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Front Office Notes: Duquette, Gwynn, Padres, Wilken

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Earlier today we learned that the Angels will name Jerry Dipoto as their new GM while the Orioles are leaning towards hiring Tony LaCava for the same role. Let's round up the latest front office news from around the game…

  • The Diamondbacks are unlikely to fill Dipoto's position, according to MLB.com's Steve Gilbert (Twitter links). The team believes scouting director Ray Montgomery and farm director Mike Bell can handle the responsibilities.
  • Dan Duquette was among those interviewed by the Angels, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Duquette has served as GM of the Expos (1991-1994) and Red Sox (1994-2002), but most recently has been involved with the Israeli Baseball League and New England Collegiate Baseball League.
  • The Mariners have hired Chris Gwynn to be their director of player development, reports Dan Hayes of The North County Times (on Twitter). Gwynn had previously been the Padres director of player personnel.
  • Hayes hears from a source that Padres assistant GM A.J. Hinch will not assume the departed Jason McLeod's duties (Twitter link). The team will look to hire new evaluators following the departures of McLeod, Gwynn, and Jed Hoyer.
  • “I’m very happy that we got him over here for a number of reasons," said Cubs scouting director Tom Wilken to The Chicago Sun-Times when asked about working for McLeod, who now oversees the team's scouting and player development. “[His hiring] just kind of brought a smile to my face, and we’ve talked a little bit here in the last few days. And I really look forward to getting together with him and putting together this plan here to make us World Champions."

Heyman On Beltran, Reds, Fielder, CBA

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The latest from Jon Heyman of SI.com:

  • The Red Sox are expected to pursue Carlos Beltran, according to Heyman. Beltran won’t cost a draft pick and posted a .300/.385/.525 line in 2011, but he would block Josh Reddick in right field. He’d be replacing fellow Scott Boras client J.D. Drew.
  • The Reds are “still thinking about” Francisco Cordero’s $12MM option for 2012. Cincinnati considered an extension for Cordero in September. For all fantasy baseball updates on relievers, go to CloserNews.com and follow @closernews on Twitter.
  • The Mariners are believed to be eyeing free agent first baseman Prince Fielder. Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik drafted Fielder with the Brewers, but the Mariners already have switch-hitting first baseman Justin Smoak in place.
  • Heyman hears that the players and owners may compromise on the issue of slotting in the upcoming collective bargaining agreement. The sides may be discussing a tax system for draft bonuses that would limit spending to an extent.

Manager Notes: Red Sox, Sandberg, Mariners

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The Nationals are expected to announce that Davey Johnson will return to the dugout in 2012 soon after the World Series ends. Here are more notes on MLB’s managers…

  • Peter Gammons of MLB Network said on WEEI that Red Sox GM Ben Cherington thinks outside the box and mentioned Dale Sveum and Mike Maddux as managerial possibilities for Boston. Sveum, a 12-year MLB veteran, managed the Brewers on an interim basis in 2008 and Maddux is the Rangers' pitching coach. Justin Doubleday has more details at WEEI.com.
  • Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said on ESPN 1000's The Waddle & Silvy Show that he's going to speak with manager Mike Quade in the coming days. Talk about bringing a certain Hall of Famer in to replace Quade is premature, according to Epstein. "Ryne Sandberg obviously was a great Cub, great player, great guy by all accounts, but he's a Philadelphia Phillie,” Epstein said. “He's a Triple-A manager. It would be just so premature for us to talk about that."
  • Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times explains that Epstein and Sandberg have been avoiding questions about whether Sandberg could manage for the Cubs.
  • The Mariners announced that their entire coaching staff will return in 2012. “I feel we made progress this season,” manager Eric Wedge said in a statement, “and this group was a big part of it."

Quick Hits: Yankees, Pirates, Moyer, Oswalt

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C.J. Wilson wasn't at his best tonight in what may have been the final start of his Rangers career. He allowed five walks and four hits through 5 1/3 innings, but he allowed just two runs — enough to keep his team in the game and allow Texas to take a 3-2 series lead. Here are today's links…

AL West Notes: Angels, C.J. Wilson

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A couple of notes out of the American League West as the Rangers ready for Game 3 of the World Series …

  • The Angels will interview Omar Minaya for their general manager vacancy, according to Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times. Minaya previously served as Mets GM from 2005-10 and as Expos GM from 2002-04. We learned Thursday that Rays executive Andrew Friedman has met with the Halos regarding the opening and tops the team's wish list, but he's seen as a long shot to take the job. Yesterday, White Sox executives Dan Evans and Rick Hahn joined the list of candidates.
  • Minaya is still under contract with the Mets but was not an active member of the organization in 2011, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, who also reports that Minaya has a "standing offer" from Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers to work in the Arizona organization.
  • Rangers GM Jon Daniels was asked about impending free agent starter C.J. Wilson on Saturday and said, "We'd love to have him back," according to Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Still, the early rumors regarding Texas' chances of (or interest in) re-signing the left-hander are pretty mixed.
  • For more on what the Angels, Athletics, and Mariners face this winter, be sure to check out their respective installments in MLBTR's Offseason Outlook series.

Yu Darvish Links: Yankees, Jays, Rangers, Mariners

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Here's the latest on the Yu Darvish sweepstakes…

  • Talking to MLBTR's Tim Dierkes (Twitter link), an unnamed agent believes Darvish's posting fee will reach $50MM, and the right-hander will then sign a five-year, $75MM contract with the winning team.
  • Brian Cashman told Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York that the Yankees scouted Darvish last season in Japan, but unsurprisingly didn't comment about whether or not the team would be interested in bidding for the right-hander.
  • Yankee management is unlikely to pay an expensive posting fee for Darvish given the club's spotty history with Japanese pitchers, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link).  For what's it worth, the "Yankees' scouts love Darvish." 
  • In another tweet, Sherman lists the Rangers, Blue Jays, Nationals, Mariners and Royals as the favorites to land Darvish this winter, in that order.
  • The Mariners have scouted Darvish but, in the opinion of Larry Stone of the Seattle Times, the M's shouldn't make a bid since the team has so much young pitching coming up from the minors.  Stone also points out that "the Mariners have not become the haven for Japanese players that was predicted by some" when Hiroshi Yamauchi became the club's principal owner.  

Quick Hits: McCourt, Maholm, Mariners, Axford

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Another night, another pair of exciting LCS games.  The Tigers succeeded in stretching the ALCS to a sixth game while the Brewers evened the NLCS at 2-2 with the Cardinals. 

Here's the latest from around the majors….

Keith Law On Epstein, Sizemore, Votto, Ricciardi

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ESPN's Keith Law gave his thoughts on a number of prospects during a chat with readers today, and also expounded on a few Major League items.  The highlights…

  • Cubs fans should be excited about Theo Epstein's "ability to turn the Cubs' baseball ops department into a process-oriented, professionally run organization. You can't run a baseball team the way they were run 20 or 30 years ago. It's a business now, one where smart decisions based on sound processes are necessary and innovation is increasingly critical."
  • Law describes Brett Jackson (taken 31st overall by the Cubs in the 2009 amateur draft) as a "non-star prospect" and thinks he would be fair compensation for Epstein.
  • Law doesn't think Grady Sizemore can remain healthy as an everyday center fielder.  The Indians have a $9MM club option on Sizemore next season but will take their time in deciding on it, given that Sizemore just underwent knee surgery.
  • Between Joey Votto and Yonder Alonso, Law would deal Alonso and "look to win" in the remaining two years that Votto is under Reds' control.  Cincinnati GM Walt Jocketty recently shot down rumors that the Reds were listening to offers for the reigning NL MVP.
  • Law hears from his sources that J.P. Ricciardi isn't currently on the Orioles' short list of general manager candidates, as was reported on Tuesday by Law's ESPN colleague Buster Olney.  Law worked for the Blue Jays' front office from 2002-06 when Ricciardi was the team's general manager.
  • The Mariners "might have the best rotation in baseball by 2013 or so."
  • If given a choice of signing either Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols to a seven-year contract worth the same money, Law says he would choose the younger Fielder.  "Pujols is the better player right now, but even at his listed age I worry about his durability and potential decline," Law says.
  • Despite Alex Avila's breakout 2011 season, Law said he still prefers Matt Wieters as the better long-term player.

AL West Notes: Darvish, Larson, Mathis, A’s

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C.J. Wilson and Derek Holland will start the first two games of the ALCS for the Rangers, with Colby Lewis and Matt Harrison slated for Games 3 and 4 at Comerica Park.  Here's the latest from not only the Rangers, but the entire AL West….

  • Opposing scouts predict the Rangers will win the bidding for Yu Darvish, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today.  Several teams, including some of the biggest markets in the game, have been rumored to be pursuing Darvish this winter.  Nightengale's scout sources, for the record, unanimously predict "stardom" for Darvish if he jumps to the majors.
  • Mariners minority owner Chris Larson has seen his personal fortune "largely depleted" by the recession and a divorce from his wife, reports Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.  Larson is the Mariners' largest minority owner, with a stake of 30.63% of the club, and Baker wonders if Larson's financial troubles will affect the team's payroll or force him to sell part of his ownership share.
  • The criticism from Angels fans about Jeff Mathis' poor hitting "has become an emotional drain" for Mathis, opines MLB.com's Lyle Spencer, who thinks the catcher would "settle in and be a fine total player" elsewhere.  Also as part of this mailbag piece, Spencer speculates about two outside-the-box candidates (Bud Black and Joe Maddon) with Angels ties as LAA's next general manager.  
  • The Athletics are expected to pursue Mike Aldrete as the club's new hitting coach, reports MLB.com's Jane Lee.  The A's can't officially talk to Aldrete, the Cardinals' assistant hitting coach, until St. Louis has been eliminated from postseason play.

Offseason Outlook: Seattle Mariners

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Jack Zduriencik is back and he’ll have to improve Seattle’s tepid offense for the Mariners to be relevant all season long in 2012.  

Guaranteed Contracts

Arbitration Eligible Players (estimated salaries)

Free Agents

The Mariners successfully prevented runs in 2011, but they sure couldn't score them. Seattle finished last in the American League in runs scored for the second consecutive season, plating just 556 runners. There's no point in dwelling on the Mariners' inability to score, but it's worth mentioning that none of their regulars had 20 homers, 30 doubles, a .280 average, a .350 on-base-average or a .470 slugging percentage. Around the Majors, 17 players met each of those benchmarks, yet not a single Mariners hitter could meet even one of them.

GM Jack Zduriencik is the one tasked with improving the Mariners' offense. When the longtime executive signed a multiyear extension in August, team president Chuck Armstrong praised him for accumulating talent through scouting and player development. But Zduriencik, who drafted Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun with the Brewers, hasn't been able to infuse similar might into the Mariners' batting order since becoming their GM in 2008.

For each of the past five seasons, the Mariners had a payroll of more than $90MM and they should have money to spend this offseason, with Milton Bradley’s contract no longer on the books. If the Mariners retain Kelley, Vargas and League through arbitration, that would put them in the $69MM range, before accounting for minimum salary players. They have cash but with holes at DH, left field, third base and shortstop, the question is where they’ll spend the money and how much they’re willing to spend. 

Before Zduriencik and manager Eric Wedge scour free agency, they will likely look internally. For example, in left field, Casper Wells, Trayvon Robinson, Michael Saunders, Mike Carp, Carlos Peguero and Greg Halman will all compete for playing time. The 25-year-old Carp, who posted a .791 OPS in half a season, can also DH. At third base, Wedge can compare Chone Figgins, Kyle Seager and Alex Liddi against one another to determine a fit. 

Despite the abundance of internal candidates in left and at DH, that’s a logical corner of the free agent market for the Mariners to explore. David Ortiz (who signed with the Mariners as an amateur in 1992), Jason Kubel, Ryan Ludwick, Josh Willingham, and Michael Cuddyer are among the free agent designated hitters and corner outfielders whose names the Mariners front office could consider and there will be options on the trade market, too.

Minor leaguer Nick Franklin, a possible long-term solution at short, wasn't quite as impressive in 2011 as he was in 2010, his first full season. Perhaps the Mariners will look for an upgrade from the punchless Brendan Ryan by making a play for a second-tier free agent shortstop like Clint Barmes, Jamey Carroll, Alex Gonzalez or Marco Scutaro. It wouldn't hurt to ask about Jed Lowrie, who could be squeezed out in Boston if the Red Sox exercise Scutaro's option.

The Mariners could improve their offense on the trade market, but more than anything else, their established players must rebound. Seattle is hoping Ichiro doesn’t decline in 2012 as much as he did last season. The 37-year-old right fielder fell short of the 200-hit plateau (184) for the first time in 11 Major League seasons and posted career lows in batting average (.272), on-base percentage (.310) and slugging percentage (.335). Franklin Gutierrez, who missed half of the season with stomach and oblique issues, needs to rebound and Justin Smoak needs to replicate his early-season success for a full season.

After trading Doug Fister and Erik Bedard midseason, the Mariners learned the hard way that they'll need more starting pitching depth in 2012 (they endured seven regrettable starts from left-hander Anthony Vasquez). Zduriencik has said he'll have some interest in adding veteran pitching to a rotation that includes Felix Hernandez, Michael Pineda, Jason Vargas. Meanwhile, prospects like Danny Hultzen, James Paxton and Taijuan Walker will develop in the minor leagues. 

It wouldn't be a Mariners offseason without a good number of trade rumors surrounding Hernandez. Zduriencik has steadfastly held onto King Felix despite inquiries from around the league. Three years from now, however, the right-hander becomes a free agent. The Mariners face mounting pressure to win before their ace hits the open market, though it's doubtful that Seattle will part with Hernandez this offseason.

The Mariners could non-tender Aardsma (he underwent Tommy John surgery in July) and trade League, but that would leave the 'pen barren and force Zduriencik to acquire extra arms. While Seattle's bullpen had a solid 3.61 ERA last year, only Twins relievers struck out fewer batters per nine than the Mariners (6.3), so they should look to add relief options even if League is back and they retain Aardsma.

It makes sense for the Mariners to add rotation depth, proactively seek bullpen depth and look to upgrade over Ryan at short. As for left field, third base and DH, their internal options are interesting enough to warrant a look even if quality trumps quantity when it comes to Major League position players. The Mariners don't have to spend extravagantly on a star like Fielder to become relevant again, but they will need restored health and further development from budding stars like Ackley, Pineda and Smoak.

As a member of baseball's only four-team division, the Mariners have better odds than most. Could they replicate Arizona's worst-to-first turnaround and threaten for the playoffs in 2012? It seems unlikely, since Seattle will need more breaks than most teams, but they could be a .500 team next year.

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