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West Notes: Headley, McClellan, Petit, D-Backs

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The Padres received some bad news earlier today when they found out that Chase Headley will miss a month of action with a fractured thumb, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock (on Twitter). Here's some more out of baseball's Western divisions…

Rangers Searching For Starting Pitcher

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The Rangers are scanning the market for a starting pitcher, officials on other teams have told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.  The Rangers have kept in contact with free agent pitcher Kyle Lohse and have also been linked to Tigers starter Rick Porcello.

Robbie Ross and non-roster invite Nick Tepesch are in competition to make the roster and officials from other clubs seem to think that Texas would rather keep Ross in the bullpen as he thrived there last season.  There's also some sentiment from a couple Rangers people that Alexi Ogando might be better off going back to the bullpen, though the main decision makers don't necessarily agree.

The Rangers like Porcello but he would require giving up a top player or prospect.  They have ramped up their interest in Lohse ever since Martin Perez suffered a broken arm a couple weeks ago, but they have the same reservations about signing him as other clubs.  

Heyman points out that other starters that could be available include Aaron Harang, Chris Capuano and Ted Lilly of the Dodgers, Bud Norris of the Astros, and possibly Jake Arrieta and Zach Britton of the Orioles.

Cafardo On Chamberlain, Cishek, Royals, Rangers

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe ranks all 30 managers in the major leagues.  In Cafardo's view, you're doing something right if you're managing in MLB, so there are no negative comments for any of the skippers.  Buck Showalter takes third place for his work with the surprise Orioles last season. Rays manager Joe Maddon takes second for his innovative ways.  The top spot, however, goes to the Giants' Bruce Bochy.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • We learned last week that the Rangers are scouting Joba Chamberlain of the Yankees and one AL scout believes that the Bombers believe they have gone as far as they can with the right-hander.  “They would deal him in a heartbeat and then fill in with one of their starters in the bullpen,” said the scout. “If Texas would give up Mike Olt, a deal could get done there.”
  • The Marlins' Steve Cishek is drawing considerable interest from teams looking for a reliever.  One scout says that the side-arming sinker baller is likely on most wishlists around baseball.
  • The Royals are open to moving Luke Hochevar (albeit, for a higher-than-expected price) but they're also willing to trade projected No. 5 starter Bruce Chen.
  • The Phillies' Yuniesky Betancourt has improved his visibility and it wouldn't be shocking to see a team deal for him before Opening Day.  The shortstop has a March 24th opt out date and he is on the Cardinals' list as they look to replace Rafael Furcal.
  • Cafardo believes that there is an obvious trade to be made involving Tigers right-hander Rick Porcello and the Red Sox's Andrew Bailey.  However, Boston's rotation is full right now and they already have Allen Webster waiting in the wings.
  • One National League GM says that teams will be kicking themselves for missing out on Kyle Lohse, despite the draft pick compensation that he will cost.  “That’s the way it’s going to go,” said the GM, “but you also don’t want to overpay for a pitcher who has been hanging around that long. If you can’t get him at your price, then you look foolish paying what he was asking two months ago.” In Cafardo's view, the Rangers are still the most logical destination.
  • Manny Acta, who is now serving as an analyst for ESPN, has said that he hopes to get back into managing.  However, he says that he's not interested in becoming a GM.

Rule 5 Report: McGuiness, Kobernus, Rosenbaum, Inciarte, Fields

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To get the weekend started with some fascinating insight into the use of analytics by agents, look for the audio link at the 2013 SABR Analytics Conference Player Agent Panel page.  Let's take a look at a few updates on some Rule 5 draftees who are hoping to stick with their new clubs:

  • Chris McGuiness has impressed the Indians at first and in the outfield, writes Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer, and the team is loath to return him to the Rangers.  According to manager Terry Francona, "in a perfect world, I wish he wasn't a Rule 5 pick and he was in our minor league system."  If the Indians are unable to keep McGuiness on the big league roster, Francona "hope[s]" that a trade can be worked out to keep him in the system, adds Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.
  • Jeff Kobernus, primarily an infielder in the Nationals system, continues to battle with Quintin Berry for a spot in the Tigers outfield, writes Jim Hawkins of MLB.com.  While it is "possible" that both players could make the roster, according to manager Jim Leyland, that scenario is a "longshot."
  • Another player plucked from the Nationals, left-handed pitcher Danny Rosenbaum, "has put up a nice argument for himself in the competition for a middle-relief spot" with the Rockies, writes Thomas Harding of MLB.com.  Rosenbaum, who never saw a big league camp while in the Washington organization, spoke with Nats' reliever Craig Stammen to learn how to transition from the rotation to the bullpen.
  • Outfielder Ender Inciarte is in the midst of a solid spring and is making a play for the Phillies' fifth outfielder role, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.  Just 22 years old, Inciarte never played above High-A ball in the Diamondbacks organization.
  • Josh Fields came to the Astros from the Red Sox with the first pick in the Rule 5 draft, and acknowledges being "really, really excited when Houston picked me up."  As Adam Berry of MLB.com writes, the rebuilding Houston franchise hopes that the 27-year-old, righthanded reliever is ready for the big leagues after he posted a solid 2012 season in Triple-A Pawtucket.

Quick Hits: Pettitte, Murphy, Soriano, Greinke

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Cesar Carrillo, a right-handed pitcher in the Tigers system, became the first player listed in the Biogenesis documents to be suspended, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports (twitter link).  As FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal and others have noted, MLB has "greater jurisdiction over minor leaguers like Carrillo than major leaguers who are protected by the players' union."  Here are some other notes from around the majors:

  • Mariano Rivera's retirement plans have fellow Yankee stalwart Andy Pettitte wondering how and when to end his own "long, strange journey," as Daniel Barbarisi of The Wall Street Journal describes it.  Pettitte sees some merit to ending his career around the same time as those of his long-time teammates, but does not want to "stop playing until I know that I'm done."
  • Outfielder David Murphy is still waiting to work out a long-term extension with the Rangers after discussing that possibility with the club earlier in the offseason, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.  While Murphy reiterated that he wants to remain a Ranger and has no hard feelings for the lack of progress towards a deal, he added that free agency is a "privilege" and that "waiting another year is not going to kill me."
  • While the Cubs "feel the presence of teams watching Alfonso Soriano," nevertheless "no substantive talks have taken place yet," tweets Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe.  Cafardo mentions the Phillies and Yankees as teams that are "on [the] radar" for a possible Soriano deal.
  • With Zack Greinke still dealing with elbow issues, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly indicated that the right-handed starter is facing an ever-narrowing window to be ready for the start of the regular season, reports Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.  As has previously been noted, Greinke's timeline could impact the availability of the Dodgers' excess starting pitching options, such as Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang.

Rangers Will Look To Trade Andrus, Barring Extension

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The Rangers will look to deal shortstop Elvis Andrus next offseason if the club can't sign him to a multiyear extension, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports.  People within the Texas organization are reportedly not "overly optimistic" they can extend Andrus, who is scheduled to hit the free agent market following the 2014 season.  The Rangers, of course, already have a ready replacement at shortstop in Jurickson Profar, the consensus top prospect in baseball.

Andrus, 24, enjoyed his best offensive season yet in 2012 (.286/.349/.378 with 21 steals and 85 runs) and also provided very strong defense (9.1 UZR/150) at short.  He is entering the second year of a three-year, $14.4MM extension signed in February 2012 that covered his three arbitration years.

While Andrus recently said he wants to stay in Texas, the team hasn't been able to come to terms on a major extension.  The Rangers have twice offered Andrus long-term deals in recent years, Heyman reports.  Andrus is represented by Scott Boras, whose clients often eschew extensions in favor of testing free agency (though this is not always the case, as evidenced by recent high-profile examples as Carlos Gonzalez and Jered Weaver).  There was a great deal of trade speculation over Andrus this offseason, most notably from the Diamondbacks as they and the Rangers attempted to work out a trade for Justin Upton.  Texas, however, declined to move either Andrus or Profar.

Heyman says the Rangers haven't approached Andrus about an extension this winter, though if the two sides did work out a multiyear deal, it would likely mean that Profar would have to change positions.  There was speculation that Ian Kinsler could be moved to first or the outfield to make room for Profar at second base, though Kinsler said in January that he wasn't yet comfortable with a position switch.  Nelson Cruz, David Murphy and Lance Berkman could all be free agents following the 2013 season so that could create space for Profar in the outfield, or Kinsler could be moved then to make way for Profar at second. 

Craig Gentry Drawing Trade Interest

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The Rangers have been getting calls about center fielder Craig Gentry, though the team isn't interested in moving him, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports (via Twitter).  The Yankees are not one of the teams who have contacted Texas.  

Gentry, 29, is currently penciled in for at least a share of the Rangers' center field job, platooning with the left-handed hitting Leonys Martin.  Gentry hit .304/.367/.392 in 269 PA for the Rangers in 2012 (including an .859 OPS against left-handed pitching) but most of his value has come from his glove — the 29-year-old has posted 29.9 UZR/150 ratings in each of the last two seasons, making him one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball.

Gentry and Nelson Cruz are the Rangers' only two right-handed hitting outfielders, and as Rosenthal notes, Gentry could be an important future piece for Texas given that Cruz and David Murphy are both scheduled to become free agents after the 2013 season.  Gentry will be arbitration eligible for the first time next offseason and is under team control through 2016.

Rangers, “Number Of Teams” Interested In Lohse

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The Rangers are staying in contact with Kyle Lohse, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports.  Scott Boras, Lohse's agent, didn't confirm Texas' interest but did say that he had heard from several teams about the 34-year-old right-hander.

"He’s doing his workouts, and we’ve continued talking with a number of teams,” Boras said.  "A lot of teams are evaluating their existing situations, but have called and have interest in Kyle.”

Lohse's name has been mentioned in connection with the Rangers since Texas failed to land Zack Greinke, and the whispers have grown louder since fifth starter candidate Martin Perez suffered a fractured ulna.  We heard last week, however, that Texas wasn't going to sign Lohse for a variety of reasons, including concerns about how Lohse would fare in the AL West, the expensive multiyear deal that Boras was seeking and the draft pick (24th overall) that the Rangers would have to forfeit to sign the free agent righty.  Boras told Rosenthal that he was confident his client would sign before the June amateur draft, though a late signing would be a way for a team to avoid losing their pick.

Lohse was ranked as the 10th-best free agent of the offseason by MLBTR's Tim Dierkes last October.  Of Dierkes' top 50 free agents, only Lohse and Jose Valverde (No. 44, and another Boras client) remain unsigned.  I cited the Rangers as a possible candidate to sign Lohse in my breakdown of the right-hander's market last month.

Texas Notes: Ryan, Red Sox, Luhnow, Crane

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Nolan Ryan doesn't seem pleased with the Rangers' re-structured front office, and there are rumblings that he could leave the organization. There's no denying Ryan's stature in the game, but he's acting "like a big baby" in the view of Yahoo's Jeff Passan. The Hall of Famer has made the mistake of picking a fight at a time that he has few alternatives and limited leverage, Passan writes. Here are more links from the state of Texas…

  • Rangers senior scout Don Welke is in Florida looking at Red Sox relievers, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.  Welke is also scouting Yankees right-hander Joba Chamberlain, as we heard yesterday.  Both Boston and New York had their own scouts watching the Rangers play today.
  • The circumstances behind the Barret Loux/Jake Brigham trade between the Rangers and Cubs are outlined by MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.
  • Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported two days ago that there's sentiment within the Rangers organization that Ryan will stay with the club.
  • GM Jeff Luhnow told Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal that the Astros are looking forward to determining which young players will become part of the team’s core. That’s part of Luhnow's motivation for passing on experienced free agents and relying on younger players. “If you take away their job and give it to a veteran, you delay finding it out. It doesn't push the organization forward," Luhnow explained.
  • Though some fans would like to see the Astros spend more, owner Jim Crane pointed out that it’s not the fans’ money. “This is a private company, even though it's got a public flair to it,” Crane told Costa. “If they want to write a check for 10 million bucks, they can give me a call."

MLBTR's Mark Polishuk also contributed to this post

Texas Notes: Porter, Boesch, Profar

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General manager Jeff Luhnow told Andy Martino of the New York Daily News that he can envision manager Bo Porter leading the Astros for a long time. “He could be one of those guys who is an Astros manager for decades, not just years,” Luhnow said of Porter. “The players knowing that this is the group that’s going to be here — it begins to lay the foundation for stability, which is really what we’re looking for.” The Astros hired the 40-year-old Porter after the 2012 season. 

Here are more notes on the Astros and Texas’ other team, the Rangers…

  • Earlier today MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart reported that the Astros will take a look at Brennan Boesch (Twitter link). The Tigers released the outfielder this morning.
  • The Rangers are high on Jurickson Profar, but it's still not clear what his role will be in 2013, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports writes. The Rangers would "not necessarily" need an everyday role for Profar to justify keeping him on the roster in the view of manager Ron Washington. That said, a Triple-A assignment hasn’t been ruled out. Here's a look at service time considerations for top prospects such as Profar.
  • George A. King III of the New York Post reported today that the Rangers are watching Joba Chamberlain.
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