Giants still in running for Stanton, Ohtani
The Giants are one of seven teams remaining in the chase for Japanese star Shohei Ohtani, who will consider signing a freeagent deal with every West Coast team except the A’s.
Ohtani’s representatives informed the Giants, Dodgers, Angels, Padres, Mariners, Cubs and Rangers that they are finalists for the 23-year-old pitcher and outfielder.
While the Giants are also a finalist to acquire National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton, he’ll be much more costly than Ohtani. The Miami Marlins are only looking to trade him in order to escape his remaining $295 million contract. The Giants and Cardinals are reportedly the two most likely destinations for Stanton, and terms of trades with both teams have essentially been worked out.
But Stanton, who has a full no-trade contract, has preferred to be dealt to his hometown team, the Dodgers. But, since the Dodgers haven’t yet indicated a desire to assume his contract, the Marlins are trying to convince Stanton to accept another destination.
The Marlins reportedly prefer the Cardinals’ offer, which includes top pitching prospect Sandy Alcantara, and calls for St. Louis to absorb more of Stanton’s remaining contract than the Giants are currently offering to do.
Despite rumors to the contrary, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick says the Stanton saga likely won’t end soon.
On the other hand, Ohtani must make his decision by Dec. 22. He was put up for bid Friday by the Pacific League’s Nippon Ham Fighters for the maximum $20 million posting fee.
Several teams, including the A’s, said they were told they had been eliminated from the Ohtani chase, and the seven remaining were confirmed Monday.
Ohtani will be forced to sign a minor league contract, as per terms of MLB’s collective bargaining agreement. Of the seven teams still in the hunt, the Rangers have the largest signing bonus amount available, $3,535,000, followed by the Mariners ($1,557,500) and Angels ($1,315,000). The Giants, along with the Cubs and Dodgers, are restricted to $300,000 maximums in the signing period through June 15 as penalties for exceeding their bonus pools in 2015-16, and the Padres are limited to $300,000 for going over in 2016-17.
Boone on board
Aaron Boone’s hiring was finalized Monday by the New York Yankees, who gave the ESPN broadcaster a three-year contract to succeed Joe Girardi as manager.
New York, which picked Boone over five other candidates last week, scheduled a news conference for Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. His deal contains a team option for 2021.
“I firmly believe that Aaron possesses the attributes needed to follow in the tradition of great Yankees managers,” owner Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement. “From all accounts, he is a polished communicator who possesses the ability to cultivate and grow relationships. Aaron has also spent a lifetime immersed in baseball, affording him a unique and intimate understanding of what fosters team success.”
Now 44, Boone has never been a manager or even a coach at any level since retiring as a player after the 2009 season. His 11th-inning home run off Boston’s Tim Wakefield won Game 7 of the 2003 AL Championship Series for the Yankees against Boston.
“Aaron’s name is already etched into Yankees history,” Steinbrenner said. “This opportunity will allow him to continue to make a positive impact on this organization in distinctly new and meaningful ways.”
Boone was a big league third baseman from 19972009 and an All-Star in 2003, when New York acquired him from the Reds at the trade deadline.
A’s hire Pedrique
The A’s have hired Al Pedrique as their first-base coach for Manager Bob Melvin’s staff.
The hire means Mike Aldrete will move to assistant hitting coach and Marcus Jensen will shift from that role to bullpen coach.
Pedrique spent the last five seasons managing in
the New York Yankees farm system. He had previously served as third-base coach and interim manager for Arizona in 2004, thirdbase coach for Houston in 2009 and bench coach for the Astros in 2010-11.
Pedrique played 174 games in the majors for the New York Mets, Pittsburgh and Detroit.
Boston signs pitcher
Right-hander Tyler Thornburg and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a $2.05 million, one-year contract that avoided arbitration.
The 29-year-old missed last season with a right shoulder impingement after the Red Sox acquired him from Milwaukee on Dec. 6. He was 14-9 with a 2.87 ERA in his five-year career with the Brewers.
Texas keeps reliever
Right-handed reliever Tony Barnette has signed a $1.5 million, one-year deal to stay with the Texas Rangers.
Barnette, who had a 3.75 ERA over 103 relief appearances the past two seasons, had become a free agent when the Rangers last month gave him a $250,000 buyout instead exercising their $4 million club option.