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Odds & Ends: Yankees, Varitek, Sheffield

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A few links to browse while we watch to see if the Phillies can finish off the last of the Division Series….  

  • Benjamin Kabak of River Ave. Blues wonders how Johnny Damon's recent slide and Hideki Matsui's hot streak will affect the New York Yankees' decisions this winter.
  • Josh Beckett wants Jason Varitek back in Boston in 2010, according to Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com.
  • MLB.com's Kelly Thesier writes that Joe Mauer has spoken to agent Ron Shapiro about his contract status, but that there haven't been any "serious discussions" yet.
  • Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald reports that Gary Sheffield wants to return to Florida. "It would be nice to finish my career with the Marlins," Sheffield said. "This is where I made a name for myself.''
  • The Houston Astros aren't handling the managerial interview process well, according to Richard Justice of The Houston Chronicle. Justice's pick for the opening, Jim Fregosi, wasn't one of the ten candidates announced by the Astros.
  • Chris Ruddick of the Sports Network, via the Miami Herald, speculates on the next moves for St. Louis and Boston. He isn't opposed to letting Tony LaRussa and Matt Holliday walk, and suggests that Jonathan Papelbon could be shopped for a "young bat" this winter.
  • The Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fay writes that former Diamondbacks pitching coach Bryan Pryce is on the Reds' list of candidates for their pitching coach. The Brewers have also expressed interest in Pryce.
  • Within a mailbag on MLB.com, Chris Haft writes that players like Matt Holliday and Jason Bay will be out of the San Francisco Giants' price range, and that the team is more likely to acquire a "hard-hitting utilityman."

Odds & Ends: Yankees, Varitek, Sheffield

By | at

A few links to browse while we watch to see if the Phillies can finish off the last of the Division Series….  

  • Benjamin Kabak of River Ave. Blues wonders how Johnny Damon's recent slide and Hideki Matsui's hot streak will affect the New York Yankees' decisions this winter.
  • Josh Beckett wants Jason Varitek back in Boston in 2010, according to Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com.
  • MLB.com's Kelly Thesier writes that Joe Mauer has spoken to agent Ron Shapiro about his contract status, but that there haven't been any "serious discussions" yet.
  • Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald reports that Gary Sheffield wants to return to Florida. "It would be nice to finish my career with the Marlins," Sheffield said. "This is where I made a name for myself.''
  • The Houston Astros aren't handling the managerial interview process well, according to Richard Justice of The Houston Chronicle. Justice's pick for the opening, Jim Fregosi, wasn't one of the ten candidates announced by the Astros.
  • Chris Ruddick of the Sports Network, via the Miami Herald, speculates on the next moves for St. Louis and Boston. He isn't opposed to letting Tony LaRussa and Matt Holliday walk, and suggests that Jonathan Papelbon could be shopped for a "young bat" this winter.
  • The Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fay writes that former Diamondbacks pitching coach Bryan Pryce is on the Reds' list of candidates for their pitching coach. The Brewers have also expressed interest in Pryce.
  • Within a mailbag on MLB.com, Chris Haft writes that players like Matt Holliday and Jason Bay will be out of the San Francisco Giants' price range, and that the team is more likely to acquire a "hard-hitting utilityman."

Theo Epstein Talks 2010

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4:21pm: MLB.com's Ian Browne has more from Epstein and Bay.  Epstein noted that discussions to date have been "under the radar screen and underreported even after the fact," and he hopes to keep them that way.  Bay continued to speak highly of the Red Sox while adding the caveat that he'll test the market.

3:30pm: Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe was one of many reporters at today's press conference with Red Sox GM Theo Epstein and manager Terry Francona.  Let's take a look at a few hot stove highlights:

  • The Red Sox are penciling in Clay Buchholz for the 2010 rotation.  We can assume Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, and Daisuke Matsuzaka will take three more spots.  Epstein is including Tim Wakefield in planning for next year, which implies the Sox will again exercise the knuckleballer's $4MM option.  My opinion – it won't be surprising to see the Red Sox sign an additional starter of the bargain variety.
  • Victor Martinez is the team's starting catcher, so look for his $7.7MM club option to be picked up soon.  WEEI's Mike Petraglia relays a comment from Epstein about locking up Martinez past 2010: "We'll see. We'd love to see him here long term."
  • Epstein finds it unusual that the Red Sox and Jason Bay both want a new contract but nothing is in place yet.  On a related note, check out this recent post from U.S.S. Mariner's Dave Cameron about the risk of signing Bay.
  • Epstein spoke about 2010 possibly being the last chance for several of the team's core players to make a run at another title.  David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, and Josh Beckett can be free agents after next season.  Petraglia quotes Epstein on Ortiz: "We need him to be a force."
  • Petraglia says the Red Sox are open to picking up Alex Gonzalez's $6MM club option for 2010.  Seems steep for a guy who missed all of '08 with a knee injury.

Heyman On Abreu, Fielder, Hoyer

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The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…

  • Heyman says the Angels and Bobby Abreu are still far apart on a new contract.  Abreu earned $6MM this year.
  • The Brewers will attempt to sign Prince Fielder to a long-term deal this winter.  Fielder, a Scott Boras client, is signed through 2010 and under team control through 2011.  Given the way teams pay for power, Fielder might expect $20MM+ to buy out free agent years.
  • Heyman sees Red Sox senior VP/assistant GM Jed Hoyer as the favorite for the Padres GM job.   

Odds & Ends: Blue Jays, Rockies, Crede

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Links for Monday…

  • The Astros received permission to interview Red Sox first base coach Tim Bogar for their managerial job, according to WEEI's Rob Bradford.  Brad Mills and Manny Acta will also interview, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart (via Twitter).  McTaggart adds Bob Melvin, Dave Clark, and Al Pedrique as other candidates, while Alyson Footer adds Ned Yost, Randy Ready, Phil Garner, and Pete Mackanin.
  • Nationals scouting director Dana Brown has been hired away by new Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
  • Rockies owner Dick Monfort told Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post that the team's postseason appearance won't significantly affect payroll.  The Rockies have impending free agents in Jason Marquis, Yorvit Torrealba, Rafael Betancourt, and Joe Beimel (among others), and must also decide whether to tender Garrett Atkins a contract.  Torrealba and Betancourt have pricey club options.
  • Astros catcher J.R. Towles is a potential buy-low candidate for the Rays, says R.J. Anderson of DRays Bay.  Towles hit .276/.386/.455 in Triple A this year, but Jason Castro is the Astros' catcher of the future.
  • Cardinals GM John Mozeliak hopes to take advantage of the exclusive negotiating period for his free agents, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  In a separate article, Joe Strauss of the P-D notes that Rick Ankiel pulled a fast one on the media.
  • Joe Crede is optimistic he'll have a quick recovery from his third back surgery, says MLB.com's Scott Merkin.  Merkin says the Boras client "spoke more in generalities than about a specific return to Minnesota."
  • Jack Morris almost signed with the Yankees in 1996, writes Jack Curry of the New York Times. 
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports speculates about the Red Sox trading closer Jonathan Papelbon.

Discussion: What’s Next For The Red Sox?

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We discussed what the Cardinals may do this offseason following their season ending loss yesterday, and now that the Angels have swept the Red Sox out of October, let's talk about what could be in store for Boston this winter.

The team has a few impending free agents, most notably outfielders Jason Bay and Rocco Baldelli. Billy Wagner will also hit the open market since the Sox have agreed not to exercise his $8MM option. Josh Beckett's $12.1MM option for 2010 has already vested, and you would think Victor Martinez's $7.7MM option is a no-brainer pickup. The team still has decide what to do with the options they hold for Jason Varitek, Alex Gonzalez, and Takashi Saito, though Varitek also has a player option that could keep him in, well, red socks next year regardless of what the club decides to do.

Boston should be prepared for Jonathan Papelbon, Casey Kotchman, Manny Delcarmen, and Ramon Ramirez to receive raises via arbitration, then of course there's Tim Wakefield's perpetual $4MM club option. The Red Sox posted the third best run differential in baseball this year at +136, but let's hear from the readers; what should the Sox do this winter to improve their team?

Jason Bay Talks About “Uneasy” Future

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WEEI.com's Alex Speier has Jason Bay's thoughts on his future in Boston, following today's loss to the Angels.

Bay and Matt Holliday will be heading the free agent class for left fielders, but Bay's destinations may be limited, as he says there aren't many other places he'd play.

This will be Bay's first venture into the open market, making him a bit uneasy about the process. It's been speculated that he'll receive a four or five year deal at as much as $15MM per season.

Bay made it clear that he would love to return to Boston, and described the thought of potentially playing his last home game in Fenway Park as "very weird." He had nothing but positive things to say about his time with the Red Sox:

“It’s very weird for me…This is uncharted for me. It’s a little uneasy,” said Bay. “I’ve loved every minute [of playing in Boston]. It’s been my quickest year and a half in the big leagues…The whole experience has been very, very positive. That makes it tough [about an uncertain future].”

Odds & Ends: Henry, Kikuchi, Accardo

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Links for Friday…

  • MLB.com's Brian McTaggart tells us via Twitter that the Astros released pitchers Chad Paronto and Billy Sadler.
  • The Nationals interviewed longtime Braves scouting director Roy Clark, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • The Blue Jays fired J.P. Ricciardi advisor Dick Scott, according to Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.
  • Interesting note from WEEI's Alex Speier.  Back in 2002, upon purchasing the Red Sox and selling the Marlins, John Henry attempted to have Josh Beckett and A.J. Burnett transferred to the Sox.
  • NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman says NPB is lobbying Japan's High School Baseball Federation to have Yusei Kikuchi appear in person for meetings with NPB teams but not MLB clubs.  Newman still likes the Rangers as Kikuchi's top suitor, based on reports.
  • Newman also tells us that pitcher Koji Mitsui, who was posted twice last winter but received no bids, has been released and will attempt to sign with an MLB team.
  • Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times has a plan for the Cubs that includes signing Chone Figgins and avoiding long-term free agent deals.
  • Padres exec Paul DePodesta explains the team's recent roster moves.
  • Via Twitter, ESPN's Jorge Arangure Jr. passes along info from Miguel Angel Sano's agent Rob Plummer. 
  • In an MLB.com chat, Blue Jays reliever Jeremy Accardo says that his first choice is to stay with Toronto for his entire career, but his second choice is to pitch on the West Coast.

Odds & Ends: Henry, Kikuchi, Accardo

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Links for Friday…

  • MLB.com's Brian McTaggart tells us via Twitter that the Astros released pitchers Chad Paronto and Billy Sadler.
  • The Nationals interviewed longtime Braves scouting director Roy Clark, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • The Blue Jays fired J.P. Ricciardi advisor Dick Scott, according to Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.
  • Interesting note from WEEI's Alex Speier.  Back in 2002, upon purchasing the Red Sox and selling the Marlins, John Henry attempted to have Josh Beckett and A.J. Burnett transferred to the Sox.
  • NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman says NPB is lobbying Japan's High School Baseball Federation to have Yusei Kikuchi appear in person for meetings with NPB teams but not MLB clubs.  Newman still likes the Rangers as Kikuchi's top suitor, based on reports.
  • Newman also tells us that pitcher Koji Mitsui, who was posted twice last winter but received no bids, has been released and will attempt to sign with an MLB team.
  • Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times has a plan for the Cubs that includes signing Chone Figgins and avoiding long-term free agent deals.
  • Padres exec Paul DePodesta explains the team's recent roster moves.
  • Via Twitter, ESPN's Jorge Arangure Jr. passes along info from Miguel Angel Sano's agent Rob Plummer. 
  • In an MLB.com chat, Blue Jays reliever Jeremy Accardo says that his first choice is to stay with Toronto for his entire career, but his second choice is to pitch on the West Coast.

Odds & Ends: Red Sox, V-Mart, Nats, Tigers

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Some more links before another playoff triple-header…

  • If you're rooting for the Red Sox this month, you have more in common with Theo Epstein than you might expect. The Boston GM tells Adam Kilgore of the Boston Globe that he spends October "watching the fates unwind." Epstein has assembled a good team, but he sits back and watches this month with an understanding that good teams can't always win it all.
  • As WEEI.com's Rob Bradford reports, the Red Sox were in talks this summer to acquire Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee from the Indians for a prospect-rich package including Clay Buchholz.
  • WEEI.com's Alex Speier points out that it would have been hard for the Red Sox to find a more perfect fit than V-Mart.
  • The Nats dismissed Jose Cardenal according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Cardenal had been a special advisor to the GM since 2005.
  • Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski was upset that Miguel Cabrera got drunk between games last weekend, according to the AP (via ESPN).
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