The firing of Astros manager Bo Porter and bench coach Dave Trembley was a clash of old-school baseball versus the new-school of analytics and old-school lost, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. For that reason, Cafardo opines GM Jeff Luhnow’s next hires will need to be data savvy, know their way around a laptop, put numbers ahead of traditional baseball, and accept daily interference. Trembley, who found out he was fired from the ESPN news ticker, wasn’t surprised by the dismissals because there was a disconnect with the front office from “the computer leaks to the draft and the Mark Appel situation where the manager wasn’t told (top prospect) Appel was coming up to throw. I think (owner) Jim Crane nailed it when he said that there was a personality clash and sometimes people just don’t get along.“
In other items from Cafardo’s Sunday Notes column:
- There is a financial component to placing Yu Darvish on the disabled list. The Rangers can deduct $5,228.75 per day in bonuses over 30 days on the DL and, since the right-hander has been moved to the 60-day disabled list, the savings realized will be nearly $136k on Darvish’s $800K roster bonus.
- Justin Verlander’s struggles this year should give teams pause about giving large contracts to older pitchers. Cafardo, however, doesn’t see this cautionary tale dampening the market for Jon Lester, Max Scherzer, and James Shields because there are franchises which cannot resist the temptation and feel it’s the cost of doing business.
- Cafardo views the Red Sox as players for the services of free agents Jason Grilli and Justin Masterson this offseason.
- There is some debate within the Brewers organization about exercising Yovani Gallardo’s $13MM option for 2015 with some feeling the money might be better spent elsewhere.
- Expect the Rangers to engage the Blue Jays in trade talks for Jose Bautista, but Cafardo notes Texas may not have the pitching prospects to pry the All-Star slugger away from Toronto.
- Joel Hanrahan, who suffered a setback in his rehab from Tommy John surgery, will not need another operation and will attempt to continue his comeback in 2015. Hanrahan had signed a $1MM deal with the Tigers in May, but never pitched an inning for the organization.
- Korean shortstop Jung-ho Kang will be posted this winter and should be in line for a substantial contract given the lack of available impact power hitters. The 27-year-old, who measures six feet and 180 pounds, hit 38 home runs and drove home 107 runs in 107 games for Nexen of the KBO. Cafardo notes the Cardinals have shown interest in Kang previously, but a few more teams (not named by Cafardo) are now in the mix.
The Darvish thing is basically doing math on Cot’s.
It’s always great when a big market team can save the equivalent of a quarter off a rookie contract. That’s what allows teams to buy guys like Shin Soo Choo and Prince Fielder. :p
wish the pirates would try and get bautista back lol
He hates Pittsburgh management and has had no second thoughts on keeping that a secret.
I would too if they gave me up for a pack of gum, and really give me no chance to develop
he could play third
Red sox 2015:
Castillo CF
Pedroia 2B
Victorino RF
Ortiz DH
Cespedes LF
Napoli 1B
Aramis Ramirez 3B
Xander Bogaerts SS
Geovany Soto C
bench: Holt, WMB, Vazquez, Nava
Rotation:
Lester
Henderson Alvarez (traded for)
Buchholz
Rubby De La Rosa
Ranaudo/Barnes
Bullpen: Tazawa, Mujica, Andrew Miller, Badenhop, Luke Hochevar, Brandon Workman
Why do the Marlins want to get rid of a stud young gun?
If they get good major league ready talent in return plus some prospects they might. Include Craig and Kelly in a package with some prospects might tempt them.
Yes, people are diving off buildings to get Allen Craig right now.
That’s why they’d have to include a pitching prospect or two to get him.
The Marlins don’t trade players until they become expensive and Alvarez going into his first arbitration raise shouldn’t become expensive for at least a few years. The Red Sox have a better chance getting Stanton at this moment than getting Alvarez.
This is the post of the day maybe the year.
If Craig and Kelly package can make the deal then Cards ould have Alvarez right now instead of Lackey.
My guess is Vazquez starts catcher, Ross gets re-signed as backup/mentor. Craig will likely start first with Nap getting traded. Vic will probably also be traded for whatever with Betts getting the start in outfield and Nava as back up. Also ideally I’d like the Sox to try to get Beltre from the Rangers.
As for pitching, De La Rosa, Buc, and Ranaudo are all probably locks to start. After that my guess is Shields and Masterson will be signed and they’ll try to bring someone in on a trade.
I don’t think Miller or Lester will come back to the Red Sox. The Marlins want to compete next year and have a lot of good young talent so no they will not trade a very good young pitcher. They have been rumored to be looking at pitching in the offseason so that would even be counter productive for the Marlins.
I think Milwaukee eventually exercise its option on Gallardo and keeps their rotation together, although with Nelson and Fiers they certainly could let him go. It’ll be interesting to see what Lester, Scherzer, and Shields get in FA. I’m thinking 5/120, 7/170 and 4/90.
The new manager of the Astros “will have to accept daily interference?” Hmmm, that’s an excellent way to attract top talent.
I think it’d be foolish to let Gallardo go when he’s making just $13M for one season. Look at the multi-year deal Ubaldo got for one good season in the last 4 years. Even if they plan on not bringing back Gallardo for the next season, the option should be exercised and they could always trade him to a place that has a hard time signing quality Free Agents like Minnesota or Kansas City.
Talents like Gallardo would get 2-3 years minimum on Free Agency.
I’d like to see MLB follow the NBA in terms of having max contracts. Make to where a guy can be signed for no more than 5 years at a time. Then you don’t have these albatross contracts all over the place.
Yeah, I’m sure the MLBPA can’t wait to get in line to sign up for artificially deflating player salaries.
What would Toronto be looking for in return for Bautista? That would make Melky a must resign, and they would still turn over 2/3 of the OF. Still have a hole at 2B or 3B, and needing some arms as well.
It’s hard to imagine they’d trade Bautista, when ’15 may be their last chance to contend for a few years. If they were going to do so however, I have to think it would be centered around a young position player, not a pitcher. They have the looks of a promising young rotation as it is with Stroman/Hutchison/Sanchez/Norris, and many more in the pipeline. They are really lacking for good young position players though. The majority of the lineup is in its early 30’s now, with no replacements in sight.
The conversation would begin with Gallo and continue with Jackson and Profar as well. If the Rangers wanna pry Bautista loose, they will need more than a crobar to do it. Personally as a diehard Jays fan I would love to see him go this offseason after he’s taken back his real value because it’ll bring a boatload of prospects.