Angels GM News: Levine, Evans, Eppler, Oppenheimer
The latest on the Angels' GM opening…
- The Angels are expected to obtain permission from the Rangers to interview assistant GM Thad Levine once the World Series ends, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times.
- Former Dodgers GM Dan Evans will interview for the job Thursday or Friday, according to DiGiovanna (on Twitter).
- DiGiovanna points out that Rays executive VP of baseball operations hasn't pulled himself out of the running for the job.
- Yankees draft guru Damon Oppenheimer will not be called back for a second interview, tweets SI's Jon Heyman, but director of professional scouting Billy Eppler will speak to the Angels again.
- Kim Ng will interview for the position today, tweets Heyman.
- Omar Minaya, Andrew Friedman, Jerry Dipoto, and Rick Hahn still appear to be under consideration, while Thad Levine and Dan Evans could also interview.
Front Office Notes: Red Sox, Minaya, Cashman
The Cubs and Red Sox introduced the new leaders of their respective baseball operations departments today. Theo Epstein met with the media in Chicago and Ben Cherington did the same in Boston. Here are some more notes from front offices around MLB…
- Epstein sounded extremely confident in Cherington’s ability to bring the Red Sox back to the playoffs. “He’s had such a well-rounded development,” Epstein said of Cherington. “He’s got so much integrity. He’s so bright. He’s got great management skills of people. This guy is going to do a fantastic job.” Alex Speier of WEEI.com has more quotes from Epstein.
- Speier hears from an insider who won't be surprised if the Red Sox and Cubs need the help of the commissioner's office to resolve the issue of compensation for Epstein.
- Former Mets and Expos GM Omar Minaya is one of top candidates for the Angels’ GM job, according to Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Yankees expect to have a new deal with GM Brian Cashman by Monday, according to Andrew Marchand and Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Newsday's Ken Davidoff explains that Rangers executive A.J. Preller rooted for the Yankees before getting his first job in professional baseball. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes spoke to Preller earlier this month for our GM Candidates series.
- The Diamondbacks announced that they promoted Junior Noboa to VP of Latin Operations. Noboa, Arizona's first ever international hire, enters his 18th season with the organization. He has overseen the acquisition of players such as Miguel Montero and Gerardo Parra.
- For the latest on the Orioles’ GM search, click here, for notes on MLB managers click here and for more front office rumors click here.
Manager Notes: Scioscia, La Russa, Red Sox
We heard earlier today that Blue Jays manager John Farrell will be staying put in Toronto. Here's the latest news on other managers around MLB:
- Tony La Russa expects to decide soon after the World Series whether to exercise his half of his mutual contract option with the Cardinals, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The sides have 14 days to make their decisions regarding the option. The St. Louis coaching staff has not received any indications that La Russa intends to leave or retire, according to Strauss.
- Now that Farrell is out of the picture for the Red Sox, they aren't likely to hire another MLB club's manager, according to the Boston Herald.
- Angels manager Mike Scioscia told ESPN 710’s Mason and Ireland that he's far from Los Angeles' de facto GM, according to Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com. The skipper says he can't do two jobs at once. “I don’t look at budgets. I don’t count money," he said. "I don’t look at other teams to see what trades are going to be made or facilitate or start that process. I think that’s the only way a manager can function."
- Saxon hears from one executive who says some executives shy away from the Angels GM job because of Scioscia's power in Anaheim.
Angels Would Make Friedman Team President
The Angels are prepared to offer Andrew Friedman a position as club president, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times. Despite their strong interest, the Angels don’t appear to have much of a chance of obtaining him from the Rays, according to DiGiovanna. The Angels, who met with Friedman last week, would hire a second executive to be the team’s general manager if the 34-year-old joins their baseball operations department.
The Angels have interviewed Jerry Dipoto of the Diamondbacks, Damon Oppenheimer and Billy Eppler of the Yankees, Rick Hahn of the White Sox and former GM Omar Minaya for the position. Kim Ng of MLB will interview this week and the Angels hope to interview Thad Levine of the Rangers after the World Series ends, according to DiGiovanna. Former GM Dan Evans also intrigues owner Arte Moreno and team president John Carpino.
The Angels asked for permission to interview Al Avila of the Tigers and Dan Jennings of the Marlins, but were denied. Los Angeles' new GM will have the authority to hire a new assistant GM, player personnel director and farm director, according to DiGiovanna.
The Angels are in direct competition with the Orioles, who interviewed Dipoto for their GM vacancy. For a complete look at the moves Friedman has made in Tampa Bay, check out MLBTR's Transaction Tracker.
Heyman On Pujols, Wilson, Angels, Crane
SI's Jon Heyman leads his latest column with an examination of Albert Pujols' impending free agency. An additional $20MM in total dollars wouldn't compel Pujols to leave St. Louis, says one person who knows the slugger well. The preseason gap was large, though, as Heyman says the Cardinals were at nine years and "a bit more than $200MM" while Pujols wanted to beat Alex Rodriguez's ten-year, $275MM deal. Wherever he lands, Pujols is certainly putting an exclamation point on his season. Heyman's other rumors…
- The Rangers almost surely would be out of the C.J. Wilson bidding if it reaches five years and $75MM, hears Heyman. A Rangers person tells Heyman Wilson hasn't actually named an exact asking price. The lefty is looking forward to free agency and noted to Heyman that he doesn't have a wife, a child, or a dog, implying the decision will be entirely his. The Nationals, Marlins, and Royals are likely to pursue Wilson, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
- The Angels' desire for a scouting type in their GM job may favor the Yankees' Damon Oppenheimer, hears Heyman.
- Prospective Astros owner Jim Crane seeks a $50MM discount for moving to the American League.
- "I wish I stay here," remarked Rafael Furcal on his upcoming free agency. The 34-year-old shortstop joined the Cardinals at the trade deadline and is playing in his first World Series.
Davidoff On Pujols, Fielder, Angels, Oppenheimer
Industry people are curious whether C.C. Sabathia actually would leave the Yankees and opinions are all over the map on where Jose Reyes will end up in 2012. There's an even bigger debate brewing in baseball circles, writes Ken Davidoff of Newsday..
- Whoever signs first between Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols will set the financial bar for the other player to top and it's hard to say who will make the first move. Pujols has a realistic chance to re-sign with the Cardinals while it seems increasingly unlikely that Fielder will return to the Brewers. There's also the matter of the relationship between the players' agents, Scott Boras and Dan Lozano. Boras has shown in the past that he has no concerns about dragging his players' free agencies well past January 1st in order get the deal he wants. Meanwhile, Pujols represents Lozano's first big test since breaking off from the Beverly Hills Sports Council last year.
- For now, Davidoff predicts that Pujols will sign first and stay with the Cardinals. Fielder, wherever he goes, won't top Pujols' annual average value.
- There are a number of candidates for the vacant Angels' GM position but Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is the club's top choice. However, it's widely assumed that Friedman will remain with Tampa Bay. Davidoff writes that Yankees senior vice president/director of scouting Damon Oppenheimer seems like the best choice for the job. Oppenheimer played a significant role in several departments for the Bombers, from postseason scouting to discovering amateur talent to recommending major-league trades. Oppenheimer would bring baseball intelligence and a strong presence to serve as a check and balance for owner Arte Moreno and manager Mike Scioscia .
AL West Notes: Angels, C.J. Wilson
A couple of notes out of the American League West as the Rangers ready for Game 3 of the World Series …
- The Angels will interview Omar Minaya for their general manager vacancy, according to Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times. Minaya previously served as Mets GM from 2005-10 and as Expos GM from 2002-04. We learned Thursday that Rays executive Andrew Friedman has met with the Halos regarding the opening and tops the team's wish list, but he's seen as a long shot to take the job. Yesterday, White Sox executives Dan Evans and Rick Hahn joined the list of candidates.
- Minaya is still under contract with the Mets but was not an active member of the organization in 2011, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, who also reports that Minaya has a "standing offer" from Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers to work in the Arizona organization.
- Rangers GM Jon Daniels was asked about impending free agent starter C.J. Wilson on Saturday and said, "We'd love to have him back," according to Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Still, the early rumors regarding Texas' chances of (or interest in) re-signing the left-hander are pretty mixed.
- For more on what the Angels, Athletics, and Mariners face this winter, be sure to check out their respective installments in MLBTR's Offseason Outlook series.
Heyman On Friedman, Darvish, Yankees
With the general manager carousel moving at full speed and free agency approaching quickly, there are plenty of rumors in Major League Baseball. Jon Heyman weighed in today at SI.com; here are some highlights:
- Heyman’s sources doubt the Angels would waste Andrew Friedman’s time if they weren’t prepared to offer him a job. However, someone close to Friedman doubts he would leave the Rays. Friedman tops the Angels’ long list of GM candidates.
- One general manager expects C.J. Wilson to sign a deal worth $75MM over five years.
- Yu Darvish is undecided about making the jump to MLB, but he’ll be in line for lots of money if he does make the leap. One general manager suggested Darvish would cost about $100MM between his contract and his posting fee and another GM agrees that he’ll cost “big bucks.”
- The Yankees and GM Brian Cashman are making progress in their discussions about a new contract.
- Free agent starter Freddy Garcia is popular with the Yankees’ front office and could return in 2012. The right-hander barely qualifies as a Type B free agent, according to our rankings.
Latest On Angels’ GM Search: Evans, Hahn
The Angels' top choice for their general manager opening is Andrew Friedman of the Rays. Owner Arte Moreno and team president John Carpino dined with Friedman this week, but it doesn't seem likely that he'll leave the Rays. Here are the latest updates on the Angels' GM search, with the most recent updates up top:
- Dan Evans and Rick Hahn have emerged as strong candidates for the job, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter). Hahn, the assistant GM of the White Sox, placed second on MLBTR's list of GM candidates. Evans, a longtime assistant GM for the White Sox himself, was the Dodgers' GM in 2002-03.
- Kim Ng of MLB, Billy Eppler and Damon Oppenheimer of the Yankees, Jerry Dipoto of the Diamondbacks, Thad Levine of the Rangers and Tory Hernandez of the Angels are also candidates for the job.
The Orioles’ GM Search: Jennings, Watson, Dipoto
The Orioles have interviewed Jerry Dipoto of the Diamondbacks and Tony LaCava of the Blue Jays for their open GM position. Here's the latest on the team's search with the most recent updates up top:
- As expected, the Marlins have officially denied the Orioles' request to interview Dan Jennings, reports Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Jennings is halfway through an eight-year contract with the Marlins, reports Connolly, and this is the fourth time in four years that the Marlins have turned down another club's request to interview Jennings, Florida's assistant GM and vice-president of player personnel.
- The Orioles are expected to contact Dodgers assistant GM De Jon Watson about their GM position, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. They haven't scheduled additional interviews at this point, but more are coming.
- Dipoto probably has the edge at this point, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. Connolly explains why Dipoto might prefer the Orioles to the Angels. Los Angeles is interviewing many candidates, but the Orioles won't interview many more than two, so Dipoto's chances of getting an offer from Baltimore seem good. Connolly notes that the Orioles would look bad if they want Dipoto then let him slip away to the Angels.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears that Dipoto had a "terrific" interview with the Orioles (Twitter link).
- For more on LaCava and Dipoto, check out MLBTR's GM Candidate pieces from earlier in the year.