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• La Russa can tell Leyland still has passion for job

  October 18, 2012 by JonPaulMorosi

  Jim Leyland has said he wants to return as the Detroit Tigers’ manager next year.

  Tony La Russa can tell that just by watching his close friend work.

  “He’s as passionate now as he was the first day he managed,” La Russa said Wednesday, before Game 4 of the American League Championship Series was postponed. “You can tell. Look at his face in the ninth inning (of Game 3), when (Phil) Coke was facing (Raul) Ibañez.”

  What keeps Leyland going at age 67? “He loves the competition,” La Russa said. “He loves the game of baseball. And he knows he does it well.”

  La Russa, 68, retired with the most wins of any living manager after the St. Louis Cardinals won his third World Series title last year. Leyland doesn’t have a contract for next year but is widely expected to return to the Tigers. When asked if he would advise his friend to duplicate that rare career move — win it all and retire — La Russa smiled.

  “If I told him that, he would manage 10 more years,” quipped La Russa, who now works for Major League Baseball. “He does the exact opposite of what I tell him to do. If I tell him how lousy it is, then he might retire.”

  — Jon Paul Morosi

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• For Padres, interesting times ahead

  August 30, 2012 by KenRosenthal

  The San Diego Padres are headed in a new direction, and not simply because they are under new ownership.

  Club officials, encouraged by the team’s recent surge, could adjust their offseason plans in two ways, according to sources with knowledge of the Padres’ thinking.

  One, by keeping third baseman Chase Headley.

  Two, by signing at least one free-agent starting pitcher.

  The Padres are 41-30 since June 10, the fourth-best record in the National League — and best in the NL West. Headley, the subject of trade discussions in July, has a .921 OPS since the All-Star break, 15^th best in the NL.

  Why mess with success?

  The Padres are asking themselves that very question, sources say — and leaning against trading Headley this winter. Instead, Headley would remain their No. 3 hitter through 2014 and possibly longer if he signs an extension.

  Top prospect Jedd Gyorko, a possible successor to Headley at third, still would join the team next season, but at second base. The Padres’ lineup, then, could look something like this:

  Will Venable, RF

  Gyorko, 2B

  Headley, 3B

  Carlos Quentin, LF

  Yasmani Grandal, C

  Yonder Alonso, 1B

  Cameron Maybin, CF

  Everth Cabrera, SS

  Not bad. And the team’s bench — with players such as infielder Logan Forsythe and outfielders Chris Denorfia, Mark Kotsay and Jesus Guzman — wouldn’t be bad, either.

  Starting pitching, then, would be the Padres’ biggest concern, particularly when so many of their young starters will be coming off injuries next season.

  The Pads could re-sign right-hander Jason Marquis as a veteran complement to righty Edinson Volquez and lefty Clayton Richard. But if possible, sources say, they also would like to add a higher-impact starter — maybe even New York Yankees righty Hiroki Kuroda.

  Padres general manager Josh Byrnes long has liked Kuroda, first trying to sign him out of Japan as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ GM in 2007, only to lose him to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Byrnes actually tried again last offseason, but he didn’t have enough payroll flexibility to afford both Kuroda and Quentin.

  Under new ownership, that could change.

  If not Kuroda, the Padres could end up with another veteran free agent from a group that is expected to include Ryan Dempster, Anibal Sanchez and Edwin Jackson, and possibly Dan Haren, Ervin Santana and Gavin Floyd.

  Exciting stuff for a team that started the season 20-41 — a team that suddenly looks like it might contend sooner rather than later.

  — Ken Rosenthal

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• Orioles still looking for pitching

  July 18, 2012 by KenRosenthal

  The Orioles have lost six of their last seven games and 17 of their last 24.

  Their ace, right-hander Jason Hammel, is out 3 to 4 weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

  Two of their second basemen, Brian Roberts and Robert Andino, also are on the disabled list.

  Some in the organization believe that the team should pull back from the trade market, major-league sources say. General manager Dan Duquette disagrees.

  Duquette, speaking emphatically, told FOXSports.com on Wednesday that the team is still a buyer.

  “Our future is now,” Duquette said of the Orioles, who are 10 games back in the AL East but only 1/2 game behind in the wild-card race.

  Duquette said his No. 1 priority is stabilizing the team’s starting rotation, which ranks 12th in the AL with a 4.79 ERA.

  “We’re going to try to do everything we can to get into the playoffs this year,” Duquette said. “I just think it’s important to the fans that they know we’re trying to put a good team on the field and have a good season.”

  The Orioles have been linked to a number of starting pitchers, from Brewers right-hander Zack Greinke to Mariners lefty Jason Vargas to Phillies righty Joe Blanton. Duquette, however, said the market is “pretty tight” because of the number of teams in contention.

  “The top pitchers are fairly well-defined,” Duquette said, referring to Greinke and Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels. “The teams that have the top pitchers, if they had their druthers, they’d rather sign them for their ballclubs.”

  The Phillies are planning to make an offer to Hamels. The Brewers’ strategy with Greinke is less clear.

  — Ken Rosenthal

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• Sources: Reds interested in valuable Kotsay

  July 13, 2012 by JonPaulMorosi

  As the trade deadline nears, we love to speculate about potential blockbuster moves. But sometimes the less heralded veterans make big impacts. And that is why San Diego Padres reserve Mark Kotsay — an experienced pinch hitter — is drawing interest from the Cincinnati Reds, among other clubs, according to major-league sources.

  Kotsay is the perfect trade candidate, in that he earns a relatively low base salary ($1.25 million) and will be a free agent after this season. The irony is that the Padres value his leadership so much that they may decide to keep him, because of the effect he has on the rest of the club.

  Kotsay, 36, spent only one season with the Milwaukee Brewers. He was a reserve outfielder and first baseman who made many of his appearances off the bench. And yet he was integral to the Brewers’ division title last year.

  Kotsay left Milwaukee to sign a one-year contract in San Diego, close to his home. He’s excelling in a similar role, batting .292 while filling in at the corner outfield spots and first base. And the clearest sign of Kotsay’s value might be in the words of a manager for whom he no longer plays.

  “He was huge,” Milwaukee’s Ron Roenicke said this week, reflecting on Kotsay’s contributions last year. “His personality was huge. And the experience he has — (Craig) Counsell was the same way — they had been to the playoffs before, they had been to the World Series. Veterans who know how to win, and know what it takes to win, and have the personality that rubs off on other players, are really hard to replace.

  “We really miss Kotsay on this team. We’ve got a good bunch of guys. But we lost nine guys from that team last year, and a lot of those guys had playoff experience and knew what it took. … (With) Kotsay, to have a player on your bench who can go up against a setup man or closer and give you a good at-bat almost every time, you don’t find many guys like that. He can really hit. He understands what he needs to do.”

  — Jon Paul Morosi

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• Angels

  April 13, 2012 by KenRosenthal

  The Los Angeles Angels have addressed numerous contract issues since the end of last season. But they haven’t forgotten shortstop Erick Aybar.

  General manager Jerry Dipoto said Friday that the team is “making progress” on an extension for Aybar, who is eligible for free agency at the end of the season.

  “I’m very confident that we’ll be able to get something done,” Dipoto said. “Erick wants to be here. It’s just a matter of winding up a deal that works for both sides.

  “(The negotiations) have been going on since December. It’s never been contentious. It’s always been an open discussion. It’s ongoing.”

  The Angels signed Aybar’s double-play partner, Howie Kendrick, to a four-year, $33.5 million extension in January, buying out three of Kendrick’s free-agent years.

  Aybar, 28, would be the best shortstop on the open market next offseason. The Angels lack a major league-ready replacement at the position.

  “Over the course of the winter we’ve had a lot of additions, quite a few things on the docket,” Dipoto said. “Not to say that Erick was item of importance No. 6. But he understood there was a lot going on. He’s been great about it.”

  -Ken Rosenthal

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• The Rangers, Kinsler and Cano

  April 03, 2012 by KenRosenthal

  The Texas Rangers are discussing a six-year contract with second baseman Ian Kinsler that would begin in 2013, according to major-league sources.

  The holdup?

  Indirectly, it might be Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano.

  Kinsler and the Rangers, trying to complete a deal by the team’s opener on Friday, have been unable to reach agreement on the financial terms of the new contract.

  The Rangers, sources say, are willing to give Kinsler a salary higher than Dan Uggla’s record average for a second baseman, $12.4 million. But the team probably does not want to go far above that figure, which is where Cano enters the equation.

  The Yankees exercised Cano’s $14 million option for this season and hold a $15 million option on him for 2013. His next deal, whether achieved in an extension or through free agency, figures to be at a much higher number.

  Kinsler, who turns 30 on June 22, is signed for $7 million this season with a $10 million club option for 2013; the option would be eliminated in the first year of his new deal.

  He might not be at Cano’s level. But, judging from their respective career marks in OPS-plus, he’s not far off.

  OPS-plus is a player’s combined on-base/slugging percentage adjusted to his ballpark and league. Cano’s career mark is 119. Kinsler’s is 114. And Kinsler has been even more productive than Cano in the post-season.

  So, let’s say Cano’s next deal is for $18 million per season – and that might be conservative, given the recent eruption in the market.

  Kinsler, then, might be shortchanging himself if he accepted, say, $14 million per season. His goal might be more in the $16 million range.

  Rangers general manager Jon Daniels told reporters Tuesday that he does not expect to complete any contract extensions before Opening Day. But he also did not rule out the possibility of a last-minute deal with Kinsler or any of the Rangers’ potential free agents, including catcher Mike Napoli and center fielder Josh Hamilton.

  -Ken Rosenthal

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• Moyer Pitches Way Into Potential Comeback

  March 28, 2012 by TracyRingolsby

  Jamie Moyer has pitched well enough to earn a spot in the Rockies rotation.

  The decision as to whether he will become the oldest starting pitcher to ever appear on an Opening Day lineup, however, is on hold.

  The question is how Moyer, at the age of 49, will bounce back from extended pitching efforts.

  Coming off four perfect innings in which he threw only 45 pitches against San Francisco on Friday night, Moyer got a better test of durability in a four-inning, 92 pitch battle with the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.

  Moyer said he felt strong at the end of the outing, and Rockies manager Jim Tracy said he was impressed with how Moyer battled. The big question is how will Moyer feel when he reports to the ballpark on Thursday.

  "I have no issue with Jamie's arm,'' said Tracy. "How his legs bounce back is an important aspect. I feel we need to do all the homework we can to answer the question.''

  And before a final decision is made, the Rockies are going to want to see him pitch again in spring training, most likely Monday against Seattle, and then see how he responds on Tuesday.

  If a decision had to be made today, it would seem Moyer would make the team, but for the Rockies, given the uncharted territory Moyer is exploring, the more they can watch, the better off they are.

  Wednesday, after all, was more than twice as many pitches as Moyer had thrown in a game this spring, and he did miss all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery.

  Moyer was missing off the plate by a small margin against the White Sox, and Tracy gave Chicago credit for showing the patience it did. Moyer, however, said he felt the game was a good test for him. He allowed three runs in the four innings of an 8-3 Rockies win.

  "Not every game is going to be like (the one against the Giants),'' said Moyer. "There are days you have to push your way through it. There are days you have to battle. I enjoy pitching that kind of game.''

  Moyer, in fact, lobbied to pitch a fifth inning, but given the limited pitch count of his previous appearances, Tracy did not want to stretch Moyer too far.

  And his commitment to what's ahead was apparent when it was mentioned no starting pitcher the age of 49 or older had ever won a game.

  "I intend to win more than one game,'' he said. "If age had a bearing on my decision I wouldn't be doing this.''

  — Tracy Ringolsby

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• Braun's attorney issues statement

  March 01, 2012 by KenRosenthal

  David Cornwell, attorney for Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun, issued this statement Thursday:

  "Ryan Braun presented a winning defense in the forum that counted. The landmark decision in Ryan's favor was based on the evidence and the plain meaning of the words in baseball’s Joint Drug Program.

  "The collector’s attempt to re-litigate his conduct is inappropriate, and his efforts will only be persuasive to those who do not understand the evidence or the rules. Ryan Braun was properly vindicated. Both Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Players Association should be applauded because their Joint Program worked."

  — Ken Rosenthal

   

   

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• Reds still pursuing Oswalt

  February 06, 2012 by KenRosenthal

  The Cincinnati Reds took advantage of a depressed market to sign free-agent closer Ryan Madson.

  Now the team is trying to do the same with free-agent right-hander Roy Oswalt.

  The Reds remain in talks with Oswalt, according to major league sources.

  Oswalt, 34, would prefer to pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals or Texas Rangers, sources say, and some in the industry doubt that he would sign with any other team.

  But the Reds, just as they were with Madson, are willing to make a deal work.

  The team would need to clear payroll to sign Oswalt, who is believed to be seeking $8 million to $10 million on a one-year deal. Right-hander Homer Bailey, earning $2.425 million in 2012, would be the most likely candidate to be moved, sources say.

  The Reds’ one-year, $8.5 million deal with Madson was creatively structured, with the team paying $6 million to the closer this season, including $2 million deferred until Nov. 1, 2012 and $2 million deferred until Nov. 1, 2013. Madson would earn another $2.5 million on the buyout of his $11 million mutual option for ’13.

  Oswalt likely would need to accept similar terms, but his inability to reach agreement with either the Cardinals or Rangers reopened the process. The Boston Red Sox remain interested in him as well, sources say.

  A report by FOXSports.com on Saturday night indicating that the Reds had merely kicked the tires on Oswalt and were not actively pursuing him was incorrect, sources say.

  — Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi

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• ESPN's Law: On the move again?

  December 29, 2011 by KenRosenthal

  Keith Law is a unique figure in baseball, a person who has shifted between front-office and media positions.

  He soon may be on the move again.

  Law, a senior baseball writer for ESPN.com, interviewed last week for a number of front-office roles with the Houston Astros, including the job of scouting director, according to major-league sources.

  Law met with both new club president George Postolos and general manager Jeff Luhnow, but the team has yet to offer him a position, sources say.

  In his current job, Law oversees ESPN’s scouting-related content. Prior to joining ESPN in 2006, he spent 4½ years as a special assistant with the Toronto Blue Jays. Prior to that, he was a free-lance writer for Baseball Prospectus and ESPN.

  — Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi

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• Sources: Tigers interested in Angels’ Izturis

  November 29, 2011 by JonPaulMorosi

  The Tigers have interest in trading for Angels infielder Maicer Izturis, major-league sources told FOXSports.com, and it’s believed that he ranks behind Atlanta’s Martin Prado on Detroit’s trade wish list.

  The Tigers are looking for upgrades at second base, third base and the leadoff spot. Izturis, 31, has filled all of those roles over an eight-year career.

  Izturis, a switch hitter, isn’t known for his durability. This year marked the first time he has played more than 120 games in a major-league season. But that wouldn’t necessarily be a huge issue in Detroit, where he could split time with the likes of Ryan Raburn, Brandon Inge and Don Kelly at the two positions.

  Izturis is coming off a season in which he posted a .276/.334/.388 line while spending time at second base, shortstop and third base. He is said to be a close friend of Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez, a fellow Venezuelan.

  The Angels aren’t planning on an everyday role for Izturis in 2012; they are looking to upgrade at third base and have Howie Kendrick and Erick Aybar ticketed for second and short, respectively. Izturis is set to earn $3.8 million next season in the final year of his contract.

  It’s believed that Jerry DiPoto has broad license to retool the roster in his first off-season as the Angels general manager.

  — Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal

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• Headley could hit trade market in coming months

  November 12, 2011 by JonPaulMorosi

  Consider the batting splits for San Diego third baseman Chase Headley this year.

  Home: .243/.348/.326 with one home run in 59 games. (Yes, his on-base percentage was actually higher than his slugging percentage. That doesn’t happen very often.)

  Road: .330/.399/.465 with three home runs in 54 games.

  This would be a good time to point out three important details: 1) Headley plays his home games at spacious Petco Park; 2) he will earn more than $3 million in salary arbitration next year; and 3) the Padres keep a modest payroll.

  Add up those factors, and Headley is a trade candidate – if not this offseason, then leading up to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline or at this time next year.

  For now, sources say the Padres will be reluctant to move Headley. But the team is coming off a 91-loss season and has a new general manager. So stay tuned.

  Despite Headley’s modest home run total, he’s intriguing for a number of reasons. He can play third base or left field. He’s a switch hitter. He will be 27 on Opening Day. And his power would play up if he left Petco.

  More than half the teams in baseball are looking for upgrades in left field or at third base. And a number of them – the Orioles, Reds, Rockies, and Brewers – play in ballparks where the ball travels particularly well.

  One reason a trade could be more likely in July than December: Headley’s potential replacement at third base, the 24-year-old Logan Forsythe, may need additional time at Class AAA before he’s ready for the everyday job. Forsythe posted a .568 OPS in 150 major-league at-bats this year.

  -- Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal

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• Source: Rangers interested in reunion with Danks

  November 11, 2011 by JonPaulMorosi

  The Texas Rangers haven’t ruled out re-signing free agent C.J. Wilson. But they are preparing for the possibility that he will leave.

  The Rangers are working diligently to evaluate the available left-handed starters, a major-league source said Friday. One name that’s high on their list: Chicago White Sox southpaw John Danks, who began his career in the Texas organization. The White Sox are trying to move payroll, and Danks is a prime candidate to be dealt.

  Wilson and Mark Buehrle are the top left-handed starters on the free-agent market. Wilson’s agent, Bob Garber, told FOXSports.com earlier this week that he would “love to play in the National League,” because he enjoys hitting. Wilson is 1-for-8 at the plate in his career. (Garber said that the NL/AL question alone wouldn’t determine Wilson’s decision.)

  At present, the Rangers are leaning toward moving Neftali Feliz from the closer’s role into the starting rotation. If they do that, and maintain their existing cast, their starting five would consist of Derek Holland, Colby Lewis, Matt Harrison, Alexi Ogando and Feliz.

  -- Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi

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• Hamilton: Watch us, not the Red Sox drama

  October 18, 2011 by JonPaulMorosi

  Josh Hamilton is about to play in the World Series, but he’s apparently aware of the ongoing turmoil with the Boston Red Sox.

  The Red Sox parted with manager Terry Francona after the season, general manager Theo Epstein is on the verge of taking a job with the Chicago Cubs, and reports say Boston pitchers were drinking beer and eating fried chicken in the clubhouse during games.

  So when Hamilton was asked on World Series Media Day in St. Louis about the absence of the Boston, New York, and Philadelphia teams, he had a clever response.

  “Right now, the two teams that got it done are here,” the Texas slugger said. “Hopefully the focus will be on them, not worrying about where Boston is and what they’re going to do with their GMs or pitching or whatever.”

  — Jon Paul Morosi

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• Another battle looming between Cubs, Red Sox?

  October 15, 2011 by KenRosenthal

  The haggling between the Cubs and Red Sox over Theo Epstein might not be the last battle between the two clubs this offseason.

  The teams also could end up competing for managers — and specifically, Cubs legend and Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg.

  Sandberg turned down an offer from Epstein to manage the Red Sox’s Triple-A team last season; he already was committed to a similar position with the Phillies at that point, major league sources say.

  Now Epstein is on the verge of joining the Cubs, whose previous GM, Jim Hendry, snubbed Sandberg for Mike Quade a year ago.

  If Epstein hires a manager without major league experience, he probably would have little choice but to go with Sandberg. The hiring of another first-time, major league manager — say, Rays bench coach Dave Martinez — could alienate Sandberg from his former team for good.

  Epstein, of course, might prefer a more established type, perhaps even his former Red Sox manager, Terry Francona. But Cubs owner Tom Ricketts reportedly wants to renew the organization’s ties with Sandberg.

  Where do the Red Sox come in?

  They also are likely to show interest in Sandberg; their incoming GM, Ben Cherington, was involved with the pursuit of Sandberg a year ago. And while it seems likely Sandberg would choose the Cubs over the Red Sox, the events of the past few weeks have proved yet again that in baseball, nothing is assured.

  Sandberg, 52, managed at Class A with the Cubs in 2007 and ’08, Double A in ’09 and Triple A in ’10, when he was the Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year.

  He impressed Phillies officials with his work at Triple A last season, leading the team to a wild-card berth in the International League.

  — Ken Rosenthal

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