East Notes: Backman, Red Sox, Rays, Phillies
Here are a handful of items out of the AL and NL East …
- MLB.com's Bill Ladson cites three different sources in reporting that Wally Backman, who currently manages in the Mets minor league system, was never offered a position with the Nationals' Major League club.
- Backman told Ed Randall of New York's WFAN radio that he will remain in the organization rather than accepting a position on another team's Major League staff, according to MetsBlog. Backman interviewed for the Mets' managerial vacancy before it went to Terry Collins last year.
- The Red Sox are not expected to interview former Diamondbacks skipper A.J. Hinch for their managerial vacancy, a source familiar with the situation tells Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Hinch is currently vice president of pro scouting for the Padres.
- The Rays are unlikely to make quick decisions on whether to re-sign free agents Johnny Damon and first baseman Casey Kotchman, writes Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. Tampa will look to improve its offense, according to Topkin, but that won't be easy without detracting from its deep well of pitching talent, which it won't want to do. Andrew Friedman will likely do most of his roster shuffling via trade, writes Topkin.
- As their core position players are getting older and dealing with injuries, the Phillies' window of opportunity may be closing, opines Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer. One talent evaluator told Brookover that the Phillies should let Jimmy Rollins walk in free agency. "It might be time to find out about a guy like Freddy Galvis," the scout said. "I saw him this year and he really is improving. I don't know if he's ready to be an everyday player in the big leagues, but I just think they need to get younger."
- Former Yankees pitching prospect Brandon Weeden, now 28, has resurfaced as the starting quarterback of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, writes Tom Spousta of the New York Times (cap tip to Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues). Weeden was a second-round pick of the Yanks in 2002 (a compensatory selection for Tino Martinez signing with the Cardinals), but he washed out of baseball by 2007 due to injuries and ineffectiveness.
Phillies’ Manuel In Favor Of Third Base Upgrade
In two seasons with the Phillies, third baseman Placido Polanco has struggled to stay healthy and on the field. Despite being named an All-Star for the second time in his career in 2011, manager Charlie Manuel says that he would be in favor of an upgrade at the position, writes MLB.com's Nate Mink.
"If we need to upgrade and we can, we should do it," the skipper said on Wednesday.
Polanco is guaranteed $6.25MM next season, but Mink writes that it shouldn't handcuff the Phillies from exploring other options at third base. Manuel doesn't think that the Phillies need a power bat at the position, but durability will be a major focus for the club this offseason.
Polanco underwent surgery yesterday to repair two sports hernias, which could sideline him for the beginning of the 2012 season. The 36-year-old played in 132 games in 2010 and just 122 this past year.
NL East Notes: Phillies, Mets, Morgan
Jimmy Rollins said earlier today that there's a "good chance" he re-signs with the Phillies after the season. Here are some more updates from around the NL East, where all five teams are in offseason mode…
- Ryan Howard's five-year, $125MM contract ranks fourth on Joe Posnanski's list of the ten worst contracts in baseball at SI.com. Howard, whose deal kicks in next season, is "becoming a less and less useful player all the time," Posnanski writes.
- The Phillies interviewed Orioles scouting director Joe Jordan for their director of player development position this week, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. Philadelphia now has a short window to decide whether they're going to offer Jordan the job, which previously fell under Chuck LaMar's responsibilities.
- The Phillies will look to sign a free agent closer this offseason and a division rival could be interested in similar relievers. GM Sandy Alderson has hinted that the Mets will find their next closer on the free agent market, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
- A Spring Training conflict between Jayson Werth and Nyjer Morgan nearly escalated to the point that punches were thrown, according to Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post. Now a member of the Brewers, Morgan has emerged as a star (along with his many alter egos).
Phillies Aim To Sign Free Agent Closer
Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. talked to reporters today at Citizens Bank Park, and David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News has the transcript. Highlights:
- If the Phillies don't re-sign closer Ryan Madson, Amaro will go outside the organization for a replacement, he told reporters including MLB.com's Todd Zolecki today. Madson, a Scott Boras client, could be a tough sign. Amaro said he talked to Madson yesterday, and the righty is excited about free agency. The Phillies can at least get a couple of draft picks as a consolation prize. Heath Bell, Jonathan Papelbon, Jonathan Broxton, Matt Capps, Francisco Cordero, Frank Francisco, Joe Nathan, and Francisco Rodriguez are also on the free agent market.
- Amaro said he'd like Domonic Brown to spend another full season in Triple-A (Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer with the tweet). Brown, one of the game's top prospects prior to the season, hit .245/.333/.391 in 210 plate appearances in the Majors this year. Most of Brown's starts came prior to the team's acquisition of Hunter Pence. Amaro says Brown has some work to do in left field, a position that will be an "open competition" for the 2012 Phillies.
- Amaro does not think Ryan Howard's torn Achilles tendon will impact the team's offseason moves.
- Free agent signings are more likely than trades.
- The Phillies are still discussing Roy Oswalt's $16MM option internally. Amaro says that "might be a tough one." The Phillies' front office has also internally discussed extending Cole Hamels.
- The Phillies' payroll is expected to be similar to this year's.
Rollins On Free Agency
Phillies shortstop and impending free agent Jimmy Rollins met with the media at Citizens Bank Park today. Rollins' quotes will be easier to parse once a full transcript is available, but in the meantime here are a few nuggets from the team's beat writers.
- Rollins reiterated that he's seeking a five-year deal, tweets MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. The shortstop said he's open to a fifth-year option, however. Zolecki indicates that it'd have to be Rollins' option, so perhaps a player or vesting one. Rollins turns 33 next month. He talked about his five-year goal to SI's Jon Heyman on September 28th.
- Rollins says there's a "good chance" a deal with the Phillies happens, tweets Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Zolecki has Rollins saying he can't picture wearing another uniform, but noted that the shortstop also said it's about years and money.
- GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said he plans to keep talks with Rollins private. Asked what losing Rollins would mean, Amaro said, "I will say that it will be a huge blow for us, but not insurmountable." Amaro said some in the organization feel Freddy Galvis is ready to play shortstop every day, and some do not, so he's not sure whether they'd go outside the organization for a replacement.
Poll: Ryan Madson Vs. Heath Bell
Most statistics say Phillies closer Ryan Madson had a better 2011 than Padres stopper Heath Bell. Madson is three years younger, but Bell has tallied three consecutive 40-save seasons. Both righties are Type A free agents, and guessing their contracts is an interesting exercise.
In the last three years, Madson has increased his strikeout rate to more than a batter per inning while maintaining strong walk and groundball rates. He had a reputation as someone who was better off in the eighth than the ninth inning heading into this year, but Madson silenced those critics by converting 32 of 34 opportunities once pressed into duty. He's represented by Scott Boras, and will find a three-year deal with ease. No free agent reliever has gotten a four-year deal since Francisco Cordero and Scott Linebrink four years ago, but I think Madson has a shot.
Bell experienced a marked decline in strikeout rate this year, showing signs of his old rate only in September. He still limited hits and home runs and converted 43 of 48 save opportunities. Bell wants and expects to remain in San Diego, saying in August that he'd accept arbitration if the Padres offer. Padres owner Jeff Moorad said one year was preferable to the team in some ways. It was reported later that month that the Padres offered a two-year, $14MM deal while Bell was seeking $27-30MM over three years. Bell is represented by ACES, an agency known for getting strong multiyear deals for veteran free agents.
For the sake of argument, let's say both relievers reach the open market. That's not hard to picture with Madson, who will certainly cost a draft pick to sign. For Bell to reach the open market, the Padres would probably have to decline to offer him arbitration. So in this scenario Madson costs a draft pick to sign and Bell does not. Working under these assumptions, which reliever gets a bigger overall contract, Madson or Bell?
Bigger contract: Ryan Madson or Heath Bell?
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Heath Bell 56% (3,966)
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Ryan Madson 44% (3,086)
Total votes: 7,052
Phillies Links: Howard, Contracts, NL East
The Phillies won 102 games during the regular season, but won only two during the best-of-five NLDS. Because last night's loss to Chris Carpenter and the Cardinals wasn't bad enough, Ryan Howard suffered a serious Achilles injury on the final play of the game. Let's round up the latest from Philadelphia…
- In a press release, the team announced that Howard has a rupture of his right Achilles tendon. He'll have surgery after the swelling subsides, and a timetable for his return won't be known until after the procedure is performed. There is "no guarantee he will be ready for spring training," says the release.
- Bob Brookover of The Philadelphia Inquirer dug through the Phillies roster, and says they might have to go over the luxury tax threshold next season in order to patch all their holes.
- David Murphy of The Philadelphia Daily News put together of list of questions the Phillies must answer this offseason. Howard's injury figures to impact their 2012 plans.
- MLB.com's Brian McTaggart wrote about the key contract decisions the team has to make. The Phillies have about $113MM in commitments for next season, but Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Madson, Brad Lidge, and Roy Oswalt can all become free agents (Lidge and Oswalt have pricey options).
- Ben Goessling of MASNSports.com says the Phillies could open a window of opportunity for the other teams in the NL East if they decide to fill some of their roster holes with youth.
Quick Hits: Prince, Wilken, Blue Jays
A few late-night items of note as a thriller in the Bronx reaches its climax …
- Baltimore Sports and Life polled 17 analysts about the Orioles' odds of signing impending free agent Prince Fielder. Interestingly, opinions vary wildly about whether the O's should even pursue Prince, not to mention what kind of financial commitment it might take to procure his services.
- Cubs scouting director Tim Wilken will be watching a pair of his notable draft selections when Phillies co-ace Roy Halladay squares off against his Cardinals counterpart, Chris Carpenter, in Friday's NLDS Game 5, writes Carrie Muskat of MLB.com. Wilken tabbed both of those pitchers when he was scouting director in Toronto, and he provides some cool insight into how each hurler was regarded before they became household names.
- Andrew Stoeten of Drunk Jays Fans breaks down Toronto's outfield, replete with sound, humorous analysis and a spelling of "center" that looks odd to those of us in the States. Be sure to check it out.
NL East Notes: Johnson, Phillies, Nationals, Flores
Let's take a look at a few items out of the NL East..
- There's no question in the mind of MLB.com's Bill Ladson that Davey Johnson will be back as manager of the Nationals in 2012 as players and people in the front office have told said that they want Johnson back in the same role. Ladson also writes that Carlos Beltran is not a fit for the Nats and believes that he should get no more than a one-year deal due to his injury history.
- The Red Sox will consider Phillies coach Pete Mackanin as a managerial candidate, sources tell Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Jorge Arangure Jr. of ESPN The Magazine spoke with Ruben Amaro Jr. and Ed Wade about how Amaro came to join the Phillies as assistant GM. The former outfielder had zero experience between going from the field to the front office.
- Nationals catcher Jesus Flores sounds like a player who may want to continue his career elsewhere, writes Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post. Kilgore says that Flores doesn't seem bitter or angry about his lack of playing time, but he doesn't sound content.
East Notes: Orioles, Rays, Rollins, Lee, Zambrano
Some links pertaining to baseball's Eastern divisions for your Sunday evening reading:
- Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun wonders if the reason we've yet to hear anything regarding Thursday's summit involving Orioles owner Peter Angelos and president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is because Angelos has convinced MacPhail to stay with the club in an advisory capacity. MacPhail will give up his current title, but Schmuck believes Angelos would give him any title he desired short of co-owner to keep him around.
- Steve Melewski of MASNsports believes Buck Showalter should remain the manager of the Orioles, not take over the position of GM. That said however, Showalter needs to work closely with the new GM to honestly evaluate the organization on all levels to turn the franchise around.
- Rays manager Joe Maddon endorses his bench coach Davey Martinez wholeheartedly for the White Sox managerial opening, and told Dave van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune that he'd "do somersaults" if Martinez got the job, despite how difficult he'd be to replace.
- It's probably implied by the five-year deal he's seeking, but Jimmy Rollins won't be offering the Phillies a hometown discount, according to this MLB.com report from Todd Zolecki, Brian McTaggart, and Nate Mink.
- Tyler Kepner of the New York Times writes that Cliff Lee is one of the most popular athletes in recent Philadelphia history, and spoke with GM Ruben Amaro Jr. and the $120MM man himself about his decision to return to the Phillies last offseason.
- The Miami Sun Sentinel's Juan C. Rodriguez questions whether pitching for Ozzie Guillen and the Marlins and getting away from Chicago would make Carlos Zambrano a better citizen. While Zambrano could change in Miami, Rodriguez points out his declining K/9 and increasing WHIP as red flags that need to be considered along with his character.