Rumors for October, 2010
Arizona Diamondbacks looking at Paul Konerko
Posted by: | Comments
Paul Konerko will be an off season priority for the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to two Major League sources close to ESPNChicago.com’s Bruce Levine.
The Diamondbacks scouted Konerko late in 2010 with the idea of possibly pursuing him if he reaches free agency. Konerko is eligible to become a free-agent after the World Series.
Arizona would like to cut down on their strikeouts. The team led the Majors with 1,529 strikeouts and Adam LaRoche had 172 of them. Konerko had 110 strikeouts with the White Sox. GM Kevin Towers acknowledged that it may take some roster moves and difficult decisions to cut down the strikeout total.
The White Sox’s first baseman makes a home in Scottsdale, Arizona in the off-season, so playing for the Diamondbacks would be very appealing to him.
The 34-year old hit .312 with 39 home runs and 111 RBIs for the 2010 Chicago White Sox.
Mariners to pay manager Eric Wedge close to $1.9MM per year over three-years
Posted by: | Comments
According to Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman, the Seattle Mariners will pay manager Eric Wedge close to $1.9 million per year over three-years.
Heyman adds that Wedge was likely the top choice of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates have yet to select a manager.
Wedge was named as the Mariner’s manager on Monday.
Gabe Gross and Jeff Larish elect free agency
Posted by: | Comments
Gabe Gross and Jeff Larish have elected free agency according to MLB.com’s Jane Lee.
The 31-year-old Gross hit .239/.290/.311 ina 105 games for the Athletics in 2010. He was signed to a one-year, $750,000 contract.
Larish, 28, split time with the A’s and the Detroit Tigers this season. He hit .179/.267/.313 in 27 games in a combined 27 games for both teams.
The team also outrighted Jon Meloan and Justin Souza.
Nakajima has not given up on being posted
Posted by: | Comments
Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima was recently denied being posted to play in the United States, according to Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker. In a Tweet today, Newman said that Nakajima has not given up on being yet. Rather, he’s wants to talk with the Seibu Lion management team again with hopes that they will change their minds.
Earlier this month, MASN’s Roch Kubatko said that Baltimore Orioles have interst in this 28-year-old infielder. They’ve scouted him many times, along with other teams.
Could Carlos Lee be heading to the AL?
Posted by: | Comments
Panamanian left fielder Carlos Lee is still under contract with the Houston Astros for two years, but his full no trade clause expires at the end of 2010. That leaves the Astros a chance to trade him to 16 out 30 MLB teams.
MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart thinks that Lee could be nearly untradeable because he’s due about $38 million over the next two years, and he’s had defensive shortcomings and a declining offensive.
Lee might be attractive to a team needing a designated hitter. He’s a proven run producer, and did have a solid second half. He hit 24 HR and had 89 RBI’s this season. McTaggart says that there’s no doubt if the Astros were able to find a trade partner, they would have to eat a substantial portion of the contract.
Houston has several outfielders prospects growing up, and if they manage to trade Lee that will open a spot for one of those prospect, which will be hard to do otherwise with Michael Bourn and Hunter Pence entrenched as starters.
Brewers managerial decision expected shortly after World Series ends
Posted by: | Comments
The Brewers final decision over who their manager will be for the 2011 season could be expected shortly after the World series ends. According to FOXSports Ken Rosenthal Bobby Valentine, Joey Cora, Bob Melvin and Ron Roenicke are candidates for the position.
Rosenthal believes that Valentine could be the best candidate he will likely cost the most. The Brewers are confident though that Valentine could work well with team GM Doug Melvin.
The Journal-Sentinel’s Tom Haudricourt adds that despite the rumors that Milwaukee has decided on Valentine as manager, Haudricourt was told that no decision has been made.
Adrian Gonzalez “will probably” leave San Diego
Posted by: | Comments
With Adrian Gonzalez becoming a free-agent at the end of the 2011 season it looks like his days with the Padres are numbered. Padres GM Jed Hoyer and Gonzalez’s agent John Boggs are expected to meet for lunch to discuss the first baseman’s future according to San Diego Union-Tribune’s Don Norcross.
Norcross thinks that the discussions won’t take too long because the Padres, who had baseball’s second lowest payroll this year, have said they can’t afford to pay their best player the salary he’ll command.
The most plausible option is that Gonzalez will be traded, either this off season or before next summer’s trading deadline.
“While we’d still love to have Adrian here long-term, it doesn’t appear to be practical from a financial standpoint,” club CEO Jeff Moorad told the Union-Tribune’s Tim Sullivan. “So I’m certainly not counting on that. But we’ll engage and see if there’s a deal that can be made.”
The teams that might be favorites to get Gonzalez according to Norcross are the Red Sox, the Angels and the Giants.
Orioles add Jim Presley and Rick Adair to their staff
Posted by: | Comments
The Orioles have agreed to a two-year deal with Jim Presley to become their hitting coach, and Rick Adair to become their bullpen coach according Dan Connoly of the Baltimore Sun.
Connoly said that the Orioles aren’t expected to officially announce the spots being filled until the entire coaching staff is finalized. And according to his source the team could have the full staff completed within the next week.
White Sox and Cardinals discussing Carlos Quentin for Colby Rasmus trade?
Posted by: | Comments
At the last trade deadline, White Sox GM Kenny Williams tried to trade just about everyone including the hot dog guy and grounds keeper. Well that might be going a little far but according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago-Sun Times, the White Sox have set their sights on acquiring Colby Rasmus and have reportedly offered Carlos Quentin in exchange.
‘It was obvious that [the Cardinals] were paying extra attention to Quentin at the end of the season, so this might have been something that was already talked about,” said an unnamed scout. The scout went onto state that the White Sox did not scout Rasmus as ‘Everyone knows what this kid is capable of. Plus, Ken seems to always know what he wants before the fact.”
Quentin has loads of talent but deals with injuries on a regular basis. This past season he missed some time due to plantar fasciitis. Quentin has two years left of arbitration before he is a free agent.
Colby Rasmus late in the summer demanded a trade due to issues with manager Tony LaRussa. Though the Cardinals have said repeatedly that they would not listen to offers, one has to think if they could get an even return they would at least visit the trade scenario due to the possible issues Rasmus has created between LaRussa and himself.
Williams might want to trade Quentin for Rasmus straight up but I don’t think the Cardinals would go for that. They would need to include a high level prospect with Quentin to make it work. A more even one-for-one swap would be a scenario that included Gordon Beckham going to the Cardinals for Rasmus.
Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post- Dispatch added this via twitter: Quentin for Raz’ stuff been percolating since end of season. According to one Cardinal FO type: “Gotta do better than that.”
Phillies contact Scott Boras about Jayson Werth
Posted by: | Comments
The Philadelphia Phillies have contacted Jayson Werth’s agent, Scott Boras, according to MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki.
“There’s really not much to say,” GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said Friday. “We’re not going to have a public discussion with what’s happening with Jayson, but we have touched base and we’ll see where it goes from here.”
Werth will be a free-agent shortly after the World Series and could get a contract between a four-year, $66 million deal and a seven-year, $120 million range. These numbers are based on Jason Bay’s and Matt Holliday’s contracts that were signed last winter, respectively.
The Phillies already have $145 million committed to their 2011 payroll to 16 players, so it’s uncertain that the team has the resources to re-sign Werth.
