prospect ransom that may be out of proportion with the value of the pitchers."
- Before Billy Beane passed on becoming the new Red Sox GM in the 2002-03 offseason, Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald writes that Kevin Youkilis would've been part of the compensation package that Boston would have sent to Oakland in exchange for Beane's services.
- Of all the players who had just signed a major free agent contract, Carl Crawford may have had the worst opening season of his deal, writes Justin Havens for ESPN Boston. Crawford's deal is compared to Carlos Beltran's contract with the Mets, and Havens notes that while Beltran struggled in his first year (2005) in New York, Beltran had a fantastic 2006 season.