The Full Count: Daily Hot Stove Wrap Up 11/17

Quote of the Day:

"This is the 'winning philosophy?' Then to say it's not about money? What is the motivation? There comes a breaking point. I know how I feel. I can't imagine how the city and the fans feel." ~ Giancarlo Stanton

To which I also quote: "The Marlin's have fans?"

Hello, it's Saturday baseball fans and I've just woke up from the first time sleeping past 8 am in weeks. I'm feeling super lazy and fortunately it has been a slow day in the baseball world because I really, really don't want to do anything except sit around, maybe watch a little bit of college football and drink beer out of a straw. Hopefully you do the same.

Here's to your Daily Hot Stove Update for Saturday, November 17th.

The Blue Jays are rumored to be close to naming a new manager. The two finalists most likely to be named are Jim Riggleman and Jim Tracy. Riggleman, 60, last managed the Nationals before the Nationals were good and Tracy resigned from his post as the Colorado Rockies skipper last month.

Both candidates are professional managers who kind of got the raw end of the deal, stuck on teams that weren't really all that good. Both would probably love to have the new Blue Jays gig, especially after what went down last week in the blockbuster trade with the Marlins picking up Jose Reyes, Emilio Bonifacio, John Buck, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle . Riggleman never got much talent to work with during his time in DC and Tracy just got a team who's opening day starter was Jeremy Guthrie. It would be like going from being dumped Roseanne Barr for a chance to date Mila Kunis
Buster Olney spectulated on Twitter that the new manager could be someone who could best utilize the speed of Reyes, Bonafacio, and Rajai Davis. But with mashers like Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista also in the lineup, I think the first emphasis should be getting on base. One thing is for sure, the Blue Jays are going to be fun as hell to watch.

Count one or both of the Los Angeles' teams to be the front runners for Hiroki Kuroda as the Japanese starter SP expressed interest to play close to his daughter's school in LA. He will definitely win "Father of the Year" if he can milk either the Angels or the Dodgers for as much money as he can. Good luck to his daughter too, who will definitely be driving a nicer car than I am when she turns 16.

Angel Pagan might be the next free agent outfielder to go after Torii Hunter. FOX's Ken Rosenthal reports that Pagan could sign before December 3rd, and the versatile outfielder with the movie star beard (there I go again) is attracting interest from the Phillies, Braves, and Nationals who all apparently are in need of an outfielder. Note to other free agent outfielders: CHECK OUT THE NL EAST AND GET PAID

Seriously,

though.

Angel

Pagan

has

baseballs

best

beard.

Ever wonder what actually happened in the Melky Cabrera steroid scandal? So does the MLB, who is investigating the shady agency that came up with the fake website. More juicy news here. Whatever happened to agents like Scott Boras who just had to bluff over the phone about their clients instead lie of over the web?

Rangers GM Jon Daniels has talked to Josh Hamilton's agent Michael Moye. It's seems like this is just preliminary, though I still think that Hamilton will end up re-signing with Texas. But it's okay for every other team in baseball to dream, right?

The Mets have a decision to make on whether to extend the contracts of both David Wright and R.A. Dickey. If they don't do it, they have confirmed my belief that they are one of baseball's most mis-managed franchises. Wright is 30 and had a resurgent year in 2012 while being the most recognizable face on the club. Dickey's situations is a little weirder because he's 38 and only has a $5 million salary making him possibly an attractive trade piece. Still, knuckleballers can throw and throw. Just ask Tim Wakefield. And Dickey's knuckleball ain't no ordinary knuckleball either.

In the debate between whether Mike Trout or Miguel Cabrera should have won the MVP, name-calling and nastiness overshadowed both of their fine seasons. This guy, though might have got it right in a must-read article. Find out why Jamie Samuelson is right and everyone else is wrong