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Padres Notes: Byrnes, Aristy, Roster Moves

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Happy 48th birthday to Bip Roberts, who joined the Padres via the Rule 5 draft and went on to play seven seasons in San Diego.  Some news from the modern-day Friars…

  • Josh Byrnes' rise from low-paid Indians intern to the Padres' new general manager is profiled by MLB.com's Corey Brock.
  • Prospect Alvaro Aristy, who signed with the Padres in July 2008 for a $1MM bonus, has been discovered to have lied about his age and name, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America.  Aristy's real name is Jorge Leandro Guzman and he is about two and a half years older than his claimed age (16) when he signed with the Padres.  Guzman is now 22 and still a prospect in the club's system.  The Padres were able to recoup about $900K of their bonus from an insurance claim.
  • Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune discusses such topics as the Padres' front office shakeup, how Byrnes has learned from his previous stint as a GM in Arizona and who the Padres might retain on their 40-man roster during his weekly live chat with fans.

Front Office Notes: Tigers, Epstein, Red Sox, Padres

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Here are some notes from front offices around MLB, as the Angels continue interviewing candidates for their GM job…

  • Tigers assistant GM Al Avila told MLB.com's Jason Beck that he's happy to stay in Detroit, where the Tigers have a good thing going under president and GM Dave Dombrowski. The Tigers denied the Orioles and Angels permission to interview Avila this offseason and have made similar denials in the past. For more on Avila’s development as an executive, check out my piece about him from August.
  • Andy MacPhail was a two-time World Series winner when he went from the Twins to the Cubs in 1994. He told Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com that he sees similarities between himself and current Cubs president Theo Epstein, but says it’s now a "different kettle of fish" because fans  generally have higher expectations.
  • Epstein promised not to raid Boston's front office to staff his baseball operations department in Chicago, according to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.
  • Earlier tonight, the Cubs and Padres confirmed that San Diego GM Jed Hoyer and assistant GM Jason McLeod will leave the Padres to accept positions with Epstein in Chicago. Meanwhile, Josh Byrnes is becoming the Padres' new GM.  
  • The Padres will acquire compensation for Hoyer and Byrnes after this December's Rule 5 Draft, according to Dan Hayes of the North County Times (on Twitter).

Hoyer, McLeod To Join Cubs; Byrnes Now Padres GM

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Theo Epstein's first deal as the Cubs' president of baseball operations may be one of the most significant moves of his tenure in Chicago. The Cubs and Padres have confirmed that San Diego GM Jed Hoyer and assistant GM Jason McLeod will leave the Padres to accept positions with Epstein. 

Once the World Series ends, the Cubs will introduce Hoyer as their executive VP and general manager and McLeod as their senior VP of scouting and player development. The Cubs will send the Padres a player to be named later as compensation for the two executives.

Meanwhile, Josh Byrnes will be introduced as San Diego's executive vice president and general manager next Monday, according to the Padres. Byrnes, formerly the Padres' senior VP of baseball operations, worked under current Padres CEO Jeff Moorad in Arizona, so he already knows his boss well. Byrnes was Arizona's GM from 2005-10, leading the Diamondbacks to a division title in 2007 before losing his job last July. MLBTR's Transaction Tracker offers a look back at his moves as the club's GM.

The NL West has featured some noteworthy personnel changes in the past year and a half. A.J. Hinch, the former D'Backs manager who was fired along with Byrnes last July, is now San Diego's assistant GM, so Hinch and Byrnes, two former D'Backs, now run the Padres while a longtime Padres executive, Kevin Towers, runs the D'Backs.

Byrnes worked with Epstein and Hoyer in Boston before leaving for Arizona. Before Hoyer obtained the San Diego job, he worked for Epstein as Boston's assistant GM from 2006-09. McLeod was Boston's scouting director from 2005-09.

Minor Moves: Johnson, Maysonet

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Here are today's minor moves…

  • Padres catcher Rob Johnson has cleared outright waivers and elected free agency, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock (on Twitter). Johnson, 28, posted a .190/.259/.285 line in 199 plate appearances as San Diego's backup catcher in 2011, preventing 23% of stolen base attempts. 
  • The Brewers announced that they re-signed infielder Edwin Maysonet to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to Spring Training. The 30-year-old posted a .290/.347/.386 line for the Brewers' Triple-A affiliate in 2011 and hasn't played in the Major Leagues since 2009.

A’s Release Wuertz, Claim Scribner, Hunter

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The A's announced that they released Michael Wuertz to create 40-man roster space for right-hander Evan Scribner and outfielder Cedric Hunter, who were claimed off of waivers from the Padres. The A's held a $3.25MM option for Wuertz in 2012 ($250K buyout) and in releasing him now, they're essentially declining the option early, as expected.

Wuertz, 32, posted a 6.68 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and 7.0 BB/9 in 33 2/3 innings for the A's in 2011, just two seasons after emerging as one of the league's dominant setup men. He battled hamstring and thumb injuries this year and is now a free agent.

Scribner, 26, made his MLB debut with the Padres in 2011, posting a 7.07 ERA with 6.4 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 14 innings. He spent most of the season at Triple-A Tucson, where he posted a 4.71 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 28 2/3 innings of relief. Most of Oakland's bullpen will return in 2012, so the A's won't be counting on Scribner.

Hunter, 23, spent most of the 2011 campaign at Triple-A after making San Diego's Opening Day roster. He posted a .255/.322/.358 line at Tucson, but didn't play after being placed on the disabled list with a strained right groin on July 17th.

Front Office Notes: Orioles, Cashman, Cubs, Padres

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Theo Epstein is officially the Cubs' president of baseball operations and the Red Sox have announced that Ben Cherington will be Boston's next GM, but there's still lots of front office turnover on the horizon. Here are the latest details from around MLB:

  • De Jon Watson's interview for the Orioles' GM job will take place on Wednesday, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). I spoke to Watson, the Dodgers' assistant GM, last month. He's up against Jerry Dipoto of the Diamondbacks and Tony LaCava of the Blue Jays.
  • Chase Headley and Heath Bell told Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune that they expect a smooth transition from Jed Hoyer to Josh Byrnes when Hoyer leaves the Padres to become the Cubs' new GM.
  • Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune explains that Cubs president Crane Kenney will move exclusively to the business side now that Epstein is the club's president of baseball operations. Kenney is a polarizing figure in Chicago and the role he played in obtaining Epstein is unclear, according to Sullivan.
  • Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times says letting assistant GM Randy Bush go would be a mistake for the Cubs.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman met with Hal Steinbrenner in New York today and Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the sides expect to be able to complete a new deal for Cashman with relative ease (Twitter link).

Quick Hits: Padres, Orioles, Wilson, Sizemore

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Here are some Quick Hits as the Rangers have evened up the World Series 2-2..

  • Even though Padres GM Jed Hoyer and assistant GM Jason McLeod are headed to the Cubs, Baseball America's Jim Callis told Dan Hayes of the North County Times that the club should still be able to maintain their strong farm system.
  • When speaking to reporters, Commissioner Bud Selig didn't rule out the possibility of a collective bargaining agreement announcement before the end of the World Series, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
  • Orioles manager Buck Showalter is a big admirer of what the Blue Jays do which leads many to think that Tony LaCava will land the GM job, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated.  Jerry Dipoto is also in the mix for the job.
  • C.J. Wilson is well aware that his scheduled start in Game 5 of the World Series could be his last with the Rangers, but his impending free agency is the furthest thing from Wilson's mind, writes Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest.
  • Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster hopes that Theo Epstein sparks a cultural shift in Chicago, writes Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.
  • The Indians' biggest need this winter is a productive hitter that they can slide into the middle of the order, writes Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer.  Preferably, that hitter would play first base, third base, left field, or right field.
  • It could be worthwhile for a team such as the Giants to take a one-year flier on center fielder Grady Sizemore, writes John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle.  Shea also runs down his predictions for many of this winter's top free agents including Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, and C.J. Wilson.
  • If Cardinals Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. lets  Albert Pujols walk now after his mythical Game 3 performance an angry uprising from St. Louis fans is inevitable, writes Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-1024-cubs-epstein-dempster–20111024,0,3092647.story

Red Sox Notes: Managerial Search, Farrell, Gonzalez

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With the Red Sox expected to name Ben Cherington as their GM on Tuesday, the organization must now focus on finding their next manager.  Here's the latest on their search and more..

  • Commissioner Bud Selig told reporters before tonight's game that the Red Sox and Cubs will have until November 1st to work out a deal before he intervenes, writes Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com.  Meanwhile, it's expected that Mike Hazen, the current director of player development for the BoSox, will be promoted to assistant GM when the dust settles.
  • There will no more dialogue between the Red Sox and Cubs on compensation for Theo Epstein until after the Tuesday press conferences, Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com (via Twitter) has been told.
  • Recently, Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos told Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca that they do not require rival teams to seek permission to interview their employees.  That leads Davidi (via Twitter) to believe that they would not seek compensation should John Farrell decide to leave for the Red Sox.
  • While there has been industry speculation that the Red Sox could go after a current manager of another big league team, they have no such plan at this time, a source familiar with the team's search told Alex Speier of WEEI.com.  That would rule out possible candidates such as John Farrell of the Blue Jays and the Padres' Bud Black.
  • Once he takes over as GM, Ben Cherington figures to interview candidates like Tim Wallach of the Dodgers, Dale Sveum of the Brewers, Pete Mackanin of the Phillies, and Dave Martinez of the Rays, writes Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald.  If the Cubs decide to replace Mike Quade, Cherington may find himself vying with Epstein for Ryne Sandberg.  Boston courted Sandberg to manage Triple-A Pawtucket before he took the Phillies’ Triple-A job instead.
  • More from Alex Speier of WEEI.com as he wonders aloud if the Red Sox's first baseman of choice still would have been Adrian Gonzalez if they waited until after 2011 to make their move.  Gonzalez's seven-year, $154MM contract goes into effect in 2012.

Epstein, Hoyer, Cubs Links: Saturday

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The Red Sox officially announced last night that GM Theo Epstein had resigned from his position to take over as the the Cubs president of baseball operations. Both teams will hold press conferences on Tuesday; the Cubs to introduce Epstein, and the Sox to likely announce that Ben Cherington is taking over as GM. The two sides have "reached an agreement regarding a process by which appropriate compensation will be determined" and the issue will be "resolved in the near term."

Meanwhile, the Padres have officially granted the Cubs permission to speak to GM Jed Hoyer and assistant GM Jason McLeod. San Diego has already agreed to a list of players from which they will choose their compensation package. Former Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes is expected to replace Hoyer after the World Series, and the Cubs will not raid the Padres' front office any further. As news trickles in about the three-way GM carousel, we'll keep track of it all right here, with the latest up top…

  • Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe cautions Red Sox fans not to expect a "windfall" in exchange for Epstein. Abraham expects Boston to receive two or three prospects, or one prospect and a complementary Major Leaguer like Jeff Baker.
  • Dan Hayes of The North County Times says (on Twitter) we're unlikely the learn the full list of players the Padres can choose from, but a source confirmed that Starlin Castro and Andrew Cashner are not on it. That's not surprising, the Padres are expected to receive minor leaguers in exchange for letting Hoyer and McLeod leave.
  • In a pair of tweets, WEEI.com's Alex Speier notes that because he is coming in as an outsider, Epstein is likely to value the Cubs' prospects differently than those already in the organization. That could lead to a swift resolution of the Cubs-Red Sox compensation talks.
  • ESPN's Buster Olney points out (on Twitter) that Epstein will cost the Cubs about the same as what Alfonso Soriano makes per month. He calls it a "huge per-dollar talent grab" for the north siders.
  • With a handful of front-office types and a manager changing teams this offseason despite being under contract, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wonders whether the Red Sox could seek another team's manager to be their next skipper (Twitter).

Quick Hits: Braves, Diamondbacks, Padres, Epstein

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On this day 36 years ago, Joe Morgan's ninth-inning RBI single helped earn the Big Red Machine a Game Seven win over Boston. That 1975 World Series was ranked by ESPN as the second-greatest in baseball history. While this year's Fall Classic has a long way to go to reach that level, the Cardinals and Rangers are off to a good start, having traded one-run victories so far. Here are today's links from around the league, as we await Game Three….

  • The Braves have hired Greg Walker, formerly of the White Sox, as their hitting coach, writes David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Walker was one of three candidates interviewed by Atlanta.
  • Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic shares scouting reports and biographies for eight international free agents signed by the Diamondbacks this summer. The reports, via Arizona's international scouting director Carlos Gomez, are must-reads for D'Backs fans.
  • Within Piecoro's piece, he adds that the Diamondbacks re-signed a pair of players, Mike DeMark and D.J. Johnson, to minor league deals.
  • Dan Hayes of the North County Times spoke to Baseball America's Jim Callis about the improvement of the Padres' farm system this season.
  • With Theo Epstein officially heading to Chicago, Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald lists the five best and five worst moves the former GM made for the Red Sox.
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