Olney On Rays, Quentin, Polanco, Marlins, Darvish
After ranking MLB's best rotations, bullpens, infields, outfields, and lineups in December, ESPN.com's Buster Olney opened up 2012 with his overall power rankings. The Rays are ranked No. 1 thanks in large part to their outstanding rotation. This year, Matt Moore joins the mix and Olney writes that the left-hander has the numbers and the ability of Stephen Strasburg without the same level of hype behind him. Of course, the club still has some issues to address, such as the identity of their first baseman and designated hitter. However, Olney feels that their pitching makes them the top club in baseball at present. Here are some highlights from today's column..
- It's possible that the Padres could negotiate a very team-friendly two- or three-year deal with the Carlos Quentin before arbitration. However, it's hard to imagine the club investing heavily in the outfielder before gauging how much he can stay on the field and how his power translates to pitcher-friendly Petco Park.
- The Phillies would still like to find an alternative to the oft-injured Placido Polanco. In October, skipper Charlie Manuel said that he would be in favor of an upgrade at third base if possible. The club dangled Polanco in early December when it seemed as if they might lose Jimmy Rollins to free agency and look to sign Aramis Ramirez to play third.
- The Cubs are talking with a number of teams about Matt Garza, including the Marlins. A lot of baseball scouts are not wild about the quality and depth of the prospects in Miami's farm system.
- Yu Darvish is not yet signed with the Rangers, but rival executives don't believe he has much leverage and will eventually work out a deal.
Marlins Have Serious Interest In Matt Garza
5:17pm: The Cubs are talking to a number of teams about Garza, but no deal is imminent, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
3:25pm: The Marlins have serious interest in Cubs pitcher Matt Garza, Major League sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Marlins' interest was sparked after they failed to land left-hander Gio Gonzalez from the Athletics.
The two sides are not close to a deal and the Cubs continue to speak to other clubs, including the Tigers, according to sources. The Yankees have also expressed interest in Garza, but the asking price for the 28-year-old is a stumbling block for the Bombers. The Red Sox and Blue Jays are also in on the pitcher but talks have slowed with both teams.
Rosenthal writes that the Tigers might have the upper hand if they are willing to include right-hander Jacob Turner in a deal. Rival executives say the Cubs are desperate for young starting pitching. Meanwhile, the Marlins have more position players to offer.
Marlins' Class-A outfielder Christian Yelich is likely on the Cubs' wish list and was among the players the Athletics were targeting in a possible deal for Gonzalez. Rival clubs say Matt Dominguez, Gaby Sanchez, Chris Coghlan, and Jose Ceda are among the other players Miami is willing to part with.
Marlins Focused On Re-Signing Dobbs
The Marlins' immediate priority is to re-sign utility player Greg Dobbs, reports MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. He says the team hopes to finalize a deal soon. The Nationals had also been in the mix for Dobbs, but Frisaro's colleague Bill Ladson tweeted four days ago they were unlikely to sign him.
Dobbs, 33, hit .275/.311/.389 in a career-high 439 plate appearances for the Marlins this year. He logged 755 innings at third base, also pitching in at first base and the outfield corners. A left-handed hitter, Dobbs has struggled against southpaws in his career. As a pinch-hitter, he has a career line of .259/.316/.430 in 316 plate appearances. The Marlins offered Dobbs a two-year deal in late September, writes Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post.
Frisaro also notes that the Marlins are not expected to sign any more big-ticket free agents, but they're exploring the trade market for frontline starters. He says the Marlins aren't seeking competition for the back end of the rotation, though Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald wrote recently that they're casting a wide net.
NL East Links: Ramos, Nationals, Gonzalez
Two years ago today, the Mets signed Kelvim Escobar to an incentive-laden one-year deal worth $1.25MM guaranteed. Escobar hurt his shoulder (again) and never did pitch for the Amazin's, and over the last four seasons he's appeared in just one game due to shoulder problems. Here's the latest from the NL East…
- The Marlins have hired former Rays bullpen coach Bobby Ramos to be their Latin American player development coordinator, writes Juan C. Rodriguez of The Sun Sentinel. It's a new position the team created because none of their minor league coordinators are Hispanic, and they felt it was imperative to have a Spanish-speaker around all of their young prospects from Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, etc.
- Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider looked at the back of the Nationals' rotation, where Chien-Ming Wang, Ross Detwiler, and John Lannan are competing for two spots. Detwiler is out of options, but Wang and Lannan will earn $4MM+ next season.
- Ken Davidoff of Newsday writes that he likes the Nationals' acquisition of Gio Gonzalez, even though it feels like an overpay for a pitcher who is good rather than great. With plenty of focus already directed at Stephen Strasburg, it seems unlikely that Gonzalez will be overwhelmed by attention in Washington.
- Overall, the Nationals landed a good starter in Gonzalez, but the club has to realize that they will have to deal with some frustration over the next few years in addition to the positives, writes Dave Cameron of Fangraphs.
Cafardo’s Latest: Madson, Kuroda, Cespedes, Zumaya
Even on Christmas, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe delivers his usual Sunday Baseball Notes column. This week, he runs down the best available players remaining on the free agent and trade markets at each position. Here are a few highlights from those lists and the rest of Cafardo's piece:
- The Red Sox and Angels are "keeping the dialogue open" with Ryan Madson.
- While many reports have indicated Hiroki Kuroda's willingness to play on the East Coast, the right-hander still has some desire to stay out west.
- The Marlins are being aggressive on Yoenis Cespedes, with the Nationals right behind them. Earlier this weekend, we heard there's some divide within the Marlins' front office on Cespedes.
- An AL GM on Joel Zumaya: "Our doctors don't think he would pass the physical based on what they see."
- The Rays are among the clubs that have talked to Francisco Cordero.
- Cafardo gets the feeling Matt Garza will be dealt, and warns not to rule out the Tigers.
Quick Hits: Dobbs, Pitching, Floyd, Marshall, NPB
On this date in 1994, the owners implemented a salary cap and revenue sharing as the players were on strike. Those provisions were never put in place though, as the judge who ended the labor dispute ruled that the next two seasons must be played under the previously existing labor conditions. We do have revenue sharing nowadays, but a salary cap isn't going to happen anytime soon. Here's the latest from around the league…
- The Nationals are now focused on improving their bench, but MLB.com's Bill Ladson says (on Twitter) that it seems as though they are unlikely to sign Greg Dobbs. Washington expressed interest in Dobbs last week.
- Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com listed (on Twitter) the Rockies, Marlins, Tigers, Red Sox, Yankees, Orioles, and Blue Jays as clubs looking to add a starting pitcher. Earlier today we heard that both the Yankees and Red Sox are pursuing Hiroki Kuroda.
- Even after signing John Danks to an extension, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports that the White Sox could look to trade Gavin Floyd this offseason. The Red Sox expressed interest in the righty during the winter meetings. Floyd will make $7MM in 2012, then a $9.5MM club option for 2013 comes into play.
- In an Insider-only column, ESPN's Keith Law calls the Sean Marshall trade a win for the Cubs. "The Reds, meanwhile, continue what I can only assume is a rapid emptying of their farm system to try to win again in the two years before Joey Votto reaches free agency," he added.
- With several Japanese players slated to join MLB next season, Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker takes a look at the players who will replace them on their former club in Japan.
Yankees, Marlins Divided On Yoenis Cespedes
There is divide in both the Yankees' and Marlins' front offices on whether to pursue Yoenis Cespedes, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. Knobler says the two clubs, along with the Red Sox, may not be as heavily involved in the bidding for the Cuban outfielder as expected.
While there have been conflicting reports on the Yankees' interest in Cespedes, the Marlins are regarded by some teams as the favorite for the 26-year-old, as Knobler wrote earlier this week. According to Knobler, however, Cespedes has told people he plans to make his permanent home in the Dominican Republic rather than Miami, and may prefer to play for a team besides the Fish. Some people within the Yankees' organization, meanwhile, view Cespedes as too raw to justify the price tag, and favor a modest bid that will likely not be enough to land him.
Even with Cespedes moving closer to establishing residency in the Dominican, it doesn't appear he'll officially become a free agent until sometime in January.
NL East Links: Marlins, Vazquez, Braves, Nationals
Twelve years ago today, the Mets traded Octavio Dotel, Roger Cedeno, and Kyle Kessel to the Astros for Mike Hampton and Derek Bell. Hampton pitched to a 3.14 ERA in 217 2/3 innings during his one season in New York, then signed his monster eight-year, $121MM contract with the Rockies that winter. Here's the latest from continually improving the NL East…
- The Marlins were willing to part with top minor leaguers to acquire Gio Gonzalez, but MLB.com's Joe Frisaro says they weren't willing to move anyone from their everyday lineup. Both Logan Morrison and Mike Stanton are considered "off limits."
- Within the same piece, Frisaro says that Javier Vazquez continues to maintain that he is retiring. The Marlins do not expect him back and are looking elsewhere for pitching.
- In a comment on one of his blog posts, Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution explains why the Braves have less money to spend this winter than many believe.
- Baseball people keep waiting for Nationals GM Mike Rizzo to "bail out" Scott Boras on one of his free agents according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick (on Twitter). Unsigned Boras clients include Prince Fielder, Edwin Jackson, Johnny Damon, Carlos Pena, and Ryan Madson.
- Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider takes a look at the far-reaching implications of yesterday's Gonzalez trade for the Nationals.
- Amanda Comack of The Washington Times tries to sort out the Nationals pitching staff following the Gio trade.
Quick Hits: Beltran, Wren, Padres, Marshall
Cornelius Alexander "Connie" Mack was born on this day in 1862. After an 11-year playing career, Mack went on to become the manager and co-owner of the Philadelphia Athletics in 1901 and was a fixture in the A's dugout for the next half-century. Between his 50 years with the A's (and three years managing the Pirates from 1894-96), Mack won five World Series titles and compiled a 3731-3948 record. Needless to say, Mack's records for managerial wins and losses will never be broken.
Some news from around the majors…
- The Indians made "an aggressive" two-year contract offer to Carlos Beltran worth "very close" to the $26MM Beltran received from the Cardinals, a source tells Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
- The Braves have been rather quiet this offseason but "the fact is we like our team," GM Frank Wren tells David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "We continue to have some conversations,” Wren said. “We’d have liked to have gotten something done in November in some areas, but just weren’t the matches….We’re continuing to work different options. This was not a good free-agent year, not a lot of players that impacted teams, especially in the areas we would like to get better in.” Wren said the Braves may wait to see how their players perform during Spring Training before deciding if they need to bring in some new acquisitions.
- The Padres still have around $7-$9MM to spend this winter, observes Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune as part of his weekly chat with fans.
- Center also discusses Anthony Rizzo trade rumors, citing the Rays and Cubs as the most interested parties. Center thinks teams who miss out on Prince Fielder (such as possibly the Mariners and Orioles) could look at Rizzo as well.
- The Reds will use Sean Marshall as a setup man, not as a closer, once their deal with the Cubs is finalized, writes John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Fay also wonders if the Reds are working out a contract extension with Marshall, as the price of Travis Wood plus two prospects seems high for a reliever who is only under control through 2012.
- The Mariners are still interested in Jeff Francis, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Seattle wants a veteran like Francis for the rotation to serve as a bridge for the team's young pitchers. We heard about the Mariners' interest in Francis earlier this month, and the Twins, Pirates, Cubs and Rockies have also been linked to the Canadian left-hander.
- Patrick Ebert of Perfect Game runs down the 10 biggest stories that emerged from this year's amateur draft.
- Former Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez told Todd Hollandsworth and Jim Memolo of MLB Network Radio (as reported by MLB.com's Joe Frisaro) that he didn't agree with Miami's signing of Jose Reyes. "You already have an All-Star shortstop, why spend money on another All-Star shortstop?" Rodriguez asked. "Why not put the money into another player, like Albert Pujols or a front-line pitcher?” Rodriguez also wondered how "a very proud player" like Hanley Ramirez would handle switching positions and having Reyes be the center of media attention in Miami.
- The Giants haven't spent much to address their lack of hitting this winter, writes Fangraphs' Wendy Thurm.
Pitching Links: Edwin, Marlins, Saunders, Felix
Here's the latest on the arms race from around the majors…
- Edwin Jackson and John Danks have comparable numbers over the last three years, which is why Mike Axisa of the River Ave Blues blog thinks Scott Boras will use Danks' recent extension with the White Sox as a model for Jackson in free agency. "Now I know hearing five years and $65M+ for Jackson is a little wacky, just because he [doesn't] come off as the type of pitcher deserving of that kind of commitment…but I refuse to bet against Boras," Axisa writes.
- "Anytime you hear a pitcher's name, you can safely say the Marlins are in," a National League source tells Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. Matt Garza, Roy Oswalt, Wandy Rodriguez and Joe Saunders are all mentioned as possibilities for the Fish, though if the Marlins didn't have the minor league talent to acquire Gio Gonzalez and Mat Latos, it's hard to see them being able to deal for Garza. Rodriguez is a possibility since I'd guess Houston's larger concern is getting his salary off the books rather than obtaining a large haul of prospects.
- Speaking of Saunders, he talked to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic about the negotiations between he and the Diamondbacks. Arizona offered Saunders a two-year, $12MM deal and Saunders' camp countered with a three-year, $27MM deal. The D'Backs never made a counter, and though Saunders said he then offered to take a two-year contract worth around $16MM, the club non-tendered him and moved on. I've got to side with the D'Backs in this case — with the rest of their rotation so cost-controlled, if you're going to splurge on a starter, you can spend your money on a better pitcher than Saunders (perhaps Hiroki Kuroda).
- The Mariners not only shouldn't trade Felix Hernandez, argues Shannon Drayer of ESPN 710 Seattle, but if the team absolutely feels the need to swap a starter, they should deal Michael Pineda instead. Dreyer calls Pineda "replaceable…There is a very good chance that by the end of next season Danny Hultzen could be Michael Pineda on the hill in regards to development, path, and what he brings to the rotation."
- Kevin Goldstein of ESPN (Insider subscription required) presented 10 Major League scouts and executives with a field of Matt Garza, Zack Greinke, Ian Kennedy, Ricky Nolasco and Justin Verlander and asked the question, "Based on talent alone, would you take Yu Darvish ahead of this pitcher?" Aside from the Verlander comparison, Rangers fans will heartily enjoy the other answers.