Reds Shopping Brandon Phillips
The Reds decided a month ago that they will shop Brandon Phillips this winter and intend to trade him, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). While there are several contending clubs with questions at second base to address this offseason, finding an attractive deal for Phillips could prove to be challenging.
Phillips, 32, is coming off of a down season and is owed $50MM through the 2017 season. The second baseman slashed .261/.310/.396 in 606 plate appearances in 2013, down from his previous six seasons in Cincinnati where he hit .280/.329/.446. Despite having a healthy amount of money left on his deal, Phillips openly complained about his contract earlier this year after the club re-upped Joey Votto with a ten-year, $225MM deal.
Teams with openings or potential openings at second base include the Dodgers, Yankees, and Orioles.
NL Central Notes: Choate, Wainwright, Guerrero, Taillon
As the Cardinals battle to represent the National League Central in the World Series, let's have a look at St. Louis and the two other post-season qualifying members of the division.
- Left-handed reliever Randy Choate had his pick of the Cardinals and the Dodgers over this past off-season, writes Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. His manager, Mike Matheny, credits him not only for his performance on the hill but for mentoring the many excellent young arms that have cycled through the team's bullpen this year.
- Starting for the Cards this evening was Adam Wainwright, who has been as important as any player to the team's recent successes. As MLB.com's Steve Gilbert writes, the deal that brought him to St. Louis about a decade ago could not have turned out any better for team or player.
- Walt Jocketty, the GM who pulled the trigger on that trade, is currently at the helm of the rival Reds. Jocketty tells John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer that he is unlikely to bring aboard Cuban middle infielder Alexander Guerrero, who the club was rumored to be in on. "We scouted him extensively and had a lot of discussions," said Jocketty. "But I don't believe anything will happen."
- Top Pirates prospect Jameson Taillon has been shut down after suffering a groin injury in his first outing in the Arizona Fall League, reports Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The injury itself doesn't seem to be significant, however, and it seems unlikely to have a significant impact on the club's plans for 2014. With Taillon now unable to add additional innings to his arm, he will have a base of less than 150 to work from next season. Of course, that is about the level that Gerrit Cole had to build off of this year. Taillon also will miss the chance to develop against AFL talent, but he has already advanced to the upper minors and should get more time there to start the season.
Reds Re-Sign Five Minor League Free Agents
Here are today's minor transactions from around the league…
- The Reds announced (on Twitter) that they have re-signed minor league free agents Justin Freeman, Ray Chang, Jose Diaz, Mike Costanzo and Kristopher Negron. Each played for Triple-A Louisville at some point, though Costanzo and Chang spent more time at the Double-A level. Diaz, in particular, was impressive for the Bats, firing 54 1/3 innings of 1.66 ERA ball with 9.9 K/9, 3.5 BB/9 and 13 saves.
- As shown in MLBTR's DFA Tracker, the Rangers' Jeff Baker is the only player that is currently in DFA limbo.
NL Notes: Rockies, Pirates, Mets, Managerial Searches
The NLCS is taking a day off as the scene shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 tomorrow night with the Cardinals leading the Dodgers 2-0. Here is the latest news and notes out of the National League today:
- The Rockies need to improve their talent acquisition via the draft and Latin America in order to overcome the crushing injuries suffered in recent seasons, according to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. Tim Hudson, whose free agency was profiled this past week by MLBTR's Steve Adams, would make a perfect middle-of-the-rotation starter for the Rockies, Renck opines.
- The Pirates' payroll will increase significantly in 2014 aiding their efforts to retain free agents Marlon Byrd and A.J. Burnett while also trying to sign Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez to long-term extensions, reports the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Rob Biertempfel.
- The Mets will face a dilemma with their 40-man roster when it comes time to protect minor league players from the Rule 5 draft, reports ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin. The Mets' 40-man roster is currently full and will be so again once the eight players on the 60-day disabled list replace the eight pending free agents on the 40-man. Jordany Valdespin headlines Rubin's list of eight Mets who could lose their roster spot.
- The Reds' managerial search is centered on pitching coach Bryan Price and Triple-A manager Jim Riggleman, writes John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Fay expects Price to get the job; but, if neither candidate impresses ownership in upcoming interviews, the search may be expanded.
- Nationals third-base coach Trent Jewett has an excellent shot to become the team's next manager, reports ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider subscription required).
Cafardo On Price, BoSox, Granderson, Loney, Dodgers
While David Price has resigned himself to being traded, the Rays appear to be trying to figure out ways to make their ace the focal point of their pitching staff for many years to come, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Cafardo notes, however, the Rays' front office realizes it could be a losing battle, so a trade is likely with nearly half of baseball rumored to be interested in the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. "It's a big name, a big-time pitcher," one National League GM told Cafardo. "Even if you feel you don't need that level of pitcher, you look into it because he's so special and such a game changer. You do more than kick the tires. You try to make something happen, and I think you'll see teams that don't even need him step up." Here's more from Cafardo's column:
- The Red Sox will likely trade one of their veteran starters to make room for their young arms. Cafardo suggests Jon Lester and Jake Peavy could be available while Ryan Dempster, John Lackey, and Felix Doubront are also vulnerable.
- Jacoby Ellsbury is a perfect fit for the Mariners and Carlos Beltran likewise for the Orioles.
- Curtis Granderson will likely receive a qualifying offer from the Yankees and there's a strong possibility he would take it because he could post his biggest numbers at Yankee Stadium.
- The Dodgers will make Andre Ethier and/or Matt Kemp available this winter. Kemp will come with injury concerns, but that shouldn't prevent a team from taking a chance on his talent.
- James Loney has rebuilt his value with a strong season in Tampa (.299/.348/.430 with a 2.1 oWAR in 158 games and 598 plate appearances). Loney could find a market with the Rangers, if the Rays don't re-sign the free agent first baseman.
- Reds pitching coach Bryan Price appears to be the front-runner to replace Dusty Baker as manager in Cincinnati while Nationals bench coach Randy Knorr is in a strong position to take over from Davey Johnson, unless ownership wants a bigger name as its new manager.
NL Central Notes: Beltran, Cubs, O’Neill, Riggleman
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.
NL Central Notes: Hurdle, Pirates, Parra, Reds
Veteran Justin Morneau was in Minnesota for his entire career before the summer trade that shipped him to the Pirates, but the adjustment wasn't too difficult for him thanks to a familiar element, writes Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun. “[Manager Clint Hurdle] speaks the same language as Ron Gardenhire,” said Morneau. “He’ll come up and say ‘[I'm] going to give you a blow tomorrow.’ I know I’m getting the day off. Gardenhire used to say it.” Elliott spoke with several Pirates players about their respect for Hurdle and their appreciation for him as a motivator. Here's a look at more from the NL Central..
- Win or lose, Pirates GM Neal Huntington hopes to keep his team together for 2014, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. That means keeping veteran pitcher A.J. Burnett and midseason acquisitions Marlon Byrd and Morneau. Byrd figures to see a significant raise over his $700K salary while Morneau ($15MM) and Burnett ($16.5MM) will obviously earn less in 2014.
- John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer (on Twitter) says that there's a decent chance that the Reds will re-sign reliever Manny Parra. The soon-to-be 31-year-old pitched to a 3.33 ERA with 11.0 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9.
- John Erardi of the Cincinnati Enquirer believes that Mets minor league skipper Wally Backman would be a good fit for the Reds' managerial vacancy.
- The Cardinals' 2009 draft class is a huge reason for their success in 2013, writes MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch. That draft saw St. Louis tap Shelby Miller (first round), Joe Kelly (third), Matt Carpenter (13th), Trevor Rosenthal (21st) and Matt Adams (23rd).
- Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at the host of Pirates first-round picks that didn't work out but notes that the trend began to change with Neil Walker in 2004. Since that time, the Bucs have also selected Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez and Gerrit Cole in the first round.
Steve Adams contributed to this post.
Latest On Alexander Guerrero
Cuban second baseman Alexander Guerrero is back on the free agent market after his engagement with the Dodgers was called off in September. Now, the Scott Boras client is seeking a four-year deal from interested MLB teams. However, some of the clubs that are in on Guerrero are pushing for a longer pact.
Heyman cites the Dodgers, Giants, Rangers, Red Sox, and Reds as clubs with interest in the 26-year-old. Guerrero and Los Angeles were closing in on a five-year, $32MM deal last month but the deal fell apart for reasons that are still unknown. The 86ing of the near-agreement also coincided with a change in representation as Guerrero left his former agent for Boras.
Guerrero played mostly shortstop in Cuba's Serie Nacional, but most scouts expect him to move to the other side of the bag for defensive purposes. He slashed .290/.402/.576 with 21 home runs in 328 plate appearances in his final season in Cuba. According to Ben Badler of Baseball America, Guerrero doesn't figure to be a premium talent, but he does offer impressive raw right-handed power.
NL Central Notes: Arroyo, Cubs, Reds
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
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