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Quick Hits: Rangers, Price, Rodon, Cubs

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Nolan Ryan might be missing out on a really fun offseason.  Rival talent evaluators believe that the Rangers are going to be very aggressive this winter and pursue the likes of David Price, Masahiro Tanaka, and Brian McCann, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter).  Texas is eager to right the ship after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2009.  Here's more from around baseball..

  • The 2014 draft class has potential to be the best class since 2011, write John Manuel and Clint Longenecker of Baseball America.  Left-hander Carlos Rodon stands out as the top talent in the group while power pitcher Jeff Hoffman would be the No. 2 pick if the draft was today.
  • Top international prospects Eloy Jimenez and Gleyber Torres are pretty far along in their development considering that they're just 16, but they'll be working to adjust to the U.S. culturally, writes MLB.com's Carrie Muskat.  "They're not raw in their physical abilities, it's just being raw to the United States, how things are run," said Cubs Minor League hitting coordinator Anthony Iapoce. "As far as the way they play the game, they're pretty advanced for 16 years old. They're not raw as far as their tools. Their tools are in place."
  • Pirates first baseman Justin Morneau will look to sign with a winner this offseason, writes Sid Hartman of the Star-Tribune.  Because of that, a return to the Twins seems highly unlikely, unless he finds an extremely weak market for his services.

Manager Notes: Renteria, Martinez, Mattingly, Manuel

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Here's the latest on two National League managerial situations, and one more that has already been resolved …

  • The Cubs are becoming increasingly active in vetting candidates to take over the managing duties at Wrigley Field. First up for an interview were Manny Acta and A.J. Hinch, says MLB.com's Cash Kruth.
  • Next in line to talk with president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer is Rick Renteria, whose interview was set to take place today Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune tweeted. The Padres bench coach managed the Mexican entry in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the club is working hard on its due diligence on Renteria, while USA Today's Bob Nightengale opines via Twitter that he is as likely as anyone to get tapped, and may even be a close favorite. 
  • Also in line for an in-person chat is longtime Rays bench coach Dave Martinez. The longtime big leaguer never stayed in one place for too long during his playing career, but tells Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link) that he "love[s] Chicago" and is very excited for the opportunity. 
  • The winds can shift quickly in baseball. After dropping two straight to the Cards, Dodgers players are privately griping about Don Mattingly's shortcomings as a skipper, reports USA Today's Bob Nightengale. The club will nevertheless retain and extend him, says Nightengale, with the possibility of a dismissal waning after making it out of the divisional round. Don't expect Los Angeles to hand him a four-year deal, however, Nightengale notes. 
  • Unless that bit of news came from Dodgers president Stan Kasten, says Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times, it may not mean anything. Dilbeck criticizes Kasten for having left Mattingly dangling all year without any public discussion of whether he would return, in spite of the fact that the organization has an option on him for next year. Unfortunately, says Dilbeck, that has allowed speculation and intrigue to blossom right at the point at which it is most harmful.
  • Fired Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel is still trying to decide whether to accept an offer from his former club to do a combination of PR work, player development, and advising of GM Ruben Amaro Jr. He talked about his decision on MLB Network Radio with hosts Brad Lidge (his former closer) and Jeff Joyce. (Audio link.) Manuel said that he wants to stay in baseball, and particularly emphasized that he "still want[s] to manage."

AL Notes: A-Rod, Girardi, Starling, Red Sox

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In addition to hurling six no-hit innings in Game 1 of the ALCS, Anibal Sanchez made history with his performance that night. As MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm points out, Sanchez became the first pitcher to record four strikeouts in one inning of a postseason game since Cubs right-hander Orval Overall in 1908. Here's more from the American League as the Tigers and Red Sox prepare to square off for Game 2 of the League Championship Series tonight…

  • In an appearance on ESPN Radio's Ian Connor Show, Yankees GM Brian Cashman shot down the theory that he'd rather have the roughly $25MM that a suspension for Alex Rodriguez would net the team than have A-Rod take the field next season. Said Cashman: "It's not like, all right, we'll take that money and go in this direction. I think … our fan base saw when we lost significant players at various positions, it was not easy to plug holes because the talent just doesn't exist."
  • In that same appearance, Cashman admitted that he thought the Cubs had a real chance to steal manager Joe Girardi from the Yankees before the skipper signed a new four-year deal last week. He also said he has no gut feeling as to whether or not the team can retain Robinson Cano to this point.
  • Royals assistant general manager J.J. Piccolo told Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star that the team is pleased with the progress that former first-round pick Bubba Starling is making, even if it's slower than many fans hoped. Piccolo added that those who point to Mike Trout and Bryce Harper already being in the Majors at 21 and feeling disappointment that Starling is just at Class-A aren't being realistic. Those comparisons aren't fair to Starling or to other first-round picks, said Piccolo, as Trout and Harper are generational talents in his mind.
  • Newsday's David Lennon cautions that while Red Sox GM Ben Cherington deserves praise for the team's turnaround, there was more to Cherington's model than just adding a slew of middle-tier free agents. While many teams are hoping to emulate that model this offseason, the Red Sox were already well-positioned for the rebound with Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury in place.

Quick Hits: Cubs, Piniella, Orioles, Beltran, Scherzer

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Cubs prospect Albert Almora declared 12 years ago his intention to become a major league star, Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune writes. "I'm a quiet kid, just go out and do what I have to do. I like to just shut up and not say anything, let my game do the talking. It has worked so far," Almora says. The Cubs took the outfielder sixth overall in last year's draft, and though Almora missed time this year with injuries, he's six for 10 with five runs and six RBIs in two Arizona Fall League games. On to more Saturday night links…

  • Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune spoke with former Stanford assistant coach Dean Stotz about A.J. Hinch, whom the Cubs are reportedly considering for their open manager position. While Hinch struggled during his previous tenure as manager of the Diamondbacks, Stotz, who coached Hinch in college at Stanford, praised his scouting and player development acumen and predicted that the next team that hires him "will be pleased."
  • The Mariners' purported interest in Lou Piniella for their manager vacancy was overblown, Ryan Divish of The News Tribune reports. A team source tells Divish that there was no "full-court press" to bring Piniella back.
  • Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun has more on Manny Machado's upcoming knee surgery, reporting that the Orioles initially hoped to rehab the tear to the third baseman's medial patellofemoral ligament but decided that doing so could result in a higher chance of an injury in the future. “The surgery is universally very successful in returning players back to play, including baseball players," Daryl Osbahr, the director of sports medicine research at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, commented.
  • The time may be right for Cal Ripken Jr. to accept a managing job outside of Baltimore, Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun writes. Buck Showalter has a long-term deal in place as the Orioles' manager, providing cover from fan backlash for both the team and Ripken if the O's legend decides to manage another club. Ripken has been connected to the Nationals in recent days.
  • Mutual need for outfield production may lead to a bidding war between the Mets and the Phillies for Carlos Beltran, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News says. The Mets have money to spend and will look to improve upon an outfield that posted the worst OPS in the NL, while the Phillies may target Beltran, a switch hitter, for their lefty-heavy lineup, Murphy says.
  • Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III discussed his team's success and the support it receives from St. Louis in an interview with MLB.com
  • The Tigers may have to decide between keeping Max Scherzer for one more year or signing Miguel Cabrera to a new extension, according to Jeff Seidel of the Detroit Free Press. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz has projected that Scherzer will make $13.6MM this offseason in his final year of arbitration. Recent reports suggest that the Tigers will consider trading Scherzer in the offseason.

NL Central Notes: Beltran, Cubs, O’Neill, Riggleman

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The NLCS is a matchup between different organizational strengths and philosophies, says Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: the aggressive spending of the Dodgers versus the eagle-eye drafting and development of the Cardinals. That series kicked off last night in spectacular fashion, with the Cards achieving an extra-inning victory due in large part to the efforts of Carlos Beltran — himself a free agent acquisition, not a homegrown talent. Of course, the club held the Dodgers offense at bay with impressive bullpen efforts from several players that came up through the St. Louis system. Elsewhere in the NL Central: 

  • Look for the Cubs' managerial search to pick up pace shortly, says Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. With the Chicago brain trust wrapping up a tour of the club's top prospects, they will begin looking more carefully at potential targets like A.J. Hinch, Manny Acta, and Rick Renteria.
  • Meanwhile, team chairman Tom Ricketts penned a letter to the team's season ticket holders, as MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports. Calling last year a "challenging" season and expressing that the decision to can manager Dale Sveum was a hard one, he emphasized that the team's spending on young talent and commitment to player development has created a bright future. 
  • The Reds, likewise, have a managerial search to conduct, and former Cinci ballplayer Paul O'Neill has thrown his name in the hat, he confirmed yesterday on the Dan Patrick Show. CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman finds him to be an interesting option for the Redlegs.
  • Perhaps a likelier candidate is well-travelled former big league skipper Jim Riggleman, with Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com reporting (via Twitter) that many in the industry think that the current Louisville Bats manager could get a call-up. On the other hand, tweets John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, it could be hard to sell a Riggleman hiring to fans. In twelve years in charge, he has mustered just one 90-win campaign, Fay notes. And, of course, he left his last job with the Nationals in mid-season on controversial terms.

Cubs Outright McDonald, Dolis, Four Others

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The Cubs announced that outfielder Darnell McDonald, catcher J.C. Boscan, and right-hander Trey McNutt have cleared waivers and were outrighted off of the 40-man roster.  In addition, the Cubs activated right-handers Rafael Dolis and Zach Putnam and outfielder Thomas Neal off of the 60-day disabled list and subsequently outrighted them from the 40-man.

McDonald, 35 in November, slashed .302/.351/.434 in 57 plate appearances for the Cubs this season but spent the bulk of the year in Triple-A Iowa, where he hit .236/.307/.346.  Dolis made 34 relief appearances for the Cubs in 2012, but pitched to a 6.39 ERA with 5.7 K/9 and 5.4 BB/9 and saw just five games this season before a June injury.  McNutt, 24, was rated by Baseball America as the 48th best prospect in the country prior to the 2011 season.  The well-traveled Neal was claimed on August 5th and played in two games before suffering a separated right shoulder. 

With the moves, the Cubs’ 40-man roster currently stands at 37 players.

Cubs Sign Ryan Sweeney To Two-Year Deal

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The Cubs have signed outfielder Ryan Sweeney to a two-year, $3.5MM contract, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Sweeney will earn $1.5MM in 2014 and again in 2015. The Cubs hold a $2.5MM option on Sweeney for the 2016 season that contains a $500K buyout, according to Nightengale (Twitter links). Sweeney is a client of Reynolds Sports Management.

Sweeney, who is set to turn 29 in February, enjoyed a solid season in limited action for the Cubs in 2013, batting .266/.324/.448 with six homers in 212 plate appearances. He missed nearly 60 games due to a broken rib that he suffered when colliding with the outfield wall to make a catch. Sweeney carries a strong defensive reputation, particularly in right field, but UZR likes him as an above-average defender in center field as well.

In parts of eight Major League seasons between the White Sox, A's, Red Sox and Cubs, Sweeney is a .278/.336/.385 hitter. The lefty swinger is particularly effective against right-handed pitchers, slashing .289/.344/.406 in 1674 career plate appearances against opposite-handed hurlers.

Sweeney would have been eligible for free agency this offseason, but instead elected to take a guaranteed deal from the Cubs before testing the market. Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune quotes Sweeney (Twitter link): "I'm glad to be back and have this taken care of soon.''

The guaranteed deal has to be particularly satisfying for Sweeney, who took a rocky path to the Cubs. Acquired by the Red Sox from the A's in the Andrew Bailey–Josh Reddick trade, Sweeney was non-tendered following his first season in Boston. He re-signed on a minor league deal with the Red Sox but found himself released at the end of Spring Training, at which point he signed another minor league deal with the Cubs.

NL Central Notes: Arroyo, Cubs, Reds

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The Pirates and Cardinals are the talk of the NL Central right now, and deservedly so as the division rivals head into Game 5 of the NLDS. While all eyes will be on Gerrit Cole and Adam Wainwright tomorrow, here's a look around the rest of the division…

  • Bronson Arroyo tells MLB.com's Mark Sheldon that he "hasn't heard a word" from the Reds, and he's being realistic and assuming that he won't return in 2014. Arroyo doesn't get the sense that he'll receive a qualifying offer, and he says he understands the business reasons for parting ways with Tony Cingrani able to fill his rotation spot for the league minimum: "It’s a question of whether they want a $28 million rotation or a $42 million rotation. They have Cingrani and probably don’t want to push the envelope money-wise." Presumably, the $14MM gap referenced by Arroyo is in regards to the expected $14MM value of a one-year, qualifying offer.
  • Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago reports that Cubs brass and Manny Acta had a seven-hour meeting yesterday. Acta is appealing to the team because the Cubs would like a Latin American presence in their managerial opening or on the coaching staff, or both (Twitter links).
  • The Reds haven't contacted Cubs third base coach David Bell about their managerial vacancy, reports John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Bell has previously managed the Reds' Triple-A affiliate in Louisville and "would be a lock to be interested" if contacted, writes Fay, but the Reds aren't able to reach out at this time, as he's under contract with the Cubs for 2014.

Quick Hits: Magic, Girardi, Pirates, Bailey

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Magic Johnson's candor about the Dodgers likely not pursuing Robinson Cano this offseason has led Major League Baseball to look into Johnson's comments, ESPN's Buster Olney reports.  Officials on other teams aren't allowed to publicly discuss players who haven't officially become free agents yet, especially in cases where a player's market value could be affected.  General managers around the league told Olney that "their comments were watched more closely over the last year than in any time in recent memory," so Johnson could face some type of penalty for his remarks.

Here are some news items as we end another exciting day of four playoff games…

  • Joe Girardi "apparently remains torn" if he's going to accept the Yankees' extension offer or explore other manager jobs, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.  The Yankees "have made it clear" that they could pull back their offer if Girardi talks to other clubs, something he's not allowed to do until the end of the month since the Yankees aren't granting other teams permission to negotiate with their manager.  One such team, the Cubs, expect to learn by tomorrow if Girardi is staying in New York, a source tells Wittenmyer.
  • The Pirates want to keep Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez over the long term, team president Frank Coonelly tells MLB.com's Tom Singer.  Coonelly also discusses the Francisco Liriano signing, the farm system and other topics during the interview.
  • "It wouldn't be shocking" if the Reds traded Homer Bailey to create some payroll space, MLB.com's Mark Sheldon opines.  Bailey earned $5.3MM last season and MLBTR's Matt Swartz projects that he could earn $9.3MM in arbitration.  Though Bailey has been one of the Reds' best pitchers over the last two years, he "has shown little interest in signing" a multiyear deal with the team, Sheldon writes, so the Reds could move him now before possibly losing him in free agency after next season.
  • Major League Baseball has filed a motion requesting that Alex Rodriguez's lawsuit against the league be moved to a federal court, and if the move is granted, MLB will likely file a motion to dismiss the suit, Newsday's Steven Marcus reports.
  • The Indians have a number of things to do before Opening Day 2014, writes Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  Hoynes' list includes adding an impact bat, adding at least one quality starter, bolstering the relief corps and locking up Justin Masterson to a long-term deal.
  • It once seemed unusual, but now its the norm for playoff teams to turn to inexperienced pre-arbitration eligible players, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca writes.  Among the 24 pre-arb hurlers in this year's postseason are Michael Wacha, Jarrod Parker and Alex Cobb, all of whom started today for their respective teams.

MLBTR's Zach Links contributed to this post

Indians Notes: Payroll, Jimenez, Giambi, Perez

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Indians GM Chris Antonetti and manager Terry Francona had an end-of-the-year roundup session with the media, including Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.  Here are some of the hot stove-related items…

  • It isn't yet clear if next season's Tribe payroll will be greater or lower than 2013's $80.6MM number, though Antonetti isn't worried.  "That's information that we'll get a little later in the offseason when we find out exactly what our payroll will be," Antonetti said. "But that's not the defining thing for us. It's how we build a the best team and I'm confident we'll have the resources we need to build a contending team again next year."
  • Pitching seems to be the top priority for the club this winter.  When asked if the Indians would go after a middle-of-the-order hitter, Francona said, “It depends on how much pitching we have.”
  • Ubaldo Jimenez hasn't made a decision about voiding the $8MM option the club has on his services for next season, Antonetti said.  Unsurprisingly, Antonetti said the Tribe would be happy to have Jimenez back in 2014.  MLBTR's Steve Adams wrote a Free Agent Profile on Jimenez last month.
  • Both men want Jason Giambi to return to the Indians next season, either as a player, coach or possibly both.  Giambi has said he wishes to keep playing, so it seems likely the two sides will work something out.
  • The Indians will look at Chris Perez's whole career with the team as "the lens" for his arbitration case, Antonetti said, rather than Perez's poor end to the 2013 season.  Perez earned $7.3MM last season and will get a raise through the arbitration process, so there have been rumors that the Tribe will look to deal or even non-tender the right-hander.
  • Sandy Alomar Jr. will take over as first base coach from Mike Sarbaugh next season, a move that Francona stressed was not a demotion from Alomar's previous job as bench coach.  Brad Mills (Francona's long-time bench coach with the Red Sox) will take over as Cleveland's bench coach, while Sarbaugh completes the shuffle by becoming the new third base coach.
  • Antonetti didn't comment on whether or not the Cubs have asked for permission to interview first base coach Sandy Alomar for their vacant managerial position.  Alomar was a candidate for the Cubs job in 2011 before they hired Dale Sveum, and he's been linked to their current vacancy.
  • Lonnie Chisenhall is still the incumbent third baseman, though Bastian suspects the club will look to improve themselves at the hot corner this winter.
  • The Indians made the playoffs despite subpar seasons from Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher, their two big free agent signings from last offseason.  Francona and Antonetti felt that the two players may have been pressing in a new environment, plus Swisher was affected by a shoulder injury and Bourn was adjusting to the American League.
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