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Olney On Rodriguez, Blue Jays, Ausmus

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Everyone’s talking about Alex Rodriguez these days, but some of the chatter out there can be misleading. ESPN.com’s Buster Olney works his way through some popular theories involving the slumping Yankees slugger, separating myth from reality. Here are Olney’s latest notes…

  • The Yankees will probably talk to the Marlins about a deal involving Rodriguez “just to get rid of an outdated superstar,” Olney writes. Mark Buehrle and Heath Bell could end up going from Miami to New York if the sides complete a trade. The Yankees and Marlins have had preliminary talks about a possible deal.
  • Olney suggests it’d be a clear sign that the Blue Jays don’t view John Farrell as their manager of the future if they’re willing to discuss sending him to the Red Sox. If the Blue Jays aren’t convinced Farrell is their man, they should complete a deal without haggling too much, Olney writes. The Red Sox have begun compensation talks with Toronto, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported yesterday.
  • Brad Ausmus, a candidate for the managerial opening in Boston, did well in his interview, Olney reports.

Quick Hits: Youkilis, Indians, Dodgers, A’s

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The Cardinals took a 2-1 series lead over the Giants in the NLCS after a three-and-a-half hour rain delay brought the game to a halt in the seventh inning.  Meanwhile, the Yankees and Tigers will have to wait until tomorrow afternoon to kick off Game 4 of their series due to the threat of storms headed towards Comerica Park.  Here's tonight's look around baseball..

  • Some see the Indians, with new manager Terry Francona in the fold, as a threat to sign Kevin Youkilis, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.  The White Sox are expected to decline the veteran's $13MM option for 2013 but would like to have him back in the clubhouse next season.
  • Matt Eddy of Baseball America looks at the best surprises to come from minor league free agents this season.  At the top of the list are Gregor Blanco of the Giants and Miguel Gonzalez of the Orioles.
  • Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter) doesn't think that the Dodgers should expect third baseman Luis Cruz to have a repeat of his success next season, but he also doesn't view Alex Rodriguez as a solution either, given his declining slugging percentage dating back to 2007.  As Rodriguez continues to struggle in New York, some have speculated that the spend-happy Dodgers could have interest in him this offseason.
  • Jane Lee of MLB.com previewed the Athletics heading into the 2013 season and notes that the return of Stephen Drew would create heavy competition around him at second and third base.  Drew has a $10MM mutual option for next year.

Yankees Notes: Rodriguez, Cashman, Ibanez, Swisher

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Here's a look at the latest on the Yankees as they look to stave off elimination in Detroit tonight..

  • It wouldn't be surprising to see the Yankees shop Alex Rodriguez this offseason given his struggles, but Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com notes that there would be several hurdles for the club to clear first.  Chief among them is Rodriguez's veto power and a friend of the veteran told Heyman that he will "never leave" New York.  A report from earlier this evening indicated that Rodriguez would give Miami consideration if the opportunity arose according to a source familiar with his thinking.
  • Prior to tonight's game, Rodriguez told reporters that he "loves" the Yankees organization, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
  • While Yankees president Randy Levine and Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria have reportedly kicked around the idea of a deal involving Rodriguez, GM Brian Cashman made it clear that he has had no such discussion with the Marlins, tweets Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
  • Raul Ibanez and Hiroki Kuroda are among those who have boosted their free agent stock with strong performances during the regular season and playoffs, Heyman writes.  Meanwhile, a Jayson Werth-type deal for Nick Swisher can now be ruled out as the slugger has been unable to show that he can perform consistently in the postseason.

Quick Hits: Yankees, Orioles, Scutaro, McCann

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The Yankees are not talking about a potential Alex Rodriguez trade with the Marlins, according to GM Brian Cashman. Cashman said Keith Olbermann’s report about trade talks is "not true," according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. It’d be an unusual time to discuss a trade, as the Yankees are still in the playoffs and the Marlins have uncertainty in their front office. On to today’s links…

  • Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said Jim Thome "did a nice job" in Baltimore and "added a real veteran presence,” Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports. Thome sounds undecided about his next step, but he could re-sign with Baltimore this coming offseason. Making room for him on the roster could require some creativity on the part of Duquette and manager Buck Showalter.
  • Baseball executives Brian Sabean (Giants GM), Dan O'Dowd (Rockies GM) and J.P. Ricciardi (Mets special assistant) agree that Marco Scutaro is a talented played with toughness, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. The Giants infielder stayed in the game to deliver a key hit after being knocked down by Matt Holliday’s overly aggressive slide in the second game of the NLCS.
  • Brian McCann could miss the beginning of the 2013 season to recover from shoulder surgery, so the $12MM club option on his contract presents the Braves with a quandary, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney writes. McCann doesn’t have much to worry about in Olney’s estimation. Either the Braves bring the 28-year-old back or he hits free agency and draws interest from many teams, especially AL clubs looking at him as a catcher/DH.
  • It's too soon to know if the Braves will pick up the option, but MLB.com's Mark Bowman would guess that McCann will be back.

Carroll, Paulino, Eveland, Thomas Hit Free Agency

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We'll track the day's minor moves here…

  • Outfielder Brett Carroll and catcher Carlos Maldonado also elected free agency, Matt Eddy reports (on Twitter). Carroll appeared in five games for the Nationals this past season and Maldonado appeared in four.
  • Catcher Rob Johnson is a free agent after being removed from the Mets' 40-man roster, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports. Johnson, 30, appeared in 17 games for the Mets this year plus 45 contests for their Triple-A affiliate. 
  • Orioles catcher Ronny Paulino and left-hander Dana Eveland also elected free agency, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (Twitter links). Eveland appeared in 14 games for the Orioles, posting a 4.73 ERA, and Paulino appeared in 20 games.
  • Yankees left-hander Justin Thomas also elected free agency, according to Eddy. The Yankees outrighted Thomas to Triple-A earlier in the month.
  • Blue Jays reliever Juan Abreu has also elected free agency, Eddy reports. Abreu posted a 6.80 ERA in 42 minor league relief outings this past season.
  • The Brewers announced that Livan Hernandez and Yorvit Torrealba elected free agency after refusing outright assignments to Triple-A. The moves are procedural, as Hernandez and Torrealba were expected to hit free agency.

Blue Jays Claim Cory Wade Off Waivers

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The Blue Jays have claimed right-hander Cory Wade off waivers from the Yankees, the team announced. New York designated him for assignment last week.

Wade, 29, appeared in 79 games for the Yankees across the last two years, posting a 4.23 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 during that stretch. The reliever spent his first two big league seasons with the Dodgers and had a brief minor league stint with the Rays before joining the Bombers in June of 2011. He will be eligible for arbitration for the first time this offseason.

Angels Notes: Wells, Hunter, Bourjos, Pujols

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A swap of bad contracts may be the Angels' best way to move Vernon Wells, opines MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez, who lists a few other players with bloated deals that could be acquired in exchange for the remaining two years (and $42MM) on Wells' contract.  Even when taking on the likes of John Lackey, Chone Figgins or Barry Zito, however, the Angels would still have to cover the difference on Wells' deal.  Gonzalez addressed some other offseason possibilities for the Halos in a reader mailbag….

  • Gonzalez predicts the chances of Torii Hunter re-signing with Los Angeles "lean slightly toward him coming back," though the Rangers and Yankees should be interested in the veteran outfielder.  Gonzalez predicts Hunter will end up with a one- or two-year contract worth around $9MM per season.
  • If Hunter is re-signed, Peter Bourjos could become expendable and would attract attention from several teams in need of center field help.
  • The Angels could be better served finding a closer through the trade market than through free agency, Gonzalez opines.  He also thinks the Halos should look to add a left-handed reliever.
  • The Angels' 2013 payroll should be $10-$15MM lower than last season's $159MM total.
  • "The similarities have long been unmistakable" between Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols' contracts, Gonzalez writes.  While Pujols' numbers have been declining over the last few seasons, there are reasons that Pujols (33 next season) could age more gracefully than Rodriguez, whose future as an everyday player for the Yankees is in question at age 37.

Quick Hits: Beltran, Prospects, Cano, Nationals

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Chris Carpenter and Ryan Vogelsong will oppose one another at AT&T Park a few hours from now. Here are some links from around MLB to keep you entertained while waiting for the NLCS to resume…

  • Giants assistant general manager Bobby Evans told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle that the team had approximately a dozen offseason conversations with Carlos Beltran's agent, Dan Lozano. That's a stark contrast from Beltran's statements, who said the two sides never talked. Shea speculates that Lozano didn't convey any of the communication to Beltran, who is of course, squaring off against his former teammates in the NLCS.
  • Matt Eddy of Baseball America has a rundown of 10 minor league deals that reaped significant Major League benefits, including Gregor Blanco, Brandon Moss and Quintin Berry.
  • Mets 2011 draftee Bradley Marquez will undergo surgery on his left knee after sustaining an injury playing football at Texas Tech, writes ESPN's Adam Rubin. The Mets allowed Marquez to continue playing football in order to facilitate the signing of their 11th-round selection.
  • Alex Rodriguez may be in the midst of a disappointing October, but at least he has a long-term contract in place. Robinson Cano, an offseason extension candidate, may have diminished his bargaining power by hitting poorly in the postseason, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. Plus, Rodriguez's struggles probably won't make the Yankees over-eager to spend a comparable amount on another struggling player.
  • The Nationals are set at every infield position but first base heading into the offseason, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post writes. Ian Desmond could be in line for an extension this offseason, and Kilgore suggests a six-year, $45MM contract could work for both sides. It sounds as though there's a good chance Adam LaRoche will re-sign in Washington, even if he declines his side of the mutual option on his contract.
  • Giants GM Brian Sabean said coaches Ron Wotus and Dave Righetti would be excellent managers given the opportunity, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). Wotus is the Giants' bench coach and and Righetti is the team's pitching coach.

Latest On Boston’s Managerial Search

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Padres special assistant Brad Ausmus and Dodgers third base coach Tim Wallach are candidates for Boston's managerial opening, but the former MLB stars aren’t the only ones being considered for the position. Here’s the latest news on the managerial search…

  • Wallach was “very impressive” in his interview with the Red Sox, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). It’s not clear if Wallach’s interview will be enough to land him the job, however.
  • DeMarlo Hale's interview will take place Thursday, according to Tim Britton of the Providence Journal (on Twitter). Ausmus will interview Wednesday, Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter).
  • Alex Speier of WEEI.com provides a complete rundown of Tony Pena, the Yankees coach who's a candidate for Boston's managerial job.
  • The Red Sox will interview Yankees bench coach Tony Pena today, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. The 55-year-old managed the Royals from 2002-05 before joining the Yankees, who have today off and will resume the ALCS in Detroit on Tuesday.
  • The Red Sox have plans to interview Hale, the Orioles' third base coach, for the position at some point this week, according to Bradford.
  • Joe Torre said he has no plans to manage and isn't a candidate for the Red Sox position, John Tomase of the Boston Herald reports. Nick Cafardo reported yesterday that there's talk Torre would consider managing again.

AL East Notes: Rays, Buck Showalter, Alex Rodriguez

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It'll be interesting to see how the Rays look to improve this winter given their limited financial flexibility, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.  The Rays, who were last in the majors in attendance, will save more than $22.5MM with Carlos Peña, B.J. Upton, Luke Scott, and Kyle Farnsworth off the books.  However, built-in and projected arbitration increases will cost them around $50MM to keep 17 players.  After opening the season with a higher-than-planned $64MM payroll, the club is expected to try and scale back the payroll this year, leaving them with limited room.  Here's more out of the AL East..

  • Yankees President Randy Levine appeared on ESPN 98.7 FM's Sunday Morning with Ian O'Connor (partial transcript courtesy of ESPNNewYork.com's Matt Ehalt) and did not commit to Alex Rodriguez remaining in pinstripes for the duration of his contract through the 2017 season. "That's like one of those questions: Where's the stock market going to be in 2017, who's going to be president on Nov. 15?" Levine said. "If I had crystal ball to predict all of that stuff, I'd be a lot smarter than I am. I'm not going to go there. That's stuff for people to speculate on your show and elsewhere, but it's irresponsible for me to do so."
  • Orioles manager Buck Showalter says that he isn't ready to start thinking about a contract extension despite the fact that he enjoys being in Baltimore.  Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com wonders aloud if the skipper has his eye on becoming a General Manager somewhere.  Showalter was interested in running the O's front office before Dan Duquette was brought in as executive vice president.
  • The Yankees should have passed on giving Alex Rodriguez a ten-year, $275MM contract following the 2007 season, opines Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News.  Lupica notes that the Cardinals made a shrewd business decision by letting Albert Pujols sign a $200MM+ contract elsewhere last winter and now find themselves in the championship hunt.
  • With Curtis Granderson struggling, the trade that sent Austin Jackson to Detroit for him no longer seems like a smart move, writes Bill Madden of the New York Daily News.  Last year it seemed like both the Tigers and the Yanks came out as winners in that trade, but Madden believes that the W now goes squarely in the Tigers' column.
  • The Orioles will likely be forced to make a decision between Nate McLouth and Nolan Reimold as to which ballplayer will be called upon to man left field next season, writes MASNsports.com's Steve Melewski. While Reimold got off to a strong start to the season before succumbing to injury, McLouth proved to be a valuable asset for Baltimore towards the end of the year and playoffs.

Edward Creech and Daniel Seco contributed to this post.

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