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Sherman’s Latest: Dodgers, Mattingly, Greinke, Puig

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The failure of the Dodgers $310MM roster leaves the club to deal with some tough decisions, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. President Andrew Friedman and GM Farhan Zaidi focused on improving clubhouse chemistry in their first season at the helm. The reports are largely positive with manager Don Mattingly and pitcher Zack Greinke both commenting on the improved chemistry. However, Friedman and Zaidi didn’t add much of value at the trade deadline. Their principle additions – Alex Wood, Mat Latos, Luis Avilan, and Jim Johnson contributed almost nothing to the postseason roster.

Here’s more from Sherman on the Dodgers offseason:

  • Mattingly has won three straight division titles, but he may be on the hot seat anyway. Friedman and Zaidi inherited Mattingly so their decision to stick with him could depend on their working relationship. By discarding Matt Kemp, Hanley Ramirez, and Brian Wilson from the roster, the Dodgers were left with a more cohesive roster. Mattingly deserves credit for managing the complicated outfield platoon and transition from Jimmy Rollins to Corey Seager. The Dodgers problems – namely a thin rotation and thinner bullpen – were hardly Mattingly’s fault. The roster construction simply fell short. However, Mattingly could still wind up as the scapegoat, especially if the front office has a better candidate in mind.
  • As CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman first reported, Zack Greinke will opt out after the season. We’ve previously seen five years and $150MM as a high estimate for Greinke, but Sherman thinks the bidding could go beyond that threshold. However, Greinke isn’t the type to “chase the last dollar” if he doesn’t see a clubhouse fit. The Dodgers have plenty of questions in the rotation after Clayton Kershaw. It seems likely they’ll sign at least one of Greinke or fellow free agent ace David Price.
  • Outfielder Yasiel Puig is the lone leftover problem child from the previous administration. The club could trade him after a disappointing season, but they would be selling low. Teams would still be interested due to an affordable three years and $19.5MM remaining on his contract. Other franchises are worried about his reputation, injury history, and thickening body. As Sherman puts it, a thicker Puig may experience further injury and lose explosiveness at the plate.

Dodgers Notes: Grandal, Kendrick, Peralta, Mattingly, Greinke

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The Dodgers figure to come up in the news quite a bit in the coming days as the team’s focus now shifts to the offseason after last night’s loss to the Mets in Game 5 of the NLDS. Earlier today, Jon Heyman already touched down on topics including Don Mattingly’s future, Zack Greinke’s opt-out and qualifying offers for Howie Kendrick and Brett Anderson.

Here’s  more on the Dodgers…

  • Yasmani Grandal will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder on Wednesday of next week, writes the Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett. The switch-hitting catcher termed the procedure “just a cleanup” but said he looks forward to no longer dealing with pain in the joint. As Plunkett notes, Grandal played through that discomfort for two months, which resulted in a woeful seven hits over his final 104 at-bats.
  • Also from Plunkett’s column, Kendrick says that he very much wants to return to the Dodgers in 2016, though he declined to get too far into specifics. The Dodgers are “on top of [Kendrick’s] list,” the second baseman said before neglecting to elaborate any further. Heyman reported this morning that Kendrick will receive a qualifying offer from L.A.
  • One last note from Plunkett’s piece — right-hander Joel Peralta will pitch again in 2016. The 39-year-old nearly underwent neck surgery that could have ended his career earlier in the season, but he returned for a strong final month of the season, prompting him to decide he’d like to pitch for at least another season. He’ll head to winter ball to make up for some of the innings he lost. Peralta logged a 4.34 ERA with 7.5 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 and a 33.7 percent ground-ball rate in just 29 innings this year, but he allowed just two runs with 11 strikeouts and no walks over his final nine innings of the season.
  • While Mattingly’s job security figures to be a topic of discussion after another NLDS exit, members of the clubhouse seem to be behind him, writes Zach Helfand of the L.A. Times. Hefland quotes Justin Turner, J.P. Howell and Enrique Hernandez each emphatically defending Mattingly, stating that the reason for the team’s early postseason exit stems from a lack of run-scoring, which shouldn’t be blamed on the manager. “I would play for Donnie any day of the week,” said Turner. “…I’m behind him 100 percent. I think he’s an unbelievable manager, did an unbelievable job handling everything that goes on both on and off the field with this club, and he’s got my support 100 percent.”
  • Buster Olney and Keith Law of ESPN discussed the Dodgers in today’s podcast (audio link, with Law appearing around the 27-minute mark), specifically last night’s game (including managerial decisions on both sides) and the future of Mattingly. Both Olney and Law feel that Mattingly will be dismissed. Law opines that while Mattingly isn’t one of the game’s better tactical managers, he’s not among the worst, and much of the team’s postseason struggles must be blamed on the front office and the roster construction. Olney discusses the fact that Andrew Friedman’s strategy of building platoons and part-time roles worked in Tampa Bay with less-established players, but it’s highly difficult to make that strategy work when dealing with veteran players on expensive contracts. Also discussed is how the Dodgers should be willing to overpay to retain Greinke, with Law projecting Greinke’s style of pitching to hold up well over the life of a theoretical free agent contract.

Heyman’s Latest: Greinke, Mattingly, QOs, Gordon, Anderson, Hunter

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Jon Heyman of CBS Sports kicks off Friday morning with a pair of columns — the first being a piece on Zack Greinke’s opt-out status and the second being his weekly Inside Baseball column. Heyman writes in the first piece that Greinke will indeed opt out of the remaining three years and $71MM on his Dodgers contract, as has been widely anticipated for the better part of a year. One general manager suggested to Heyman that Greinke will receive, “at minimum,” multiple offers of $125MM over the next five seasons. That GM wagered a guess at the winning bid: $150MM over five years. Heyman notes that while many teams — the Cubs, Giants, Red Sox, Yankees, Tigers, D-Backs and Rangers, among others — will be in the mix for Greinke this winter, the right-hander enjoyed 2015 with the Dodgers more than he enjoyed his first two seasons, and L.A. will attempt to bring him back. Per Heyman, Greinke didn’t mesh with Josh Beckett and Hanley Ramirez in previous years but had nothing but positive feelings about the 2015 campaign.

Onto some highlights from his second column…

  • There’s no certainty on the job status of Don Mattingly right now despite three consecutive division titles, Heyman writes. Mattingly is well-liked by the new Dodgers front office on a personal level, and the team is pleased with how he handled Andre Ethier’s shift to a part-time role, A.J. Ellis’ shift to a backup role in favor of Yasmani Grandal, and the emergence of Corey Seager over Jimmy Rollins late in the year. Mattingly’s people-managing skills are valued by the Dodgers, even if his in-game tactics aren’t quite as strong. Heyman notes that with the Dodgers unconvinced of Mattingly as their long-term option, they may allow him to interview with other clubs, and both the Nationals and Marlins would show interest.
  • The Orioles are believed to be hesitant to make a qualifying offer to Matt Wieters and will only do so if they’re convinced that he won’t take it. (I can’t imagine a Scott Boras client that plays a premium position in the midst of his prime age doing so under any circumstances.) The White Sox will make a QO to Jeff Samardzija, who will not accept it, as has been suggested multiple times over the past couple of months.
  • Colby Rasmus, on the other hand, is not expected to receive a $15.8MM qualifying offer from the Astros despite 25 regular-season homers and a strong postseason showing. Heyman writes that Alex Gordon will be “a name to keep an eye on” in connection with the Astros this offseason, as the team may look to inject its lineup with more on-base percentage and batting average than the 2015 crop. They’ll also look for more steady production at first and third base this winter after a season of boom-or-bust results from Luis Valbuena and Chris Carter.
  • The Dodgers are set on making a qualifying offer to Howie Kendrick and are also planning on making a QO to Brett Anderson despite his injury history. The latter of the two drew some surprise when Heyman shared it with execs around the league, though as he points out, L.A. is in need of pitching. If Anderson accepts — again, a scenario I find unlikely given his age and strong 2015 results — he’d solidify a spot in the rotation behind Clayton Kershaw. And, I’ll point out, Anderson’s 2016 salary would then check in just $3.4MM north of the $12.4MM he earned in total after receiving a $10MM base salary and earning another $2.4MM worth of innings-based incentives this season.
  • The Twins are willing to pay a premium to bring Torii Hunter back to their clubhouse if he’s willing to take a reduced role. Hunter, though, has been resistant to that idea in the past. He’s not yet decided whether or not he’ll return to the Majors for his age-41 season or call it a career.
  • Other qualifying offer notes from Heyman throughout the column indicate that Padres people have suggested that they’ll make a QO to Ian Kennedy, though rival execs remain skeptical. Current expectation in the industry is that the Mets won’t make a qualifying offer to Daniel Murphy, and the same is true of the Nationals with regard to Denard Span, who suffered through an injury-shortened season. Kennedy and Murphy seem like easy calls to decline the qualifying offer to me, whereas Span is a tougher case due to his age and injuries, which included season-ending hip surgery. I can see a case for Span taking the $15.8MM payday — the initial contract extension he signed with the Twins, after all, was only for $16.5MM guaranteed, though that rose to $25MM after his 2016 option was exercised.
  • The Nationals have received permission from the Giants to interview bench coach Ron Wotus to fill their managerial vacancy. Wotus has coached on the Giants’ Major League staff for the past 17 seasons and is a two-time Minor League Manager of the Year.

NL East Notes: Cespedes, Ng, Marlins, Nationals

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Scouts are buzzing over Yoenis Cespedes, writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, but not necessarily over his power. Some clocked Cespedes at 3.9 seconds from home plate to first base in beating out a grounder to Jimmy Rollins in Game 3 of the NLDS, Heyman writes, and that burst of elite speed just serves as a demonstration of the rare blend of power and quickness he brings to the table. One anonymous GM from a club not expected to pursue Cespedes told Heyman he expects the outfielder to land a contract in the vicinity of $150MM over a six-year term. The Mets have never spent at that level, but Heyman notes that despite having a stable outfield situation, the team very much wants to retain him.

A few more notes from the NL East as the Mets begin preparation for a decisive Game 5 in the NLDS after falling to Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers 3-1 in Game 4…

  • Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer opines that Kim Ng is the best fit for the Phillies’ general manager vacancy. Brookover spoke to bench coach Larry Bowa, who knows Ng well from his time working for the Yankees and Dodgers while she was an assistant GM in those organizations. Bowa spoke highly about Ng’s baseball acumen, and Brookover notes that having worked in front offices and for the league’s central offices dating back to 1991, Ng would have a wide base of connections from which to draw when making scouting and baseball operations hires.
  • MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro provides a breakdown of the Marlins’ managerial search, outlining five factors to keep an eye on as the process plays out. Frisaro backs up recent reports that owner Jeffrey Loria is particularly interested in Don Mattingly, but there’s no indication yet that he’ll be dismissed from the Dodgers, and if he’s not, the Dodgers would seek compensation to allow him to go to Miami. Frisaro also looks at the possible implications for the coaching staff and emphasizes that the Marlins will seek prior managing experience in any candidates.
  • While the Nationals have a nice core in place, there’s at least somewhat of a split opinion on whether or not the team should continue trying to put together a winner this offseason or embark on somewhat of a rebuild, sources from the team’s board of directors and front office tell ESPN’s Jim Bowden (ESPN Insider subscription required). Bowden opines that a bat to complement Bryce Harper in the middle of the lineup, a proven starter (even with Joe Ross likely able to step into the rotation) and sorting out the Jonathan Papelbon/Drew Storen mess should top the Nats’ priority list this winter.

Managerial Notes: Nevin, Cora, Mariners, Marlins, Mattingly

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There were a host of updates this morning on all four managerial openings around the league. Here’s the latest:

  • Long-time big leaguer Phil Nevin, who most recently has served as the manager of the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliate, has drawn broad interest, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports on Twitter. Nevin has already interviewed with the Marlins and Nationals, as expected, and will also sit down with the Padres and Mariners. Nevin, 44, spent the most memorable stretch of his 12-year big league career in San Diego, where he racked up a .288/.359/.503 slash in over 3,000 plate appearances.
  • The Padres will also interview long-time big leaguer Alex Cora, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Cora, who currently works as an analyst, has often been mentioned as a managerial candidate and served as a skipper in his native Puerto Rico. The 39-year-old spent parts of fourteen seasons in the majors, the last of those with the Nationals in 2011.
  • The Marlins and Nationals will also interview Cora, according to a tweet from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Like Nevin, it seems, he’ll be given a look by all the teams currently seeking new field leadership.
  • Indeed, Cora is also expected to receive interest from the Mariners, according to ESPN.com’s Jim Bowden (Insider link). Other names that could be weighed in Seattle include Padres bench coach Dave Roberts, Rays third base coach Charlie Montoya, Angels special assistant Tim Bogar, and former big league skipper Bud Black, per the report. We’ve heard Bogar mentioned previously as a possible favorite, with a variety of other names that could be considered.
  • The Nationals will not only take a look at Nevin and Cora, but will also interview Black this week, Nightengale tweets, which was widely expected. Washington also has interest in Giants bench coach Ron Wotus, James Wagner of the Washington Post reports.
  • Bowden says to look for the Marlins to interview an “eclectic” mix of possibilities for their managerial vacancy — a description which could, it seems, be applied to many of the other openings. The club is giving indications that it will wait to make a decision until the Dodgers decide whether to retain Don Mattingly, as he’d be considered a strong candidate in Miami.
  • You can keep track of all the latest developments for three of the above teams’ managerial situations at the following links: Marlins, Nationals, Padres. (We’ll start one for the Mariners in short order.)

Managerial Notes: Mattingly, M’s, Girardi, Alomar

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Here’s a look at some of the rumors surrounding the game’s open managerial positions, including speculation about some current skippers…

  • Don Mattingly may be Jeffrey Loria’s preferred choice to manage the Marlins, CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reports.  Loria has “apparently developed a relationship with Mattingly, and is intrigued by the possibility” of having the Dodgers manager shift into the Miami’s dugout next season.  This would, of course, hinge on whether Mattingly is even available, though Heyman suggests that L.A. could look for a change at manager if the team fails to win at least one playoff round.
  • Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto said that managing is “more about environment, leadership and energy” than it is about an analytical background, telling reporters (including MLB.com’s Greg Johns) that “too much is made of analytics. That’s a little overblown.”  Dipoto’s ideal manager would blend both the old-school and new-school methods of thought: “It is not all about the data you’re provided or what you’re seeing with your eyes, it’s somewhere in between. A prerequisite will be to find someone who can balance those in an effective way.”
  • It was no surprise that Dipoto parted ways with Lloyd McClendon, Larry Stone of the Seattle Times writes, given that McClendon was likely not as receptive to analytics as Dipoto would’ve preferred.  Stone lists Bud Black, Scott Servais (who’s more likely to join the M’s as a front office member), White Sox third base coach Joe McEwing, Angels third base coach Gary DiSarcina and long-time Mariners Raul Ibanez and Dan Wilson as possible managerial candidates, though Angels special assistant Tim Bogar looks like the favorite, as was reported yesterday.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman told reporters (including George A. King III of the New York Post) that Joe Girardi’s job is safe for 2016.  “[Girardi] is signed for two more years and managed the team to the playoffs. It’s not his fault we didn’t hit. He managed a perfect playoff game,” Cashman said.  Girardi is under contract through the 2017 campaign and is owed $4MM in each of the next two seasons.  He is 735-561 with six postseason appearances (including the 2009 World Series title) over his eight seasons as New York’s manager, though this year’s AL Wild Card Game loss was the Yankees’ only playoff game since 2012.
  • The White Sox have spoken to Indians first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. about becoming the team’s new bench coach, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.  Raul Ibanez is also reportedly a candidate for the bench coach job.  Jim Margalus of the South Side Sox blog breaks down Alomar’s candidacy and wonders if the White Sox could install Alomar as manager if a slow start gets Robin Ventura fired next year.  Margalus also opines that Alomar may not want to commit to a coaching job quite yet since he could be a candidate for one of the open managerial spots around baseball.

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