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Red Sox, Francona, Epstein Links: Saturday

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The Red Sox and manager Terry Francona parted ways following Boston's September collapse yesterday, ending an eight-year run together. Soon after, we learned that White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper was pushing for Francona (after Ozzie Guillen's departure), and that the Red Sox will conduct a thorough search for their next skipper. Let's keep track of the latest regarding the Sox, Francona, and GM Theo Epstein right here throughout the day, with the latest up top…

  • Epstein is interested in becoming the Cubs GM, tweets Peter Gammons, and it remains to be seen whether Red Sox owner John Henry can perhaps convince Esptein to stay in Boston as co-CEO and promote assistant GM Ben Cherington. Ben Nicholson-Smith recently interviewed Cherington as part of MLBTR's GM Candidates series, so be sure to check that out to learn more about him. 
  • After speaking to a few people familiar with the Nationals' thinking, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post doesn't think the Nats will pursue Francona.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link) has spoken to many executives over the last two days who believe Epstein will be granted permission to interview for the Cubs' GM opening, and that he'll end up in Chicago. No one in the Red Sox organization has given a definitive "no" when discussing Epstein to the Cubs, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe notes.
  • The White Sox continue to focus on their original short list for managerial candidates, even with Francona now available, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • Mike Salk of 710 ESPN Seattle hears that the Red Sox have interest in Mariners manager Eric Wedge, but there is no indication that the Mariners would be willing to let him go (Twitter link).
  • Bobby Valentine has support in at least "one important corner" of the Red Sox front office according to ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter), and he will presumably be brought in for an interview.
  • In another tweet, Olney reminds us that Epstein is the x-factor because he may not be with the team next month as the Cubs GM job continues to loom.
  • WEEI.com's Alex Speier looked at everything we learned from the Francona situation and the fallout of Boston's collapse in a must-read piece for Red Sox fans.
  • The Boston Globe listed five potential candidates for the Sox's now vacant managerial job.

White Sox Targeting Dave Martinez For Manager

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The White Sox acquired one Martinez (Osvaldo) this week as compensation when the Marlins hired manager Ozzie Guillen. Now they're eyeing another one to replace Ozzie on the bench. According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, Rays bench coach Dave Martinez is at the top of Chicago's managerial wish list.

The White Sox also like Yankees bench coach Tony Pena for the job, Rosenthal continues. However, Martinez is the team's number one choice at the moment. Martinez's Rays and Pena's Yankees are both still alive in the playoffs, so the Sox wouldn't be able to approach either coach yet.

Rosenthal hears from another source that Terry Francona's availability hasn't affected Chicago's search, and that the Sox remain focused on their original list of candidates. For more of today's rumors on Francona and the Red Sox, click here.

22 Triple-A Players Elect Free Agency

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A total of 22 players that finished the year in Triple-A elected free agency after the end of the regular season according to the transaction pages of the Pacific Coast and International Leagues. All but one of those 22 players (Matt Carson, formerly of the Rays) played in the big leagues this season. Here's the full list:

Dusty Brown (Pirates), Travis Buck (Indians), Armando Galarraga (D'Backs), Jay Gibbons (Dodgers), Edgar Gonzalez (Rockies), Steve Holm (Twins), Wil Ledezma (Blue Jays), Andy LaRoche (Athletics), Felipe Lopez (Brewers), Lastings Milledge (White Sox), Pat Misch (Mets), Pat Neshek (Padres), Mike O'Connor (Mets), Matt Palmer (Angels), Felix Pie (Orioles), Brad Snyder (Cubs), Brett Tomko (Rangers), Wyatt Toregas (Pirates), P.J. Walters (Blue Jays), Randy Williams (Red Sox), and Reggie Willits (Angels).

The Latest On Terry Francona

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As we learned last night and early this morning, the Red Sox and long-time manager Terry Francona are parting ways. Let's round up the latest on both the man and the team…

  • White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper is pushing for Francona, reports Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Cooper recently received a contract extension despite Ozzie Guillen's departure.
  • "I'm not sure how much support there was from ownership, and I don't know that I felt real comfortable," said Francona during his press conference according to Mike Silverman of The Boston Herald (Twitter link). 
  • GM Theo Epstein acknowledged that he, John Henry, Tom Werner, Larry Lucchino and Ben Cherington met with Francona today to discuss the 2011 season. "We all plan on taking some time to process the thoughts expressed in the meeting," Epstein said in a statement. "There are no immediate plans for an announcement.”
  • Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal says that Francona and owners John Henry and Tom Werner all left Fenway Park after a 10am ET meeting this morning without making a comment. The meeting was held to discuss the team's future, and no official announcement has been made about Francona.
  • Mike Lynch of WCTB TV in Boston reports that Red Sox GM Theo Epstein told management that Francona wasn't working out six weeks ago because of a "lack of urgency." Francona was voted out 3-0 a few weeks later.
  • Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe says this is a truly mutual split, however (Twitter link). Francona would have been willing to stay on if some issues were worked out.
  • There's a non-zero chance that Francona lands with the White Sox, but Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter) that they won't pay big money for a manager unless it's Tony LaRussa.
  • In another tweet, Knobler says that an Epstein-Francona package seemed possible for the Cubs at one point, but he doesn't think it's likely now.
  • Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun doesn't see Francona managing the Orioles next year for several reasons.

White Sox, Sergio Santos Agree To Multiyear Deal

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Three years ago, Sergio Santos was a shortstop prospect going nowhere. Now an integral part of Chicago’s bullpen, the right-hander has agreed to sign a three-year, $8.25MM deal with the White Sox, according to the team. The contract includes three guaranteed years (2012-14) and three option years for the White Sox (2015-17).

Santos, a 2002 first round pick, emerged as Chicago's closer this year. He saved 30 games and posted a 3.55 ERA with 13.1 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 63 1/3 innings. Since he didn't start pitching professionally until he joined the White Sox organization in 2009, they're intimately familiar with his arm history.

Santos obtains $1MM in 2012, $2.75MM in 2013 and $3.75MM in 2014. The White Sox have a $6MM option for 2015, an $8MM option for 2016 and an $8.75MM option for 2017 (they will have to pay $750K to decline any of the option years). The guaranteed portion of the deal buys out one pre-arbitration season and two arbitration seasons.

The deal, which appears to be modeled on the one Joakim Soria signed with the Royals in 2008, includes club options for two of Santos' free agent years. The White Sox also limit Santos' arbitration earning power by locking him up now. Yet it's not hard to see why Santos, a converted shortstop who didn't have a job after the Twins released him three offseasons ago, accepted the offer. The Paragon Sports International client gets security in the deal instead of going year to year through the arbitration process.

White Sox To Acquire Martinez, Marinez For Guillen

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THURSDAY, 1:15pm: The White Sox announced that they assigned the contract of right-hander Ricardo Andres to the Marlins to complete the deal. Andres appeared in 12 games at Rookie Ball this year in his first professional season. The 20-year-old posted a 6.32 ERA in 15 2/3 innings, striking out 11.

TUESDAY, 1:36pm: The White Sox will also acquire reliever Jhan Marinez, tweets Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.  Marinez, 23, posted a 3.57 ERA, 11.5 K/9, 6.5 BB/9, and 1.1 HR/9 in 58 Double-A relief innings this year.  Prior to the season, Baseball America ranked Marinez fourth among Marlins prospects, citing a "combination of great stuff and immaturity."  Marinez has a closer repertoire, wrote BA.

10:21am: The White Sox are expected to acquire infielder Osvaldo Martinez and a minor league pitcher from the Marlins for manager Ozzie Guillen, tweets MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez.  Guillen was released from his contract by the White Sox yesterday, with the Sox retaining compensation rights if he manages another team in 2012.

Martinez, a 23-year-old shortstop, hit .245/.296/.322 in 371 Triple-A plate appearances this year.  Prior to the season, Baseball America ranked him fifth among Marlins prospects, saying he profiles as a "solid No. 2 hitter" with a strong arm, good instincts, and soft hands at shortstop.  At that time, BA saw a future as a versatile but quality utilityman the worst-case scenario for Martinez.

The last player-manager trade in baseball took place nine years ago, when the Devil Rays traded outfielder Randy Winn to the Mariners for Antonio Perez as well as the right to negotiate with manager Lou Piniella.

AL Central Notes: Cuddyer, Indians, White Sox

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The Twins finish the season with 99 losses, their most since 1982, and will officially select second in next year’s draft. Here's a sampling of links from the AL Central on the night that Minnesota avoided loss #100:

  • Twins manager Ron Gardenhire told Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com that he'd like to have free agents Michael Cuddyer and Joe Nathan back in 2012 (Twitter links). MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes examined Cuddyer's free agent stock earlier in the month.
  • The Indians announced that Sandy Alomar Jr. will become the club's bench coach in 2012. Tim Tolman, who was Manny Acta's bench coach this year, will transition into another role because of health reasons.
  • White Sox GM Kenny Williams told Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times that he "absolutely" has a preferred candidate to succeed Ozzie Guillen as manager. Alomar Jr., Rays bench coach Dave Martinez and even Red Sox manager Terry Francona are candidates for the job, according to Van Schouwen.
  • The White Sox wanted Logan Morrison from the Marlins for Guillen, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. Chicago relented because the Marlins were prepared to offer Bobby Valentine the job if they didn't get Guillen (Twitter link).

White Sox Notes: Williams, Cooper, Alomar, Bell

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GM Kenny Williams told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune that he offered to move out of his current role until chairman Jerry Reinsdorf encouraged him to continue running the team (Twitter link). Here's the latest on the White Sox, who obtained two prospects for former manager Ozzie Guillen and are now looking for a permanent replacement…

  • Don Cooper, the pitching coach and interim manager, and Harold Baines, the first base coach, agreed to multiyear deals with the White Sox, according to the team. They won't announce decisions on the rest of the coaching staff until they hire a new manager.
  • Sandy Alomar Jr., a 20-year veteran who interviewed for the Blue Jays' managerial opening last year, told MLB.com's Jordan Bastian that he'll listen if the White Sox are interested in talking to him. 
  • Williams told Gonzales that Buddy Bell, the organization's director of player development, is not interested in the managerial job (Twitter link).
  • White Sox infielder Omar Vizquel told Gonzales that he doesn't expect to sign with Guillen and the Marlins after the season, when he hits free agency (Twitter link).
  • Williams hinted that the White Sox won't be spending on big name free agents this winter, according to Gonzales (on Twitter).
  • Tigers manager Jim Leyland told David Mayo of the Grand Rapids Press that he wasn't surprised to see the shakeup in Chicago take place.
  • For more on the White Sox click here and for more on Guillen click here.

White Sox Rumors: Cora, La Russa, Buehrle, Quentin

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It's time for the White Sox to prepare for life without Ozzie Guillen.  The drama continued today, with Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reporting that the Sox dismissed Joey Cora via text this morning, in lieu of Cora managing the team's final two games.  Cora is expected to join Ozzie in Miami, with pitching coach Don Cooper managing the club today and tomorrow.

  • Tony La Russa isn't interested in managing the White Sox with Kenny Williams as GM, a source tells Cowley.  Cowley says the rumored candidates to replace Guillen are Buddy Bell, Joe McEwing, and Sandy Alomar Jr.  MLB.com's Scott Merkin expects Rays bench coach Dave Martinez to be in the mix as well.  Back in May, Bell told Mark Primiano of South Side Sox he did not want to manage again.  At any rate, Williams says he's already cut the list down to "a few select candidates."
  • Mark Buehrle is making what could be his final start in a White Sox uniform tonight against the Blue Jays, since he's a free agent after the season.  The lefty told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune he'd like to play two or three more years.
  • "Some people with the White Sox think it's definite" that right fielder Carlos Quentin is traded this winter, tweets Danny Knobler of CBS Sports.  Quentin would be appealing given his .254/.340/.499 line this year and the thin market for bats.
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