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Epstein On Zambrano, Managerial Search, Hale

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Earlier today, Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein had lunch with embattled pitcher Carlos Zambrano to discuss his future.  Here are Epstein's comments on the meeting and more..

  • Epstein said that Zambrano has a chance to "earn his way back' to being a Cub, tweets Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer. 
  • Epstein also hopes to make progress on naming a manager this week and will have "follow-ups" with candidates, Hoynes tweets.
  • The Cubs conducted a phone interview with DeMarlo Hale for the managerial job, tweets Bruce Miles of The Daily Herald.  Epstein said that they know the Red Sox bench coach well enough that a face-to-face meeting wasn't necessary.
  • Epstein hopes that the Red Sox and Cubs can make headway on their compensation talks now that they're in the same building, according to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com (via Twitter).
  • In other Cubs news, scouting director Jason McLeod is headed to the Dominican Republic this week to see several players, including outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, Muskat tweets.

Kinzer On Ramirez, Capps, Lindsay

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Agent Paul Kinzer confirmed to reporters today that Aramis Ramirez won’t re-sign with the Cubs. Here are the details plus more notes from the exchange (all links go to Twitter):

NL Central Notes: Cordero, Cubs, Pirates

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The Astros are likely to leave the NL Central after the 2012 season. Here's the latest on some teams that are staying in the division…

  • Seven or eight teams, including the Reds, have inquired on free agent closer Francisco Cordero, agent Bean Stringfellow told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. Cordero is interested in returning to the Reds on a multiyear deal.
  • The Cubs announced that Shiraz Rehman joined their front office as an assistant to GM Jed Hoyer. The 34-year-old spent six seasons with the Diamondbacks after interning with Hoyer, Theo Epstein and the Red Sox in 2005. He'll provide Hoyer with scouting and statistical information for possible acquisitions and coordinate the Cubs' technological efforts.
  • Compensation talks between the Cubs and Red Sox for Theo Epstein are progressing amicably, Epstein told Alex Speier of WEEI.com. “I know I’m right, because I know my own faults better than Ben does," Epstein said. "I know my limitations. I’m just not worth that much. But I’m sure it will work out, one way or the other, in a way that satisfies all the parties involved."
  • The Cubs will conduct a second round of managerial interviews, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux, Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum, Indians bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr. and Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin are the candidates for the position.
  • The Pirates checked in on Josh Willingham and Kevin Kouzmanoff, according to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com. Pittsburgh has Pedro Alvarez at third and Alex Presley in the outfield, but the team appears to be considering depth options at those positions.
  • Pirates GM Neal Huntington jokes that he has tried to forget the 2008 trade that sent Jason Bay to Boston, according to Speier. The Pirates obtained Brandon Moss, Craig Hansen, Andy LaRoche and Bryan Morris in a deal that Huntington considers his worst trade ever.
  • Rod Barajas told reporters, including Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that he had offers from other teams before signing with the Pirates. He'll be the primary catcher in Pittsburgh, which figured in to his decision.

Quick Hits: Lee, Cespedes, Indians, Cards, Dodgers

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On this date last year, the Red Sox and Marlins swapped Dustin Richardson for Andrew Miller, a deal that didn't really work out for either side. Here are some notes from around the league…

  • Sosnick Cobbe Sports will represent Korean left-handed pitcher Seung-ho Lee according to the agency's Twitter feed. The 30-year-old is a free agent and looking to join a team in MLB.
  • MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports that the Cubs will hold a private workout session for 26-year-old Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes at some point soon.
  • "We're looking to improve the position player side of the roster," said Indians GM Chris Antonetti to Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. The team's payroll will jump from $49MM to about $70MM, with much of that going towards arbitration raises.
  • Cardinals GM John Mozeliak told Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the team is projecting Daniel Descalso as their Opening Day second baseman (Twitter link). He added that he "wouldn't mind" a double play combination of Descalso and Tyler Greene.
  • Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times reports that Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to let him negotiate a sale of the team's television rights, which will increase the sale price of the club. FOX Sports, which holds the clubs television rights, is trying to prevent the move.

Managerial Notes: Red Sox, Lamont, Cubs, Cardinals

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The Cubs, Cardinals, and Red Sox still have managerial vacancies to fill, and each club seems to have narrowed its search to a few finalists. Here are the latest links:

  • SI.com's Jon Heyman reports (on Twitter) that the Cardinals are very high on Matheny, and the race appears to be down to him and Terry Francona.
  • The Red Sox could conduct follow-up interviews with their managerial candidates at the GM meetings in Milwaukee next week, tweets Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.
  • The Sox met with Gene Lamont today, concluding their first round of interviews, as Lauber writes. GM Ben Cherington said of his interviewees: "All five of those guys, I can envision hiring to manage the Red Sox. We’ve got to pick one."
  • Tim Britton of the Providence Journal explains how Lamont's past experience is unique among the five Red Sox candidates.
  • Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe examines the finalists for the Red Sox and Cubs managerial openings, and predicts the jobs will go to Dale Sveum and Mike Maddux, respectively. Abraham also writes that Cherington has started to compile a list of pitching coach candidates, but will work with the new manager when deciding who to hire.
  • Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch breaks down the pros and cons of the Cardinals' candidates, concluding that Mike Matheny looks like the favorite.

Relievers Notes: Wood, Madson, Papelbon

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Jonathan Papelbon became the first major free agent to change teams yesterday, agreeing to a four-year contract worth $50MM with the Phillies. Reactions to the contract were generally mixed, though almost everyone agreed that the size of the deal was staggering. Let's round up the latest from the relief pitcher market…

  • Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune reports that Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein has had preliminary talks with Kerry Wood, who is expected to return next season. The 34-year-old righty pitched to a 3.35 ERA in 51 IP after returning to Chicago's north side on a below-market one-year, $1.5MM contract last winter.
  • Despite reports of a four-year, $44MM offer, MASN's Jen Royle hears from a source that the Phillies only offered Ryan Madson a three-year contract. They were unwilling to give him the extra year he wanted (Twitter link).
  • The Red Sox, meanwhile, were not willing to give Papelbon a guaranteed fourth year according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
  • MLB.com's Peter Gammons reports (on Twitter) that the Red Sox offered Papelbon to the Braves in exchange for Javier Vazquez two offseasons ago. Atlanta rejected the offer, then traded Vazquez to the Yankees shortly thereafter.
  • Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports wrote about how the rest of the closers' market is shaping up and the impact of Papelbon's contract. Here is our look at the trade and free agent markets for right-handed relievers.

Managerial Notes: Cardinals, Cubs, Red Sox

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Here's the latest on the search to fill the dugouts in St. Louis, Chicago and Boston….

  • Cards GM John Mozeliak tells Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he expects the Cardinals' new manager to be one of the team's six finalists for the job: Terry Francona, Chris Maloney, Mike Matheny, Joe McEwing, Jose Oquendo and Ryne Sandberg.
  • Cubs GM Jed Hoyer told reporters, including MLB.com's Carrie Muskat, that the team will "probably" not conduct any more interviews of managerial candidates.  "I wouldn’t rule out an additional candidate but it’s not a certainty," Hoyer said.  The Cubs have thus far spoken to Sandy Alomar Jr., Pete Mackanin, Mike Maddux and Dale Sveum.
  • The Cubs have no timetable for hiring their new manager.  "We want to make the right decision, not the quick decision," Hoyer said. 
  • The Red Sox have no plans to bring in any other interview candidates, tweets Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston.  The Sox also haven't asked other teams for "formal permission" to interview any currently-employed candidates.  Blue Jays first base coach Torey Lovullo interviewed today and Tigers third base coach Gene Lamont will interview tomorrow, seemingly limiting the field to those two plus Alomar, Sveum and Mackanin.

Epstein, Zambrano Touch Base

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Carlos Zambrano is in no hurry to part ways with the Cubs, and by the pitcher's account the feeling is mutual. Zambrano told Carlos Alberto Zambrano at the Venezuelan newspaper Lider en Deportes (link in Spanish) that he received a "friendly" call from new team president Theo Epstein on Tuesday, the first contact between the two. According to Zambrano, the conversation started with introductions and ended with Epstein promising to call him at a later date to set up a personal meeting stateside.

"We talked for a while. Now I'm waiting for him to tell me when we'll meet," Zambrano said. "It might be after the winter meetings that the GMs have, which is in Milwaukee this year."

Zambrano had a rough start to his winter league sojourn last week, lasting only 2 2/3 innings for the reigning league champion Anzoátegui Caribes. And while the 30-year-old sounded eager to build a positive relationship with the new Cubs brass, he is not planning to step away from his duties in Venezuela to do so. 

"When I go to talk to the GM it will be a short trip. For example, supposing that I pitch on a Saturday, I'd leave that same night. We'd talk Sunday or Monday, and by Tuesday, I'd be on my way back to Venezuela. I'm not going for a week or even five days. It'll be quick-to meet each other. Talk in person. That's very important. I'd like to build a relationship from scratch with the new GM. Erase everything and start over."

The Marlins and Royals have been connected to Zambrano so far this offseason, but Royals GM Dayton Moore insisted on Monday that the team's interest was mostly theoretical.

Chicago Notes: Sox’s Payroll, Buehrle, Cubs’ Manager

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A few odds and ends from the Windy City as Thursday winds down …

  • White Sox GM Ken Williams said today that the South Siders' 2012 payroll would be "a little bit less" than 2011's $127MM figure, writes Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. 
  • Williams also added that he has had dialogue with free agent starter Mark Buehrle but didn't offer much in regards to whether the lefty might re-sign with the only team for which he's pitched: "All we can do is wait until we get to the winter meetings and then have a better idea of where we sit and where he sits and see if there’s a match,” Williams said.
  • Cubs president Theo Epstein said the North Siders are in the "sixth inning" of their search for a new manager, according to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com. So far, Pete Mackanin, Dale Sveum and Mike Maddux have interviewed for the position, and Sandy Alomar Jr. is slated to interview on Friday.
  • Former Red Sox manager Terry Francona badly wants to manage the Cubs, a source very close to Francona tells Dave van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune. Epstein has said that Francona probably wouldn't have to go through a formal interview if the Cubs wanted to award him the job, but right now it is unknown whether Francona is being seriously considered for the position.

NL Central Notes: Cubs, Marte, Brewers

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On this date in 2004, 42-year-old Roger Clemens won his seventh and final Cy Young Award. The Astros right-hander became the oldest pitcher to win the award and the first to win it with four different teams. Here are some links from Houston's division…

  • Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux told reporters, including MLB.com's Carrie Muskat, that he likes Chicago and is honored to be considered for the Cubs' managerial opening. As for Chicago executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer, Maddux says they're young and bright like Jon Daniels and others in the Rangers' front office. "Highly educated, very motivated, but very true and very honest and that's about all you can really ask for," Maddux said.
  • If the Pirates decide to address needs at first, catcher and shortstop via trade, Starling Marte's name could come up, according to MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch. 
  • At this stage in the offseason, "everybody has interest in everybody," Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Until teams and agents start exchanging figures, it's hard to say which players fit in which payrolls. Jose Reyes is a possible fit for the Brewers, who declined their club option on Yuniesky Betancourt last week.
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