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Week in Review: 9/14 – 9/20

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Another week down here at MLBTR, here’s your review!

  • The Brewers fired manager Ned Yost on Monday. Yost has taken a lot of criticism, and while I personally don’t feel like it’s a bad move, it seems like an odd time to disrupt the clubhouse, given that the Brewers are right in the wild card race. Perhaps this was intended to spark the Brewers and act as a wakeup call, but they have just two wins since the move.
  • In an attempt to cut payroll, the Tigers may have to move Magglio Ordonez this offseason. Ordonez will make $18MM next year and has options for 2010 and 2011. Anyone else think the Reds should make a serious run at Maggs? A lineup filled with Jay Bruce, Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto, Edwin Encarnacion, and Ordonez could be extremely potent, to go along with a rotation anchored by Edinson Volquez, Aaron Harang, and Johnny Cueto.
  • Despite their bullpen woes, the Mets are not likely to make a run at either Francisco Rodriguez, or Brian Fuentes either. The Mets’ internal options have been bad, but K-Rod is in for a record-setting deal, and aside from the sheer number of saves, I don’t feel that his numbers stand out to the point where the team that lands him is going to get the full value of that contract. Personally, I think passing is a good decision.
  • Are the Royals currently interested in making a move for Braves’ right fielder Jeff Francoeur? The Royals have very few guys with solid OBPs, and adding Francoeur to the everyday lineup doesn’t seem like the route to go. Still, he has a long-standing relationship with Royals GM Dayton Moore, so it could be a valid possibility. The Royals have said they are willing to part with anyone aside from Zack Greinke, Gil Meche, and Joakim Soria.
  • The Red Sox and Theo Epstein have agreed to a contract extension.
  • Things to think about for in the offseason: Kevin Gregg expects to be traded, Matt Cain wants to stay in San Francisco, Milton Bradley wants a long-term deal and feels he has a 50-50 chance at returning to the Rangers. In the meantime, likely non-tender candidates include both Josh Bard and Erik Bedard.
  • Tim updated the Offseason Outlook series with entries for the Athletics, Braves, and Tigers. He also took a look at the Third Base Market, led by Casey Blake.
  • And for anyone curious about Manny Ramirez’s end in Boston, here’s Curt Schilling’s take on the situation.

Heyman’s Latest: Epstein, Cano, Hudson

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Highlights from Jon Heyman’s latest column at SI.com:

  • Brewers owner Mark Attanasio reportedly made the decision to fire Ned Yost, but GM Doug Melvin’s power is not diminished.
  • Theo Epstein’s new agreement is for three years.
  • Heyman notes "talk lately that the Yankees might consider trading Robinson Cano."  Apparently Cano still has good trade value and the Yankees could fill multiple needs in a deal.  Heyman says the Dodgers are interested.  Cano was subject of an odd Dodgers rumor back in July.  The Yanks would be interested in Orlando Hudson if they were to trade Cano.
  • Alex Rodriguez patched things up with Scott Boras, who he considers "a good guy."

Epstein Agrees To Extension

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WEDNESDAY: Amalie Benjamin sifts through the murky statements regarding the Epstein negotiations.  Regardless, it looks like he’s staying.

TUESDAY: According to Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe, Red Sox GM Theo Epstein has agreed to a contract extension.  Some details still need to be hammered out though.

Epstein’s moves since winning the World Series last year:

  • Re-signed Mike Lowell, Curt Schilling, and Mike Timlin.
  • Exercised options on Julian Tavarez and Tim Wakefield.
  • Offered arbitration to Eric Gagne; selected Bryan Price with compensation pick.
  • June draft picks also included Casey Kelly and Ryan Westmoreland.
  • Acquired David Aardsma.
  • Signed Bartolo Colon and Sean Casey.
  • Traded Manny Ramirez, Craig Hansen, and Brandon Moss; received Jason Bay.
  • Acquired Mark Kotsay and Paul Byrd.

Several Teams Could Have New GMs In ’09

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A few articles today take a look at some GM positions in ’09 that will have new faces…

  • Michael Radano takes a look at who might fill the GM post for the Phillies in ’09. Based on the Phillies current success, Radano wonders if they should just promote from within. That would mean one of the team’s assistant GMs, Mike Arbuckle and Ruben Amaro Jr. Both Arbuckle and Amaro have interviewed with other teams for open GM positions in the past.
  • Rick Freeman takes a look at the names most likely to end up as the GM in Seattle (John Hart, Gerry Hunsicker, Kevin Towers, Kim Ng) and the Phillies (Hunsicker, Arbuckle, Amaro Jr) noting that Hunsicker was the leading candidate for the same post three years ago prior to the hiring of Pat Gillick. He also notes that Kevin Towers will not likely be kept from interviewing with other teams this time around and Ned Colletti could be gone if the Dodgers miss the playoffs. Among the GMs that Freeman believes will remain with their current teams are Brian Sabean, Brian Cashman and Theo Epstein, the latter two of whom are in the final year of their respective contracts.
  • A blogger interviewed Paul DePodesta. The Padres assistant General Manager sounds like somebody that has no interest in becoming a GM for another organization, saying "I think I’ve moved around enough and when you land in a place like San Diego there isn’t much incentive to leave. The reality is that I came here for a number of reasons, both professional (the people who work here) and personal (my wife’s family), so unless those things change I would like to stay here as long as they’ll have me." DePodesta may be waiting for Towers to move to another organization.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.

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