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Heyman On Francona, Red Sox

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One managerial job was filled today, but hours later another one opened up. The Astros officially announced that they’ll make Bo Porter their next manager just a few hours before Manny Acta was dismissed in Cleveland. Here are some notes on MLB managers from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com…

  • Francona’s name has surfaced in insider circles as a possible manager for the Indians or Tigers, Heyman reports. "I'm really uncomfortable talking about any jobs," Francona said, acknowledging he'd consider certain opportunities. Sandy Alomar Jr. is favored for the position in Cleveland, however.
  • Ben Cherington’s comments on WEEI seemed to suggest the Red Sox would be searching for a manager again this offseason, but the GM told Heyman he didn’t mean to allude to Bobby Valentine during his radio interview this morning. "It had nothing to do with Bobby,” Cherington said. “But if it came across that way, my mistake.''

Tigers Notes: Valverde, Boesch, Young

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The Tigers overtook the White Sox in the standings yesterday and now have a one-game lead in the AL Central with seven games to play. Here’s the latest from Detroit, where the Tigers will host the Royals this afternoon…

  • Agent Scott Boras, who now represents Jose Valverde, told John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press that his client can continue closing for many years to come. "Closers are good in their mid-30s, not in their mid-20s," Boras said. The Tigers don’t have an obvious internal alternative to the 34-year-old Valverde, who’s eligible for free agency this offseason.
  • Lowe and Free Press writer George Sipple note that the Tigers might not have room for Brennan Boesch on next year’s team. The 27-year-old will be arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason but he's a non-tender candidate.
  • The Tigers have a $6MM club option for Jhonny Peralta in 2013 and they probably won’t find anyone steadier for that price, Lowe and Sipple write. I expect the Tigers to exercise the option.
  • It’s not easy to see where Delmon Young would fit on next year’s Tigers team, the Free Press writers note. Victor Martinez is expected to return in 2013, which means the Tigers aren’t a logical landing spot for Young, who hits free agency this winter.
  • Anibal Sanchez could be a fit in Detroit next year, but the Tigers would have to re-sign him as a free agent.

Scott Boras To Represent Jose Valverde

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Jose Valverde said he has hired Scott Boras to represent him this offseason, John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press reports. The 34-year-old right-hander will hit free agency in a matter of weeks when his multiyear contract with the Tigers expires.

Valverde downplayed the significance of the switch, saying "people change agents all the time." Last August Valverde switched agencies, leaving Praver/Shapiro for Proformance. The Tigers exercised their 2012 option months later, delaying Valverde’s free agency by a year.

In 65 innings this year, Valverde has a 4.02 ERA with 6.6 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9. He has 31 saves and an average fastball velocity of 93.3 mph. Be sure to check out MLBTR's Agency Database for information about each MLB player's representatives.

Tigers Acquire Greg Ross

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The Tigers announced that they have acquired right-hander Greg Ross from the Braves (Twitter link). The move completes the August 31st trade that sent Jeff Baker from Detroit to Atlanta for a player to be named later.

Ross, 23, spent the 2012 season with Atlanta's Class A Rome affiliate, posting a 4.60 ERA with 7.3 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 131 innings. The 2011 18th round selection started 21 games, pitching out of the bullpen in four others.

Baker, 31, has appeared in ten games for the Braves this month, mostly as a pinch hitter and pinch runner. He has a career .295/.344/.499 batting line against left-handed pitching.

Olney On Price, Andrus, Leyland

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Some talent evaluators believe Rays left-hander David Price could be traded this winter, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports. Here’s the latest from Olney, who runs down potential suitors for Price in his latest column…

  • Price’s trade value will never be higher than it will be this winter, Olney writes. However, the left-hander’s salary will rise considerably from $4.35MM following his Cy Young-caliber 2012 season. This means the budget-conscious Rays will probably decide to part with Price at some point between now and when he hits free agency after the 2015 season. “There will be a day when the Rays trade him,” Olney writes. 
  • Tampa Bay could seek up-the-middle players for Price, who has extraordinary trade value as a controllable top-of-the-rotation left-hander.
  • There’s a wide expectation that the Rangers will trade Elvis Andrus this winter. But Andrus isn’t a great fit for the Rays given his salary and service time, so they’d presumably ask about shortstop prospect Jurickson Profar in talks for Price.
  • It’s hard to imagine the Royals obtaining Price from the Rays without giving up Wil Myers, Salvador Perez, Mike Moustakas or Eric Hosmer, Olney writes.
  • Though the Tigers aren’t a strong defensive team their pitchers haven’t complained publicly about the glovework behind them. Olney credits Detroit’s player and manager Jim Leyland for this display of support.

AL Central Links: Leyland, Willingham, Choo

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The White Sox may be in first place in the AL Central but they're apparently going to be making some front office changes this winter.  Here are some more items from around the division….

  • Jim Leyland remains the right person to manage the Tigers, even though the team trails the White Sox in the AL Central, Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press writes. Leyland has questionable job security with two weeks remaining in the regular season.
  • The Twins have a number of offseason needs but manager Ron Gardenhire told reporters (including MLB.com's Zack Meisel) that starting pitching is his team's top priority.
  • Josh Willingham recently said he'd be open to an extension with the Twins, a prospect that Seth Stohs of the Minneapolis Star Tribune thinks the club should wait to explore until after the 2013 season.  Willingham is finishing the first season of a three-year, $21MM contract and I'd agree that Minnesota should be in no rush to extend an outfielder who will be 35 years old when his current deal expires.
  • Shin-Soo Choo's trade value and his worth on the free agent market after 2013 will be limited by his inability to hit left-handed pitching, writes Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  Choo, a left-handed hitter, has just a .556 OPS against southpaws this season and a .246/.334/.353 line against lefties for his career.
  • MLB.com's Jordan Bastian looks at the Indians' pitching struggles this season how the Tribe will try to fix the problem this winter.  Pitching upgrades are likelier to come through trades than by spending on free agents, as Bastian asks, "What team should spend big after a 90-plus loss season? The time has come again to shift the focus back to building a better foundation. The current core is not breeding confidence, especially on the mound."

MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post

Managerial Notes: Scioscia, Tigers, Indians

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The Marlins and White Sox plan to re-structure their respective front offices, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported today. Nightengale also has some updates on the job security of a few MLB managers. Here are the details…

  • Mike Scioscia is in the middle of a heated internal debate in Anaheim, Nightengale reports. Though Scioscia’s contract runs through 2018, he will “likely” be a scapegoat if the Angels miss the playoffs. The Angels are four games behind the Athletics and Orioles in the Wild Card race.
  • Jim Leyland could take the fall if the Tigers don’t reach the postseason. Leyland's contract expires after the 2012 season.
  • The Indians have gone 15-41 since the All-Star break and Manny Acta is in danger of losing his job, Nightengale writes.

Central Notes: Inge, Francona, Tigers, Indians, Pirates

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"I'll be ready for spring," said former Tiger and current Athletic Brandon Inge to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Inge recently had season-ending shoulder surgery. Here is the latest from baseball's two Central divisions…

  • Terry Francona's name is "already making the rounds" as a possible hire for the Tigers or Indians this winter, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. It's unclear if Cleveland would even be able to afford the former Red Sox skipper, however.
  • Pirates owner Bob Nutting is looking into his club's operations according to Dejan Kovacevic of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, including the draft, player development, and free agent spending. Kovacevic says he "won’t be surprised in the slightest if (Nutting) takes action once this season ends."
  • MLB.com's Peter Gammons wrote about the Brewers and GM Doug Melvin, who has made moves to help bring the club back to contention during his ten years at the helm. Our Transaction Tracker has a list of Melvin's moves, which include deals for CC Sabathia and Zack Greinke.

Heyman On Possible Manager, GM Turnover

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What began as a season that figured to have little managerial and front-office turnover at its conclusion has gone in the opposite direction over the course of a long — and for some teams very disappointing — summer, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Here's a look at the teams that could make shakeups on the bench and/or in the front office:

  • Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine seems very likely to be dismissed, as "everyone in baseball is sure he is a goner." Boston likes Toronto manager John Farrell as a possible replacement, but Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos has reiterated that organization policy is to preclude personnel from leaving for a lateral move. GM Ben Cherington, meanwhile, appears safe, though other tweaks could be made in the front office.
  • Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen's fate is up in the air, but Miami is more likely to shake up its front office. Factions have reportedly taken shape among the organization's top executives.
  • The Angels came into the season with very lofty goals after spending heavily in free agency. But owner Arte Moreno is reportedly unhappy with the team's poor play, while some say GM Jerry Dipoto and manager Mike Scioscia haven't hit it off so far, with the firing of hitting coach Mickey Hatcher earlier this year an apparent point of contention. The pricey balance on Scioscia's contract may make firing him too difficult, though, so his departure could ultimately be his own decision. 
  • Indians manager Manny Acta has a "very real chance to be fired," as Cleveland has slipped into its second consecutive second-half slump. GM Chris Antonetti, though, is probably safe, as he's well regarded and hasn't yet been on the job for two full years.
  • Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski appears to be safe, but manager Jim Leyland, whose contract expires at the end of this season, may not be brought back, as owner Mike Ilitch is displeased with the way this season is going after spending on Prince Fielder in the offseason. 
  • Pirates manager Clint Hurdle is safe after instilling a new attitude in Pittsburgh, but GM Neal Huntington could be in trouble, especially if the team finishes under .500 for a 20th consecutive season.
  • Yankees manager Joe Girardi is safe despite his frustrations with his team's second-half struggles, and the "popular" GM Brian Cashman is in no trouble.

Central Links: Hafner, Leyland, Astros

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The Tigers are holding their collective breath after righty Max Scherzer exited Tuesday night's start prematurely because of shoulder pain. Scherzer, who leads the American League in strikeouts, is scheduled to undergo an MRI. More on the Tigers in this batch of links …

  • The Indians are expected to decline their $13MM club option on DH Travis Hafner for 2013, writes Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. Hafner, sidelined since early August due to a back injury, is trying to get back on the field for what could be his final appearances as a member of the Tribe. With a career line of .278/.382/.508, the 35-year-old has posted solid offensive numbers when healthy, but staying on the field has been an issue, as he's missed chunks of time in each of the past five seasons.
  • Tigers manager Jim Leyland said he is focused on his team's playoff chase rather than his own contract status, writes Anthony Odoardi of MLB.com. Leyland's deal expires after this season, but he maintains he has held no discussions with Detroit about this future: "I haven't discussed my situation with anyone nor has my situation been discussed with me. And I don't want to discuss my situation with anyone nor do they want to discuss it with me right now. We're trying to win a division."
  • The Astros hope to pick their next manager by the end of next week, but they may have to wait till after then to announce the decision, writes Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. If the selected candidate is on a team that's still in the playoffs, Houston will wait till that team's season is over, McTaggart explains.
  • Astros owner Jim Crane reiterated that he's not expecting Roger Clemens to pitch this season, tweets Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle.
  • While some consider the second-place Tigers a disappointment after a splashy offseason that saw them land top free agent Prince Fielder, Detroit has played pretty close to where some advanced metrics suggest they should be, explains Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs.
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