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Rockies Notes: Cuddyer, Ramirez, Sizemore

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The Rockies won’t commit to players over 30 on long-term deals, according to Dave Krieger of the Denver Post. Here are some more notes on the Rockies:

  • The Rockies have expressed interest in free agent outfielder Michael Cuddyer, who may prove to be too expensive for Colorado’s budget. 
  • The Rockies will be looking for third base help this offseason, but Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd indicated no interest in Aramis Ramirez at the length of contract he’s looking for, according to Krieger.
  • Cuddyer is a Type A free agent and will probably cost a draft pick, while Ramirez is a Type B and definitely won't cost a pick.
  • Grady Sizemore intrigues O’Dowd as a potential value signing.
  • Third base prospect Nolan Arenado has impressed O’Dowd by hitting well in the Arizona Fall League. The 2009 second round pick may be accelerating his minor league development with his production in the AFL.
  • Generally speaking, O’Dowd doesn’t intend to force trades for the sake of trades. “I personally think a lot our issues are internal, not external,” he told Krieger.
  • For a close look at the Rockies check out Tim Dierkes offseason outlook.

Quick Hits: Moyer, Beltran, CBA, Lincecum, Mariners

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It was 10 years ago today that the Diamondbacks set a World Series record for hits in a game, racking up 22 hits en route to a 15-2 rout of the Yankees in Game Six of the 2001 Series.  This set the stage for a legendary seventh game that saw Luis Gonzalez's bloop single in the ninth inning off Mariano Rivera give the D'Backs their first world championship.

Some news from around the majors….

  • The Mariners, Orioles, Pirates, Rangers, Rockies and Royals are among the teams that have sent scouts to monitor Jamie Moyer's throwing sessions, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Moyer now lives in San Diego, so Rosenthal guesses he'd prefer to pitch for a West Coast team — possibly a reunion with the Mariners, where Moyer is the club's all-time wins leader.  The 49-year-old Moyer missed the entire 2011 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, but two scouts tell Rosenthal that Moyer is throwing as well as ever.
  • The Blue Jays are getting closer to hiring Chuck LaMar as a scout, tweets Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.  LaMar was the original GM of the then-Devil Rays from 1998-2005 and has since worked in the front offices of the Phillies and the Nationals.
  • Carlos Beltran could be re-signed if the Giants offer him a two-year deal with a vesting option on a third year, or three guaranteed years with a condition that Beltran plays left field, writes John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle.
  • A source tells ESPN's Jerry Crasnick not to expect any "meaningful news" about the new collective bargaining agreement until next week at the earliest.  The disagreement about hard slotting for draft picks remains the major point of contention, and Crasnick isn't sure if any other issue is holding up the new deal.
  • Dave Cameron of Fangraphs thinks the Giants could save a lot of money and improve the overall state of their roster if they traded Tim Lincecum.
  • Jack Zduriencik tells Larry Larue of the Tacoma News Tribune that veteran relief pitching and an answer at third base are goals for the Mariners this offseason, plus the broader goals of adding a bat and starting pitching.
  • The Padres have hired Chad MacDonald as their new vice-president and assistant general manager, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  MacDonald had been the Mets' scouting director, and ESPN's Keith Law (Twitter link) reports that the Mets have hired former Blue Jays scout Tommy Tanous to fill the position.
  • Bob Garber, the agent for C.J. Wilson and Roy Oswalt, tells Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York that both his clients would enjoy pitching in New York and fit in well with the Yankees.  We've heard, however, the Yankees are worried about Oswalt's injury history and aren't willing to go all-out to sign Wilson.
  • Prince Fielder sits atop Keith Law's ranking of the top 50 free agents, edging out Albert Pujols for the #1 spot since Fielder is younger.  Law calls this year's free agent class "one of the thinnest I've ever seen."  MLBTR's Tim Dierkes flip-flopped Pujols and Fielder atop his own list of the top 50 free agents.  You can get in on the action by entering MLBTR's Free Agent Prediction Contest for the chance to win several terrific prizes.

NL West Notes: Dodgers, Cook, Bell, Hill

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The Dodgers are nearing a deal with Juan Rivera and have drawn interest from a high-profile potential buyer. Here are more notes from the division…

  • Dodgers owner Frank McCourt will get at least $1 billion if he agrees to sell the team, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). Dodger Stadium and its surrounding parking lots will likely be included in any sale. 
  • Aaron Cook can see himself returning to Colorado under the right circumstances and Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd has some interest in bringing the right-hander back, according to Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post. The Rockies declined an $11MM option for Cook yesterday, paying a $500K buyout instead. 
  • Padres GM Josh Byrnes told reporters, including Tom Krasovic of MLB.com, that he'll be happy if Heath Bell accepts arbitration and prepared in case the Type A reliever declines.
  • The Diamondbacks value Aaron Hill at about $4MM, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter). They had an $8MM option for the second baseman before declining it yesterday.

Rockies Decline Option On Aaron Cook

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The Rockies declined their 2012 option on righty Aaron Cook, tweets Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post.  The Rockies will pay Cook a $500K buyout as opposed to the $11MM option.  GM Dan O'Dowd says the door is open for Cook to return on a new contract.

With 72 wins, Cook is 14 ahead of Jason Jennings on the team's franchise leaderboard.  Cook posted a 6.03 ERA, 4.5 K/9, 3.4 BB/9, 0.84 HR/9, and 55.1% groundball rate in 97 innings this year.  He signed his extension after the '07 season.  Cook battled shoulder, toe, and finger injuries in the following seasons, his innings totals declining each year.

Rockies, Giambi Exercise Mutual Option For 2012

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As expected, the Rockies and backup first baseman Jason Giambi have exercised their sides of a $1MM mutual option for 2012, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (via Twitter).

Giambi, 41 in January, has spent two-plus seasons in Colorado as a pinch-hitter and Todd Helton's backup. The former Athletic and Yankee slugged 13 homers and drew 35 walks in only 152 plate appearances in 2011, so he still has some pop and a good eye at the plate.

The Giambino, a former second-round pick (1992), will return for an 18th Major League season. He boasts an impressive .281/.404/.525 for his career.

Rockies To Decline Cook’s Option; Giambi To Exercise His

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As our Offseason Outlook shows, the Rockies only have two option decisions to make this winter, and Troy Renck of The Denver Post says both appear to have already been made. The team will decline their end of Aaron Cook's $11MM mutual option, and Jason Giambi seems set to exercise his end of a $1MM mutual option. We learned that the team intends to exercise their end of Giambi's option last month.

Cook, 33 in February, has thrown just 382 2/3 innings over the last three seasons due to various injuries. He's pitched to a 4.94 ERA during that time with 4.39 K/9, 3.21 BB/9, and a 56.7% ground ball rate. The team will pay him a $500K buyout, and Renck says they do have interest in bringing him back as long as it's on a low-risk contract.

Giambi, 41 in January, hit .260/.355/.603 with 13 homers in just 152 plate appearances this past season. He drew a lot of interest both before and after the trade deadline, but has talked openly about enjoying his time in Colorado. He'll return as the backup first baseman and pinch-hitter extraordinaire in 2012.

Last night we learned that all option decisions – regardless if it's team, player, or mutual – must be made by 11:59pm ET on Monday, October 31st.

Rockies Links: Wandy Rodriguez, Michael Young

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Let's round up the latest from the club at the highest altitude…

Quick Hits: Shields, Giambi, Sizemore, Beltran

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After one of the greatest, wildest, sloppiest and most exciting games in baseball history, we're going to see a Game Seven tomorrow night.  It will be the first seventh game in the Series since the Angels needed the maximum to beat the Giants in 2002.

As we prepare for the last game of 2011, here are some news items….

  • In an interview with 620-WDAE radio (reported on by Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times), James Shields says he thinks the Rays will pick up his $7MM option for 2012 and he will pitch for the team next season.  The Rays are a near-lock to pick up Shields' option but they could shop the right-hander for a trade this winter.  
  • Smith also notes that Shields' option could be worth as much as $8MM depending on an innings-pitched incentive clause and how Shields fares in AL Cy Young voting.
  • Jason Giambi is considering declining his side of his $1MM mutual option for 2012, writes Troy Renck of the Denver Post.  We heard last month that the Rockies were going to pick up their side of the option, so the decision appears to be up to Giambi.
  • If Grady Sizemore had played his exact career with another team and the Indians had a chance to sign him, the Tribe wouldn't even consider the move, argues Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  That's how Pluto frames the Indians' decision about Sizemore's $9MM option for 2012.
  • The Red Sox and Giants will both be contenders for Carlos Beltran this winter, reports Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link).
  • The Angels should rehire former scouting director Eddie Bane, opines Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles.  Bane was fired by then-GM Tony Reagins last year but still has a good relationship with owner Arte Moreno and team president John Carpino.
  • The week's minor league transactions are recapped by Matt Eddy of Baseball America.
  • After getting burned on the Michael Gonzalez and Kevin Gregg signings, "it’s unlikely that the Orioles will spend big money on a closer" this winter, says Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com.

Quick Hits: Yankees, Pirates, Moyer, Oswalt

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C.J. Wilson wasn't at his best tonight in what may have been the final start of his Rangers career. He allowed five walks and four hits through 5 1/3 innings, but he allowed just two runs — enough to keep his team in the game and allow Texas to take a 3-2 series lead. Here are today's links…

NL West Notes: Rockies, Spilborghs, Winfree, Padres

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Here's a look at a handful of items out of the National League West..

  • There will be an agreement in place to prevent the raiding of the Padres' front office by the Cubs once the departures of Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod are official, a team source tells Dan Hayes of the North County Times (via Twitter).
  • Rockies third baseman Ian Stewart and outfielder Ryan Spilborghs would like to play winter ball after disappointing seasons, but they are on the fence because of their arbitration-eligible status, writes Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post.  Both players are non-tender candidates and could wind up as free agents on December 12th.
  • The Diamondbacks added infielder David Winfree to their major league roster, according to their official Twitter page.  Arizona also did some roster shuffling yesterday when they outrighted Sean Burroughs, Alberto Castillo and Robby Hammock to Triple-A.
  • With Jed Hoyer expected to join Theo Epstein in Chicago, Tom Krasovic of Inside The Padres gives his impression of Hoyer as a GM.  While some Padres fans are upset with Hoyer for leaving the club, Krasovic believes that the soon-to-be 38-year-old is simply seizing a rare opportunity.
  • The Padres don't expect to lose scouting director Jaron Madison to the Cubs if Hoyer and Jason McLeod join the organization, a team source told Dan Hayes of the North County Times (via Twitter).
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