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Odds & Ends: K-Rod, Gibbons, Ricciardi, Uehara

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Links for Halloween Sunday, as we prepare to take in our last October baseball game of 2010….

  • SI.com's Jon Heyman says (via Twitter) the early feeling is that Francisco Rodriguez will be back with the Mets this year. There has been speculation that they would try to trade the closer following his late-season arrest, but that would have proven difficult with his contract. 
  • John Gibbons has informed the Mets that he's not a candidate for their managerial opening, tweets Bob Klapisch of The Bergen Record. The former Blue Jays' manager is happy with his role as Kansas City's bench coach.
  • The Mets are still trying to lure J.P. Ricciardi to their new front office, reports ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin.
  • Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com notes that it doesn't appear as if the Orioles have made much of an attempt to keep Koji Uehara. Uehara finished 2010 as the team's closer, but he is scheduled to be a free agent in the not-too-distant future.
  • Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun recaps the Orioles' coaching situation, and tells us that if Don Wakamatsu doesn't land a managerial job, he'll likely be Buck Showalter's bench coach. Showalter would like the coaching staff to be finalized by mid-week.
  • Dave Eiland, who was fired as the Yankees' pitching coach last week, told Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger that a reported falling out between he and Joe Girardi was "totally, absolutely false," and "ridiculous."
  • How potential free agents have been performing, and continue to perform, in the postseason will have an impact on the Giants' offseason decisions, Brian Sabean tells Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. Aubrey Huff, Juan Uribe, and Pat Burrell are a few Giants who are facing possible free agency.
  • Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer reminds Phillies fans that if Jayson Werth signs elsewhere, it wouldn't be the first time the club has lost a star outfielder to free agency. As Brookover notes, things turned out pretty well for the Phils in 2007, when Aaron Rowand signed with the Giants after having a career year in Philadelphia.
  • In a piece for the Detroit Free Press, Josh Huebner explains why signing Carl Crawford should be the Tigers' number one priority this winter.
  • Derek Jeter will likely still be playing shortstop in New York in 2011, but as Bill Madden of the New York Daily News writes, the Yankees view Eduardo Nunez as Jeter's eventual successor.

Amateur Signing Bonuses: Phillies

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The Phillies are next in our series looking at the five largest bonuses each team has given to amateur prospects…

  1. Gavin Floyd, $4.2MM (2001)
  2. Pat Burrell, $3.15MM (1998)
  3. Brett Myers, $2.05MM (1999)
  4. Cole Hamels, $2MM (2002)
  5. Chase Utley, $1.78MM (2000)

Philadelphia managed to land an above-average big leaguer with each of those bonuses, but unfortunately Floyd developed into that player with another team. Taken fourth overall in 2001, he pitched to a 6.96 ERA with 6.2 K/9 and 5.3 BB/9 in 108.2 innings with the Phillies before being traded to the White Sox (along with Gio Gonzalez) for Freddy Garcia in December 2006.

As the first overall pick in 1998, Burrell's deal paved the way for the mega-deals we see now. The $3.15MM bonus was part of a five-year, $8MM major league contract, an unheard of amount for a draftee back then. Burrell reached the big leagues less than two years after being drafted, and was a fixture in the Phillies' lineup for the better part of a decade. He hit .257/.367/.485 with 251 homers in seven years with Philadelphia before departing for the Rays as a free agent after the 2008 season.

Myers was the 12th overall pick in 1999 and made his big league debut in July 2002. He made 30+ starts every year from 2003-2006, and overall pitched to a 4.40 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 183 starts and 57 relief appearances with the Phillies. He, of course, signed with the Astros as a free agent last winter.

Hamels is yet another first round success story, reaching the majors less than four years after being drafted 17th overall. He owns a 3.53 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 149 career starts, taking home World Series MVP honors in 2008. More money well spent.

Might as well save the best for last. Utley was the 15th overall pick in 2000 and first reached the big leagues in 2003. He's a .293/.380/.514 career hitter at a premium up-the-middle position, earning five consecutive trips to the All Star Game (2006-2010) and three top eight finishes in the NL MVP voting (2006, 2007, 2009) in his career. Since Utley's first full season in '06, only Albert Pujols (42.6) and Joe Mauer (33.8) can top his 30.8 WAR. 

Odds & Ends: Lee, Lewis, Blue Jays, Moyer

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Links for Friday as the Rangers prepare for a crucial game 3 tomorrow night..

Greg Dobbs Elects Free Agency

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Greg Dobbs has elected free agency, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki (on Twitter). The 32-year-old hit just .196/.251/.331 this year and the Phillies designated him for assignment twice during the season. Though Dobbs has less than six years of service time and could have been retained through arbitration, the Phillies were comfortable letting him go.

They signed Dobbs to a two-year $2.5MM deal after he hit .284/.331/.467 in 598 plate appearances from 2007-08, mostly against right-handed pitching. Back in 2008, Dobbs set the franchise record for pinch hits in a season with 22.

Odds & Ends: Wood, Dunn, Valentine, Hoover

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Links for Thursday, before the Rangers try to even out the World Series…

  • The Cubs would welcome Kerry Wood back to Chicago if they have enough money, according to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com. The Yankees declined Wood's 2011 option yesterday, so he'll be free to sign with the team of his choice soon after the World Series.
  • Nationals manager Jim Riggleman says he wants Adam Dunn to re-sign in Washington, but points out that "there's going to be some pretty good talent out there" if Dunn leaves, according to Ben Goessling of MASNSports (on Twitter).
  • Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel hears that the Brewers are open to hiring managerial candidates Bob Melvin and Joey Cora, though they’ll likely talk to Bobby Valentine about a potential deal (Twitter link).
  • The Phillies outrighted Paul Hoover off of their 40-man roster.
  • Former Braves and Orioles pitching coach Leo Mazzone told Gary Williams and Steve Phillips of SIRIUS XM radio that he’d have interest in becoming the pitching coach for the Yankees or Mets.

Possible Platoon Partners For Domonic Brown

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Jayson Werth is days away from free agency, so if the Phillies intend to re-sign their right fielder, they'll have to bid directly against other interested teams. There's a real chance Werth signs elsewhere this winter, so the Phillies are thinking ahead. Manager Charlie Manuel has acknowledged that he may pair Domonic Brown up with a more experienced player who can handle southpaws and play right field.

Brown, just 23, had no trouble hitting minor league pitching this year (.327/.391/.589 line) but he bats from the left side and the Phillies could ease him into the big leagues by limiting his exposure to left-handed pitching. Here are eight outfielders the Phillies may consider as platoon partners for Brown:

  • Jeff Francoeur, 26 years old, non-tender candidate – Frenchy has his faults, but the 26-year-old can handle lefties. He has a .299/.343/.481 line against them in his career.
  • Matt Diaz, 32 years old, non-tender candidate – Diaz has a .335/.373/.533 line against lefties in his career.
  • Juan Rivera, 32 years old, trade candidate – The Angels will have to part with an outfielder if they sign Werth or Carl Crawford. Rivera, who spent most of the 2010 season in left field, has a career .288/.333/.499 line against lefties.
  • Jose Guillen, 34 years old, free agent – He struggled against lefties this year, but boasts a .270/.327/.460 line against them in his career.
  • Xavier Nady, 31 years old, free agent – Nady, who struggled through the 2010 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, has a .297/.367/.451 line against lefties in his career.
  • Andruw Jones, 33, free agent – Jones would likely be able to find more playing time elsewhere, so he's not a natural fit in Philly, but his career (.261/.361/.501) and 2010 (.256/.373/.558) numbers against left-handers must have the Phillies salivating.
  • Milton Bradley, 32, trade candidate – Again, Bradley seems like an unlikely target for the Phillies, but he has a .300/.382/.488 line against left-handers in his career and could be available.
  • Willie Bloomquist, 32, free agent – He has a .272/.334/.366 line against lefties in his career – not much pop, but he's far more versatile than the players above. Bloomquist played all three outfield positions and all four infield positions this year, so Manuel could use him elsewhere if Brown wins the job outright.
  • Austin Kearns, 30, free agent – Kearns has a career .261/.383/.416 line against lefties and may have trouble finding an everyday job.
  • Ben Francisco, 29, on the Phillies – Francisco has a .267/.347/.460 career line against left-handers.

Diaz and Francoeur handle lefties well and can play right field, so they would be good fits for the Phils if they are indeed non-tendered. Rivera, Nady, Bloomquist and Kearns would also be legitimate options and none of the players listed figure to cost more than a few million on a one-year deal, so the Phillies are well-positioned to recover if Werth leaves and they consider alternatives to Francisco. Their biggest challenge will be helping Brown improve upon the .210/.257/.355 line he posted in 70 plate appearances this summer.

Phillies Notes: Werth & Manuel

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Phillies manager Charlie Manuel provided a look into the team's offseason plans on 610-WIP and David Murphy of The Philadelphia Daily News passes along the details. Let's round them up…

  • "I think we definitely have some money to spend," said Manuel when asked about the possibility of retaining Jayson Werth. "But at the same time, the problem is, length-wise of a contract, and also what direction we want to go in."
  • Manuel said he believes they can develop a top-notch hitter, presumably referring to top prospect Domonic Brown, allowing them to target high-end pitchers during the offseason.
  • Reporters floated the idea of a rightfield platoon if Werth departs, and Manuel acknowledged that possibility. Murphy says not to be surprised if they target a lesser righthanded bat like Jeff Francoeur or Matt Diaz to pair up with Brown or Ross Gload. Ben Francisco could also be an internal option in this scenario.
  • "I think [GM Ruben Amaro Jr.]'s got a lot on his plate as far as which way he wants to go in getting it done," said Manuel. "But I think he can. Evidently he definitely still wants to negotiate with Werth. It sounds like he's going to talk to Scott Boras, his agent, and things. That's definitely the first priority. And then that will lead us into which way he wants to take our team."
  • As for his own contract, which is up after next season, Manuel indicated that Amaro told him they'd speak this fall, probably before Christmas.

Odds & Ends: Ortiz, Girardi, Molina, Werth

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On the eve of the World Series, here are some news items to tide you over until the big Lee/Lincecum battle tomorrow night…

Phillies Decline Option On J.C. Romero

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The Phillies declined their $4.5MM option on lefty reliever J.C. Romero, tweets Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  He'll receive a $250K buyout instead.

Romero, 34, posted a 3.38 ERA, 6.8 K/9, and 7.1 BB/9 over 53.3 innings spanning the 2009-10 seasons after tossing 59 innings in '08.  He had flexor tendon elbow surgery in October of '09 and also had a 50 game suspension that year for using a banned supplement. 

The Phillies signed Romero to a three-year, $12MM deal in November of '07, even though he's always demonstrated big control problems.  Romero, who says he's got "a brand new arm," joins Scott Downs, Pedro Feliciano, Arthur Rhodes, and others on the lefty relief free agent market.

Boras Defends Werth

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At yesterday's press conference, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. was asked how the team's offense could be good or better without Jayson Werth.  Part of Amaro's response:

Jayson had a good year. It wasn't an extraordinary year. He had kind of a tough time with men in scoring position, so he didn't have as productive a year as he had in the past. But I think if he's not with us, there are players that we can acquire or we have in our own organization that can help us be as consistent.

It was odd to see a GM point out a player's shortcoming, although Amaro was correct in that Werth hit .186/.353/.314 in 190 plate appearances with runners in scoring position.  Of course, the sample is small and Werth was just fine with runners in scoring position in previous seasons.  Werth described the 2010 RISP numbers as an anomaly, talking to CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury.

Werth's new agent Scott Boras sidestepped the runners in scoring position angle, but still defended his client in a discussion with Salisbury.  Boras explained, "Compared to '09, he was up 30 points in batting average, 15 in on-base percentage, 30 in slugging, 40 in OPS. He had fewer home runs, but he had 20 more doubles."  Valid points.  Boras also said Werth's defense was "better than it has ever been," a point that is more difficult to prove.  The agent once again praised Werth's "center field acumen," though he's never played there regularly in the Majors.

As he typically does, Boras added that the Phillies have the money to retain Werth.

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