Rumors for October, 2010
Ryne Sandberg could return to Cubs as Triple-A manager
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Ryne Sandberg’s dream to manage the Chicago Cubs were shattered this week when the club named Mike Quade the permanent manager, but there’s still hope that he could remain with the organization to some degree. According to the Chicago Tribune’s Fred Mitchell and David Kaplan the Cubs have interest in retaining Sandberg as the manager of Triple-A Iowa.
“I was unaware that they wanted me back until I heard it from you,” Sandberg said when contacted by the Tribune. “I guess it is an option. I’m going to take my time and see what is out there.”
The 50-year-old Hall of Famer could be hired as a manager of another Major League club. He was recently mentioned as a candidate for the Toronto Blue Jays managerial job. AOL FanHouse’s Ed Price says the Cubs expect Sandberg to leave the organization.
Sandberg was named the manager of Triple-A Iowa in December 2009. He previously managed the Class-A Peoria Chiefs and Double-A Tennessee Smokies.
Sandy Alderson is more than a frontrunner for Mets GM position
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Sandy Alderson will meet with the New York Mets at Citi Field on Thursday. There have been conflicting reports as to whether or not this meeting with be a second-round interview where he will speak with executives such as Dave Howard and David Cohen or if this is a continuation of a first-round interview as indicated by The New York Posts’ Dan Martin.
The New York Posts’ Joel Sherman says that Alderson is more than just a “frontrunner for the position”. He adds that the former Oakland Athletics’ GM and San Diego Padres CEO is “not a sure thing, but pretty darn close to it.”
Alderson wants to return to running a team and his passion to do so was clearly visible during his interview. Anderson also brings instant credibility and respect inside and outside of the organization.
The Mets have interviewed five other candidates in addition to Alderson, but it appears that Alderson is the only one to make the second-round. The team has already interviewed former Kansas City Royals GM Allard Baird, Chicago White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn, former Arizona Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes, and Los Angeles Dodgers assistant GM Logan White. New York met with Toronto Blue Jay’s special assistant Dana Brown on Wednesday.
Martin says that the second round of interviews are expected to be scheduled for next week with selected candidates.
Is Mark McGwire coming back to coach the Cardinals?
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After his only season as the Cardinals hitting coach in 2010, Mark McGwire is undecided about his coaching future with the team. Manager Tony La Russa said on a press conference on Tuesday night that McGwire might decide if he’ll return in 2011 by Thursday.
Joe Strauss from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch learned from the press conference with La Russa that McGwire is “really torn” regarding his future with St. Louis. The manager cited family concerns as McGwire’s deciding factor. He recently rejoined his wife Stephanie and family in California.
McGwire agreed to be the team’s hitting coach in October 2009, and according to Strauss, he has been asked back. While the team’s batting average remained the same between 2009 and 2010 at .263, their rank among the 16 National League teams increased from 4th best to 2nd best.
Update-Los Angeles Dodgers finalizing coaching staff
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10/20 21:13: Don Mattingly looks like he may have gotten the experience that he needed in a bench coach. According to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, former Kansas City Royals manager Trey Hillman has emerged as the front-runner to be bench coach on Don Mattingly’s staff. The 47-year-old Hillman, who managed the Royals from 2008 until May 2010, was seen with Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti and assistant general manager Kim Ng watching an Arizona Fall League game Wednesday. His link to Mattingly (which isn’t much) would be having managed 12 seasons in the Yankees Minor League system from 1990-2001.
If Hillman does end up being the bench coach, here is how the coaching situation will look like: Hillman, bench coach; Rick Honeycutt, pitching coach; Jeff Pentland, Chili Davis, Manny Mota, hitting coaches; Tim Wallach, third-base coach; Ken Howell, bullpen coach.
10/18 20:50: According to various sources close to ESPNLosAngeles.com’s Tony Jackson, parts of the Dodgers’ coaching staff are starting to take shape.
Jeff Pentland is the front-runner to become the hitting coach, Rick Honeycutt will remain as the pitching coach (pending that he agrees to his contract), and Ken Howell will return (presumably as the bullpen coach). Former Major League player Chili Davis could fill the team’s hitting instructor’s role.
Tim Wallach has a spot on the Dodgers, likely as the third base or bench coach, if he is not hired as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers. Wallach was not allowed to speak with the Toronto Blue Jays because he did not prioritize his interest in the team. The Dodgers allowed Wallach to make a list of clubs he could speak with and clubs he couldn’t speak with. The team didn’t want Wallach to interview for all available openings and delay their coaching roster.
The team may be hesitant to name Wallach the bench coach. Instead they may try to find a former big league manager to fill that role since rookie manager Don Mattingly may need to confide in him.
The team’s third-base coach, Larry Bowa, won’t be back. Mariano Duncan was told after the season that he was free to speak with other clubs indicating that he likely won’t be back. The team does not have a first-base coach replacement as of now.
Should the Twins make a run for Zack Greinke?
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According to Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press the Twins should make a move to land Royals ace Zack Greinke. Apparently, the Royals are willing to trade Greinke for “the right price”, and the Twins are in much need to add an ace to their rotation.
Walter’s suggests that Minnesota can put together an attractive package to land Greinke that includes players like Delmon Young and either Kevin Slowey or Nick Blackburn. They could overcome Young’s departure with a healthy Justin Morneau, and they can move Michael Cuddyer back to right field and Jason Kubel to left field with Ben Revere as their fourth outfielder.
The Twins will likely lose Carl Pavano on the free-agents market, but with the addition of Greinke the Twins could fill that void. Should the team move Slowey or Blackburn young prospect Kyle Gibson could pick up the slack.
Greinke, 27, had a spectacular season in 2009, winning the Cy Young award with a record of 16-8 an ERA of 2.16 and striking out a total of 242. Although 2010 was an off year for Greinke he could be a good acquisition for the Twins.
Cincinnati Reds “probably will” pick up Jonny Gomes option
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The Cincinnati Reds’ have not named which team options they will exercise or not, but according to the Cincinnati Enquirer’s John Fay, general manager Walt Jocketty has said Bronson Arroyo’s contract will be picked up and Jonny Gomes “probably will.” Gomes’ team option is worth $1.75 million.
Other players the Reds need to make a decision on include Aaron Harang, Orlando Cabrera, Ramon Hernandez, Jay Bruce and Arthur Rhodes. Fay says the Reds will not likely pick up Harang’s option at $12.5 million and won’t likely pick up Cabrera’s at $4 million, but it’s possible that they could bring back Cabrera with a new deal. Should the Reds decline Cabrera’s option, they will be required to buy him out for $1 million.
Hernandez had a $3.25 million vesting option for 2011 that would have been guaranteed if he played in 120 games. He played in only 97 games.
It’s unclear if Bruce will be arbitration-eligible. If he is, then he’ll get a significant raise which could prevent Cincinnati from signing a low-level free-agent.
The Reds have had initial talks with Rhodes, Rhodes has indicated that he would like to return.
PAPI thong company sends Rally Thongs to Aubrey Huff
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Some of you may recall Aubrey Huff’s attempt to get the San Francisco Giants on a hot a streak with a Rally Thong. At the time he predicted that the Rally Thong could produce 20 wins. So far the team is 25-12 with the sexy garment and in the middle of the National League Championship Series.
Apparently the PAPI thong company heard about it and is riding the coat tails of the Giant’s success. According to The Mercury News’ Andrew Baggarly, the company sent three huge dress-size boxes with thong underwear in every color of the rainbow to AT&T Park. Each box stood 3 feet tall. Huff distributed thongs to everyone in the clubhouse – including reporters.
Illustration courtesy of Big League Stew.
Zack Greinke’s no-trade clause expires after 2011 season
Posted by: | CommentsFOXSports’ Jon Paul Morosi (via the MLB Buzz on Yardbarker) reveals new details about Kansas City Royals’ starting pitcher Zack Greinke and his no-trade clause included in his contract. Here are the details of Greinke’s contract according to multiple Major League sources close to Morosi:
- During the 2009 and 2010 season, Greinke was able to block trades to 20 teams. The 2010 contract would have allowed the Royals to trade him to mostly small-market teams, including the Tampa Bay Rays. Greinke could have blocked deals to the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.
- During 2011, Greinke can block trades to 15 teams.
It was revealed last week that the 28-year-old Cy Young winner could be traded, and GM Dayton Moore has acknowledged that.
“Nothing has changed at all,” Moore said. “We know it’s going to make sense, at some point in time, to do something if we can’t sign him beyond 2012. We’ve just got to measure how (any deal) fits in today and long-term.”
Greinke is signed through the 2012 season, and he leaves little doubt that he’ll sign a new deal if the club is not competitive. The 2009 American League Cy Young Award winner will make $13.5 million each season for 2011 and 2012.
Owner hopes Cliff Lee will sign next contract with Rangers
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The Texas Rangers are hoping to keep soon-to-be free-agent pitcher Cliff Lee from signing with the New York Yankees this winter, according to Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman. Heyman says the “Rangers are planning to go toe-to-toe (and even maybe dollar-for-dollar) to keep Lee in the Lone Star state.
“He’s going to make a tremendous amount of money. I hope he makes it with us,” Rangers owner Chuck Greenberg said to SI.com.
Heyman says the Lee sweepstakes will likely come down to the Yankees and Rangers, but the Red Sox, Angels and Nationals are expected to try for this winter’s prize.
“We can’t control what the Yankees or any other club chooses to offer,” Greenberg said according to AOL FanHouse’s Ed Price. “We know that we’re going to have to be aggressive financially. We’re prepared to do that. But we’ve also got things to offer from a lifestyle standpoint.
Prior to his dominant performance in Game 3 of the ALCS, many believed that Lee would ask for CC Sabathia money (eight-years, $160 million – breaks down to $20 million per season) this winter, and if he continues his dominance it’s possible that he could get a salary slightly north of that.
Cody Ross trying to convince Dan Uggla to join Giants
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According to the the San Francisco Chronicle’s John Shae, Cody Ross is trying to convince his former teammate, power-hitting second baseman of the Florida Marlins Dan Uggla, not to sign a long-term extension with the Fish, so he can sign as a free-agent with the Giants after the 2011 season.
The Giants have already explored trades possibilities with the Marlins so they can land Uggla, but he still has one more year of arbitration-eligibility with the Marlins, and according to The Miami Herald’s Clark Spencer they are negotiating with Uggla’s agent Terry Bross to offer him a three year contract worth around $24MM, although they might have differences about the figures, Uggla is seeking a 5-year $58MM package.
Uggla just avoided arbitration with the Marlins this past winter and agreed with the team for a $7.8MM salary for 2010, but the contract the Marlins are offering right now covers this last year of arbitration-eligibility and two more years. If he declines the contract offer he could become a free-agent after the 2011 season and sign with whichever team he wants. The Marlins contract offer isn’t bad for Uggla. Worst case scenario, he can earn an average of $8MM salary per year over three years and avoid arbitration this winter. In my opinion he should listen to what Ross is telling him and give the Giants a try.
