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Los Angeles Dodgers looking to add big bat this offseason
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MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick says the Los Angeles Dodgers need to address their inconsistency in the middle of their lineup, so you should expect the team to go after a big bat this offseason.
“We need to be more productive in the middle of the lineup,” manager Joe Torre said.
The team lost Manny Ramirez earlier this week, and outfielder Matt Kemp has not lived up to his two-year, $10.95 million contract that he signed last spring, so the Dodgers may be looking at a big name free agent. Some names the team could go after include Carl Crawford, Adam Dunn, Jayson Werth, Paul Konerko and maybe Adrian Beltre. Each of these players will be in the 10-figure per year salary range – a number that Los Angeles has tried to avoid.
Gurnick says GM Ned Colletti has already agreed that a big bat is a high priority this winter, and he’s probably more likely to land one via trade than free agency. In addition to a big bat on his wish list, the Dodgers need a starting catcher and a third baseman, and starting pitching.
Luckily for the Dodgers, the team has $38 million coming off the books, but with the pending divorce the McCourt family, the team may be restricted from spending big dollars to attract big name talent.
Carlos Delgado has tear in left hip – retirement on the horizon?
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It looks like the Boston Red Sox – Carlos Delgado experiment is over. According to Delgado’s agent (via Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald), David Sloane, the first baseman was diagnosed with a small tear in his left him.
Delgado signed a Minor League deal with the Boston Red Sox and had been preparing to make a comeback at Triple-A Pawtucket before he suffered this injury. He left Pawtucket to be examined by Dr. Marc Phillipon, the doctor who performed his previous hip surgeries.
“He’s extremely disappointed,” Sloane told the Boston Herald. “It would be tough for a human being to not be disappointed. He wouldn’t be human if he wasn’t very upset about it.”
Delgado had the option to opt-out of his contract on September 1st, but as of yesterday, he has decided to remain with the club. The PawSox have only a handful of games left this season, so it’s unlikely that Delgado will have enough time to rehab to join the Major League roster. Read More→
Milwaukee Brewers expected to ramp trade talks for Prince Fielder this winter?
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Clubs that have spoken with the Milwaukee Brewers expect the team to ramp up their trade talks for first baseman Prince Fielder this winter, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN. However, the Brewers understand that it’s going to be a tough market with the huge supply of free-agent first baseman available.
Here’s the list of expected first basemen to be available after the 2010 season:
- Left-handed hitters (like Prince): Adam Dunn, Carlos Pena, Adam LaRoche, Aubrey Huff, Lyle Overbay, Russell Branyan.
- Right-handed hitters: Paul Konerko, Derrek Lee, Jorge Cantu.
- Switch-hitter: Lance Berkman.
One exec close to Stark said the Brewers were “shocked” that there wasn’t more interest in Fielder before the trade deadline in July. It’s understandable given that the Brewers were asking for two young “front-end” starters in return. The same exec said “they definitely would have [moved him] if they got the right package.”
Cliff Lee ready to sign with New York Yankees this winter?
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A baseball man close to Cliff Lee said via ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark, that the left-handed pitcher will go to the New York Yankees this winter despite any attempts the Texas Rangers have on re-signing him. Lee will be a free-agent after this season, and can command a $20+ million per year contract.
Stark says that the reason that Lee will go to New York is because the Yankees are the best bet to “outbid the rest of civilization.”
“Cliff,” Starks’ source said, “would go to Siberia if they offered him the biggest contract.”
Florida Marlins sign catcher Mike Rivera
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According to MLB.com’s transaction page, the Florida Marlins signed catcher Mike Rivera and assigned him to Triple-A New Orleans.
The Marlins have been speaking about adding a catcher this week with manager Edwin Rodriguez saying the team was in the process of adding one.
Rivera, 33, last played with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2009 when he went .228/.326/.342 with 2 home runs and 14 RBIs in 41 games. The seven-year veteran has played with the Detroit Tigers, San Diego Padres as well as the Brewers.
Mets manager Jerry Manuel’s days are numbered? Bobby Valentine not a candidate?
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With his team 13 games behind the Atlanta Braves and 10 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the Wild Card, New York Mets’ manager, Jerry Manuel, may have his days as the team’s skipper numbered. Mike Puma of the New York Post says Manuel would “love to know” about his future with the team, but he isn’t about to approach management about it.
Mariners had opportunity to trade Josh Lueke back due to rape and sodomy case?
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Back in July, the Seattle Mariners acquired right-handed pitcher Josh Lueke as part of a package that sent left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee to the Texas Rangers. Shortly afterwards, news reports started to come out regarding Lueke’s involvement in a May 2008 case for sexually assaulting an unconscious 22-year-old woman in Bakersfield, California.
Despite the Mariners insistence that they had no knowledge of the player’s past and there was nothing they could do post-trade, Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times says the team had full knowledge of Lueke’s history and had the opportunity to send him back to the Rangers.
Former Mariners pitching coach Rick Adair said he told general manager Jack Zduriencik about Lueke’s troubles well before the deal.
“I told him everything I knew about every prospect I was asked about, including Lueke, including any court case,” said Adair, who was fired Aug. 9 along with Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu. “Everything I knew to be accurate, I told them.”
Rangers GM Jon Daniels said he made a standing offer that night to take Lueke back.
“We tried that on Friday night,” Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said. “But then, on Saturday morning, the Rangers said, ‘No, we’ve already notified the players. The deal stands as is.’ ”
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Alex Rodriguez fires agent Scott Boras
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According to a source close to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, New York Yankees’ third baseman, Alex Rodriguez, has fired his agent Scott Boras. He is now being represented by Pittsburgh attorney Jay Reisinger and Washington lawyer Jim Sharp.
Reisinger, a certified agent with the players association, confirmed that he and Sharp are Rodriguez’s attorneys, in an e-mail to the Daily Pitch. Reisinger represented Rodriguez during his admission to using steroids.
Boras will not publicly discuss his business relationship with Rodriguez, but he negotiated the two highest contracts in baseball for him. However, his current one, 10-years at $275 milion, required Rodriguez to interject himself into the negotiations.
List of six GM candidates for Arizona Diamondbacks is taking shape
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FOXSports’ Jon Paul Morosi says the Arizona Diamondbacks’ list of potential general manager candidates is starting to take shape. According to sources close to Morosi, the Diamondbacks plan to speak with the following six people:
- Jerry Dipoto, Diamondbacks interim GM
- Peter Woodfork, Diamondbacks assistant GM
- Kevin Towers, former Padres GM and current Yankees adviser
- Damon Oppenheimer, Yankees vice president of amateur scouting
- De Jon Watson, Dodgers assistant GM for player development
- Logan White, Dodgers assistant GM for amateur and international scouting
Sources says that the Diamondbacks’ superiors were happy with the job that Dipoto did at the July 31st trade deadline. Among Dipoto’s accomplishments this season are: Dan Haren trade with the Los Angeles Angels, Edwin Jackson trade with the Chicago White Sox, Chad Qualls trade with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chris Snyder trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
VIDEO: Fight between Florida Marlins and Washington Nationals
Posted by: | CommentsCheck out this video of the bench clearing brawl between the Florida Marlins and Washington Nationals:
According to the Associated Press, Nyjer Morgan of the Nationals charged the mound after a pitch from Florida’s Chris Volstad sailed behind his head. Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez clothes-lined Morgan and sent him to the ground.
Here’s another video from the same game where Doug Slaten and manager Jim Riggleman are ejected after Slaten hit Gaby Sanchez.
