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Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Twins, Mets, Rockies, Delgado, Nady, Butler

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On this date six years ago, Aaron Boone ended the ALCS with an 11th inning home run off of Tim Wakefield. Yesterday we learned that Boone is likely to retire, ending his 12-year career. With this season's LCS underway, 26 teams are already in the Hot Stove season. Let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.

Rockies Notes: Marquis, Betancourt, Giambi

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Tracy Ringolsby of Inside The Rockies examines Colorado's commitments for 2010, and the decisions they'll face regarding potential free agents and arbitration cases. Here are a few of his thoughts:

  • Jason Marquis has said he wants to sign with the Mets and likely won't be back in Colorado.
  • There's a good chance that lefty Alan Embree will retire.
  • Jose Contreras is interested in returning in a middle relief capacity, but Matt Belisle is a younger option for the team in that role.
  • The club would like to retain Rafael Betancourt, but his contract would have to be reworked. Betancourt has a $5.4MM club option for 2010.
  • Behind the plate, Chris Iannetta will be back as the starter. Yorvit Torrealba could return as Ianetta's backup, but probably not for more than $1MM.
  • The team may not have room for Jason Giambi, instead opting to use his roster spot on a right-handed hitter who can play both infield corners.
  • Righty relievers Juan Rincon and Matt Herges could receive minor-league invites.

Rockies Rumors: Marquis, Barmes, De La Rosa

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More Rockies hot stove info…

  • Free agent starter Jason Marquis told MLB.com's Thomas Harding he'd love to return to the Rockies, but "the ball's in their court."  Last month, Marquis downplayed an assertion from his friend Jeff Francoeur that the pitcher would love to come to New York.  It was a different market, but Marquis' agent snagged his client a three-year, $21MM deal coming off a 6.02 ERA season back in December of '06.  2009 was a typical Marquis season aside from an increased groundball rate. 
  • We already knew the Rockies had designs on locking up closer Huston Street, who's under team control through 2010.  Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post says the Rox also intend to approach Clint Barmes and Jorge de la Rosa about extensions.  Barmes is under team control through 2011, de la Rosa through 2010.
  • Renck believes the Rockies will offer Street "a three-year deal in the neighborhood of $25MM, which might not be enough to sign him but is a good start."  Ah, overpaying for saves.

Discussion: What’s Next For The Rockies?

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Colorado's season ended in heartbreaking fashion last night, when the normally reliable Huston Street lost his second game in as many days for the first time in his career. Now the front office will focus on trying to improve a team that went 72-38 after July 3rd this season.

The club has several young players (like Ian Stewart, Dexter Fowler, and Carlos Gonzalez) estabishing themselves in the bigs, but they also have a couple players coming up on free agency, including Jason Giambi, Jose Contreras, and Jason Marquis. The team also holds a $4MM option for catcher Yorvit Torrealba and a $5.4MM option for setup man Rafael Betancourt for 2010, although the biggest free agent is GM Dan O'Dowd.

So what do MLBTR's readers think is the next step for the Rockies? Should they non-tender Garrett Atkins, trade Brad Hawpe? What else?

Rockies Rumors: Betancourt, Marquis, Hawpe

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With the Rockies' 2009 season over, Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post is already discussing 2010.  Here's the latest:

  • Look for GM Dan O'Dowd to receive a new contract soon.  O'Dowd will then attempt to re-sign manager Jim Tracy.
  • Rafael Betancourt has a steep $5.4MM club option for 2010.  The reliever wants to return, and Renck finds it possible.  He says catcher Yorvit Torrealba, who has a $4MM mutual option, is less certain to remain with the team.
  • The Rockies are expected to let free agent starter Jason Marquis leave and replace him with Jeff Francis.  Presumably the Rockies will not offer arbitration to Marquis, a probable Type B free agent.  Jason Giambi, Jose Contreras, and Joe Beimel are possibilities to re-sign.
  • Renck sees Garrett Atkins as a trade or non-tender candidate.  It wouldn't make much sense for a team to acquire Atkins prior to the non-tender deadline in mid-December.
  • Renck considers right fielder Brad Hawpe a trade candidate given the Rockies' outfield depth.  Hawpe will earn $7.5MM in 2010, but he can void his $10MM option for 2011 if traded.  During the last four seasons, Hawpe has posted OBPs of .381 or better and SLGs of .498 or better.  The knock is that he can't hit lefties, but he did a tolerable job against them in 2008-09.  The other knock against Hawpe is his subpar defense.  He still might fit with the Cubs or Mets, in my opinion.

Odds & Ends: Blue Jays, Rockies, Crede

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Links for Monday…

  • The Astros received permission to interview Red Sox first base coach Tim Bogar for their managerial job, according to WEEI's Rob Bradford.  Brad Mills and Manny Acta will also interview, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart (via Twitter).  McTaggart adds Bob Melvin, Dave Clark, and Al Pedrique as other candidates, while Alyson Footer adds Ned Yost, Randy Ready, Phil Garner, and Pete Mackanin.
  • Nationals scouting director Dana Brown has been hired away by new Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
  • Rockies owner Dick Monfort told Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post that the team's postseason appearance won't significantly affect payroll.  The Rockies have impending free agents in Jason Marquis, Yorvit Torrealba, Rafael Betancourt, and Joe Beimel (among others), and must also decide whether to tender Garrett Atkins a contract.  Torrealba and Betancourt have pricey club options.
  • Astros catcher J.R. Towles is a potential buy-low candidate for the Rays, says R.J. Anderson of DRays Bay.  Towles hit .276/.386/.455 in Triple A this year, but Jason Castro is the Astros' catcher of the future.
  • Cardinals GM John Mozeliak hopes to take advantage of the exclusive negotiating period for his free agents, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  In a separate article, Joe Strauss of the P-D notes that Rick Ankiel pulled a fast one on the media.
  • Joe Crede is optimistic he'll have a quick recovery from his third back surgery, says MLB.com's Scott Merkin.  Merkin says the Boras client "spoke more in generalities than about a specific return to Minnesota."
  • Jack Morris almost signed with the Yankees in 1996, writes Jack Curry of the New York Times. 
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports speculates about the Red Sox trading closer Jonathan Papelbon.

Odds & Ends: Rangers, Hawpe, Griffey, Matsui

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Are you over that back-and-forth, edge of your seat Yankees-Twins game yet? If not, here's some links to calm you down…

  • Jeff Wilson of The Dallas Morning News provides a quick breakdown of each of the three bidders that are considering purchasing the Rangers. He notes that there is still no timetable for a sale to be complete.
  • Jim Armstrong of The Denver Post wonders about Brad Hawpe's future in Colorado after Jim Tracy used three lefthanded pinch hitters during Game Two of the NLDS, none of whom was Hawpe. With several younger, more athletic, and (perhaps most importantly) cheaper outfielders on the roster, Hawpe could be the odd man out.
  • When asked if he wanted to play in 2010, Ken Griffey Jr. replied "Um, yeah," according to Phil Rogers of The Chicago Tribune. Junior also qualified that by saying he'll do what's best for his family and for the Mariners.
  • Could Hideki Matsui stay in New York next year? Newsday's David Lennon thinks it may be possible, with the Mets instead of the Yankees. The one they call Godzilla has insisted he could play the outfield all season, yet the Yankees have only used him at DH because of his surgically repaired knees. Lennon notes that Matsui has also "told people he would consider trying first base," which would fit great for the team from Flushing.

Heyman On Holliday, Giambi, Lackey

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The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…

  • Heyman says the Braves "may consider going after Matt Holliday."  So maybe I shouldn't rule out Holliday and Jason Bay for the Braves' right-handed power bat options.
  • Jason Giambi hopes to play another year as a DH.  There will be fewer than 11 open DH spots this winter.
  • John Lackey wants A.J. Burnett money ($82.5MM over five years) and the Angels aren't confident about re-signing him.

Odds & Ends: Sabathia, Leyland, Astros

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Some links to start the day off…

Odds & Ends: Mets, Hardy, Hammel

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Links for Wednesday…

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