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Archives for October 2010

Non-Tender Candidate: John Maine

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There's no question that John Maine's season began poorly. He struggled through nine early-season starts and didn't pitch after injuring his shoulder in May. If there was any doubt that he was a non-tender candidate, it disappeared later this summer when it became apparent that he would need season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder.

Before the injury sidelined Maine, he posted a 6.13 ERA in 39.2 innings and walked too many hitters, so the Mets may be reluctant to offer the 29-year-old arbitration. Sure, Maine has potential, but he made $3.3MM this year and would make a comparable amount if the Mets tender him a contract. 

Maine is still young and he has been effective in the past, so it's easy to see how the Mets might be tempted to keep him. The right-hander pitched to a 4.01 ERA in 87 starts from 2006-09 with 7.7 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9. That kind of production has value, even if Maine currently sits behind Johan Santana (also recovering from surgery), R.A. Dickey, Jon Niese, Mike Pelfrey and Jenrry Mejia in the team's projected rotation.

If the Mets non-tender Maine, other teams would likely have cautious interest. There are no guarantees for pitchers returning from arthroscopic shoulder surgery, as another non-tender candidate knows well. Chien-Ming Wang, who underwent a similar operation almost exactly one year before Maine did, didn't pitch in 2010. The Mets would be taking on a considerable risk by offering a few million dollars in arbitration.

When he examined the Mets arbitration class, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes argued that Maine will likely be non-tendered this December. I agree - Maine will probably find himself competing for jobs alongside free agent starters before long. That's no sure thing, though, especially with a new GM on his way in, so it's still worth asking whether the Mets will tender the righty a contract. Click here to vote on Maine's future in New York and here to view the results.

Tigers “Deeply Interested” In Carl Crawford

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The Tigers are "deeply interested" in Carl Crawford, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. As Rosenthal points out, Crawford and Austin Jackson would provide the Tigers with excellent outfield defense in spacious Comerica Park. Crawford can hit, too; the 29-year-old batted .307/.356/.495 this year with a career-high 19 homers.

The Red Sox, Angels and Nationals are among the many potential suitors for Crawford. The Reds and Astros don't figure to pursue the left fielder, but that won't hurt his free agent stock much. He's in position to demand a $100MM deal, especially if the Yankees and Braves get involved.

The Tigers started addressing their offseason needs last week by signing Brandon Inge to an affordable extension. They may soon do the same with Jhonny Peralta, so GM Dave Dombrowski figures to have the resources to make competitive offers to Crawford and other impact bats.

Potential Suitors For A.J. Pierzynski

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The White Sox may be the best fit of all for A.J. Pierzynski, who hits free agency this offseason. It once seemed as though Tyler Flowers would replace Pierzynski, but the White Sox could look to keep the 13-year veteran if they don't want to hand the starting catcher's job to a minor leaguer who slumped his way through the 2010 season. Pierzynski has said he's open to returning to the South Side, so it would not be surprising to see the sides reach a new deal.

As MLBTR's Steve Adams pointed out when he examined Pierzynski's stock a few weeks ago, the relative strength of this year's free agent catchers could limit the catcher's bargaining power. Victor Martinez, Ramon Hernandez, John Buck and Rod Barajas will be available on the market and Miguel Olivo, Yorvit Torrealba and Bengie Molina could join them. But a number of teams will be seeking catching help this winter, so Pierzynski should draw interest if he doesn't return to Chicago.

Here are some potential destinations for the 33-year-old. He batted just .270/.300/.388 this year, but no one said it was easy to find catchers who can hit.

  • Red Sox – If Martinez signs elsewhere, the Red Sox may look for a more experienced complement to Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
  • Rangers – The Rangers will be looking for a catcher if Bengie Molina retires.
  • Mariners – The Mariners need offense everywhere they can get it.
  • Marlins – The Marlins are looking for a catcher this offseason.
  • Mets – Josh Thole hit relatively well in half a season with the Mets, but new GM Sandy Alderson could look to sign a veteran catcher.
  • Reds – The Reds have interest in bringing Hernandez back, but they could be in the market for a catcher if negotiations don't go well.
  • Padres – The Padres and Yorvit Torrealba have a mutual option for 2011. If the option doesn't get exercised, GM Jed Hoyer could be searching for a backstop, depending on the organization's confidence in Nick Hundley.

Giants Notes: Payroll, Lincecum, Rowand

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The Giants have every reason to be focused on tonight's World Series opener with the Rangers, but first pitch is hours away, so there's still time for some updates on how the Giants got here and what they can expect next year:

Sandy Alderson Hiring Reactions

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The Mets are bringing in one of baseball’s most experienced executives to turn the franchise into a winner. Sandy Alderson became Oakland’s general manager in 1983, when Theo Epstein, Jon Daniels and Alex Anthopoulos were in grade school. Here are some reactions to the Mets’ decision to pass on Josh Byrnes and bring in Alderson:

  • Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports that former Twins GM Terry Ryan and longtime GM Pat Gillick had some interest in the job. Martino also notes that Mets assistant GM John Ricco wants to be a GM at some point.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post praises the Mets' decision and suggests the team can work through bad contracts and reach the top of the NL.
  • Sherman and Mike Puma say the Mets were impressed with Byrnes, "but not enough to ignore their strong feelings about the instant credibility and sense of direction that would come with hiring someone with Alderson's gravitas."
  • The Mets made an "excellent choice," ESPN.com's Keith Law writes (on Twitter).
  • Jon Heyman of SI.com says he would have hired Byrnes, but admits the Mets' decision is tough to criticize (Twitter link). 
  • Last week, 78% of MLBTR readers said they believe Alderson was a better choice than Byrnes.

Tigers, Peralta “Expected” To Agree On Extension

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The Tigers have already locked up one infielder (Brandon Inge) before the start of the free agency period, and now they may be on the verge of re-signing another.  Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reports that Detroit is "expected" to spend $0.25MM to buy out Jhonny Peralta's $7MM option for 2011 and instead work out a two-year contract with the shortstop.  Morosi predicts Peralta's new deal will be worth "a little less" than the $11.5MM that Inge will earn over the two guaranteed years of his contract.

Peralta had a .703 OPS in 2010, including a .253/.314/.396 line in 242 plate appearances as a Tiger.  He provides solid power from the shortstop position, which is a big plus on a Detroit team that didn't generate much pop beyond Miguel Cabrera and the possibly-departing Magglio Ordonez.  Without Peralta, the Tigers would be forced to explore the very thin shortstop market for a replacement that would've very likely been a downgrade.

Morosi also mentions that Peralta's pending return to Detroit puts an end to any thought of Michigan native Derek Jeter suiting up for his home-state team if he somehow couldn't reach an agreement with the Yankees.   

Mets To Hire Sandy Alderson

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The Mets are set to hire Sandy Alderson as their new general manager, sources have told Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman (via Twitter).  Heyman adds (in another tweet) that the hiring could be announced on Friday, the first off-day of the World Series.

Alderson and former Arizona GM Josh Byrnes were the two finalists for the position and both men conducted follow-up interviews with the Mets over the last two days.  Alderson, 62, has been considered the favorite for the last week, and indeed seems to have been a top candidate ever since his name was first mentioned in connection with the job.

Alderson was general manager of the Athletics from 1983 to 1997, capturing three AL pennants and the 1989 World Series championship during his tenure in Oakland.  He spent eight years as Major League Baseball's executive VP for baseball operations, four years as CEO of the Padres organization and most recently has been working for MLB to investigate drug use and identity fraud among Dominican prospects.  MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith recently profiled Alderson and the influence that he has had on baseball over the last three decades.

Marlins Notes: Relievers, Nunez, Payroll, Ross

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MLB.com's Joe Frisaro answered some Fish-centric topics in a fan mailbag that dealt with a few hot stove rumors.  Here are the highlights…

  • It's unlikely that Florida will go after big-name free agent relievers like Matt Capps or Brian Fuentes this winter.  The club is more likely to explore "a trade or two for some young, emerging arms" to form their bullpen.
  • "It's not guaranteed" that Leo Nunez will be a Marlin next season.  Nunez is headed to arbitration for the second time, and Frisaro predicts the right-hander is due to earn approximately $4MM.  Nunez was terrific in the first four months of the season before a horrific August (a 9.31 ERA and three blown saves in 10 appearances) cost him the closer's job to Clay Hensley, though Nunez did pitch well in September.  Nunez would draw a lot of interest on the trade market if the Marlins decide that he's too expensive.
  • Frisaro predicts the Marlins' 2011 payroll to be around $48-$50MM, with a bit of leeway to bump it up a couple million dollars.  He thinks the club's payroll for 2012 (when the Marlins move into their new ballpark) will be bumped up to the $70MM-range.  Frisaro notes that Florida's season-ticket sales for their new stadium are already better than expected.
  • Even if the Giants hadn't planned on retaining Cody Ross, Frisaro shoots down any chance that the Marlins would've been interested in bringing Ross back.

Odds & Ends: Ortiz, Girardi, Molina, Werth

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On the eve of the World Series, here are some news items to tide you over until the big Lee/Lincecum battle tomorrow night…

Manager & Coach Notes: Valentine, Riggleman, D’Backs

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While some teams continue looking for their new manager, other clubs are settling their 2011 coaching staffs.  Here's a collection of news items about both searches…

  • Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com (Twitter link) "keeps hearing" that Bobby Valentine is one of the finalists to be the next Brewers manager, though Rosenthal wonders if Valentine would take the job and if Milwaukee could afford him.  We heard yesterday that the Brewers had narrowed their search to four men, two of whom were Joey Cora and Bob Melvin and one of whom was suspected to be Ron Roenicke.  Valentine could be the mystery fourth man.
  • Jim Riggleman will manage the Nationals next season, according to a team press release.  The move was widely expected given Washington's 10-win improvement (from 59 wins to 69) in Riggleman's first full season as the team's skipper.  The Nats could have fired Riggleman and paid him a $100K buyout, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, rather than be on the hook for his full 2011 salary.  The team also has an option on Riggleman for 2012.
  • Arizona announced the hirings of Alan Trammell the new bench coach and Charles Nagy as the new pitching coach in a team press release.  The D'Backs also confirmed the hirings of Don Baylor and Eric Young as the hitting and first base coaches, respectively.
  • Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune tweets that with Trammell leaving the Cubs for the Diamondbacks, there is a "door open" for Pat Listach to become his friend Mike Quade's bench coach in Chicago.  We heard today from ESPNChicago.com that Ryne Sandberg (a top contender for the Cubs' managerial job) wouldn't be staying with the Cubs as Quade's bench coach.
  • It sounds like something of a stock "never say never" answer, but Ozzie Guillen sounded open to the possibility of hiring Sandberg as the White Sox bench coach should Joey Cora become Milwaukee's manager.  Guillen made the remarks on WSCR-AM 670's "Mully & Hanley Show," and the news was reported by the Chicago Tribune.
  • Former Rockies manager and current Rangers hitting coach Clint Hurdle tells Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the Brewers didn't consider him to be a candidate for their managerial opening.  (Twitter link)
  • Fredi Gonzalez will bring back his old Marlins bench coach Carlos Tosca for the same job in Atlanta, reports David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  Also, former Florida hitting coach Jim Presley is "a finalist" to take over as the Braves' hitting coach.
  • Presley could also end up as Baltimore's hitting coach, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com (Twitter link).  In other Oriole-related Rosenthal tweets, Billy Ripken and Mike Bordick are being considered for coaching jobs on Buck Showalter's staff, and Mark Connor and Rick Adair are the "leading candidates" to be, respectively, Baltimore's next pitching and bullpen coaches.

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