Chicago Notes: Konerko, Pierzynski, Zambrano
Both the Cubs and White Sox are playing out the string on 2010, but long-time stars from both clubs could be on the move this winter. Here's an update on a few of them…
- Paul Konerko talked to the media (including Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune) on Thursday about his pending free agency. Konerko was non-committal about the idea of taking a hometown discount to remain in Chicago and said the White Sox have to make some organizational upgrades to match the division-winning Twins. He was open to the idea of being a full-time DH, though he still wants to play first base.
- Gonzales also notes that "there has been an assumption" that Konerko will go to the Angels to play for old colleague Mike Scioscia or to the Diamondbacks, as he lives in Arizona during the offseason.
- Another pending White Sox free agent, A.J. Pierzynski, is more open to a return, writes Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com. Padilla thinks Pierzynski could be brought back on a one-year, $4.5MM contract to give Chicago more time to polish Tyler Flowers in the minors, but you'd think Pierzynski could find a multi-year deal elsewhere.
- Carlos Zambrano's red-hot second half (he's 7-0 with a 1.46 ERA in 10 post-All Star break starts) has been "the perfect showcase" to drum up a trade market for the right-hander, says CBSSports.com's Scott Miller. As Miller points out, the Cubs' quest to deal Zambrano won't be easy given Zambrano's contract, but the team may be helped by the fact that the free agent starting market is short of ace-caliber pitchers aside from Cliff Lee.
Olney On Crawford, Rangers, D’Backs
Home field advantage in the Division Series and League Championship Series hasn't given teams the advantage you might expect, as ESPN.com's Buster Olney shows. But the Rays, Yankees and Twins presumably want home field advantage anyways and there's no question that the teams' respective owners would like the extra revenue. Here are the rest of Olney's rumors:
- Some MLB executives expect the Red Sox and Angels to get into a bidding war over Carl Crawford this offseason. He’d be a good fit on either team, though Mike Cameron would likely become a bench player if the Red Sox signed Crawford or Jayson Werth.
- High-ranking executives wouldn’t be surprised to see the Rangers’ payroll rise to $90-100MM. The team opened the 2010 season with a $65MM payroll, so that would be a substantial increase.
- There seems to be a very good chance that Adam LaRoche and Mark Reynolds, who have combined to strike out 375 times this season, will not be on the D’Backs in 2011. LaRoche will probably hit free agency this winter, but Reynolds has $13MM remaining on his contract and would have to be traded.
Odds & Ends: K-Rod, Angels, Tamura, Matsui
Links for Wednesday, before the Giants ask Tim Lincecum to help extend their NL West lead…
- Lawyers from the MLB Players Association and MLB will meet in New York tomorrow to discuss the union's grievance with the Mets. As the AP reports, the sides will discuss the team's decision to place Francisco Rodriguez on the disqualified list.
- Top prospect Mike Moustakas told reporters that he and other Royals minor leaguers welcome the attention they're attracting this year.
- The Angels let scouting director Eddie Bane go, according to John Manuel of Baseball America. Bane was a candidate for the D'Backs GM job earlier in the month.
- Japanese outfielder Hitoshi Tamura has interest in playing major league baseball, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. The 33-year-old has 27 homers this year and represented the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks at the All-Star game.
- Jason Varitek told reporters, including MLB.com's Ian Browne, that he's well aware of the fact that he may only have a handful of games remaining in a Red Sox uniform.
- Through an interpreter, Hideki Matsui told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that he'd consider signing with the A's if they expressed interest in him this offseason.
- Todd Helton made it clear to Troy Renck of the Denver Post that he isn't retiring after the season.
- Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic heard that Brandon Webb was throwing just 81 mph in his instructional league outing (Twitter link). Webb told MLB.com's Steve Gilbert that he had fun and felt good.
- The D'Backs, who will see Webb and Rodrigo Lopez hit free agency this winter, will look to add starting pitching, but GM Kevin Towers told MLB.com's Steve Gilbert that he believes starters may be easier to obtain through trades than major league free agency.
Scot Shields Likely To Retire
Scot Shields, who was a durable, sometimes dominant weapon in Mike Scioscia’s bullpen for the last decade, told Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times that he’s “probably” going to retire after the season. He realizes the Angels have younger options and would like to spend more time with his family.
"On the personal side, your family comes first, and I've missed too much of my life with them. It might be time to go home," Shields said.
Shields missed most of the season’s last month with a sore elbow and his season ERA is now 5.28. The 35-year-old right-hander can still strike opponents out (7.6 K/9), but he walks too many batters (6.7 BB/9). This was Shields’ second consecutive disappointing season; he struggled last year before undergoing knee surgery.
At his best, Shields defined the Angels bullpen (along with Francisco Rodriguez and, for a while, Troy Percival). He averaged 85 innings per season from 2004-08 with more than a strikeout per inning and a 3.11 ERA in that five-year stretch.
Angels Don’t Face Financial Limitations
The Angels will be in the red this year, but that won’t stop them from spending. As they head toward their first losing season since 2003, it’s becoming apparent that the Angels will lose about $10MM this year, a baseball source told Mark Saxon of ESPNLos Angeles.com.
But Angels fans can still dream about a 2011 outfield that includes Carl Crawford. Multiple sources tell Saxon that the organization plans to push aggressively to sign the left fielder when he hits free agency after the season. Speaking in general terms, GM Tony Reagins said the team will be able to spend this offseason.
"You always have to take account of how the finances work, but we're not limited financially in any way," Reagins said. "Whatever we need to do that makes sense and that's reasonable, we'll address."
Crawford, Adrian Beltre and Jayson Werth are among the top free agent position players who could draw interest from the Angels. The team’s rotation appears to be set, but the club will likely pursue relievers and consider trading Mike Napoli at some point this winter.
Odds & Ends: Papelbon, Yankees, Pujols, Webb
Links for Monday, as Roy Halladay attempts to lead the Phillies to another division title…
- Good news for Jack Zduriencik: Mariners president Chuck Armstrong told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that team executives are "not thinking about changing the general manager at all."
- Jim Donaldson of the Providence Herald asks a question the Red Sox are likely wondering about, too: does Jonathan Papelbon deserve a raise in 2011?
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman told Alex Speier of WEEI.com that the trio of Brett Gardner, Nick Swisher and Curtis Granderson provides the team with a well-rounded outfield going forward. The Yankees could always bid on Jayson Werth or Carl Crawford, but those outfielders appear to be luxuries, not necessities.
- Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes (on Twitter) that Albert Pujols would approve trades to the Astros, Marlins, Dodgers and Angels. The first baseman isn't going anywhere, but Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun Sentinel has a little fun and wonders what it would take for the Marlins to acquire him.
- Brandon Webb, who hasn't pitched in the majors since making his 2009 season debut, won't pitch for the Diamondbacks this year, according to MLB.com's Steve Gilbert. Webb is about to hit free agency and will be looking for a significant base salary. He'll have to prove he's healthy first, so he'll pitch in the instructional league this week. Webb reiterated his desire to return to the D'Backs, and new GM Kevin Towers is open to the idea as well.
Arbitration Eligibles: Los Angeles Angels
The arbitration eligibles series is back with a vengeance. Today we look at the Angels players who will be eligible for arbitration after the season…
- First time: Kendry Morales, Kevin Frandsen, Alberto Callaspo
- Second time: Jered Weaver, Erick Aybar, Howie Kendrick, Jeff Mathis, Reggie Willits
- Third time: Mike Napoli
Frandsen played well in his first 100 or so Angels plate appearances, but his work since then could get him non-tendered. Callaspo could be cut loose if the Angels prefer not to bump him up to $1MM. It might be a similar story for Willits. Mathis could be non-tendered after another abysmal offensive showing, though the Angels would have a case for keeping his salary at $1.3MM or even cutting his pay.
Weaver, a Scott Boras client, is primed for big bucks – he leads all pitchers this year with 229 strikeouts. You won't find too many cases like Weaver, as most young pitchers this good are locked up. He could jump past $7MM. Morales has bad timing – he had his huge year in '09 but broke his leg in May of this year. He should still find a $3MM salary.
Aybar will get a raise on this year's $2.05MM, but his poor offensive 2010 should limit the increase. Kendrick, already at $1.75MM, set career highs in runs, RBIs, and steals. It's not a perfect comparable, but maybe he'll fall around Clint Barmes' $3.3MM.
Napoli could be in the position Mark Teahen, Jeremy Hermida, and Matt Lindstrom were last year – traded before the non-tender deadline. He's got 92 home runs under his belt after five seasons and already earns $3.6MM. Most backstops with Napoli's abilities are locked up; he could make over $5MM next year. Granted Napoli has only 406 career games behind the dish, and more time at first base this year, but his agent Brian Grieper can probably position him as a catcher for an arbitration hearing.
Rosenthal’s Full Count: Beltre, Scioscia, Crawford, Lopez
Ken Rosenthal has his Saturday Full Count Video up over at FOX Sports. Let's check out the highlights:
- The Red Sox would love to keep Adrian Beltre around, but at the right price. The alternative is still attractive: shift Kevin Youkilis to third base, find a first baseman for a season, and then pursue one of the big-name free agents such as Albert Pujols, Adrian Gonzalez, or Prince Fielder. My own speculation here, but the Red Sox could of course look to trade for Fielder this offseason and then extend him.
- Angels manager Mike Scioscia's ten-year contract extension with the Angels that he signed in 2009 is worth a whopping $50MM. Rosenthal had the dollar amount confirmed by two different sources. Scioscia can opt out after 2015, and each of the last three seasons is worth $6MM. That's one pricey manager.
- If Carlos Lee's move to first base becomes permanent, the Astros will have an opening in left field for Houston native Carl Crawford. As Rosenthal points out though, it's pretty hard to envision the Astros outbidding other suitors like the Angels and Red Sox.
- The Cardinals felt it was so important to get Felipe Lopez out of the clubhouse, that they forfeited the chance to acquire a supplemental round pick for him and simply released the infielder. The Red Sox reaped the benefits of that decision when they signed him for around $50K.
Mike Napoli’s Trade Value
The problem with Mike Napoli, as Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com puts it, is that he "is a 'tweener,' too inconsistent strictly as a hitter, not reliable enough as a catcher." The Angels might not want to give such a "tweener" an arbitration raise above the $3.6MM that Napoli earned this season, which is why there have been rumors that Los Angeles will try to move Napoli over the winter.
Given the dearth of power-hitting catchers, many teams would be willing to overlook Napoli's defensive shortcomings for a catcher who has 92 homers in 1778 career plate appearances and a career .839 OPS. As an everyday player, however, Napoli has his limitations, many of which were on display this season. Napoli has received a career-high 484 plate appearances thanks to his taking over the lion's share of time at first base after Kendry Morales was lost for the season in May.
His power notwithstanding, Napoli has an underwhelming .247/.332/.488 slash line entering Friday's action. These numbers are largely due to the fact that the right-handed hitting Napoli struggles against right-handed pitching; he has a .704 OPS vs. righties this year, as opposed to a whopping 1.082 OPS against southpaws. (Napoli's career OPS splits are .798 against righties and .962 versus lefties.) If put back into his comfort zone of facing primarily left-handed pitching, Napoli can be a force. If a team has a left-handed hitting, defensive-minded platoon partner at catcher, Napoli is an ideal complement.
The catching market is always tough to predict in advance, but here are a few potential trade partners for the Halos…
* Florida. The Marlins are known to be looking for catchers, though Napoli may be too expensive for their liking.
* New York. Left-handed hitting Josh Thole will be the Mets' starter next season, so Napoli could be brought in to complement both Thole and another lefty bat (Ike Davis) at first.
* Chicago. As with the Mets, the White Sox will have a youngster (Tyler Flowers) taking over the starting job. This is presuming the Sox won't bring back A.J. Pierzynski, though Chicago could also maybe have a hole at first depending on if Paul Konerko signs elsewhere or retires.
* Texas. Napoli could finally give the Rangers some stability behind the plate, though it's hard to see L.A. making a deal with their division rivals.
* Boston. The Red Sox made a waiver claim on Napoli in August before the Angels pulled him back, and will need a catcher if Victor Martinez leaves as a free agent.
* Baltimore. Speaking of Martinez, Napoli could be the Orioles' catcher/first base/DH backup plan should the team's pursuit of Martinez fall short.
If Napoli was dealt, Los Angeles would be left with Jeff Mathis and rookie Hank Conger behind the plate. Conger, LAA's first-round pick in the 2006 draft, has an .825 OPS in 1705 minor league plate appearances and was rated the 84th overall prospect in baseball by Baseball America's preseason rankings. Mathis is entering his second arbitration year after earning $1.3MM in 2010, but has had an overall poor season (as outlined by Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times). The Angels could go into 2011 with a totally overhauled catching corps should they trade Napoli, non-tender Mathis and acquire a new veteran backstop to play alongside Conger.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: LaRue, Martin, Ortiz, Minaya
On this date four years ago, Trevor Hoffman set a new career saves mark when he retired Ryan Doumit, Jose Bautista, and Freddy Sanchez of the Pirates in order. His 479th save moved him past Lee Smith and into first place on the all-time list, a spot he still holds today with 600 career saves on the nose. Other than Mariano Rivera and the soon-to-retire Billy Wagner, no active closer is within 310 saves of Hoffman's mark.
Here's a collection of links from the last week of the baseball blog world…
- The Hardball Times takes an in-depth look at the legal implications of the Johnny Cueto–Jason LaRue brawl that led to LaRue's retirement.
- Disciples of Uecker checks in with the players the Brewers traded for C.C. Sabathia back in 2008.
- Pittsburgh Lumber Co. looks at how the Pirates bullpen has performed since trading away some key pieces at the deadline.
- The Process Report follows up a previous post and explains how Jose Lobaton continues to help the Rays even though he's never played a game for them.
- Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness breaks down the Dodgers' options with Russell Martin.
- Red Sox Beacon tries to figure out what Boston should do with David Ortiz.
- Amazin' Avenue audits Omar Minaya's front office.
- Crashburn Alley discusses the genius of Charlie Manuel.
- Drunk Jays Fans looked at the merits of Rays' bench coach Dave Martinez as a potential Cito Gaston replacement.
- Feeling Dodger Blue says Tim Wallach should have gotten the Dodgers manager job over Don Mattingly.
- A Fan's Opinion plans out the Angels offseason.
- DesigNate Robertson does the same, but for the Tigers.
- Lookout Landing guesses at the Mariners' 2011 payroll.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.