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Managers On The Hot Seat

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It is a slow news day, so we are going to venture a bit off the beaten path…As spring training is now in full swing, a number of managers may have their jobs on the line during the ’08 season. Three managers are in the final year of their deals and another 12 managers have two years left on their contracts. This second group will be due either an extension or a pink slip next winter as few teams are willing to play out a season with a lame-duck manager. Therefore, any manager with two years remaining on their contracts (including options) will likely have their fate determined prior to the ’09 season.

Ignoring managers that may be on the hot seat for other reasons (i.e. Willie Randolph), here is a list of managers that could potentially have their jobs on the line in ’08 based on their current contract situations. (Numbers in parentheses represent the number of years remaining on current contract)

  • Cecil Cooper, HOU (2)
  • Bob Geren, OAK (1+1 team option)
  • John Gibbons, TOR (1)
  • Bobby Cox, ATL (1)
  • Ned Yost, MIL (1+1 team option)
  • Tony LaRussa (2)
  • Bruce Bochy (2)
  • John McLaren, SEA (1)
  • Fredi Gonzalez, FLA (2)
  • Dave Trembley, BAL (1+1 team option)
  • Bud Black, SD (1+1 team option)
  • Joe Maddon, TB (2)
  • Clint Hurdle, COL (2)
  • Jim Leyland, DET (2)
  • Ron Gardenhire, MIN (2)

Taking a closer look at the list…Of the managers in the final year of their deal, Cox will be back if he chooses. LaRussa and Leyland may very well enter ’09 without new deals considering their ages. Yost, Gardenhire, Hurdle and Black look like locks for extensions prior to ’09. However, the remaining eight names on the list (Cooper, Geren, Bochy, Gonzalez, Trembley, Maddon, Gibbons, McLaren) may very well be managing for their jobs in ’08.

By Cork Gaines

Hairston Key To Pads’ OF Dealings

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The Padres still may need more outfield help. Centerfielder Jim Edmonds and rightfielder Brian Giles both are well into the brittle phases of their careers.

Sean Devaney of the Sporting News has Kevin Towers casting his left field lot with Scott Hairston – for the time being. Look for more chatter about Jason Bay, Matt Murton and any other available outfielder if Hairston fails to lock the job down within three weeks.  It’s unclear whether Gabe Gross (who is out of options) is currently of interest.  Kenny Lofton could be a free agent possibility.

Would Towers be willing to part with relievers Wilfredo Ledezma (LH) or Clay Hensley (RH) alone or part of a package to fill an outfield hole?

Hairston put in a nice month’s-worth of games with the Pads last year, slugging .644. That spurt was uncharacteristic of the 27-year-old’s major league career, though.

By Big Mike Glab

Odds and Ends: Spiezio, Pavano, Gross, Jackson

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Links, rumors…

Rosenthal’s Latest: Gross, Weaver, Encarnacion

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Ken Rosenthal is on the scene with some new rumors.

  • Astros president Tal Smith arguing other teams’ arbitration cases.   Rosenthal finds it a bit awkward, while Keith Law finds it to be a hilarious conflict of interest.
  • Possible trades of Matt Murton to the Padres or Rangers seem to have fizzled.  The Padres may turn to the Brewers’ Gabe Gross, a player who previously caught the eye of the A’s, Indians, and Braves.  Our good friend PECOTA sees a .267/.366/.467 line from Gross this year.  With Gross and various veteran starters, the Brewers have some surpluses to work with.
  • Rosenthal believes the Cardinals’ interest in Jeff Weaver to be not especially serious.  They’ve got in-house candidates to start, and Matt Clement needing some time is not a revelation.
  • We’ve read about extension possibilities for Matt Capps and Alex Rios.  To that mix, Rosenthal adds Edwin Encarnacion.  The Reds might want to do it now; he seems primed for a big year.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Barry Bonds

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He has 762 home runs and 7 MVPs. In 2007, he hit 28 home runs in only 126 games and posted a 170 OPS+, which would have led the NL if he had not come up 27 plate appearances short of qualifying. Still, Barry Bonds is without a job for 2008. Some would argue it is because he is 43 years and has bad knees that limit him to DH duty. Others would say it is because he is an unwanted distraction. Some are even beginning to whisper that Bonds is being blackballed by baseball…The Cardinals and the A’s have been linked to Bonds. The Padres were rumored to be in the mix, but publicly have said they are not interested. Marc Topkin wondered if the Rays would be interested, which seems unlikely as the Rays just traded Elijah Dukes and Delmon Young in part because they were headaches. The latest rumor has Bonds possibly playing in Japan in 2008. Could the enticement of setting another home run record convince Bonds to head to the land of the rising sun? With camps in full-swing and Bonds recliner still without a home, let’s take a look at what is being said about Bonds in the Blogosphere…If you think there is a team that is the perfect fit for Bonds in 2008 let us know in the comments.

If there is a topic you would like to see covered in "Baseball Blogs Weigh In" please let me know HERE.

  • Giants Cove is willing to admit that the Giants chemistry will be better in 2008, but there is one glaring problem with the new found chemistry. The Giants cleanup hitter will be Benjie Molina.
  • Athletics Nation notes that signing Bonds would be a smart business decision for the A’s.
  • Catfish Stew wonders if A’s fans will be just as hard on Jack Cust, who was named in the Mitchell Report as they say they will be on Bonds if he signs with Oakland.
  • Yankees Chick finds it curious that so many Yankees fans are clamoring for the Bombers to sign Bonds.
  • Rays of Light notes that baggage aside, DH is already crowded for the Rays with Cliff Floyd, Jonny Gomes and Rocco Baldelli sharing at bats.
  • Metstradamus feels that the chances of the Mets signing Bonds to play the outfield are about 2,000,000 to 1.
  • Gaslamp Ball
    is not surprised the Padres passed on Bonds, noting that San Diego is
    where the giant syringe was thrown at Bonds during a game.
  • Babes Love Baseball can’t understand why Bonds is without a job, but they understand he comes with a bit of a circus and the occasional ’booing’.

By Cork Gaines

Padres Rumors: Stewart, Barrett

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MLB.com’s Corey Brock quotes Kevin Towers as saying a free agent signing is unlikely, which implies that Shannon Stewart is not on the radar.  Towers still may add an outfielder via trade. 

The idea of the Padres and Mariners being interested in Stewart was misconstrued a bit.  Jerry Crasnick said Towers "might be tempted to look at a free agent" and that the Mariners "seem like a potential fit." My summary of his article said the Mariners and Padres were possibilities.  I should’ve been more clear that Crasnick was speculating on those two clubs rather than reporting specific interest – sorry about that.  As for Stewart, only the Blue Jays have made an offer.  He came up in the Toronto organization and had some nice seasons for them.

Back to the Padres.  Brock adds that Michael Barrett is not likely to be traded – Towers likes having two starting-caliber catchers on the roster.  Not an ideal situation for Barrett, but it was his choice to accept the Padres’ offer of arbitration.

Greene Could Stay In San Diego

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Shortstop Khalil Greene recently signed for two years and $11MM, a deal that bought out his arbitration years.  Padres GM Kevin Towers said in January that Greene might prefer to play near his family on the East Coast.

However, MLB.com’s Corey Brock quotes Greene as saying today, "There’s nowhere else where I would want to play than San Diego."  So maybe Greene will re-sign following the ’09 season, after all.  Brock has more quotes from Greene on the Padres’ main site.  He’d like to finish his career in San Diego.

Greene Could Stay In San Diego

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Shortstop Khalil Greene recently signed for two years and $11MM, a deal that bought out his arbitration years.  Padres GM Kevin Towers said in January that Greene might prefer to play near his family on the East Coast.

However, MLB.com’s Corey Brock quotes Greene as saying today, "There’s nowhere else where I would want to play than San Diego."  So maybe Greene will re-sign following the ’09 season, after all.

Shannon Stewart Switches Agents

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Shannon Stewart had a bounceback 2007, finally staying healthy and hitting .290/.345/.394 as Oakland’s left fielder.  Though his left field defense ranked seventh at the position according to the Fielding Bible’s panel of experts, a sub-.400 SLG doesn’t work for a corner outfielder.  He hit all of his playing time incentives in ’07, earning a total salary of $2.5MM.

ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick notes that Stewart "apparently scared off some clubs by looking for a two-year deal earlier this winter."  Is that something Stewart pushed for, or was it his representatives at Legacy Sports Group?  Either way, Stewart has switched to Barry Praver and Scott Shapiro given his lingering unemployment.

Crasnick suggests the Mariners and Padres as two possibilities for Stewart, who is likely to sign quickly under the new representation.  If he sets his sights on one year and a fourth outfielder role he should find something. If Stewart signs elsewhere and Mike Piazza retires, the A’s stand to snag the 39th overall pick in June.  The A’s could find the next Joba Chamberlain, Clay Buchholz, or Huston Street with that pick.

Padres Eyeing Mike Sweeney

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The Padres "have expressed mild interest" in Mike Sweeney, according to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick.  The problem would be finding a fit for Sweeney.  First base or left field would be the logical choices but between the presence of Adrian Gonzalez and Sweeney’s fragility, both seem a long shot.  And there’s no fit at catcher either, if you really want to stretch your imagination.

Crasnick notes that Padres GM Kevin Towers has found the talks for Xavier Nady or Matt Murton to be "slow going," so maybe he’s trying to get creative.

Sweeney, 35, has been a Royal his entire career.  He hasn’t topped 100 games or an .800 OPS since ’05.  It was said in mid-December that Sweeney’s agent had been in touch with the Royals and two other teams.

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