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Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Bradley, Burrell, M’s, Jays

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On this date 43 years ago, Frank Robinson accounted for the only run in game four of the World Series with a home run, completing a four game sweep. It was Robinson's first season with the Orioles, having been traded to Baltimore the previous winter for Jack Baldschun, Milt Pappas and Dick Simpson. With the regular season over, rumors of trades that could impact next season's World Series have already begun. Let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

  • Jorge Says No! sees the Mariners as a nice fit for Milton Bradley.
  • Blue Jay Hunter looks at what it might take for the Blue Jays to land Bradley.
  • Trop Talk breaks down the arguments for Bradley, and yet still wants the Rays to stay away.
  • Dock of the Rays explains why the Rays are so eager to rid themselves of Pat Burrell.
  • Rays Index notes that the Burrell-for-Bradley rumor still has a number of unanswered questions, even if the deal comes down to just money.
  • The Rays Party is not thrilled with the idea of the Cubs dumping a player on the Rays because of personality issues.
  • Cubs Locker wants Bradley out of town, even if it takes cash and a relief pitcher.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.

Griffey Earned $3.15MM In 2009

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The AP has a few notes on free agent DH Ken Griffey Jr.  The report says Junior earned $3.15MM in total this year – a $2MM base plus $1.15MM in incentives for playing time and team attendance.  The Mariners kindly played Griffey often in the season's final week, causing him to earn an additional $250K.  As for 2010, Griffey will talk to his family and decide within a few weeks.

Griffey, 40 in November, hit .214/.324/.411 in 454 plate appearances this year.  A bench role might make sense if he does return next year.

Discussion: Adrian Beltre

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MLB.com's Jim Street talked to Mariners third baseman Adrian Beltre about the player's upcoming free agent experience:

"It will be different this year, no doubt.  I didn't put up the numbers everyone expected and then I had shoulder surgery. I am 100-percent healthy right now, but there may be some questions about that. That is something I am going to find out.  I don't know what to expect. Last year, it was a tough free agency for some players because of the economic climate. I don't know what to expect, but for me, it's not about the money anymore. I have already made a lot of money in the sport. I would like to play in the World Series and win one." 

Beltre, 31 in April, hit just .265/.304/.379 in 477 plate appearances this year amid injuries.  He still plays stellar defense at the hot corner.  To his benefit, Beltre projects as a Type B free agent.  Should he turn down an arbitration offer from the Mariners, he won't cost his new team a draft pick.  Another Scott Boras client, Joe Crede, signed for a one-year $2.5MM guarantee in February.  Will Beltre command more?  And where might he land?  Aside from the Ms, the Orioles, Marlins, Astros, Angels, Twins, A's, Pirates, and Cardinals face uncertainty at third base in 2010.

Discussion: Adrian Beltre

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MLB.com's Jim Street talked to Mariners third baseman Adrian Beltre about the player's upcoming free agent experience:

"It will be different this year, no doubt.  I didn't put up the numbers everyone expected and then I had shoulder surgery. I am 100-percent healthy right now, but there may be some questions about that. That is something I am going to find out.  I don't know what to expect. Last year, it was a tough free agency for some players because of the economic climate. I don't know what to expect, but for me, it's not about the money anymore. I have already made a lot of money in the sport. I would like to play in the World Series and win one." 

Beltre, 31 in April, hit just .265/.304/.379 in 477 plate appearances this year amid injuries.  He still plays stellar defense at the hot corner.  To his benefit, Beltre projects as a Type B free agent.  Should he turn down an arbitration offer from the Mariners, he won't cost his new team a draft pick.  Another Scott Boras client, Joe Crede, signed for a one-year $2.5MM guarantee in February.  Will Beltre command more?  And where might he land?  Aside from the Ms, the Orioles, Marlins, Astros, Angels, Twins, A's, Pirates, and Cardinals face uncertainty at third base in 2010.

Odds & Ends: Kikuchi, Dye, Varitek

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Links for Monday…

Bidding On Jason Bay

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WEEI.com's Alex Speier hears from multiple sources that the bidding for Jason Bay will reach at least four years at $14-15MM per season. The 31-year-old outfielder has been "pleasantly surprised" by his first contract year. Bay didn't know what to expect at the beginning of the season, but he's produced, as usual.

He has 36 homers and a .266/.385/.538 line that overshadows his 159 strikeouts and below average defense (according to UZR/150). A return to Boston appears to be a "legitimate possibility," but other teams will have interest if the two sides can't agree to a deal.

As Speier notes, the Angels, Cardinals, Giants, Mariners, Mets, White Sox and Yankees could all have interest in Bay and the resources to sign him.

Yahoo's Gordon Edes and MLBTR's Mike Axisa each compared Bay to Matt Holliday last month, so check out their articles to see how Bay fits in to the rest of the free agent market.

Odds & Ends: Blue Jays, Wedge, Sweeney

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Some more links for the morning…

  • Multiple major league sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that many Blue Jays are fed up with manager Cito Gaston and don't want him to return. One source says it's "nearly a mutiny" in the clubhouse.
  • Eric Wedge wants to manage again at some point, according to MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince.
  • Marlins prospect Mike Stanton still projects as a middle-of-the-order 40 homer threat, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America.
  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. gets high marks from his predecessors, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. Former Phillies GMs Ed Wade and Pat Gillick praised Amaro's moves.
  • Mike Sweeney is having the most fun he's ever had in the big leagues, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times. He wants to return and play one more year for the Mariners or the Angels.
  • As Jon Heyman of SI.com notes, players chose Michael Weiner as the next executive director of the MLBPA.
  • Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune doesn't expect Jermaine Dye, Josh Fields or Octavio Dotel to return to the White Sox next year.

Odds & Ends: Pirates, Mariners, Cubs

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Because we know you aren't ready to go to bed just yet…

  • With the Pirates looking to end their streak of losing seasons, Manager John Russell described the team's offseason plan this way: "To say what specific area, we'll see what the board holds," Russell said. "I don't know — is it a left fielder? Is it a second baseman? Is it a pitcher? I don't know. We'll just have to look into it and see what's available. Offensively, we've struggled. It would be nice to find a bat that can be productive."  
  • According to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times, all the Mariners' coaches should be back next season.
  • Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune has his wish list of power hitters for the Cubs. Astonishingly, it includes Gary Sheffield. 
  • According to Corey Brock of MLB.com, GM Kevin Towers has not been told yet by Padres' management if he will be returning in 2010.
  • Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports that Brewers' GM Doug Melvin is expected to ask Ken Macha to return as manager on Friday.
  • Apparently, however, Seth McClung does not expect to return to Milwaukee in 2010, and has Twittered his discontent.

Odds & Ends: Mariners, Marlins, Orioles

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Time for your afternoon snack (naptime optional):

  • The question isn't so much if all the Marlins will return, Joe Capozzi writes in the Palm Beach Post, but which Marlins will be dealt. The $36.8MM payroll would expand to around $43MM next season with the current roster.
  • Geoff Baker writes in the Seattle Times that the Mariners can't expect the same group to win as many games in 2010.
  • The Baltimore Sun's Peter Schmuck says that Dave Trembley's job status will be determined "in the next 4 or 5 days."
  • A front office person tells Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus that Miguel Angel Sano has incredible power for a 16-year-old. The "sky is the limit" for the Dominican infielder.
  • Goldstein reports that plenty of teams are doing their "digging" on Dominican outfielder Wagner Mateo. The Cards voided Mateo's contract last month after agreeing to a $3.1MM deal with him in July.
  • MLB.com's Bryan Hoch says the Yankees still expect Phil Hughes to develop into a starter. 
  • ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure Jr. explains that Hanley Ramirez couples impressive work habits and awesome talent with a dismissive and distant demeanor.

Odds & Ends: Ankiel, Moyer, Griffey, Jays

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Another round of links, expertly prepared…

  • Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch believes the Reds might have interest in soon-to-be free agent outfielder Rick Ankiel.  The Pirates are also thought to have some level of interest in the former pitcher, who's hit 36 home runs in the past two years and boasts one of the best outfield arms in baseball.  (That's looking on the bright side of things, of course).
  • As ESPN.com's Jayson Stark notes, Jamie Moyer's season-ending groin injury locks in his 2010 salary at $8MM.  $6.5MM of that is base pay, and the other $1.5MM is available through performance-based incentives.
  • Ken Griffey Jr. side-stepped another retirement question when the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser spoke with him Wednesday. "It's not really up to me," he said. "Well, some of it is."  Stay tuned this offseason for more on Junior's future plans.
  • According to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, the Blue Jays have laid off nearly two dozen employees from the business side of their organization.  Cost-cutting in the front office doesn't bode well for any kind of free agency exploits this winter.
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