West Notes: Rangers, Tracy, Rockies, Giambi, Hamilton
Items out of the AL and NL West..
- Much has been made of the Rangers' Josh Hamilton dilemma this offseason, but GM Jon Daniels will also need to re-tool his pitching staff this winter, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. The Rangers will have money to spend, but also have Colby Lewis and Neftali Feliz working their way back from injuries. Martin Perez remains an option for the team as well.
- Jim Tracy told Troy E. Renck and Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post that there wasn't one particular issue that led to his resignation from the Rockies, but rather a number of factors. It would seem that Tracy was irked by some of the club's unconventional ideas and his overall decrease in power.
- Meanwhile, Jason Giambi would retire as a player if he were given consideration for the managerial opening, a source close to the Rockies veteran told Renck and Saunders.
- Given Hamilton's injury history and age, Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com doesn't think that the Rangers should give him more than three guaranteed years in a new contract. However, Durrett believes that there's at least one team out there that will go beyond that for the outfielder. A vesting option for a fourth year based on whether Hamilton stays healthy could be a concession the Rangers could comfortably make.
- Dave Cameron of Fangraphs wonders if Hamilton might be the most confusing free agent ever. Cameron could see the slugger landing a five-year, $125MM deal from a team that chooses to ignore all the risk but can also envision him taking a one-year pact somewhere to prove that his second half wasn't a sign of things to come.
Jim Tracy Resigns As Rockies Manager
The Rockies have announced, via Twitter, that Jim Tracy resigned as manager and the resignation is effective immediately.
"Jim Tracy is a man that has brought professionalism to the Rockies organization since 2009," said Rockies senior vice president of Major League operations Bill Geivett in a statement. "However, Jim has decided that he no longer wants to move forward as manager. We respect Jim's decision, and we wish Jim and his family the best of luck as we begin our search for the right person to become the next manager of our organization."
Geivett and Tracy began discussions on Friday regarding Tracy's future. Tracy had a handshake agreement to manage in 2013 and was due to be paid $1.4MM. Troy Renck of the Denver Post, who broke the story, tweeted there are no plans for Tracy to remain with the organization.
In a separate tweet, Renck reports bench coach Tom Runnells and Triple-A manager Stu Cole are expected to be in-house candidates to replace Tracy, but not Jason Giambi because he wants to continue his playing career.
Tracy had been under fire after leading the Rockies to a last place finish in the NL West with a franchise record for losses at 64-98. It was a tumultuous season in Colorado. Pitching coach Bob Apodaca resigned only to be replaced by co-pitching coaches Bo McLaughlin and Jim Wright. There was an experiment with a four-man rotation that has since been scrapped, although the concept of hybrid relievers and a strict pitch count will continue. GM Dan O'Dowd also relinquished day-to-day Major League duties to Geivett, who moved into an office in the Coors Field clubhouse and was with the team for every road trip.
Tracy, the fifth manager in Rockie history, also has the distinction of helping guide the Rockies to their best record (92-70 in 2009) resulting in a Wild Card berth and Tracy being named NL Manager of the Year. Since then, however, Tracy has posted a 220-266 record with declining win totals in each of those three seasons.
Quick Hits: Pirates, Francona, Tracy, Phillies
Sunday afternoon linkage..
- Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wonders if the Pirates will take a step forward in 2013. Biertempfel notes that the Bucs find themselves with the same holes to fill as they did a year ago at catcher, first base, shortstop, right field, in the bullpen, and in the starting rotation.
- The hiring of Terry Francona as manager gives the Indians credibility heading into next season, opines Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (video link). Rosenthal believes that Francona was looking for a front office that he could really trust after his uncomfortable exit from Boston.
- Unless Jim Tracy believes that the Rockies are capable of reaching the playoffs next season, the veteran skipper should opt to part ways with the club, writes Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post. Kiszla suggests that Tracy should find a way to leave without forfeiting his $1.4MM salary, but it has been widely reported that he simply as a handshake agreement for 2013.
- Free agent options such as Josh Willingham and Yoenis Cespedes would have been a worthwhile investments for the Phillies last winter, writes Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer. While there were missed opportunities for the club, Brookover is quick to note that injuries took their toll on the team in 2012 .
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.
Managerial Links: Tracy, Guillen, Lowell, Francona
The regular season ended two days ago, and we've already had one manager — Bobby Valentine — get fired. Rumors surrounding the job security of other big league skippers continue to circulate, so we'll round them up here throughout the day with the latest up top…
- The Rockies will not have a decision on Jim Tracy's future until Monday, report Troy Renck of The Denver Post (Twitter links). The parties will remain in contact, and the big issue is finding a comfort level in all aspects moving forward.
- Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen is in "real jeopardy of losing his job," reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Owner Jeff Loria is always able to change course.
- “No, I haven’t been contacted," said Mike Lowell when asked if he had been contacted by theMarlins about their manager's position during a recent appearance on The Dan Le Batard Show (audio here). “It would be a very interesting scenario, but I don’t know if this is the time in my life right now.”
- During an ESPN broadcast last night, Terry Francona said that his only two options right now are to manage the Indians or return to the network for another season according to Nick Camino of WTAM 1100 (on Twitter). Francona interviewed for the Cleveland opening this week.
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.
Quick Hits: League, Tracy, Upton, Blue Jays
Brandon League told reporters that he has informed the Dodgers that he would like to re-sign this winter, writes Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com. After a rough handful of games to kick off his Dodger career, League settled down to finish with a 2.30 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9 in Los Angeles. Here’s more from around baseball as Miguel Cabrera celebrates his Triple Crown season..
- With his status uncertain for 2013, Rockies skipper Jim Tracy is set to meet with front office management on Friday, writes Troy Renck of The Denver Post. Tracy was said to have a handshake agreement for next season but there has been heavy speculation that the club could let him go this offseason.
- From talking to people around the Rays, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter) can’t find anyone who thinks that Tampa Bay will come up with the money to retain B.J. Upton. Recently, more than 61% of MLBTR readers polled said that the Rays should extend Upton a qualifying offer this winter.
- Blue Jays General Manager Alex Anthopoulos says that he is comfortable with John Farrell returning to manage the club with just one year left on his contract, tweets Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. The GM went on to say that the club’s payroll will go up for next season, though there will not be a “bottomless pit” to work from (Twitter link).
- Dodgers outfielder Shane Victorino will be parting ways with his representation at ACES and is interviewing other agents, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The veteran is set to hit the open market this winter. Earlier tonight, we learned that Nyjer Morgan has also dropped ACES.
- If the Rangers are bounced early from the postseason, Josh Hamilton‘s dropped pop-up against the A’s earlier today will have an impact on Texas’ willingness to bid on him, opines Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter).
Quick Hits: A’s, Fowler, Phillies
The Mariners announced that they’re changing the dimensions of pitcher-friendly Safeco Field. The left field power alley will move in and the scoreboard in the left field corner will be relocated in order to lower the height of the left field wall. The changes should make Seattle a more inviting place for free agents, especially right-handed power hitters. Here are today’s links…
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports looks back at some of Billy Beane’s offseason trades and explains how the improbable success of the Athletics makes the GM a leading candidate for MLB’s Executive of the Year award.
- Dexter Fowler wants to stay in Colorado and hopes to sign a multiyear deal with the Rockies, Tracy Ringolsby of ROOT Sports and MLB.com reports (on Twitter). The center fielder recently switched agencies, joining Excel Sports Management. I previewed a possible extension for Fowler earlier this season.
- The Phillies announced that they hired Bart Braun as special assistant to the GM. Braun had previously been a scout with the Rays.
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.