The latest from FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (all video links):
- Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu is set to become a free agent at season’s end, and the club may have a successor on hand in prospect Brendan Rodgers. However, Rosenthal floats the idea of the Rockies re-signing LeMahieu – who’s one of their “glue” guys, he notes – and trading superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado in the offseason. Although Arenado’s obviously far superior to LeMahieu, the former only has another year of arbitration control remaining, during which he’ll rake in upward of $20MM. Thus, if the Rockies aren’t confident about extending Arenado, Rosenthal posits that it may make sense for them to move the NL MVP candidate for a package of players who’d “supplement” their roster. That would enable them to re-up LeMahieu and use Rodgers at third base, Rosenthal observes.
- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will reportedly return next year, though Rosenthal cautions that the skipper’s future is uncertain. While the 46-year-old Roberts has a club option for 2019, the Dodgers haven’t made a decision on it yet, and Rosenthal reports they’d like to hold off discussing his contract until after the season. But if the Dodgers don’t make a call on Roberts’ fate soon, they could put themselves at risk of losing him in the coming weeks, suggests Rosenthal, who says that “a large number” of managerial jobs might open up around the league. If so, Roberts could bolt for one of those positions or use any of them for leverage in order to get a better offer from the Dodgers. Roberts, who’s in his third year in LA, has helped the team to a 276-196 record with two division titles and an NL pennant.
- It’s unclear who will manage the Orioles next season, but it definitely won’t be franchise icon Cal Ripken Jr., according to Rosenthal. Ripken’s uninterested in managing, per Rosenthal, who doesn’t rule out the possibility of the Hall of Famer joining the team’s front office. The 58-year-old would prefer a club president-type role, Rosenthal relays. For now, the highest-ranking baseball official in the O’s front office is executive VP Dan Duquette. He’s not under contract beyond this season, though.
2dmo4
Does anyone really pay attention to what Rosenthal writes?
adamontheshore
You do, I mean you read it and posted a comment about it. I would classify that in the paying attention category.
DodgerNation
the boy has just been toasted.
JKB 2
Ouch! You nailed him
baseball10
Rosenthal is arguably the best out there. Dont confuse him with Jim Bowden or Bob Nightengale, those are the clowns that usually make stuff up
JKB 2
And do not confuse him with Scott Boras/Jon Heyman tamdem
Jockstrapper
Jon Heyman is the worst.
imgman09
I’ve been checking him for long time,he is the most accurate,nobody knows 100%
justin-turner overdrive
Absolutely, ridiculously asinine: the Rockies are never ever trading Arenado. Is he implying that Nolan f’n Arenado is NOT one of their “glue guys”??? Pretty sure the best player on the team by a long way is more “glue” than LeMahieu. Just put Rodgers at 2B, Hampson and McMahon are ok 2B depth too, and then there’s lots of other cheap depth options on the market, but there’s plenty better ideas than trading their best player for no reason.
RedRooster
Why not trade Nolan? They could get a haul for him as opposed to simply losing him after 2019?
pt57
Not saying your wrong about trading him, but the argument for keeping him is to make a run at the playoffs.
pt57
*you’re* (ugh). The Internet is making me dumber.
RedRooster
Exactly. They could trade Nolan for a Major League ready SP and clear a spot in the field for Rodgers.
hiflew
But they don’t need an SP right now. They need offense. Their starting rotation is the reason they are in the playoff hunt right now. Trading your best hitter to get a pitcher in that scenario makes ZERO sense. Unless you think Rodgers is going to a lot better than Arenado on day one, which is just silly. Rodgers could replace DJ with not much fall off, but he is not replacing a top 5 player in the game with no fall off.
Wainofan
Same argument was said about trading Donaldson last post season. Blue Jays could have gotten Flaherty plus for him. Top one or two rookie pitchers in baseball would be nice for Toronto right now
RedRooster
I don’t think Rodgers will be better than Nolan at any point. I KNOW however that he will contribute more to the Rockies beyond the 2019 season than Nolan will. Anyway, the Rockies have plenty of infield depth which they could trade a piece they are about to lose anyway from to fill an area of greater need. Wainofan has the right idea.
fourth_dimension
Maybe. Remember though you have to view this in terms of contracts. His arb alone for 2019 could be $25 million. The Rockies may not want to pay that let alone the possibility of what he would command in free agency. They have a top prospects waiting in the wings. They will also have a hole in RF to fill as Gonzales and Parra are FAs too.
exile
Parra has a $12M option if the team wants to bring him back. They have David Dahl as well if CarGo doesn’t comeback. Desmond’s contract drops down to $15M next year from $22M this year.
The Rox should let LeMahieu walk and give Garrett Hampson or Ryan McMahon a chance. I still think Rodgers still needs a another year in the minors to develop more.
jdgoat
I don’t think that’s the argument he’s making. He’s alluding to how he’s more than likely leaving in free agency a year from now and would bring back a haul that could set them up for post Arenado era
JKB 2
Justin-Turner … chill out
Try to READ. It helps. Of course its a legitimate idea. Rosenthal even comments how good Arenado is and EXPLAINS why it may be a good idea. Trade Arenado or not but Nolan may be gone after next season anyway
Calm down. Read what was written. Then try to respond again rationally
justin-turner overdrive
It’s stupid on every level and will never happen and I can go off on how dumb an idea it is as much as I want to, no matter how “not calm” you think I’m being.
But where do you get off telling people how to act? You’re the boss of no one. “Calm down” my @ss. You aren’t better than me. Grow up.
jdgoat
Are you still calm after this post?
pinstripes17
Now that Casey’s Partner is gone, Justin Turner is now the biggest and most annoying troll on this site
mlb1225
If they’re out of the playoffs next season, they might as well.
petfoodfella
The only thing asinine is your determination that CO would never trade him. They would, just takes the right package of MLB ready pitching and prospects. Besides, it’s the smartest play for CO.
tomselleck
Have you paid attention to Nolan at all this year? He doesn’t want to be there any longer.
Kenleyfornia74
Roberts will be managing the Dodgers for a long time. The FO and players love him. The only reason his option is not yet picked up is they for some reason hate to do extensions mid season. After the season his contract will be settled
fox471 Dave
Say goodbye to any hope of ever winning a WS, if Roberts “will be managing the Dodgers for a long time.”
Kenleyfornia74
Ok sure. Ball was in Kenleys hands with a lead. Ball was in Kershaws hand with 7 runs of support. But keep blaming Roberts
abcrazy4dodgers
Right?!?! Imagine If Donnie Baseball had same decisions to make. But yeah, I keep forgetting the magic he is making in Miami. SMH.
azmacky
Agree !!!!!!!!!!!! 30 yrs. & Counting
joshb600
Don’t get me wrong, I understand trading Arenado as he’s an elite player (home and away splits are insanely different though), but when the club wants to contend, why trade your superstar player to open a spot to retain your below league average player in LeMaiheu?
yaketymac
They’re going to play Garrett Hampson after LeMahieu leaves. They have no intention of keeping LeMahieu.
socalbum
Rosenthal implies that Roberts could “bolt” for another opportunity, or use offers as leverage doesn’t make sense. Dodgers have a team option for 2019 and unless it gives other teams permission to talk with Roberts other teams talking with him is tampering. An extension seems like a fait accompli.
BlueSkyLA
It does, which raises the question of why they didn’t address this situation before the start of this season. The only theory I have after watching how this FO operates is that they don’t believe in extending anybody — players, coaches, or manager. They must think it gives them more leverage in negotiating a new contract, but that kind of thing can cut both ways. In the meantime, Roberts is left twisting in the wind.
socalbum
Good question. Perhaps this FO is under severe pressure to win this season and owners not willing to commit to a Roberts’ extension when there could be some changes in the FO?
BlueSkyLA
Possibly. But then we see the even bigger question of Kershaw’s future with the Dodgers being left under a cloud, when they could have put that one to bed months ago. And even though they signed back Jansen, Hill and Turner last year, they let them go to free agency first. All of this begins to suggest an approach to contacts that honestly baffles me.
socalbum
I think Kershaw deal could already be worked out, but in order to reduce his AAV he must opt out of his current deal which he cannot do until after the WS
BlueSkyLA
Another possibility, and not just wishful thinking, I hope. Much earlier in the season maybe in spring training Kershaw made some remarks to support that idea. I can’t recall exactly what was said but he intimated that he and the team were on the same page. So maybe your explanation is the right one.
socalbum
paraphrasing Kershaw in ST, his representatives and Dodgers had started discussions after the season (2017) and were continuing to have dialogue toward an agreement. Seemed like both sides wanted to reach an agreement which is more than half the battle.
Cam
Maybe they tried. We don’t know – we can only assume.
BlueSkyLA
We can always judge by the results.
socalbum
Dodgers’ fan opinion, Rockies should listen to other teams’ offers for Arenado who, barring injury, is going to get a massive FA contract. Yes, his home splits are much better than road, but the road numbers are still very good and his defense is outstanding. LeMahieu’s home field offensive stats on the other hand are significantly better than road and entering his age 31 season he may be better off taking a team friendly contract to stay with the Rockies.
tharrie0820
How could Roberta “bolt” for another team in coming weeks if the dodgers have a club option on him? Do options work differently for managers than players?
socalbum
see my comment 2 above yours
stubby66
I have always wondered why more teams don’t go after Bill Ripken as a manager
socalbum
Old school
minoso9
I like LeMahieu. The guy is a pro, a top-notch fielder, and a solid big league hitter. But with quality prospects like Hampson, McMahon and Brendan Rodgers coming up soon; something has to give. Trading Arenado could clear the way for these prospects and bring the Rockies some much needed pitching, catching or even help at 1st base.
Cardinals17
It would make sense for any MLB team to try to acquire Arenado, with one team in exception. The Cardinals John Mozeliak will state he’d rather have a lot of “Low Hanging Fruit” rather that acquiring a young impact hitter!!
Cam
Token “I have an agenda already” comment.
antsmith7
Why would they trade Arenado? Unless he says “I’m not re-signing here”
Caleb Clark
Machado is getting more money than Harper because Machado has just been having a better career
Caleb Clark
Ken Rosenthal is the best out there