Thread: 2009-10 Hot Stove Baseball

While four teams are still chasing baseball's ultimate prize, the lonnnnnnng winter has started for the other 26 clubs.

Here's a look at what some of those teams are looking at this offseason:




Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Twins, Mets, Rockies, Delgado, Nady, Butler

By Cork Gaines [October 16 at 12:51pm CST]

On this date six years ago, Aaron Boone ended the ALCS with an 11th inning home run off of Tim Wakefield. Yesterday we learned that
Boone is likely to retire

, ending his 12-year career. With this season's LCS underway, 26 teams are already in the Hot Stove season. Let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere...

• 
  Twins Geek
  
  
  
  examines the Twinkies '10 payroll.
• 
  Jorge Says No!
  
  
  wonders if the Twins should trade Joe Nathan.
• 
  The Ghost of Midnight Graham
  
  
  looks at the trade market for Brad Hawpe.
• 
  Around the Majors
  
  
  looks at the Rockies big off-season question marks.
• 
  The 'Ropolitans
  
  
  breaks down which Mets pitchers should not be back next season.
• 
  The Blue Jay Hunter
  
  
  puts Carlos Delgado on the Blue Jays free agent wish list.
• 
  MLB Notebook
  
  
  makes a case for Xavier Nady as possibly the biggest bargain this off-season.
• 
  Palehosed
  
  
  takes a look at what the White Sox roster might look like next season.
• 
  Royals Authority
  
  
  examines whether the Royals should try to sign Billy Butler to a long-term contract.

Odds & Ends: Marlins, Miller, McCann

By Mark Polishuk [October 16 at 6:41pm CST]
In the wake of the Phillies' bullpen giving us all Mitch Williams flashbacks, here are a few pieces of news....

• Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post reports that Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria thought about replacing manager Fredi Gonzalez with Bobby Valentine
  as far back as June
  
  
  
  . Capozzi also notes that Loria and Gonzalez are currently in Paris on a trip intended "to soothe the hurt feelings" that Gonzalez may have over his unexpected spell on the hot seat.
• Florida left-hander Andrew Miller (the No. 6 overall pick in the 2006 MLB Draft), is pitching for Mesa of the Arizona Fall League to both get some extra work and to straighten out the kinks in his throwing motion,
  writes Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald
  
  
  
  .
• In other AFL news, MLB.com's Jason Beck thinks that Tigers prospect Scott Sizemore's performance in Arizona this winter
  might help him win a job in Detroit in 2010
  
  
  .
• Atlanta's Brian McCann
  underwent his second bout of Lazik eye surgery today
  
  
  to try and solve his nagging vision problems, reports Mark Bowman of MLB.com
• 
  WEEI.com's Alex Speier
  
  
  says Red Sox shortstop Jed Lowrie met with doctors on Friday and was told his surgically-repaired wrist should be in top shape for spring training after an off-season conditioning program.

Rays Rumors: Zobrist, Iwamura, Kapler

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [October 16 at 3:53pm CST]

MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez

provides the latest on a few Tampa Bay Rays:

• <LI id="">If Ben Zobrist becomes the team's everyday second baseman, the club may decide to bring free agent-to-be Gabe Kapler back as a backup outfielder. Kapler made $1MM this year and hit .239/.329/.439 in 245 trips to the plate.
• If the club keeps Zobrist at second, it appears highly unlikely that the Rays would pick up Akinori Iwamura's $4.25MM option.
• Other club options to watch: Carl Crawford at $10MM, Gregg Zaun at $2MM and Brian Shouse at $1.9MM.
• It's likely that the team will look for affordable late-inning relief help.

Originally Posted by BillD1984

While four teams are still chasing baseball's ultimate prize, the lonnnnnnng winter has started for the other 26 clubs.

Here's a look at what some of those teams are looking at this offseason:




Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Twins, Mets, Rockies, Delgado, Nady, Butler

By Cork Gaines [October 16 at 12:51pm CST]

On this date six years ago, Aaron Boone ended the ALCS with an 11th inning home run off of Tim Wakefield. Yesterday we learned that
Boone is likely to retire

, ending his 12-year career. With this season's LCS underway, 26 teams are already in the Hot Stove season. Let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere...

• 
  Twins Geek
  
  
  
  examines the Twinkies '10 payroll.
• 
  Jorge Says No!
  
  
  wonders if the Twins should trade Joe Nathan.
• 
  The Ghost of Midnight Graham
  
  
  looks at the trade market for Brad Hawpe.
• 
  Around the Majors
  
  
  looks at the Rockies big off-season question marks.
• 
  The 'Ropolitans
  
  
  breaks down which Mets pitchers should not be back next season.
• 
  The Blue Jay Hunter
  
  
  puts Carlos Delgado on the Blue Jays free agent wish list.
• 
  MLB Notebook
  
  
  makes a case for Xavier Nady as possibly the biggest bargain this off-season.
• 
  Palehosed
  
  
  takes a look at what the White Sox roster might look like next season.
• 
  Royals Authority
  
  
  examines whether the Royals should try to sign Billy Butler to a long-term contract.

IF Joe Nathan gets traded, the Tigers better be there to make a great offer, he would solidify things quite nicely in Detroit.

Discussion: Mike Lowell

By Mark Polishuk [October 16 at 10:07pm CST]
Daniel Barbarisi of the Providence Journal
broke down the options

for the Red Sox in regards to veteran Mike Lowell headed into the 2010 season. Lowell posted a .290/.337/.474 line in 484 plate appearances with Boston last season and stayed off of the disabled list following hip surgery last fall.
Lowell has one year left on his Boston deal that will pay him $12MM in 2010, a price tag high enough to scare off any potential trade suitors unless the Sox were willing to cover some of the cost. There's also the added complication of Lowell's no-trade clause in his contract. Barbarisi suggests that Lowell might agree to be dealt to a National League team where he could play every day, but given Lowell's health history, it might be hard to find a club willing to take a 36-year-old with a lengthy injury history as an everyday third baseman without the safety net of the DH position. Lowell himself admitted to Barbarisi that he tired from playing almost every day in the first half of the season, but then also said that he wished he could have played more in August and September when Kevin Youkilis took a big chunk of the playing time at third base.

One intriguing possible trade partner could be St. Louis. Midseason pickup Mark DeRosa is a free agent and will
soon be undergoing wrist surgery

, according to MLB.com's Matthew Leach. This leaves the Cardinals with a hole at third base should top prospect David Freese (a .931 OPS in Triple-A, Double-A and Rookie League ball last season and an .837 OPS in 34 plate appearances with St. Louis) not be ready to take over the everyday role next season. Lowell could keep the seat warm for Freese if Boston pays part of Lowell's contract, a condition that the Cards would likely insist upon given that they will explore re-signing Matt Holliday and signing Albert Pujols to an extension this off-season.


What do you think? Should the Red Sox think about moving the 2007 World Series MVP, or should they keep Lowell around to provide depth to the Victor Martinez-Casey Kotchman-Youkilis triad that mans the catcher, first base and third base spots?

Astros Managerial Search Update

By Mark Polishuk [October 16 at 5:57pm CST]
The Astros are more than halfway through their first round of interviews for their open manager position, so here are a few of the items stemming from their search.

• Bob Melvin cited his experience at winning with both younger and older rosters in his
  interview for the Astros managerial job
  
  
  
  today, reports Jose De Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle.
• Meanwhile, San Diego batting coach Randy Ready (who interviewed for the same Astros job on Thursday) may not have the experience of some of the other Astros managerial candidates, but he argues that every manager
  "had to get a start somewhere"
  
  
  
  .
• Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports that former Astros skipper Garner originally contracted the team not in search of a job, but rather to
  endorse fellow candidate Bob Melvin
  
  
  .
• Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle believes the Astros have so many intriguing candidates that they should hire
  three of them
  
  
  .

Reds sign new pitching coach.


Reds tap Price to fill staff vacancy | reds.com: News

Originally Posted by goreds2

Reds sign new pitching coach.


Reds tap Price to fill staff vacancy | reds.com: News

Never heard of him, but I hope he does a good job.

Johjima goes back to Japan to play out carrer.


M's C Johjima opts out of deal, will return to Japan - MLB News - FOX Sports on MSN