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NL East Links: Davis, Guillen, Utley

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A few links of note out of the NL East, where the first-place Nationals' hunt for a first playoff berth was placed on hold tonight due to a rain postponement.

  • Mets manager Terry Collins said that the organization supports first baseman Ike Davis and that there are no questions about his work ethic or receptiveness to coaching, tweets Marc Carig of Newsday. Earlier today, we heard that the Mets will be open to trading Davis during the upcoming offseason, in part because they have concerns about his commitment. Davis quickly refuted that allegation.
  • Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said he expects to return as Miami's manager next season, though he understands why some are speculating about his job security, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "At this moment everybody in the organization ought to be up in the air," Guilen said. "It's not up to me. If it's up to me, I'd love to be here." Guillen is under contract through 2015 after signing a four-year deal prior to this season.
  • Phillies second baseman Chase Utley may start a few games at third base before the season is over, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. Though the sample would likely be too small for GM Ruben Amaro to arrive at any definitive conclusions as to whether the switch could be made long-term, it may nonetheless factor into his offseason planning, as Amaro said the market for third basemen — via trade or free agency — is "not very good."

NL East Notes: Wright, Phillies, Fernandez, Gonzalez

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The Phillies, winners of six in a row, are just four games out of the Wild Card race and back at the .500 mark with a 71-71 record. While a sixth consecutive division title remains out of reach, the Phillies have a remote chance at returning to the postseason. Here are the latest notes from the NL East…

  • Despite baseball's investigation into accusations that agents Seth and Sam Levinson helped procure performance-enhancing drugs for players, David Wright doesn't plan on changing agents, according to the New York Daily News.  "I have known these guys since I was 18," Wright said. "The only thing I have to go off of is the way they have represented me the last 12 years (and) the integrity that I have seen firsthand that they have for the game."  The Mets hold a $16MM club option on Wright's deal for 2013 but the club is expected to pursue a contract extension in the near future.
  • Third base is a long-term need for the Phillies and, as Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes, there's also uncertainty at the position in the short-term. Kevin Frandsen has a stress fracture in his left fibula, Placido Polanco is out for the season, Michael Martinez doesn't add much offense and Chase Utley has limited experience at third.
  • The Marlins and Phillies are now heading in different directions, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News. While Miami's early-season struggles continued, the Phillies are now "playing clean games" in the view of manager Charlie Manuel.
  • Top Marlins pitching prospect Jose Fernandez has a chance to join Miami's rotation in 2013, Joe Capozzi Palm Beach Post writes. Fernandez, a first round pick in 2011, figures to start next year in Double-A, according to Capozzi.
  • The deal that sent Gio Gonzalez to Washington for Tommy Milone and Derek Norris has proven to be a win-win trade for the Nationals and Athletics, Matthew Leach of MLB.com writes. Gonzalez is a Cy Young candidate with the Nationals and Milone and Norris are contributing to the success of the A's.

Phillies Notes: Manuel, Sandberg, Pierre

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Though Charlie Manuel will return to manage the Phillies in 2013, Triple-A manager Ryne Sandberg appears to be a “nearly sure bet” to succeed Manuel at some point, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com writes. Here are the details on the Phillies from Heyman…

  • The Phillies are impressed by Sandberg’s work in the minor leagues, but the 68-year-old Manuel is under contract for 2013. Some insiders say some people in the Phillies organization have been advocating for Sandberg since before the 2011 season. Amaro dismissed that notion, but praised Sandberg. "He's been great. He's done a nice job for us," Amaro said. However, there’s probably “nothing to be done” if another organization looks to hire Sandberg this coming offseason.
  • Amaro told Heyman the Phillies aren’t trading Juan Pierre. The Orioles are interested in Pierre, but Philadelphia is just 5.0 games out of the Wild Card race so they are not inclined to make a trade.

Orioles Interested In Juan Pierre

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The Orioles have some interest in trading for Juan Pierre, but the Phillies aren’t eager to trade him, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. Pierre could replace Nick Markakis, who's out with a broken thumb, and lead off for Baltimore. The Phillies wouldn’t get much in return for Pierre with less than a month remaining in the season, so they’re content to keep him. 

Pierre, 35, signed a one-year deal with a base salary of $800K in January. He's been a bargain, posting a .304/.346/.364 batting line in 385 plate appearances, stealing 34 bases in 40 attempts, and amassing nearly as many walks (20) as strikeouts (21). Pierre wouldn’t be eligible for the playoffs if Baltimore traded for him.

Quick Hits: Perez, Indians, Phillies

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Some links as Saturday turns into Sunday…

Stark On Yankees, LaRoche, Phillies

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The Yankees will reach a crossroads with three of their most productive players this offseason when Nick Swisher hits free agency and Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano get a little closer to the open market. Jayson Stark surveyed MLB executives about the value of those Yankees and passed along the results in his latest column at ESPN.com. Here are the details and more notes from Stark…

  • Two National League executives had no reservations about spending on Cano. “Pay him what he's worth," one said. The other said Cano has a legitimate case for a $200MM extension.
  • The execs praised Granderson as a person but questioned his value on the field. A $100MM contract would be excessive in the view of one executive. Both Cano and Granderson will be eligible for free agency following the 2013 season, assuming the Yankees exercise their '13 club options.
  • Similarly, the executives don’t consider Swisher a candidate for a Jayson Werth-type deal (seven years and $126MM). Swisher may look to match Werth’s contract as a free agent this coming winter.
  • The Nationals have considered picking up their side of Adam LaRoche’s $10MM mutual option for 2013 and keeping Bryce Harper in center field, Stark reports. Alternatively, they could sign Michael Bourn when he hits free agency, move Harper to a corner spot and trade Michael Morse. I examined LaRoche’s option in detail last week, before his recent hot streak.
  • The Phillies are looking at third base and left field options for next year and that search includes players already in the organization. One scout has been impressed by 26-year-old Darin Ruf, who hit 38 home runs at Double-A this year. "He might be Matt Holliday," the scout said, praising Ruf's hitting ability.
  • An old friend of Roger Clemens doesn’t believe the seven-time Cy Young Award winner when he says he’s not thinking about playing at the MLB level. The person expects Clemens to sign with the Astros this month.

Amaro: Manuel To Return In 2013

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Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. confirmed to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com that Charlie Manuel will return as the team’s manager in 2013. Manuel will remain in place next year and the sides will re-evaluate following the ’13 season. Amaro said he’s pleased with Manuel’s performance but acknowledged that the two disagree at times, as most GMs and managers do.

Here are some more highlights from Amaro’s Q&A with Salisbury:

  • Amaro said Ryne Sandberg has been great as the organization’s Triple-A manager. The GM declined to call Sandberg the successor to Manuel, but said he’s worthy of consideration for MLB managerial jobs. Amaro added that he is hopeful Sandberg gets the chance to manage in the Major Leagues and said he would like to keep him in the organization.
  • Chase Utley is an option at third base for the 2013 Phillies, Amaro said. The decision depends on Utley’s comfort level at the position. If the Phillies look outside of the organization for third base help they could seek a left-handed hitter to platoon with Kevin Frandsen.
  • The Phillies aren’t impressed by the free agent options at the hot corner. “There are no third basemen out there,” Amaro said. “Very, very few. The options are very, very small. It’s no secret that that’s one of the things we were looking for at the deadline and the availability of third basemen was basically zero. And the ones that were available, the prices on them were enormous.”
  • The Phillies may find their setup relievers from within the organization, Amaro said. Pitchers such as Antonio Bastardo, Phillippe Aumont, Justin De Fratus and Josh Lindblom are options. However, the Phillies were disappointed with Bastardo’s performance this year and he’s an unknown going forward.

Quick Hits: Cubs, Miller, Felix, Joseph

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In the same game that Jamey Carroll hit his first home run since August 2009, Adam Dunn struck out tonight to become the sixth player in MLB history with 2,000 punchouts. Dunn joins Reggie Jackson, Jim Thome, Sammy Sosa, Andres Galarraga and Alex Rodriguez as members of the 2,000K club. Here are tonight's links:

  • Cubs manager Dale Sveum is pleased with the job that interim hitting coach James Rowson has done since taking over for Rudy Jaramillo in June, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. Rowson could figure into next season's plans, as Sveum plans to address the 2013 coaching staff in the season's final weeks.
  • MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch has quotes from Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak and manager Mike Matheny about the club's decision to promote Shelby Miller. A start is possible down the stretch for Miller, according to Mozeliak.
  • Many wonder when Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik will change his stance on listening to offers for Felix Hernandez, but that day doesn't appear to be here. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe asked the Seattle GM if it was a possibility and received a simple "No," as an answer (Twitter link).
  • While he's struggled at the plate, Tommy Joseph has still impressed the Phillies since being acquired in the Hunter Pence trade, writes Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Joseph's defense has impressed the Phils, and they still project plus power from the promising catcher.

Cafardo On Red Sox, Phillies, Ross, Hart

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Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe asked baseball executives which team has more work to do between the Red Sox and Phillies.  The general feeling was that Boston has more work to do than Philadelphia, even though they'll have more payroll room to work with.  One AL executive, however, sees both teams returning to prominence sooner rather than later.  “Both of these teams, I predict, will be back at the forefront of their respective divisions in no time.  The Red Sox made a sensational, dream-come-true deal with the Dodgers, and now they have so much payroll flexibility that they’re the envy of baseball. They can shape that team any way they want," said the exec.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • Despite the turmoil in Boston, Cody Ross is still high on the organization and hopes to return next year, Cafardo writes.  Ross came to the Red Sox on a one-year, $3MM deal last year but could fetch a contract in the neighborhood of Josh Willingham's three-year, $27MM pact.
  • Corey Hart of the Brewers is always an interesting name for teams looking for an outfielder or a first baseman, but he won't be happy if he's traded from Milwaukee.  The Brewers passed on trading Hart prior to the deadline despite significant interest from other clubs.
  • There could potentially be seven managerial openings this winter with the Astros, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Indians, Phillies, Padres, and Rockies possibly looking to shake things up.  While San Diego's Bud Black is a well regarded manager, the Padres' new ownership may look to install their own hire.
  • After getting fired from the Astros, Cafardo writes that Brad Mills will be atop the managerial lists this winter along with Terry Francona, Jim Riggleman, DeMarlo Hale, and Joey Cora.

East Notes: Red Sox, Phillies, Nationals, Strasburg

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We'll be waiting to see if any waiver trades take place between now and 11pm CDT, but a few clubs are already indicating that they won't be waiting near the phones.  Here's a look at the latest out of the AL and NL East..

  • With the waiver trade deadline closing in, a baseball source told Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com (via Twitter) that the Red Sox are "not expecting anything" in terms of a deal.  Earlier today we learned that they're reportedly in no rush to spend the money that has been freed up in the wake of their blockbuster trade with the Dodgers.  We also heard that Boston wouldn't be trading Cody Ross or Jacoby Ellsbury today.
  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro also doesn't anticipate making any moves today, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter).  Outfielder Juan Pierre cleared waivers today and could be of interest to clubs as he is set to make just $160K for the remainder of the season.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports opines that Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo could go back on the innings limit imposed on Stephen Strasburg if he publicly shifts the onus back to agent Scott Boras.  While such a move would hurt the Nats' relationship with Boras, Rosenthal believes that he wouldn't turn down their money for Michael Bourn or any other of his clients.
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