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West Notes: Hamilton, Dodgers, Volquez, Suzuki

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ESPN.com's Jayson Stark turned to executives, scouts, and other baseball people to try and figure out what has gone wrong with Josh Hamilton since he joined the Angels.  While some expressed doubt over whether he can rebound, GM Jerry Dipoto said that he's confident that his sizable investment will pay off.  "I still believe in Josh's physical ability. I still believe in the player. … And we've seen signs, over the last three weeks [as Hamilton has put up a .329/.414/.539 slash line over a 19-game stretch], that he's getting back to doing the things that Josh Hamilton does," the GM said.  Here's more out of the AL and NL West..

  • The Dodgers signed Edinson Volquez shortly after he was cut loose by the Padres, but there were plenty of other suitors.  The pitcher says that he chose L.A. over the Reds, Blue Jays, Orioles, Phillies, and "a couple more" teams, tweets Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.  Volquez added that he's willing to start or relieve for the Dodgers.
  • Ken Gurnick of MLB.com (via Twitter) notes that even though Don Mattingly said that Volquez would come out of the bullpen for the Dodgers, he was seen taking batting practice with the starting pitchers.
  • Kurt Suzuki is glad to be back with the A's and the feeling is mutual within the organization.  Manager Bob Melvin says that one advantage of reacquiring Suzuki is that he won't need a whole lot of time to get acquainted with the Oakland pitching staff as other backstops would, writes Joe Stiglich of CSNBayArea.com.

Quick Hits: Astros, Giants, Blue Jays

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For an interesting bit of history on baseball and money, have a peak at this piece from Baseball Nation's Larry Granillo on the value of baseball's broadcasting rights back in 1961. Let's take a look at some business-related notes from around today's game …

  • The Astros are not, in fact, the most profitable team in baseball history, writes Maury Brown of Forbes. An earlier Forbes article had made the surprising assertion that baseball's worst team had shorn payroll to earn an unprecedented amount of money, leading to a sharp rebuke from the club. As Brown explains, the original piece contained significant factual inaccuracies, primarily regarding Houston's TV income.
  • Meanwhile, the 'Stros are looking to continue increasing their international presence in Venezuela, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. The organization is investigating the possibility of registering a full or partial Astros squad in the Venezuelan Parallel League. As McTaggart notes, Houston was the first MLB team to open a baseball academy in Venezuela, and over the years has signed such productive big leaguers as Johan Santana, Bobby Abreu, and Freddy Garcia from the South American nation. (Interestingly, only Abreu ever played for the Astros, registering 234 uneventful plate appearances before he broke out with the Phillies.)
  • The Giants have been forced to pay over $500k in back wages and damages to various clubhouse and administrated employees after violating various employment laws, the Associated Press reports (via ESPN.com). Over three years, the U.S. Department of Labor said, San Francisco failed to comply with federal minimum wage, overtime, and record-keeping standards.
  • Triple-A baseball will stay in Buffalo through at least 2016 after the Blue Jays extended their affiliation today, reports Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca (links to Twitter). GM Alex Anthopoulos said that the partnership had "gone exceptionally well" and that Buffalo was "the perfect fit."

Blue Jays Notes: Johnson, 2014 Rotation, Harvey

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We learned earlier today that Josh Johnson's season will end early because of a strained right forearm. It's been another disappointing season for the big right-hander, who posted strong peripheral numbers but a 6.20 ERA in 81 1/3 innings after allowing 15 home runs. On to more Blue Jays links…

  • The Jays were considering a qualifying offer for Johnson before the injury, but that's no longer an option, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports tweets.
  • GM Alex Anthopoulos will evaluate changes to the rotation this offseason, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. Though Anthopoulos suggested that the 2014 rotation is likely to have more depth than this year's, it may not have a frontline starter given R.A. Dickey's performance and Brandon Morrow's injury this year, Nicholson-Smith says.
  • The Jays haven't ruled out the possibility of re-signing Johnson, according to Nicholson-Smith, who adds that observers shouldn't be surprised to see the Jays consider trading for a starting pitcher in the offseason. The club doesn't have to lower payroll and could add salary in the right situation.
  • Johnson spoke with Matt Harvey in the wake of his UCL tear to gave the young phenom words of encouragement and remind him that the injury might not require surgery, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.  

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Josh Johnson Out For Season

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Blue Jays right-hander Josh Johnson recieved some unfortunate news yesterday when he learned that his season is officially over.  Gregor Chisholm and Evan Peaslee of MLB.com reported that a visit with Dr. James Andrews revealed that Johnson's strained right forearm wouldn't require surgery but would still put an end to his 2013 campaign.

It's hard to see Johnson, who hasn't pitched since Aug. 6, cashing in on a hefty deal this winter, given his overall struggles.  Johnson gave Toronto 16 starts in total this season, racking up a 6.20 ERA with 9.2 K/9, 3.3 BB/9 and a 45.1 percent ground-ball rate.  Optimists could look to Johnson's 4.61 FIP, 3.58 xFIP and 3.73 SIERA and expect a rebound.  More than 18 percent of fly-balls allowed by Johnson left the yard — an eight percent increase over the league average.  Because of that unnaturally high rate, there's reason to believe more in his K/BB numbers than his home run totals.  Johnson carried a 7.2 percent HR/FB ratio into the 2013 season.

It once seemed likely that the Blue Jays would extend Johnson the qualifying offer of nearly $14MM to ensure draft pick compensation if he signed elsewhere, but that's far from a given at this point.  It's not inconceivable that the 29-year-old could still fetch a decent offer in a thin pitching market.  At this point though, it looks likely that the Blue Jays will get stuck with the bill on a player who has not panned out for them as they hoped when they acquired him along with Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle in last November's blockbuster with the Marlins.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

Blue Jays Notes: Gibbons, Payroll

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Despite a disappointing 2013 season, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons will be back in 2014, MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm reports. "I actually think [regarding] the in-game managing, he has done a great job," says GM Alex Anthopoulos. "I think it's so easy to pin results on one person. I think it's convenient. I could say that for myself. I could say that for certain players, for the manager. I just don't think blame falls on one person." Anthopoulos adds that the Jays have not considered firing Gibbons. Here's more out of Toronto.

  • The Jays don't expect their payroll to decrease, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca tweets. That doesn't necessarily mean Toronto will go crazy spending in the offseason, however. The Jays had an Opening Day payroll of about $119MM in 2013, and already has about $110MM in obligations for 2014, despite Josh Johnson being eligible for free agency — Mark Buehrle, Jose Reyes and R.A. Dickey are set to receive raises totaling almost $20MM.
  • By not firing Gibbons, Anthopoulos showed he wasn't looking for a scapegoat for the team's problems, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca says. Instead, Anthopoulos suggests he needs to investigate the Jays' issues with injuries. "I know injuries happen but we have had our fair share the past two years and that’s something we need to look at," Anthopoulos says. Davidi notes that the Red Sox have enjoyed a dramatic decrease in injuries after restructuring their medical staff last offseason. Of course, as Davidi points out, causation isn't easy to prove there, but it's still worth investigating why, for example, the Jays have suffered so many oblique injuries in 2012 and 2013.

Minor Moves: Chien-Ming Wang

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Here are today's minor moves from around baseball.

  • The Blue Jays have outrighted pitcher Chien-Ming Wang to Triple-A Buffalo, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports (on Twitter). The Jays designated Wang for assignment on Monday. Wang, 33, has a 7.67 ERA with 4.7 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 27 innings with the Jays this season. 
  • For the latest on DFAs and outrights, check out MLBTR's new DFA Tracker.

Gibbons To Manage Blue Jays In 2014

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It's been a rough season for the Blue Jays, but the powers that be in Toronto don't seem likely to pin the blame on manager John Gibbons. When asked by reporters –including Shi Davidi of Sportsnet — about Gibbons' future, general manager Alex Anthopoulos said definitively that Gibbons would return to manage the team in 2014 (Twitter link).

The Jays announced that Gibbons would return to the helm in November of last year. He spent parts of five seasons as the Jays' manager from 2004-08 and has a lifetime record of 364-378 as their manager. The Blue Jays are the only club he's managed at the Major League level, though he served as the Royals' bench coach from 2009-11 and the manager for the Padres' Double-A affiliate in San Antonio in between his stints with the Jays.

This year, the Blue Jays are in last place in the American League East with a 59-73 record, despite an offseason that saw blockbuster acquisitions of Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle and R.A. Dickey.

Blue Jays Designate Chien-Ming Wang For Assignment

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The Blue Jays announced, via press release, that they have designated right-hander Chien-Ming Wang for assignment in order to clear roster space for lefty Aaron Loup, who is returning from the paternity list.

Wang, 33, was recalled over the weekend to make a start but lasted just three innings and allowed four earned runs. In 27 innings for Toronto this season, he's posted a 7.67 ERA with 4.7 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9. He's been significantly better in 17 Triple-A starts between the Yankees and Jays this season, compiling a 2.72 ERA with 4.5 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9.

As is the case with all players following a DFA, Wang's status can be tracked using MLBTR's new DFA Tracker. Wang joins Edinson Volquez and Edgmer Escalona in DFA limbo as he will now wait to learn what the future holds for him. The Jays will have 10 days to trade, outright or release the Taiwanese righty.

Passan On Dipoto, Zduriencik, Anthopoulos

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Here's the latest from Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan:

  • Angels GM Jerry Dipoto and manager Mike Scioscia are separated by a "rift" despite Scioscia's recent denial, Passan writes. Since Scioscia's contract runs through 2018, and since his influence throughout the organization is strong, Dipoto is more likely to wind up on the chopping block if the Angels do indeed decide to fire one or the other.
  • General managers suspect that Jack Zduriencik of the Mariners needed to have his superiors approve potential trades at the deadline, Passan writes. He also says that the Mariners have checked to see whether former GM and current Phillies advisor Pat Gillick might be interested in coming back to Seattle. Still, now that Zduriencik is apparently under contract through 2014, it appears he'll get more time to see if the Mariners' new core of young players (which includes Kyle Seager, Nick Franklin, Brad Miller, Mike Zunino and Taijuan Walker) can come together.
  • Despite the Blue Jays' extremely disappointing season, GM Alex Anthopoulos should get more time, Passan argues, noting that Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion's contracts have been terrific.

Cafardo On Kuroda, Zduriencik, Choo, Arroyo

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The waiver trade deadline is one week away, meaning that teams have to work fast if they want to make an out-of-house upgrade for their playoff roster.  Will there be a flurry of moves to close out August?  “I doubt it,” one National League General Manager told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. “There’s a lot more blocking going on this year.”  Here's more from today's column..

  • The Yankees increased Hiroki Kuroda’s salary from $10MM in 2011 to $15MM in 2012 and Cafardo wonders aloud if they'll have to tack on another $5MM to keep him in 2014.  One Yankees official said they need to do whatever they can to make that happen, as the right-hander, even at 39, would still be the best starting pitcher on the open market.  Kuroda has pondered retirement but a sizable deal like that could keep him in place.
  • Baseball people would be surprised if the Mariners replace Jack Zduriencik with one year remaining on his contract.  The feeling is the M's have some good young talent on the way and if Zduriencik can retain Kendrys Morales, Raul Ibanez, and Mike Morse, he has a chance to really make some progress.  Zduriencik raised some eyebrows when he held on to that trio this summer, but he believes he can re-sign a couple or all three.
  • It doesn’t appear that the Reds will have the finances to sign Shin-Soo Choo for the long term and the Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Cubs, and Red Sox could all have interest.  Industry sources told Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com last week that the Cubs are expected to make a run at Choo.  The outfielder ranks No. 5 on Tim Dierkes' 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings.
  • Speaking of the Reds, Bronson Arroyo probably won't be back with the club and a National League team like the Cardinals, Mets, or Braves would probably suit him.  Cafardo also notes that Cubs president Theo Epstein has an affinity for Arroyo.
  • Agent Scott Boras would like to see clients Stephen Drew and Jacoby Ellsbury re-sign with the Red Sox long term.  Naturally, he expects a vibrant market for both players.
  • A.J. Burnett could be a candidate to stay in with the Pirates, even though he's hinted about retirement.  If he goes elsewhere, it's hard to see him getting a long-term deal, but the Blue Jays could try to bring him back for the short term.  
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