Discussion: Brendan Donnelly
38-year-old righty Brendan Donnelly feels he's a better pitcher now than before his 2007 Tommy John surgery, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. It may be tough for him to match his initial success with the Angels, but Donnelly's work last year shows he certainly has something left in the tank. He posted strong numbers in 25.3 big league innings with the Marlins after 25.6 Triple A innings in the Astros organization.
Donnelly told Frisaro his July signing with the Marlins "worked out well for both sides," and the team has interest in re-signing him. Donnelly noted that winning "is pretty much everything for me."
For a million or two, Donnelly could be a sleeper free agent signing this winter. He spent time with the Red Sox, Indians, Rangers, Astros, and Marlins organizations since the Angels traded him in December of '06. Which teams make sense for Donnelly this time around?
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Gonzalez, Thome, Hinske, Red Sox, D’Backs, Twins
On this date 64 years ago, the Dodgers announced the signing of Jackie Robinson, who would become the first African-American to play major league baseball since the 1880s. Robinson would spend the '46 season with Triple-A Montreal, hitting .349. The next season he would hit .297/.383/.427 and help the Dodgers to the National League pennant. With the Hot Stove season only days away, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- Sox and Pinstripes looks at what it would take for the Red Sox to land Adrian Gonzalez.
- Phlavio's Corner attempts to fix the Diamondbacks in three moves or less.
- Around the Majors takes a look at the free agent class of shortstops.
- MLB Notebook breaks down the market for Jim Thome.
- Nick's Twins Blog makes an off-season blueprint for the Twins and projects next season's roster.
- Capitol Avenue Club examines what the Braves can do to reload the bullpen in 2010.
- Talking Chop says the Braves need to add a power-bat this off-season, in part to protect Chipper Jones.
- Marlin Maniac sees Eric Hinske as a good fit for the Marlins.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.
Marlins Notes: De Aza Claimed, St. Claire Could Return
Lots going on with the Marlins, who certainly aren't waiting for the end of the playoffs to start their retooling.
- Alejandro De Aza was claimed off of waivers by the Chicago White Sox, according to Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The Marlins may miss De Aza, still only 25, and who posted an .876 OPS in Triple-A this season. Rodriguez reports that the move leaves Florida with 37 men on their 40-man roster.
- Randy St. Claire, who was fired by Washington in June, is in the mix to be Florida's next pitching coach.
- MLB.com's Marlins beat reporter Joe Frisaro answers a number of reader questions, from whether Jorge Cantu will be back in 2010 (Frisaro thinks so) to whether Dan Uggla will be traded (Frisaro also thinks so).
Odds & Ends: Towers, Kikuchi, Marlins, Astros
Some links before the playoff baseball begins…
- Yahoo's Tim Brown reports that Kevin Towers is at the ALCS. The former Padres GM isn't working yet; instead, he's paddleboarding, golfing and doing pilates.
- The Dodgers don't appear to be going all out for Yusei Kikuchi at this point, but other teams are intensifying their efforts to sign the Japanese teen. As MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan reports, Derek Holland is helping the Rangers pursue Kikuchi.
- Former Marlins pitching coach Mark Wiley tells Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post that he was surprised to be fired, but not as surprised as he was when the Indians fired him after their 1998 ALCS appearance.
- Astros icon Jose Cruz will return to the work for the club's community relations department next year, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.
- MLB players will have more time than expected to file a collusion grievance over last year's free agent market, according to the AP (via ESPN).
Odds & Ends: Saito, Jaramillo, Marlins
More Monday linkage…
- Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post says the Rockies want catcher Yorvit Torrealba back, but not at his $4MM option price.
- WEEI's Alex Speier explains that outrighting Takashi Saito makes a Boston re-signing more feasible.
- Rudy Jaramillo will likely reach an agreement soon with the Cubs for their hitting coach position, according to SI's Jon Heyman. Heyman says Jaramillo will be near the top of the coach pay scale, at $800K a year for multiple years. The Cubs are hoping Jaramillo can help Alfonso Soriano. Milton Bradley hit well in Texas, though he's a trade candidate.
- MLB.com's Joe Frisaro talked to first baseman Nick Johnson, who is approaching free agency for the first time in his career. Johnson seems unlikely to stay with the Marlins. (Check out our discussion post on him here). Frisaro says the Fish could further shake up the infield corners by trading Jorge Cantu.
- Newsday's David Lennon reminds us the Mets chose Oliver Perez over Randy Wolf last winter. Wolf supplied 214.3 innings of 3.23 ball for the Dodgers for $8MM.
- MLB.com's Jordan Bastian talked to Blue Jays defensive whiz/impending free agent John McDonald about the future and his popularity in Toronto.
- MLB.com's Bill Chastain feels the Rays will at least talk to free agent reliever Billy Wagner. Nice fit, though VP Andrew Friedman found it unlikely they'd sign a closer when asked a few weeks ago. It won't help if Wagner turns down an arbitration offer from the Red Sox, which would attach a draft pick cost.
Odds & Ends: Indians, Padres, Marlins
Some more links on this Sunday evening:
- Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Indians "are expected to cut their managerial search to five or fewer candidates this week." Pluto advises us not to be surprised if former Nationals skipper Manny Acta is among the finalists. Acta is also in contention for the Astros' job.
- Pluto goes on to write that Cleveland has interviewed ten candidates so far. The aforementioned Acta, Bobby Valentine, Travis Fryman (manager of Indians' single-A affiliate) and Torey Lovullo (Indians' triple-A manager) are among those under consideration. Pluto is in the dark regarding the remaining six, but Mike Hargrove, Tony Pena, Buck Showalter and Phil Garner are not in the mix.
- Padres CEO Jeff Moorad has not gone through his complete list of candidates for the vacant GM job, writes Chris Jenkins of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Of the names that have been floated about, Jenkins characterizes Kim Ng as the "most interesting."
- Now that Bryan Price has agreed to become the Reds' pitching coach, the Marlins could turn their attention to Randy St. Claire, according to Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. St. Claire was in his seventh season with the Expos/Nationals franchise before getting the axe earlier this year.
- Yusei Kikuchi will meet with his eight MLB suitors over the course of two days this week, writes Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Odds & Ends: Marlins, Miller, McCann
In the wake of the Phillies' bullpen giving us all Mitch Williams flashbacks, here are a few pieces of news….
- Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post reports that Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria thought about replacing manager Fredi Gonzalez with Bobby Valentine as far back as June.
- Loria, Gonzalez and other members of the Florida front office were in Paris for a short working vacation earlier in the week, writes Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
- Spencer also notes that Florida left-hander Andrew Miller (the No. 6 overall pick in the 2006 MLB Draft), is pitching for Mesa of the Arizona Fall League to both get some extra work and to straighten out the kinks in his throwing motion.
- In other AFL news, MLB.com's Jason Beck thinks that Tigers prospect Scott Sizemore's performance in Arizona this winter might help him win a job in Detroit in 2010.
- Atlanta's Brian McCann underwent his second bout of Lazik eye surgery today to try and solve his nagging vision problems, reports Mark Bowman of MLB.com
- WEEI.com's Alex Speier says Red Sox shortstop Jed Lowrie met with doctors on Friday and was told his surgically-repaired wrist should be in top shape for spring training after an off-season conditioning program.
Odds & Ends: Pujols, Cubs, Strasburg, Wagner
Another round of links for the afternoon…
- The Cards were surprised to hear that Albert Pujols isn't thinking about a contract extension, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- The Cubs have now asked the Rangers for permission to speak with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, according to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat.
- First overall pick Stephen Strasburg makes his AFL debut tonight, according to the AP (via ESPN).
- Earlier in the week, the New York Post reported that Billy Wagner was leaning towards retirement. Wagner's agent, Bean Stringfellow, told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports this week that Wagner plans on playing next year.
- ESPN.com's Rob Neyer says there's no question: the Red Sox will enter Spring Training with at least five starters. Even if they pick up Tim Wakefield's option, as expected, they will likely add another arm.
- The Brewers sent cash to the Reds to complete the David Weathers trade, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.
- Bobby Valentine side-stepped questions about the Marlins on 790 The Ticket this morning, according to Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
- USA Today's Bob Nightengale says (via Twitter) that it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Padres hire Jed Hoyer or Jerry DiPoto to be the team's next GM.
Latest Rick Peterson Rumors
MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reports that Rick Peterson is still the leading candidate to be named Milwaukee's pitching coach, and that Milwaukee likely tops Peterson's destination wish list.
But, as McCalvy put it, "the Brewers are looking at other coaches, and Peterson is reportedly looking at other teams."
Peterson told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that he was interested in Florida's opening.
"I think they can win and I think they can win very soon," Peterson said. "With their young pitching, obviously you have to keep them healthy and get a little more production out of them. That's pretty much been my track record in my career."
According to McCalvy, Peterson also reached out to the Reds, though he has yet to be formally interviewed by Cincinnati.
Odds & Ends: Yankees, Varitek, Sheffield
A few links to browse while we watch to see if the Phillies can finish off the last of the Division Series….
- Benjamin Kabak of River Ave. Blues wonders how Johnny Damon's recent slide and Hideki Matsui's hot streak will affect the New York Yankees' decisions this winter.
- Josh Beckett wants Jason Varitek back in Boston in 2010, according to Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com.
- MLB.com's Kelly Thesier writes that Joe Mauer has spoken to agent Ron Shapiro about his contract status, but that there haven't been any "serious discussions" yet.
- Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald reports that Gary Sheffield wants to return to Florida. "It would be nice to finish my career with the Marlins," Sheffield said. "This is where I made a name for myself.''
- The Houston Astros aren't handling the managerial interview process well, according to Richard Justice of The Houston Chronicle. Justice's pick for the opening, Jim Fregosi, wasn't one of the ten candidates announced by the Astros.
- Chris Ruddick of the Sports Network, via the Miami Herald, speculates on the next moves for St. Louis and Boston. He isn't opposed to letting Tony LaRussa and Matt Holliday walk, and suggests that Jonathan Papelbon could be shopped for a "young bat" this winter.
- The Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fay writes that former Diamondbacks pitching coach Bryan Pryce is on the Reds' list of candidates for their pitching coach. The Brewers have also expressed interest in Pryce.
- Within a mailbag on MLB.com, Chris Haft writes that players like Matt Holliday and Jason Bay will be out of the San Francisco Giants' price range, and that the team is more likely to acquire a "hard-hitting utilityman."