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Cafardo On Arroyo, Kendrick, Braun, Cano

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Timing is everything in baseball and Joe Girardi is hitting the open market at the perfect time, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes.  The Cubs always saw landing Girardi as a longshot, but they'll give it another go this winter.  From the Yankees perspective, they'd be foolish not to lock Girardi up with a lucrative new deal, in Cafardo's opinion.  Few managers, he argues, could have survived the injuries that the Yankees were dealing with and kept them in the playoff chase in September.  If Girardi bails for Chicago or elsewhere, Cafardo suggests Don Mattingly as a candidate.  Of course, the Dodgers would have to fire him or work out a trade for that to happen.  Here's more from today's column..

  • Bronson Arroyo says he wants a three-year deal and he feels his time in Cincinnati is likely over. “I have no preference on where I want to pitch but I’ll certainly consider the team, their chances of winning, and all of that,” he said. “I feel I can pitch effectively at 37, 38, and 39 years old. I’ve never missed a start. Never been injured. I’m not a max-effort guy out there, so there’s no big-time wear and tear on me. I loved Cincinnati but I don’t think they’re in position to give me what I want.” Cafardo suggests the Blue Jays, Orioles, Brewers, Cubs, Giants, Pirates, Cardinals, and Dodgers as possibilities.
  • It's looking increasingly likely that Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick will be traded for pitching or prospects. The Royals need second base help and would have interest.  The Orioles may also be interested if they cut ties with Brian Roberts this winter.  The O's haven't decided what to do with Roberts just yet but they wouldn't go beyond a one-year deal to keep him. 
  • It has been suggested that the Brewers could trade Ryan Braun, but finding someone willing to take on his baggage and lucrative deal could be tricky.  “I don’t think he’s going anywhere. Someone would have to take a big chance and nobody’s doing that on PED guys, especially for that length of contract,” said one exec.
  • Bench coach Tony Pena is not likely to replace Girardi as manager if he goes elsewhere. “I don’t think anyone in our front office is even thinking about that,” said one Yankees official.
  • Many believe that the Dodgers won't be serious players for Robinson Cano, but things can change with an early exit from the playoffs.

Minor Moves: D’Backs, Brewers, Orioles

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Here are today's outright assignments and minor moves from around the league…

  • The Diamondbacks have outrighted right-hander Matt Langwell (to Triple-A) and outfielder Keon Broxton (to Double-A) off the 40-man roster, the team announced (via Twitter).  Langwell, who was acquired by the Snakes in the Jason Kubel trade, posted a 5.14 ERA in 14 relief innings with Cleveland and Arizona in his rookie season.  Broxton, a third round pick in the 2009 draft, posted a .655 OPS in 372 PA at Double-A last year.
  • Brewers infielder Taylor Green has cleared waivers and will be outrighted off the 40-man roster, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (on Twitter). Green and teammate Mat Gamel were waived by the Brewers earlier this week (Gamel was recently claimed by the Cubs). Hip surgery cost the 27-year-old corner infielder his season, but Green is a career .311/.386/.513 hitter at Triple-A.
  • Haudricourt also reports that the Brewers have outrighted outfielder Josh Prince and right-hander Nick Bucci (Twitter link). Prince, 25, hit .237/.338/.368 with 11 homers and 25 steals at Triple-A this year and receive nine PAs with the big league club. Bucci, 23, missed most of the season with injury for a second straight year.
  • The Orioles announced that they have reinstated right-hander Eric Beaulac from the 15-day disabled list and outrighted him to Triple-A Norfolk. Beaulac, 26, was placed on the DL with a torn labrum in his right hip after having his contract selected on Sept. 1. He posted a 1.96 ERA with 20 strikeouts and 17 walks in 18 1/3 innings between High-A and Double-A this season.
  • As can be seen in MLBTR's DFA Tracker, Clay Rapada of the Indians and Chris Robinson of the Padres are in DFA limbo.

Cubs Claim Mat Gamel

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The Cubs have claimed Mat Gamel off waivers from the Brewers, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). The 28-year-old has seen a once-promising big league career get derailed by injuries and was waived by the Brewers earlier in the week.

Gamel was supposed to fill the void left by Corey Hart early in the 2013 campaign, but a torn ACL squashed what would have been a terrific opportunity for the 28-year-old. Hart didn't play a came this season, meaning that Gamel could have had a full season's worth of at-bats to prove himself for the first time in his career. Instead, Gamel will instead carry a career batting line of .229/.305/.367 to his former division rivals.

Gamel twice ranked among Baseball America's Top 100 prospects and appeared on BA's list of Top 10 Brewers prospects on four separate occasions. He's dominated Triple-A pitching to the tune of a .301/.374/.512 batting line and could get a look at third base in Spring Training, as Anthony Rizzo is entrenched as the Cubs' first baseman for the foreseeable future.

Gamel is technically eligible for arbitration this offseason due to spending the bulk of the 2012-13 seasons on the Major League 60-day disabled list. However, his inability to take the field due to injuries in each of the past two seasons should keep his salary just north of $500K, creating little risk for the Cubs should they wish to tender him a contract.

Brewers Waive Mat Gamel, Taylor Green

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The Brewers have placed Mat Gamel and Taylor Green on waivers, a source tells Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.  Both players suffered injuries in 2013 that cost them the entire season.

Gamel was set to fill in the gap at first base after Corey Hart was lost to knee surgery before he suffered a torn ACL.  Gamel, who last played a regular season game in 2012, would have been eligible for arbitration if he remained on the 40-man roster.  The 28-year-old was once considered to be a top prospect in the Brewers' system but he has never managed to put it together at the big league level.  In parts of five big league seasons, Gamel owns a .229/.305/.367 slash line.

Green was supposed to supplant Gamel at first, but he wound up suffering a left hip injury later in the spring and had to undergo surgery.  McCalvy notes that the 27-year-old could still be attractive to the Brewers on a minor league deal because he can play first and third base.  Even though Corey Hart wants to return to Milwaukee, the first base position is wide open.  Meanwhile, third baseman Aramis Ramirez is heading into the final year of his contract.

NL Central Notes: Pirates, Reds, Hinch, Brewers

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The Pirates, who tonight will host their first playoff game since 1992, were built not only through the draft, as small-payroll teams often are, but also through trades and free agency, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker and Tony Watson were drafted by Neal Huntington's predecessor Dave Littlefield, and Huntington drafted Pedro Alvarez, Jordy Mercer, Justin Wilson and Gerrit Cole. But the 2013 Pirates were shaped, in large part, by two 2012 acquisitions of former Yankees — the Bucs traded for top-of-the-rotation starter A.J. Burnett before the 2012 campaign, and signed catcher and defensive wizard Russell Martin to a two-year deal after the season was over. Here are more notes from around the NL Central.

  • A loss for the Reds tonight could raise questions about the team's future, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes. Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo is set to become a free agent. And if pitching coach Bryan Price becomes a top managerial candidate with the Mariners, there might be questions about Dusty Baker's future with the Reds as well, since the Reds would likely want to keep Price. Such questions probably wouldn't be resolved right away, however — Baker is due around $4MM next year, and the Reds had 90 wins this year, so there would be no rush to replace him.
  • After dismissing Dale Sveum, the Cubs are looking for a manager, and Rosenthal (via Twitter) thinks former Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch might be one possibility. Hinch is currently an assistant GM for the Padres. Rosenthal tweets that, among Padres personnel, Hinch appears more likely for the Cubs job than special assistant Brad Ausmus.
  • First base tops the Brewers' list of priorities this offseason, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com writes. Brewers first basemen hit just .206/.259/.370 in 2013, and their primary first baseman was Yuniesky Betancourt, who hit .212/.240/.355. GM Doug Melvin suggests the Brewers could bring back Corey Hart after Hart missed the entire 2013 season, but the Brewers want to learn more about the condition of his knees.

Minor Moves: Velez, Gomez, Diaz, Leon

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Here are today's minor moves from around the league…

  • The Brewers have re-signed infielders Eugenio Velez and Hector Gomez and catcher Robinzon Diaz to minor league deals with invitations to Spring Training, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Right-hander Arcenio Leon will also receive a minor league deal but is not being invited to big league camp (Twitter links). Velez hit .314/.398/.472 in 434 plate appearances between the Blue Jays' and Brewers' Triple-A affiliates in 2013. Gomez, 25, hit .196/.238/.255 in 406 plate appearances at Double-A. The 29-year-old Diaz hit .302/.335/.433 in 372 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A. Leon, 26, posted a 5.68 ERA with 58 walks and 41 strikeouts in 71 1/3 innings at Double-A. Only Velez has extensive Major League experience.
  • Chris Robinson of the Padres and Joey Butler of the Rangers are currently in DFA limbo and can be monitored using MLBTR's DFA Tracker.

Brewers Intend To Discuss Extension With Segura

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Brewers GM Doug Melvin says that he will reach out to Jean Segura's representatives over the offseason about a possible long-term extension, reports Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (via Twitter). The 23-year-old shortstop, who is represented by Joe Klein, will not be eligible for arbitration until 2016.

Of course, Melvin has reportedly already once been rebuffed by Segura's team. As MLBTR's Charlie Wilmoth recently explained, however, the time is more ripe for an extension at this point. Though Segura has failed to sustain his torrid start to 2013, he still ended up being a 4 WAR player in his first season of full-time duty. Wilmoth opined that Segura might be worth a commitment of around $20-23MM on a five-year deal, if he sacrificed at least one year of free agency with a club option.

Central Notes: Peralta, Brewers, Yost

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After serving a 50-game suspension for his role in the Biogenesis scandal, Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta returned to his team Friday, now playing left field. Jose Iglesias has hit fairly well while living up to his defensive reputation since the Tigers acquired him in the three-team Jake Peavy trade at the July deadline, and so Peralta's team isn't the same as it was when he left it. Luckily for Peralta, Tigers left fielders, headed by Andy Dirks, haven't been spectacular, and there's still room for Peralta's potent bat in the Tigers' lineup and on their bench. He now appears set to make the Tigers' ALDS roster. Here are more notes from the Central divisions.

  • Brewers owner Mark Attanasio acknowledges that his team has had a "disappointing" season, Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel reports. But the team's struggles created opportunities for players like Scooter Gennett, Khris Davis and Tyler Thornburg, and those players took advantage. "It certainly is going to affect how we plan in the offseason," Attanasio says. "We did our full group staff meetings, and a lot of these guys are in the mix now, and I don’t know if you would have had any of them in the mix three to four months ago." Attanasio suggests that the Brewers will pursue pitching this offseason, even though there aren't "a lot of obvious candidates" on the free agent market.
  • The Royals and manager Ned Yost haven't yet begun talks on a new contract, but it's nearly certain he'll return, Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star writes. "I’ve got too much invested here," says Yost. "These players are a joy to be around. They’re a fun, fun group." Royals GM Dayton Moore recently expressed interest in keeping Yost in the organization. The Royals are the midst of their first winning season since 2003.

NL Central Notes: Burnett, Sveum, Aoki

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Pirates pitcher A.J. Burnett could be making his last career start when he takes the hill tonight against the Reds. The Pirates have clinched a playoff spot, of course, but they're extremely likely to end up in a one-game playoff, also against Cincinnati. Francisco Liriano figures to start that game, and if the Pirates lose it, their season would be over. Burnett recently told the press he was "50-50" about whether he would play in 2014, although the Pirates have shown strong interest in bringing him back. Here are more notes from the NL Central.

  • Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and the Cubs are likely to make a decision about manager Dale Sveum and his coaching staff by Monday, Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com reports (via Twitter). Sveum's status has been uncertain for weeks now, with rumblings that the Cubs always considered him a placeholder until they were ready to compete. A strong year for the Cubs' top prospects may have convinced Epstein and Hoyer to be more aggressive in finding a manager for next season. The Cubs have gone 66-93 while rebuilding in 2013.
  • The Brewers will exercise outfielder Norichika Aoki's option, MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reports (via Twitter). Aoki's option is only for $1.5MM (with a $250K buyout) and so, as McCalvy notes, the decision was likely an easy one for Milwaukee. Aoki has produced a combined 4.2 WAR in his two seasons with the Brewers, including 1.7 in a 2013 season in which he's hit .287/.357/.368.

Minor Moves: Langerhans, Martin, Lalli

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Here are today's minor moves from around the league…

  • The Blue Jays purchased the contract of Ryan Langerhans and added him to the 40-man roster, the team announced.  Langerhans has had two separate stints in the Jays' minor league system this season, with his most recent deal signed in August.  He posted a .748 OPS in 248 PA with Triple-A Buffalo this season and is appearing in his first Major League game of 2013 tonight.  Brett Cecil was transferred to the 60-day DL in a corresponding move.
  • Rays right-hander J.D. Martin cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Durham after being designated for assignment over the weekend, according to Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com (on Twitter). Martin, 30, was named the Triple-A International League's Most Valuable Pitcher this season after totaling 160 1/3 innings with a 2.75 ERA, 6.5 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9.
  • Cotillo also tweets that Blake Lalli has been outrighted off the Brewers' 40-man roster after clearing waivers. Lalli, 30, was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for right-hander Josh Ravin, who was claimed off waivers from the Reds. Lalli went 3-for-24 for the Brew Crew this season and is a lifetime .268/.312/.420 at Triple-A.
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