Odds And Ends: Phillies, Manny, Japanese Players
Here are a few more random notes from the MLBiverse…
- Todd Zolecki says the Phillies would likely have to trade Geoff Jenkins or Matt Stairs if they want to add another right-handed bat to the bench, noting that it is not likely for either player to be released after the Phils already ate Adam Eaton’s contract. Zolecki does say that Stair’s $1M salary would be easier to absorb.
- Dan Barbarisi of the Providence Journal gives us some quotes from Terry Francona in response to being asked about Jonathon Papelbon calling Manny Ramirez a “cancer.” Francona would not answer the questions directly but did say “The moves we make, I think that speaks volumes enough.”
- Keith Law scouted the Japanese squad at the World Baseball Classic and gives us the rundown on a few of their better players. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I don’t believe that any of the players mentioned will be eligible to make the jump to MLB anytime soon.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.
Odds & Ends: Phillies, Manny, Japanese Players
Here are a few more random notes from the MLBiverse…
- Todd Zolecki says the Phillies would likely have to trade Geoff Jenkins or Matt Stairs if they want to add another right-handed bat to the bench, noting that it is not likely for either player to be released after the Phils already ate Adam Eaton‘s contract. Zolecki does say that Stair’s $1MM salary would be easier to absorb.
- Dan Barbarisi of the Providence Journal gives us some quotes from Terry Francona in response to being asked about Jonathan Papelbon calling Manny Ramirez a "cancer." Francona would not answer the questions directly but did say "The moves we make, I think that speaks volumes enough."
- Keith Law scouted the Japanese squad at the World Baseball Classic and gives us the rundown on a few of their better players. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I don’t believe that any of the players mentioned will be eligible to make the jump to MLB anytime soon.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.
Odds & Ends: Manny, Papelbon, Pudge, Peavy
Links for Thursday…
- The Nationals remain interested in Duaner Sanchez, says Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post.
- Yahoo’s Jeff Passan talked to Mark Prior.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post heard Manny Ramirez and Scott Boras consider the contract with the Dodgers a one-year deal with a safety net. Sherman wonders if the Yankees and/or Mets could get involved depending on how Manny’s 2009 season plays out.
- Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon commented about Manny to Chris Jones in the April issue of Esquire. It’s a good article and there’s a lot more to it than the Manny comments.
- Free agent catcher Ivan Rodriguez is working out at first base, according to Will Gonzalez of MLB.com.
- The Padres have the third pick in the June draft. Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune asks whether they’ll finally take a player with big upside.
- Jake Peavy‘s agent Barry Axelrod seems to be writing off the Padres, in comments to Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune: "It’s tough with the Padres’ situation. They are not very good and it looks like it is going to be another long year for them."
- Marlins shortstop Robert Andino is out of options, so Mike Phillips of the Miami Herald says this is his audition.
- ESPN’s Buster Olney says Mark Mulder‘s audition is drawing closer and he’s throwing well. Olney also says Luis Gonzalez is waiting by the phone. For a look at the other remaining free agents, click here.
Manny History: Almost A Twin Or Mariner?
I’ve been enjoying the new book Becoming Manny by Jean Rhodes and Shawn Boburg. The book is surprisingly objective for an authorized Manny Ramirez biography.
As you know, Manny was drafted 13th overall in 1991 by the Indians. The Yankees, Braves, Twins, Cardinals, Brewers, Astros, Royals, Padres, Orioles, Phillies, Mariners, and Cubs passed on him. Many teams did not view Manny as a first-round pick, partially because he didn’t speak English well and had not graduated high school. The book also suggests that scouts simply did not enjoy driving out to areas like Washington Heights to watch prospects.
Old school Twins scout Herb Stein recommended Manny, though. From the book:
Stein pushed the Twins to take Manny with their third overall pick. But he was rebuffed by his bosses – a source of bitterness even today. The Twins chose Stanford first baseman David McCarty, who wound up hitting 36 career home runs and batting .242 in eleven major league seasons of part-time duty.
The Mariners also made a run:
Manny was playing a Youth Service League doubleheader. In a late show of interest, the Seattle Mariners’ top scout and assistant to the general manager attended. DeLuca [the scout who signed Manny for Cleveland] felt a wave of panic. After the game, Seattle’s reps talked to [Manny’s coach Mel] Zitter for ten minutes on the right-field line. They passed DeLuca on their way to the parking lot, exchanged greetings and said, "Good luck"- shorthand, DeLuca believed, for, "We’re going to pass on Manny. He’s all yours."
Manny wasn’t even a lock for the Indians. They wanted a pitcher:
Indians general manager Hank Peters and director of player development Dan O’Dowd had been pressuring [scouting director Mickey] White all winter to pursue college pitcher Aaron Sele, a six-three right-hander from Washington State.
Eventually, DeLuca and White were able to convince Indians director of baseball operations John Hart to recommend Ramirez. Sele would go to the Red Sox at #23.
Rosenthal On Pedro, A-Rod, Beimel, Ohman
Here’s the latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…
- One executive tells Rosenthal Pedro Martinez seeks a contract similar to the one John Smoltz received (a $5.5MM base plus $5.5MM incentives). Rosenthal’s speculative candidates for Pedro include the Dodgers, Marlins, Indians, and Mets. He says the A’s, Orioles, Nationals, and Brewers are out.
- Rosenthal does not expect a major acquisition by the Yankees to cover for Alex Rodriguez. He adds that the Yanks will not collect insurance on A-Rod’s salary.
- In addition to Orlando Cabrera, Manny Ramirez has a clause in his contract prohibiting his team from offering arbitration if he’s a Type A free agent after the season. Orlando Hudson and Bobby Abreu do not have such clauses.
- Two GMs told Rosenthal Joe Beimel wants a one-year, $2.5MM deal, but the pitcher’s agent Joe Sroba says they have’t gotten that specific. Sroba says new teams are in the mix for Beimel and he’s waiting for one to be "aggressive and sincere in their pursuit."
- The White Sox and Dodgers are two teams in on free agent lefty Will Ohman.
Manny Ramirez Contract Details
The AP obtained details on Manny Ramirez‘s new contract with the Dodgers. Due to significant deferred money, the present-day value of his ’09 salary drops to about $18.4MM.
The AP story adds that Manny’s decision about 2010 is due on the fifth day after the World Series ends or November 10th, whichever is later. ESPN’s Jayson Stark does some more number-crunching at his blog.
Manny Ramirez Contract Details
SI.com’s Jon Heyman has Manny Ramirez‘s full contract information:
Ramirez’s new $45-million, two-year Dodgers deal is worth $42,005,723 according to the union filing obtained by SI.com. Ramirez is to be paid $25 million for 2009 and $20 million for 2010. But the actual payouts are as follows: $10 million in ’09, $10 million in ’10, $8.33 million in ’11, $8.33 million in ’12 and $8.33 million in ’13. He is to receive no interest on the deferred payments, bringing the value down nearly $3 million from $45 million to $42 million.
For Ramirez, the key is the ability to void the contract after 2009, at which point he can become a free agent. A full no-trade provision is also in the contract.
Heyman On Bradley, A-Rod, Manny
New info from SI.com’s Jon Heyman…
- Milton Bradley‘s two-year, $20MM deal becomes a three-year, $30MM deal only if he plays at least 75 games in 2009. Bradley’s games played totals over the past four years: 126 (mostly DHing), 61, 96, 75. The structure of the deal seems dangerous – does it give Bradley incentive to play hurt?
- Heyman talks about the A-Rod injury situation, running through the various replacement names we’ve discussed.
- Heyman believes the Giants would’ve gotten to the low-$40MM range over two years for Manny Ramirez, and they had not agreed to an opt-out.
Odds & Ends: Gload, Pierre, Beimel
Links for Friday…
- The Dodgers designated Justin Orenduff for assignment to make room for Manny Ramirez, according to Tony Jackson.
- The A's contracts with Orlando Cabrera and Nomar Garciaparra are official.
- WEEI's Alex Speier talked to Marlins prospect Mike Stanton and manager Fredi Gonzalez about the near-acquisition of Manny last summer.
- In another column, Speier looks at the players the Red Sox and Yankees have battled for in recent years.
- Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says a bunch of relievers are vying for one bullpen spot for the Cardinals, now that they've signed Dennys Reyes.
- Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star suggests there's a chance the Royals release first baseman Ross Gload and eat the $1.9MM owed to him in 2009. Rany Jazayerli talks about Gload as well as the chances of the Royals competing this year.
- Tom Tango says Juan Pierre would have to defer his contract for 50 years to be worth acquiring.
- Tracy Ringolsby of Inside The Rockies says the Rox offered Joe Beimel more than $1MM but so far he's passed. Beimel's home run prevention trend might be challenged at Coors Field. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle says the A's are in on Beimel but "have not yet have substantive talks" with his agent.
- Check out a Giants Spring Training preview from the guys behind El Lefty Malo and McCovey Chronicles.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Manny Ramirez
On this date 36 years ago, Yankee teammates Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich made it known that they had traded their families. Seriously. Their entire families including wives, kids and dogs. Kekick and his new "wife" broke up shortly thereafter while Peterson and his new wife may still be together and may have four kids of their own. You can’t make it up. In more recent relationship news, the Dodgers finally signed Manny Ramirez. Let’s take a look at what is being written about Manny and the Dodgers in the Blogosphere…
- The Biz of Baseball takes a look at the Manny deal and the negotiations that led up to it and can describe the entire process with one word: Lunacy.
- Feeling Dodger Blue says the Manny signing takes the Dodgers from an average offense to one of the best offenses in the NL.
- Josh Q. Public says Manny is worth every penny no matter how he left Boston.
- The Ghost of Moonlight Graham offers their feelings on the Manny signing from their perspective as a Red Sox fan.
- Mets Geek says the Manny signing was a sad day for many Mets fans, while the rest can finally get on with their lives.
- Jorge Says No! examines why Manny is the most polarizing presence in baseball right now.
- The Sons of Steve Garvey predict that with the opt-out clause, Dodgers fans will be angry again before the year is done.
On a quick side note…It has been a little while since I have updated my blogroll. While I do receive numerous suggestions from bloggers each week, I would love to hear from you guys. So let’s have it in the comments: Which blogs do you prefer for your favorite team?
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here.