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Quick Hits: Payrolls, Jay, Wilson, Epstein

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Here are some links to check out before the NLCS kicks off later this afternoon..

  • Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel points out that the somewhat low payrolls of the remaining playoff teams are examples of the importance of drafting, scouting, and player development. The Tigers have the largest payroll (10th), while the Cardinals (11th), Rangers (13th), and Brewers (17th) round out the pack. It's also worth noting that the Diamondbacks rank 25th and the Rays were 29th.
  • The progress of center fielder Jon Jay allowed the Cardinals to trade Colby Rasmus at the deadline, GM John Mozeliak told Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepczynski, and Octavio Dotel have been key parts of the team's drive to the NLCS.
  • Some people think that C.J. Wilson has keen interest as a free agent in New York, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated.  He adds that the Yankees are probably the early favorite to sign him.
  • A Lakeview, Illinois resident is "99.9 percent sure" that he saw Red Sox GM Theo Epstein at a Starbucks in Lincoln Park, writes Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.  Boston ownership has yet to acknowledge a report that the Cubs have asked for permission to talk to Epstein.
  • The Angels continued their front-office purge by not renewing the contract of player development director Abe Flores, a major league source told Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.  Flores spent four seasons as the team's player development director after spending the previous six as the team's manager of baseball operations.
  • No matter what kind of career pitcher Pedro Strop has, the trade for left-hander Mike Gonzalez at the August deadline was worth it for the Rangers, writes Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com. 

Cafardo On Epstein, Red Sox, Sabathia, Rays

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If Theo Epstein winds up taking the Cubs' GM job, then the spotlight again will be directed at Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  Even if the club tabbed longtime exec Ben Cherington as general manager, it would take time before Cherington would have complete control over the operations.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • There's growing sentiment that C.C. Sabathia will opt out of his contract with the Yankees.  The Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers, Tigers, and Giants are among the usual suspects if the lefty hits the open market.  Boston, however, might have doubts about Sabathia.  Cafardo wonders if the front office would take on another sizeable pitching contract and add another overweight pitcher.
  • The Rays will be able to make their rotation even scarier by adding 22-year-old Matt Moore to it.  Tampa Bay also has righty Alex Cobb and lefty Alex Torres ready for the majors.  The Rays could parlay their pitching depth into offense by trading Cobb, Torres, Jeff Niemann or Wade Davis if need be.
  • The feeling is that Padres skipper Bud Black has a real chance of becoming the Angels next GM.  Black, who is good friends with Mike Scioscia, doesn’t have front office experience but has a pitching expertise that would make him valuable in that position.
  • Former Mets GM Omar Minaya thinks that Willie Randolph, Chip Hale, Tim Wallach, and Ryne Sandberg would all be good fits to manage in Boston.  Minaya is currently an analyst for the MLB Network and is mulling over a few offers to return to baseball as an adviser to a GM.  He expects to make a decision as the winter unfolds.
  • Red Sox third base coach Tim Bogar could be retained when a new manager is named.  There has also been speculation that Bogar is a candidate for bench coach under new White Sox manager Robin Ventura.  Cafardo gives the White Sox credit for being decisive and hiring Robin Ventura rather than wait for a big name like Tony La Russa.
  • Former Red Sox coach John McLaren is managing the Chinese national team and might be a candidate to become bench coach with the Mets.

AL West Notes: Darvish, Larson, Mathis, A’s

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C.J. Wilson and Derek Holland will start the first two games of the ALCS for the Rangers, with Colby Lewis and Matt Harrison slated for Games 3 and 4 at Comerica Park.  Here's the latest from not only the Rangers, but the entire AL West….

  • Opposing scouts predict the Rangers will win the bidding for Yu Darvish, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today.  Several teams, including some of the biggest markets in the game, have been rumored to be pursuing Darvish this winter.  Nightengale's scout sources, for the record, unanimously predict "stardom" for Darvish if he jumps to the majors.
  • Mariners minority owner Chris Larson has seen his personal fortune "largely depleted" by the recession and a divorce from his wife, reports Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.  Larson is the Mariners' largest minority owner, with a stake of 30.63% of the club, and Baker wonders if Larson's financial troubles will affect the team's payroll or force him to sell part of his ownership share.
  • The criticism from Angels fans about Jeff Mathis' poor hitting "has become an emotional drain" for Mathis, opines MLB.com's Lyle Spencer, who thinks the catcher would "settle in and be a fine total player" elsewhere.  Also as part of this mailbag piece, Spencer speculates about two outside-the-box candidates (Bud Black and Joe Maddon) with Angels ties as LAA's next general manager.  
  • The Athletics are expected to pursue Mike Aldrete as the club's new hitting coach, reports MLB.com's Jane Lee.  The A's can't officially talk to Aldrete, the Cardinals' assistant hitting coach, until St. Louis has been eliminated from postseason play.

Quick Hits: Angels, Buehrle, Zambrano

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At least one division series per league is going to a full five games this year, with the first elimination game taking place in the Bronx tomorrow night. Here are some links to read in the meantime…

  • A's GM Billy Beane and MLB.com's Peter Gammons reflect on the decision Beane made in 2002, when he nearly joined the Red Sox before realizing he wanted to remain in Oakland. Gammons compares Beane to Red Sox GM Theo Epstein, who is at a similar career crossroads now that Boston missed the playoffs and the Cubs are interested in him as their next GM. 
  • The Angels are also looking for a new general manager and former GM Jim Bowden compiles a list of candidates at ESPN.com. Kim Ng of MLB, Jason McLeod of the Padres and Bill Geivett of the Rockies are among the names on Bowden's list (MLBTR's list of GM Candidates offers some more candidates to consider). 
  • Though the Rangers wanted Cliff Lee last offseason, they have many reasons to celebrate the near-miss, Jon Paul Morosi writes at FOX Sports. Texas signed Adrian Beltre, whose three-homer game sent them back to the ALCS, instead. 
  • Jim Margalus of South Side Sox looks back at Mark Buehrle's last contract and determines that it was a good one for the White Sox because the left-hander didn't really age.
  • Carlos Zambrano knows his future with the Cubs is undetermined until they hire a GM, but he says he is talking with new Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen on a near-daily basis, according to Ormúz Jesús Sojo of Líder en Deportes (translation via MLBTR's Nick Collias).
  • Check out Rumores de Béisbol for all of the latest rumors in Spanish.

Angels Notes: Moreno, GM, Napoli

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The Angels are looking for a new general manager after dismissing Tony Reagins and assistants Ken Forsch and Gary Sutherland. Here’s the latest on their offseason plans, starting with an update on who will be making the decisions… 

  • The Angels are having meetings this week to determine whether to hire a new general manager from within or add someone from outside of the organization, according to Scott Miller of CBS Sports (on Twitter). Angels manager of baseball operations Tory Hernandez was one person who came up when we were compiling our list of GM Candidates; Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times mentioned him as a possible candidate yesterday.
  • Bill Shaikin of the LA Times believes Angels owner Arte Moreno should hire a general manager with a vision for success and strong relationships with teams and agents. As Shaikin points out, “the Angels' preferred one-and-done approach on offers to major free agents has largely failed.”
  • Josh Hamilton told Lyle Spencer of MLB.com that the Rangers might want to acquire another Angel this offseason. Texas successfully added Vladimir Guerrero before the 2010 season and Mike Napoli last offseason, so Hamilton's hoping for more (Twitter link). "I think we're going to look at who we can get from the Angels next year," he said.

AL West Notes: Angels, DiSarcina, Mariners

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Earlier today, we learned that the Angels dismissed assistant GM Ken Forsch and special assistant Gary Sutherland.  This comes after the Halos parted ways with GM Tony Reagins on Friday.  Here are some notes on their GM search and other items out of the American League West..

  • Today's dismissals make the possibility seem unlikely, but if the Angels decide to fill their GM vacancy from within, two candidates stand out above all the rest, writes Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.  Gary DiSarcina, the former shortstop who is a special assistant to the GM, and Tory Hernandez, the team's manager of baseball operations, would have the best crack at the job.  Meanwhile, Oakland assistant GM David Forst and Chicago White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn are believed to be very interested in the position.
  • The Halos are fighting perception that team is run in total by manager Mike Scioscia, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated.  A competing GM remarked to Heyman that "[Scioscia is] the GM" of the club.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter) echoed similar sentiments, wondering aloud if the Angels will hire an actual GM or another figurehead for the position.
  • The Mariners used this past season as a developmental year for their young players, but GM Jack Zduriencik is open to bringing in key veterans to bolster that group next season, writes Greg Johns of MLB.com.  Of course, Zduriencik expects a major boost from within with a healthy return of Franklin Gutierrez and a stronger year from Justin Smoak.

GM/Manager Notes: Cubs, Angels, Red Sox, Orioles

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The Cubs and Angels officially have general manager vacancies and, depending on what Buck Showalter decides to do, the Orioles could be looking for a GM, too. Throw in the uncertainty surrounding Theo Epstein's future and many expiring contracts for managers and there’s the possibility for a lot of leadership changes in the next month or so. Here are the details from around MLB… 

  • Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts declined to address rumors that Red Sox GM Theo Epstein may be interested in coming to Chicago, writes Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.
  • The Angels dismissed assistant GM Ken Forsch and special assistant Gary Sutherland, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times. They dismissed GM Tony Reagins on Friday.
  • ESPN.com's Buster Olney hears that the Red Sox have had informal conversations about what they'll do if Epstein is no longer their GM (Twitter link).
  • The Red Sox aren’t targeting Bobby Valentine or Joe Torre for their managerial opening, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. It appears that Epstein is considering two candidates without MLB managerial experience, according to Heyman.
  • People who know Epstein tell Heyman that the GM doesn’t expect to work for the Red Sox for life. It’s possible that Red Sox ownership will add a couple years to Epstein’s contract (it expires after 2012) or change his title.
  • Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts likes the Red Sox organization, not just Epstein, according to Scott Miller of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). That could mean the Cubs are interested in assistant GM Ben Cherington.
  • The Red Sox would surely demand and obtain compensation if the Cubs hire Epstein, so Dave Cameron of FanGraphs wonders how much he is worth. Cameron isn't sure that spending big on recognizable executives makes sense, since there's a steady supply of qualified candidates who are available more cheaply.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says it's time for the Red Sox to extend Epstein and that it would be a mistake on their part to let him go.
  • The Cubs' shortlist includes Cherington, White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn and Braves director of professional scouting John Coppolella, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. 
  • Connolly explains that he expects the Orioles to hire someone from outside of the organization with a background in scouting and/or player development if Showalter continues managing the team.
  • Though GM John Mozeliak says he has a “very good” relationship with manager Tony La Russa, Heyman hears that some top Cardinals people don’t believe the skipper is worth his salary of $5MM or so.
  • Despite rumors connecting him to the White Sox, La Russa says he’s not going to manage another team, according to Heyman.
  • The Angels are meeting to start forming their list of GM candidates today and they seem likely to go outside of the organization for the position, Heyman writes.
  • Don't forget to check out our list of GM Candidates.

Red Sox Rumors: Epstein, Cherington, Managerial Candidates

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The Red Sox appear headed for an interesting offseason; here's the latest.

  • A Major League source close to Theo Epstein told ESPN's Gordon Edes it's "50-50" the Red Sox GM would leave for the right situation.  Edes hears Epstein "believes in honoring a contract that has a year remaining," yet owner John Henry "would not stand in the way if Epstein wanted to pursue another opportunity."  Edes feels that while giving Epstein a club president title would be a promotion, the business aspect of that role has never held appeal for him.  If Epstein leaves, Edes has a source who would be very surprised if current assistant GM Ben Cherington didn't replace him.
  • Edes believes that if the Cubs or Angels intend to make a move for Epstein, it will come as early as this week.  The Red Sox "will likely ask for stiff compensation if they permit Epstein to leave for the Cubs, though an extension is still possible," tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today.  Sources are split on whether Angels owner Arte Moreno wants Epstein, writes Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald.
  • Edes says the Red Sox have internally discussed Sandy Alomar Jr., Dave Martinez, Pete Mackanin, Ryne Sandberg, and Tony La Russa as candidates to replace Terry Francona as manager.  It is tricky to have Epstein overseeing this process given his uncertainty, but Cherington is involved as well.
  • In a must-read article, WEEI's Rob Bradford addresses the future of each Red Sox position player.

AL West Notes: Angels, Beane, A’s Coaches

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A few items of note regarding AL West clubs, as the division's sole postseason representative, the Rangers, take on the Rays in Arlington.

  • Morale in the Angels' front office had waned under former GM Tony Reagins, who resigned Friday, sources tell Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports, and the organization's direction seemed vague. Reagins may not have been ready for the job when he took over for former GM Bill Stoneman in 2007, Brown adds.
  • Elsewhere in Brown's piece, he reports that Stoneman, who has served as an advisor to the Angels since stepping down, will be part of the committee that searches for a new GM, but he will not return to the position, nor will Scioscia add that to his managerial duties. So, it seems certain the next GM will come from outside the organization.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com wonders whether A's GM Billy Beane could assume the GM role with the Angels. There'd be a lot to work through, as Beane is under contract through 2014 and wouldn't want to play second fiddle to Scioscia, but the Halos need another "significant voice," opines Rosenthal.
  • The Athletics will not bring back pitching coach Ron Romanick, hitting coach Gerald Perry and bench coach Joel Skinner in 2012, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Slusser speculates the A's will ask permission to speak to Reds pitching coach Bryan Price and Red Sox pitching coach Curt Young, who is under contract another year and might be a lame duck now that Terry Francona won't be back in Boston.

22 Triple-A Players Elect Free Agency

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A total of 22 players that finished the year in Triple-A elected free agency after the end of the regular season according to the transaction pages of the Pacific Coast and International Leagues. All but one of those 22 players (Matt Carson, formerly of the Rays) played in the big leagues this season. Here's the full list:

Dusty Brown (Pirates), Travis Buck (Indians), Armando Galarraga (D'Backs), Jay Gibbons (Dodgers), Edgar Gonzalez (Rockies), Steve Holm (Twins), Wil Ledezma (Blue Jays), Andy LaRoche (Athletics), Felipe Lopez (Brewers), Lastings Milledge (White Sox), Pat Misch (Mets), Pat Neshek (Padres), Mike O'Connor (Mets), Matt Palmer (Angels), Felix Pie (Orioles), Brad Snyder (Cubs), Brett Tomko (Rangers), Wyatt Toregas (Pirates), P.J. Walters (Blue Jays), Randy Williams (Red Sox), and Reggie Willits (Angels).

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