Marlins Notes: Guillen, Lee, Third Base
Marlins president David Samson has said he can’t “imagine being in the game" without president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest, but it's clear that the entire Marlins front office is under scrutiny following a disappointing season in Miami. Here’s the latest as the club prepares for the offseason…
- Manager Ozzie Guillen seems like a safe bet to return in 2013, but there’s a perception among some rival evaluators that the Marlins aren’t competitive this month, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney writes. Guillen is in the first year of a four-year contract and isn’t exempt from scrutiny himself.
- Ken Rosenthal reported today that the Marlins seem more likely to make front office changes than replace Guillen.
- The Marlins will talk to Carlos Lee’s representatives about what it would take to bring the first baseman back for 2013, Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post reports. It’s more likely that the Marlins will move Logan Morrison to first base, however.
- The Marlins want a legitimate power bat at third base, especially if they open the season with Donovan Solano at second. Miami is expected to consider a variety of options for third base, Capozzi writes.
Managerial Notes: Girardi, Dodgers, Marlins
The Astros are the only team currently looking for a manager, but within a few weeks there’s a good chance other MLB teams will be in the market for managers of their own. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports lists those who could be managing for their jobs between now and the end of the regular season. Here are the highlights…
- Joe Girardi of the Yankees is a good manager who doesn’t deserve to be fired, Rosenthal writes. However, Girardi’s job security will be in question if the Yankees don’t win the AL East.
- It’d be reasonable to ask if Jim Leyland got enough out of the Tigers roster if Detroit misses the postseason. The Tigers could decide it’s time for a change after seven seasons under Leyland, Rosenthal writes.
- Though Mike Scioscia is under contract through 2018, Angels owner Arte Moreno would be disappointed to miss the playoffs after an offseason of aggressive moves.
- The Dodgers will likely pursue a contract extension with manager Don Mattingly no matter how their season ends, Rosenthal reports.
- Bobby Valentine won’t be back in Boston. If the Red Sox can’t pry John Farrell away from the Blue Jays, they’ll have to look elsewhere for a replacement.
- Some Marlins people believe their season started deteriorating when Guillen spoke publicly about Fidel Castro in April. However, it appears more likely the Marlins will re-structure their front office than fire Guillen.
- Rosenthal suggests Terry Francona could be a fit in Cleveland if the Indians dismiss Manny Acta following their disappointing second half. Francona will likely have options elsewhere and he might be prohibitively expensive for Cleveland.
- Fredi Gonzalez probably won’t have to worry about his job security as long as the Braves make the playoffs.
Samson Talks Ozzie, Beinfest, Hanley
Marlins president David Samson said executives, coaches and players share responsibility for the team’s disappointing season, Barry Bloom of MLB.com reports. Samson also discussed the team’s recent trades and potential next moves in the interview with Bloom. Here are the highlights:
- Samson characterized manager Ozzie Guillen’s first year on the job as disappointing. “It just didn't turn out the way we thought it would when we drew it up,” he said. “That's how life goes sometimes.”
- Samson said he can’t “imagine being in the game" without president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest. However, he stopped short of saying Beinfest has complete job security. Owner Jeffrey Loria will evaluate all of his employees after the season, Beinfest included.
- The Marlins traded Hanley Ramirez, their longtime star, because they felt it was time to move on without him. “We just realized we couldn't win with him. It was that simple,” Samson said.
- Owner Jeffrey Loria said he’s asked his staff for recommendations and will start making evaluations toward the end of the season. Loria declined to speak about Guillen and Beinfest in specifics earlier in the week.
NL East Notes: Wright, Phillies, Fernandez, Gonzalez
The Phillies, winners of six in a row, are just four games out of the Wild Card race and back at the .500 mark with a 71-71 record. While a sixth consecutive division title remains out of reach, the Phillies have a remote chance at returning to the postseason. Here are the latest notes from the NL East…
- Despite baseball's investigation into accusations that agents Seth and Sam Levinson helped procure performance-enhancing drugs for players, David Wright doesn't plan on changing agents, according to the New York Daily News. "I have known these guys since I was 18," Wright said. "The only thing I have to go off of is the way they have represented me the last 12 years (and) the integrity that I have seen firsthand that they have for the game." The Mets hold a $16MM club option on Wright's deal for 2013 but the club is expected to pursue a contract extension in the near future.
- Third base is a long-term need for the Phillies and, as Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes, there's also uncertainty at the position in the short-term. Kevin Frandsen has a stress fracture in his left fibula, Placido Polanco is out for the season, Michael Martinez doesn't add much offense and Chase Utley has limited experience at third.
- The Marlins and Phillies are now heading in different directions, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News. While Miami's early-season struggles continued, the Phillies are now "playing clean games" in the view of manager Charlie Manuel.
- Top Marlins pitching prospect Jose Fernandez has a chance to join Miami's rotation in 2013, Joe Capozzi Palm Beach Post writes. Fernandez, a first round pick in 2011, figures to start next year in Double-A, according to Capozzi.
- The deal that sent Gio Gonzalez to Washington for Tommy Milone and Derek Norris has proven to be a win-win trade for the Nationals and Athletics, Matthew Leach of MLB.com writes. Gonzalez is a Cy Young candidate with the Nationals and Milone and Norris are contributing to the success of the A's.
Loria On Front Office, Guillen, Third Base
The Marlins occupy last place in the NL East with a 63-79 record after entering the season with as much hype as any team in recent memory. It’s been a disappointing year, but owner Jeffrey Loria says he expects his team to contend again in 2013, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports. Here are more notes from Loria (via Spencer):
- Loria declined to discuss any potential changes to his front office staff. He also refused to offer a public assessment of manager Ozzie Guillen. “I just don’t want to get drawn into that until the end of the season,” Loria said. “There’s good and bad with every situation.”
- Loria acknowledged that the team has holes. “We need to fill them to complement some of the other really good parts that are here,” he added. The Marlins will likely consider upgrades at third base this offseason, Spencer writes.
- Loria said he’s been thrilled with Jose Reyes’ performance and impressed by Mark Buehrle’s approach. He also mentioned infielder Donovan Solano and outfielder Justin Ruggiano as “pleasant surprises” in an otherwise trying season.
Quick Hits: Marlins, Beinfest, Rasmus, Pirates
Sunday afternoon linkage..
- Sources say that there is a growing expectation within the Marlins organization that Larry Beinfest will lose power and that Dan Jennings will gain influence and become the dominant advisory voice for owner Jeffery Loria, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com. It also remains to be seen whether Beinfest would be fired outright or simply see a loss in decision-making power. Sources also expect to see at least three other major changes made as well.
- The Blue Jays' next big focus will be to sign Colby Rasmus to a multi-year contract, writes Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star. The centerfielder is currently set to hit the open market after the 2014 season. Recently, Ben Nicholson-Smith looked back on the trade that brought Rasmus to Toronto.
- Bob Cohn of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review asks if the Pirates are truly smart spenders or just a frugal franchise. A recent piece by Bloomberg Businessweek had the Bucs as one of the most efficient spenders in MLB over the last five years, but Cohn is quick to point out the club's overall performance during that span versus their current play. Pittsburgh has gone 326-489 over the past five seasons, finishing last in the National League Central four times and fourth in 2011.
NL East Notes: Strasburg, Nationals, Marlins, Beinfest
Here's a look at items on the Nationals and Marlins..
- Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post looks at the insurance policies that teams take out on players in light of Stephen Strasburg's impending shutdown. Agent Scott Boras says that the insurance policy for Strasburg’s contract could be voided if he pitches against medical advice and injured himself and representatives from specialty insurance companies supported that claim.
- Marlins president Larry Beinfest told 790 The Ticket that he understands that he could lose his job this winter given the club's struggles, writes Clark Spencer of The Miami Herald. Some have speculated that Beinfest could lose his job or be reassigned to a new position by owner Jeffrey Loria. Beinfest is under contact through 2015.
- There has been a great deal of talk surrounding the Nationals' decision to shut Strasburg down for the year, but Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (video link) doesn't expect the move to impede the club this season. However, Morosi adds that he still doesn't agree with the plan.
- Nationals skipper Davey Johnson says that this year's bench is among the best he had ever managed, writes James Wagner of the Washington Post. Included in that group is the recently-extended Chad Tracy and outfielder Roger Bernadina, who was the subject of trade rumors prior to the start of the season.
Rosenthal On Pierzynski, Ortiz, Cardinals, Marlins
Here's a look at the latest edition of Full Count from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports..
- A.J. Pierzynski is in a slump but all in all, he's having a strong year at the age of 35 and could be an interesting name on the open market. The Yankees could have interest if they look to replace Russell Martin, the Marlins could look to reunite him with Ozzie Guillen and Mark Buehrle, and the Dodgers were close to signing him after the 2010 season. As for the White Sox, no one knows what direction they'll head in, but price could be a major factor. The catcher is making $6MM this year.
- David Ortiz accepted arbitration from the Red Sox last season to take himself off of the open market, but this year could be a different story. This would be a smart time for him to reject a one-year deal and pursue a multi-year contract with leverage on his side. Both the Yankees and Blue Jays could have interest in him as a DH.
- The Cardinals are unlikely to re-sign Kyle Lohse, who should be one of the top starters available this winter. They also are unlikely to overpay on an extension for Adam Wainwright, who has one year left on his contract. St. Louis has a glut of talented starters both in the majors and waiting in the wings and is against locking up too much money in the rotation long-term.
- The Marlins' top front office execs are signed through 2015 but other clubs say owner Jeffrey Loria is considering a major shakeup. Team president David Samson told Rosenthal that they'll go through their usual evaluations after the season and take a hard look at everyone, but he added that it is only September 1st and they'll won't get into it until after the season.
Soriano, Ellsbury, Ross, Marcum Likely Staying Put
There’s generally a fair amount of activity on August 31st, the last day for teams to trade for players who are eligible for postseason rosters. We’ll be sure to pass along news of any trades but in the meantime let’s check in on some players who aren’t getting dealt:
- There are no trades on the horizon for the Marlins, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports (on Twitter).
- No deal involving Alfonso Soriano seems likely, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The Cubs could wait until the winter to trade Soriano, who has cleared waivers.
- The Red Sox won’t trade Jacoby Ellsbury or Cody Ross today, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter).
- Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel hears the Brewers aren't likely to trade Shaun Marcum or Francisco Rodriguez (Twitter link).
- The Cardinals don’t plan to pursue a shortstop from outside of the organization to replace Rafael Furcal, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). Furcal is likely headed for the disabled list with an elbow injury, but St. Louis can rely on internal options such as Pete Kozma and Daniel Descalso.
- It looks as though it'll be a quiet day for the Rangers, MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan reports (on Twitter).
Carlos Lee Drawing Interest
Carlos Lee continues to draw trade interest from teams seeking right-handed hitters, Yahoo’s Tim Brown reports (on Twitter). Lee, a free agent after the season, can block deals to 14 teams.
For Lee to be eligible for another team’s postseason roster, he’d have to be on another club by tomorrow. He was on waivers earlier in the month, but it’s unclear if he was claimed. The Giants are among the teams currently seeking right-handed hitters.
The Marlins are responsible for paying Lee the pro-rated portion of the MLB minimum salary, while the Astros are covering the rest of his $18.5MM salary. The 36-year-old has a .278/.346/.388 batting line in 486 total plate appearances for the Astros and Marlins this year. He has spoken to Miami officials about the possibility of returning for the 2013 season.
The Marlins tried to move Lee at the trade deadline, according to multiple reports. The Yankees agreed to pay Miami $1MM in exchange for Lee, who blocked the proposed deal. The Marlins also tried to move Lee to Baltimore at the trade deadline, according to Jon Heyman. Lee blocked a potential deal to Los Angeles back in June.