22 Triple-A Players Elect Free Agency
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
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
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
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.
Outrighted To Triple-A: Lucy, Nunez
Here are the latest players to get outrighted to Triple-A…
- The White Sox announced that they outrighted catcher Donny Lucy and right-hander Jhonny Nunez to Triple-A Charlotte. The moves create roster space for right-hander Jhan Marinez and infielder Ozzie Martinez, who came over from the Marlins for manager Ozzie Guillen.
AL Central Notes: Cuddyer, Indians, White Sox
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
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
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.
Ozzie Guillen Links
New Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen tweeted today that it's "weird to be in Miami," but he's very happy and ready to go. Today's Ozzie-related links…
- Guillen's contract with the Marlins is expected to run through 2015, according to ESPNChicago's Bruce Levine. In that same article, Jayson Stark explains how Ozzie's farewell blog post last night was erroneously published at MLB.com.
- Guillen didn't give it his all in 2011, explains Jim Margalus of South Side Sox, becoming disengaged with setting his lineups.
- Ozzie is worth the risk for Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, writes Yahoo's Jeff Passan.
- The parting of ways "needed to be done on both sides," White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.
- Many of the Sox's number crunchers avoided the dugout during batting practice due to Guillen's dislike of sabermetrics, notes Gonzales.
- The Marlins "immediately become far more exciting" by landing Guillen, writes Scott Miller of CBS Sports.
White Sox Release Ozzie Guillen From Contract
The worst-kept secret in Major League Baseball has now become official. Ozzie Guillen will no longer manage the White Sox and it appears that he'll sign a new deal with the Marlins, who would send compensation to Chicago if a deal with Guillen becomes official.
The White Sox announced tonight that they have released Guillen from his contract at his request. He won't be in uniform for the season's final two games, according to the team, which retains rights to compensation if another club hires Guillen to manage in 2012. White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf says he appreciates Guillen's work and wishes him the best.
“We certainly cannot thank Ozzie enough for all he has done during his eight seasons as manager of the Chicago White Sox, highlighted by an unforgettable 2005 World Series championship,” he said.
The next time Guillen dons a Major League uniform, it will likely be for the Marlins. His deal with Florida is expected to be for three years, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Guillen had one year remaining on his deal in Chicago, where he had managed since 2004.
The White Sox will obtain two minor leaguers as compensation, according to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com. They were hoping for a "decent prospect" from the Marlins, but weren't expecting anyone on Florida's 40-man roster, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter).
Current manager Jack McKeon won't be back in Florida next year and the Marlins started a complete search for his replacement, even though they already appear to have decided on Guillen. The Marlins interviewed third base coach Joe Espada, hitting coach Eduardo Perez and Nationals coach Bo Porter today for the vacancy.
Guillen leaves the Windy City with a record of 678-617. The White Sox made two playoff appearances under Guillen: they won the World Series in 2005, Guillen's second season, and lost to the Rays in the 2008 ALDS.
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, who first reported that Guillen was out as manager, says there will likely be substantive changes to Chicago’s coaching staff. Pitching coach Don Cooper already has a deal on the table to stay in the organization, according to Cowley. Bench coach Joey Cora is expected to join Guillen with the Marlins, according to Morosi (on Twitter). First, Cora will manage Chicago's last two regular season games, according to MLB.com's Scott Merkin (on Twitter). Tony La Russa and Buddy Bell are expected to be considered for Chicago's managing gig, tweets Morosi.
The White Sox and Marlins discussed a Guillen for Mike Stanton trade last offseason (don't expect a substantive return for the White Sox if the deal goes through). Though they're rare, there is some precedent for player-manager swaps. Following the 2002 season, the Rays sent Randy Winn to Seattle for minor leaguer Antonio Perez to compensate the Mariners for losing Lou Piniella.