MLB Season 23

[Dixie Flatline]

According to the SF Chronicle's Susan Slusser, if the Giants end up hiring Bob Melvin, he is likely to bring his third base coach Matt Williams to San Francisco with him from San Diego, while Pat Burrell and Ryan Vogelsong would be in line to take on the hitting and pitching coach roles respectively.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/giants/article/bob-melvin-reportedly-gets-discuss-manager-s-job-18441340.php?utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Premium)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

The Los Angeles Angels have hired Dom Chiti as a minor league pitching coordinator, re-joining the Angels from the Mets. Chiti worked for the Angels between 2020-2022 as a special assistant and bullpen coach, and then joined the Mets as the bullpen coach in 2023.



The Oakland Athletics have let bullpen coach Mike McCarthy go. He was a rookie coach at big league level, having spent five years in the minor leagues coaching with the Triple-A affiliates of the Padres and Twins.

Sunday Notes: Southpaw Speier Found Success in Seattle

Plus Dusty Baker on pennant races, a Leyland-or-Piniella poll, Bobby Scales on Drew Rucinski, facts and stats galore, and more.

blogs.fangraphs.com

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Jose Altuve's focus will be squarely on the upcoming game 7 against the Rangers, but behind the scenes, the Astros are preparing to offer a contract extension to their second baseman. The Astros would like to keep Altuve in Houston for the remainder of his professional career, and are preparing an offer to extend him as his current contract expires after the 2024 season.

The Astros will also need to make decisions on the future of third baseman Alex Bregman (contract ends after 2024 season) and Ryan Pressly (the Astros have a $14 mutual option with Pressly for 2025, though the option vests if Pressly appears in at least 50 games in 2024). Verlander would also hit the free agent market if he doesn't pitch 140 innings in 2024, and if he does, he gains a $35 million player option for 2025 (when he would be 42 years old).

Altuve missed 72 games in the regular season this year thanks to a broken thumb and an oblique strain, but in the 90 games he did manage, he hit .311/.393/.522 in 410 plate appearances, and has been red hot in the playoffs for the Astros (including by hitting the winning homerun in game 5 of the ALCS).

20 years after shocking World Series title, ex-owner Jeffrey Loria reflects on Marlins tenure

The Marlins' 2003 championship was one of the most unlikely in baseball history. Former owner Jeffrey Loria relives that postseason run.

www.usatoday.com

 

[Dixie Flatline]

This is a turn-up for the books. Phillies crowd not breaking the noise barrier in this game. Looks like we're heading for game 7 in both series, if this result holds up.

 

[FreoRicci]

Back to back HRs stunned the Phillies crowd and Arizona never looked back.
Wasn’t even expecting DBacks to win a game in this series tbh. Now it’s going to game 7.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Texas blowing out the Astros in Houston. It's a bloodbath at Minute Maid Park.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Catchers have been signalling pitch selections and locations to pitchers for 100+ years. Now we get multiple delays a game because Pitchcom breaks down. FFS.

 

[RPCB]

Texas blowing out the Astros in Houston. It's a bloodbath at Minute Maid Park.

Bochy is 2-0 and Dusty is 0-3 in career Game 7’s.

I guess those records will be 3-0 and 0-4 in a couple of hours.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Feel gutted for hotchilli

 

[FreoRicci]

To be fair Houston have been slightly off this season.
Peña has done hardly anything after his WS MVP.
Texas haVe just exploded with their bats at the right time.

 

[FreoRicci]

Looks like another 99 Corey Seager jacked card is coming

 

[FreoRicci]

Yeah it’s over.

10-2, home run by Lowe.
Houston just not on tonight

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Could be Dusty's last game in charge. Too wedded to the old-timers who just haven't produced at the plate for Houston this series and too reluctant to bring up players that could have made a difference. But then there are a few players (Bregman, Pena, Tucker) who went ice cold at the wrong time of the year. Tucker especially looks completely lost at the plate. It's just been left to Alvarez and Altuve to carry the rest of the lineup and they could only do so much.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

I hope the Cardinals made good use of the cash they got from the Rangers.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

On cue, Altuve hits one out and makes it 11-4. Bottom of the ninth.

 

[hotchilli]

Feel gutted for hotchilli

Ah well, can’t get too down about it.

Pretty grateful after what was just about a perfect postseason run last year.

We just haven’t been good enough this year with a drop off from our starters and a sputtering offense.

Credit to the Rangers on the improvements that they’ve been able to make to their side this year.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Sources to ESPN have confirmed that San Diego Padres (and former Oakland Athletics) manager Bob Melvin will be the new manager of the Giants in 2024. The Padres allowed Melvin to interview with the Giants earlier this week, creating the opportunity for Melvin to jump ship to the NL West rivals, despite telling reporters earlier in October that they intended to bring Melvin back to manage them in 2024. Melvin managed the Padres for two seasons, reaching the 2022 NL Championship Series in his first year in charge, but then missing the playoffs despite having the third highest payroll in the major league this year. Melvin replaces Gabe Kapler, who went 79-83 this season and also missed the playoffs.

Melvin is expected to be introduced to the media as Giants manager as soon as tonight. Melvin is a former Giants player and managed the Athletics between 2011-2021, after also managing Arizona and Seattle. Melvin has a life-time 1517-1425 record in 20 years as a manager.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

There's a strong possibility that franchise legend Yadier Molina will return to the St Louis Cardinals in 2024, with Molina and the Cardinals in talks for a coaching role in 2024. Molina confirmed as much in a radio interview, stating that he felt that there was a 90% chance that it would happen. After retiring at the end of the 2022 season, Molina revealed that he had offers from the Cardinals and the Marlins to go into coaching for the 2023 season. Molina stated during the interview that he could see himself managing and coaching in the USA for a "few years".

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Boston Red Sox have informed Minnesota Twins GM Thad Levine that he is no longer in the running to fill the role of head of baseball operations for Boston. This comes amid reports that the Red Sox are now progressing with their second round of interview. It is believed that Cubs assistant general manager Craig Breslow is one of those that have been offered a second interview. The Red Sox have remained tight-lipped on which candidates they would like to bring back for a second round interview, so it appears that Red Sox assistant GM Michael Groopman, Red Sox VP of player development/scouting Paul Toboni, former Pirates GM Neal Huntington and former Phillies/Giants manager Gabe Kapler are all still in the hunt for the role.

BREAKING: Levine No Longer a Finalist for Red Sox Job

But something must have changed in the last 72 hours, though it is unclear if Boston pulled the plug on negotiations or if Levine may have turned down the job or simply removed himself from consideration. After trading Mookie Betts in February 2020 in a move that appeared to be pushed by ownershi...

twinsdaily.com

Craig Breslow emerges as the favorite as Red Sox narrow candidates for head of baseball operations job - The Boston Globe

Sources believe Craig Breslow remains in the mix. The former Red Sox pitcher, three internal candidates, and ex-Sox outfielder Gabe Kapler were included in the initial eight-name mix.

www.bostonglobe.com

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Although Dusty Baker declined to talk about his future in the aftermath of the Astros' loss to the Rangers in game 7 of the ALCS, it is widely believed that Baker has managed his last game for the Astros in the loss, with reports suggesting that Baker was telling people both within and outside the Astros that 2023 would be his final season as manager.

Baker was hired by the Astros as manager after the Astros fired A.J. Hinch as manager following the sign-stealing scandal. He has signed consecutive one year contracts to stay as manager of the Astros since 2020, although the first contract he signed was a one year deal with a club option on a second year to manage the Astros. Baker is out of contract in the off-season.

Baker reportedly clashed with former Astros GM James Click, including by expressing opposition to a trade that would have seen the Astros acquire catcher Christian Vasquez at the trade deadline last year, with Baker reportedly telling owner Jim Crane that he preferred to keep Martin Maldonado as the primary catcher rather than add Vasquez to the mix. Jim Crane later fired James Click after the Astros won the 2022 World Series.

Under Baker's management, the Astros reached at least the ALCS in all four seasons he managed, including the 2022 World Series title and a World Series loss in 2021.

Baker is a lock to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame as a manager when he becomes eligible to do so, having managed the San Francisco Giants (1993-2002), the Chicago Cubs (2003-2006), the Cincinnati Reds (2008-2013), the Washington Nationals (2016-2017) and the Astros (2022-current). His record over 26 years as a big league manager stands at 2183-1862, for a 54% win percentage, including a World Series in 2022, a National League Pennant in 2022 (with the Giants) and an American League Pennant in 2021 (with the Astros).

Baker tells multiple people he's done managing

Dusty Baker has told multiple people inside and outside of the Astros organization that this will be his final year in the dugout.

theathletic.com

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Chicago Cubs have reportedly approached RHP Kyle Hendricks about the possibility of Hendricks signing a contract extension with the Cubs. The Cubs currently hold a $16 million option over Hendricks, which comes with a $1.5 million buyout, but the two sides have begun discussions about a multi-year contract that would keep him in Chicago beyond 2024. Hendricks pitched to a 3.74 ERA in 137 innings after returning from rehabilitation for a capsular tear in his shoulder that forced him to delay the start of his 2023 campaign to May. Hendricks was the second best starter for the Cubs this season behind Cy Young candidate Justin Steele.

Kyle Hendricks, Cubs are working on a contract extension

Veteran right-hander Kyle Hendricks’ representation and the Cubs are working on a contract extension that would keep Hendricks with the club beyond 2024, according to two sources.

www.audacy.com

 

[FreoRicci]

Oh boy. Saalfrank has put two runners on.
Phillies will be looking to pounce.
Turner steps up

 

[rumply]

Shit the bed again, how many stranded now??

 

[FreoRicci]

Arizona are 6 outs away from an improbable WS

 

[FreoRicci]

s**t the bed again, how many stranded now??

7 left on base for Philadelphia
6 for Arizona