Dodgers Prepared To Spend
The Dodgers have the finances to make significant acquisitions this offseason, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports. Chairman Mark Walter said the team will be able to spend "if it's there and if it's right for us." However, Walter hinted that the team may hesitate to spend big on pitching, noting that "pitchers break."
While the Dodgers don’t intend to be careless with their money, the luxury tax isn’t going to prevent the team from spending. The team’s payroll will exceed $200MM, and any amount over $178MM will be taxed. The Dodgers have committed more than $193MM to next year's team before accounting for arbitration eligible players, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts.
Agency Notes: Luis Cruz, Jake Peavy
Here are the latest agency-related notes from around MLB…
- Dodgers infielder Luis Cruz hired John Boggs to represent him, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports (on Twitter). Boggs also represents Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and a number of others.
- Numerous agents contacted White Sox right-hander Jake Peavy after he revealed he might hire a new representative, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports (on Twitter). Peavy is still deciding between various options and may end up representing himself this offseason, when he's expected to hit free agency.
- Here are some related updates from last night. Be sure to check out MLBTR’s Agency Database for details on which agents represent which MLB players.
Agency Notes: Victorino, Wright, Sanchez, ACES
It's been an unusually active day for agent-related news. Here's the latest from around the league:
- Shane Victorino, who left ACES earlier today, informed his agents of his impending departure long before fellow client Melky Cabrera was suspended for PED use, according to WEEI.com's Rob Bradford (Twitter link).
- ACES client David Wright won't be following Victorino out the door, tweets ESPN's Adam Rubin.
- Left-hander Jonathan Sanchez left the Boras Corporation months ago and will now be represented by Jim McNamara of the McNamara Baseball Group, the agency informed MLBTR via email. Sanchez will hit free agency this offseason, though his struggles in 2012 will present McNamara with a challenge. McNamara, a former MLB player, worked with the Boras Corporation for approximately 15 years before leaving to open his own agency this past spring.
- Jon Heyman of CBS Sports writes that several people around baseball are wondering if Victorino's departure from ACES will be the first of many. The agency is under investigation by MLB following Cabrera's PED suspension and the ensuing web site coverup scandal.
Shane Victorino Leaves ACES
Weeks before his first career appearance on the free agent market, Shane Victorino has left his former agency, Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal reports (on Twitter). Seth and Sam Levinson of ACES had represented Victorino, who is now looking for an agent, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (on Twitter).
Victorino, 31, will hit free agency after the World Series. He has a .253/.320/.377 batting line with 27 doubles and 11 home runs in 654 plate appearances for the Phillies and Dodgers this year. It doesn't appear that the Dodgers have room for him in their 2013 outfield, assuming Carl Crawford is healthy next spring.
Check out MLBTR's Agency Database for information on player representatives from around the game. MLB is investigating ACES, the agency which represents Melky Cabrera, according to USA Today.
Quick Hits: Kurt Suzuki, Scott Hairston, Nate McLouth
After an arduous start with the Dodgers, Brandon League has settled in nicely as the team's closer, writes Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times. The right-hander turned his season around thanks to 18 scoreless appearances out of his last 19, giving him a 0.44 ERA during that stretch. Here's a look at the news and stories making headlines on the final Sunday of the regular season…
- Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki has exceeded all expectations for Washington after the team acquired him from the A's at the non-waiver trade deadline, writes Dan Kolko of MASNsports.com. The 28-year-old's strong performance has come on both sides of the ball, especially with his bat. "He's gotten clutch hits," Ryan Zimmerman said. "I think we all knew he was a better hitter and his track record shows he was a better hitter than what he was doing this year.
- Thanks to a strong campaign replete with increased playing time, Mets outfielder Scott Hairston heads into the offseason looking for a deal that will allow him to continue to expand his role in 2013, says Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Hairston will be able to use his 1.9 Wins Above Replacement as a negotiating chip as he looks to become an everyday player for the entirety of the season. "I pretty much played in every role possible, and the last few weeks or so I've been playing every day," Hairston said. "It's just one of those things where I really don't know what's going to happen. I'm just going to prepare myself this offseason as if I'll be playing every day."
- The resurgence of Nate McLouth hasn't been an easy endeavor for the former All-Star, but the hard work has the scrappy outfielder playing a major role in the Orioles' success, writes Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun. "It's part of the path that God has laid out for my life. And I don't question it. Were the last couple years tough? Heck yeah they were. But I know I am stronger and better because of it," McLouth said.
Phillies Acquire Stefan Jarrin
The Phillies announced that they have acquired infielder Stefan Jarrin from the Dodgers. The move completes the July 31st trade that sent Shane Victorino to Los Angeles for Ethan Martin, Josh Lindblom and player to be named or cash.
Jarrin, 22, spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons with the Dodgers' Rookie ball affiliate. The 2011 40th round selection has a .211/.309/.336 batting line in 175 plate appearances over the course of two seasons with the Arizona League Dodgers. He played one game at shortstop but has spent most of his professional career at second base. Jaime Jarrin, the Hall of Fame Spanish language broadcaster of the Dodgers, is Stefan Jarrin's grandfather.
Colletti On Gonzalez, Crawford, Mattingly
Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti confirmed that he and manager Don Mattingly will return in 2013, Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com reports. The GM also reflected on the eventful 2012 season in an extended interview with Bloom. Here are some highlights…
- Colletti explained that the team’s midseason trades should help the team in 2013 and beyond, regardless of whether the Dodgers make the playoffs this year. “When we made these trades, we thought that these players were going to be with us for a while,” Colletti said.
- The GM said he'll be pleased if Gonzalez can continue producing at this clip for the remainder of his Dodgers career. Gonzalez has a .276/.328/.431 batting line with 21 RBI in 134 plate appearances.
- There’s a chance Carl Crawford will open the 2013 season with the Dodgers, Colletti said. The left fielder’s throwing arm should be at full strength by May, but he could open the season with the club if he’s progressing well.
- Colletti said it’s been a great experience working with the Dodgers’ new ownership group, including veteran MLB executive Stan Kasten. “He's someone who understands baseball very well,” Colletti said. “He's been in the game for three decades.”
- Manager Don Mattingly succeeds for a variety of reasons, Colletti said. “He continues to learn every day. He's open-minded. He's ultra-competitive. And a very hard worker.”
Dodgers TV Deal Allows For Limited Revenue Sharing
The Dodgers' 2011 bankruptcy court settlement gives the club's new owners a chance to cap income subject to revenue-sharing from a proposed regional sports network, five people familiar with the agreement's special terms tell John Helyar, Steven Church, and Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg.com. The deal, which was first reported by Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, calls for revenue sharing from a TV deal to be capped at $84MM while TV sports-rights experts say the team could net as much as $225MM a year from a network’s rights fees.
The terms of the agreement likely boosted the value of the franchise, resulting in their $2.15 billion sale in April and allowing them to make upwards of $400MM in future commitments to Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez, and others. One TV sports-rights expert notes that the deal could prompt other owners to seek similar treatment and relief from revenue sharing in relation to broadcast rights.
Meanwhile, Robert Manfred Jr., an MLB executive vice president who deals with revenue-sharing matters, insists that the team will share based on its income from the actual contract and not the settlement-set $84MM figure. Manfred Jr. went on to say that the club's record-setting price tag was the result of it being a flaghsip team in the second-biggest media market and not because of the special terms related to the TV deal.
Four Agents Join Excel Sports Management
Four MLB agents are joining Excel Sports Management, the firm owned by baseball agent Casey Close and two others, Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal reports (Twitter link, subscription required). J.D. Smart, Jim Murray and Matt Laird from Hendricks Sports Management and David O’Hagan from CAA Sports are joining Excel Sports Management, Close confirmed to Mullen.
It’s not clear if the agents are bringing their former clients with them. Smart has been representing Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw.
Derek Jeter, Jason Heyward and Alex Gordon are among the players represented by Excel Sports Management, as MLBTR's Agency Database shows. NBA agent Jeff Schwartz golf agent Mark Steinberg and Close own the agency.
Quick Hits: Marlins, Blue Jays, Phillies, Dodgers
Sunday afternoon linkage..
- Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria is angry at manager Ozzie Guillen for comments the manager made that were critical of him, a person who spoke with team officials told Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post. Guillen made a series of comments on Friday that touched on his own job security and Loria's relationship with previous managers. Earlier today we ran down the latest news out of Miami.
- Blue Jays General Manager Alex Anthopoulos told reporters, including Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com, that he believes the Orioles' success is due in large part to their strong bullpen. Looking ahead, Anthopoulos says that he hopes to emulate that.
- Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer previews what the 2013 Phillies might look like and sees a team with Chase Utley at third and a big ticket acquisition in centerfield. The feeling around the club is that the high-priced pickup will be someone like B.J. Upton or Michael Bourn.
- While some have posited that the Dodgers' woes are due to a lack of team chemistry, some club officials believe that the team is plagued by raised expectations, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Dodgers went from David to Goliath in the blink of an eye, which has led some to believe that a number of hitters are pressing.