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NL Central Notes: Astros, Lee, Reds

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The NL Central's two playoff representatives both play tonight. The Cardinals host the Phillies in St. Louis and the Brewers could eliminate the D'Backs in Phoenix. Here's the latest on the division's non-playoff teams as we await today's games…

Pirates Notes: Huntington, Cole, Coaches

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The Pirates were unable to use their momentum to propel them into the playoffs this year but things are looking bright in Pittsburgh.  Here are a few items on the Bucs..

22 Triple-A Players Elect Free Agency

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A total of 22 players that finished the year in Triple-A elected free agency after the end of the regular season according to the transaction pages of the Pacific Coast and International Leagues. All but one of those 22 players (Matt Carson, formerly of the Rays) played in the big leagues this season. Here's the full list:

Dusty Brown (Pirates), Travis Buck (Indians), Armando Galarraga (D'Backs), Jay Gibbons (Dodgers), Edgar Gonzalez (Rockies), Steve Holm (Twins), Wil Ledezma (Blue Jays), Andy LaRoche (Athletics), Felipe Lopez (Brewers), Lastings Milledge (White Sox), Pat Misch (Mets), Pat Neshek (Padres), Mike O'Connor (Mets), Matt Palmer (Angels), Felix Pie (Orioles), Brad Snyder (Cubs), Brett Tomko (Rangers), Wyatt Toregas (Pirates), P.J. Walters (Blue Jays), Randy Williams (Red Sox), and Reggie Willits (Angels).

Pirates Notes: Doumit, Snyder, Ohlendorf

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The latest from the Bucs, who are looking to keep their streak of losing seasons from reaching 20 next year…

  • The Pirates are expected to decline contract options on Ryan Doumit, Chris Snyder and Paul Maholm, plus non-tender Ross Ohlendorf, reports Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.  Doumit will earn a $500K buyout and says he hasn't considered renegotiating his contract in order to possibly remain in Pittsburgh.
  • Ohlendorf tells Biertempfel that he'd like to return next season. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes listed Ohlendorf as "on the non-tender bubble" in his recent analysis of the Buccos' arbitration-eligible players.  Ohlendorf would receive just a modest raise from his $2.025MM salary in 2011, though Biertempfel believes that the Pirates can't afford paying that much to a pitcher who projects best as an extra bullpen arm.
  • With Doumit and Snyder possibly both gone, it could leave the catcher's job wide open for Michael McKenry.  Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette talked to McKenry about how the young backstop has developed this season.

NL Central Notes: Cubs, Cordero, Pirates, Barmes

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The Astros are playing spoiler against a former bitter rival of theirs tonight, as they try to halt the Cardinals’ improbable playoff bid. Here are some notes from the NL Central, while the two clubs play in Houston… 

  • Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts told Cubs reporters, including Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune, that he's looking to name a GM as soon as possible, but cautions that there's "no point in rushing" the process. Ricketts pointed to the Diamondbacks to remind reporters that turnarounds can happen quickly in baseball under the right circumstances.
  • Ricketts added that he expects GM candidates to see the four-year extension that director of player personnel Oneri Fleita obtained this summer as a positive. 
  • It's looking like the Reds will complete a deal with Francisco Cordero instead of picking up his $12MM option for 2012 ($1MM buyout), according to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer (on Twitter). We heard yesterday that Reds GM Walt Jocketty is optimistic about working out a deal with his closer. For the latest on Cordero and other MLB closers, check out CloserNews.com.
  • Ryan Doumit told Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he thinks his chances of returning to Pittsburgh in 2012 are "slim" (Twitter link). The Pirates hold a $7.25MM option ($500K buyout) for the backstop next year.
  • Clint Barmes told MLB.com's Brian McTaggart that he would like to return to the Astros next year. However, the shortstop is open to exploring other options and he realizes that Houston’s ownership changes could affect offseason plans. Earlier in the month, I revisited the trade that sent Barmes to the Astros.

Arbitration Eligibles: Pittsburgh Pirates

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The Pirates are next in our arbitration eligibles series.

While the Pirates have a large quantity of arbitration eligible players (11), no one projects to make even $4MM in 2012.  Pearce, Wood, and Ohlendorf may be on the non-tender bubble.  Pearce and Wood would barely make more than the league minimum, though Ohlendorf would likely stay around $2MM.  Jones remains useful against right-handed pitching and I think that justifies a potential $2.4MM salary.

Relievers Meek, Resop, Veras, Grilli, and Hanrahan figure to be tendered contracts.  Each should fall between $800K and $1.5MM, with the exception of Hanrahan, whose saves should propel him to $3.9MM.  Starters Morton ($2.2MM) and Karstens ($2.8MM) will remain affordable as well.

If Meek, Jones, Morton, Resop, Hanrahan, Karstens, Veras, and Grilli are retained, the total could be around $16MM.  Assuming Ronny Cedeno's option is declined, the Pirates will have around $26MM committed next year before accounting for minimum salary players.  With payroll expected to rise from this year's $42MM Opening Day figure, the Bucs could have a good $20MM in 2012 flexibility.

Quick Hits: Red Sox, Pirates, CBA

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There's one day of regular season games remaining on the schedule and it's going to be a good one. The Rays and Red Sox are tied with 90-71 records and the Braves and Cardinals are tied with 89-72 records. Two of those clubs will make the playoffs as Wild Card teams and the others will be watching the postseason along with the rest of us. Here are today's links…

  • The Red Sox could still acquire a starting pitcher for a possible play-in game with the Rays (it would take place Thursday). But as Rob Bradford of WEEI.com explains, the Red Sox would have to complete a deal by tomorrow night for MLB to allow it.
  • Matt Kemp (NL MVP), Craig Kimbrel (NL Rookie of the Year), Jose Bautista (AL MVP), Justin Verlander (AL Cy Young) and Dustin Ackley (AL Rookie of the Year) would all win major awards this offseason if ESPN.com's Keith Law had the only vote for each honor.
  • Ronny Cedeno told MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch that he hopes the Pirates exercise his $3MM option instead of buying him out for $200K. The Pirates don't have an obvious internal candidate to replace Cedeno and his .251/.299/.339 batting line.
  • Tom Tango wonders if adding a salary cap would actually help small-market teams like the Pirates. If MLB implemented a salary cap, rich teams could spend more on player development and research.
  • The owners are concerned that realigning MLB into two 30-team leagues would limit their ability to market interleague play, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. No one is talking about expansion given the current issues troubling many teams, but at some point adding two clubs could be a way for owners to ensure that each league has an even number of teams.

Huntington Talks Offseason

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With GM Neal Huntington under contract through at least 2014, the Pirates can focus on the upcoming offseason.  Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette spoke to Huntington yesterday; here are a few highlights.

  • On first baseman Derrek Lee, Huntington said, "We'd like to have him return.  It's a two-way street. He's got to walk through some things. Is he going to play next year? Does he want to play in Pittsburgh next year or does he have a better opportunity to do something different?"  Lee, 36, hit .341/.390/.604 in 100 plate appearances for the Pirates since coming over in a July trade with Baltimore.  If Lee confers with his family and decides to play in 2012, he'll likely be looking at a one-year deal below the $7.25MM base salary he earned this year.
  • Huntington said the odds of the Pirates needing only six starters again in 2012 are slim, implying that the team will look to add rotation depth.
  • Trades will be considered; despite their rebuilding process Huntington said the Pirates have prospects about which they're willing to talk. 
  • The Pirates have drawn 4,337 more fans per game compared to last year, an increase of almost 22%.  The increased revenue will lead to a bigger payroll, but much of the increase will go toward arbitration raises.  The Pirates' 11 arbitration eligible players are Evan Meek, Garrett Jones, Charlie Morton, Chris Resop, Steven Pearce, Brandon Wood, Ross Ohlendorf, Joel Hanrahan, Jeff Karstens, Jose Veras, and Jason Grilli.  We'll have estimated salaries and non-tender predictions for you later this week in our arbitration eligibles series.  The Bucs opened the season with just a $42MM payroll.

NL Central Rumors: Pujols, McCutchen, Fielder

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The division has been clinched, but the NL Central games today are still very much worth monitoring. The Brewers are a game up on the Diamondbacks in the race for first-round homefield, while the Cardinals need to win today's rubber match against the Cubs to stay on the Braves' heels in the Wild Card race. Here are the rest of today's items of interest out of the NL Central:

  • Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that today's contest could be Albert Pujols' last home game as a Cardinal. Strauss goes on to preview the upcoming Pujols negotiations, noting that the Cards aren't currently inclined to top the nine years and annual figure of $22-$22.5MM they offered last winter.
  • Strauss goes on to say that the Cardinals are "wary of bidding against themselves," meaning they likely wouldn't increase last year's offer until they have a better idea of their competition for Pujols.
  • Extension talks will resume between the Pirates and Andrew McCutchen this winter, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Biertempfel hears from team and industry sources that the Pirates will likely offer a six-year deal with a club option.
  • Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times ranks the best of the upcoming free agent class, with the NL Central duo of Pujols and Prince Fielder occupying two of the top three spots.

Pirates Acquire Eliecer Cardenas

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The Pirates announced that they have acquired right-hander Eliecer Cardenas from the Braves to complete the deal that sent Matt Diaz back to Atlanta last month. The Braves acquired Diaz from Pittsburgh for a player to be named on August 31st, the last day for teams to add players who are eligible for the postseason.

Cardenas, 23, reached Double-A this year, though he spent most of his season at Class A. The Dominican pitched 59 2/3 total innings, all in relief, and posted a 2.11 ERA with 11.5 K/9 and 5.3 BB/9 (his ERA with Class A Lynchburg was 0.79). The Braves selected Cardenas from the Twins in the minor league phase of last winter's Rule 5 draft.

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