Manager Roundup: Brewers, Blue Jays, Cubs
Here's the latest news concerning managerial vacancies, with more to come..
Brewers
Bobby Valentine has had "conversations" with the Brewers but has yet to have a formal interview, according to the manager when he was a guest on SIRIUS XM's Mad Dog Radio yesterday. Bobby V added that he is unsure if he'll have another interview with Milwaukee, adding that he'll have to see what the next conversation leads to.
Meanwhile, the Brewers have asked for and received permission to talk to Nationals third-base coach Pat Listach, two baseball sources tell MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Listach, who managed in the Cubs' farm system for four seasons, will interview with GM Doug Melvin on Tuesday.
Blue Jays
In his interview with Russo, Valentine also said that he does not expect to have a follow-up conversation with Toronto. Yesterday we learned that the Blue Jays are looking into a whole lot of potential candidates for their managerial post.
Cubs
The Cubs are still scoping out Joe Girardi as a managerial candidate, writes Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. Wittenmyer also hears from a source that Eric Wedge had a strong interview with the Cubs before hooking on with the Mariners.
GM/Manager Rumors: Pirates, Valentine, Marlins, Avila
With the reports that Seattle has hired Eric Wedge, one spot on the managerial carousel has been filled. Here's a look at some other management rumors…
- Wedge wasn't just Seattle's first choice, but he was also "seen as the favorite" in Pittsburgh according to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link). Heyman says the "job seems wide, wide open" even though the Pirates have interviewed a half-dozen other candidates.
- Bobby Valentine spoke to SIRIUS XM's Chris Russo today and Tom Haudricourt of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has some transcribed highlights. Valentine says he doesn't have a "burning desire" to manage again, but rather a desire that has to be "cultivated" by an interested suitor. Valentine also noted that he doesn't expect to hear back from the Blue Jays, and that he has had "conversations" about the Brewers job but not a formal interview.
- The Miami Herald's Clark Spencer says the Marlins might wait 7-10 days before even starting the interview process. Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com tweets that Bo Porter is the favorite of some Florida officials.
- The Mets have asked the Tigers for permission to interview Detroit assistant GM Al Avila, reports John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press (and passed on by Newsday's Ken Davidoff).
- Don Baylor has been replaced as Colorado's batting coach, reports The Denver Post's Troy Renck. Baylor, who's a candidate for at least one managerial job (Toronto), has been offered a new position with the Rockies as a special assistant to GM Dan O'Dowd.
- Nolan Ryan "would be shocked" if Rangers GM Jon Daniels exercised the opt-out clause in his contract this winter, tweets the New York Post's Joel Sherman.
Manager Roundup: Jays, Pirates, Mariners, Cubs, Marlins
The managerial rumors don't take a break, even if the playoff schedule does. Here are yesterday's rumors and here are today's rumblings, with the latest updates at the top of the page:
Blue Jays
Rays bench coach Dave Martinez will interview for the Jays' opening, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
The Blue Jays have interest in a third Red Sox coach. Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun hears that John Farrell is in the mix for the Jays job, along with DeMarlo Hale and Tim Bogar (Twitter link). Lauber heard that Farrell hadn't interviewed for a managerial job yet, but perhaps he has an interview coming up.
Rosenthal reports that the Blue Jays will interview Farrell if they haven't already. The Blue Jays will also interview Padres first base coach Rick Renteria, but another NL West coach will not interview for the position. The Dodgers didn't allow the Jays to speak with Tim Wallach, though he was allowed to interview with the Brewers, according to Rosenthal.
Pirates
Joel Sherman of the New York Post believes the Pirates should be looking to land Bobby Valentine. According to Sherman, Valentine would be the perfect choice for Pittsburgh, since, in addition to being a great evaluator of talent, he could make the Pirates relevant. The team doesn't appear to be considering him though.
The Pirates interviewed former Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca for their managerial vacancy today, according to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com.
Mariners
Bobby Valentine’s interview with the Mariners went well, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. However, the Mariners’ other candidates also fared well and Valentine isn’t necessarily the favorite. As Rosenthal reminds us, Cecil Cooper, Eric Wedge, John Gibbons, Lloyd McClendon and Daren Brown are also options for Seattle.
Brewers
The Brewers have asked the White Sox for permission to interview Joey Cora, but Cora hasn't heard from Milwaukee yet, according to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com. Bob Melvin remains the favorite to manage in Milwaukee, according to Levine.
Cubs
The Cubs have continued interest in Yankees manager Joe Girardi, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. Several insiders tell Wittenmyer that they expect an announcement before the World Series begins, unless Girardi becomes a serious candidate. Rival teams have not asked the Cubs for formal permission to interview Mike Quade or Ryne Sandberg, according to the Sun-Times. As we heard yesterday, Quade has become the favorite for the Cubs job.
Meanwhile, Chris De Luca of the Sun-Times calls Eric Wedge a "bland tactician" and says Sandberg is the man for the job. The Hall of Fame second baseman tells De Luca that he is more qualified to manage in the majors than he was the last time the Cubs considered him.
Marlins
Red Sox coach DeMarlo Hale, a candidate for the Blue Jays and Mariners, may also be a candidate to manage the Marlins, according to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.
Bobby Valentine turned down an offer to manage the Marlins, according to Sunil Joshi and Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. Dave George of the Palm Beach Post says "some other Type-A scrapper still could be the ticket, someone whose ego is a match for Hanley Ramirez and whose confidence allows room to tell everyone in the organization, including the owner, to back off."
Edwin Rodriguez, who managed the Marlins to a 46-46 record after taking over midway through the season, told Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald that he'd accept a one-year deal to have a shot at managing the team for an entire season.
Non-Tender Candidate: Todd Coffey
Coming into the 2010 season, the back of the Brewers' bullpen appeared to be one of the most reliable areas of the team's pitching staff. Trevor Hoffman, LaTroy Hawkins, and Todd Coffey were all coming off strong 2009 campaigns, and looked poised to hold down the late innings in Milwaukee. All three right-handers struggled this year though, with Hoffman losing the closer's job and Hawkins missing most of the season due to shoulder trouble.
Hawkins is under contract for 2011 and Hoffman's time in Milwaukee is likely over, but the team will face a decision on Coffey in the coming weeks. The 30-year-old will be arbitration-eligible for the final time and, in spite of his underwhelming performance, probably has a slight raise coming on this year's $2.025MM salary.
Prior to the 2010 season, Coffey had been one of the team's best relievers, posting a 2.67 ERA over 91 innings since the 2008 waiver claim that sent him from Cincinnati to Milwaukee. This year, however, in 62.1 IP, Coffey's ERA ballooned to 4.76. Of course, his numbers weren't all bad; his walk and home run rates were only slightly above his career averages, and he recorded a career-best strikeout rate (8.1 K/9). Whether or not the Brewers decide to tender him a contract this year will depend on if they believe those peripheral stats suggest a bounceback 2011 season is in the cards.
The Brewers' bullpen pitched 518 innings, third-most in the National League, and ranked just 12th in the NL in ERA (4.48). It figures to be an area the team will focus on improving this winter, but before they look to the free agent market, the Brewers will need to make a decision on Coffey. Will the righty be non-tendered this offseason? Click here to weigh in, and click here to view the results.
Manager Roundup: Cubs, Pirates, Brewers, Blue Jays, Mariners, Marlins
Rounding up all the latest manager talk by team:
Cubs
Owner Tom Ricketts has met with candidates Mike Quade, Ryne Sandberg, and Eric Wedge, reports Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. Bob Melvin is expected to meet with Ricketts, and Sullivan hasn't ruled out the Cubs entertaining Joe Girardi after the playoffs. Sullivan assesses the pros and cons of the five candidates, while Larry Stone of the Seattle Times puts Don Wakamatsu's name in the mix. Quade is the "surprise heavy favorite" for the job, according to SI's Jon Heyman.
Pirates
They interviewed Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum today, according to MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch. She notes that the Bucs have also interviewed Wedge, Bo Porter, John Gibbons, Ken Macha, and Jeff Banister. Heyman adds Juan Samuel to that list, but sees Wedge as the favorite. The Toronto Sun's Bob Elliott says the Pirates have also interviewed Valentine.
Brewers
Wedge and Tim Wallach have interviewed so far, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. He says they plan to interview about ten people in total, including Melvin. Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel adds today via Twitter that he believes they've also interviewed Ron Roenicke. Heyman views Melvin as the favorite here. Cecil Cooper would like to interview, he told Haudricourt.
Blue Jays
Beyond long shot Bobby Valentine, who's already interviewed, they're looking at Don Baylor, Brian Butterfield, Samuel, Rob Thomson, Tim Bogar, DeMarlo Hale, and others according to Heyman. Stone mentions Rick Renteria, Nick Leyva, Ron Roenicke, and Luis Rivera as other candidates.
Mariners
Valentine is a strong candidate, says Heyman. He says they also have Ted Simmons, Gibbons, Joey Cora, Hale, Bogar, Bryan Price, and many others on their list. Larry Stone of the Seattle Times has more on this search, while also includes Wedge, Lloyd McClendon, and Cecil Cooper.
Marlins
Earlier this evening Valentine removed his name from consideration for the job, just days after Joe Capozzi's source named him the leading candidate. Heyman says Porter, Wallach, Tony Pena, and Jim Fregosi are also in the running. Don't forget Edwin Rodriguez, according to Stone.
Braves
They officially hired Fredi Gonzalez today, signing him through 2013 with a club option for '14.
Mets
Heyman feels that it's tough to guess their candidates until they hire a GM. Meanwhile, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com tweets that Mets officials aren't concerned with other teams conducting interviews or making hires. Updated at 6:30pm CST.
Manager/GM Notes: Pirates, Jays, Cubs, Mets, Listach
Let's check out the latest updates from a handful of manager and GM searches….
- The Pirates interviewed Ken Macha and Jeff Banister today for their managerial opening, according to the team's official Twitter feed. As Chuck Finder of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes, both men have local ties.
- Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun tweets that Bobby Valentine interviewed with the Blue Jays for Cito Gaston's old job.
- According to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat, Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts has interviewed four managerial candidates: Mike Quade, Ryne Sandberg, Bob Melvin, and, as we heard earlier today, Eric Wedge.
- ESPN New York's Adam Rubin says (via Twitter) the Mets are awaiting permission to interview "a couple more" GM candidates, besides the five we already know, though it doesn't sound like Jerry Dipoto is one of them (Twitter link). At least one figures to be a minority candidate, according to Rubin.
- Pat Listach tells Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he hasn't heard from the Brewers or any other teams looking for managers.
Arbitration Eligibles: Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers are next in our arbitration eligibles series…
- First time: Manny Parra, Joe Inglett, Kameron Loe
- Second time: Carlos Gomez, Carlos Villanueva
- Third time: Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, Todd Coffey
Fielder will clearly be tendered a contract, though he's a strong trade candidate. With so many star first basemen locked up in multiyear deals, there are few clear comparables for Fielder in his last arbitration year. Mark Teixeira, another Scott Boras client, received a $3.5MM raise in January of '08. That'd put Fielder at $14MM, though the Brewers' first baseman has significantly fewer runs and RBIs than Tex did and lacks Gold Glove hardware as well. Boras isn't obligated to talk about Fielder's raise, though. He can just focus on what he feels Fielder is worth now, even comparing him to free agents.
Weeks is also a lock to be tendered, given his breakout healthy season in 2010. It's difficult to find a comparable for Weeks, as most top offensive second basemen are locked up. His credentials will net a raise of at least a few million bucks, and the Brewers will probably open extension talks.
Loe is another player who will be unquestionably tendered a contract. He had success out of the Brewers' bullpen this year, but doesn't have the career numbers to merit a big first-time payday.
Pitchers Parra, Villanueva, and Coffey all posted disappointing ERAs but strong strikeout rates in 2010. I think Parra and Villanueva will be tendered contracts, though they could be trade bait. Brewers GM Doug Melvin, speaking to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy, commented recently that "you don't want to give away a guy like Parra," as opposed to the team's "short leashes" on Jorge de la Rosa and Grant Balfour. Coffey earned $2.025MM this year, so there is a greater chance the Brewers non-tender him.
Gomez continued to struggle offensively, but his career numbers will limit his raise. He's likely to be part of the team's center field mix next year. Inglett, a 32-year-old journeyman, did solid work this year but could be cut in December for flexibility.
Manager & Coaching Rumors: Heyman’s Picks, Nats, Mets
Not a lot of player news happening right now in the midst of the playoffs, but there's plenty of speculation going on about the guys who call the shots. We already heard about Ron Gardenhire's inevitable extension today, but let's take a look at some more links from the baseball universe:
- In these two tweets, Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman makes his picks for some open managerial positions: Eric Wedge in Pittsburgh, Bob Melvin in Milwaukee, Bobby Valentine in Seattle, Mike Quade in Chicago, and Fredi Gonzalez in Atlanta.
- We heard earlier this year that Jim Riggleman will manage the Nationals again next season. MLB.com's Bill Ladson tells us that the Nats' entire coaching staff will be returning for the 2011 season as well. The Nationals recorded 10 more wins in 2010 than in 2009 under the current regime.
- Adam Rubin from ESPN New York gives us some insight into the Mets' managerial situation; potential general manager Sandy Alderson has believed it's misusing your resources to hire an expensive manager, while Mets owner Fred Wilpon would prefer a manager with previous ties to the Mets.
Cafardo’s Latest: Matsuzaka, Managers, Konerko
Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe spoke to nearly a dozen scouts and executives and found that there would be substantial interest in Daisuke Matsuzaka if the Red Sox made the righthander available in a trade this offseason. Most of those polled believe Boston would have to kick in some money to offset the two-years and $20MM left on his deal, but it's unclear what they would want in return. As Cafardo reminds us, there's no such thing as too much pitching depth, so the Sox could simply hold onto him.
As far as teams that could have potential interest in Dice-K, Cafardo names the Mariners, Mets, Dodgers, Brewers, Rangers, and Tigers. Here are the rest of his rumors…
- There's talk that the Red Sox might go after Yu Darvish if he's posted this winter, and there is a little bit of a New England connection there: Darvish's father attended school in the area.
- Doug Melvin said he will go outside the organization to replace departed manager Ken Macha, which rules out Dale Sveum and Willie Randolph.
- Jim Hendry and Cubs ownership likes what interim manager Mike Quade got out of his players down the stretch, so the sentiment to retain him is growing.
- Fredi Gonzalez turned down a chance to interview with the Cubbies, and it's looking more and more likely that he will take over for the retiring Bobby Cox in Atlanta.
- Alex Anthopoulos is looking at third base/bench coaches for his next manager, while Neal Huntington might dip into his Indians' roots to fill the Pirates' managerial vacancy.
- Paul Konerko indicated that contract length won't be much of a factor when he hits free agency this winter because he isn't sure how much longer he wants to play. Kenny Williams indicated that there might not be enough room in the budget for the White Sox to bring back their captain, especially if they seeks out a lefty bat as expected.
- Jason Varitek wants to return to the Red Sox but the team is thinking bigger picture with Jarrod Saltalamacchia on board. Cafardo suggests the Marlins as a potential landing spot for Varitek, where he would work with the team's young pitchers.
- Meanwhile, the Sox could sign John Buck as a stopgap while they wait for Salty to establish himself.
- Teams in need of a second baseman are very interested in Jed Lowrie, though at least one scout thinks he can stick at shortstop. The 26-year-old hit .287/.381/.526 in 197 plate appearances this year.
- Despite a strong finish (1.41 ERA in his last ten starts), the Cubs would still like to move Carlos Zambrano. Of course, they're going to have to eat some of the $55MM left of his contract to do so.
- Cafardo thinks that Carl Pavano could command a three-year deal worth $30MM as a free agent this winter, but he'd have to give a bit of a discount to return to Minnesota. The Twins have shown a willingness to spend in the last year, so this will be an interesting negotiation for them.
Odds & Ends: Orioles, V-Mart, Buck, Nationals
We at MLBTR send our best wishes to Ernie Tyler, the Orioles' 86-year-old umpires attendant who has worked every Opening Day in Baltimore for the last 51 years. Tyler underwent brain surgery earlier this week to remove a benign tumor, and The Baltimore Sun's Dan Connolly reports that Tyler is progressing well in the early stages of his recovery. We look forward to seeing Tyler at Camden Yards in April to extend his streak to 52 years.
Let's check out some news items from around the majors…
- Speaking of Dan Connolly, he thinks Baltimore "will go hard after Victor Martinez and/or Derrek Lee," with Lee being the likelier candidate to sign with the Orioles.
- ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes thinks the possibility of Martinez re-signing with the Red Sox "looks iffy at best," though three other ESPNBoston contributors predict the free agent will return to the Sox.
- Edes also notes that another free agent catcher, John Buck, has a big supporter in Boston assistant GM Allard Baird.
- If the Nationals don't re-sign Adam Dunn, MLB.com's Bill Ladson writes that Carlos Pena "is at the top of their list" of potential replacements. Ladson also notes that Washington will "go after [James Loney] hard" if the Dodgers put him on the trade market, and that the Nats could also pursue an outfielder like Jayson Werth and fill their first-base opening from within with Josh Willingham.
- Arizona assistant general manager Peter Woodfork and the D'Backs have reached a "mutual decision" to part ways, tweets FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi. It's not an unexpected move since, as Morosi noted in a follow-up tweet, Woodfork has long-term ties to former Arizona GM Josh Byrnes and new D'Backs GM Kevin Towers probably wants to hire his own assistant.
- Baseball America's Matt Eddy has a recall-filled edition of the week's minor league transactions.
- With Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia all anchoring the staffs of World Series contenders this postseason, Steve Dilbeck of the L.A. Times bemoans how the Dodgers missed out on acquiring any of the three "true aces" over the last two seasons.
- Anthony Witrado of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel covered a number of Brewers topics in a chat with readers.