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Quick Hits: A’s, Fowler, Phillies

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The Mariners announced that they’re changing the dimensions of pitcher-friendly Safeco Field. The left field power alley will move in and the scoreboard in the left field corner will be relocated in order to lower the height of the left field wall. The changes should make Seattle a more inviting place for free agents, especially right-handed power hitters. Here are today’s links…

  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports looks back at some of Billy Beane’s offseason trades and explains how the improbable success of the Athletics makes the GM a leading candidate for MLB’s Executive of the Year award.
  • Dexter Fowler wants to stay in Colorado and hopes to sign a multiyear deal with the Rockies, Tracy Ringolsby of ROOT Sports and MLB.com reports (on Twitter). The center fielder recently switched agencies, joining Excel Sports Management. I previewed a possible extension for Fowler earlier this season.
  • The Phillies announced that they hired Bart Braun as special assistant to the GM. Braun had previously been a scout with the Rays.

Quick Hits: Peavy, Rizzo, Byrnes, Utley, Rockies

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At the beginning of the season, it seemed farfetched that Jake Peavy would get another multi-year contract for 2013 and beyond, but that matter will soon be a front-burner issue for the White Sox, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com.  It’s hard to say what the 31-year-old might get on the open market as Olney notes that this time last year, few predicted that Mark Buehrle would land a four-year, $58MM contract from the Marlins.  The Dodgers, Cubs, Angels, and others will have money to spend this winter while the Royals are known to be looking for someone to anchor their rotation.  Here’s more from around baseball..

  • The Nationals hold club options for 2014 and ’15 on General Manager Mike Rizzo’s contract, people familiar with the deal told Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post.  That effectively means that Rizzo has just one guaranteed year remaining with the club.  Kilgore writes that the GM may use the club’s success as leverage to get yet another contract extension, but the Nats don’t appear to be in a rush to get that done.
  • While Padres General Manager Josh Byrnes believes that the club will increase its payroll for next season, he cautioned that a good chunk of that will go to arbitration raises for Chase Headley, Clayton Richard, Edinson Volquez, Will Venable, and others, writes Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com.  Byrnes also talked about what he learned in his time with the Diamondbacks and the evolution of Carlos Quentin over that span.
  • The Phillies have been toying with the idea of shifting Chase Utley to third base for the 2013 season, but GM Ruben Amaro is shutting the experiment down, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Now, the Phillies will likely have to turn to the open market for a solution at third, but there aren’t a ton of appealing options in this year’s free agent class.
  • Jonah Keri of Grantland.com sat down with Rockies GM Bill Geivett for a lengthy discussion on the unique challenges faced by the club thanks to the altitude of their home ballpark.  The Rockies turned to a unique pitching experiment this season that will continue in 2013 and are looking into other ideas that could affect the way they build their roster going forward.

Phillies Acquire Stefan Jarrin

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The Phillies announced that they have acquired infielder Stefan Jarrin from the Dodgers. The move completes the July 31st trade that sent Shane Victorino to Los Angeles for Ethan Martin, Josh Lindblom and player to be named or cash.

Jarrin, 22, spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons with the Dodgers' Rookie ball affiliate. The 2011 40th round selection has a .211/.309/.336 batting line in 175 plate appearances over the course of two seasons with the Arizona League Dodgers. He played one game at shortstop but has spent most of his professional career at second base. Jaime Jarrin, the Hall of Fame Spanish language broadcaster of the Dodgers, is Stefan Jarrin's grandfather.

NL East Notes: Nationals, Guillen, Phillies

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Congratulations to the Braves, who clinched a postseason berth with a win over the Marlins last night. Though Atlanta still has a shot at the NL East title, they're more likely to play the National League's second Wild Card team in a one-game playoff once the regular season ends. Here are some links from the NL East…

NL East Notes: Johnson, Bell, Guillen, Phillies

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The Braves' magic number for clinching a playoff spot is one, so they can punch their postseason ticket with either a win tonight over the Marlins, or if the Dodgers and Brewers both lose their respective games this evening.  Atlanta sits five games behind Washington for first place in the NL East, so barring a major collapse from the Nationals, the Braves will have to settle for a wild card, though they're on pace to earn homefield advantage in the wild card game. 

Here's the latest from around the division…

  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo wants Davey Johnson to return as the club's manager next season and said the two sides have had "initial discussions" about the subject, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson.  "We both feel comfortable where we are at in that process," Rizzo said. "I said it before, Davey is part of the furniture as long as Mike Rizzo is general manager of the team. I definitely want him back for '13."  Johnson is under contract only as a team consultant for 2013 and the veteran skipper recently said that he was satisfied with current talks and would address his position after the season.
  • Marlins reliever Heath Bell spoke to reporters (including Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post) about his recent comments about manager Ozzie Guillen, saying his remarks were "totally taken out of context."  Bell said he had to "earn the respect back of my teammates [and] my coaching staff" and that he wanted to keep pitching in Miami.
  • Guillen, meanwhile, told reporters (as per Capozzi's Twitter account) that several Marlins players called and texted their support for him in the aftermath of Bell's comments.
  • Though Domonic Brown and John Mayberry have played well for the Phillies down the stretch, there's no guarantee either will have a starting role in 2013, Sam Donnellon of the Philadelphia Daily News.

NL East Notes: Bell, Guillen, Phillies

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The Marlins spent approximately $95MM to field this year’s team, but they’re expected to lower payroll and spend $70-80MM next year. Here's the latest from their division, starting with one of the team's prominent free agent acquisitions…

  • Marlins right-hander Heath Bell criticized manager Ozzie Guillen in an interview on 560 WQAM in Miami this afternoon. Bell said on the Dan Sileo Show that "it's hard to respect a guy that doesn't tell you the truth or doesn't tell you face to face" (audio here & transcript via ESPN.com). Bell lost the closer's job earlier in the year and Steve Cishek is now closing for the Marlins. For all the latest closer-related fantasy updates, follow @closernews on Twitter.
  • The Phillies will be looking for help in the outfield and one or more veteran relievers this offseason, but there’s also a chance they’ll look to add a starting pitcher, Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. The Phillies’ interest in adding starting pitching will presumably depend on a variety of factors, such as their trust in Kyle Kendrick.

Quick Hits: Marlins, Blue Jays, Phillies, Dodgers

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Sunday afternoon linkage..

  • Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria is angry at manager Ozzie Guillen for comments the manager made that were critical of him, a person who spoke with team officials told Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post.  Guillen made a series of comments on Friday that touched on his own job security and Loria's relationship with previous managers.  Earlier today we ran down the latest news out of Miami.
  • Blue Jays General Manager Alex Anthopoulos told reporters, including Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com, that he believes the Orioles' success is due in large part to their strong bullpen.  Looking ahead, Anthopoulos says that he hopes to emulate that.
  • Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer previews what the 2013 Phillies might look like and sees a team with Chase Utley at third and a big ticket acquisition in centerfield.  The feeling around the club is that the high-priced pickup will be someone like B.J. Upton or Michael Bourn.
  • While some have posited that the Dodgers' woes are due to a lack of team chemistry, some club officials believe that the team is plagued by raised expectations, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  The Dodgers went from David to Goliath in the blink of an eye, which has led some to believe that a number of hitters are pressing.

Cafardo On Angels, Ross, Loney, Carp, Scioscia

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that there could be a few interesting options for manager Terry Francona this offseason.  There could be two additional openings for the former Red Sox manager with reports indicating that the Angels' Mike Scioscia and Jim Leyland of the Tigers could be in danger of being dismissed this offseason.  Cafardo opines that either team would be ideal for Tito as both teams have the resources to improve and he would be inheriting the same kind of talent-rich team he had in Boston after the 2003 season.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • Outfielder Cody Ross has three major-market teams – the Phillies, Yankees, and Red Sox – very interested in him.  Ross has made it clear that he would like to stay in Boston and Larry Lucchino said earlier this week that the club is beginning the process of keeping him for next season and beyond. 
  • The Red Sox are also thinking about re-signing James Loney and he is receptive to coming back, but he could pick up attention in a thin first base market.  The Rays can be expected to kick the tires on Loney as they are unlikely to re-sign Carlos Pena.
  • Mariners first baseman/outfielder Mike Carp could be expendable as the club is likely committed to Justin Smoak at first base.  Carp is starting to appear on a few teams’ wish lists and one NL scout is rather high on him.  “He’s an interesting name,” said the scout. “He’s been buried on that roster in a big ballpark, and if you take him out of there, he may break out. He’s someone you’d take a chance on.”
  • One Angels exec expects to see Scioscia back in the dugout for the Halos next season.  “It would be shocking for me,” said the executive. “I know there have been some issues, but Mike is one of the best, and that’s widely recognized. Guys like Sosh don’t come along very often, which is why he has the long-term contract that he does.“But I suppose crazier things have happened.”  Scioscia is signed to a lucrative contract through 2018.
  • The Red Sox could consider Ed Wade as they seek experienced front office help.  There has also been talk that the Sox would consider Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava, but that would require LaCava being offered a bigger title.
  • Rays bench coach Dave Martinez may now be the front-runner for the Astros job because they are using Tampa Bay as their model.  Red Sox bench coach Tim Bogar also has the Rays background and is tight with former Astros second baseman Craig Biggio, who is on the panel that will pick the next manager.

Heyman On Hamilton, Upton, Peavy, Victorino

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Earlier today, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com checked in with an American League executive to get his predictions on what kind of deals this winter's top free agents might get.  Here are some highlights..

  • The exec sees Josh Hamilton getting a five-year, $150MM deal, giving him a guaranteed average annual value of $30MM and eclipsing the record set by Alex Rodriguez's ten-year, $275MM pact.  The Rangers aren't known for giving out excessively-long deals, meaning that he would likely have to take five years to stay in Texas.  One person in the know wondered if the Rangers would even go to five to keep the outfielder.
  • Executives believe that the Rays will make the qualifying offer of around $13MM for B.J. Upton as his nice all-around season should net him at least a four-year deal elsewhere.  The exec sees $60MM over five years for Upton, but Heyman notes that it's a pretty good center field market with Michael Bourn and Shane Victorino also out there.
  • White Sox pitcher Jake Peavy could get a two year deal worth $25-30MM in the opinion of the AL exec.  Heyman adds that it isn't hard to see the Dodgers making a play for Peavy after years of watching him dominate for the Padres.
  • The executive thinks Dodgers outfielder Shane Victorino could fetch a two-year, $25MM deal and Heyman sees the Nationals, Mets, Braves, Phillies, and Giants as possible fits.  However, he'll have to lower his expectations after originally seeking a five-year deal.
  • The AL exec sees Angels pitcher Zack Greinke getting $125MM over six years.  Nats pitcher Edwin Jackson is in line for a four-year, $55MM deal, according to the exec, though Heyman thinks he'll get less. 

East Notes: Utley, Phillies, Lowe, Mets

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Chase Utley recently suggested to the Phillies that he could give third base a try next season, giving them a much needed boost at the position.  However, the idea isn't quite the slam dunk that it would appear to be, writes Eric Seidman of Fangraphs.  On the surface, Utley would give the club a better upgrade that free agent options such as Geoff Blum, Miguel Cairo, Kevin Kouzmanoff and Scott Rolen.  On the other hand, it wouldn't be a true win for the Phillies unless they could find a suitable fill-in for Utley at second.  There are a few appealing middle infield options on the open market that could possibly be had on low-cost, short-term deals like Jeff Keppinger and Stephen Drew, but there's not much beyond that.  Here's more out of the NL and AL East..

  • Derek Lowe says that he doesn't regret signing with the Yankees despite the fact that he likely won't make the postseason roster if the Bombers qualify, writes Zach Schonbrun of the New York Times.  The veteran also didn't get the opportunity to make a start while Ivan Nova and Andy Pettitte were sidelined.  The 39-year-old isn't sure if he wants to pitch out of the bullpen next season, but recently agent Scott Boras admitted that it would be difficult to find Lowe a starting job with a contender.
  • The Mets front office remains committed to Terry Collins beyond this season despite the team's slide, tweets Mike Puma of the New York Post.  Puma was told emphatically that Collins is returning next year, which has been the tone of the reports surrounding the manager's future for most of the summer.
  • Former Nationals pitcher Livan Hernandez says that if he were in General Manager Mike Rizzo's shoes, he would have shut down Stephen Strasburg too, writes Amanda Comak of The Washington Times.  In a recent poll, more than 60% of MLBTR readers said that they disagreed with the Nats' decision.
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