Dodgers Rumors

Managerial Notes: Gordon, Mattingly, Servais

By charliewilmoth | October 24, 2015 at 2:08pm CDT

The Padres have interviewed former big-league reliever Tom Gordon for their open managerial position, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports. As Heyman notes, Gordon certainly would be an unusual candidate, since he has no managerial experience anywhere. He did, however, pitch 21 seasons in the big leagues. He is the father of Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon and top Twins shortstop prospect Nick Gordon. Here’s the rest of the latest on the Padres’ managerial search. And here are more notes on managers, all on the West divisions:

Don Mattingly’s separation from the Dodgers was amicable, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. The pressures of managing an expensive team with championship expectations weighted on Mattingly, as did whispers about whether he would be fired. When the two sides spoke on Monday, the Dodgers told him they were not interested in offering a long-term extension, which told him their commitment to him wasn’t strong. The new Dodgers front office would, evidently, prefer to hire its own manager, even though Mattingly was willing to work with the front office with its use of advanced metrics.
The Mariners are gambling that Scott Servais is the right hire for them despite his lack of managerial experience, John McGrath of the Tacoma News Tribune writes. As McGrath points out, gambles like this one are common nowadays: Mike Matheny of the Cardinals, Robin Ventura of the White Sox, Brad Ausmus of the Tigers, Walt Weiss of the Rockies, Craig Counsell of the Brewers and Kevin Cash of the Rays are, like Servais, all former players who lacked significant managerial experience before taking their current jobs.

Heyman’s Latest: Mattingly, Red Sox, Ozuna, Heyward, Giants, Storen

By Steve Adams | October 23, 2015 at 1:12pm CDT

The Marlins have interviewed at least five candidates for their managerial opening, but they put their search on hold to wait to see what the future held for Don Mattingly, writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Heyman also looks at the Dodgers’ upcoming managerial search, noting that former Padres manager Bud Black, current Dodgers third base coach/former Brewers skipper Ron Roenicke and current Dodgers bench coach Tim Wallach could factor into L.A.’s search for a replacement in addition to early favorite Gabe Kapler. Here are some more highlights from the column…

The Braves will pursue bullpen upgrades this winter after their relief corps struggled tremendously in 2015. Presumably, the club could be in the mix for some short-term upgrades that could be flipped come the trade deadline, though I’ll point out that the Braves will probably be better off in 2016 with the returns of Shae Simmons, Chris Withrow and perhaps Daniel Winkler from Tommy John surgery.
While the Red Sox are more willing to trade prospects under president Dave Dombrowski than they were under former GM Ben Cherington, the club is said to consider infielder Yoan Moncada, outfielder Andrew Benintendi and right-hander Anderson Espinoza off-limits as it looks to upgrade its pitching staff on the trade market.
The White Sox are on the lookout for third base help and will also pursue upgrades behind the plate. Chicago wound up designating Conor Gillaspie, its primary third baseman from 2013 through the first half of 2015, for assignment this summer and trading him to the Angels. Tyler Flowers had a poor second half, although as MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes noted in his Offseason Outlook on the ChiSox, Flowers has worked hard to become an excellent pitch framer, so he does bring some value to the table in that increasingly important element of the game.
Some feel that the Reds are going to blow things up and go for a full-on rebuild this winter, though Heyman writes that Brandon Phillips is said to have negative trade value. Considering the fact that Phillips had a decent rebound season at the plate and is still a sound defender whose contract no longer is too burdensome, I wonder if that’s a universal sentiment. While he’s not a bargain, Phillips seems to be at least reasonably priced.
The Cardinals will try to re-sign Jason Heyward, but while they could go “a bit beyond” Matt Holliday’s franchise-record $120MM guarantee, Heyward’s camp will insist on topping Jacoby Ellsbury’s $153MM sum and inching as close to $200MM as they can get.
The Indians still have interest in Marcell Ozuna, as they reportedly did prior to the non-waiver trade deadline. I mentioned in my Offseason Outlook for Cleveland that a pursuit of Ozuna would make some sense and speculated on a potential match sending Trevor Bauer to Miami. Heyman notes that the Marlins are looking for a frontline pitcher to pair with Jose Fernandez, but history shows us they’re not likely to spend on a top-tier free agent.
The Astros, too, are looking for bullpen upgrades. Houston pursued top-end relief talent prior to the non-waiver trade deadline, with GM Jeff Luhnow candidly telling the Houston Chronicle’s Evan Drellich that he’d like to pursue a “flamethrower.”
The Twins are expected to pursue a reunion with A.J. Pierzynski, as many have speculated on recently (myself included). Heyman notes that the Braves will probably try to bring Pierzynski back as well. Minnesota also wants Torii Hunter back, but in a reduced role.
Starting pitching will be a focus for the Giants, who are interested in Zack Greinke and Mike Leake, Heyman writes. They will also exercise their $5.5MM club option on Nori Aoki, so long as he continues to progress from late-season head injuries that stemmed from being hit in the head by a pair of pitches. San Francisco will decline Marlon Byrd’s $8MM option.
The Nationals will try to trade both Drew Storen and Jonathan Papelbon this winter, though the latter, of course won’t have much of a market due to his personality issues. Storen’s an expensive but talented option, and Heyman opines that he “absolutely has to go.” While I wouldn’t go that far, I’ll admit that it does seem like a change of scenery would be best for all parties involved. I’d imagine a number of teams — the Tigers, Cubs, Astros, Red Sox, Yankees and Rangers, to name a few — would have interest in Storen. Papelbon’s $11MM salary strikes me as nearly impossible to move unless the Nats eat the majority of the deal or take on an even more undesirable contract.

AL Notes: V-Mart, Orioles, Roberts, Pomeranz

By Steve Adams | October 23, 2015 at 10:43am CDT

The Tigers’ signing of Victor Martinez to a four-year, $68MM contract last offseason was a decision that was largely driven by owner Mike Ilitch rather than former GM Dave Dombrowski, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Dombrowski wasn’t in favor of such a lofty number for the aging DH. Heyman adds that the Mariners were outbid on Martinez, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Seattle was comfortable going to three years and $45MM for V-Mart but turned its focus to Nelson Cruz after Martinez returned to the Tigers. While it’s unlikely that Cruz’s production will hold up to its current level through the final year of his four-year, $57MM deal, he was brilliant in his first season with the Mariners.

A few more notes from around the American League…

The Orioles will “at least kick the tires” on Ben Zobrist this winter, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com, although I’d imagine they’ll be joined by about 20 teams in that pursuit. Nonetheless, Kubatko notes that manager Buck Showalter has long admired Zobrist’s versatility and would love to add him to the fold, and he has fans in the front office as well. The Orioles could find plenty of playing time for Zobrist in the corner outfield.
Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun writes that the Orioles will probably look to add a left-handed starter, if not two, to the mix this winter. Baltimore stands to lose Wei-Yin Chen and has no lefty replacements in the waiting, save for perhaps T.J. McFarland, who has made only seven starts (five in the minors and two in the Majors) since 2012. Connolly adds that while there’s interest in retaining Chen, the Orioles aren’t likely to retain him if he receives a five-year offer elsewhere.
The Mariners interviewed Padres bench coach Dave Roberts for their managerial opening, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Roberts received a pair of interviews and was considered a finalist for the job. However, Angels AGM Scott Servais will reportedly be announced as Seattle’s new skipper later today. Rosenthal adds that Roberts could be a fit for the Dodgers, though that suggestion seems at least partially speculative in nature.
The Athletics announced on Thursday that lefty Drew Pomeranz underwent clavicle resection surgery, as MLB.com’s Jane Lee writes. The recovery timetable for Pomeranz is set for roughly six weeks, and he’s expected to be ready for Spring Training. As Lee notes, Pomeranz pitched through shoulder troubles for much of the season, and this operation will hopefully alleviate those woes next year. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects a $1.3MM salary for Pomeranz in his first run through the arbitration process.

Don Mattingly Won’t Return As Dodgers Manager

By Jeff Todd | October 22, 2015 at 11:02am CDT

Don Mattingly and the Dodgers have mutually decided to part ways, as first reported from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The 54-year-old had served as the team’s manager for the last five seasons. Los Angeles will pay Mattingly the salary he was owed for 2016, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports on Twitter.

It was a successful run overall for Mattingly, who oversaw three straight NL West division winners and five consecutive winning ballclubs. While his .551 overall winning percentage was impressive, though, the Dodgers’ post-season performances haven’t matched their regular season marks. Los Angeles won just one playoff series under Mattingly’s command.

Heyman describes the situation as amicable, even in parting. The front office continues to hold plenty of respect for Mattingly, who in turn does not feel mistreated by upper management. The broad issue, according to Heyman, is that “there wasn’t support for the long-term” for Mattingly.

It appears that the sides considered a continued relationship, as both acknowledged in announcing the move. Mattingly’s contract did have one year remaining on it, and some manner of extension was contemplated. (ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported that an extension was offered, while Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times tweets that it was discussed conceptually, but never formally offered.)

Ultimately, it does seem clear that all agreed to part ways. In a prepared statement, Friedman said that extensive discussion “evolved to a point where we all agreed that it might be best for both sides to start fresh,” a conclusion that ultimately was confirmed after further deliberation. Mattingly, meanwhile, echoed that, saying that “a fresh start would be good for both the organization and me.” He thanked the organization and said he hopes to continue managing with another team.

For Mattingly, it’s not a bad time to be hitting the open market. Numerous clubs — including the Marlins, who are said to have interest, as well as the Nationals, Mariners, and Padres — are in search for new skippers. There’s little doubt he’ll draw interest after managing winning teams under two rather different front office regimes, in a huge market, and with a variety of high-priced and somewhat volatile players to be accounted for. As Heyman notes, though, his in-game strategy has drawn some critics.

Likewise, the Dodgers should have no trouble attracting candidates to their open post. With a talented roster (and the deep pockets to add to it), Los Angeles figures as a perennial contender. Of course, running the Dodgers ship is also one of the higher-pressure gigs in the game. It’s hard to know at present what direction president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman might go with a new hire. He inherited Mattingly when he came to L.A., and only oversaw one manager (Joe Maddon, now with the Cubs) while serving as the general manager of the Rays.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dodgers Claim Lisalverto Bonilla

By Jeff Todd | October 21, 2015 at 4:28pm CDT

The Dodgers have claimed righty Lisalverto Bonilla off waivers from the Rangers, the club announced. He has been placed on the 60-day DL by Los Angeles.

Bonilla, 25, spent all of the 2015 season on the DL after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April. He had reached the big leagues for the first time in the prior year, allowing seven earned runs with 17 strikeouts and 12 walks over 20 2/3 innings for Texas.

While he made three of his five MLB appearances in a starting capacity, Bonilla has mostly worked as a reliever in recent years in the minors. At Triple-A in 2014, Bonilla threw 87 1/3 innings of 4.33 ERA ball (34 relief appearances, nine starts), with 10.8 K/9 against 3.3 BB/9. He has consistently posted double-digit strikeouts per nine since moving to the pen.

Further Details On Eddy Julio Martinez’s Deal With Cubs

By Steve Adams | October 21, 2015 at 12:42pm CDT

Cuban center fielder Eddy Julio Martinez’s $3MM signing bonus from the Cubs has generated quite a bit of controversy, as reports prior to that signing indicated that he’d reached a $2.5MM deal with the Giants. San Francisco GM Bobby Evans had acknowledged the agreement, but Martinez soon after the fact was said no longer to be signing with the Giants.

Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle sheds some light on the scenario. As has been previously reported, Martinez hired U.S.-based agents at the Beverly Hills Sports Council to represent him, but he also was already employing local agents (or “buscones”) from the Dominican Republic — at least two more, per Schulman. Martinez’s family hired BHSC to conclude negotiations once his buscones had agreed to a deal with a team.

The Giants received a signed offer sheet from Martinez’s agents at BHSC, and the story was picked up by the media, and the Giants, according to Schulman, believed that the Cubs saw the report and upped their offer to Martinez’s buscones at the last minute. A source tells Schulman that when the Giants met with Martinez’s buscones to collect a signature from Martinez himself in the Dominican Republic, San Francisco was informed that Martinez would not be signing after all.

Schulman writes that those familiar with the Cubs’ side of the story reject the notion of upping their offer based on media reports, saying the Cubs had been speaking to Martinez’s buscones for quite some time, and the buscones stayed in contact with Chicago after BHSC took over talks with the Giants. In the end, Major League Baseball concluded that the player’s signature was final, as opposed to an offer sheet signed by Martinez’s U.S. agents. The league also cleared the Cubs of any wrongdoing in the scenario.

While the entire situation undoubtedly seems shady from the outside, it’s not unprecedented. The Giants themselves even benefited from a similar situation this year, as MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports (links to Twitter). San Francisco’s top international signing was Bahamian shortstop Lucius Fox, who received a $6MM signing bonus (which cost the Giants $12MM after luxury tax considerations). However, the Dodgers believed they had a deal with Fox right up until the international signing period kicked off on July 2 and were “stunned” to learn that he would instead sign with the Giants.

Per Sanchez, Fox’s father played a large role in the decision to sign with the Giants over the Dodgers, and Martinez’s father was involved in the Giants/Cubs situation as well. Schulman hears that the Giants acquired Fox’s signature by sending a team representative to his 18th birthday party.

Evans referred to the international prospect scene as the “wild wild West” when speaking to Schulman about the situation, adding: “Without an international draft, a player remains an international free agent until he signs a contract. That’s why, when deals get reported early, it’s not an advantage to the club making the deal.”

West Notes: Utley, Kimbrel, Astros, Padres

By Zachary Links | October 18, 2015 at 5:46pm CDT

The suspension appeal for Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley has been delayed, reports the Associated Press. Utley was suspended two games for his role in the play that broke Ruben Tejada’s leg in Game 2 of the NLDS. However, with the Dodgers eliminated from the postseason, there is less urgency to conduct the appeal immediately. This is the first notable example of a player being suspended for overzealously attempting to break-up a double play. If the suspension is ultimately upheld, Utley will be suspended for the first two contest of 2016. The Dodgers hold a club option on Utley valued between $5MM and $11MM, based on days spent on the disabled list.

Here’s more from the West divisions..

Utley’s hearing will be postponed until later this year or possibly next spring, sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter links). The CBA mandates that the hearing must take place within 14 days after the player has filed the appeal, but the hearings can be postponed upon mutual agreement between the parties involved. The appeal will be heard by MLB’s John McHale, not an independent arbitrator.
A package of three Astros pitchers – Francis Martes, Josh Hader, and Joseph Musgrove – most likely would have the convinced the Padres to part with closer Craig Kimbrel, a baseball source told Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle. However, a third piece, thought to be Musgrove, was too rich for Houston’s blood. The Padres could very well make Kimbrel available once again this winter.
Meanwhile, Astros GM Jeff Luhnow believes that his club has an opportunity to become an annual contender. “We’re in a great position as an organization because our payroll’s going to continue to increase as revenues increase,” Luhnow said. “Our young players are going to continue to come through the system, and we have some assets. We’ve got some benefits, some advantages that other clubs maybe don’t have. We’ve got one of the top farm systems in baseball still while having a young team at the major league level that’s already competing. That’s the ideal situation. Now, we want to maintain that for a long time to come.”

Heyman On Cespedes, Davis, Mattingly, Phillies

By Zachary Links | October 18, 2015 at 10:46am CDT

The Mets seem to love Yoenis Cespedes, and for good reason, but based on talks with Mets people, one rival executive told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that he would be “shocked” if the Mets retained him. After all, Cespedes could be in line for a $150MM+ deal and the Mets are intent on keeping their rotation together for years to come.

The Mets’ other key free agent, Daniel Murphy, has “made himself millions,” said one scout, in reference to his postseason heroics. Even though his stock is trending upwards, however, one rival GM said he still thinks the Mets will pass on extending him the $15.8MM qualifying offer.

Here’s a look at more of the highlights from Heyman’s article..

The Orioles would appear to have a hard time hanging on to Chris Davis given their usual budget, but Peter Angelos has stated his interest in keeping the slugger and even with a potential ~$200MM asking price, re-signing him hasn’t been ruled out, Heyman writes. In the most recent edition of Tim Dierkes’ 2016 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings, Davis is ranked No. 4 ahead of several notable names, including fellow slugger Yoenis Cespedes. Tim projects that Davis will be vying for a seven-year deal with a mid-$20MM AAV.
“Dodgers higher-ups are said to give Don Mattingly big credit for the way he’s handled the clubhouse,” Heyman writes. It’s not certain that Mattingly will return in 2016, but Heyman notes that the approval of Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke doesn’t hurt his case.
Sources confirmed to Heyman that the Phillies have interviewed Royals assistant GM J.J. Picollo and Angels assistant GM Matt Klentak for their GM job. Both men have been mentioned as candidates for the vacancy.
The Cubs love Kyle Schwarber’s bat but they’re still unsure where he’ll end up in the field. Schwarber is currently slotted in the outfield and it remains to be seen whether he’ll eventually end up behind the plate.
Reds bench coach Jay Bell is “thought to have at least come up at some point” in the Marlins’ managerial search, but a source tells Heyman that he is “not in the mix” at this time.
Some Padres people could see team exec Moises Alou taking over as manager, but three of Alou’s friends told Heyman that they doubt he’d even want the job. The known managerial candidates there are Diamondbacks minor-league manager Phil Nevin, former infielder Alex Cora, Diamondbacks coach Andy Green, Angels assistant GM Scott Servais, and ex-Twins manager Ron Gardenhire are said to be candidates for the position, but Heyman hears that Dusty Baker and ex-red Sox catcher Jason Varitek are not candidates at this time.

Sherman’s Latest: Dodgers, Mattingly, Greinke, Puig

By | October 17, 2015 at 8:21pm CDT

The failure of the Dodgers $310MM roster leaves the club to deal with some tough decisions, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. President Andrew Friedman and GM Farhan Zaidi focused on improving clubhouse chemistry in their first season at the helm. The reports are largely positive with manager Don Mattingly and pitcher Zack Greinke both commenting on the improved chemistry. However, Friedman and Zaidi didn’t add much of value at the trade deadline. Their principle additions – Alex Wood, Mat Latos, Luis Avilan, and Jim Johnson contributed almost nothing to the postseason roster.

Here’s more from Sherman on the Dodgers offseason:

Mattingly has won three straight division titles, but he may be on the hot seat anyway. Friedman and Zaidi inherited Mattingly so their decision to stick with him could depend on their working relationship. By discarding Matt Kemp, Hanley Ramirez, and Brian Wilson from the roster, the Dodgers were left with a more cohesive roster. Mattingly deserves credit for managing the complicated outfield platoon and transition from Jimmy Rollins to Corey Seager. The Dodgers problems – namely a thin rotation and thinner bullpen – were hardly Mattingly’s fault. The roster construction simply fell short. However, Mattingly could still wind up as the scapegoat, especially if the front office has a better candidate in mind.
As CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman first reported, Zack Greinke will opt out after the season. We’ve previously seen five years and $150MM as a high estimate for Greinke, but Sherman thinks the bidding could go beyond that threshold. However, Greinke isn’t the type to “chase the last dollar” if he doesn’t see a clubhouse fit. The Dodgers have plenty of questions in the rotation after Clayton Kershaw. It seems likely they’ll sign at least one of Greinke or fellow free agent ace David Price.
Outfielder Yasiel Puig is the lone leftover problem child from the previous administration. The club could trade him after a disappointing season, but they would be selling low. Teams would still be interested due to an affordable three years and $19.5MM remaining on his contract. Other franchises are worried about his reputation, injury history, and thickening body. As Sherman puts it, a thicker Puig may experience further injury and lose explosiveness at the plate.

NL Notes: Ramirez, Dodgers, Harvey

By charliewilmoth | October 17, 2015 at 4:03pm CDT

Manny Ramirez was known for his unusual attitude as a player, and his current role with the Cubs is unclear, but he’s latched on with the organization as a coach, the Associated Press writes. Ramirez isn’t listed as an official member of the Cubs’ coaching staff, but he regularly works with all the team’s hitters, and Jorge Soler and Javier Baez, especially, look up to him. His metamorphosis into an admired coach has been unusual, given that he was suspended for PEDs and that he himself was known for being less than coachable as a player. He was, however, a hard worker, and his appetite for improving his game has also helped him as a coach. Here’s more from the National League.

The Dodgers’ playoff ouster shows that Andrew Friedman needs to adjust to the demands of baseball in a big market, Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times writes. While the Dodgers did win 92 games and the NL West, Dilbeck writes, they were still disappointing because they didn’t advance further than the NLDS and didn’t show appropriate “urgency” by making high-profile deadline moves. From my perspective, that sounds somewhat harsh, given the seemingly limited amount of control a front office has over how its team plays once it reaches the roller coaster of variance that is the postseason. Dilbeck has a point, though, that this winter will be an interesting one for Friedman, who will likely have to strongly consider signing, for the first time in his career, at least one player to a nine-figure contract.
The Mets’ unexpectedly strong season has placed starter Matt Harvey in an awkward position, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes. He continues to pitch in the postseason despite a controversy earlier in the year about his innings total this season as he returns from Tommy John surgery. Including the playoffs, Harvey has now pitched 194 1/3 innings this season. Pitching more might risk further injury, but as the reaction to the initial controversy showed, Harvey would be a “pariah” throughout the game if he stopped. And it isn’t hard to understand why the Mets might want to get everything they can out of him now, while they have a chance — clear shots at championships aren’t easy to come by, even for teams that appear to have bright futures.

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