Heyman On Crawford, Pujols, Buehrle, Madson
At least one Molina brother has been in six of the past ten World Series, as Jon Heyman points out at SI.com (that includes Yadier, who will play again this year). Heyman also passes along some hot stove notes; here they are:
- Red Sox owner John Henry “threw $60MM into the air,'' by making it clear that he views the Carl Crawford signing as a mistake, according to one baseball person. Henry said on the airwaves of 98.5 the Sports Hub that he was not in favor of signing the left fielder for $142MM.
- One agent says Albert Pujols should look for a six-year, $240MM deal in free agency. It’s hard to imagine anyone, even Pujols, signing for $40MM per year.
- The White Sox are expected to try to keep Mark Buehrle on a two-year deal, according to Heyman. The left-hander profiles as a Type B free agent, as our rankings show.
- Jayson Werth, who played with Ryan Madson in Philadelphia, is trying to sell the free agent closer on the Nationals. Keep in mind that the Nationals already have Drew Storen.
- Zack Greinke told Heyman that he would have accepted a trade to the Rangers last winter, when the Royals were shopping him.
West Notes: Rangers, Rockies, A’s
The Rangers advanced to their second consecutive World Series last night. Today, Buster Olney of ESPN.com breaks down some of the crucial moves Texas made — and didn't make — that helped them return to the Fall Classic. More on that and a couple other items of note out of the AL and NL West …
- Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com feels that while the Rangers proved they didn't need Cliff Lee to win the American League pennant, they would not have done so had they traded Michael Young last offseason.
- The Rockies will move their Rookie level affiliate from Casper, WY to Grand Junction, CO, writes William Browning of the Casper Star-Tribune.
- The Rangers considered acquiring starters such as Zack Greinke and Matt Garza when Lee walked in free agency, writes Olney, but because the Rangers were stocked with young power arms, they decided to address other needs. Instead, they acquired players in Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli who were seemingly undervalued by their former organizations. Beltre, after the Red Sox moved on from him quickly by acquiring Adrian Gonzalez and moving Kevin Youkilis to third, nearly signed with the Angels but felt he had a better chance to win with the Rangers.
- Though it appears unlikely the Athletics will gain approval to build a new stadium in a different nearby city, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle wonders whether they'd be able to build a new stadium at the site of the Oakland Coliseum. The NFL's Raiders, with whom the A's share the Coliseum, may relocate to a shared stadium with the 49ers in Santa Clara, which would leave the A's as sole tenants of their current digs, so they wouldn't have to consider any other team's needs.
- Mark Ellis provided some stability at second base when the Rockies acquired him this season, but the key stone has persisted as a unanswered question throughout Colorado's existence, writes Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post. Ellis, an impending free agent, "figures to return" to the Rox in 2012, according to Armstrong.
- Elsewhere in Armstrong's piece, he writes that the Rockies will "dive into the offseason trade market in hopes of landing a quality starting pitcher." Three prospects whom other teams might seek are outfielder Tim Wheeler, infielder Nolan Arenado and pitcher Chad Bettis.
Davidoff On Red Sox, CBA, Rangers, Darvish
In today's column, Ken Davidoff of Newsday tackles a number of topics including what's next for Boston. Here are some highlights..
- When the dust settles, the Red Sox are expected to name Ben Cherington as Theo Epstein's successor in Boston. While the club could take one step toward closing their credibility gap by hiring an experienced manager to complement their rookie GM, that's not likely to be the case. The Red Sox already view Cherington as having GM experience because of the work he has done with the organization. They'll more likely look to hire someone with a willingness to utilize statistical analysis and work with the rest of the baseball operations department.
- This year, MLB and the Players Association had hoped to announced their next collective-bargaining agreement during the World Series like they did in 2006. However, with the World Series just three days away, people in the loop aren't optimistic. The two sides are meeting virtually every day and the biggest rancor appears to be surrounding Bud Selig's desire for hard slotting in the amateur draft. It's hard to imagine that this will result in any kind of a work stoppage, but it does seem like they'll miss out on the great PR opportunity that they were able to capture five years ago.
- We don't see the Rangers and Angels as trading partners because there's too much anxiety over being burned. However, the Rangers used to admire Halos catcher Mike Napoli from a distance, and were able to trade for him immediately after the Blue Jays acquired him. Davidoff asked Daniels if he kept an eye on players in the divison whom he couldn't acquire by trade but could hope would get dealt to a different club so he could pounce. For Daniels, it's not that clear-cut, but he says that he checks in when someone he's interested in moves out of the AL West.
- Baseball officials are increasingly convinced that righthander Yu Darvish will be posted to the major leagues, and industry folks wonder how much will teams pay. The Red Sox paid more than $51MM five years ago to talk with Daisuke Matsuzaka, and that hasn't panned out for them. The expectation is that in light of Boston's disappointment with Matsuzaka, teams won't bid as much for Darvish.
AL West Notes: Rangers, Wilson, Feliz, Angels, A’s
With tonight's victory, the Rangers became the first AL West team to win consecutive pennants since the A's won three straight American League titles between 1988 and 1990. Here are a few news items from around the division….
- Despite recent rumors, the Rangers say there's "no way" they'll throw money at CC Sabathia this offseason, reports Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). If Texas does decide to go after a starter from outside the organization, it would probably be Yu Darvish.
- "[C.J. Wilson] wants $100MM, and he's not getting that from us," a Rangers source tells Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. The source says that if Wilson leaves Texas for free agency, Alexi Ogando and Neftali Feliz would both be converted into starting pitchers next season.
- The Angels may be close to a new television contract with FOX Sports, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. A filing from Major League Baseball (in the ongoing legal case with Frank McCourt) stated that the Halos are "expected to close a new transaction" in regards to a new TV deal. Shaikin hears from sources that "no deal is imminent" but FOX and the Angels have been in negotiations. Shaikin speculates that the contract could exceed the Rangers' recent 20-year, $1.6BB TV contract with FOX.
- The Athletics were denied permission to interview Reds pitching coach Bryan Price, reports ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter link). Price's contract in Cincinnati expires after next season.
- Athletics scouts were against the December 2005 trade of then-prospect Andre Ethier to the Dodgers for Milton Bradley, tweets Tom Krasovic of West Coast Bias.
Managers And GMs Entering Their Contract Year
As Jim Riggleman would tell you, everyone in baseball wants more job security. Here is a list of managers and general managers whose contracts expire after 2012, featuring both extension candidates and those on the hot seat this winter. (Thanks to the always-invaluable Cot's Baseball Contracts for many of the details.)
White Sox: Kenny Williams has a rolling contract that automatically extends itself every year. Should Williams be fired, the Sox will owe him one year's worth of severance pay. With Ozzie Guillen now managing the Marlins, the spotlight will be directly on Williams to get the White Sox back on track following their rough 2011 season. Williams has already made one roll of the dice by hiring first-time manager Robin Ventura. White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Williams have a strong relationship, but if the team struggles again in 2012, the Sox could blow things up and rebuild under a new general manager.
Tigers: Jim Leyland entered this season as a lame duck and signed just a one-year contract extension from Detroit in August. This relative lack of security is how Leyland prefers it, however, since he isn't sure how much longer he'll continue to manage. Given the Tigers' success, one would think they'll let Leyland go year-to-year for as long as he feels up to the job.
Royals: Ned Yost is entering the last year of his contract and I would guess that he'll receive another. While the Royals don't expect any on-field success right now, the onus is on Yost to ensure that Kansas City's wealth of young prospects continue to develop. Yost will return as K.C.'s manager in 2013 unless the Royals heavily regress from their 71-91 record of last year, or (even worse) the likes of Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer and Danny Duffy hit a snag in their Major League seasoning.
Rockies: Colorado's disappointing 2011 campaign puts the pressure on manager Jim Tracy, who is entering the final year of his original three-year pact with the team. GM Dan O'Dowd recently told Troy Renck of the Denver Post that he doesn't foresee any problems with Tracy working as a lame duck. "Jim is signed through next year and we'd love to have him be manager here for much longer than that," O'Dowd said.
Reds: Dusty Baker signed a two-year extension with the Reds last October. If Cincinnati takes the unlikely step of trading Joey Votto and starting a mini-rebuilding phase, Baker may not want to stick around while the club builds itself back into a contender. A Votto deal is a long shot (at least in the short term), however, so barring a poor season for the Reds in 2012, the team will probably pursue another extension with Baker next winter.
Rays: Because Andrew Friedman works without an official contract, his name was already linked to the GM's openings with the Cubs and Astros earlier this year. Friedman has said he enjoys the challenge of working in Tampa Bay and it would be odd for him to walk away given that the Rays are contenders now and for the foreseeable future given their deep minor league system. Manager Joe Maddon is similarly very likely to stay, even though his three-year contract runs out after next season. Tampa Bay's shaky financial situation makes Maddon's status a very minor question mark, but one would think the Rays will do everything in their power to keep Maddon, especially since owner Stu Sternberg said he expects Maddon to manage the team beyond 2012.
Rangers: Ron Washington signed a two-year extension through 2012 in the wake of the Rangers' AL pennant last season. With Texas on the verge of another World Series appearance, Washington looks to be in line for another new deal.
Indians: GM Chris Antonetti's original five-year contract is up after 2012 and the Indians' progress would indicate that the club will pursue an extension. The Tribe picked up Manny Acta's 2013 option last month.
Giants: Brian Sabean and Bruce Bochy both had their options for 2012 picked up last February, an expected move given San Francisco's 2010 World Series title. That championship also probably ensures both men will receive extensions at some point over the next year since incoming team CEO Laurence Baer has stated that he wants Sabean and Bochy to stay. Unless the Giants have a disastrous 2012 campaign, expect Sabean and Bochy to be in San Francisco for years to come.
Dodgers: Ned Colletti can either activate an out clause in his contract after 2012, or 2012 is actually the last year on his deal. Either way, the general manager will likely be pursued by the club to sign an extension given how competitive the Dodgers were this season in the wake of the ongoing ownership mess. Of course, Colletti could choose to leave given the uncertainty with the McCourts. Chicago native Colletti drew some attention from the Cubs last summer, before the Theo Epstein hiring.
Diamondbacks: 2012 is the last guaranteed year for both Kevin Towers and Kirk Gibson, though Towers had club options for 2013-14 and 2015-16, and Gibson has a club option for 2013. Neither man is going anywhere in the wake of Arizona's surprise run to the NL West crown.
Cubs: Mike Quade is signed through 2012 with a club option for 2013. Rumors are already swirling that Ryne Sandberg could be hired as the Cubs' new manager once Theo Epstein takes over, so Quade could be out of a job once the Epstein era officially begins in Chicago.
Cardinals: Tony La Russa and the Cards have a mutual option for 2012 and the latest indication is that La Russa wishes to return for another season. The manager could have a change of heart should Albert Pujols leave for free agency, though La Russa's return could provide some incentive for Pujols to also stay in St. Louis. It's also worth noting that La Russa is just 35 wins behind John McGraw for second place on the list of all-time regular season managerial wins.
Brewers: Doug Melvin's contract expires after 2012 and given Milwaukee's success this season, he seems like a sure bet to receive an extension. It will be interesting to see how long a Melvin extension would run; ownership may not want to commit to Melvin for more than three years just to see how he operates in a post-Prince Fielder environment in Milwaukee. Ron Roenicke is also technically out of contract after next year, but the Brewers hold a club option on the manager for 2013 that is very likely to be exercised. A new multiyear deal for Roenicke is also not out of the question.
Astros: General manager Ed Wade's deal is up after 2012 but his tenure in Houston could finish early once the sale of the team to Jim Crane is finalized. A new GM could also spell the end of Brad Mills as the manager, who is contracted through 2012 with a club option for 2013. While Mills did lead the Astros to the worst record (56-106) in franchise history last season, he didn't have much talent to work with on the Houston roster.
Extension Candidate: Elvis Andrus
The Rangers on are the verge of winning their second American League pennant in as many years, and after the season they'll have to deal with the free agency of ace C.J. Wilson. A number of important players, like Nelson Cruz and Mike Napoli, are set to earn substantial raises through arbitration, as is Elvis Andrus.
Andrus, 23, just completed his third season in the big leagues and will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter. He's a defense-first shortstop but also offers some offense. He's hit just 11 homers in three years but has stolen no fewer than 32 bases each season. He makes enough contact (.272 AVG last two years) and draws enough walks (.345 OBP) to ensure he can use his speed. UZR loves his glovework, rating him the fifth best defensive shortstop since he broke into the league.
The Rangers signed Ian Kinsler, Andrus' double play partner, to a five-year contract worth $22MM before the 2008 season, but that was one year before the second baseman was eligible for arbitration. Alexei Ramirez inked a four-year, $32.5MM deal with the White Sox this past February, after his first three years in the majors. He was starting from a higher base salary ($1.1MM) than Andrus will be because of the contract he signed out of Cuba before the 2008 season. Both deals could serve as a frame of reference in any potential talks between the Rangers and Andrus.
Before the season we heard that Texas was willing to explore long-term deals with several players before the end of Spring Training, but nothing came of it. Andrus' skill set (speed and defense) is typically undervalued in arbitration, and our projections have his 2012 salary in the $2.6-3.2MM range. There's certainly no urgency to get a deal done, but the sooner the Rangers act, the more money they're likely to save.
Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.
West Notes: Dipoto, Cruz, Kemp
On this date in 1988, Dodgers outfielder Kirk Gibson slugged his historic walk-off homer off Oakland's Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the World Series. Here are some notes on clubs that reside in MLB's West divisions, including one on another Los Angeles outfielder:
- The Angels have received permission from the Diamondbacks to interview Jerry Dipoto, Arizona's senior vice president of scouting and player development, a major league source tells Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. The Angels will also interview Yankees executives Damon Oppenheimer and Billy Eppler, and Dipoto is expected to interview for the Orioles' GM job.
- Dipoto is considered the favorite to become Baltimore's next GM, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
- Rangers slugger Nelson Cruz recently rehashed his near move to Japan a few years ago with Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com. Nick Collias of MLBTR and Rumores de Beisbol was kind enough to translate: "My agent told me they were really interested and they'd pay me a relatively large amount of money for the last two months of the season," Cruz said. "I was in the minor leagues, I didn't have a future with the Rangers, and I wanted to begin to explore other options." The interested team was the Yomiuri Giants, and the salary would have been $800K, but Texas GM Jon Daniels declined. Good thing for the Rangers that he did.
- Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp was named Major League Player of the Year by Baseball America. Kemp tied for the highest adjusted OPS (BA's version) among center fielders in the past 30 seasons, matching Ken Griffey Jr.'s 171 in 1997, writes Joe Haakenson.
Orioles GM Links: Dipoto, Reagins, Levine, Ricciardi
Here's the latest from Baltimore as the O's look to replace Andy MacPhail…
- The Diamondbacks have given permission for the Orioles to interview Jerry Dipoto, reports Scott Miller of CBSSports.com. Dipoto is Arizona's senior VP of scouting and player development and served as the club's interim GM after Josh Byrnes was fired midway through the 2010 season.
- Dipoto's interview should come this weekend, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. The Orioles also hope to speak to Al Avila (Tigers), Dan Jennings (Marlins), Tony LaCava (Blue Jays), De Jon Watson and Logan White (both Dodgers), all of whom have been mentioned in connection to the Baltimore job. Avila could be passed over since "the Orioles want to wrap up this process as soon as possible" and can't wait until the Tigers finish their playoff run.
- Two names that will apparently not be part of the process, according to Kubatko, are former Angels GM Tony Reagins and Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine. Both men could still resurface as candidates, Kubatko notes. Given that Texas is still alive in the postseason, Levine could be facing the same issue as Avila.
- J.P. Ricciardi is on the "short list of decision-makers" that the Orioles are considering, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. Since the O's are just starting their search, Olney says it's too early to say if Ricciardi or any others on the short list are favorites for the job. Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports (via Twitter) that the Mets haven't received requests from any team to interview Ricciardi or Paul DePodesta about a general managing job.
- No surprise here, but Olney says "it's pretty clear that Buck Showalter will have extensive influence in the selection of the Orioles' GM."
Rangers Links: Wilson, Napoli, Cruz
After allowing six runs in six innings today against the Tigers, C.J. Wilson now has an 8.04 ERA in three postseason starts this year. Not only did it hurt the Rangers in Game Five of the ALCS, but, as you'll read, Wilson's free agent value will also likely be hurt by his recent struggles. Here's the latest on the Rangers…
- A strong postseason could put Wilson in line for a five or six-year contract worth between $85-$100MM this winter, an agent tells ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter link). A weak postseason performance, however, could limit Wilson to a deal of five years and $60-$65MM. In August, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes noted that Wilson could crack the $100MM club due to the lack of ace pitchers on the free agent market this winter.
- GM Jon Daniels today spoke to reporters, including Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas, about Wilson's impending free agency. While the Rangers haven't yet begun negotiations, Daniels said the front office staff has "spent a lot of time talking about it and preparing for it. We just don't want it to be a distraction any more than it is, naturally."
- Daniels described the market value for Wilson as being "probably bigger than we would like and probably right about what he would like. We're not even really spending too much time on that right now. Obviously, it's going to be a top priority for us."
- The Rangers couldn't acquire Mike Napoli directly from the Angels since Los Angeles wasn't going to deal Napoli within the division, reports Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Once Napoli was dealt to Toronto in the Vernon Wells trade, the Rangers "pounced" to acquire Napoli for Frank Francisco and the rest is history.
- You can't blame former Mets general manager Steve Phillips for trading away Nelson Cruz in 2000, writes MetsBlog.com's Matthew Cerrone. The Mets originally signed Cruz as an amateur free agent in 1998, when Cruz was 17, and then dealt him to Oakland two years later.
- As reported earlier today by ESPN New York's Wallace Matthews, the Rangers are planning to make C.C. Sabathia a contract offer this winter, provided that Sabathia opts out of his contract with the Yankees.
Rangers Preparing To Bid For C.C. Sabathia
The Rangers are planning to extend an offer to possible free agent C.C. Sabathia, a source tells Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York. Texas will "throw a boatload of money" at Sabathia, according to Matthews' source, though this unidentified person believes Sabathia will ultimately remain with the Yankees.
Sabathia can opt out of the four years and $92MM remaining on his Yankee contract and is widely expected to do so in search of a longer-term and more expensive deal. It has also been expected that Sabathia will sign a new contract to stay in New York due to both his love of the city and the Yankees' need for a top-flight starter, but given the number of high-payroll teams looking for pitching, Sabathia will certainly get plenty of attention on the open market. Beyond the Rangers and Yankees, it wouldn't be surprising to see teams like the Marlins, Nationals or Red Sox check in on the big southpaw.
As Matthews notes, Sabathia fits Nolan Ryan's preferred model of an inning-eating "workhorse pitcher" and would be a more-than-fine replacement for C.J. Wilson, who could leave via free agency himself this winter. Sabathia would give Texas the unquestioned ace pitcher the club has lacked since Cliff Lee departed to Philadelphia last offseason.