Odds & Ends: Nady, Orioles, Darvish, Zambrano
Links for Sunday, as the White Sox complete a weekend sweep in Boston….
- Xavier Nady has been doing quite well since the Cubs dealt Derrek Lee to the Braves, writes MLB.com's Carrie Muskat.
- Cal Ripken Jr. told Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun that recently-appointed O's manager Buck Showalter is one of the best baseball guys he has spoken to.
- Javier Lopez tells Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle that he's not too upset about falling just short of free agency heading into next year.
- There's a chance Rod Barajas remains a Dodger past this season, according to Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times.
- NPB Tracker, via Twitter, passes on a news item from Sponichi that says the Mets, Rangers, and Rays all watched Yu Darvish pitch this weekend.
- Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times wonders if Carlos Zambrano's impressive performance over the last month means the Cubs may not ditch him after all.
- What does the future hold for the Yankees' "Core Four"? Joel Sherman of the New York Post explores that question in his latest column.
- Tim Wallach's number one goal this winter is landing a major league managerial job, writes Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times.
- Newsday's Ken Davidoff lists three "hot names" for potential general manager openings this offseason: Damon Oppenheimer, Kevin Towers, and Logan White.
Cafardo On Jeter, Ortiz, Pavano, Kemp
Barring an incredible comeback or collapse, perennial playoff contenders like the Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers, and Cardinals won't be playing meaningful October baseball this year. In his weekly Sunday column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe examines why these clubs have fallen short in 2010. He also shares a few hot stove notes….
- One American League executive calls Derek Jeter a "two-year, $8MM-a-year player on the open market," though the exec acknowledges that the Yankees will pay more than that to keep their long-time shortstop around.
- While David Ortiz believes that he could play first base for a National League team next season, he tells Cafardo that he'd rather stay in Boston and DH.
- Carl Pavano's ideal offseason would see him signing a multi-year deal with the Twins. His agent, Tom O'Connell, says Pavano would "love for something to work out" with Minnesota. When MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith looked at Pavano's impending free agency earlier this week, he concluded that the right-hander might have trouble landing more than a one-year deal.
- Cafardo spoke to Dodgers officials who said they'd be very surprised if the club moved Matt Kemp this winter. One team official told Cafardo, "You never know in trades, but I’d guess we’d have to be pretty overwhelmed to give up on him."
- Fredi Gonzalez is widely considered the favorite to replace Bobby Cox in Atlanta, but the former Marlins skipper should be a candidate for the Cubs and Mariners as well. Jim Hendry and Jack Zduriencik both like Gonzalez's managerial style.
Odds & Ends: Konerko, Kuroda, Astros, Morgan
A few links to check out while we wait to see if Jon Garland can halt the Padres' eight-game losing streak and get his team's season back on track…
- The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo wonders out loud (via Twitter) if Paul Konerko could be a fit for the Red Sox in 2011. That speculation, of course, likely depends on Adrian Beltre's future in Boston.
- In a piece for MLB.com, Sarah D. Morris opines that the Dodgers should re-sign Hiroki Kuroda, even though the team's financial situation makes it unlikely.
- ESPN's Buster Olney (Insider req'd) draws the parallels between this year's Astros and last year's Padres, pointing out that both clubs traded long-time stars at the deadline for young players and payroll savings, then went on to have strong second halves.
- Olney also notes that given his disappointing season (.255/.314/.315) and recent suspension troubles, Nyjer Morgan is hurting his chances for future employment. FoxSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi also chimed in on the subject.
- The Nationals plan to call up Cuban defector Yunesky Maya following Monday's game according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Washington signed the 28-year-old righthander early last month.
- USA Today's Bob Nightengale recently sat down for a chat with Dan Hudson. Among other things, the righty said it's nice to be with a team that wants him. Hudson was traded from the White Sox to the Diamondbacks for Edwin Jackson before this year's deadline.
Non-Tender Candidate: Ryan Theriot
Dodgers second baseman Ryan Theriot will be eligible for arbitration for the second time this winter. He will earn $2.6MM this season after losing his arbitration case with the Cubs last offseason, when he filed for $3.4MM.
Theriot, 30, hit .284/.320/.327 in 412 plate appearances while playing both second base and shortstop for Chicago before being sent to the Dodgers in the Ted Lilly trade at the deadline. In 132 plate appearances as Los Angeles' everyday second baseman, The Riot has hit .307/.380/.377, drawing nearly as many unintentional walks (13) as he did with the Cubs (16) in 280 fewer plate appearances. UZR pegs him as an average defender at second, but well below that level at short.
It's tough to imagine GM Ned Colletti acquiring a player only to non-tender him a few months later, but he has to at least entertain the option with Theriot. A career .288/.352/.363 hitter, Theriot received a $2.1MM raise last offseason, and a strong finish with the Dodgers could bump his salary up another $2MM this offseason. The free agent market looks to be flooded with light hitting middle infielders that could approximate Theriot's production for a fraction of the cost.
Remember, Colletti doesn't have to non-tender Theriot only to let him walk. He could attempt to re-sign him at a lesser salary, perhaps exchanging a second guaranteed year for a salary discount.
With that in mind, it's time for you to weigh in. Click here to vote whether or not you think Theriot will be non-tendered, and here to see the results.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Francoeur, Lilly, Loney
On this date two years ago, instant replay was used for the first time in baseball history, resolving a fair or foul call on an Alex Rodriguez home run against the Rays at Tropicana Field. Third base umpire Brian Runge originally called the ball a homer, and that call stood upon further review. Numerous umpire gaffes have some clamoring for expanded use of instant replay, but so far Major League Baseball hasn't budged.
Here's a look at what's been written around the baseball blogosphere…
- Amazin' Avenue looks at the illogicality of the Jeff Francoeur trade.
- Meanwhile, Baseball Time In Arlington recaps the last trade of the season.
- North And South Of Royal Brougham suggests Ted Lilly for the 2011 Mariners.
- The Process Report explains how the Rays used Jose Lobaton to manipulate their potential playoff roster.
- Cubs Pack provides Jim Hendry with an offseason to-do list.
- True Blue LA wonders what the Dodgers should do with James Loney.
- Capitol Avenue Club hands out some Braves minor league awards.
- Disciples of Uecker compares Yovani Gallardo's contract to those of some other great young pitchers.
- Saber By The Bay has some good news for Tigers fans looking ahead to next season.
- Midwest Sports Fans builds a roster of players who played for the Indians and White Sox, a la Manny Ramirez.
- The Nats Blog thinks it's time for Nyjer Morgan to go.
- MLB Depth Charts created the Tommy John Surgery Tracker in the wake of Stephen Strasburg's injury.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.
Heyman On Fielder, Kemp, Mets, Jeter
In his latest column for Sports Illustrated, Jon Heyman writes that the waiver trade deadline was a dud outside of the Manny Ramirez claim by the White Sox. Even though the waiver trade deadline was somewhat quiet, this offseason should bring us plenty of interesting storylines. Here's what Heyman has in hot stove news..
- The Brewers are still holding out hope that they can re-sign Prince Fielder. Meanwhile, others in baseball believe that they have virtually no chance of retaining the slugger. Milwaukee's chances of hanging on to Fielder took a hit when the Twins re-upped Joe Mauer for $180MM. Fielder wants at least that much but it's likely too rich for Milwaukee's blood.
- Heyman hears that Matt Kemp is seeking a deal with the Dodgers similar to Nick Markakis' contract. Markakis inked a six-year, $66MM extension with the O's in January of 2009. In fact, as a center fielder with power, Kemp sees himself as more valuable. However, the soon-to-be 26-year-old knows that he won't get that kind of deal with the Dodgers.
- Speaking of the Dodgers, Heyman says that it's tough to envision Ted Lilly approaching the $12MM salary he got from the Cubs.
- Mets GM Omar Minaya has told friends that he enjoys scouting and talent evaluation. Heyman wonders aloud if this is a precursor to Minaya has accepted that he will be assigned to a new position. Some in the organization wonder if owner Fred Wilpon traveling to the minors with assistant GM John Ricco means that the Mets intend to elevate Ricco to the GM position. It's possible, however, that Ricco was just assisting on a scouting mission.
- It's hard to quantify Derek Jeter's value to the Yankees though early guesses of him earning $25MM per season in his next contract seem high at the moment.
- Unsurprisingly, Heyman writes that Texas will non-tender Jeff Francoeur this offseason.
Dodgers Will Seek Big Bat, Catcher This Offseason
The Dodgers hope to lure a bopper to Los Angeles this winter in order to shore up the middle of their lineup, writes Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. Dodgers GM Ned Colletti has already acknowledged that adding a big bat will be a top priority this season.
There are some intriguing offensive options that will hit the open market this season including Adam Dunn, Carl Crawford, and a trio of former Dodgers in Jayson Werth, Paul Konerko, and possibly Adrian Beltre. While those players will all come with hefty price tags, the Dodgers will have as much as $38MM coming off of their payroll at season's end. That's money that the club could use in free agency though Gurnick writes that Colletti is more likely to get a power hitter via trade.
Gurnick also writes that Los Angeles needs a starting catcher, adding that Russell Martin was a question mark even before breaking his hip. The backstop has seen his offensive production drop significantly in the last two years, hitting just .249/.350/.330 with 12 homers.
Dodgers, Lilly To Pursue Extension
The Dodgers intend to pursue a multiyear deal with Ted Lilly, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the interest is mutual. Rosenthal adds that Lilly wanted to sign with the Dodgers in the 2006-07 offseason, but they went with Jason Schmidt.
Lilly, 35 in January, has a 3.29 ERA, 8.5 K/9, and 1.4 BB/9 with six home runs allowed in six starts with the Dodgers since coming over from the Cubs on July 31st. He made his season debut on April 24th due to arthroscopic shoulder surgery in November. Lilly projects as a Type A free agent after the season, but it could be a moot point if his agents at Full Circle Sports Management hammer something out with the Dodgers before December. Lilly's four-year, $40MM deal with the Cubs was signed in December of '06, a more freewheeling time for free agency. He figures to accept fewer years, but probably won't take much of a salary cut.
Rosenthal also notes that the Dodgers "never engaged in serious discussions with the Padres" after the Friars won the claim on Hiroki Kuroda.
5 Surprises: Los Angeles Dodgers
Five surprises about the Dodgers I would not have predicted in the offseason…
- Zach Lee signing. Signability concerns dropped Lee to #28 in the June draft, and many accused the Dodgers of purposely taking a player they knew they wouldn't sign. Instead, they gave Lee a club-record $5.25MM bonus to pass on a baseball and football career at LSU.
- Manny Ramirez claim. It wasn't shocking that the Dodgers let Manny go to save $3.8MM. It was a surprise that a team that still considers itself a contender felt they'd be better off without Ramirez.
- Matt Kemp's struggles. The .299 career hitter slumped to .255 this year and his defense dropped off too, according to UZR. The difference from '09 might end up being a matter of four wins or so.
- Jonathan Broxton's struggles. More than anything, Broxton's batting average on balls in play jumped up. He's also lost a few miles per hour on his average fastball, bringing him back to his still-respectable '07 level of about 95. It's been enough to allow Hong-Chih Kuo to sneak into the closer role.
- Rafael Furcal's season. He's missed significant time due to injury, but is having his best season outside of his 36-game '08 stint.
Yankees To Continue Pushing For Lilly?
The Yankees "will continue to push to make a deal" for Dodgers lefty Ted Lilly, according to Mark Feinsand, Bill Madden, Anthony McCarron, and Roger Rubin of the New York Daily News. Furthermore, the writers say the Yankees "believe there is a loophole that because they were awarded the claim before the first of the month, they could use Lilly on their postseason roster."
Joe Pawlikowski of River Ave. Blues can't find evidence of this loophole, nor could ESPN's Keith Law or a big league executive with which Law spoke. Aside from postseason eligibility, is it plausible for the Yankees to acquire Lilly for the rest of the regular season? Can the Dodgers place Lilly on waivers again, even after pulling him back the first time the Yankees won the claim?
According to The Biz of Baseball, "Once a player on major league waivers has been claimed and the waiver request revoked, any subsequent request for major league waivers during the same waiver period is irrevocable." In other words, if the Dodgers put Lilly on waivers again they cannot pull him back if he's claimed. If the Dodgers had purely financial motives, they could hope the Yankees or another team claims Lilly, allowing the Dodgers to save over $2MM and also keep the $2.5MM sent by the Cubs. Such a transfer would be one of the bigger September transactions in recent memory. Still, it's possible the Dodgers simply have no intention of moving Lilly, as ESPN's Wallace Matthews suggests. ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the Yankees' original claim of Lilly "never had any traction."