Category: MLB (Page 100 of 448)

      Valentine rips the Marlins for hiring process

      July 2, 2010 /

      Bobby Valentine figured he’d be managing the Marlins by now. Instead, he’s slamming the organization on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight for the way they conduct their hiring process.

      After the Fish fired Fredi Gonzalez last week, Valentine withdrew his name from consideration as manager of the Orioles. The media figured that he was on his way to Florida to work with his good friend, team owner Jeffrey Loria, but Valentine was never hired. So instead, he decided to rip the organization on live TV.

      From USA Today:

      “If this is a major-league process, I hope I’m never in the process again,” Valentine said on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight. “It’s very disturbing, confusing and it was insulting at times, but it’s over.”

      According to the Palm Beach Post, Marlins President David Samson called the messy process “unavoidable” and disputed the notion that Valentine – a friend of Loria’s for more than two decades – was ever a lock for the job.

      “It just seemed that way to the media,” David Samson said on a radio station Wednesday, according to the Post.

      Valentine eventually told Sirius-XM Radio that he didn’t mean to be harsh with his comments.

      “I just meant for them to be honest. It’s a tough process. We never negotiated anything and, you know, I just feel when you’re 60 years old – you know, I know Jeffrey (Loria), I’ve known him for 25 years – I just felt that being left in the dark isn’t quite the way to allow things to move forward. But I think it’s a good situation. As I told them right from the start, someone from the outside moving in in mid-season I don’t believe is a good idea. I don’t think you can train coaches and train players to think and do what you’re expecting on the run. That’s what spring training is for. And Edwin Rodriguez has had these guys in the minor leagues. He knows the spring training process, what that organizational philosophy is.”

      It kind of seems like Valentine was embarrassed for withdrawing his name from considering in Baltimore because he thought he had the job in Florida locked up. Then when the Marlins didn’t hire him, he decided to vent his frustrations on a national stage, which was a little classless.

      Either way, his name is going to be mentioned again for job openings down the road. If he really wants to manage again, he will.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, MLB

      Diamondbacks fire manager A.J. Hinch and GM Josh Byrnes

      July 2, 2010 /

      The Arizona Republic reports that the Diamondbacks have fired skipper A.J. Hinch and GM Josh Byrnes.

      Multiple sources say the relationship between Byrnes and Derrick Hall, the Diamondbacks President and CEO, was strained.

      The club has called a news conference for 10 a.m. Friday at Chase Field.

      “These decisions come as a first and major step in our thorough evaluation of our team,” Hall said in a statement. “We have all been disappointed in the results over the last few years, and we have come to the conclusion that a change in the leadership of our baseball operations staff is necessary at this time. This franchise has enjoyed tremendous success over the years, and we want to get back to our winning ways. The loyal staff of this organization, as well as all of our fans, hopes for and deserves better results on the field.”

      The Diamondbacks went 349-378 in Byrnes’ nearly 4 1/2 seasons running the club’s baseball operations department.

      Hinch, who was promoted controversially from farm director to manager in May 2009 despite not having any coaching experience, went 89-123.

      Not a total shock. The D-Backs have sunk to the bottom of the NL West with not much hope of turning things around. Injuries to the pitching staff have been an issue, but the club’s young offensive talent hasn’t developed either. While that’s not always the manager’s fault, he’s usually the way that gets the hook in the end.

      External Sports, MLB

      Just one more reason for Giants fans to loathe GM Brian Sabean

      July 1, 2010 /

      If you’re a Giants fan and you’re eating while reading this, stop immediately. For those general baseball fans checking this post out, you might find this extremely interesting and damn near hilarious.

      ESPN’s Buster Olney conducted a poll recently where he asked “a dozen general managers” about making trades with other GMs. Below are the five poll questions.

      1. Who is the easiest GM for you to make a trade with?
      2. Who is the toughest GM for you to make a trade with?
      3. Who is the most open, as you go through the process of making a trade?
      4. Who is the biggest poker player, as you go through the process of making a trade?
      5. Of the other 29 general managers, who would you hire to be your GM?

      As Olney points out, the results were fascinating – or nauseating for Giants fans.

      The point of the exercise was not to rip anybody; rather, it was merely to get some sense of the style of various general managers. Without a doubt, however, the GM who got hammered in a way I never expected was the Giants’ Brian Sabean, for one simple reason — rival executives say they cannot get him on the phone. They cannot get him to return messages. In a couple of cases, some GMs say they don’t even bother calling Sabean, they just go straight to assistant Bobby Evans.

      The feeling of the other GMs is that beyond the issue of simple etiquette — “It’s just flat-out disrespectful to not return a call,” said one GM — Sabean isn’t putting himself in position to hear trade ideas that could benefit the Giants. “What happens if somebody calls to offer Brock for Broglio?” said one GM. “That’s what I get nervous about — what if the other team is shopping a really good player and he gets traded without me getting involved? That’s why I return all calls.”

      In 14 years (dear Lord, has it been that long?), a general manager is going to have some ups and downs. It’s not realistic for a GM to have never been burned by a signing or a trade. But Sabean’s resume reads more like a horror script than someone who has kept his job longer than any other current GM in Major League Baseball.

      You want bad trades? Try Jeremy Accardo for Shea Hillenbrand and Vinnie Chulk, or Russ Ortiz (in his prime) for Damian Moss and Merkin Valdez, or of course, the mother of all bad trades: Joe Nathan, Fransisco Liriano and Boof Bonser for one miserable year of A.J. Pierzynski (and cash!).

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, MLB

      Report: Phillies interested in Dan Haren

      July 1, 2010 /

      According to MLB Trade Rumors (via ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick), the Phillies have Diamondbacks’ starter Dan Haren on their radar and might be interested in dealing for the ace.

      ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reported (via Twitter) earlier in the week that the Phils would like to add an arm “higher in caliber” than Jeremy Guthrie, and Haren certainly qualifies. However, Philadelphia is far from the only team looking into acquiring the 29-year-old. We heard yesterday that the Nationals expressed interest in Haren, and that the Cardinals also covet the right-hander. Those two clubs, along with the Yankees, Tigers, and Twins, have scouted the Diamondbacks’ ace recently.

      The Phillies’ fourth and fifth starters behind Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Jamie Moyer have had their struggles this year. Kyle Kendrick has posted a 4.88 ERA in 15 starts, and even after three straight quality starts, Joe Blanton’s ERA still sits at 6.19. Given the question marks in rotation, the Phillies have made starting pitching depth a priority as the trade deadline approaches.

      Whether it’s Haren or Cliff Lee, the Phillies keep coming up in trade rumors involving starting pitchers. It’s not known who the D-Backs would want in return for Haren, although at least one of Philly’s top prospects (Domonic Brown, Jarred Cosart or Jonathan Singleton) would likely be involved in any deal.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, MLB

      Zambrano to receive counseling, won’t return until after the All-Star break

      June 29, 2010 /

      According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs’ starter Carlos Zambrano will undergo counseling to help him control his emotional outbursts, much like the one that occurred last Friday when he went bonkers in the dugout in a game against the White Sox. He’s not expected to return to the club until sometime after the All-Star break.

      Whether treatment will fix everything in the future is a question Hendry couldn’t answer Monday.

      ”My sense is that after a few days [since Friday], he feels quite remorseful,” Hendry said after their first talk since Friday. ”We all make mistakes. He’s probably made a few more in the last few years than we’d like.

      ”I think we all agree it’s time he got help and then address the apologies later. It’s not time for words a few days after the fact, but some action. Hopefully he goes and gets the help he needs and can rectify some of his actions with his teammates and move forward after the break.”

      Zambrano will go to New York on Wednesday to meet with two doctors approved by all parties. They will prescribe a course of treatment.

      ”He certainly understands the situation, and he and his representative signed off on it,” Hendry said.

      Zambrano hadn’t spoken to his teammates since the incident. Several tried unsuccessfully to contact him over the weekend.

      Hopefully Big Z does get some help and the situation will get resolved. It doesn’t do him, his teammates or the Cubs organization any good if he comes back from treatment and throws another tantrum sometime down the line.

      Of course, whether or not he fixes his on-field issues is another question.

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, MLB

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