Cafardo On Johnson, Soriano, Hernandez, Hamilton
In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that there are some General Managers who have a few regrets regarding last winter. Red Sox GM Ben Cherington wishes he had done more for the rotation. Angels GM Jerry Dipoto probably would have liked to boost the bullpen more during the team's spending frenzy which netted Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson. Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd was asked to assess his own mistakes and said, “How long is this article? Just kidding. We all have regrets. When you make the amount of decisions we do, you make mistakes. So this year [Jeremy] Guthrie was acquired to give us innings, but Coors [Field] got him and that hurt us. We had such a lack of experience everywhere else. There was no margin for error, and I screwed up.” Here's more from today's column..
- Marlins pitcher Josh Johnson will be trade bait, despite talk to the contrary. Miami could get a ton from teams like the Orioles, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Royals, Rangers, Twins, and Dodgers. On the whole, the Marlins look like they're ready to clean house again.
- Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano would make a lot of sense for the Rays as a DH, especially since the Cubs would pick up the bulk of his final two years under contract. Soriano could also help the Blue Jays, Orioles, or Indians.
- Indians GM Chris Antonetti says that he expects Shin-Shoo Choo to be back with Cleveland next season as he enters his walk year, but he will also listen to offers for the 30-year-old. Choo could make sense for Boston as they face a similar situation with Jacoby Ellsbury. Cafardo suggests a deal involving a pitcher like Justin Masterson.
- Teams have offered the moon for Felix Hernandez in the past but there’s no chance that Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik is going to trade him now. King Felix is under contract through 2014 and the M's have the money to keep him beyond that. For his part, Hernandez is well-paid and loves playing in Seattle.
- Josh Hamilton says that he won't take a discount to stay with the Rangers, but that's where he's likely to land as it's hard to read the market for him. The Tigers, Nationals, Pirates, Phillies, Angels, Mariners, Blue Jays, and Orioles shouldn't be ruled out. The Yankees and Red Sox also can't be crossed off the list but neither market is a strong fit for Hamilton.
- Jake Peavy would appear to be a target for the Red Sox once his $22MM option is declined by the White Sox. The 31-year-old could also end up staying put in Chicago or returning to the NL.
- Former catcher Brad Ausmus, currently serving as a special assistant to the GM in San Diego, said that he would have interest in the Red Sox managerial vacancy. As of Friday, however, he has yet to be contacted. Ausmus turned down a chance to be interviewed for the Astros job earlier this fall.
- The Red Sox are pursuing John Farrell, but Ryne Sandberg could be on their list, even though he was just named as the Phillies' third base coach and is likely being groomed for Charlie Manuel's job. Cherington tried to get Sandberg to take Boston's Triple- A job a couple of years ago.
- While some have accused Bobby Valentine of ignoring advanced scouting reporters, Cafardo says that he saw the manager reading them every time he visited his office.
Quick Hits: Phillies, Alomar, Red Sox, White Sox
Here are some links from around the league as the League Division Series round of the postseason opens…
- “Center field is something we have to address. That will be one of our priorities," said Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. Salisbury looked at some free agent and trade options who could fit the team's needs.
- The Indians hired Terry Francona earlier today, and MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports (on Twitter) that interim manager Sandy Alomar Jr. has been offered a spot on the team's coaching staff.
- Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter) that had the Indians not hired Francona, he would have not taken the Tigers' manager job had they fired Jim Leyland after the season.
- The Red Sox have not yet begun their search for a new manager after firing Bobby Valentine on Thursday, a source insists to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe (on Twitter).
- White Sox GM Kenny Williams confirmed to CSNChicago.com that the team's entire coaching staff will return next season.
Minor Moves: 28 Players Elect Free Agency
A total of 28 players — all with big league time under their belts — recently elected free agency after finishing the year in Triple-A. Here is the full list, courtesy of the International League and Pacific Coast League transaction pages…
- Infielders: Brian Bixler (Astros), Sean Burroughs (Twins), Blake DeWitt (Cubs), Alberto Gonzalez (Rangers), Angel Sanchez (Astros), Nate Spears (Red Sox), Drew Sutton (Pirates)
- Outfielders: Travis Buck (Astros), Ryan Langerhans (Angels), Mitch Maier (Royals), Darnell McDonald (Yankees), Jai Miller (Orioles), Trent Oeltjen (Dodgers), Jason Pridie (Phillies), Mike Wilson (Mariners)
- Right-handed Pitchers: Roman Colon (Royals), Mike Ekstrom (Rockies), Jack Egbert (Mets), Ryota Igarashi (Yankees), Evan Meek (Pirates), Scott Richmond (Blue Jays), Kip Wells (Padres), Randy Wells (Cubs), Dan Wheeler (Indians)
- Left-handed Pitchers: Alex Hinshaw (Cubs), Cesar Jimenez (Mariners), Zach Kroenke (Diamondbacks), Garrett Olson (Mets)
Managerial Notes: Tracy, Leyland, Reds, Twins
The Red Sox officially dismissed Bobby Valentine yesterday, ending months of speculation about his job security. Of course that hasn’t put an end to rumors about managerial openings and potential openings around MLB. Here are today’s managerial notes…
- Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com hears that there will be no decision made about Jim Tracy's future with the Rockies tonight (Twitter link). The team's front office will continue to discuss things, however.
- Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski told James Schmehl of mLive.com that they will address manager Jim Leyland's contract "at the appropriate time." Leyland's deal expires after the season.
- Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe lists some off-the-grid candidates the Red Sox could consider for their managerial opening.
- Dusty Baker hinted he'll return as the Reds' manager in 2013, MLB.com's Mark Sheldon reports. Baker said “this is my team, you know,” when asked about his future with the Reds.
- Twins GM Terry Ryan explained to manager Ron Gardenhire that a contract extension for Gardenhire doesn't make sense right now, Phil Mackey of 1500 ESPN reports (on Twitter). Gardenhire is signed through 2013.
- The Indians announced that Terry Francona arrived in Cleveland for his job interview today. The former Red Sox manager is a leading candidate for the position along with longtime MLB catcher and current Indians coach Sandy Alomar Jr.
- It’d be a surprise if Francona doesn’t accept the Indians job and name Brad Mills his bench coach, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes (on Twitter). The Astros dismissed Mills, Francona’s former bench coach in Boston, toward the end of the 2012 season.
- People who know Francona well say the Indians are a "slam dunk" for him, Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). Francona knows he can work with Indians executives such as Chris Antonetti, Abraham notes.
- The Rangers won't fire manager Ron Washington even if they lose today's play-in game against the Orioles, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). Washington is under contract with Texas through 2014.
- Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria is mulling whether to fire manager Ozzie Guillen, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports. The owner has kept front office executives “out of the loop” on the decision, which will be entirely his own call. ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reported yesterday that the Marlins are aggressively seeking a replacement for Guillen.
Mike Axisa contributed to this post.
Indians Notes: Alomar, Perez, Sizemore, Choo
Earlier today, the Indians interviewed Sandy Alomar Jr. about their full-time managerial vacancy. General Manager Chris Antonetti didn't put a timetable on making a hire, but he was quick to tip his cap to Alomar for the job he did guiding the club at the end of the 2012 season, according to the Associated Press. Antonetti addressed the media today and we have the highlights courtesy of MLB.com's Jordan Bastian..
- Antonetti confirmed to reporters, including Jordan Bastian of MLB.com (via Twitter), that closer Chris Perez wants to remain in Cleveland. Perez said earlier this week that he wasn't looking for a way out this year by commenting on issues concerning the club.
- The GM wouldn't rule out bringing back Grady Sizemore or Travis Hafner on reduced deals, but Bastian (Twitter link) believes that Antonetti was just saying the right thing in regards to two long-time Indians.
- As of right now, Antonetti anticipates Shin-Soo Choo being back with the Indians in 2013 (Twitter link). Choo will hit the open market after next season and it has been said that the club will consider trades for him as they are not optimistic about an extension.
- The GM said that the decision on Roberto Hernandez's option will be difficult given the limited amount of time they had to evaluate him, Bastian tweets. Hernandez has been sidelined both by his suspension and injury.
- Matt LaPorta is out of minor league options going into next year and the GM said (Twitter link) that this will be a very important offseason for the first baseman/outfielder.
Indians Notes: Francona, Alomar, Antonetti, Hafner
It was on this day in 1908 that Addie Joss of the Cleveland Naps threw a perfect game against the Chicago White Sox. Joss basically had to be perfect to secure the 1-0 victory, as opposing pitcher and fellow Hall-of-Famer Ed Walsh recorded 15 strikeouts in the game. Here's some modern-day news and notes about this very imperfect season for the Tribe…
- Terry Francona is the favorite to become the Indians' next manager, tweets Nick Camino of WTAM 1100 Radio. Francona and current Tribe interim manager Sandy Alomar Jr. will both interview for the job later this week and are the only known canadidates to replace Manny Acta on the Indians' bench.
- Francona and the Indians are perfectly matched to fit each other's needs, opines ESPN's Jim Bowden (Insider subscription required). While Bowden believes Alomar deserves to be a manager someday, he thinks the pressure is on Cleveland GM Chris Antonetti to deliver quick results. "This is the wrong time and place for Antonetti to take a chance or gamble on an unproven manager. He needs a sure thing to keep his own job, and the Indians need to hire the best available, given the lack of trust from the Indians’ fan base," Bowden writes.
- Travis Hafner "hasn't talked to anybody" in the Indians' front office about their plans for him but he would like to remain with the club, reports MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. The Indians will surely decline Hafner's $13MM option for 2013, making the 35-year-old DH a free agent after 10 years in Cleveland.
- As reported earlier today, Chris Perez said that he wants to stay with the Indians in 2013.
Chris Perez Wants To Stay With The Indians
A month after criticizing his club's management and decision-making process, Indians closer Chris Perez told media (including MLB.com's Jordan Bastian) that he didn't speak out in an attempt to be traded and that he wants to keep pitching in Cleveland. According to Perez, the firing of manager Manny Acta alleviated some of his issues with the team.
"A lot of frustration from those comments, a lot of that walked out the door last week. I'll just leave it at that," Perez said. "It doesn't mean everything is in tip-top shape over here. Obviously, we fell short of our goals and we need to see why."
I profiled Perez as a trade candidate in the wake of his original comments and noted that even if he hadn't spoken out, the closer could have been dealt anyway given that he earned $4.5MM this season and will be in line for a raise this winter when he is arbitration-eligible for the second time. Perez said he spoke to Indians GM Chris Antonetti on Monday and doesn't believe he will be traded (as tweeted by Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer), but if he is, it's a sign that the Indians aren't planning to contend in 2013.
"That's a business decision that they're going to have to make," Perez said. "That's not up to me. That's not my decision. I have two years left here at least. Right now, it's up to them. I think whatever they decide to do is definitely going to tell you which way the team is going one way or the other…I kind of find it hard to see them keeping me here and then trading other people. But, you never know."
Alomar, Francona To Interview This Week
Sandy Alomar Jr. and Terry Francona, the apparent frontrunners for the Indians' managerial opening, are expected to interview for the position late this week, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports (on Twitter). The Indians' regular season schedule will conclude Wednesday at which point Alomar, the team's interim manager, and Francona, an analyst for ESPN, can discuss the opportunity with Cleveland's front office executives.
It was reported over the weekend that Francona will interview for the position Wednesday or Thursday. The former Red Sox manager worked with GM Chris Antonetti and president Mark Shapiro as a special assistant for the Indians in 2001. Buster Olney of ESPN.com explained over the weekend that he doesn't expect Francona to end up managing the Indians. As a two-time World Series winner, Francona might command more than the Indians are prepared to pay.
The Indians dismissed manager Manny Acta late last week, replacing him with Alomar on an interim basis. Francona and Alomar are the only two candidates that the team is "publicly acknowledging at this point," Antonetti told Jim Bowden last week.
Teams With Protected First Round Picks
Playoff races rightfully get most of the attention this time of year, but there’s intrigue at the bottom of the standings, too. Seven teams have clinched protected first round picks in the 2013 amateur draft with three days remaining in the regular season. The Astros, Cubs, Rockies, Twins, Marlins, Indians and Red Sox will have top ten selections in next year’s draft even if they win the remainder of their games.
These teams can sign elite free agents this offseason (players who turned down qualifying offers from their former clubs) and retain their first round selections. Instead, these teams would surrender second round selections.
As MLBTR detailed last week, the nine teams with the worst records in baseball will have protected first round selections in 2013. The Pirates will also have a protected first round pick, since they did not sign their top 2012 selection, Mark Appel.
The Blue Jays and Royals are currently positioned to obtain the remaining two protected 2013 picks. The Mariners and Mets could pass the Blue Jays or Royals depending on the results of the season's final series.
Rosenthal On Indians, Tracy, Haren, Farrell
Here's a look at the latest Full Count from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports..
- The Indians plans to entertain trade offers for Shin-Soo Choo, Justin Masterson, and others won't change if they hire Terry Francona as manager. The Tribe doesn't have to shed payroll and their commitments for 2013 are minimal. The idea of acquiring additional young talent would make sense anyway as Francona helped develop several young stars in Boston. It's just another reason as to why Tito would almost certainly get a long-term contract.
- There's only a 50/50 chance that Jim Tracy will return as the Rockies skipper, despite his "handshake agreement" for 2013. With the Rockies' plan to hire Mark Wiley as the pitching coordinator, it may serve them to also get a pitching-minded manager.
- The Angels much decide whether to exercise club options on Dan Haren ($15.5MM) and Ervin Santana ($13MM). The Halos could decline both and make qualifying offers to both hurlers, putting them in position to potentially rake in draft pick compensation. It would be something of a gamble to risk having one or both back one a one-year, ~$13MM deal, but neither pitcher would be overly tough to trade on a one-year pact.
- Omar Vizquel's critical comments of John Farrell have shed light on what has become a tough situation in Toronto. Farrell could be even more open to parting ways with the club and the Blue Jays might be on the same wavelength. Rosenthal opines that the only thing left to sort out might be the club's compensation deal with the Red Sox.