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NL West Notes: Hill, Kuo, Ross

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It's been a busy day in the NL West. The Padres announced a leadership change and the Dodgers' bankruptcy trial was delayed. Here's more news from the division…

  • Aaron Hill has switched agents and is now a client of Greg Genske of Legacy Sports, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Hill, a former Beverly Hills Sports Council client, could return to the Diamondbacks in 2012 if the team picks up its $8MM option. Though the D’Backs would like Hill back, they’d rather work out a new deal, according to Gilbert. You can keep track of every player’s agent using MLBTR’s Agency Database.
  • Dodgers left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his pitching elbow, according to the team (on Twitter). He would earn about $2.5MM if the Dodgers offer arbitration, which makes him a non-tender candidate. He intends to pitch in 2012, according to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times (on Twitter).
  • Cody Ross told Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle that he has not yet started negotiating a potential deal with the Giants. The free agent outfielder says the sides have mutual interest in a new deal, but Schulman doubts the Giants would match Ross' 2011 salary of $5.3MM (Twitter links).

Dodgers Bankruptcy Trial Delayed

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5:01pm: MLB is in talks with McCourt to try to make him sell the team, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).  Bill Shaikin of the LA Times confirms that McCourt and MLB discussed a settlement yesterday (Twitter link).

12:52pm: Settlement talks are expected to take place before the new trial date, reports Shaikin.

10:59am: The Dodgers bankruptcy trial has been delayed, reports Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times.  The trial initially had been scheduled for October 31st through November 4th, but for unknown reasons it has been moved to November 29th through December 2nd.  Baseball's Winter Meetings take place from December 5-8, so as Shaikin notes, there's no way current owner Frank McCourt could be replaced that quickly after the trial even if MLB succeeds in ousting him.  Shaikin explains the focus of the bankruptcy hearing: "Can McCourt sell the Dodgers' television rights, over the objections of Fox Sports and Major League Baseball, and can the commissioner get the judge to order the Dodgers sold?"  

My Dodgers Offseason Outlook was published on Tuesday, check it out.

Offseason Outlook: Los Angeles Dodgers

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The Dodgers' ownership battle may be coming to a close, but Ned Colletti must endure uncertainty for one more offseason as he tries to improve the team's offense and sign a veteran starter.

Guaranteed Contracts

Arbitration Eligible Players (estimated salaries)

Free Agents

Dodgers fans hope the end is in sight for the battle over ownership of their team.  The bankruptcy hearings begin on Halloween, as current Dodgers owner Frank McCourt seeks the ability to auction the team's television rights while Fox and MLB seek termination of McCourt's ownership.  Josh Fisher of Dodger Divorce said selling the TV rights is McCourt's only path to survival as the team's owner.  The hearings will certainly keep Fisher and the L.A. Times' Bill Shaikin busy, but there are still crucial player personnel decisions to make for the Dodgers this offseason.

Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said he has a basic idea of the team's budget.  In September, he said his aim is improving the offense in "the most dramatic way," implying Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder could be targets.  I just can't see the ownership situation resolved quickly enough for that to happen, though.  Even if MLB does force the sale of the Dodgers, it'd take months to get new ownership approved.  In the interim, it seems unrealistic for MLB to approve adding a massive amount of debt.

It'll be costly just for Colletti to resolve the Dodgers' internal business.  Out of 209 arbitration eligible players, Kemp's settlement projects as the second-highest salary, Ethier's the fifth-highest, and Kershaw's the ninth-highest.  Unless their salaries are reduced through multiyear deals, the trio could cost $35MM next year.  If payroll is cautiously trimmed to say, $100MM for 2012, the Dodgers will have less than $20MM to work with to fill all kinds of holes.

Extensions for potential award winners Kershaw and Kemp should be Colletti's primary focus.  We've seen top pitchers extended for about $30MM, but Kershaw might need $35MM just for his three arbitration years, and that might be a discount over going year-to-year.  I think we'd be entering the $100MM range for a six year deal, which is incredible given that three of those would be arbitration years.  Kemp's 2011 season could be under $15MM in a multiyear deal, but each season thereafter should cost at least $20MM.  There's no harm in Colletti laying groundwork now for either player, but ideally a prospective new owner would have final say in March.  Kemp does not want to negotiate once his potential contract year begins.    

A non-tender decision is due on Loney on December 12th, and one more season at around $6.5MM is the right move for the Dodgers.  If they somehow later sign Pujols or Fielder, they could probably move Loney's contract before the season begins.  Uribe is penciled in at third base and Dee Gordon at shortstop, leaving an opening at second.  An offensive-minded player like Kelly Johnson could be a good fit over internal options Justin Sellers and Ivan DeJesus.  Jerry Sands merits an extended look in left field, while Tim Federowicz and A.J. Ellis will probably sit behind the dish.  Gwynn and Rivera could return as bench players.

The Dodgers' rotation could be a strength again, especially if Kuroda is re-signed.  It'd be difficult to replace Kuroda without overpaying someone else on a multiyear deal, though Colletti could look to other starters coming over from Japan.  Nathan Eovaldi would be the fifth starter.  Colletti likes his bullpen, but he'll look to add a veteran reliever.  

Kelly Johnson alone wouldn't fix the Dodgers' offense, though decent seasons from Ethier, Uribe, and Sands would help.  Hopefully, the Dodgers' ownership situation becomes resolved by July.  If the team is in contention at that point, Colletti can explore the trade market.  The Dodgers' 2011-12 offseason will be overshadowed by the Frank McCourt drama, perhaps for the last time.

Non-Tender Candidate: Hong-Chih Kuo

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1321008271250_Dodgers_at_RockiesThere is no position in baseball more volatile than relief pitcher, which is how Hong-Chih Kuo can go from being one of the most dominant bullpen arms in the game last September to taking about retirement this September. As a result of his 2011 struggles and off-the-field issues, the Dodgers' left-hander is a candidate to be non-tendered this offseason.

Kuo, 30, allowed just 29 hits and eight runs (1.20 ERA) in 60 innings in 2010, striking out 73 (11.0 K/9) and walking just 18 (2.7 BB/9). Left-handed batters had no chance against him that season, hitting just .095/.159/.111 with 28 strikeouts in 69 plate appearances. When Jonathan Broxton struggled in the second half, Kuo stepped in and went a perfect 9-for-9 in save chances in August and September. At $950K, he was a bargain.

That performance pushed Kuo's salary up to $2.725MM in 2011, his second time through arbitration. Unfortunately, his 2010 performance did not carry over. After walking four batters in his first 2 2/3 innings of the season (four appearances), the Dodgers placed Kuo on the DL with a lower back strain. He was activated on May 1st, struggled in his next five appearances (six runs in two innings), and was again placed on the DL on May 11th. This time he was dealing with social anxiety disorder.

One day later we heard that Kuo was not considering retirement, but it wasn't until June 19th that he was activated off the DL. He struggled the rest of the season, allowing 22 runs in 22 1/3 innings across 31 appearances. He did strike out 28 men, but he also walked 17. All told, Kuo pitched to a 9.00 ERA with 7.7 BB/9 in 40 appearances and 27 innings in 2011. 

After the season, Kuo told MLB.com's Ken Gurnick that he needed a break from baseball and was unsure if he'd ever play again. "If I want to still play and somebody wants to give me a try, I'll play," he said. "If not, fine with me. I'll miss it." He indicated that his alternative to baseball would be returning home to Taiwan and opening a restaurant.

Our projections have Kuo's salary going down to $2.5MM next season, what would be his third time through arbitration. It's worth noting that he's been battling the injury bug for his entire career, one that's featured a total of four elbow operations, including a pair of Tommy John surgeries. Hard-throwing lefty relievers (he's averaged 93.4 mph with the fastball in his career) are a valuable commodity, but Kuo's bout with social anxiety disorder and extreme control problems in 2011 could lead to a non-tender. It'll be interesting to see if any teams are willing to offer him a guaranteed Major League contract if he does in fact hit the market.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

Quick Hits: Messenger, White Sox, Indians, Rhodes

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Some links from around baseball as we await Game Three tomorrow night..

  • Former Mariners pitcher Randy Messenger has agreed to a contract to return to the Hanshin Tigers in 2012, a source tells Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker.  Messenger’s agent Matt Sosnick confirmed that the deal is for one-year with an option for 2013.  MLBTR has learned that the two-year deal could be worth just under $5MM.
  • If the White Sox stick to their plan of cutting their $127MM payroll, with $89MM already tied to eleven players, it's likely that John Danks or Mark Buehrle won't start next season with the team, writes MLB.com's Scott Merkin. The arbitration-eligible Danks would be one of the team's greater trade chips.
  • Three days after the World Series, Indians GM Chris Antonetti will have to decide whether to exercise club options on center fielder Grady Sizemore and starter Fausto Carmona, writes Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.  Picking up the options of both would cost the Tribe $16MM in 2012.
  • Shortstop Rafael Furcal wrestled with the decision of whether or not to approve the deal sending him from the Dodgers to the Cardinals, writes Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times.
  • After clearing waivers, Cardinals lefty Arthur Rhodes could have wound up with any number of teams, writes Sam Donnellon of the Philadelphia Daily News.
  • Blue Jays skipper John Farrell gained valuable experience in his first year as a big league manager, writes MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm.

The Orioles’ GM Search: Watson, White

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The Orioles have already interviewed Diamondbacks senior vice president Jerry Dipoto and Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava of the Blue Jays for their vacant General Manager job.  Who else will be considered for the post?

  • The Orioles have received permission from the Dodgers to interview De Jon Watson for their GM position, an industry source tells Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun.  Watson serves as the Dodgers' assistant GM and player development director and recently spoke to Ben Nicholson-Smith about possibly becoming a GM.
  • Watson's interview should take place early next week, perhaps as early as Tuesday, Connolly tweets.
  • There were doubts whether Los Angeles would grant the Orioles permission to speak to Watson, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.  Yesterday, the Marlins officially denied the club permission to interview Dan Jennings.
  • Meanwhile, the O's have yet to ask permission to speak with Dodgers assistant GM Logan White, says Connolly (via Twitter).  That conversation could still take place as the Orioles are expected to talk to a few more people before they conclude their search.  White was profiled in our GM Candidate series earlier this month.

The Orioles’ GM Search: Jennings, Watson, Dipoto

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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.

Quick Hits: Red Sox, Wilson, Johnson, CBA

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Links for Wednesday night as the Rangers and Cardinals get the World Series started in St. Louis…

  • When Rangers GM Jon Daniels was trying to break into baseball, he applied for an internship with the Red Sox, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Ben Cherington, now Boston's GM-in-waiting, was in charge of hiring a new intern for the Red Sox and he chose Jed Hoyer, now the Padres' GM, over Daniels. “I remember [Daniels'] quick mind and intelligence and I thought he had a resilience about him,” Cherington told Speier.
  • The Blue Jays scouted at least eight of C.J. Wilson's starts this season, according to Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun (on Twitter). The Jays could use starting pitching, as I explained earlier in the week, but their scouting trips may simply have been due diligence.
  • Kelly Johnson of the Blue Jays chatted with FanGraphs'  David Laurila about the challenge of changing leagues and the way he uses stats and video to improve his game.
  • ESPN.com's Buster Olney hears that MLB isn't close to adding a slotting system for draft bonuses in the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations. Executives doubt that Bud Selig would "dig in and fight" for slotting, since it could mean a prolonged dispute.

Quick Hits: Dodgers, Cardinals, Red Sox

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MLBTR has the rundown on your team's arbitration eligible players. Be sure to read Tim Dierkes' series for insight into how each team's offseason will develop. Here are the latest links from around MLB…

McCourts Reach Divorce Settlement

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The divorce of the couple that bought the Dodgers nearly eight years ago has finally been settled. Frank and Jamie McCourt confirmed that they have come to a financial agreement, according to the LA Times. Bill Shaikin of the Times, who first reported the settlement, reports that Jamie will obtain $130MM and relinquish any claim to a share of the Dodgers. She will no longer stand in the way of Frank's plan to sell the team's media rights.

As Shaikin notes, the agreement sets up a possible court showdown for the Dodgers between Bud Selig and Frank McCourt. The commissioner asked the Bankruptcy Court to order the Dodgers sold, but McCourt intends to keep the team, which he and Jamie purchased in 2004. The McCourts had reached a divorce settlement in June, but it was contingent on a TV deal with FOX that Selig rejected.

Despite the off-field distractions, Dodgers GM Ned Colletti has indicated that he's willing to spend to improve the offense as dramatically as possible. Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols could draw interest from the Dodgers, who could consider a long-term deal for Matt Kemp.

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