Mets Rumors

Quick Hits: Reyes, Darvish, Montero, Yankees

By Zachary Links | October 16, 2011 at 11:47am CDT

Some links as we look forward to Game 6 of the NLCS tonight..

The only way Jose Reyes will sign in the exclusivity period is if the Mets blow him away with an offer, and that isn't happening, writes Steve Popper of the Bergen Record.
With his team's spot in the playoffs already locked up, Yu Darvish will skip his start on October 18th, according to the Kyodo News Agency (Japanese link). Orioles player development director John Stockstill traveled to Japan to watch Darvish pitch in this game. (Translation provided by Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker)
The Yankees will look for in-house fixes this winter, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman wonders aloud if the club might deal Jesus Montero for a starter and further open the DH slot, but a team official said that it wouldn't make sense to throw more dollars and add risk to the offense. Sherman added that he doesn't sense that the club has a strong affinity for free agent left-hander C.J. Wilson.
Some of the Red Sox coaches have been granted permission to explore other opportunities while awaiting their fate, multiple sources tell Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.

Heyman On Pujols, Fielder, Mets, White Sox

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | October 14, 2011 at 10:39am CDT

Albert Pujols' impressive postseason performance has increased his free agent stock, Jon Heyman writes at SI.com. Some say the Cardinals won't improve their offer from nine-years and a bit more than $200MM, but their postseason success may help their chances of re-signing the three-time MVP. Here are the details and more of Heyman's notes from around the league:

MLB executives tell Heyman that they expect Pujols to sign for more than Prince Fielder despite Fielder's youth (he's four years younger than Pujols).
Heyman's sources generally expect Pujols to stay in St. Louis, but predicting Fielder's next team is much more difficult.
Some of Heyman's sources expect Fielder to sign a deal similar to Adrian Gonzalez's seven-year, $154MM extension. I don't think it's a great comp, since Gonzalez didn't sign his deal on the open market.
Heyman reports (on Twitter) that the Mets have hired former A's manager Bob Geren as their bench coach. Interestingly, the A's hired manager Bob Melvin after a stint with the Mets.
The White Sox didn't seriously consider anyone other than Robin Ventura once they decided they wanted the former third baseman to be their next manager.
Francisco Rodriguez told Heyman that he'd like a three-year deal.
The Pirates are looking for starting pitching. It appears that they'll decline Paul Maholm's option for 2012.

Orioles GM Links: Dipoto, Reagins, Levine, Ricciardi

By Mark Polishuk | October 13, 2011 at 10:01pm CDT

Here's the latest from Baltimore as the O's look to replace Andy MacPhail…

The Diamondbacks have given permission for the Orioles to interview Jerry Dipoto, reports Scott Miller of CBSSports.com. Dipoto is Arizona's senior VP of scouting and player development and served as the club's interim GM after Josh Byrnes was fired midway through the 2010 season.
Dipoto's interview should come this weekend, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. The Orioles also hope to speak to Al Avila (Tigers), Dan Jennings (Marlins), Tony LaCava (Blue Jays), De Jon Watson and Logan White (both Dodgers), all of whom have been mentioned in connection to the Baltimore job. Avila could be passed over since "the Orioles want to wrap up this process as soon as possible" and can't wait until the Tigers finish their playoff run.
Two names that will apparently not be part of the process, according to Kubatko, are former Angels GM Tony Reagins and Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine. Both men could still resurface as candidates, Kubatko notes. Given that Texas is still alive in the postseason, Levine could be facing the same issue as Avila.
J.P. Ricciardi is on the "short list of decision-makers" that the Orioles are considering, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. Since the O's are just starting their search, Olney says it's too early to say if Ricciardi or any others on the short list are favorites for the job. Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports (via Twitter) that the Mets haven't received requests from any team to interview Ricciardi or Paul DePodesta about a general managing job.
No surprise here, but Olney says "it's pretty clear that Buck Showalter will have extensive influence in the selection of the Orioles' GM."

Rangers Links: Wilson, Napoli, Cruz

By Mark Polishuk | October 13, 2011 at 6:08pm CDT

After allowing six runs in six innings today against the Tigers, C.J. Wilson now has an 8.04 ERA in three postseason starts this year. Not only did it hurt the Rangers in Game Five of the ALCS, but, as you'll read, Wilson's free agent value will also likely be hurt by his recent struggles. Here's the latest on the Rangers…

A strong postseason could put Wilson in line for a five or six-year contract worth between $85-$100MM this winter, an agent tells ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter link). A weak postseason performance, however, could limit Wilson to a deal of five years and $60-$65MM. In August, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes noted that Wilson could crack the $100MM club due to the lack of ace pitchers on the free agent market this winter.
GM Jon Daniels today spoke to reporters, including Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas, about Wilson's impending free agency. While the Rangers haven't yet begun negotiations, Daniels said the front office staff has "spent a lot of time talking about it and preparing for it. We just don't want it to be a distraction any more than it is, naturally."
Daniels described the market value for Wilson as being "probably bigger than we would like and probably right about what he would like. We're not even really spending too much time on that right now. Obviously, it's going to be a top priority for us."
The Rangers couldn't acquire Mike Napoli directly from the Angels since Los Angeles wasn't going to deal Napoli within the division, reports Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Once Napoli was dealt to Toronto in the Vernon Wells trade, the Rangers "pounced" to acquire Napoli for Frank Francisco and the rest is history.
You can't blame former Mets general manager Steve Phillips for trading away Nelson Cruz in 2000, writes MetsBlog.com's Matthew Cerrone. The Mets originally signed Cruz as an amateur free agent in 1998, when Cruz was 17, and then dealt him to Oakland two years later.
As reported earlier today by ESPN New York's Wallace Matthews, the Rangers are planning to make C.C. Sabathia a contract offer this winter, provided that Sabathia opts out of his contract with the Yankees.

Front Office Notes: Orioles, Yankees, Angels

By Zachary Links | October 12, 2011 at 8:39pm CDT

Theo Epstein's signing with the Cubs was the big news of the day, but there's plenty of other front office news in baseball..

The Orioles are no longer considering Josh Byrnes, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.
Yesterday we learned that Josh Byrnes (Padres), Gerry Hunsicker (Rays), J.P. Ricciardi (Mets), Thad Levine (Rangers), Tony LaCava (Blue Jays), and Dan Jennings (Marlins) are candidates to become the Orioles' next GM. The wishlist now includes Jerry Dipoto (Diamondbacks), Logan White (Dodgers), Al Avila (Tigers), Tony Reagins (formerly of the Angels), and DeJon Watson (Dodgers), according to Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun.
The Yankees have granted the Angels permission to interview both Billy Eppler and Damon Oppenheimer for their vacant general manager job, tweets Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter) believes that Oppenheimer would be a good fit as the GM of the Halos.
As of this evening, no teams have asked permission to speak with any of the Mets assistant GMs about job openings, Newsday's David Lennon tweets.

NL East Notes: Phillies, Mets, Morgan

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | October 11, 2011 at 9:03pm CDT

Jimmy Rollins said earlier today that there's a "good chance" he re-signs with the Phillies after the season. Here are some more updates from around the NL East, where all five teams are in offseason mode…

Ryan Howard's five-year, $125MM contract ranks fourth on Joe Posnanski's list of the ten worst contracts in baseball at SI.com. Howard, whose deal kicks in next season, is "becoming a less and less useful player all the time," Posnanski writes.
The Phillies interviewed Orioles scouting director Joe Jordan for their director of player development position this week, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. Philadelphia now has a short window to decide whether they're going to offer Jordan the job, which previously fell under Chuck LaMar's responsibilities.
The Phillies will look to sign a free agent closer this offseason and a division rival could be interested in similar relievers. GM Sandy Alderson has hinted that the Mets will find their next closer on the free agent market, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
A Spring Training conflict between Jayson Werth and Nyjer Morgan nearly escalated to the point that punches were thrown, according to Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post. Now a member of the Brewers, Morgan has emerged as a star (along with his many alter egos).

NL East Notes: K-Rod, Riggleman, Geren, Walker

By Mike Axisa | October 10, 2011 at 5:26pm CDT

Ten years ago today, the Braves signed 16-year-old right-hander Jose Ascanio out of Venezuela. Six years later they traded him to the Cubs for Omar Infante and Will Ohman, and two years after that he was part of a package for Tom Gorzelanny and John Grabow. Here are some links from the NL East…

"We haven't ruled anything out," said a Mets official to ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand when asked if a reunion with impending free agent Francisco Rodriguez was a possibility. "We need a closer. It is a long way down the road. We haven't had those meetings yet. But, for us, I wouldn't rule anything out."
The Mets will interview Jim Riggleman and Bob Geren for their bench coach job, reports Andy McCullough of The Star Ledger (on Twitter) and MLB.com's Adam Berry. Back in June, Riggleman resigned as Nationals manager and Geren was fired as Athletics manager.
The Braves will interview former White Sox hitting coach Greg Walker for the same role, reports Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago. The Padres will also interview Walker, says to Levine.
In a mailbag, MLB.com's Joe Frisaro answered a series of questions about players the Marlins could target in free agency. Here's Tim Dierkes' offseason outlook for the club.

Cafardo On Epstein, Red Sox, Sabathia, Rays

By Zachary Links | October 9, 2011 at 10:17am CDT

If Theo Epstein winds up taking the Cubs' GM job, then the spotlight again will be directed at Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Even if the club tabbed longtime exec Ben Cherington as general manager, it would take time before Cherington would have complete control over the operations. Here's more from Cafardo..

There's growing sentiment that C.C. Sabathia will opt out of his contract with the Yankees. The Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers, Tigers, and Giants are among the usual suspects if the lefty hits the open market. Boston, however, might have doubts about Sabathia. Cafardo wonders if the front office would take on another sizeable pitching contract and add another overweight pitcher.
The Rays will be able to make their rotation even scarier by adding 22-year-old Matt Moore to it. Tampa Bay also has righty Alex Cobb and lefty Alex Torres ready for the majors. The Rays could parlay their pitching depth into offense by trading Cobb, Torres, Jeff Niemann or Wade Davis if need be.
The feeling is that Padres skipper Bud Black has a real chance of becoming the Angels next GM. Black, who is good friends with Mike Scioscia, doesn’t have front office experience but has a pitching expertise that would make him valuable in that position.
Former Mets GM Omar Minaya thinks that Willie Randolph, Chip Hale, Tim Wallach, and Ryne Sandberg would all be good fits to manage in Boston. Minaya is currently an analyst for the MLB Network and is mulling over a few offers to return to baseball as an adviser to a GM. He expects to make a decision as the winter unfolds.
Red Sox third base coach Tim Bogar could be retained when a new manager is named. There has also been speculation that Bogar is a candidate for bench coach under new White Sox manager Robin Ventura. Cafardo gives the White Sox credit for being decisive and hiring Robin Ventura rather than wait for a big name like Tony La Russa.
Former Red Sox coach John McLaren is managing the Chinese national team and might be a candidate to become bench coach with the Mets.

Braun: Team More Likely To Sign Reyes Than Fielder

By Zachary Links | October 9, 2011 at 8:35am CDT

Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun believes that the club is more likely to land Jose Reyes in free agency than re-sign Prince Fielder, writes Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Braun assumes that Fielder will likely command upwards of $150MM this winter whereas Reyes can be had for around $120MM. The four-time All-Star was quick to admit that he's a huge fan of Reyes.

"[Reyes] is dynamic, man — he is one of the most exciting players in the game," the 27-year-old said. "He plays with a lot of energy and a lot of emotion and I enjoy watching him play. He's one of my favorite players to watch. Whenever their games are on, I love watching him, man. He always plays the game the right way. He always plays hard. He runs everything out."

The Brewers can easily make room at shortstop this winter as they hold a $6MM club option on Yuniesky Betancourt's deal with a $2MM buyout.

Yankees Notes: Montero, Cashman, A-Rod, Sabathia

By Mark Polishuk | October 7, 2011 at 9:54pm CDT

You knew there would be a lot of Yankee news the day after the Bronx Bombers were eliminated from the postseason. Ben Nicholson-Smith already gave us one batch of items out of New York today, and now here are a few more tidbits as the Yanks look ahead to next year…

Jesus Montero may once again be trade bait this winter, writes John Harper of the New York Daily News. A group of scouts tells Harper that such pitchers as James Shields, Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill, Mat Latos or Matt Cain could potentially be obtained in a deal featuring Montero. Harper also says "the early indications are the Yanks won't go to extremes to sign" C.J. Wilson as a free agent.
Brian Cashman says that starting pitching is "always, always, always" the club's offseason focus and this year will be no different, reports Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger. Cashman noted, however, that he doesn't expect next year's roster to be drastically different from the 2011 edition.
With Alex Rodriguez's weak postseason numbers fresh in everyone's mind, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post and Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal both express worry about the six years and $143MM remaining on A-Rod's contract.
Locking up C.C. Sabathia for more years and more millions could turn the ace into a Rodriguez-esque albatross on the Yankee payroll, warns Johnette Howard of ESPN New York.
Which of New York's two big free agents is a safer signing: Sabathia or Mets shortstop Jose Reyes? Ken Plutnicki of the New York Times asks the question.

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