Rumors for November, 2010
Dontrelle Willis agrees to Minor League deal with Reds
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Dontrelle Willis has agreed to a Minor League contract with the Cincinnati Reds, according to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick.
Willis was traded from the Detroit Tigers to the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 1st, 2010, but was designated for assignment by the D-backs about a month later. He signed a Minor League contract with the San Francisco Giants, but never made it to the Majors with the World Series champs last season.
With the Tigers and Diamondbacks, the 28-year-old left-hander had a combined 2-3 record with a 5.62 ERA in 15 appearances (13 starts).
Three teams interested in LHP Jarrod Washburn
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Yahoo Sports Tim Brown says that three teams are interested in left-handed pitcher Jarrod Washburn including the Milwaukee Brewers.
Earlier this month, FOXSports’ Jon Paul Morosi said that the 36-year-old is considering a comeback.
“I honestly am very happy with my decision to not play (in 2010) and hadn’t thought of playing again until recently,” he said. “This past week I have already been contacted by a couple teams, just to gauge my interest in coming back, so that has made me think about it a little.”
The former Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners pitcher said he would like to play near his hometown in Wisconsin, so teams like the Brewers or Minnesota Twins would make since.
The Brewers might be the more attractive team to Wasburn, given the fact that their new manager Ron Roenicke is the former pitching coach of the Angels. Roenicke worked with Washburn on 2002 when the Angels won the World Series.
“Love him,” Washburn said. “Great hire for the Brewers. I think he will do very well there. Knew it was only a matter of time before he got his shot. He learned under one of the best in (Mike) Scioscia. Others who did that seem to be doing very well, in Joe Maddon and Buddy Black. I’m sure he will do great.”
Joey Votto wins 2010 National League MVP
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Congratulations to Joey Votto for winning the 2010 National League MVP Award, as announced by the Baseball Writers Associations of America. Votto received 31 of the 32 first-place votes with Albert Pujols receiving the other first-place vote. By finishing in second place, Pujols receives a $100,000 bonus. Here are the voting results:
| Name | Total Pts. |
| Joey Votto (Reds) | 443 |
| Albert Pujols (Cardinals) | 279 |
| Carlos Gonzalez (Rockies) | 240 |
| Adrian Gonzalez (Padres) | 197 |
| Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies) | 132 |
| Roy Halladay (Phillies) | 130 |
| Aubrey Huff (Giants) | 70 |
| Jayson Werth (Phillies) | 52 |
| Martin Prado (Braves) | 51 |
| Ryan Howard (Phillies) | 50 |
| Buster Posey (Giants) | 40 |
| Matt Holliday (Cardinals) | 32 |
| Brian Wilson (Giants) | 28 |
| Scott Rolen (Reds) | 26 |
| Ryan Braun (Brewers) | 19 |
| Ryan Zimmerman (Nationals) | 18 |
| Carlos Ruiz (Phillies) | 12 |
| Dan Uggla (Marlins) | 12 |
| Adam Wainwright (Cardinals) | 12 |
| Jason Heyward (Braves) | 11 |
| Brian McCann (Braves) | 9 |
| Adam Dunn (Nationals) | 9 |
| Ubaldo Jimenez (Rockies) | 7 |
| David Wright (Mets) | 3 |
| Corey Hart (Brewers) | 2 |
| Josh Johnson (Marlins) | 2 |
| Heath Bell (Padres) | 2 |
Dodgers announce 2011 coaching staff
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The Los Angeles Dodgers have announced their new coaching staff for the 2011 season under manager Don Mattingly, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports and the Los Angeles Times’ Dylan Hernandez:
Trey Hillman – bench coach
Rick Honeycutt – pitching coach
Ken Howell – bullpen coach
Manny Mota – coach
Davey Lopes – 1st base coach
Tim Wallach – 3rd base coach
Jeff Pentland – hitting instructor
Dave Hansen – hitting instructor
Rob Flippo – bullpen cathcer
Mike Borzello – bullpen catcher
Mets considering Mookie Wilson as coach
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Could Mookie Wilson find his way back to the New York Mets as a coach next season? According to a source close to the New York Daily News’s Andy Martino, the Mets will “definitely consider” Wilson as a coach under new manager Terry Collins for next season – likely as the first base coach.
Wilson may be best remembered for hitting the ground ball that went through Boston Red Sox’s first baseman Bill Buckner in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.
Brandon McCarthy drawing interest from at least seven teams
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Former top pitching prospect, Brandon McCarthy, has been scouted heavily in recent weeks according to FOXSports’ Jon Paul Morosi. A Major League source close to Morosi says the Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics and Detroit Tigers are among the teams interested.
McCarthy, 27, last pitched in the Major Leagues for the Texas Rangers when he went 7-4 with a 4.62 ERA in 17 starts. He’s been throwing in the Dominican Winter League and is currently 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA in four starts.
Morosi reminds us that he can’t be a free agent until 2012, so any team that signs him this winter will have two years of control. He recently had a stress fracture in his right throwing shoulder, so there’s risk. His salary demands won’t be too high unless the number of teams looking for his service drive it up. It could be a low risk opportunity for a team looking for a back end right-handed starter.
Braves and Brewers interested in Eric Hinske
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Yahoo Sports Tim Brown tweets that the Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves are making early pushes for Eric Hinske.
Last week, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s David O’Brien said the Braves had made an offer to Hinske.
Hinske signed with Atlanta last winter and during his time with the Braves he hit .256 with 11 home runs and 51 RBIs. He made $1 million in 2010, and the offer is believed to be for a similar amount. O’Brien says it’s unclear whether Hinske will accept it or wait to see if the Braves increase the offer or other teams try to beat it.
Talks between Iwakuma and Athletics officially over on Monday
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According to sources in Japan close to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser, it sounds like talks between the Oakland Athletics and Hisashi Iwakuma will be officially over on Monday. Iwakuma’s Pacific League team, Rakuten, is expected to announce his return to the Golden Eagles today.
Slusser adds that the A’s were offering $3.8 million per year (not including the posting fee). Oakland was using Colby Lewis‘ $3 million salary and Kei Igawa’s give-year, $20 million deal as benchmarks.
Iwakuma’s agent said “the two sides won’t sit down at the negotiating table again” and “after our first proposal, we were thinking we had a compromise through negotiation, but the Athletics seemed to think ‘if you can’t take this price, you don’t have to come here’. That wasn’t a condition we could accept,” according to NPB Tracker’s Patrick Newman.
On Sunday afternoon, Slusser was the first to report that talks between Hisashi Iwakuma and the A’s had broken off. Slusser added that Iwakuma had been looking for a Barry Zito-type deal of around $18 million per year. A source adds the negotiations are “just short of done.”
Oakland won the bid to negotiate for Iwakuma for around $17 million earlier in November. This is the fee that the A’s will have to pay Iwakuma’s Japanese team should they be able to negotiate a contract with the pitcher. The team has 30 days, or until December 7th to come to terms.
Iwakuma posted a 2.82 ERA over 201 innings this past season. That accomplishment marked Iwakuma’s fourth straight season with an ERA of 3.40 or lower.
Derek Jeter to play through 2017 but not at shortstop?
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Are you ready for seven more season of Derek Jeter?
According to ESPNNewYork.com’s Ian O’Conner, after the 2007 season, Jeter approached his trainer, Jason Riley, and told him that he wanted to play eight to 10 more season. So what was Riley’s response when he was asked if Jeter could play through 2017?
“Yeah,” he said, “I think it’s very realistic.”
“The desire to be the greatest,” Riley added, “can never be turned down by Father Time.”
Jeter has told Riley that he would be willing to move from the shortstop position if asked. “Derek said he would do that and play another position if it was best for the team,” Riley said — both Jeter and the trainer believe such a transition won’t be required for a number of years.
“I still think the sky’s the limit for Derek,” Riley said.
Jeter, a free agent, and the Yankees are currently negotiating a new contract with New York reportedly making an offer of three-years, $45 million.
Multiple teams headed to Arizona to speak with de la Rosa
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While the Rockies would love to keep left-handed pitcher Jorge de la Rosa in Colorado, it doesn’t look they have much of a chance unless they are willing to give him a four-year in the neighborhood of $48 million. He’s free to sign with any team, and The Denver Posts’ Troy E. Renck says that multiple teams are headed to Arizona this week to court the pitcher.
Last week, Renck said teams interested in the left-hander include the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees. de la Rosa is arguably the next best free agent after Cliff Lee, so for those that don’t want to battle the Yankees, then de la Rosa is their best option.
