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Albert Pujols

Heyman On Pujols, Fielder, Mets, White Sox

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Albert Pujols' impressive postseason performance has increased his free agent stock, Jon Heyman writes at SI.com. Some say the Cardinals won't improve their offer from nine-years and a bit more than $200MM, but their postseason success may help their chances of re-signing the three-time MVP. Here are the details and more of Heyman's notes from around the league:

  • MLB executives tell Heyman that they expect Pujols to sign for more than Prince Fielder despite Fielder's youth (he's four years younger than Pujols).
  • Heyman's sources generally expect Pujols to stay in St. Louis, but predicting Fielder's next team is much more difficult.
  • Some of Heyman's sources expect Fielder to sign a deal similar to Adrian Gonzalez's seven-year, $154MM extension. I don't think it's a great comp, since Gonzalez didn't sign his deal on the open market.
  • Heyman reports (on Twitter) that the Mets have hired former A's manager Bob Geren as their bench coach. Interestingly, the A's hired manager Bob Melvin after a stint with the Mets.
  • The White Sox didn't seriously consider anyone other than Robin Ventura once they decided they wanted the former third baseman to be their next manager.
  • Francisco Rodriguez told Heyman that he'd like a three-year deal.
  • The Pirates are looking for starting pitching. It appears that they'll decline Paul Maholm's option for 2012.

Quick Hits: Sizemore, Carmona, Pujols, Wilson, Nova

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Wednesday night linkage..

  • The Indians plan to take their time in deciding whether to pick up the options on Grady Sizemore and Fausto Carmona, writes MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.  Sizemore, who underwent surgery on his right knee earlier this month, has a club option worth $9MM with a $500K buyout while Carmona's option is worth $7MM for next season.
  • The Cardinals are hopeful that the good feelings from this postseason might carry over into the Albert Pujols negotiations this winter, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated.
  • Even though the Marlins are expected to spend this offseason, Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel (via Twitter) doesn't like their chances of landing Pujols or C.J. Wilson.
  • If Yankees pitcher and former Rule 5 pick Ivan Nova can build off of an inspiring rookie season, he’ll be taking one of the rarest career paths in baseball history, writes Josh Goldman of Fangraphs.

Giants Notes: Pujols, Cain, Lincecum, Zito

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Giants GM Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy discussed the 2011 season at a year-in-review press conference today and Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle has the details:

  • The Giants are going to focus on the pitching staff before addressing the offense this winter.
  • There are strong indications that the Giants won’t push for free agents Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols, according to Schulman.
  • Sabean won’t rule out a long-term deal for Tim Lincecum, but negotiations with Matt Cain will be a higher priority, since Cain is eligible for free agency one year from now. Lincecum appears to prefer short-term deals anyway.
  • Barry Zito and non-tender candidate Jonathan Sanchez will be in Spring Training competing for the rotation, according to Sabean. This is the strongest indication yet that Sanchez will be tendered a contract this offseason. His salary will likely surpass $6MM in 2012.
  • Sabean and Bochy said Aubrey Huff didn’t do enough to get in shape last offseason and they have told him to do more this winter.
  • The Giants have said they want to upgrade in center field and the leadoff spot. They don’t consider Justin Christian to be the solution, so Schulman wonders if Coco Crisp could be a fit.
  • If the Giants don’t pick up Jeremy Affeldt’s $5MM option, they’ll renegotiate another deal with him. As I explained earlier in the month, Affeldt would be in position to command a multiyear deal in free agency if the Giants allow him to hit the open market.
  • The Giants will look to add second base depth, though they may not be willing to meet Jeff Keppinger’s asking price.
  • Sabean says the Giants will give Cody Ross "due consideration" as a free agent, according to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News (on Twitter).

Quick Hits: Nunez, Scouts, Pujols, Indians

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Links for Sunday evening as the Red Sox beat the Yankees 7-4 in 14 innings.  The Rays now sit one game back in the wild-card hunt with a three game set against the Bombers to go..

  • Marlins reliever Edward Mujica hopes that the club gives the closer formerly known as Leo Nunez another chance, writes Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel.  Nunez, or Juan Carlos Oviedo, is arbitration eligible and it’s unclear whether the club is required to tender him a 2012 contract before the December 12 deadline.
  • There's going to be some big name players on the open market this winter but there are also going to be some important scouts available for hire, Bob Nightengale of USA Today notes (on Twitter).  Among those available are Gary Hughes (Cubs), Larry Corrigan (Pirates), Bryan Lambe (Mets), Keith Champion (Pirates), and Wayne Krivsky (Mets).
  • No one knows for sure if Albert Pujols will wind up with a new club this offseason, but Cubs slugger Carlos Pena believes that he'll stay with the Cardinals, writes Carrie Muskat of MLB.com.
  • This season, the Indians drew 1.84MM in 81 home games, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter).  That figure marks an increase of 450K from last season.

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.

Rosenthal On Darvish, Marlins, White Sox, Astros

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Let's take a look at what FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal has for us in his latest edition of Full Count..

  • It's expected that  C.C. Sabathia will opt out of his deal this offseason, but after that the most coveted pitcher this offseason might not be the Rangers' C.J. Wilson.  Rather, some say it could be Japanese hurler Yu Darvish.  Darvish is not a free agent, he'll have to be posted by his Japanese club and after that his rights will go to the highest bidder.  The process has backfired on MLB teams before, but Darvish is seen as different because he has lived outside of his comfort zone in Japan for virtually all of his life.
  • Improbable as it might seen, a rival GM says that there is logic to the Marlins making a run for either Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols this winter.  The Fish are moving into a new ballpark but there are still questions about whether they can sustain long-term success.  Either slugger would obviously be a major draw in tandem with Mike Stanton and that would surely get fans in the seats.
  • If Ozzie Guillen lands with the Marlins and Tony La Russa stays with the Cardinals, the identity of the White Sox's next manager could hinge on the type of team they field in 2012.  If they go all in, they'll likely want a veteran manager and if they go with a younger club they'll probably want a younger manager.  With Juan Pierre and Mark Buerhle approaching free agency and Carlos Quentin and John Danks as trade candidates, the time is now if the club wants to rebuild.
  • Baseball's biggest problem with approving Jim Crane as Astros owner stem from concerns about his past business practices and whether he would make a good long-term owner.  Crane's deal with the current owner Drayton McLane expires on November 30th and meanwhile, baseball's labor talks continue.  The players are reluctant to go to two additional wild cards unless there are fifteen teams in each league.  The easiest way to do that would be to shift the Astros to the American League, but for now the club remains on hold.

Quick Hits: Pujols, Nunez, Mets, Moneyball

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With some Major League teams restricting players from consuming energy drinks, you'll have to rely on these late-night news items to perk you up…

  • The Cardinals' re-signing of Lance Berkman is a good move for several reasons, argues Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  Berkman's presence will help convince Albert Pujols that the Cards can remain competitive or, if Pujols did leave, Berkman could replace Pujols as the club's first baseman.
  • Speaking of Pujols, Tony La Russa praised his star for not being distracted by his pending free agency, reports MLB.com's Steve Overbey.  La Russa also commented on Pujols' future, saying "I just know both parties want to stay here, so I'm hopeful it will work out."  No doubt Pujols' decision will factor heavily in La Russa's own decision about exercising his side of the mutual option on his contract for 2012.
  • Leo Nunez (a.k.a. Juan Carlos Oviedo) could face jail time in the Dominican Republic for using a false identity, reports Ezra Fieser and Frances Robles of the Miami Herald.
  • The Mets recently signed 16-year-old, Venezuelan right-hander Luis Carreno, tweets Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.
  • Scouts from around baseball are telling Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that they won't be going to see Moneyball given how the A's scouts are portrayed in the movie.  Slusser herself objected to how former A's manager Art Howe was turned into "a villain" in the picture.  "It’s essentially character assasination of a man who is well-liked all over the sport," Slusser writes.
  • For more on Moneyball, check out my review of the film.

Major Offseason Signings Possible For Dodgers

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The Dodgers are a bankrupt company with declining revenues, but that doesn’t have to stop them from offering nine-figure contracts to their best players and the stars on the free agent market, according to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times. Shaikin surveyed players, agents, union officials and MLB executives and heard that the Dodgers will be able to spend despite the ongoing financial issues of owner Frank McCourt.

 Michael Weiner is not only the executive director of the Players Association, he represents the interests of the Dodgers’ creditors. He says it’s in “everyone's interest for the team to be competitive and not compromised in trying to operate." Rob Manfred, MLB’s executive VP for labor relations, told Shaikin that McCourt is ”free to sign players to long-term contracts," though deals could require approval if they surpass $100MM.

The Dodgers’ revenues will likely drop $27MM this year, but MLB guarantees all player contracts, according to Shaikin. That means a team’s bankruptcy wouldn’t put a player at risk of losing any guaranteed money on a pre-existing deal. 

GM Ned Colletti has talked about improving the team’s offense in “the most dramatic” way he can, so fans have started wondering about a long-term deal for MVP candidate Matt Kemp and the possibility of signing a middle-of-the-order hitter like Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols. Kemp’s agent, Dave Stewart, told Shaikin that the Dodgers have not started discussing a long-term deal for the center fielder, who can file for free agency after 2012. Kemp isn’t worried about the direction of the team and would consider a multiyear deal if the Dodgers make a proposal.

Fielder has said that he’ll evaluate possible suitors based on their ability to win, but Scott Boras, the first baseman’s agent, pointed out that all players aren’t so forgiving. Pujols has said he plans to weigh offers from teams based on a number of factors, including minor league systems and the willingness of ownership groups to spend on improving the team, according to Shaikin.

Ned Colletti Talks Offseason

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Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times has a slew of information from Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti regarding the team's offseason plans. Colletti feels that his team's pitching and defense have been sufficient, but that the offense is lacking and needs to be bolstered:

"I say the most dramatic way we can improve the offense, that would be the way we would go," Colletti said.

Obviously, that could be an allusion to Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols, but the Dodgers' uncertain ownership and financial situations make a signing of that magnitude a stretch. Dilbeck points out that Colletti has never signed a player to a $100MM+ deal, and that Kevin Brown is the only player in Dodgers' history to receive such a contract. At the same time, however, Dilbeck also notes that the Dodgers do have $25MM in contracts coming off the books, so a run at one of the Top 2 free agents isn't necessarily unfathomable.

In the likely event that neither player comes to the Dodgers, Colletti says that James Loney is someone they'd "love to have back." Loney's overall numbers don't appear all that productive, but he's batting .355/.435/.653 with seven homers in his last 37 games. A strong finish could persuade the Dodgers to bring him back, although doing so would require giving him a raise on this year's $4.875MM salary — a risk given Loney's mostly underwhelming numbers.

Colletti also mentions re-signing Hiroki Kuroda as a priority; even if they were to retain Kuroda though, they'd require a fifth starter. Nathan Eovaldi and Dana Eveland can both be candidates, and of course the free agent market figures to offer plenty of low-budget reclamation projects that could be brought in to fill that role as well.

Beyond that, role players such as Tony Gwynn Jr., Casey Blake, Aaron Miles, and Juan Rivera may all return "in the right situation." For what it's worth, Gwynn told Dilbeck's colleague Jim Peltz that he hopes to return to the Dodgers next season.

NL Central Notes: Pujols, Cardinals, Fielder, Cubs

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The Cardinals still don't know whether or not Albert Pujols will be playing in St. Louis past this season, and the team is making moves to prepare for either scenario, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Cards are currently negotiating with the agents of Lance Berkman and Rafael Furcal in an effort to retain both players on short-term deals. Strauss adds that the team hopes Pujols' future will be decided no later than December 11th. Here's the latest on a couple other NL Central clubs:

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