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Quick Hits: Commissioner, Rollins, Diamondbacks

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Now that Bud Selig has announced he will retire following the 2014 season, speculation has already begun about who will be Major League Baseball's next commissioner.  ESPN's Jayson Stark thinks it would be "a monumental upset" if MLB doesn't go with an internal candidate, and the favorites are league executive vice-presidents Rob Manfred and Tim Brosnan, and MLB Advanced Media CEO Bob Bowman.  Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan hears that Manfred is the safest and most well-rounded pick, though some sources consider Brosnan to be the better candidate.  Stark and Passan list such names as Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski, Mets GM Sandy Alderson, Indians president Mark Shapiro and Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall as other possible choices.

Here are some notes as Yankee Stadium says goodbye to Mariano Rivera…

  • Jimmy Rollins is confident that the Phillies already have the pieces they need to succeed thanks to their emerging youth, CSNPhilly.com's Corey Seidman writes.  “That old window's closed," Rollins admitted. "This is a brand new thing. You've still got the pieces, but this is a brand new thing going forward. Obviously we would love to have that right-handed bat, but Darin Ruf has come up and done that so far. We're going to get Ryan [Howard] back, hopefully a healthy Ryan back on his legs and strong."
  • Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers will recommend to ownership that manager Kirk Gibson be retained for next season, Towers told reporters (including MLB.com's Steve Gilbert).  Gibson has a 289-277 record since taking over as Arizona's manager halfway through the 2010 season and he led the team to an NL West title in 2011.  Both Gibson and Towers are only under contract through the end of the 2014 season.
  • While Brad Ziegler has enjoyed being the Diamondbacks' closer, he tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that it doesn't matter if he's closing or in his usual set-up role next season.  Ziegler has a 2.28 ERA and 12 saves over 71 IP and a league-best 76 games this season.  He's going into his third and final year of arbitration eligibility though there has been talk that Arizona will try to work out a contract extension.
  • Jack Zduriencik's mistakes as the Mariners' general manager are recapped by Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times in a piece that chronicles the team's strategies and major transactions over the last several years.  While Baker holds Zduriencik accountable for his own mistakes, he also points the finger at the club's upper management for the larger issues surrounding the Mariners' lack of recent success.
  • John Danks is "embarrassed" by his performance since signing a five-year, $65MM extension with the White Sox before the 2012 season, the southpaw tells MLB.com's Scott Merkin.  "The goal is always to throw 200-plus innings, take the ball every day and give us a chance to win. I've got three years to make everyone believe it was worth it," Danks said.  "That's part of my motivating factor. I want to be the productive player I'm expected to be."
  • "The Cubs are the last-place team poised to contend the soonest. The Astros are the one with the brightest future," Jim Callis writes for MLB.com in his analysis of both teams' young talent.

MLBTR's Zach Links contributed to this post

Phillies Not Ruling Out Halladay For 2014

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It's been a forgettable pair of seasons and a sharp fall from his status as arguably the game's best pitcher for Roy Halladay. Halladay will carry a 6.82 ERA, 7.4 K/9 and 5.2 BB/9 in just 62 innings into free agency this offseason, but Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told reporters, including Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News, that he hopes Halladay has a future with the Phillies:

"I try not to think in absolutes with him. If we think he’s going to be a viable possibility for us, we’d like to try to bring him back. I’d like to think it’s not the last we’ll see of Doc."

Halladay's struggles began in 2012, as he was limited to just 159 1/3 innings of 4.49 ERA ball by a strained lat muscle that cost him nearly two months of action. This season, after trying to pitch through shoulder pain and barely cracking 90 mph with his fastball, Halladay gave in and underwent surgery in May. The operation removed bone spurs in addition to repairing both his rotator cuff and labrum.

Lawrence notes that Amaro conceded any deal for Halladay would have to be one in which both parties share the risk, or in other words, an incentive-laden deal. The Phillies already face uncertainty in their rotation beyond aces Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels; Cuban righty Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez projects to occupy one spot but hasn't thrown a Major League pitch before, and Kyle Kendrick saw his own season come to an end due to a shoulder injury.

NL East Rumors: Valdespin, Arroyo, Mets, Marlins

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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.

Phillies Want To Re-Sign Carlos Ruiz

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Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz got off to a slow start in 2013, but a second-half resurgence changed the club's view on the pending free agent.  General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. spoke well of the catcher and openly stated that he'd like for him to return in 2014, writes MLB.com's Todd Zolecki.

"We'd like to bring him back," Amaro said. "He knows we'd like to bring him back. We'll see what happens. It wouldn't be the first free agent [we've had]. … I'd like to have as much balance [in the lineup] as we can, we haven't been very good against left-handers. It's well documented."

Ruiz's stock in Philadelphia is certainly helped by the fact that they are in need of right-handed bats and the lack of quality catchers that figure to be available this winter doesn't hurt either.  While things didn't look promising for Ruiz from the start of the season through the end of July (.248/.298/.293) he has hit much better in the last two months, posting a .299/.352/.463 with four homers in 161 plate appearances.

The 34-year-old, who earned $5MM this season, is represented by Marc Kligman according to the MLBTR Agency Database.

NL East Notes: Braves, Amaro, Choo, Marlins

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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

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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.

Quick Hits: Rangers, A’s, Jeter, Nationals, Phillies

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In an attempt to compensate for the looming loss of Nelson Cruz to his 50-game suspension, the Rangers tried to swing a big trade for Justin Upton at the July trade deadline, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. The Braves refused a package of Matt Garza, Joe Nathan and David Murphy. If those are the only three players the Rangers offered, it's not a surprise that the Braves passed — Garza and Murphy are eligible for free agency after the season, while Upton is a good young player who is under contract through 2015. Eventually, of course, the Rangers acquired Alex Rios in August. Here are more notes from around the Majors.

  • The Athletics clinched their second AL West title in a row with an 11-7 win over the Twins on Sunday, and GM Billy Beane says the team's depth has been the key to their smooth season, John Hickey of InsideBayArea.com reports. "We knew going in this was the deepest roster we’d ever had here," says Beane. "We needed that depth, and it paid for itself." As Hickey points out, the Athletics hardly missed a beat all season, even though Brett Anderson, Josh Reddick, John Jaso and Derek Norris all missed significant time. Here are more notes from around the Majors. A quietly brilliant season from Josh Donaldson surely helped, but the A's got solid offensive and defensive performances from most of their hitters, and other than Anderson, their starting rotation mostly stayed healthy.
  • After taking in the ceremony for Mariano Rivera and the applause for Andy Pettitte on Sunday, it dawned on injured Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter that he had played his final game with his two retiring teammates, Andy McCullough of the Star Ledger reports. "I’m going to miss them a lot," says Jeter. "These guys have been brothers to me. We’ve been through quite a bit together. Pretty much everything you can experience on a field. In my whole professional career, I’ve been playing with at least one of them." The three had their rookie seasons together with the 1995 Yankees, and Jeter and Pettitte also played on many of the same minor-league teams, including Class A Greensboro in 1992 and and Triple-A Columbus in 1994 and 1995.
  • Pitcher Dan Haren thinks the Nationals should aim to keep their team together, writes MLB.com's Andrew Simon. "Last year they had a great year and this year we’ve shown a lot of fight here the last few months. I think as close as things could stay to the guys in this room, I think the better," Haren says. He also appears to support bench coach Randy Knorr for the Nationals' managerial position, which will be open when Davey Johnson retires after the season. Haren himself is a free agent, of course, and he seems aware that he might not be part of the 2014 Nationals, even if they ultimately go with a similar roster: "I know there’ll be some subtle changes, me probably being one of them."
  • Now that the Phillies have settled on Ryne Sandberg as their manager, they'll now turn their attention to their coaching staff, MLB.com's Todd Zolecki reports. With a new manager, it's typical to have at least some change in the rest of the coaching staff. Zolecki mentions that one potential change might be re-hiring former manager Larry Bowa in some capacity.
  • A "winter of discontent" is on the way for Phillies fans, writes Bob Ford of the Inquirer. After a recent streak of successful seasons, Ford says, a team elsewhere might "get a standing ovation and then be allowed to attempt its rebuilding with patient if not fervent support. That might be the case here as well, if only the team would get on with the rebuilding." Instead, the Phils will head into the offseason expecting to keep aging veterans Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Cliff Lee. They might also go into 2014 with Carlos Ruiz still at catcher, and perhaps also with Roy Halladay in the rotation. Ford compares the Phillies to a rock band who are still touring long past the point where they've lost relevance, "dyeing their hair and wearing hearing aids."

Reactions To The Ryne Sandberg Hire

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Earlier today, the Phillies announced that Ryne Sandberg had signed a three-year deal to be their new manager, meaning that he has shed the "interim" tag that he took when he took over for Charlie Manuel last month. Here are a few reactions from elsewhere on the web.

  • GM Ruben Amaro Jr. says the Phillies have found the "right guy," Matt Gelb of the Inquirer reports (via Sulia). When asked why he did not do a managerial search, Amaro said, "Ryne has a pretty good understanding after having been in our organization and other organizations about the continuity and the importance of working top to bottom and bottom to top in the organization."
  • Sandberg's hire was "a mere formality," writes Gelb. "[F]rom the moment Sandberg was hired prior to the 2011 season as the manager of triple-A Lehigh Valley, it was assumed he would succeed Charlie Manuel," says Gelb.
  • Some Hall of Fame players don't take to the grind of managing in the minors, but Sandberg stuck with it, Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com writes. Salisbury compares Sandberg's case to that of Mike Schmidt, who managed for the Phillies' Class A+ Clearwater team in 2004 but quit after one season. Sandberg, on the other hand, managed in Class A for two years, in the Cubs organization, before being promoted to Double-A, then Triple-A. That dedication set Sandberg on the course that led to the Phillies' managerial job, Salisbury argues.
  • Sandberg's hire rules out the possibility that Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who is originally from the Philadelphia area, will come back to Pennsylvania to manage the Phillies, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times tweets.

Quick Hits: Gregg, Tulowitzki, Gonzalez, Kendrick

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Kevin Gregg blasted the Cubs after misunderstanding comments from manager Dale Sveum and president Theo Epstein said it was possible that he would release the veteran.  However, the Cubs decided over the weekend to accept Gregg's apology for the incident and will hang on to him, writes Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune.  Here's more from around baseball..

  • The Rockies are not shopping all-stars Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, sources with direct knowledge of the club's plans told Troy Renck of the Denver Post.  There's still a very small possibility that one will be dealt to address multiple needs, but there is zero likelihood that both will be moved. Yesterday, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that Rockies ownership doesn't have much interest in moving either player.
  • Also from Renck, he expects the Cardinals to pursue a trade for Tulowitzki this offseason.
  • After being shut down for the season, Phillies pitcher Kyle Kendrick is now shifting his focus towards 2014 and thinking about where he could be pitching next season, writes Kevin Roberts for MLB.com.  Kendrick, who made $4.5MM this season, will be eligible for salary arbitration this offseason.  
  • Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review puts the spotlight on Dan Fox, the man who built the Pirates' analytical department.

Phillies Name Ryne Sandberg As Manager

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10:30am: The Phillies announced that Sandberg signed a three-year deal through 2016 with a club option for 2017.

10:19am: The Phillies will announce later today that they have removed the "interim" tag on Ryne Sandberg and that he will return as manager in 2014, according to a report from ESPN.com.  The presser is scheduled for 10:30am CST.

Sandberg took over as skipper on August 16th after firing longtime manager Charlie Manuel.  The Phillies lost 19 of 22 prior to Manuel's firing but they have gone 18-16 under Sandberg's watch.  Sandberg is the only Hall of Fame player currently managing in the major leagues and will be the first full-time manager who had a Hall of Fame playing career since Frank Robinson.

Sandberg's return has been said to be a "near certainty" but today's press conference will make everything official.  It's possible that the 54-year-old will alter his staff for next season as well and there is some speculation that he could bring Larry Bowa in as a supporting coach.

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