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Ned Colletti Talks Offseason

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Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times has a slew of information from Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti regarding the team's offseason plans. Colletti feels that his team's pitching and defense have been sufficient, but that the offense is lacking and needs to be bolstered:

"I say the most dramatic way we can improve the offense, that would be the way we would go," Colletti said.

Obviously, that could be an allusion to Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols, but the Dodgers' uncertain ownership and financial situations make a signing of that magnitude a stretch. Dilbeck points out that Colletti has never signed a player to a $100MM+ deal, and that Kevin Brown is the only player in Dodgers' history to receive such a contract. At the same time, however, Dilbeck also notes that the Dodgers do have $25MM in contracts coming off the books, so a run at one of the Top 2 free agents isn't necessarily unfathomable.

In the likely event that neither player comes to the Dodgers, Colletti says that James Loney is someone they'd "love to have back." Loney's overall numbers don't appear all that productive, but he's batting .355/.435/.653 with seven homers in his last 37 games. A strong finish could persuade the Dodgers to bring him back, although doing so would require giving him a raise on this year's $4.875MM salary — a risk given Loney's mostly underwhelming numbers.

Colletti also mentions re-signing Hiroki Kuroda as a priority; even if they were to retain Kuroda though, they'd require a fifth starter. Nathan Eovaldi and Dana Eveland can both be candidates, and of course the free agent market figures to offer plenty of low-budget reclamation projects that could be brought in to fill that role as well.

Beyond that, role players such as Tony Gwynn Jr., Casey Blake, Aaron Miles, and Juan Rivera may all return "in the right situation." For what it's worth, Gwynn told Dilbeck's colleague Jim Peltz that he hopes to return to the Dodgers next season.

Stark On Dodgers, Marlins, Mets, Thome

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The Dodgers and Marlins may turn out to be surprisingly big spenders this offseason, Jayson Stark writes at ESPN.com. Here are the details and the rest of Stark’s rumors…

  • Dodgers GM Ned Colletti told Stark that he intends be aggressive in his attempts to retain key contributors this offseason. "It's our intent to sign some of our core guys long-term," Colletti said. "It's also our intent to improve the club." Colletti acknowledged that it “remains to be seen" whether the Dodgers’ ownership issues will affect the team’s attempts to lock up the likes of Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Clayton Kershaw.
  • Florida president David Samson told Stark that this offseason will be different than most for the Marlins. "With our payroll going up, we have a chance to put together a team at a payroll level we don't currently have," Samson said. Rival front offices get the sense that the Marlins plan to go all-in this offseason before moving into their new stadium.
  • The Mets don’t appear to be interested in waiting around for Jose Reyes to weigh various offers this winter. 
  • Stark hears that Jim Thome is undecided about whether he’ll play in 2012.
  • MLB won’t add playoff teams in 2012, according to Stark.

NL West Links: Bauer, Broxton, Cook, Brach

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It's Panda-monium at Coors Field tonight, as Pablo Sandoval hit for the cycle against the Rockies.  Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports that Sandoval's cycle was the 25th in Giants history and the 10th since the club moved to San Francisco.  If you had Sandoval and George Kottaras in a "who will hit for the cycle?" pool this season, you are now a multi-millionaire.

Some items from the NL West…

  • Kevin Towers hinted to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that the Diamondbacks may not call up Trevor Bauer in September.  Towers thought the young prospect could have pitched too many innings for UCLA and in the minors this year.
  • Jonathan Broxton will likely be shut down for the season after suffering a setback with his injured elbow, reports MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. This probably also spells the end for Broxton with the Dodgers, as the right-hander is a free agent this winter.  Don Mattingly was non-committal when talking about if Broxton could be back in L.A. next season.
  • Aaron Cook isn't planning to retire and wants to pitch in the Majors next season, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post.  Cook is set to start on Wednesday in the Rockies' last home game of the season, and it will likely be his last appearance with the team — Colorado is expected to decline Cook's $11MM option for 2012 and buy him out for $500K.  MLB.com's Thomas Harding describes Cook's start as "a thank you for his long run with the organization," as Cook is the Rockies' all-time wins leader.
  • The Rockies will install a humidor at their Triple-A stadium in Colorado Springs, reports Jim Krieger of the Denver Post.  The team feels its pitching prospects can't properly develop by throwing in the thin air, and Colorado Springs' 6.41 team ERA this season is evidence.
  • Brad Brach's journey from being a 42nd-round draft pick to pitching in the Padres bullpen is detailed by MLB.com's Corey Brock.

GM Candidate: De Jon Watson

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MLBTR’s list of general manager candidates introduced 20 people who were identified by their peers as potential Major League GMs. We’re now going to bring you closer to the candidates with a series of pieces. Today the series continues with Dodgers executive De Jon Watson. 

Twenty five years ago, De Jon Watson appeared to have a future as a Major League first baseman. The former third rounder’s professional playing career ended long ago, but Watson has become a different kind of prospect – an MLB general manager candidate.

Watson, 45, is responsible for the Dodgers’ player development as an assistant GM to Ned Colletti. He got into scouting with the Marlins once his five-year minor league playing career ended. After the Marlins won the 1997 World Series, Watson went to Cincinnati, where he was the Reds’ scouting director for three seasons. The California native joined Ohio’s other team in 2004 as their pro scouting director before arriving in Los Angeles. 

Watson’s current role includes hiring minor league coaches, overseeing Latin American player development and providing input on Major League transactions. The Diamondbacks interviewed him for their general manager opening last fall and his peers say he could soon become a GM.

I spoke with him yesterday about scouting, drafting and stats. Here are some highlights:

On transitioning from playing to scouting:

Players are already scouts, because you’re already scouting your competition – who you’re playing against, the pitcher you’re facing, what he brings to the table. A lot of [minor league playing experience] helped when it came to the scouting side. I played with some really good players along the way who went on to the big leagues and you looked at their skill-sets. That helped formulate my thoughts and ideas on the scouting side.

On drafting Adam Dunn, Austin Kearns and B.J. Ryan during his tenure as the Reds’ scouting director:

It was really a challenge in itself to come into a new organization, not really knowing everyone there and trying to get the guys on board with what you’re trying to do from and organizational standpoint and be aggressive with the kind of player we were trying to procure at that time. It was fun.

You look at Kearns, you look at Dunn, you look at B.J. Ryan, you look at some of the athletes that we were able to acquire in ’99 and 2000, there were some bodies and some athletes. We were looking for some power arms and power bats at that time.

On mentors in the game:

[Scout and executive] Gary Hughes on the scouting side, [Tigers president and GM] Dave Dombrowski, [Braves GM] Frank Wren and [Indians president] Mark Shapiro from the front office and executive side. Bill Lajoie [a longtime MLB scout and executive] before he passed away was unbelievable as far as going back and picking his brain and getting some thoughts on how to put together an overall program from a player development standpoint.

I’ve worked with guys here [in Los Angeles] – [longtime manager] Tommy Lasorda, [former player] Tommy Davis, [former player] Don Newcombe, [veteran scout and executive] Ralph Avila, getting to pick Sandy Koufax’s brain. When you’re putting together actual programs and you’re talking about the ‘Dodger Way’ and how it was done, my resources are limitless.

On when to use stats and when to ignore them:

Everyone uses them. We all use them to a certain degree. When you’re talking about the amateur side, I’m not sure you can find a lot of balanced stats when you’re talking about a high school kid in a small town. Austin Kearns, for example, from Lexington, KY, who’s he’s matching up against, really? I think it’s a little harder on the amateur side, but there are stats on the pro side that you can use to help you. They show how guys are trending, if they’re going up or down.

On the possibility of becoming a GM:

It’s an honor to have your name considered. The opportunity to speak with the Diamondbacks last year was really cool. I’ve been very fortunate and I’m comfortable doing what I’m doing right now. If an opportunity arises for me to sit down and talk to someone about being a general manager, that’d be great. But I don’t feel like it’s my life goal or calling by any stretch of the imagination. I just enjoy working in the game and working as a team to try to build something that’s really strong.

Quick Hits: Red Sox, Dodgers, Peavy, Bauer

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Sunday night linkage..

  • Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter) wonders if the Red Sox might pursue pitching for the final stretch, even though anyone acquired wouldn't be eligible for the postseason.
  • Surprisingly, patience seems to be the new trend in baseball when it comes to GMs, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.  This morning, the Pirates announced that they have extended GM Neal Huntington's contract through 2014.
  • Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said yesterday that the club won't undergo any major changes this winter and Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times is less-than-enthused.
  • The White Sox are shutting down starter Jake Peavy in hopes that rest will help the 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner return to full strength next year, according to the Associated Press.  Peavy underwent shoulder surgery on July 14, 2010 and the right-hander posted a 4.92 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9.
  • The Diamondbacks might promote top prospects Trevor Bauer and Jarrod Parker to experience the playoff race as they prepare for 2012, tweets Peter Gammons of the MLB Network.

Cafardo’s Latest: Epstein, Nationals, Ethier, D. Lee

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With October fast approaching, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe polled experts around the league on the relative strength of the potential playoff teams. As expected, the Phillies topped the list, but the experts' choice for the second-best team may surprise you. Check out Cafardo's piece for the full rankings, along with quotes on each club, as we run down the hot stove highlights from the rest of the column:

  • The "baseball community has not dropped" rumors that Theo Epstein could be in the mix for the Cubs' GM opening, says Cafardo. I'd be pretty shocked if Epstein ended up in the Windy City, but if he did, Boston's search for a replacement would probably have them considering many of the same candidates being linked to the Cubs.
  • League rules require the Nationals to conduct a managerial search that includes minority candidates this offseason. However, that process may be merely a formality; the team seems very likely to simply retain Davey Johnson for 2012, if he wants to return.
  • While GM Ned Colletti has said the Dodgers are prioritizing long-term deals for Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, the Dodgers' financial situation isn't entirely clear, leading Cafardo to speculate that Ethier will be a trade candidate this winter.
  • As we heard last weekend, Clint Hurdle would like to see Derrek Lee in a Pirates uniform next season. Michael Sanserino of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has more on that possibility.

Colletti On The Dodgers’ Offseason Plans

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Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti looked ahead to the 2012 season and discussed some of his winter priorities with MLB.com's Ken Gurnick.  The highlights….

  • Colletti said the team won't undergo any major changes, noting that the Dodgers can contend as long as the offense is consistent.  Indeed, L.A. is 30-21 since the All-Star break, with Juan Rivera providing the club with an offensive spark.
  • Colletti hasn't yet discussed next year's payroll with owner Frank McCourt, which the GM noted is "not unusual" given that it's still in early September.  
  • "Up there in the top echelon of priorities" is signing Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier to multiyear extensions.  We heard earlier today from Dave Stewart, Kemp's agent, that the Dodgers hadn't yet broached the subject of a long-term deal with his client.
  • Clayton Kershaw could also be an extension candidate but, as Colletti said, "it's less a priority for somebody with three years of arbitration."  Kershaw is due for a big pay raise this winter as he enters the arbitration process for the first time.
  • If Hiroki Kuroda doesn't return to Japan, Colletti said the Dodgers would be interested in bringing the right-hander back to Los Angeles.
  • James Loney's recent hot streak is "more indicative of him and how he's hit the rest of his career," said Colletti.  Loney has long been considered a non-tender candidate this winter since he's due a raise to around $6MM through arbitration and has a .711 OPS on the season, though he has a .382/.450/.629 line over his last 27 games.
  • "It's never been easy to build through free agency and I really don't like to do it," Colletti said.  "We do it when pressed, when we don't have a player coming through the system or on the Major League roster, but it's always more precarious than developing or trading."  That said, the GM didn't totally rule out the prospect of signing a big-hitting free agent like Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder.

Dodgers Links: Kemp Extension, 2012 Plans, Bonuses

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It was on this day 21 years ago that Orel Hershiser picked up the 20th win of his legendary 1988 campaign.  Hershiser threw a complete game, seven-hit shutout of the Reds for the 20th of his eventual 23 wins that season.  The nine shutout frames against Cincinnati represented innings 13 1/3-22 1/3 of Hershiser's record streaks of 59 1/3 scoreless innings.

Some modern-day news from Los Angeles….

  • Dave Stewart, agent for Matt Kemp and a former Dodgers star himself, tells Tyler Kepner of The New York Times that he hasn't received any word from L.A. management about a possible multiyear extension for the MVP candidate.  “If by some chance we’re able to get something long-term done, we’ll approach that when the ball club is ready to do it,” Stewart said. “But we’re preparing for a one-year contract and arbitration, if we have to. With the uncertainty of the ball club and ownership, really our only option is to sit and wait and hope that they come to us and want to talk to Matt about keeping him in Los Angeles for a long time.”  If the two sides stick to a one-year deal, MLBTR estimates Kemp's 2012 salary to be around $15MM.   
  • Kepner also has a larger profile of Kemp, detailing his rise from an unheralded sixth-round draft pick to arguably the best player in the sport.
  • MLB.com's Ken Gurnick outlines potential incentive clauses that Hiroki Kuroda and Jamey Carroll can reach in the season's closing weeks.
  • Ned Colletti and Don Mattingly both expect the 2012 Dodgers' roster to largely resemble the 2011 version, tweets Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.  Both men feel the team is "only a player or two away" from contention.

Dodgers Links: Blake, Vogelsong, Burke

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One year ago today, the Dodgers released Ronnie Belliard after he hit just .216/.295/.327 with two homers in 185 plate appearances. Mini-Manny spent some time in the minor leagues this year, but he called it a career in June. Here's the latest from Chavez Ravine…

  • Jim McDowell, agent for Casey Blake, told MLBTR that his client had a post-surgery follow-up appointment this morning, and that everything checked out fine. Blake had surgery to repair a neck issue. He'll be able to begin his offseason workouts after six weeks of downtime, by which point the Dodgers will have already declined his $6MM option.
  • John Shea of The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Dodgers offered Ryan Vogelsong a contract this past offseason, but the he declined (Twitter links). "I couldn't see myself being a Dodger," said the right-hander, who has a 2.62 ERA in 154 1/3 innings with the Giants.
  • Steve Sugarman, spokesman for Frank McCourt, told Steve Dilbeck of The Los Angeles Times that Bill Burke's $1.2 billion offer to buy the Dodgers was "unsolicited and a surprise." The team has not yet publicly responded to the offer, and Sugarman made it clear that Burke is not an acquaintance of McCourt's.

Ownership Notes: Dodgers, Astros, Selig

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Two of the least stable ownership situations in baseball can be found in Los Angeles and Houston. Here's the latest on bids for the Dodgers and Astros…

  • MLB's delay with Jim Crane's bid had nothing to do with switching leagues and "everything to do with his background," according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter links).
  • There won't be enough time to realign the leagues by 2012, so we aren't likely to see expanded playoffs next year, according to Nightengale.
  • An attorney for Dodgers owner Frank McCourt called Bill Burke's $1.2 billion bid for the Dodgers a "publicity stunt" in documents filed in court this week, according to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times. McCourt remains intent on keeping the Dodgers, Shaikin reports.
  • Incoming Astros owner Jim Crane told Joe Holley of the Houston Chronicle that he's becoming frustrated with the slow pace of the ownership transfer and the public speculation about the reasons for the holdup. Crane also pointed out that his contract with Drayton McLane goes through November 30th, which means a deal has to be finalized by then unless the sides agree to extend the window.
  • However, as Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle points out, there are a thousand reasons to question the character of an incoming owner, so commissioner Bud Selig probably won't look kindly on Crane's comments.
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