There’s been a good deal of speculation surrounding the Brewers’ GM opening, and ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick hears (Twitter link) two more names making their round of speculation: Braves assistant GM John Coppolella and Rays director of player personnel Matt Arnold. Coppolella has long been speculated to be Atlanta’s GM of the future, but John Hart is currently serving as the team’s president of baseball operations. Arnold has moved up from Rays pro scouting director to his current position over the past few seasons.
A few more late-night notes pertaining to the National League…
- Jeff Francoeur is open to a return to the Phillies even in another rebuilding season, he tells MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. “I like where we’re going right now,” Francoeur explained. “Hell, we have the [fourth]-best record in the National League in the second half. At the same time, I’m not saying I’ve got to play every day, but I would want an opportunity to play if I’m playing well. I’m not saying every day, though.” A potential return for Francoeur, of course, will depend largely on the team’s impending front office decisions, which the outfielder acknowledged. Zolecki adds that he, too, hears that the Phillies pulled Francoeur back off waivers when he was claimed, adding that the Pirates were possibly the team.
- Five young Braves prospects were injured in a bus accident in the Dominican Republic over the weekend, as MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez writes. Fortunately, most of the injuries were minor, though 18-year-old Luis Martin Severino Galvan is said to have suffered a broken leg.
- Dodgers top prospect Julio Urias is not under consideration for a call-up in early September, manager Don Mattingly told reporters, including Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles. “He probably would not be one of the guys we see right away,” said Mattingly. However, the team hasn’t entirely ruled out the possibility of Urias — a consensus Top 5 prospect — debuting later in the month and pitching in relief, Saxon writes. Urias only turned 19 years old earlier this month, but he’s already pitching at the Double-A level, where he has a 3.03 ERA with 10.3 K/9 against 2.2 BB/9 in 62 1/3 innings (12 starts).
Weirdly this was actually the second bus accident to hit the Braves minor league system this season. Thankfully the injuries sustained during this accident seem to be more minor.
Francoeur says it like it’s way more meaningful, but in late August, “Fourth-best record in the NL in the second half” really just means “we had an above-average month.”
Surprised that the Pittsburgh was the team that was named as the possible waiver claim team for Francoeur. I don’t see team management moving another player from their current 25 man roster to accommodate him.
4th best record in the NL in the 2nd half???
Sounds like a line he heard from Ruben when he was begging to keep his job.
considering they were 30 games under .500 at one point, it has been a nice little run.
i thought Pittsburgh made sense before the trade deadline when Harrison and Mercer was out but cant really see it now.
Philies like Francoeur being veteran leader, but he shouldnt really play hardly at all next year- you want kids to get at bats; seems like it might come down to having him or Andres Blanco back as veteran infielder guy for the last spot on the roster.
The bench next year should be Rupp, Frenchy, Blanco, Galvis and Sweeney.
non-tender Dom Brown and get rid of Darin Ruf.
Blanco, surprisingly, has been one of the best Phillies this year. 1.5 WAR i believe ranks 3rd among current Phillies.
With Galvis on the bench, who are you penciling in at SS? Barring a monster spring that gives them no choice but to keep him up, Crawford won’t be ready. And even then, I’d error on the side of having him start the year in AAA.
even with Harrison out it really didn’t’ make a lot of sense. for some reason people think the pirates need to platoon right field because Polanco ‘can’t hit lefties’ but he has learned to hit lefties and has been doing well against them since he almost had to play against lefties since Harrison was out. the only reason to platoon him now is to get Harrison more playing time.
with Jeff’s price and good glove i’m surprised he slipped all the way too the pirates. I can see the Pirates grabbing him up just as insurance against injury but they got Travis Snider for that now on top of that Harrison is back
yeah, that’s what Mattingly says now…wait until SF is tied for divisoin lead or leading…
he could be a great option for the pen but maybe they dont want to over work his arm. since he still very young since he only 19. but dodgers could use anything right now
I swear every day it seems like 2-3 more names are floated out as “potential GM candidates for Milwaukee.” Might be easier to just list everyone in a front office position that’s not a target for MIL