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Central Links: Hafner, Leyland, Astros

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The Tigers are holding their collective breath after righty Max Scherzer exited Tuesday night's start prematurely because of shoulder pain. Scherzer, who leads the American League in strikeouts, is scheduled to undergo an MRI. More on the Tigers in this batch of links …

  • The Indians are expected to decline their $13MM club option on DH Travis Hafner for 2013, writes Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. Hafner, sidelined since early August due to a back injury, is trying to get back on the field for what could be his final appearances as a member of the Tribe. With a career line of .278/.382/.508, the 35-year-old has posted solid offensive numbers when healthy, but staying on the field has been an issue, as he's missed chunks of time in each of the past five seasons.
  • Tigers manager Jim Leyland said he is focused on his team's playoff chase rather than his own contract status, writes Anthony Odoardi of MLB.com. Leyland's deal expires after this season, but he maintains he has held no discussions with Detroit about this future: "I haven't discussed my situation with anyone nor has my situation been discussed with me. And I don't want to discuss my situation with anyone nor do they want to discuss it with me right now. We're trying to win a division."
  • The Astros hope to pick their next manager by the end of next week, but they may have to wait till after then to announce the decision, writes Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. If the selected candidate is on a team that's still in the playoffs, Houston will wait till that team's season is over, McTaggart explains.
  • Astros owner Jim Crane reiterated that he's not expecting Roger Clemens to pitch this season, tweets Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle.
  • While some consider the second-place Tigers a disappointment after a splashy offseason that saw them land top free agent Prince Fielder, Detroit has played pretty close to where some advanced metrics suggest they should be, explains Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs.

Central Notes: Indians, Tigers, Lohse

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Dusty Baker will manage his 3,000th MLB game when the Reds visit the Cubs at Wrigley Field tonight. It’ll be a familiar setting for Baker, who managed the Cubs for four seasons before moving on to Cincinnati. Here are the latest links from MLB's two central divisions…

  • Indians president Mark Shapiro indicated that the team will have the ability to spend this offseason (Twitter link). However, Shapiro questions the depth of this particular free agent market. The Indians could be looking to sign an outfielder, and this year’s free agent class is particularly strong in the outfield.
  • Anibal Sanchez of the Tigers and Wandy Rodriguez of the Pirates are among the trade deadline acquisitions who have recovered from shaky beginnings in new cities, Paul Casella of MLB.com writes.
  • St. Louis Post-Dispatch writers Derrick Goold, Rick Hummel, Jeff Gordon and Tom Timmermann weigh in on whether the Cardinals should look to retain Kyle Lohse for 2013. The writers note that the Cardinals have starting pitching depth and need to spend on other areas, such as a possible extension for Adam Wainwright. Nearly three quarters of respondents to a recent MLBTR poll suggested the Cardinals should make Lohse a qualifying offer when he hits free agency after the season.

Olney On Hamilton, Tigers, Posey

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MLB executives don’t question Josh Hamilton’s ability on the field, but they’re hesitant to commit long-term to the outfielder, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports. Hamilton figures to ask for $20-25MM per season and executives are wary of guaranteeing that kind of salary to a player with off-field questions, Olney writes. Here’s Olney’s latest on the market for Hamilton, who hits free agency for the first time this offseason:

  • The Rangers have their doubts about how long they want to invest in Hamilton, Olney writes. They’ve done background work on outfielders such as Justin Upton and Jacoby Ellsbury since they realize they could be in the market for an impact outfielder within a few months.
  • The Dodgers had no intention of bidding for Hamilton even before they acquired Carl Crawford. The Angels, Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, Braves, Nationals and Orioles don’t seem like logical destinations for Hamilton, Olney writes.
  • One GM said the Tigers could surprise rival teams and enter the bidding for Hamilton. Owner Mike Ilitch has a history of spending aggressively on free agents such as Prince Fielder and Magglio Ordonez.
  • The Giants could have interest in Hamilton, but Olney suggests it’d probably be conservative. The Giants will make an effort to sign Buster Posey long-term, according to Olney. Mark Polishuk recently previewed a possible extension for the San Francisco catcher.

Managerial Notes: Girardi, Dodgers, Marlins

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The Astros are the only team currently looking for a manager, but within a few weeks there’s a good chance other MLB teams will be in the market for managers of their own. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports lists those who could be managing for their jobs between now and the end of the regular season. Here are the highlights…

  • Joe Girardi of the Yankees is a good manager who doesn’t deserve to be fired, Rosenthal writes. However, Girardi’s job security will be in question if the Yankees don’t win the AL East.
  • It’d be reasonable to ask if Jim Leyland got enough out of the Tigers roster if Detroit misses the postseason. The Tigers could decide it’s time for a change after seven seasons under Leyland, Rosenthal writes.
  • Though Mike Scioscia is under contract through 2018, Angels owner Arte Moreno would be disappointed to miss the playoffs after an offseason of aggressive moves.
  • The Dodgers will likely pursue a contract extension with manager Don Mattingly no matter how their season ends, Rosenthal reports.
  • Bobby Valentine won’t be back in Boston. If the Red Sox can’t pry John Farrell away from the Blue Jays, they’ll have to look elsewhere for a replacement.
  • Some Marlins people believe their season started deteriorating when Guillen spoke publicly about Fidel Castro in April. However, it appears more likely the Marlins will re-structure their front office than fire Guillen.
  • Rosenthal suggests Terry Francona could be a fit in Cleveland if the Indians dismiss Manny Acta following their disappointing second half. Francona will likely have options elsewhere and he might be prohibitively expensive for Cleveland.
  • Fredi Gonzalez probably won’t have to worry about his job security as long as the Braves make the playoffs.

Jhonny Peralta’s 2013 Option

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This coming offseason’s class of free agent shortstops doesn’t have the same star power as the one that featured Jose Reyes and Jimmy Rollins a year ago. Marco Scutaro and Stephen Drew lead a group that includes a number of backups and Alex Gonzalez, who missed the final five months of the 2012 season with a knee injury. In theory, Jhonny Peralta could also hit free agency. But it seems more likely that the Tigers will exercise their $6MM club option and keep Peralta in Detroit for another year. 

Jhonny Peralta - Tigers (PW)

The Tigers don’t have a Jurickson Profar or Manny Machado-type shortstop prospect in the organization, so they’ll need to acquire someone to play the position in 2013. President and GM Dave Dombrowski could explore trades for players such as Elvis Andrus, J.J. Hardy and Yunel Escobar, but the asking prices figure to be high for each player. A weak free agent class and a potentially competitive trade market could improve Peralta’s chances of returning to Detroit.

Peralta hasn't produced on offense the way he did in 2011, the first season of his two-year, $11.25MM contract with Detroit. He has a .251/.311/.404 batting line that's slightly better than average for his position (MLB shortstops are hitting .255/.307/.377). Though Peralta's home run total has dropped from 21 in 2011 to 11 in 2012, he has added 31 doubles and three triples in 502 plate appearances.

While Peralta’s not thought of as an above-average defender, his defense is considered acceptable. He's a decent defensive shortstop even if he's not much fun to watch, according to a pre-season scouting report in The Fielding Bible Volume III. UZR suggests the 30-year-old has played above-average defense since signing his two-year deal with the Tigers. 

Advanced metrics say Peralta's adding value for the Tigers. FanGraphs' version of wins above replacement values Peralta at 2.7 WAR in 2012. Baseball-Reference, on the other hand, suggests Peralta has been worth 1.4 WAR. The metrics agree on this much: he’s a contributor at a premium position. 

Sometime this month Peralta will appear in his 140th game of the season, reaching the threshold for the eighth time in as many seasons since 2005. Injuries can strike at any time, but Peralta’s history of staying healthy compares favorably to that of Drew or Gonzalez. 

If the Tigers were to decline Peralta’s option, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the ACES client sign a two-year contract like the one he signed following the 2010 season. Comparable middle infielders such as Aaron Hill, Mark Ellis and Clint Barmes signed similar contracts a year ago. At this point, however, it doesn't seem likely that Peralta will reach free agency. In a market light on alternatives at shortstop, his $6MM option figures to appeal to the Tigers.

Photo courtesy of US Presswire.

Chris Perez Talks Indians, Tigers

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Indians closer Chris Perez offered some potentially controversial analysis of the Cleveland market in an interview that could put the outspoken right-hander back in the national spotlight. In particular, Perez highlighted that the Tigers regularly out-spend their division rivals in Cleveland.

“Different owners,” Perez told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. “It comes down to that. They [the Tigers] are spending money. He [owner Mike Ilitch] wants to win. Even when the economy was down, he spent money. He’s got a team to show for it. You get what you pay for in baseball. Sometimes you don’t. But most of the time you do.”

Perez went on to say that top baseball executives have a share of the responsibility as well. Owners don’t make the baseball decisions, so general managers must be accountable for player moves, he said.

“The GMs can only spend the money the owners give them, but they pick who they spend it on or who they don’t,” Perez said. “They pick. The owners don’t pick.”

Perez, 27, suggested the Indians would be better off if they had been more aggressive on last year’s free agent market.

“Josh Willingham would look great in this lineup. They didn’t want to [pony] up for that last year. … That’s the decision they make, and this is the bed we’re laying in,” he said.

The two-time All-Star earns $4.5MM this year and will go to arbitration this coming offseason. The Indians control his rights through 2014, but they could look to trade him before then in the opinion of MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian (Twitter link). Perez has a 3.51 ERA with 10.4 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 and 34 saves in 48 2/3 innings so far in 2012. 

The Tigers rank fifth in MLB with a payroll of $132.3MM, according to USA Today. Meanwhile, the Indians rank 21st with a payroll of $78.4MM. President Mark Shapiro and GM Chris Antonetti run the team, which is owned by Larry Dolan.

Braves Acquire Jeff Baker From Tigers

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The Tigers announced that they have traded Jeff Baker to the Braves for a player to be named later.  The 31-year-old was designated for assignment earlier today to make room for Avisail Garcia on the roster.

Baker appeared in 15 games for the Tigers this month after he was acquired from the Cubs.  The veteran has played second base and all four corner positions this year, while posting a line of .254/.293/.408 in 181 total plate appearances.  For his career, Baker boasts a strong batting line of .298/.346/.505 against left-handers.

Tigers Designate Jeff Baker For Assignment

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The Tigers have designated Jeff Baker for assignment, according to the team's director of media relations, Brian Britten (on Twitter). Detroit recalled Avisail Garcia from Double-A Erie in a related move.

Baker, a right-handed hitter, appeared in 15 games for the Tigers after they acquired him from the Cubs on August 5th. The 31-year-old has played second base and all four corner positions this year, posting a line of .254/.293/.408 in 181 total plate appearances. A noted lefty masher, Baker has a career batting line of .298/.346/.505 against southpaws. He's a potential fit for the Giants, who are looking for a right-handed hitting outfielder.

Padres Claim Thad Weber

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The Padres claimed right-hander Thad Weber from Detroit, according to Brian Britten of the Tigers (on Twitter). The Tigers reinstated Al Alburquerque from the 60-day disabled list and optioned him to Triple-A Toledo in a related move.

Weber, 27, made his MLB debut this year, appearing in two games for the Tigers in April. The 2008 16th round selection has spent the majority of the 2012 season at Toledo, where he was a 4.30 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 128 2/3 innings, mostly as a starter.

Minor Moves: Rodriguez, Hamilton, Tomko, D’Backs

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Today's minor moves, courtesy of Baseball America's Matt Eddy..

  • The Braves have signed left-hander Daniel Rodriguez out of the Mexican League, reports Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The 27-year-old owns a 2.54 ERA in 117 innings this season, and has led the league in strikeouts in each of the past three years.
  • The Cardinals have released Mark Hamilton, reports MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch (on Twitter). The 28-year-old put up a .231/.340/.419 line with 15 homers in 359 Triple-A plate appearances this season.
  • The Diamondbacks signed right-hander Brett Tomko.  The 39-year-old was released by the Reds earlier this month after posting a 3.78 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9 in 12 Triple-A starts.
  • The Diamondbacks also signed third baseman Matt Mangini, who was recently released by the Rays.  Mangini was with Tampa Bay's Triple-A affiliate but has been assigned to Double-A Mobile.  The 26-year-old had a cup of coffee in the majors with the Mariners in 2010.
  • Tigers outfielder Don Kelly cleared waivers and accepted his outright assignment to Triple-A Toledo.  Kelly was outrighted after being DFA'd on August 3rd.
  • The Twins released right-hander Eric Hurley, who elected free agency from the Angels last month.  The 2004 first-round pick was once viewed as a high-ceiling prospect but has yet to appear in the majors since a five-game stint with the Rangers in 2008.
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