Quick Hits: Votto, Anderson, Red Sox, Dodgers
Links for Sunday evening as the Brewers have jumped out to a 1-0 lead over the Cardinals in the NLCS..
- The Reds need to ask themselves if they believe that they can pay Joey Votto a market-value contract after 2013, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com. If the Reds don't believe that they can pay him, Olney writes that history says that they should move him between now and July 31, 2012.
- The Red Sox could use Lars Anderson as a trade chip this offseason, writes Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal. The 24-year-old first baseman is stuck behind Adrian Gonzalez and MacPherson identifies several teams who would be interested in the youngster. Anderson was nearly shipped to the Athletics in a deal for Rich Harden in July.
- Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times doesn't expect to see the Dodgers make many changes this winter. If Ned Colletti & Co. don't sign a bopper in free agency, that leaves trading for a big bat and the club doesn't have much to offer in return.
- Tigers closer Jose Valverde represents yet another ex-Astros player achieving success elsewhere, writes Stephen Goff of Examiner.com.
- Brewers right-hander Shaun Marcum sees a bright future for his former teammate, Cardinals lefty reliever Marc Rzepczynski. Marcum, who will start Game 2 of the NLCS on Monday, played with Rzepczynski in Toronto.
Cardinals Designate Andrew Brown For Assignment
The Cardinals have designated Andrew Brown for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Lance Lynn, according to Matthew Leach of MLB.com. Lynn, a right-handed pitcher, was tabbed by the Cards in the first-round of the 2008 draft.
Brown posted a slash line of .182/.182/.227 in 22 plate appearances for the Cards this season but he hit .284/.382/.501 with 20 homers in 428 plate appearances for Triple-A Memphis. The 27-year-old spent most of this season at Memphis playing in the corner outfield spots but has plenty of first base experience under his belt as well.
Quick Hits: Payrolls, Jay, Wilson, Epstein
Here are some links to check out before the NLCS kicks off later this afternoon..
- Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel points out that the somewhat low payrolls of the remaining playoff teams are examples of the importance of drafting, scouting, and player development. The Tigers have the largest payroll (10th), while the Cardinals (11th), Rangers (13th), and Brewers (17th) round out the pack. It's also worth noting that the Diamondbacks rank 25th and the Rays were 29th.
- The progress of center fielder Jon Jay allowed the Cardinals to trade Colby Rasmus at the deadline, GM John Mozeliak told Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepczynski, and Octavio Dotel have been key parts of the team's drive to the NLCS.
- Some people think that C.J. Wilson has keen interest as a free agent in New York, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated. He adds that the Yankees are probably the early favorite to sign him.
- A Lakeview, Illinois resident is "99.9 percent sure" that he saw Red Sox GM Theo Epstein at a Starbucks in Lincoln Park, writes Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. Boston ownership has yet to acknowledge a report that the Cubs have asked for permission to talk to Epstein.
- The Angels continued their front-office purge by not renewing the contract of player development director Abe Flores, a major league source told Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. Flores spent four seasons as the team's player development director after spending the previous six as the team's manager of baseball operations.
- No matter what kind of career pitcher Pedro Strop has, the trade for left-hander Mike Gonzalez at the August deadline was worth it for the Rangers, writes Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com.
NL Central Notes: Votto, Cardinals, Carpenter
Let's take a look at a few items out of the National League Central…
- Rival executives are getting signals that the Reds won't shop Joey Votto, but the club is fully prepared to listen to offers this winter, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
- We could see some changes to the Cardinals' coaching staff, writes Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Athletics have expressed interest in assistant hitting coach Mike Aldrete and he is believed the leading candidate for the position. Meanwhile, pitching coach Dave Duncan may choose to step away from baseball as his wife is suffering from a brain malignancy.
- Before the Cardinals inked a two-year extension with Chris Carpenter in September, they internally discussed whether the veteran's stuff had regressed, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com. Ultimately, they decided that even though his surface-level stats had taken a dip, Carpenter was still capable of throwing well.
- Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus (via Twitter) expects the Cubs to name their next GM before the start of the World Series.
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.
Managerial Notes: Red Sox, Alomar, Francona
The White Sox's unexpected hiring of former third baseman Robin Ventura is Thursday's hot news item regarding managers, but here are a few other nuggets of note:
- The Red Sox now have the managerial market to themselves with the White Sox filling their vacancy, tweets Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com.
- Indians bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr. must be the favorite, among the candidates we know, to become next Red Sox manager, McAdam adds in a separate tweet.
- Alomar says he never heard from the White Sox about their opening and he's excited to be the Tribe's bench coach, tweets Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
- Similarly, the White Sox did not contact Francona, who was a minor league manager in their system in the early 1990s, a source tells Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. All of the 30 Major League teams currently have managers, as Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com notes, so there will have to be turnover for Francona to be a skipper in 2012. That is still possible, though, as the Cubs, Astros and Orioles could be in the market, pending front-office changes, and the Cardinals may have to commence a search if Tony La Russa retires or moves on after the postseason.
- The good news for the Red Sox, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.com, is that Rays bench coach Dave Martinez and Alomar are still available.
GM/Manager Notes: Cubs, Angels, Red Sox, Orioles
The Cubs and Angels officially have general manager vacancies and, depending on what Buck Showalter decides to do, the Orioles could be looking for a GM, too. Throw in the uncertainty surrounding Theo Epstein's future and many expiring contracts for managers and there’s the possibility for a lot of leadership changes in the next month or so. Here are the details from around MLB…
- Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts declined to address rumors that Red Sox GM Theo Epstein may be interested in coming to Chicago, writes Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.
- The Angels dismissed assistant GM Ken Forsch and special assistant Gary Sutherland, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times. They dismissed GM Tony Reagins on Friday.
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney hears that the Red Sox have had informal conversations about what they'll do if Epstein is no longer their GM (Twitter link).
- The Red Sox aren’t targeting Bobby Valentine or Joe Torre for their managerial opening, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. It appears that Epstein is considering two candidates without MLB managerial experience, according to Heyman.
- People who know Epstein tell Heyman that the GM doesn’t expect to work for the Red Sox for life. It’s possible that Red Sox ownership will add a couple years to Epstein’s contract (it expires after 2012) or change his title.
- Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts likes the Red Sox organization, not just Epstein, according to Scott Miller of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). That could mean the Cubs are interested in assistant GM Ben Cherington.
- The Red Sox would surely demand and obtain compensation if the Cubs hire Epstein, so Dave Cameron of FanGraphs wonders how much he is worth. Cameron isn't sure that spending big on recognizable executives makes sense, since there's a steady supply of qualified candidates who are available more cheaply.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says it's time for the Red Sox to extend Epstein and that it would be a mistake on their part to let him go.
- The Cubs' shortlist includes Cherington, White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn and Braves director of professional scouting John Coppolella, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.
- Connolly explains that he expects the Orioles to hire someone from outside of the organization with a background in scouting and/or player development if Showalter continues managing the team.
- Though GM John Mozeliak says he has a “very good” relationship with manager Tony La Russa, Heyman hears that some top Cardinals people don’t believe the skipper is worth his salary of $5MM or so.
- Despite rumors connecting him to the White Sox, La Russa says he’s not going to manage another team, according to Heyman.
- The Angels are meeting to start forming their list of GM candidates today and they seem likely to go outside of the organization for the position, Heyman writes.
- Don't forget to check out our list of GM Candidates.
How The NL Playoff Starters Were Acquired
Earlier this afternoon, we examined how the American League playoff teams assembled their postseason rotations. Now, let's hop over to the National League. Once again, in the event of series sweeps, postponements, or managerial changes of heart, this list could undergo some changes, but these are currently the probable starters for the NLDS.
Brewers
Yovani Gallardo: Selected in the 2004 draft (2nd round).
Zack Greinke: Acquired from the Royals in December 2010.
Shaun Marcum: Acquired from the Blue Jays in December 2010.
Randy Wolf: Signed for three years, $29.75MM in December 2009.
Last winter, the Brewers went all-in when they traded for Marcum and Greinke in the span of two weeks. So far, the decision has paid off, as the two former AL starters are lined up to pitch Games 2 and 3 of the Division Series against the Diamondbacks.
Diamondbacks
Ian Kennedy: Acquired from the Yankees in December 2009.
Daniel Hudson: Acquired from the White Sox in July 2010.
Josh Collmenter: Selected in the 2007 draft (15th round).
Joe Saunders: Acquired from the Angels in July 2010.
The D'Backs were practically in fire sale mode when they moved Dan Haren and Edwin Jackson last summer. Now, just one season later, two pitchers they acquired in those deals could start for the Snakes in the postseason. Interestingly, Arizona is the only NL playoff team whose rotation doesn't include a starter acquired from the Blue Jays.
Phillies
Roy Halladay: Acquired from the Blue Jays and extended for three years, $60MM in December 2009.
Cliff Lee: Signed for five years, $120MM in December 2010.
Cole Hamels: Selected in the 2002 draft (1st round, 17th overall).
Roy Oswalt: Acquired from Astros in July 2010.
The Phillies have made a handful of blockbuster moves over the last two years to ensure they have the starting pitching edge over the rest of the league heading into this postseason. But Hamels and fifth man Vance Worley (3.01 ERA in 131 2/3 IP) prove the Phils are skilled at developing their own starters too.
Cardinals
Kyle Lohse: Originally signed in March 2008. Extended for four years, $41MM in September 2008.
Chris Carpenter: Originally signed in December 2003. Extended for five years, $63MM in December 2006.
Jaime Garcia: Selected in the 2005 draft (22nd round).
Edwin Jackson: Acquired from the Blue Jays in July 2011.
When they traded Colby Rasmus for Jackson, Corey Patterson, and a pair of relievers this July, GM John Mozeliak and the Cardinals were widely panned, but it's hard to argue the move didn't help the team win the Wild Card race. Still, without Adam Wainwright, and unable to optimally line up their rotation, the Cards head into the NLDS as significant underdogs against the Phils' big four.
Cardinals Notes: Berkman, Mozeliak, Jackson
The Cardinals edged the Braves out for the National League Wild Card and are now preparing for their Division Series matchup against the Phillies. Here are some Cardinals-related links, as we await tomorrow's Kyle Lohse–Roy Halladay contest…
- Lance Berkman told Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he doesn't question his durability the way others do. The switch-hitting slugger adds that he feels great about his resurgent season and recent $12MM contract extension.
- Everyone wants to know how the Cardinals completed a seemingly impossible comeback and GM John Mozeliak tells Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch that the team succeeded because the starters pitched deeper into games and the bullpen became "more credible and more functional."
- Cardinals players told Strauss that they were impressed by the July trade that brought Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepczynski, Octavio Dotel, and Corey Patterson to St. Louis. Here's a complete recap of Mozeliak's in-season trades.
In-Season Trades By The 2011 Playoff Teams
It's hard to fake your way through 162 games, so most MLB playoff teams have earned the right to play in October. Once every few years, a team in a weak division slips into the playoffs with a mediocre record, but teams like the 2005 Padres and 2006 Cardinals are exceptions.
Now that this year's postseason lineup has been determined, we have the chance to look back at the trades the eight playoff teams made this year. Here's a summary of the in-season acquisitions that made an impact for one of MLB's 2011 playoff teams (linked team names go to our Transaction Tracker):
National League
- Phillies: Hunter Pence, John Bowker
- Cardinals: Rafael Furcal, Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepczynski, Octavio Dotel, Corey Patterson
- Diamondbacks: Jason Marquis, Brad Ziegler, John McDonald, Aaron Hill
- Brewers: Nyjer Morgan, Sergio Mitre, Francisco Rodriguez, Felipe Lopez, Jerry Hairston Jr.
American League
- Yankees: Sergio Mitre
- Rays: None
- Tigers: Wilson Betemit, Doug Fister, David Pauley, Delmon Young
- Rangers: Koji Uehara, Mike Adams, Mike Gonzalez, Matt Treanor
All four National League teams added valuable contributors in midsummer trades. The Rangers improved their bullpen with a pair of highly-coveted late-inning relievers and the Tigers acquired Doug Fister, who posted a 1.79 ERA with a 57K/5BB ratio in 70 1/3 innings down the stretch and is arguably the acquisition of the season.
After months of rumors about the Yankees' interest in starting pitching, GM Brian Cashman remained quiet on the trade front. The Wild Card Rays were also inactive despite constant rumors about B.J. Upton, James Shields, Johnny Damon and others. Tampa Bay's midseason acquisitions came from the minor leagues, where Desmond Jennings and Matt Moore began the season.
The Yankees and Rays are not averse to trading players – Cashman nearly acquired Cliff Lee last summer and Friedman makes major trades just about every year. Similarly, the Tigers and Brewers aren't this aggressive every year – they simply saw potential upgrades on the market. If there's a lesson here it's that the significance of the trade market varies wildly from year to year and from team to team.