Mets Notes: Murphy, Young, Abreu, Tanaka
Earlier today, the Mets officially announced their two-year extension of manager Terry Collins' contract. Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports that pitching coach Dan Warthen also received a two-year contract, making him the only coach on the Mets' staff to secure a multiyear guarantee. Here's more on the Amazins…
- The team will be open to trading Daniel Murphy this offseason, according to ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin. He cautions that the Mets don't necessarily expect to trade Murphy, but adds that they'll be open to moving him if the trade fills a larger hole like shortstop or the outfield. New York would move Eric Young Jr. to second base in that scenario to keep his much-needed speed in the lineup. Rubin feels that Young, who swiped a league-leading 46 bases this season, will be a starter on next year's team in some capacity.
- Rubin also notes, once again, that Shin-Soo Choo is the only free agent the Mets would surrender a pick for (he would cost the Mets their second-rounder, as their first is protected). Choo will likely be too expensive for the Mets, however, especially in light of Hunter Pence's five-year, $90MM extension, so the Mets are likely to instead follow Boston's model from last offseason and sign multiple middle-tier free agents to shorter-term deals. Rubin points out that the Mets could make several external additions and still see a decrease in payroll due to the huge contracts they have coming off the books.
- The Mets have upped their international scouting efforts, which could be a sign that they'll be more active on the global market this winter, tweets Marc Carig of Newsday.
- Along those same lines, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that the Mets have three scouts in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to watch Jose Dariel Abreu. They also plan to do due diligence on Masahiro Tanaka, tweets Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Sherman is careful to add that the Mets are still seen as a long-shot to land Abreu.
- After talking with a club official, Mike Puma of the New York Post (on Twitter) feels that the Mets will try to "get creative" in a trade for a big-ticket item before going the free agent route. Carig chimes in as well, adding that with so much money coming off the books, the Mets could take on a big contract should they go that route (Twitter link).
- GM Sandy Alderson told reporters, including DiComo, that he's hopeful the team will be able to make a splash in free agency this offseason (Twitter links).
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Mets Sign Terry Collins To Two-Year Extension
MONDAY: The Mets have officially announced a two-year extension for Collins (via Twitter). The contract includes a club option for the 2016 season. In a press release announcing the move, GM Sandy Alderson offered the following praise for his manager:
"Terry has a great passion for the game. He has helped make our younger players better. He’s a great motivator. He has had to overcome a lot this year with injuries and trades. The club played hard for Terry and I think that was obvious for everyone to see. Of course we aren’t where we want to be record-wise, but I think we are on the right course. I think Terry deserved the chance to help us turn things around."
SATURDAY: The Mets will bring back manager Terry Collins for the 2014 season, according to a report from FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal (on Twitter). Rosenthal says that Collins is working out the details on a two-year extension, which is expected to include an additional option year and could be announced Monday.
The deal also includes a club option for 2016, a team source tells Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. Entering today's game against the Brewers, the 64-year-old has amassed a a 224-260 mark In three years as the Mets' manager. The Mets are 73-87, good for third place in the NL East, but the club appears confident that Collins is the man to help guide them going forward.
Collins' job security was in question for the first half of the season, but over the summer, word began to leak out that his return was quite likely. The Mets may not have been winners this year, but they weren't necessarily expected to do a whole lot with the roster they had this season. They also dealt with a great deal of setbacks, including Matt Harvey's UCL tear, Bobby Parnell's season-ending herniated disk, and David Wright's hamstring injury which cost him seven weeks of play.
Zach Links and Steve Adams contributed to this post.
Managerial Notes: Girardi, Scioscia, Gardy, Collins
As regular season finales are being played out across MLB today, rumors have already started to swirl about the fate of several managers. Here's the latest news and notes on that front:
- Joe Girardi met with reporters today (Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger provides a partial transcript) and admitted he has yet to make up his mind about returning to the Yankees next season. "It comes down to family. They are first," said Girardi. "Whatever is best for the group of us, not one individual, not me or just my wife, or just one of my children, whatever is best for us as a group, that’s what we’ll decide to do. And that’s something I put some thought into, and I’m going to have to think about a lot over the next few days, obviously." Girardi added money will not play a factor in his decision.
- Many have speculated Girardi could be the next Cubs manager, if Dale Sveum is fired. Girardi, however, downplayed the connection to his hometown. "I haven’t lived there since 2006. I have a brother still there, a couple brothers there, actually. But my father’s gone. My mother’s gone. So there’s not as much there as there used to be."
- Davey Johnson told reporters, including MASNsports.com's Dan Kolko, he will not manage in 2014. "I wouldn't know the talent level, wouldn't know the organization," Johnson said. "I wouldn't be a good fit. I never say 'Never' to anything. I'm always open for new challenges. But I don't see that as being a challenge that would get my motor really revved up."
- Mike Scioscia told reporters, including Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com, he has not been informed whether he will return as Angels manager. "I'm sure that at some point they're going to let us know," said Scioscia. "It's not an issue. It really isn't. It's going to be addressed at some point. I'm sure it's going to be addressed before February."
- Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN.com expects the Twins to sign Ron Gardenhire to a two-year contract and presumes a decision on his fate will be made either tonight or tomorrow (Twitter links).
- If not retained by the Twins, Gardenhire could be a possibility to replace Eric Wedge in Seattle, tweets FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal. In a separate tweet, Rosenthal reports the Mariners will also consider Reds pitching coach Bryan Price and former White Sox bench coach Joey Cora, who played in Seattle from 1995 to 1998.
- The Mets have issued a press release announcing an 11am (CT) news conference tomorrow featuring GM Sandy Alderson. It is expected the topic will be a new deal for manager Terry Collins. People with direct knowledge of the negotiations tell Andy Martino of the New York Daily News the contract is for two years and about $2MM, with a club option for 2016.
East Notes: Oliver, Davis, Roberts, Mets, Nats
This is the end of the line for Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte, but 2013 will also mark the final season for Blue Jays reliever Darren Oliver. After 20 seasons, more than 1,900 innings and two near-retirements, the 42-year-old is ready to walk away from the game, writes Evan Peaslee of MLB.com. Here's more out of the AL and NL East..
- Slugger Chris Davis says that he's eager to sign a long-term extension with the Orioles, tweets Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com. Davis, who owns a .286/.369/.634 slash line on the season, avoided his first go-round in arbitration last winter by agreeing to a $3.3MM, one-year deal.
- Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts says that he understands if the club opts not to bring him back for next season, writes Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com. Roberts, who has been with the organization since 1999, has a has a .265/.341/.429 slash line with six homers over his last 41 games.
- OF all the Mets' free agents, LaTroy Hawkins is the most likely to return, tweets Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Matt Williams refuses to comment on the possibility of him managing the Nationals, but people around him are more than happy to discuss his credentials, writes Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.
- Nationals GM Mike Rizzo says that the next manager of the club will have some input on the roster, writes Bill Ladson of MLB.com. In addition to Williams, bench coach Randy Knorr and third base coach Trent Jewett are considered strong candidates for the job.
- Wally Backman, who was long rumored to be in line for the Mets' managerial job if Terry Collins was fired, is unlikely to join the coaching staff in 2014, tweets Andy Martino of the Daily News. General Manager Sandy Alderson previously said that Backman would likely be offered a position inside the organization if Collins was brought back.
East Notes: Kuroda, Lee, Mets, Blue Jays
Yankees starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda hasn't decided whether he'll pitch in 2014, Anthony Rieber of New York Newsday reports (via Twitter). He might pitch in the U.S. or in Japan, and it's not impossible he could retire, either. Kuroda ranked sixth in Tim Dierkes' most recent Free Agent Power Rankings, and even though he'll turn 39 before the 2014 season starts, his ability to rack up high-quality innings makes him a valuable commodity. If he were to retire or return to Japan, that would put a significant dent in this offseason's free agent pitching market. Here are more notes from the East divisions.
- Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee plans to retire after the 2016 season, Matt Gelb of the Inquirer reports (on Sulia). Lee's contract is guaranteed through 2015, and the Phillies have an option on his services for 2016. "I'm financially able to shut it down, so… that's how I feel right now," Lee says. "But when the time comes I might look at it differently."
- The Mets will look for a veteran catcher to serve as Travis d'Arnaud's backup next season, Adam Rubin of ESPN New York tweets. Adding a veteran would also insure the Mets against the possibility that d'Arnaud gets hurt, Rubin notes. In mid-August, d'Arnaud took over for John Buck as the Mets' starting catcher.
- The Blue Jays' disappointing season has left them well outside the playoff picture, but that doesn't mean their final series against the Rays is irrelevant, MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm writes. Right now, the Jays have baseball's seventh-worst record, tied with the Phillies, Rockies and Brewers. They're currently one game worse than the Mets and two worse than the Giants. That's significant, Chisholm points out, because the top ten picks in the draft are protected, meaning that if the Jays finish with one of baseball's ten worst records, they'll be able to pursue free agents who have been extended qualifying offers, and they won't have to worry about losing their first-round pick if they sign one. For example, the Indians had a protected first-round pick last season, which allowed them to keep the No. 5 overall pick (which they used on Clint Frazier) even after they signed Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. The Indians did sacrifice their second-round and Competitive Balance Round B picks.
Mets Unlikely To Go Past Four Years For Choo
The Mets have already been linked to Shin-Soo Choo, but ESPN's Adam Rubin writes that their interest appears to have a limit. The Mets are interested in Choo for something similar to Michael Bourn's contract but aren't likely to go beyond that level to sign the 31-year-old. Rubin emphasizes the four years that Bourn signed for as opposed to the $48MM, so perhaps there's some leeway in terms of average annual value (though that's merely my speculation).
Additionally, Rubin notes that Choo appears to be the lone free agent for whom the Mets would be willing to surrender a draft pick. The Mets aren't likely to pursue other free agents that turn down qualifying offers, even if they end up with a protected first-round pick.
Choo, in his first and likely only season with Cincinnati, is hitting .286/.424/.466 with 21 homers and 20 steals — the third 20/20 campaign of what has been a strong big league career to date. His defense has graded out as a negative, but that's in part due to the fact that he's being played out of position in center field. However, both UZR and DRS pegged his glove as a negative in his final season with the Indians in right field as well.
If agent Scott Boras' recent comments are any indicator, four years won't even be in the ballpark, at least not early on. Boras recently stated that he feels $100MM is on the low end of what Choo deserves in his first big free agent contract.
Even if that's more a negotiation tactic of starting high, it does seem that Boras will be able to find a deal that tops Bourn's contract for Choo, though it's not a guarantee. Boras himself represents Bourn and began last offseason seeking a five- or six-year commitment for the speedster before settling for a four-year deal with Cleveland in February. Of course, that was a unique situation, as two of Bourn's biggest suitors acquired speedy center fielders from the Twins via trade. The Nats landed Denard Span, and the Phillies picked up Ben Revere, effectively removing each deep-pocketed club from the Bourn sweepstakes.
If the Mets aren't willing to surrender a draft pick to acquire any other free agent help, that will significantly reduce their list of targets — particularly in the outfield. Choo, Jacoby Ellsbury, Hunter Pence and Curtis Granderson all seem likely to obtain qualifying offers from their respective clubs. Carlos Beltran and Nelson Cruz could also receive qualifying offers.
The Mets currently project to pick 12th in the 2014 draft, which would leave their first-round selection unprotected. The results of this weekend's series could net them a Top 10 selection, but GM Sandy Alderson prefers winning games to ending up with a protected pick.
Mets Notes: Davis, Duda, Wright, Black
As you can tell from MLBTR's Reverse Standings page, the Mets currently don't have a protected first round pick in the 2014 amateur draft. Their 73-85 record puts them in line for the 12th overall pick, and only the teams with the 10 worst records (plus the Blue Jays' 11th overall pick, stemming from 2013 compensation) will have their picks protected. Though an unprotected first-rounder could hurt the Mets' plans to delve into the free agent market this winter, GM Sandy Alderson tells Mike Puma of the New York Post that he's just happy to see his team win. “I don’t view the draft-pick situation as relevant to what we’re doing here,” Alderson said. “We’re trying to win every game we play. We’re trying to build the credibility of the franchise and that goes beyond where we’re picking in the draft.”
Here's the latest from Queens…
- The Mets are "likely" to shop both Ike Davis and Lucas Duda this winter and possibly deal the one that commands the higher trade package, ESPN New York's Adam Rubin reports. Rubin also polls nine scouts about which of the two first baseman they would prefer to have, with seven picking Duda.
- David Wright expects the Mets to be a much better team in 2014, telling reporters (including MLB.com's Anthony DiComo) that he expects improvement from players currently on the club's roster and also believes some external acquisitions are on the way. "Everybody’s been saying that this is the year with the money coming off the books, with some of the free agents that are out there, with some of the possible trade candidates given some of the younger pitchers and players we’ve developed. It seems like it’s all kind of culminating into this offseason to try to go out there and make this team better," Wright said.
- The recently-acquired Vic Black is likely the Mets' backup plan at closer if Bobby Parnell isn't ready to start the 2014 season, manager Terry Collins told reporters (including DiComo). Parnell underwent neck surgery earlier this month and is expected to be ready for Spring Training. Black, a rookie right-hander, has a 3.27 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 11 relief innings since joining the Mets. You can keep up on the Mets' closing situation and more by following @CloserNews, MLBTR's sister Twitter feed for save-related news.
- Mike Baxter's possible Super Two status could make him a non-tender candidate this winter, DiComo writes. He could be expendable once the Mets add an outfielder or two, though Baxter could be helped by a relative lack of left-handed bats amongst the current Mets outfield options. Baxter has only a .190/.303/.256 line over 142 PA this season.
NL East Rumors: Valdespin, Arroyo, Mets, Marlins
The Mets reinstated infielder Jordany Valdespin to their 40-man roster after he completed his 50-game Biogenesis suspension, but it remains to be seen if he'll be brought back in 2014. Mets GM Sandy Alderson said the team has not yet decided whether he will be brought to Spring Training and the front office will have discussions on the matter between then and now. Interestingly, those conversations haven't gotten underway yet and when asked why, Alderson replied, "Maybe it's because Valdespin's future doesn't warrant convening a meeting." Here's more out of the NL East..
- One veteran talent evaluator told Mike Puma of the New York Post that it's a “no-brainer” the Mets will pursue Bronson Arroyo this winter. Recently, Tim Dierkes profiled the pending free agent who says that he is chasing after a multi-year deal.
- Marlins special assistant Andre Dawson said owner Jeffrey Loria told him recently that he plans to acquire hitters with the priorities being third base, first base, and catcher, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Of course, budget constraints could again prove to be limiting. Marlins people believe the payroll will fall in the range of this season’s, which was $36MM before the Ricky Nolasco trade, but Loria hasn’t told the staff what the 2014 number will be and he has been known to change his mind.
- Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer argues that the Phillies should not re-sign Roy Halladay this offseason. The Phillies got to evaluate the pitcher again at the end of the season but GM Ruben Amaro says that he may not be fully healthy until the spring.
NL East Notes: Braves, Amaro, Choo, Marlins
The Braves officially clinched the NL East on Sunday, and MLB.com's Mark Bowman lists 10 reasons that they were able to take their first division title since 2005. Bowman credits the play of Freddie Freeman and Andrelton Simmons, among others, but also takes the time to praise some of the under-the-radar moves made by GM Frank Wren this offseason. While the acquisition of both Upton brothers made the headlines (one of which obviously worked out better than the other), Wren also claimed Jordan Schafer and David Carpenter off waivers, inked Ramiro Pena to a small one-year deal, and acquired Jordan Walden for Tommy Hanson just hours before Hanson was to be non-tendered.
Here's more from the NL East…
- Andy Martino of the New York Daily News asked Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. if the team's $170MM payroll, the presence of Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and numerous veterans under contract would prevent him from making big moves this winter, and Amaro replied with a simple, "Nope." Martino replied by asking if that meant Amaro was going to be his "usual creative self" and explore "crazy possibilities," and received another one-word answer in response: "Yep." Martino runs through some of Amaro's most recent blockbusters, including the Roy Halladay trade as well as two separate Cliff Lee trades and the signing of Lee as a free agent.
- Shin-Soo Choo has been rumored to be atop the Mets' wishlist this offseason, and ESPN's Mark Simon runs down the pros and cons of the team's reported interest. Choo will likely be linked to draft pick compensation, as the Reds figure to make a qualifying offer, and Simon notes that it's not yet certain if the Mets will have a protected pick. New York, of course, missed out on Michael Bourn last offseason due to their unwillingness to part with a first-rounder.
- Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said on FM 104.3's Hochman and Zaslow Show that the rumors of his impending dismissal have begun to impact his family (h/t: Craig Davis of the Miami Sun-Sentinel). Beinfest reportedly confronted owner Jeffrey Loria recently asking for a firm answer on his job status.
Quick Hits: Marquis, Bastardo, Vogelsong, Pettitte
Despite undergoing Tommy John surgery on July 30, Jason Marquis isn't ready to end his career at age 35. The veteran right-hander told MLB.com's Corey Brock that he is making good progress in rehab and intends to pitch in 2014, though the nature of his injury will keep him on the DL for at least the first two months of the season. Marquis will be a free agent this winter and it's possible a team (maybe even the Padres, his current club) will sign him to a low-risk minor league contract come April or May.
Here's some news as we dive into the final six days of the regular season…
- Though Antonio Bastardo is currently serving a 50-game suspension for PED use, the Phillies are likely to tender him a contract this offseason, Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The southpaw had a 2.32 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 42 2/3 relief innings for the Phils this year and has posted a 3.13 ERA, 11.7 K/9 and 2.71 K/BB ratio in 152 2/3 IP since the start of the 2011 season. Bastardo earned $1.4MM this season (though he lost approximately $420K of his salary to suspension) and will be arbitration-eligible for the second time this winter.
- Ryan Vogelsong tells Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News that he is hoping the Giants pick up its $6.5MM club option on his services for 2014. "If I was pitching better right now, it's probably not even a question," Vogelsong said. "But I feel I still have a lot to bring to the game and this team. It's no secret I love it here. I want to be back and hope they pick it up." Vogelsong has struggled through an injury-plagued season that saw the righty post a 5.90 ERA in 18 starts.
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman saw Andy Pettitte's retirement coming and he tells Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger that this time, Pettitte is leaving for good. “I’ve known for a while that this was going to be it,” Cashman said. “I know that I won’t be able to convince him like I’ve done in the past."
- Dillon Gee and Jonathan Niese could be trade chips for the Mets this winter as the team looks to add batting help, but Michael Baron of Metsblog.com thinks the two pitchers could stay put for at least another year until the Mets determine how long Matt Harvey will be sidelined.