Quick Hits: Padres, Orioles, Wilson, Sizemore
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.
Red Sox Notes: Managerial Search, Farrell, Gonzalez
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
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
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.
Theo Epstein To Officially Join Cubs
The Red Sox and Cubs have announced that, effective immediately, Theo Epstein will take over as the Cubs' new President of Baseball Operations, according to a joint press release by the two clubs. Both organizations will forego further comment until Tuesday, which is the next scheduled non-game day in the World Series.
The press release indicates that 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." If the two sides cannot work out an agreement in the next few days, Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com (via Twitter) hears that Bud Selig could step in and act as an arbitrator.
The Red Sox will announce their next GM at a presser Tuesday and it is expected to be Assistant General Manager Ben Cherington. Meanwhile, Padres GM Jed Hoyer is expected to leave San Diego in order to assume the same title under Epstein. Hoyer will reportedly bring assistant GM Jason McLeod along as well.
The Padres have granted permission to the Cubs to speak with Hoyer and McLeod, tweets Dan Hayes of the North County Times. The Padres have a pre-agreed list of Cubs players to choose from as compensation and no other employees will be taken, Hayes tweets. Meanwhile, San Diego won't officially christen Josh Byrnes as GM until after the end of the World Series, says Hayes (via Twitter).
NL West Notes: Rockies, Spilborghs, Winfree, Padres
Here's a look at a handful of items out of the National League West..
- There will be an agreement in place to prevent the raiding of the Padres' front office by the Cubs once the departures of Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod are official, a team source tells Dan Hayes of the North County Times (via Twitter).
- Rockies third baseman Ian Stewart and outfielder Ryan Spilborghs would like to play winter ball after disappointing seasons, but they are on the fence because of their arbitration-eligible status, writes Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post. Both players are non-tender candidates and could wind up as free agents on December 12th.
- The Diamondbacks added infielder David Winfree to their major league roster, according to their official Twitter page. Arizona also did some roster shuffling yesterday when they outrighted Sean Burroughs, Alberto Castillo and Robby Hammock to Triple-A.
- With Jed Hoyer expected to join Theo Epstein in Chicago, Tom Krasovic of Inside The Padres gives his impression of Hoyer as a GM. While some Padres fans are upset with Hoyer for leaving the club, Krasovic believes that the soon-to-be 38-year-old is simply seizing a rare opportunity.
- The Padres don't expect to lose scouting director Jaron Madison to the Cubs if Hoyer and Jason McLeod join the organization, a team source told Dan Hayes of the North County Times (via Twitter).
Theo Epstein Rumors: Friday
The Cubs and Red Sox have been working toward compensation for Theo Epstein for days without resolution. The Padres are heavily implicated as well, since it appears likely that GM Jed Hoyer and assistant GM Jason McLeod will join Epstein in Chicago with Josh Byrnes becoming San Diego's new GM. Though today's World Series off-day would be an ideal time to announce an agreement, we'll have to wait if there's nothing for the sides to announce. We'll keep track of the latest rumors right here with the most recent rumors up top:
- Commissioner Bud Selig has not yet interceded in the talks between the Cubs and Red Sox, tweets Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe.
- The Red Sox and Cubs are working hard to complete a deal and there appears to be some progress, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (Twitter links). There's lots of optimism that the sides will complete a deal.
- It's "doubtful" that the sides will resolve the deal today, according to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.
Jeff Fulchino Elects Free Agency
Right-hander Jeff Fulchino has elected free agency, according to MLB.com's transactions page. The Padres claimed Fulchino from the Astros at the beginning of September, but he recorded just five outs for San Diego. As a first time arbitration eligible player, he would have been in line for a salary in the $800K range if the Padres had tendered him a contract.
Fulchino, 31, posted a 5.71 ERA with 8.6 K/9, 5.7 BB/9 and a 38.1% ground ball rate in 34 2/3 innings for the Astros and Padres this year. He has a career ERA of 4.84 with 8.2 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 178 1/3 MLB innings since 2006 and his average fastball velocity is 93.3mph.
Quick Hits: Byrnes, Reds, Uehara, Young, Inge
The World Series is tied at a game apiece after the Rangers' thrilling 2-1 victory over the Cardinals tonight. As we look forward to Game Three on Saturday night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, here are a few news items to round out the evening…
- The Diamondbacks will receive "a significant level of financial relief – and perhaps total relief" when and if Josh Byrnes becomes the Padres' new general manager, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. Byrnes had five and a half years remaining on his contract with Arizona when he was fired on July 1, 2010, but the Snakes could be off the hook for the remaining four years left on that deal should Byrnes get another GM job.
- There is nothing new to report on the Reds' negotiations with Brandon Phillips or Francisco Cordero, Reds GM Walt Jocketty tells MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
- Koji Uehara has told people close to him that he wants to return to the Orioles, reports MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli. After being dealt to Texas in July, Uehara struggled in the first two rounds of the playoffs and was left off the Rangers' World Series roster. The Japanese right-hander made enough appearances to activate a $4MM vesting option for 2012, so if the O's want Uehara back, the Rangers would probably be happy to unload him.
- The Red Sox have given the Athletics permission to interview pitching coach Curt Young about the pitching coach vacancy in Oakland, reports Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. Joe Stiglich of the Bay Area News Group (Twitter link) reports Young and the A's are already in negotiations. Young served as Oakland's pitching coach from 2004-2010 before going to Boston to replace John Farrell last winter.
- The Tigers have enough money coming off the books this winter that Tom Gage of the Detroit News thinks Brandon Inge's contract could be swallowed if the team can find a better third base option on the trade market. Inge is set to earn $5.5MM in 2012 and the Tigers hold a $6MM club option on their longtime third baseman for 2013.
Cubs, Red Sox Nearing Epstein Deal
The Red Sox and Cubs are working toward an agreement that would send Theo Epstein to Chicago and one or more prospects to Boston. We learned earlier in the week that Epstein could bring former colleagues and current Padres executives with him to Chicago in a separate deal. Jed Hoyer, Josh Byrnes and Jason McLeod of the Padres worked with Epstein in Boston. Here's the latest on the negotiations with the most recent updates up top:
- "A lot would have to happen" for a final deal to be announced tomorrow, a source tells Scott Miller of CBSSports.com, though it's still possible. Miller also reports that Hoyer will receive a five-year contract, just like Epstein, and the Cubs will send the Padres "one or two lower-level minor leaguers" as compensation for Hoyer.
- The sides have agreed to "nothing" in terms of compensation, according to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com.
- Epstein has been working at his Red Sox office all day, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (on Twitter).
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that Padres assistant general manager Jason McLeod will join Hoyer and Epstein in Chicago. McLeod was Boston's amateur scouting director under Epstein before leaving for San Diego with Hoyer after the 2009 season.
- The Red Sox are less optimistic than the Cubs that a deal for Epstein is near, according to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. "There seems to be a fundamental divide in the way the two clubs look at this," said Silverman's source.
- The Red Sox and Cubs are "finalizing" the deal, according to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com. They're expected to announce the deal tomorrow. It would not include Brett Jackson, Trey McNutt, Matt Szczur or cash. MLB has told the Cubs they can have a news conference tomorrow, a World Series travel day, according to Levine.
- However, Red Sox assistant GM Ben Cherington told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that reports of a deal are "premature" (Twitter link). Cherington says there's nothing new to report this morning.
- The Cubs will name Jed Hoyer their GM within a few days, according to Levine (Epstein would be the club's president of baseball operations). However, the Cubs have not officially asked for permission to interview Hoyer. The Padres will make Josh Byrnes their GM and won't demand compensation for losing Hoyer, according to Levine.
- The Red Sox and Cubs are making progress and the sides could announce a deal by tomorrow, according to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. Commissioner Bud Selig may allow the teams to make an announcement during the World Series so they can proceed with their offseason planning. The Red Sox are optimistic about reaching a settlement soon.