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Quick Hits: Andrus, Upton, Greinke, Rockies, Pettitte

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Believe it or not, but the last place Red Sox may actually be in better position for future years than the AL East champion Yankees, argues Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.  The Yankees have tens of millions tied up in an aging and increasingly unproductive roster, while the Red Sox shed much of their major payroll commitments when they dealt Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford to the Dodgers.

Here are some news and notes from around the baseball world…

  • Elvis Andrus is a major trade chip for the Rangers if they choose to move him, notes Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas, who outlines Andrus' trade value and circumstances behind a possible deal. Durrett also says Texas could instead try to trade an older, more expensive player like Nelson Cruz or Ian Kinsler.
  • The Rangers have interest in B.J. Upton but they see him as a corner outfielder rather than in center, reports T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com as part of a fan mailbag.
  • The longer Zack Greinke takes to pick his next team, the longer it will delay the rest of the Angels' offseason moves, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.  Greinke is the Angels' top target and his status with the team could determine what the Halos do with Dan Haren, Ervin Santana and Torii Hunter.
  • The Rockies have Indians bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr. and A's third base coach Mike Gallego on their list of possible external candidates for manager, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
  • Mark Wiley is the favorite to become the Rockies' new director of pitching operations, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post.  Wiley, currently a Marlins scout, would oversee pitchers at all levels of the Colorado organization as the team tries to develop arms capable of performing at Coors Field.
  • Andy Pettitte hopes to have a decision made about his playing future "in a month or so," reports ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand.  The Yankees southpaw hinted last week that he was looking to return in 2013.
  • The Yankees are in for a busy offseason though "by any objective measure, the Yankees aren't a team in need of a major overhaul," writes Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal.  Costa details the five most pressing questions facing the Bombers this winter.
  • Wilson Betemit doesn't appear to have much of a role on next year's Orioles roster, writes CSNBaltimore.com's Rich Dubroff.  Betemit is owed $1.75MM from the O's in 2013 and his $3.2MM option for 2014 will vest with 324 more plate appearances.
  • The Twins have no plans to alter the dimensions at Target Field next season, team president Dave St. Peter said in an e-mail to reporters (including MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger).

AL East Notes: Beeston, Martinez, Scutaro, Orioles

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Blue Jays president and CEO Paul Beeston will continue in his current role after the end of October, when his contract had been set to expire, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. Beeston and the Blue Jays are believed to be working toward a two-year extension. The 67-year-old acknowledged to Davidi that the sides are "in discussion" and that he's "committed to seeing this thing through." Here are more notes from the AL East…

  • Rays bench coach Dave Martinez hasn't heard from the Red Sox or Rockies about possible manager interviews, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Martinez was one of the top candidates to manage the Astros before they hired Bo Porter last month.
  • The Red Sox shouldn't have any regrets about dealing Marco Scutaro last winter, writes WEEI.com's Alex Speier, despite Scutaro's strong performance down the stretch with the Giants.
  • Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun lists the five biggest questions facing the Orioles this winter.
  • It doesn’t appear that Red Sox bench coach Tim Bogar will be interviewed for the team’s managerial opening, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter).
  • Jon Lester just completed a disappointing season, but as Rob Bradford points out at WEEI.com it could be a good time for the Red Sox to approach the left-hander about another contract extension. Lester, who's under team control through 2014, has said he's "always open" to extension talks. So far the sides haven't discussed a new deal, Bradford reports.
  • Outfielder Nate McLouth would like to re-sign with Baltimore when he hits free agency this offseason, but the Orioles could decide to stick with internal options and try to find another McLouth-like performer next year, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun writes. In case you missed it, Mike Axisa examined McLouth’s free agent stock over the weekend.

MLBTR's Mark Polishuk also contributed to this post

Managerial Notes: Guillen, Johnson, Red Sox, Pena

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Here's the latest on some of the open (or possibly open) managerial vacancies from around baseball…

  • "It is my belief that as more time passes, the greater the likelihood [Ozzie] Guillen keeps his job. Some others I've spoken with share the same sense," writes Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald, though he notes that this opinion is based on "nothing concrete."  While Guillen may stay, there is a greater possibility that the Marlins will make some changes to the coaching staff.
  • Davey Johnson tells Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that he has some "unfinished business" with the Nationals and wants to return as the team's manager next season.  With GM Mike Rizzo also eager for Johnson to return, Kilgore notes that it will just take ownership approval to work out a new deal for Johnson, who is only contracted through 2013 as a consultant with the Nats.
  • The Red Sox will interview Brad Ausmus on Wednesday and DeMarlo Hale on Thursday, reports Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.  No manager interviews are scheduled beyond Hale, though the team is open to adding more candidates.  The Sox have yet to interview Sandy Alomar Jr. or Torey Lovullo, both of whom interviewed for Boston's manager's job last year.
  • Yankees bench coach Tony Pena interviewed for the Red Sox job yesterday and told Lauber (Twitter link) that the two sides talked for six hours and had "a great baseball conversation."
  • Jason Giambi is "more suited than most think" to be a manager, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post, who believes Giambi has "spent [the] last few years preparing for this transition."  Renck reported earlier today that the Rockies would interview Giambi for their vacant managerial job.  
    Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/fish_bytes/2012/10/all-quiet-on-the-marlins-front.html#storylink=cpy

Quick Hits: Trout, Indians, Giambi, Mets

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Mike Trout's outstanding rookie season earned him Baseball America's Rookie of the Year award, but that's not all he won. The publication named Trout the 2012 Player of the Year ahead of Buster Posey, Miguel Cabrera and others. Check out Jerry Crasnick's piece for a more complete look at Trout and continue reading for more of today’s links…

Rockies To Interview Jason Giambi

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The Rockies will interview 18-year MLB veteran Jason Giambi for their managerial vacancy, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports. No date has been set for the Rockies to interview Giambi, the team's final in-house candidate. 

Giambi has spent the past three and a half years of his career playing for the Rockies. Renck and Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reported earlier this month that the 41-year-old would retire as a player if given the opportunity to manage the Rockies. Giambi, a free agent this coming offseason, has not coached at any level or ruled out another year as a player.

The Rockies interviewed bench coach Tom Runnells for their managerial opening last week, and the former Montreal Expos manager said he's excited about the state of the franchise, according to MLB.com’s Thomas Harding. Rockies senior VP of Major League operations Bill Geivett said the Rockies will look outside of the organization for more candidates, according to Renck.

Triple-A manager Stu Cole could obtain a coaching position, but he won't be the team's next manager. The Rockies don't have plans to interview Vinny Castilla, a current front office member and former Rockies star.

Managerial Notes: Rockies, Red Sox, Baker

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Earlier today the Reds extended Dusty Baker for another two years. The former Cubs and Giants skipper has led Cincinnati to a pair of NL Central Division titles since taking over the helm. Here are some more links pertaining to managers…

  • Rockies bench coach Tom Runnells tells the Denver Post's Patrick Saunders that he's grateful to be considered for another managing position. Runnels has been the Rockies' bench coach for the past three seasons, and hasn't managed at the big league level since 1992 with the Expos. Saunders calls him the leading in-house candidate, and mentions Tim Wallach, Ryne Sandberg and Brad Ausmus as external candidates.
  • Don't count Brad Ausmus out as a candidate to take over as the Red Sox manager, writes Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com. It may seem strange that he was called in for an interview since his competition all appears to have extensive managing experience, but Edes notes the success of Mike Matheny this season. He quotes Joe Torre, who managed Ausmus with the Dodgers, in saying that Ausmus reminds him of Yankees skipper Joe Girardi.
  • Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News calls the decision to extend Baker a wise one. He notes that Baker overcame the loss of Ryan Madson, Nick Masset and Bill Bray before the season even started, and also lost Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto for notable amounts of time.
  • McCoy's colleague, Greg Billing, writes that the decision can't be judged until next season. Billing writes that he doesn't often question the decisions of GM Walt Jocketty and the Reds' ownership, but notes that the decision has not been met kindly by fans online.

Arbitration Eligibles: Colorado Rockies

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The Rockies are next in our 2013 Arbitration Eligibles series.  Matt Swartz's salary projections are below.

With an 8.19 ERA in the Majors, Outman seems a candidate to be non-tendered.  Herrera had a rough year with multiple DL stints, and could be cut loose as well.  On the other hand, neither player projects to make even a million bucks, so if the Rockies prefer to keep their options open, they could be retained.

Chacin, slated as the Rockies' number two starter entering the season, was optioned to Triple-A by May.  His early struggles may have been due to a pectoral issue, about which he was less than forthcoming.  After Chacin rejoined the rotation in late August, he posted a 2.84 ERA, 4.7 K/9, 3.4 BB/9, and 0.61 HR/9 in nine starts.  The strikeout and walk rates aren't encouraging, but there's no doubt Chacin will be tendered a contract for 2013.

Colvin's service time is right at the projected cutoff of two years and 139 days, so if that holds up he'll be arbitration eligible as a Super Two.  He had a great year, at least at Coors Field, and started at least 18 games at three different positions.  He'll enter next year with a prominent role on the Rockies.

Fowler had the best offensive year of his career, though he too was much better at Coors.  Only three center fielders had a better OPS, though the advanced defensive metrics rated Fowler poorly.  There's still enough here to merit an extension, which MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith discussed at length in late August.  If Fowler is not extended, his somewhat low counting stats will limit his arbitration raise.

Assuming only Chacin, Fowler, and Colvin are retained, the Rockies are looking at an estimated $7.5MM for three arbitration eligible players.

Matt Swartz's arbitration projections are available exclusively at MLB Trade Rumors.  To read more about his projection model, check out this series of posts.

NL Notes: Nationals, Rockies, Chris Carpenter

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As the Cardinals and Giants do battle in San Francisco, let's take a minute away from the action to catch up on the latest news and headlines from around the National League…

  • After enjoying a successful regular season with a 98-64 record, Nats Insider's Mark Zuckerman wonders if Washington can repeat a similar campaign next year. Zuckerman says that the team is positioned to be a strong club in 2013, but suggests that there are no guarantees of repeat playoff appearances in baseball even with a talented roster like that of the Nationals. 
  • The Rockies' timeline toward once again becoming a competitive franchise remains unclear given the poor performance of the team's management and ownership, writes The Denver Post's Woody Paige. The veteran columnist points to questionable decisions by the team including installing a four-man rotation, 75-pitch counts and moving the co-general manager's office into a conference room just off the home clubhouse. 
  • Chris Carpenter's rise to veteran leader of the Cardinals clubhouse can be explained by his experience learning from the pitchers who made their mark before him in both Toronto and St. Louis, says Matthew Leach of MLB.com. "My presence has changed, because I'm the only one left," Chris Carpenter said. "So it's definitely changed. I feel like I'm a St. Louis Cardinal. I feel like I always will be in the organization and the clubhouse, the team, I love it all and I enjoy being in there, and I think my presence has changed a lot just because I've been here that long."

Managerial Notes: Giambi, Rockies, Red Sox

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Late last week, the Rockies started the search for their next manager in earnest when they interviewed bench coach Tom Runnells.  They're also set to interview Triple-A manager Stu Cole, but a third in-house name may join the mix.  Here's more on that and other managerial notes..

  • Jason Giambi remains a candidate for the Rockies' managerial vacancy until he's ruled out, writes Troy Renck of The Denver Post.  It's possible that the slugger will interview this week as the club determines whether to stay in-house or look outside for their next skipper.  Last week, a source close to Giambi indicated that he would retire if given the opportunity to manage the Rockies.
  • Meanwhile, the Red Sox are giving consideration to another managerial candidate who comes without previous experience.  Brad Ausmus doesn't have the resume of other available names but is considered to be a good stress-reliever with a competitive edge, similar to Terry Francona, writes Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald.  The former catcher's only dugout experience came this summer as the manager of Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic qualifying round.
  • One Rockies player told Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post that he is concerned that candidates will be put off by the lack of control they would have in Colorado.  "We are essentially being managed by the front office now," said the player. "I'm really wondering what kind of manager — I'm talking about a good manager — would come in here and accept this."

Quick Hits: A’s, Gomes, White Sox, Cubs, Dodgers

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Earlier today, A's skipper Bob Melvin suggested that the club is ready to discuss a new contract with Jonny Gomes.  The interest seems to be mutual, as Gomes re-iterated that he wants to be back in Oakland next season, writes Casey Pratt of CSNBayArea.com.  "Would I like to? Absolutely," Gomes said. "I don't know, I mean this season has been magical for me, it has been a dream come true. When you've been kicked in the teeth as much as I have in the offseason you realize nothing is a guarantee."  Here's more from around baseball..

  • Dayan Viciedo will see his four-year, $10MM deal expire at the end of the year, but the White Sox outfielder says that he is not focused on his next contract, writes Scott Merkin of MLB.com.  Viciedo has 1.123 years of major league service to his credit and won't be arbitration eligible until after the 2014 season.
  • In his latest mailbag, several readers ask Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune why the Cubs can't build for the future while also looking to win in 2013.  Sullivan writes that the main answer is a lack of pitching, which is a problem that can't be remedied overnight.
  • The Dodgers announced earlier today that hitting coach Dave Hansen will not return in 2013.  However, Hansen has been offered another position in the club, tweets Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.
  • The Rockies officially kicked off their managerial search yesterday by meeting with bench coach Tom Runnells, writes Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post.  Stu Cole, manager of Triple-A Colorado Springs, is the club's other internal candidate in the search.
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