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Rosenthal On Gonzalez, Peavy, DeJesus, Lohse

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports released his latest Full Count video today. Let's take a look:

  • Discussing the Phillies' ongoing negotiations with Cuban righty Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, Rosenthal notes that that delays of this kind typically develop after a team finds a problem with a player's physical. If there is cause for concern, the Phillies could incorporate protective language into the contract or sign Gonzalez to a smaller deal than the six-year, $48MM pact that was reported last month.
  • Recent Red Sox acquisition Jake Peavy told Rosenthal that he was prepared to move money around in his contract to facilitate a trade from the White Sox to the Cardinals, or any other team that asked him to do so. However, the Cardinals never made an offer for Peavy.
  • Rival executives suggest to Rosenthal that the Nationals' waiver claim of David DeJesus may have been a mistake. The quality of prospect that the Nats obtain from the Rays for DeJesus could hint at the impetus behind the deal, Rosenthal says.
  • The Braves were the team that claimed Kyle Lohse after the Brewers placed him on waivers earlier this month, and hoped to use him as a replacement for the injured Tim Hudson. However, the Brewers opted not to try to work out a deal. They may attempt to move him in the offseason, however, as the two years and $22MM remaining on his deal could be attractive in the weak free agent market.

Quick Hits: Scully, Martinez, Twins, Phillies

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The Dodgers' latest move is one we can all celebrate: the team announced yesterday that incomparable broadcaster Vin Scully will return to the Dodger booth next year for the 65th straight season. As usual, Scully dropped some wisdom on the occasion: "Just the thought of walking away from it to retirement — and looking out the window or something? It's just too good." Indeed, it is. Elsewhere around the game …

  • With starting backstop Alex Avila still working back from a concussion after scuffling for most of the year, the division-leading Tigers might have found themselves scrambling to add catching depth. Instead, the club made a risky move that could pay long-term dividends, putting primary DH Victor Martinez back behind the dish for the first time since August of 2011. The initial returns were positive, and the club could suit Martinez up for interleague matchups down the stretch or in a hypothetical World Series.
  • Always productive on Saturday mornings, Phil Mackey of 1500ESPN.com offered a spirited defense of the Twins' decision not to bring in any high-priced starters last year. (All links to Twitter.) Rejecting the suggestion that Minnesota should have signed Anibal Sanchez and pointing to the Royals' acquisition of James Shields as an ill-advised, premature plunge, Mackey summed things up with a broader philosophy for a small-market team like the Twins: "Draft. Develop. Sell high. Supplement your core with smart spending. Lock players in before arbitration. Avoid stupid contracts." 
  • For next season, Mackey further tweets, Phil Hughes could be a nice target for Minnesota. The suggestion could make sense, given Hughes' youth, the potential to buy low, and Target Field's home run suppression.
  • The Phillies, needless to say, face a number of questions as they finish out a second-straight disappointing season with an aging core. Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer took an interesting look at one major forthcoming task for GM Ruben Amaro Jr.: "completely rebuilding one of baseball's worst bullpens." In his tenure as GM, Brookover notes, Amaro has signed seven free-agent set-up men or middle relievers for a combined $22.85MM (not including year two of the Mike Adams deal). They have combined for a 4.76 ERA. Neither has the organization been successful at developing its own bullpen arms, says Brookover, who does note that some current youngsters — in particular, Jake Diekman — offer hope. 
  • Looking ahead to 2014, Amaro seemed to imply that the Phils will likely be shopping for turnaround candidates in the free agent market. "Sometimes you have to be lucky to get those guys," Amaro said. "There are times when even a change of scenery can help someone. Those are the kinds of things we will look for."

Phillies Notes: Howard, Amaro, Papelbon, Rollins

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It's been a rough season for the Phillies, with injuries to many of their top players weighing down the team's record prior to the firing of longtime manager Charlie Manuel. We know they'll be looking for both bullpen help and catching help this offseason to try to right the ship, but here's the latest on the Phils in the meantime…

  • Interim manager Ryne Sandberg says that it would be "counterproductive" for Ryan Howard to return this season, writes Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Sandberg told reporters that he doesn't feel playing 10-15 games when he's not at full health would do Howard much good, and instead he needs to focus on being as fit and healthy as he possibly can in 2014. Sandberg still believes that Howard can be a legitimate middle-of-the-order threat if he returns to full health.
  • Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly conducted a Q&A with general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., in which Amaro said that while the bullseye may be on him after Manuel's dismissal, he's not currently feeling any heat from ownership: "David Montgomery has been very supportive. David and the ownership group — I know they’re disappointed, but they’re supportive."
  • Amaro also said that Jonathan Papelbon's presence at the back of his bullpen is "crucial" to winning games, and he thinks Papelbon will be part of a Phillies contender in 2014. Amaro added that he's heard good feedback about Papelbon's work with the team's young relievers, though he did stop short of firmly calling Papelbon a positive clubhouse force when asked by Salisbury.
  • "You'd have to ask Jimmy," Amaro replied when Salisbury asked if shortstop Jimmy Rollins would benefit from a change of scenery. Rollins has a no-trade clause that he's not interested in waiving anyhow, but he's been questioned for lapses in hustle recently. Amaro didn't sound interested in the thought of trying to move Rollins, stating: "Jimmy is our shortstop. We signed him for a reason."
  • Amaro also told Salisbury that in addition to signing solid relievers, the team needs to do a better job of adding good depth pieces to the bullpen. As Amaro notes, Mike Adams and Antonio Bastardo had strong track records, but injuries to Adams and a suspension for Bastardo have exposed a lack of depth.

Phillies Sign Roger Bernadina

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The Phillies announced that they have signed outfielder Roger Bernadina, who was released by the Nationals on Monday, to a Major League contract. In order to clear a spot on the 25-man roster, the team has optioned infielder Michael Martinez to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. We heard earlier today that Bernadina had officially cleared release waivers and expected to sign with a new team shortly.

Bernadina, 29, was released after the Nats acquired David DeJesus from the Cubs. In 167 plate appearances this season, the Curacao native batted .178/.247/.270. Those numbers represent a sharp drop-off from the .252/.320/.373 career batting line that Bernadina carried into the 2013 campaign. He's capable of playing all three outfield positions, though advanced defensive metrics peg him as a below-average center fielder.

Bernadina, a client of Lapa/Leventhal, can be controlled through the 2015 season as an arbitration-eligible player, should he impress the Phillies in the final weeks of the season.

Phillies Notes: Manuel, Rollins, Lannan, Halladay

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In an interview with CSNPhilly.com's Leslie Gudel, outgoing Phillies manager Charlie Manuel spoke frankly about the talent he was given to work with over the last two seasons. Asked whether he had the pieces to win over 2012-13, Manuel left no question of his feelings: "No. I can straight-face tell you that." He says he "always figured we'd add the pieces and things like that," as the team had in years past. "They always went out and they always got pieces and they always put them on our team and gave us a good opportunity to win. They put us in a good position to win and it was up to us to do that." More out of Philly …

  • Starter Roy Halladay says that, while he respects Manuel, a change was needed. As Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports, Halladay thinks that interim manager Ryne Sandberg will "bring back a little more of the Philly baseball style than we've had the last couple of years." According to the veteran righty, "We haven't had that whole team effort, that whole team hustle. … Guys being at places on time; being on the field on time; taking ground balls; taking extra BP. All of those little things that nobody thinks makes a difference."
  • Indeed, Sandberg has already announced his presence by calling out veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins, Gelb reports. "Is he stubborn or [has he] created habits that are hard to change?" queried Sandberg. "I've seen him practice. And what he practices, he takes into the game. I believe there is some tweaking there as far as practice habits and what he practices."
  • Meanwhile, Halladay himself took the hill for an important rehab start tonight. Reviews were not promising, with CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury reporting (via Twitter) that Halladay managed only 52 strikes in 90 pitches, allowing seven hits and three walks while striking out four. According to Salisbury, also via Twitter, Halladay "does not look ready." Gelb concurred with that assessment, though he noted that Halladay seems determined to start for the Phils on Sunday. (Twitter links.) For more details on Halladay's evening, see this piece from David Murphy, Gelb's colleague with the Inquirer.
  • Another Philadelphia starter is headed in the opposite direction, with Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reporting that John Lannan will be shut down for the season and is likely headed for surgery. Assistant GM Scott Proefrock said that he believes Lannan "ruptured [a] tendon" in his left knee. Already a non-tender candidate, the 28-year-old struggled to a 5.33 ERA over 74 1/3 innings in his first year in Philadelphia and could be left looking for a minor league deal for 2014.

NL East Notes: Bernadina, Fernandez, Carpenter

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The Nationals' trade for David DeJesus was the headline news out of the NL East today, and you can read some of extra details behind the deal and reaction to the Nats' move here.  Here are some other notes from around the NL East..

  • The Phillies have interest in Roger Bernadina, CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury reports.  Bernadina was released by the Nationals today to create roster space for DeJesus.  The 29-year-old is hitting .179/.247/.270 with two homers in 167 PA.  As Salisbury notes, Bernadina has played all three outfield positions and could provide the Phils with much-needed depth for this season and perhaps beyond.
  • Jose Fernandez's last start of the season will occur in the first week of September, MLB.com's Joe Frisaro calculates, possibly on September 4 against the Cubs at Wrigley Field or at home on September 6 against the Nationals.  Fernandez was put on a 170-inning cap by the Marlins at the start of the year and he has made every one count.  The 21-year-old phenom allowed just one earned run over six innings against the red-hot Dodgers tonight, dropping his ERA to 2.41 in 24 starts.
  • The Braves' claim of David Carpenter off waivers from the Red Sox last November has proven to be a steal, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes (AJC subscriber account required).  Carpenter has posted a 1.86 ERA and 10.6 K/9 in 48 1/3 innings out of the Atlanta bullpen this season. 
  • Matthew Cerrone of Metsblog.com doesn't see the Mets signing Jose Dariel Abreu, noting that it would be unlike Sandy Alderson to give a major contract to a player with so many question marks surrounding him.  Abreu could receive a deal in excess of $60MM and the Orioles, Red Sox, Pirates and White Sox are all known to have interest in the Cuban slugger.

NL Notes: Mets, Manuel, Wilson, Choo, Abreu

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The Pirates' failure to sign Mark Appel with the eighth overall selection in the 2012 draft created a ripple effect where the Mets passed on free agent Michael Bourn and eventually gave playing time to rookie Juan Lagares, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. As compensation for not coming to terms with Appel, the Pirates were awarded the ninth overall pick in this past June's draft, knocking the Mets' choice (11th) out of the protected Top Ten. This was an important considersation for the Mets in deciding to not bid on Bourn, explains Sherman, who cites this as a pefect example of "sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make." Here's news from other NL teams who aren't neccessarily going to follow that old adage:

  • Ex-Phillies manager Charlie Manuel told Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette of MLB Network Radio (via Bowden on Twitter) he wants to continue managing and is open to all opportunities, including the Nationals. 
  • In that same interview (also from a Bowden tweet), Manuel says the Phillies' plan is to "reload," not "rebuild," needing regular players to fill holes, including adding a starter, and redoing the bullpen. 
  • Speaking of the Phillies, little has changed with the radio silence regarding their agreement with Cuban right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki, who reported earlier this month the two sides have hit a snag in finalizing their six-year, $48MM deal.
  • Dodgers manager Don Mattingly told reporters, including Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, they will have a better idea at the end of today when Brian Wilson will be activated. GM Ned Colletti was a guest of Bowden and Duquette on MLB Network Radio and said the call should be made in "another day or two" (as quoted by Gurnick's colleague, Andrew Simon). Colletti also explained he signed Wilson because he only cost money, not prospects, and there's a familiarity with him from his days as the Giants' closer. "We think it's a very low-risk, high-reward situation," said Colletti. "He wanted to be here. He has a home in L.A. Rivalry and all that aside — we all know what that's all about — he wanted to restart his career and we're going to give him that opportunity here in the near future."
  • Four years and $60MM is the guess as to the asking price of Reds centerfielder Shin-Soo Choo in free agency this winter, tweets the Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fay. Choo placed fifth in MLBTR's most recent 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings.
  • The Pirates have scouted Cuban first baseman Jose Dariel Abreu in three recent international tournaments and will be on hand for his expected September showcase, reports Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "We like him," GM Neal Huntington said. "It will be interesting to see where the bidding goes." That bidding could exceed $60MM.

Quick Hits: Jordan, Johnson, Manuel, Soriano, Baez

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Let's have a look at a few stray notes before calling it an evening …

  • Nationals starter Taylor Jordan will be shut down for the year after throwing a combined 142 innings in his first full year back from Tommy John surgery, reports James Wagner of the Washington Post. (For some reason, we've yet to hear of any outrage over the decision.) The 24-year-old emerged this season and became one of the few nice surprises for the sputtering Nats. With a 3.66 ERA over 51 2/3 innings, Jordan has certainly established himself as a viable rotation option for next year, which could impact the Nationals' off-season shopping plans. While Jordan registered only by 5.1 K/9 (against 1.9 BB/9), his FIP (3.48) and xFIP (3.79) backed up his solid results. 
  • With Orioles closer Jim Johnson continuing to struggle to finish games, CSN Baltimore's Rich Dubroff writes that he is increasingly becoming a non-tender candidate. Earning $6.5MM this year, Johnson should see a multi-million dollar raise through arbitration if the O's decide to hold onto him. (He does have 39 saves, best in baseball, to go with his league-worst 9 blown.) The team has a younger, cheaper option in Tommy Hunter who could step into the role, though Dubroff wonders if he can take on save chances with the same frequency as has Johnson.
  • Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer has the details of the Phillies' firing of manager Charlie Manuel. The Phils' front office knew it was moving on without Manuel for months, says Gelb, but finally decided to pull the trigger now in order to have a look at his anticipated replacement, Ryne Sandberg. 
  • While the Yankees' acquisition of Alfonso Soriano drew a lot of criticism at the time, it is hard to complain about the performance he's put up since arriving in the Bronx. Depending upon how one works the statistics, in fact, his recent run is downright historic. In just 19 games with his new/old club, Soriano has racked up an outstanding 1.5 WAR (according to Baseball-Reference). Of course, the naysayers' concerns related more to the rest of the Yankees' team, and its reasonable prospects for the playoffs, than to Soriano himself. Sure enough, New York's playoff odds have continued to fall since the deal was consummated.  
  • Cubs' shortstop Javier Baez continues to tear the cover off of the ball as he ascends the minor-league ranks, making the 20-year-old a dark-horse candidate to earn a big league roster spot next year. As Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald writes, there are many good reasons (cost, control, and development among them) for the Cubs to be hesitant. Nevertheless, manager Dale Sveum noted, “when you have that kind of numbers and power, sometimes you do force the issue. It’s not in the plans right now, but we’ve all seen it happen.”

Quick Hits: Braun, Phillies, Manuel, Cuba

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Can anyone stop the Dodgers?  The Chavez Ravine side extended their winning streak to nine games with a 4-0 win over the Phillies tonight.  The Dodgers are an incredible 41-8 since June 22 — no team has put together such a 49-game hot streak since the 1944 Cardinals.  Here's the latest from around baseball as we head into the weekend…

  • Ryan Braun soon plans to admit his PED use and publicly apologize, sources tell USA Today's Bob Nightengale.  It will be Braun's first public statement since he was suspended for 65 games (the remainder of the 2013 season) on July 22 for his part in the Biogenesis PED scandal.  The Brewers outfielder wants to be "the anti-Alex Rodriguez," sources close to the Brewers slugger say, as Rodriguez is drawing even more scorn for appealing his own 211-game suspension.
  • While it seems as if this was always intended to be Charlie Manuel's last season as the Phillies manager, Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer believes Manuel's early departure could've been avoided has GM Ruben Amaro put together a stronger roster.
  • In a must-read piece for MLB.com, Jesse Sanchez details the process and risks that modern Cuban players take in both escaping the country and going through the proper channels for a shot at reaching the majors.
  • In an Insider-only piece for ESPN, Jim Bowden polled several executives around the league to find two managers and two GMs who could be fired unless their teams have strong finishes to the 2013 season.

Phillies Notes: Manuel, Bullpen, Papelbon

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Earlier today, the Phillies fired longtime manager Charlie Manuel and promoted third base coach and Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg to interim manager. Manuel has exactly 1,000 wins in his storied career and is beloved by the players he has guided. He led the Phillies to five straight division titles and captured a World Series championship in 2008. Here's more on Manuel and the rest of the Phils for some Friday reading…

  • ESPN's Jayson Stark breaks down the behind-the-scenes details that led up to Manuel's firing, though Stark notes that that Phillies went out of their way to not use the word "fired" despite the fact that Manuel himself said he didn't quit or resign as manager.
  • At today's press conference, GM Ruben Amaro Jr. revealed that the Phillies have asked Manuel to remain with the organization in a different role, but Manuel told reporters, including Jon Morosi of FOX Sports, that he needs to take some time away from the club to decide if he wants to remain with the Phils in a different capacity (Twitter link).
  • Former Phillie and current Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth spoke with Manuel earlier this season, and Manuel guaranteed that he would be managing somewhere in 2014, Werth told reporters (including Dan Kolko of MASNsports.com). Werth did note that time could impact that thinking. Werth also called Manuel the best manager he's ever had (via Mark Zuckerman of CSN Washington on Twitter).
  • In addition to catchers, the bullpen will be a prime area of focus this offseason, Amaro told MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. Amaro feels that the Phillies have been unfortunate to get some bad years from good relievers in recent years, pointing to Chad Qualls as an example of someone who excelled before and after his time with Philadelphia.
  • Asked by Zolecki about Jonathan Papelbon's contract, Amaro said he would make the signing again: "Oh, yeah, I think so," Amaro said. "The choices that we had out there with the people that were available, I'm happy with the decision. I'm not happy with the way we've played."
  • Scott Miller of CBS Sports questions the Phillies' lack of direction in light of the team's inactivity at the trade deadline and Amaro's inability to give a hard answer as to what the team was looking for in a permanent managerial replacement. The spotlight is now on Amaro, opines Miller, who notes that while Sandberg could help the club, its real problem is that is simply needs better players.
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