Meeting Rumblings

[Roll Tide]

By Nick Cafardo, Globe Staff

ORLANDO, Fla. — A few items from the GM Meetings:

The Japanese media is here in full force to garner any information possible on star righthanded pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, who went 24-0 during the regular season, threw a 160-pitch game in the Japan Series, and the very next day saved the championship game for Rakuten Eagles.

The Dodgers, Cubs and Yankees are seen as the front runners right now.

At the moment, Major League Baseball and the Japan League are trying to work out a revised posting system so Tanaka can be posted and teams can bid on his services much like the Red Sox did with Daisuke Matsuzaka at this time in 2006.

Where are the Red sox with Tanaka?

It was described to me as on the fringes of it. According to one team source “we’ve discussed it internally, but it hasn’t gotten far beyond that.” The Red Sox don’t really need Tanaka, who throws mid-90s with a split-fingered fastball. But it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Red Sox jump in either.

The blind posting fee may rise to an estimated $50-$70 million and a likely contract will run about six years at $50-60 million.

Tanaka also does not have an agent at this time which complicates getting a lot of information on him.

• Carlos Beltran's name keeps popping up with the Red Sox, but according to one team source, “there’s been very little discussion about him.” The Red Sox have definitely called, inquired and discussed with Beltran’s agents. But where he fits, for a player who needs to some DH time, would be the major issue,

• As we pointed out in the Sunday Baseball Notes, the name John Lackey will begin to pop up the most as the days go by leading up to the Winter Meetings in December. Teams are intrigued by Lackey, who is now seen as a low cost option because of the minimum salary team option for 2015. It’s also appealing to the Red Sox who may not deal him unless they get a major load back in returns.

Teams like the Giants, Braves and Phillies would see him as a great fit. The Red Sox would like to move a veteran starter (Ryan Dempster or Jake Peavy) to make room for one of their young pitchers — likely Brandon Workman — in the rotation.

• Agent Scott Boras and his staff arrived last night and they seem ready to meet with teams on Jacoby Ellsbury, Shin Soo-Choo, and Stephen Drew. Boras and the Red Sox are expected to get together for meetings here to see if there’s any hope on Ellsbury in particular. Boras believes he has a healthy market for Drew and could land the shortstop a four-year deal, but the Red Sox would likely not go that far.

• Catcher collisions will be a topic of conversation here and ways to curtail them. The discussion should be interesting, but whether anything comes of it remains to be seen.

Well not local...but some info

[Roll Tide]

"We?ve been talking to teams and agents here to find out where we can strengthen our ballclub, and we will continue to do that over the next several days," Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said Monday evening. "We?ve already started meeting with other teams and agents. Hopefully we can find out who we match up with as far as other teams and players."

Today's 5 p.m. deadline came and went for free agents who have received qualifying offers to either accept or reject the one-year, $14.1-million tenders their 2013 club has offered.

While the Orioles didn?t make qualifying offers to any of their free agents, it will affect them and how they pursue free agents. Players who have declined qualifying offers -- like right-handed pitcher Ervin Santana, designated hitter Kendrys Morales and first baseman Mike Napoli -- become free agents but they're a little pricier because their former teams would get a compensational draft pick from the signing team.

Last offseason, Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette wasn?t interested in a free agent who would require a draft pick, but earlier this month, he said he?d consider it on a case-by-case basis this offseason.

Still, it would seem to take a lot. Duquette is committed to building the Orioles through player development -- another reason why we shouldn?t expect a high-profile, big-money free-agent signing -- so draft picks are more valuable to the Orioles than they would be to other teams. And while the Orioles? minor league system has made significant strides over the past year, continuing to build is critical.

Finally some news!

[weams]

Roch Kubatko

...they would like to acquire two while "shuffling the deck" in their bullpen.

They want to strike quickly, knowing that plenty of other teams have the same need.

The Orioles created one vacancy after allowing Francisco Rodriguez to become a free agent. They could have two if T.J. McFarland winds up in Triple-A Norfolk's rotation. He's being used as a starter in Venezuela.

Closer Jim Johnson, right-handers Tommy Hunter and Darren O'Day and left-handers Brian Matusz and Troy Patton can be penciled into the 'pen for now. Matusz, assuming he isn't dealt, and Hunter will work out as starters in spring training.

The Orioles could choose to move Josh Stinson or Zach Britton to the bullpen, since both are out of options. Either one would fill a long-relief/swingman role. Steve Johnson is another candidate, though he has an option remaining.

That option could work against Johnson, making him more likely to be sent down, or it could benefit him, since manager Buck Showalter wants more flexibility in the 'pen.

Left-hander Chris Jones is another in-house candidate after being added to the 40-man roster. The "shuffling the deck" comment, which came from someone in the organization, makes me wonder if there's more in store than just filling a few vacancies.

Roch Kubatko

[bobmc]

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php/137262-Owners-meeting-next-week-in-Florida

[Peace21]

Hopefully instant replay is given even more attention during these meetings. Its time to have it for plays at the plate and plays at the bases.

[TonySoprano]

We won't hear any Orioles news of note. If Duquette is asked to comment it will be along the lines of "doing due diligence and laying the groundwork for future discussions..."

"We’ve been talking to teams and agents here to find out where we can strengthen our ballclub, and we will continue to do that over the next several days," Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said Monday evening. "We’ve already started meeting with other teams and agents. Hopefully we can find out who we match up with as far as other teams and players."

source - The Sun

The GM meetings started today and will conclude Wednesday. Duquette said he already met with a few clubs "to see if we matched up on trades."

"We did some preliminary work today," Duquette said.

That's why these meetings exist.

source - Roch kubatko

[Tryptamine]

This thread looks as good as any other. A guy with a connection or two has said that the O's talked to the Cubs about the availability of Nate Schierholtz. Theo wanted a decent return last year and I doubt that has changed.

[Number5]

This thread looks as good as any other. A guy with a connection or two has said that the O's talked to the Cubs about the availability of Nate Schierholtz. Theo wanted a decent return last year and I doubt that has changed.

Why would we trade for Schierholtz?

He is entering his last arb year and will be a FA next winter. Just sign McLouth if we want the LH batting half of an OF platoon. Schierholtz has some pop, but his OBP was .301 in 2013.

[weams]

[weams]

[Moose Milligan]

No, I don't expect anything other than boring small trades discussed. Nothing to majorly help this team out.

[mcneck]

Yep we'll be getting no names with no game

[SteveA]

Hopefully instant replay is given even more attention during these meetings. Its time to have it for plays at the plate and plays at the bases.

Hadn't that already been decided? I thought it was going to go in effect starting next year. ANd it's not limited to plays at the plate or the bases, could be catch/no-catch, fair/foul, anything.

It's a challenge system where a manager has so many challenges he can use during a game, I forget the exact details.

[Il BuonO]

Hadn't that already been decided? I thought it was going to go in effect starting next year. ANd it's not limited to plays at the plate or the bases, could be catch/no-catch, fair/foul, anything.

It's a challenge system where a manager has so many challenges he can use during a game, I forget the exact details.

Here you go:

Major League Baseball decided Thursday to implement instant replay on virtually every play but the strikezone ? including three manager?s challenges per game ? that will begin in 2014, Commissioner Bud Selig announced.

The replay will include up to three challenges that mangers will be provided during a game, one in the first six innings, and two beginning in the seventh inning through the game?s duration. If a manager is successful with his replay challenge, he will not be charged with a review.

If a manager exhausts his three challenges, and umpire crew can make a review of its own only to determine home-run calls, a rule that will be grandfathered in with the new regulations.

Baseball, using its central MLBAM offices in New York, will be provided with replay cameras that will be monitored by men with umpiring experience. They will make the final call on disputed plays, not the crew chief.

http://www.sportsgrid.com/mlb/mlb-instant-replay-rules-challenges-change-bud-selig-owners/

[CA-ORIOLE]

Here you go:

Major League Baseball decided Thursday to implement instant replay on virtually every play but the strikezone ? including three manager?s challenges per game ? that will begin in 2014, Commissioner Bud Selig announced.

The replay will include up to three challenges that mangers will be provided during a game, one in the first six innings, and two beginning in the seventh inning through the game?s duration. If a manager is successful with his replay challenge, he will not be charged with a review.

If a manager exhausts his three challenges, and umpire crew can make a review of its own only to determine home-run calls, a rule that will be grandfathered in with the new regulations.

Baseball, using its central MLBAM offices in New York, will be provided with replay cameras that will be monitored by men with umpiring experience. They will make the final call on disputed plays, not the crew chief.

http://www.sportsgrid.com/mlb/mlb-instant-replay-rules-challenges-change-bud-selig-owners/

Pretty interesting. In the past MLB has been pretty anal about limiting modern communication systems to/from the dugout. I wonder if they're going to ease up on that or establish some sort of standard communication system for everybody.