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Quick Hits: Hunter, Leyland, Otani, Astros

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The Angels have offered Torii Hunter a one-year contract at a heavy pay cut from his previous $18MM salary, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported today. Hunter, who’s eligible for free agency this offseason, seeks at least a two-year deal. The Angels are interested in bringing him back, so there’s a potential fit here if the sides can agree on the value and length of the contract. Here are today’s links…

  • Longtime MLB manager Tony La Russa says Jim Leyland of the Tigers seems "as passionate now as he was the first day he managed,”Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports. Leyland, 67, doesn't have a contract for the 2013 season.
  • Shohei Otani throws a slider and a curve to go along with his explosive fastball, Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker writes. The 18-year-old right-hander is one of the top high school pitching prospects to emerge from Japan in years. The Red Sox, Dodgers and Rangers all have some interest in Otani.
  • Astros GM Jeff Luhnow said special assistant Matt Galante was offered the chance to return but will explore other options, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports (on Twitter).

Tigers Notes: Verlander, Sanchez, Leyland

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Right-hander Phil Hughes has one tough assignment tonight: defeat Justin Verlander and the Tigers in an immensely important game at a time that the Yankees' offense is scuffling. Here are some notes on the Tigers, who will look to take a 3-0 lead in the ALCS when they host the Yankees tonight…

  • The Tigers can't be sure they'll get another equally good opportunity to win the World Series, so they must take advantage of their current position, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports writes. Though Verlander has said he loves playing in Detroit, the right-hander knows he's just two seasons away from free agency. The Tigers could look to extend Verlander this coming offseason, but they’d have to pay him a salary commensurate with his status as baseball’s best pitcher.
  • Tigers executives believe there’s a good chance Anibal Sanchez will want to re-sign in Detroit if they make him a competitive offer when he hits free agency after the season, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports.
  • The Red Sox would be crazy not to make a serious run at Tigers manager Jim Leyland if he becomes available, John Tomase of the Boston Herald writes. Leyland's contract expires at the end of the 2012 season at which point he could discuss a new deal with the Tigers.

Cubs Acquire Marcelo Carreno

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The Cubs acquired minor league right-hander Marcelo Carreno and cash considerations from the Tigers to complete the August trade involving Jeff Baker, the Tigers announced (on Twitter). The Tigers acquired Baker from the Cubs for two players to be named later on August 5th only to send him to Atlanta for another PTBNL four weeks later.

Carreno, 21, just completed his fifth season in the Tigers organization. He spent the 2012 campaign with Class A West Michigan, posting a 3.23 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 in 139 1/3 innings over the course of 27 starts.

AL Central Notes: Tigers, Valverde, Twins

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The Tigers, now just two wins away from advancing to the World Series, have the day off before hosting the Yankees in Detroit tomorrow night. Here are some links from the only division in baseball that did not feature a 90-win team in 2012…

  • Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski built Detroit's starting rotation for the postseason and it's working, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com writes. "These four guys have the capability of shutting down anyone when they're throwing good," Dombrowski said of Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Doug Fister and Anibal Sanchez.
  • John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press examines the dynamic between Jose Valverde, the closer who can no longer be relied upon, and Jim Leyland, the manager who must juggle egos and matchups as a result of Valverde's poor performances. In my opinion Valverde's free agent stock has diminished considerably this past month. If MLB executives share this view, agent Scott Boras could have difficulty finding serious interest in his new client.
  • Twins senior director of minor league operations Jim Rantz announced that he will retire at the end of the year, the team announced. Rantz, 75, has been a member of the Twins' organization since its inception in 1961.

AL Central Notes: Cespedes, Boesch, Francona, Soria

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As the Tigers prepare to face the A's in the deciding game of their ALDS series, here's the latest from the AL Central…

  • The Tigers "had a de facto deal" with Yoenis Cespedes last winter, reports Peter Gammons for MLB.com, before the Tigers instead chose to sign Prince Fielder.  Cespedes, of course, signed with the A's instead and now could play a role in the end of Detroit's season.
  • Brennan Boesch wasn't on the Tigers' playoff roster and his "days likely are numbered in Detroit," writes Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press.  Boesch hit a disappointing .240/.286/.372 last season and will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter, so the Tigers might not tender him a contract.  Sharp hints that Rick Porcello could also be non-tendered (Porcello is arb-eligible for the second time), though with so many pitching-needy teams in baseball, the Tigers might be better served by dealing Porcello than cutting him outright.
  • The reported out clause in Terry Francona's Indians contract that allows the manager to leave if GM Chris Antonetti or president Mark Shapiro are fired is not a big deal, opines Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  "Shapiro and Antonetti owe their futures with the Tribe to Francona" already, Pluto argues, so if the team continues to struggle, a total change in front office and field management is the logical next step.
  • The Indians are much more likely to pursue upgrades through the trade market than through free agency, tweets Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
  • “It’s better for me and my family (to stay with the Royals)," Joakim Soria tells Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star.  "My wife is pregnant. I’m just focusing on my rehab. The most important thing is for me to get healthy. After that, everything else will come together."  Dutton says that Royals team officials "privately acknowledge" that Soria's $8MM option for 2013 will be bought out within three days of the World Series ending, though both sides are interested in reaching a new contract.

Quick Hits: Sanchez, Leyland, Felix, Blue Jays

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With Terry Francona now off the market, it wouldn't make a sense for the Tigers to let Jim Leyland go at the end of the year, opines Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press.  Yesterday, Leyland confirmed that he wants to continue managing in 2013, but the veteran skipper's contract will expire at the end of the year.  Here's more from around baseball..

  • If the Tigers re-sign Anibal Sanchez, they'll have to move another one of their starting pitchers, opines Jason Beck of MLB.com.  Beyond the simple numbers issue, the Tigers will be facing a payroll crunch if they choose to keep Sanchez with the same rotation in place.  Justin Verlander will earn $20MM next season, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello will head to arbitration for the second time, and Doug Fister is first-time arb eligible.  In theory, Detroit could part with one of the four and plug Drew Smyly in their place.
  • Dodgers third base coach Tim Wallach is set to interview with the Red Sox for their managerial vacancy next week, tweets Ken Gurnick of the Los Angeles Times.
  • Mariners General Manager Jack Zduriencik wouldn't discuss whether he has had contract extension talks with ace Felix Hernandez, but reiterated that both sides are hoping that he will stay put in Seattle for the long-term, writes Greg Johns of MLB.com.  Hernandez has two years and $40.5MM left on the five-year, $78MM deal he inked in 2010.
  • Omar Vizquel opined earlier this year that the Blue Jays were in desperate need of veteran leadership, but Jose Bautista says that he doesn't agree with that assessment, writes Chris Toman of MLB.com.  "I really don't understand why everybody is making — in my eyes — a big deal out of that subject," Bautista said. "It's not something that needs to be addressed in our clubhouse."
  • Despite talk of the Phillies looking to improve with minor moves this winter, Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News wouldn't rule out Ruben Amaro making a major splash by signing the likes of B.J. Upton or Michael Bourn.

Managerial Notes: Leyland, Rockies, Indians, Red Sox

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Earlier today, we ran down the latest managerial news including word that Rangers skipper Ron Washington's job is safe despite the club's disappointing finish.  Here's the latest on vacancies from around the major leagues..

  • While the Tigers and manager Jim Leyland will address his contract situation at the end of the year, the skipper confirmed today that he wants to continue managing, writes Jason Beck of MLB.com.
  • Rockies senior vice president Bill Geivett told Jim Bowden (via Twitter) on MLB Network Radio that both bench coach Tom Runnells and Triple-A manager Stu Cole are internal candidates for their managerial job. 
  • As of now, former Astros skipper Brad Mills is not joining the Indians staff under Terry Francona, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  Mills served as Francona's bench coach while with the Red Sox.
  • Red Sox General Manager Ben Cherington declined to comment when asked if he has requested permission to interview candidates from other clubs, tweets Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.  Of course, there has been wide speculation that the Red Sox are interested in Blue Jays manager John Farrell.
  • Mike Lowell told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he would want to know the "ins and outs" of an organization before taking on the role of manager.  Yesterday, Lowell told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that he's not looking to become a big league manager at this point in time despite being linked to the Marlins job.

AL Central Notes: Tigers, Francona, Alomar

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Anibal Sanchez will take the ball in Oakland tonight as the Tigers look to advance to the ALCS for the second consecutive season. In the meantime, here are some AL Central links…

  • The Tigers' decision to trade for Sanchez and Omar Infante looks better than ever, Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press writes. Sanchez, a free agent this offseason, said he doesn't think much about what will happen when his contract expires. "Right now, I just focus on what I'm going to do tomorrow," he said.
  • Manager Terry Francona said he's not worried about how much the Indians spend on payroll, Sheldon Ocker of the Akron Beacon Journal reports. "My job is to build a relationship with every player on the team and get the most out of them,” Francona said. The skipper is believed to be earning something close to the $4MM salary he earned in Boston, Ocker writes.
  • Francona and GM Chris Antonetti have talked to Sandy Alomar Jr. about joining the Indians’ on-field staff, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports (via Sulia). Alomar told Hoynes he expects to return, though managerial opportunities could emerge elsewhere. Alomar, a 20-year veteran of the Major Leagues, was a finalist for the Indians job.

Cafardo On Johnson, Soriano, Hernandez, Hamilton

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that there are some General Managers who have a few regrets regarding last winter.  Red Sox GM Ben Cherington wishes he had done more for the rotation.  Angels GM Jerry Dipoto probably would have liked to boost the bullpen more during the team's spending frenzy which netted Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson.  Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd was asked to assess his own mistakes and said, “How long is this article? Just kidding. We all have regrets. When you make the amount of decisions we do, you make mistakes. So this year [Jeremy] Guthrie was acquired to give us innings, but Coors [Field] got him and that hurt us. We had such a lack of experience everywhere else. There was no margin for error, and I screwed up.”  Here's more from today's column..

  • Marlins pitcher Josh Johnson will be trade bait, despite talk to the contrary.  Miami could get a ton from teams like the Orioles, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Royals, Rangers, Twins, and Dodgers.  On the whole, the Marlins look like they're ready to clean house again.
  • Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano would make a lot of sense for the Rays as a DH, especially since the Cubs would pick up the bulk of his final two years under contract.  Soriano could also help the Blue Jays, Orioles, or Indians.
  • Indians GM Chris Antonetti says that he expects Shin-Shoo Choo to be back with Cleveland next season as he enters his walk year, but he will also listen to offers for the 30-year-old.  Choo could make sense for Boston as they face a similar situation with Jacoby Ellsbury.  Cafardo suggests a deal involving a pitcher like Justin Masterson.
  • Teams have offered the moon for Felix Hernandez in the past but there’s no chance that Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik is going to trade him now.  King Felix is under contract through 2014 and the M's have the money to keep him beyond that.  For his part, Hernandez is well-paid and loves playing in Seattle.
  • Josh Hamilton says that he won't take a discount to stay with the Rangers, but that's where he's likely to land as it's hard to read the market for him.  The Tigers, Nationals, Pirates, Phillies, Angels, Mariners, Blue Jays, and Orioles shouldn't be ruled out.  The Yankees and Red Sox also can't be crossed off the list but neither market is a strong fit for Hamilton.
  • Jake Peavy would appear to be a target for the Red Sox once his $22MM option is declined by the White Sox.  The 31-year-old could also end up staying put in Chicago or returning to the NL.
  • Former catcher Brad Ausmus, currently serving as a special assistant to the GM in San Diego, said that he would have interest in the Red Sox managerial vacancy.  As of Friday, however, he has yet to be contacted.  Ausmus turned down a chance to be interviewed for the Astros job earlier this fall.
  • The Red Sox are pursuing John Farrell, but Ryne Sandberg could be on their list, even though he was just named as the Phillies' third base coach and is likely being groomed for Charlie Manuel's job.  Cherington tried to get Sandberg to take Boston's Triple- A job a couple of years ago.
  • While some have accused Bobby Valentine of ignoring advanced scouting reporters, Cafardo says that he saw the manager reading them every time he visited his office.

Managerial Notes: Tracy, Leyland, Reds, Twins

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The Red Sox officially dismissed Bobby Valentine yesterday, ending months of speculation about his job security. Of course that hasn’t put an end to rumors about managerial openings and potential openings around MLB. Here are today’s managerial notes…

  • Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com hears that there will be no decision made about Jim Tracy's future with the Rockies tonight (Twitter link). The team's front office will continue to discuss things, however.
  • Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski told James Schmehl of mLive.com that they will address manager Jim Leyland's contract "at the appropriate time." Leyland's deal expires after the season.
  • Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe lists some off-the-grid candidates the Red Sox could consider for their managerial opening.
  • Dusty Baker hinted he'll return as the Reds' manager in 2013, MLB.com's Mark Sheldon reports. Baker said “this is my team, you know,” when asked about his future with the Reds.
  • Twins GM Terry Ryan explained to manager Ron Gardenhire that a contract extension for Gardenhire doesn't make sense right now, Phil Mackey of 1500 ESPN reports (on Twitter). Gardenhire is signed through 2013.
  • The Indians announced that Terry Francona arrived in Cleveland for his job interview today. The former Red Sox manager is a leading candidate for the position along with longtime MLB catcher and current Indians coach Sandy Alomar Jr.
  • It’d be a surprise if Francona doesn’t accept the Indians job and name Brad Mills his bench coach, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes (on Twitter). The Astros dismissed Mills, Francona’s former bench coach in Boston, toward the end of the 2012 season.
  • People who know Francona well say the Indians are a "slam dunk" for him, Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). Francona knows he can work with Indians executives such as Chris Antonetti, Abraham notes.
  • The Rangers won't fire manager Ron Washington even if they lose today's play-in game against the Orioles, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). Washington is under contract with Texas through 2014.
  • Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria is mulling whether to fire manager Ozzie Guillen, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports. The owner has kept front office executives “out of the loop” on the decision, which will be entirely his own call. ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reported yesterday that the Marlins are aggressively seeking a replacement for Guillen.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

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