Heyman On Manny, Felix, Bay, Washburn
The latest hot stove notes from SI's Jon Heyman…
- Manny Ramirez "is planning to exercise" his $20MM player option for 2010. This was expected but it'd still be interesting to see Manny jump back into free agency, maybe seek two years and $30MM.
- Heyman echoes what we've read regarding Brandon Webb – the D'Backs will pick up his $8.5MM option for next year, as Webb is not interested in renegotiating. On a related note, MLB.com's Steve Gilbert looks at some options for the two open spots in Arizona's rotation.
- The Red Sox "would still love to make a run at Felix Hernandez." Who wouldn't? I don't expect Felix trade talks to become reality unless the Mariners try and fail to sign him to an extension first. Heyman considers Roy Halladay more realistic for the Sox; Doc's price would presumably be slightly lower with the '09 season concluded. According to Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail, Halladay, his wife, and his agent had dinner with Jays president and CEO Paul Beeston last week to discuss the future.
- The Red Sox "were thought to have offered" $15MM to left fielder Jason Bay. How many years?
- Heyman says the Mariners and Brewers "are expected to be in the mix" for free agent lefty Jarrod Washburn. Scott Boras surely knows a move to the NL would help Washburn, who was born in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.
Aroldis Chapman Review
With all the information swirling around about free agent lefty Aroldis Chapman, I thought a summary would be helpful. Chapman has been declared a free agent and can sign at any time, though a deal is unlikely before the conclusion of the World Series. One GM told Yahoo's Tim Brown in July, "I'm sure all 30 teams will be interested to some degree." Nonetheless, let's look at specific suitors.
- Red Sox: They've been a top suitor from the start. Kiley McDaniel of Baseball Prospectus says Chapman was scheduled to throw a bullpen at Fenway today but it was cancelled due to inclement weather. ESPN's Peter Gammons believes Boston's signing of former Chapman teammate Jose Iglesias may impact the pitcher's decision.
- Yankees: They've also been a top suitor from the start. ESPN's Jorge Arangure Jr. said Chapman met with GM Brian Cashman and other Yanks officials at the October 25th playoff game and "had good conversations." Several reporters see Chapman as another Yankees-Red Sox battle.
- Mariners: Add them to the list – our source says they'd like to meet with Chapman in the next week.
- Cardinals: A scheduled October 26th meeting was cancelled due to the Tony La Russa announcement. The meeting is expected to be rescheduled.
- Orioles: They've maintained interest and are pushing for a meeting soon. In September, president Andy MacPhail admitted interest to MASN's Roch Kubatko, but added, "If some of the big boys are going to go after him, like the Red Sox did with Dice-K, that's not a risk that I would be willing to take."
- Mets: They met with Chapman on October 23rd. The New York Post's Bart Hubbuch said the Mets were out after being told Chapman wants up to $60MM to sign. I'm not so sure the Mets and Chapman actually discussed dollar figures.
- Tigers: They've confirmed interest.
- Angels: Scouting director Eddie Bane admitted interest in July, but noted that Chapman's breaking pitches are not yet effective in talking to Mark Saxon of the OC Register. Bane more recently told Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times that he'd need to see Chapman throw against live hitters before investing. Chapman has mentioned L.A. as a place he'd like to visit.
- White Sox: Our source said they've expressed interest.
- Cubs: Our source said they've expressed interest.
- Athletics: Named by Arangure Jr. as one of the teams "paying varying degrees of attention to Chapman." Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle confirmed Oakland's interest but says they haven't met with him.
- Giants: Named by Arangure Jr. as one of the teams "paying varying degrees of attention to Chapman."
- Dodgers: They aren't likely to be serious suitors, according to one of Arangure Jr.'s sources.
- Blue Jays: We named the Jays as an interested club, but GM Alex Anthopoulos told reporters that signing Chapman is "not realistic."
- Astros: Owner Drayton McLane seemingly considers Chapman too pricey, based on his comments to Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle.
Odds & Ends: Chapman, Padres, Orioles, Coste
Here's a few links to help you through another baseball-less night…
- Kiley McDaniel of Baseball Prospectus tweets that Aroldis Chapman will throw a bullpen at Fenway tomorrow.
- ESPN's Keith Law says that firing VP of scouting and player development Grady Fuson was a good move by new GM Jed Hoyer and the Padres. He notes that San Diego's drafts have been among the worst in the game over the last few years, although they did change course last year.
- Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun says the Orioles need a power hitter at one of the corner infield spots, and mentions that players like Adrian Beltre, Troy Glaus, or Carlos Delgado could represent a decent stop gap.
- Chris Coste became a free agent after being outrighted by the Astros, says Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.
- Phil Wood of MASNsports.com has news on a few front office hirings by the Nationals.
- The Phillies added Brett Myers to their World Series roster according to David Murphy of The Philadephia Daily News. The 29-year-old righthander could earn himself a few extra bucks in free agency with a big series.
Jed Hoyer Notes
Jed Hoyer was introduced as the new GM of the Padres yesterday at a press conference. Notes from the day:
- Hoyer signed a four-year contract with a club option for 2014, according to Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
- Tim Sullivan of the U-T quotes Hoyer saying, "I want to build from within." He does not want to rely on trades and free agent signings. Talking to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, Hoyer also expressed a desire to tailor the Padres to win at Petco.
- Jim Callis of Baseball America says the Padres' farm system "still lacks high-ceiling players" despite a solid 2009 draft.
- VP of scouting and player development Grady Fuson was fired, according to Center. CEO Jeff Moorad said he anticipates "more movement on the baseball side." Tom Krasovic heard that scouting director Bill Gayton will not return.
- Hoyer told Cafardo long-term contract discussions for Adrian Gonzalez are "definitely on the docket." The new Padres GM also gave Cafardo his thoughts on dealing with Theo Epstein in the future.
- The Red Sox will "spread out [Hoyer's] duties among top members of the front office," according to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. Also, Silverman feels that former Padres GM Kevin Towers could be open to a West Coast scouting job for the Red Sox but would be unlikely to move to the East Coast for a non-GM position.
Tigers Join Aroldis Chapman Chase
9:42pm: MLB.com's Jason Beck reports that the Tigers have confirmed interest in Chapman.
Tom Moore, Detroit's Director of International Scouting, said to Beck: "We're basically just at the interest level. Because of the nature, I think it's a situation where they're going to take the time to allow clubs to spend some time with the player and see who he is."
8:18pm: Add the Detroit Tigers to the list of teams in pursuit of Aroldis Chapman, according to a report by Melissa Segura in SI.com.
Segura writes that "several industry sources expect Chapman will command more than the $32 million the Yankees paid Cuban right-hander Jose Contreras in 2002."
Speaking of the Yankees, Chapman was a guest of the team for Game 6 of the ALCS, writes Jon Heyman.
And the Blue Jays new GM, Alex Anthopoulos, has concluded that it is "not realistic" to sign Chapman, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.
"We don't have enough background and scouting looks to make a proper offer," Anthopoulos wrote in an e-mail. "Going forward, these will be the types of things we will be more proactive with. I think the way the Red Sox pursued [Daisuke Matsuzaka] is a great model. They were doing homework on him for years."
Heyman On Chapman, Mets, Hudson
The latest hot stove notes from SI's Jon Heyman…
- Despite interest from several other clubs, Heyman sees the Aroldis Chapman bidding as ultimately a Yankees-Red Sox battle.
- Heyman says the Mets "don't seem inclined" to pursue free agent starter John Lackey. Heyman believes Lackey will aim for $100MM+, which is higher than most estimates we've seen.
- The Mets have no interest in Milton Bradley, despite a September report. Heyman believes a left fielder will be the team's big-ticket import, with Matt Holliday atop their list.
- Like many, Heyman does not see Orlando Hudson returning to the Dodgers. Hudson earned about $8MM this year and will be a Type A free agent once again.
- Look for a Jed Hoyer announcement today from the Padres.
Cafardo on Gonzalez, Martinez, Webb, Lackey
In his column today, the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo brings us a great deal of tidbits from around the majors:
- Former Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi and ex-Padres GM Kevin Towers will "likely surface somewhere soon."
- Cafardo wonders aloud if new Padres GM Jed Hoyer could work out a deal with his former club and send Adrian Gonzalez to Boston. One AL GM identified Gonzalez and Heath Bell as major chips that could be moved as part of a rebuilding effort. Hoyer is obviously familiar with Boston's assets, but Theo Epstein might be reluctant to part with Casey Kelly, Clay Buchholz and Daniel Bard.
- Boston must act on Victor Martinez's $7.1MM option within five days of the World Series ending, but Cafardo wonders if they would prefer to sign him to a long-term deal in advance of Joe Mauer's talks with the Twins. Martinez's rep says that he and his client are "up for either scenario."
- If the Red Sox choose to part ways with Jason Varitek ($5MM club option or $3MM player option for '10), there are a number of options available to the BoSox to replace him. One player mentioned is Rays catcher Gregg Zaun, whose $2MM option may not be picked up. Zaun has already said that he wants to return to Tampa Bay in 2010.
- The "latest thinking" indicates that Arizona will pick up Brandon Webb's $8.5MM option as his rehab from shoulder surgery is reportedly going well.
- John Lackey is in line for a big contract this winter, but it doesn't appear that he'll get it from the Angels. The Angels could instead use that money on an upgrade over Brian Fuentes. Cafardo says to look for the Rangers and Mets to show interest.
- More on the Angels as Vladimir Guerrero could stay on with the club if he is willing to take a reasonably priced one-year deal. Guerrero has already publicly stated his desire to remain with the Halos.
- It will be difficult for the Phillies to find the cash necessary to retain Pedro Martinez.
- Dan Duquette was considered for the Blue Jays CEO/President position but doesn't appear to be atop current CEO Paul Beeston's list.
Strong Interest In Aroldis Chapman
SUNDAY, 12:35pm: As suggested by Lennon earlier, Chapman's price tag is too high for the Mets. Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post reports (via Twitter) that the Mets were told Chapman wants up to $60MM to sign.
SATURDAY, 7:23pm: John Stockstill – the Orioles' director of international scouting – has confirmed that the club will meet with Chapman and his agent next week in New York, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN.com. In a piece yesterday, Kubatko wrote that he doesn't think Baltimore will end up signing the 21-year-old.
SATURDAY, 2:38pm: Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports the A's have also had interest in Chapman since he became a free agent. However, they were not among the teams that met the hard-throwing left-hander in New York this week.
FRIDAY, 1:59pm: Lennon says (via Twitter) that the Mets won't bid $40-60MM for Chapman.
FRIDAY, 1:19pm: Add the Blue Jays to the mix of teams interested in Chapman, according to our source. Also, the Orioles have maintained interest and want to meet.
THURSDAY, 2:39pm: MLBTR has learned that the Cubs and White Sox have expressed interest in free agenty lefty Aroldis Chapman. The Cardinals have been more aggressive than those clubs, and plan to meet with Chapman next week. The Yankees and Red Sox, of course, have also been among the aggressive suitors. A meeting with the Mets will come later this week, according to Newsday's David Lennon.
The Chapman tour began yesterday in New York, as the 21-year-old's agency decided not to make MLB clubs come to Andorra. ESPN's Jorge Arangure Jr. believes Chapman will command a contract in the $40-60MM range.
Red Sox Notes: Hoyer, Ellsbury, Okajima
Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald shares a few of his thoughts about the Red Sox hot stove. Here are some highlights:
- With Jed Hoyer taking the reins as the Padres' GM and Kevin Towers having been offered a position in Boston, Silverman thinks Adrian Gonzalez trade talks will restart in the offseason. Given how well Hoyer knows the Red Sox farm system, talks could progress faster than they have in the past.
- Silverman says, though, that Hoyer's history with Boston doesn't necessarily mean a trade will happen. He points to former Epstein assistant and current Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes, and notes that Arizona and Boston haven't made a significant deal since Byrnes was hired.
- If the Padres decide to hang on to Gonzalez, the Red Sox could potentially turn to Prince Fielder or Miguel Cabrera in their search for a power-hitting corner infielder.
- Jacoby Ellsbury's below average defense in center (he posted a -12.3 UZR/150 in 2009) has the Red Sox thinking of moving him to left field.
- If the team were to move Ellsbury to left (Silverman doesn't expect they will), it would be more difficult to find a replacement center fielder than a left fielder. Silverman thinks Boston should keep an eye on Carlos Beltran's situation in New York, given the Mets' struggles this year and the fact that Beltran would likely only be about $2MM more expensive per season than someone like Jason Bay.
- Hideki Okajima is eligible for arbitration, but his contract states that he must be made an offer by November 10, so expect that to happen within a couple weeks.
Hoyer To Become Padres GM
4:42pm: Melissa Segura of SI.com reports that the Padres will name Hoyer as GM later today. The 35-year-old exec has contributed to contract negotiations and offered sabermetric analysis with the Red Sox. He was co-GM of the team when Theo Epstein took a brief hiatus in 2005.
2:35pm: Gammons reports (via Twitter) that the Red Sox held a farewell lunch for assistant GM Jed Hoyer today before he heads off to San Diego. Presumably this means Hoyer is set to become the Padres' new GM.
9:45am: It seems increasingly likely that the Padres will choose Jed Hoyer as the team's next GM early next week, according to ESPN.com's Peter Gammons. Hoyer is currently Boston's assistant GM, but the Red Sox are well-equipped to handle the loss of the high-ranking exec. Kevin Towers, who mentored Red Sox GM Theo Epstein in San Diego, has been offered a position in Boston, and the Red Sox have extended former Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi a similar offer. Red Sox exec Ben Cherington would likely become assistant GM if Hoyer does take over in San Diego.