On the eve of the World Series, here are some news items to tide you over until the big Lee/Lincecum battle tomorrow night…
- David Ortiz tells Mike Vega of the Boston Globe that he'll be back with Boston next season, reports the Globe's Peter Abraham. Ortiz said his representation and the Red Sox will talk next week about the club's $12.5MM option on the slugger for 2011. Boston has until three days after the end of the World Series to decide to pick up Ortiz's option.
- Joe Girardi's expected new contract with the Yankees will probably be a three-year deal, writes George A. King III and Mark Hale of the New York Post. Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated reports the deal will be worth between a total of $9-$10MM. While no one doubts Girardi will be manning the Yankee bench next season, ESPNNewYork.com's Ian O'Connor thinks the Yankees should limit Girardi's extension to two years, citing lingering issues about how the manager deals with the New York pressure.
- Bengie Molina is still planning to retire this winter, writes MLB.com's Lyle Spencer. "It's more 'yes' than 'no' right now," Molina said. "Something could get worked out this winter. As for now … yes."
- If the Phillies don't re-sign Jayson Werth, Fangraphs' Dave Cameron points out that they'll be "running out a line-up with a large, exploitable flaw" — a lack of right-handed hitting.
- Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle praises Ron Washington and wonders if Billy Beane should've hired Washington (a former Oakland coach) to manage the A's.
- With Jorge de la Rosa possibly being too expensive for the Rockies to bring back, Troy Renck of the Denver Post tweets that the "most likely scenario" is that De La Rosa goes elsewhere and Colorado trades for a James Shields-caliber starter, if not necessarily Shields himself.
start_wearing_purple
But why would Girardi re-sign with the yanks when the Mets are supposedly very interested…
EvilEmpireMember
Is this a serious question? LOL.
Dave_Gershman
Is your question a serious question about questiong his question?
Taskmaster75
Is your question about the seriousness of his question questioning the seriousness of the previous question serious?
Dave_Gershman
Something like that.
start_wearing_purple
Seriously?
start_wearing_purple
Sarcasm… it’s my thing.
Slopeboy
He’s going to fix Ollie Perez and then win Manager of the Year.
Just_MLB
Is Ollie Perez a dog ? a pitcher ? or both ?
Dave_Gershman
Esmil Rogers and Rex Brothers for James Shields. Or Maybe Esmil Rogers and Jhoulys Chacin if the Rays get greedy.
Ryan
Na, I don’t think the Rockies should get Shields. Not that the Rays and Rockies couldn’t matchup well in a trade, just that Shields has become a real flyball pitcher, and you would have a lot of balls flying out of Coors Field.
Mark Townsend
If Chacin’s name came up, that would be the end of the conversation.
Henry Castellanos
James Shields + Coors Field=Javy Vazquez to the second power and then some. Wouldn’t be surprised if he gives up 36+ HR there
woadude
Boy is David Ortiz going to be in for a big surprise when they decline his option and he gets a Jermaine Dye like treatment and settles for 7 million dollar deal.
moonraker45
you’re racist
ellisburks
Nice! lol
woadude
Joe Girardi btw is not a good manager, he skated by in 2009 and let the big free agents flex their muscles, there was no way NY wasnt going to win the 2009 world series, but he shows major managing flaws and no better than in the playoffs this year and how he handled all star talent in the all star game was terrible.
tacko
Agreed. All you have to do is watch the all-star game this past summer to see his lapses as a manager. Sure, it’s mainly a meaningless game, but as the manager of the Yanks, the guy’s gotta assume home-field advantage has a good chance to affect him.
tacko
Why would Beane have signed Ron Washington as manager. Washington’s emphasis on aggressive base-running and speed completely goes against Beane’s Earl Weaver like philosophy. Besides, Beane always thought of managers as tools and basically just a figurehead for games.
UtleyPhan
I think the Phillies are more likely to go with a Francisco/Gload platoon rather than Domonic Brown all year. Brown will replace Ibanez in 2012. So that makes only 3 of the 8 batters left handed, not that bad. If the argument was lack of right handed power, I would agree.
Dylan
That really depends on the SS we have then. Galvis may get a shot sometime next year if Jimmy gets hurt. He is another Switch Hitter, which is always good. I hope they try Garcia out a SS as well. Seems to be more of a lead off type. Both are possible replacements. Phillies need to address this when drafting especially first round. They need an IF who can play either SS or 3B and is right handed and ready in a year or two. This is a must.
UtleyPhan
I think the Phillies are more likely to go with a Francisco/Gload platoon rather than Domonic Brown all year. Brown will replace Ibanez in 2012. So that makes only 3 of the 8 batters left handed, not that bad. If the argument was lack of right handed power, I would agree.
Dennis
Ortiz will not be worth $12 mil. in 2011.