Huntington already thinking about 2015
The final out of the season had been made less than an hour earlier and Neal Huntington was already into offseason mode, the general manager thinking about how to improve the Pirates for 2015.
Baseball truly is a 365-a-day job for GMs in today’s world of instant communication and information. Huntington really can’t afford not to start thinking about tomorrow, even in the wake of Wednesday night’s loss to the San Francisco Giants in the National League wild-card game.
Offseason will certainly be a misnomer in Huntington’s case. He is going to be plenty busy as the Pirates have four potential free agents and 12 players eligible for salary arbitration hearings.
The Pirates are open to signing all four free agents, but catcher Russell Martin is the top priority. Even frugal owner Bob Nutting understands Martin’s worth to the Pirates and said he would likely allow Huntington to overpay him.
However, if Martin can command four years and $50 million, as some within the industry believe, then he will likely be out of the Pirates’ price range. That would leave the Pirates looking for an everyday catcher as do they not feel internal options Chris Stewart and Tony Sanchez are starting-caliber players.
Left-hander Francisco Liriano and Right-hander Edinson Volquez are both eligible for free agency after getting their careers back on track after coming to the Pirates and working with pitching coach Ray Searage and Jim Benedict, a special assistant to the GM.
The downside is Liriano and Volquez might to be too expensive for the Pirates, who would likely only be able to retain one of the two, if that.
Barmes was leaning toward retirement for most of the season, but now wants to play at least one more year.
Of the dozen arbitration-eligible players, the three most likely to not be offered contracts are right-handed reliever John Axford and first basemen Ike Davis and Gaby Sanchez. Axford never won manager Clint Hurdle’s trust after being claimed off waivers in August from Cleveland, while Davis and Sanchez are expendable with Pedro Alvarez moving third base to first.
While the Pirates say Alvarez has a future at third base, it seems their best lineup for 2015 would include Josh Harrison and only open spot for him is third base.
The Pirates will likely make take-it-or-leave-it offers to Stewart and right-handed reliever Jeanmar Gomez, releasing them if they don’t re-sign.
Meanwhile, Alvarez, Harrison, closer Mark Melancon, right fielder Travis Snider, second baseman Neil Walker and right-hander Vance Worley are all certain to be tendered contracts.