Indians, Velosano Top 3 Million by Jordan Bastian / MLB.Com | @Mlbastian | November 6Th, 2015 + 0 COMMENTS CLEVELAND -- the Indians Began Biking for a Cure Last Year

Indians, Velosano top 3 million By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | November 6th, 2015 + 0 COMMENTS CLEVELAND -- The Indians began biking for a cure last year. Two summers and a pair of charity rides later, the team has helped raise a wealth of funds for cancer research.

During a celebration event for Cleveland's now-annual VeloSano bicycling event on Thursday night, the organization revealed it had raised just north of $2.9 million. Indians team owner and chairman Paul Dolan, who is the co-chairman of VeloSano and rode in the charity race in July, made the announcement at the banquet. A donor then stepped forward to make this year's total an even $3 million. The Indians had nearly 60 riders in this summer's race and raised $135,000 for the event, representing the third-highest total among the participating teams. All donations go to Cleveland Clinic to aid in cancer research and treatment. "It's a natural extension of our relationship with the Cleveland Clinic," Dolan said prior to last year's bike event. "For us, it's an effort to use the Cleveland Indians brand to support one of our key partners, the Cleveland Clinic, an iconic Cleveland institution. To work together, along with other Cleveland companies, to raise money to cure cancer -- no better cause than that."

Tribe makes tweaks to 40-man roster By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | November 7th, 2015 + 5 COMMENTS CLEVELAND -- The Indians made a handful of roster moves on Saturday, altering their 40-man roster and adding their first invitee for Spring Training.

Cleveland activated lefties Nick Hagadone and TJ House from the 60-day disabled list and re-signed pitcher Joe Colon to a Minor League contract that includes an invitation to attend Spring Training with the big league club. The Indians also outrighted catcher Adam Moore, who elected to become a free agent. The Tribe now has 37 players on its 40-man roster. Hagadone and House both missed time last season with arm woes. Hagadone fractured his left elbow in July, which required surgery, while House dealt with a left shoulder issue that limited him to nine games between the Majors and Minors. Hagadone is on pace to resume light throwing within the next few weeks and House has resumed game activity, logging three innings over two games with Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League last month. In 36 games before his injury last season, the 29-year-old Hagadone turned in a 4.28 ERA with 28 strikeouts and 12 walks in 27 1/3 innings. He has a 4.72 ERA in 143 career games with the Indians over parts of five seasons. House gets Donaldson out House gets Donaldson out 4/30/15: TJ House strands a runner when he gets Josh Donaldson to ground out, ending the top of the 3rd inning House, 26, had a strong rookie showing in 2014, posting a 3.35 ERA over 19 games (102 innings) for the Indians, and earned a spot in the Opening Day rotation last season. The lefty went 0-4 with a 13.15 ERA in four starts (13 innings) for Cleveland and spent most of the remainder of the season rehabbing his shoulder. Colon, 25, was a 12th-round pick by the Indians in the 2009 Draft and has a 3.50 ERA in 124 games in the Tribe's system over the past six years. The righty made the switch from starting to relieving in 2015 and turned in a 3.14 ERA in 33 games between Double-A Akron and Triple- A Columbus. Over 48 2/3 innings, Colon had 47 strikeouts and 14 walks. Moore, 31, joined the Indians on a Minor League contract last winter and spent 92 games with Columbus, hitting .282 and cutting down would- be basestealers at a 34-percent clip. He was promoted to Cleveland in September to serve as the third catcher, but appeared in only one game.

Inbox: Will Santana be back with Tribe? By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | November 6th, 2015 + 80 COMMENTS What are the odds we see Carlos Santana on the Indians next year? -- Alex Y., Beachwood, Ohio

Santana has become, without a doubt, the most polarizing player on Cleveland's roster among Indians fans. His batting average (.231 in 2015) leaves plenty to be desired, but his blend of power and patience still makes him a valuable -- not to mention above average -- player for the Tribe. Consider this: Santana joined Jose Bautista, Paul Goldschmidt and Bryce Harper as the only players in 2015 with at least 15 homers, 85 RBIs and 100 walks. Santana led the Indians in all three categories, too. The switch-hitter also put up a 110 weighted runs created plus, meaning his overall offensive production was 10 percent better than league average. One of the knocks over the years has been that Santana does not come through in the clutch. This past season, he actually had a 132 wRC+ with runners in scoring position, and his .863 OPS with RISP was second on the team to only Michael Brantley (.913). Santana, who will turn 30 in April, is slated to earn $8.25 million in 2016, making him Cleveland's highest-paid player. That is good value for a player of his skill set. The Indians would probably be best served holding on to him, especially if he buys into working as a designated hitter as often or more often than as a first baseman. So as of right now, I'd say that Santana will be with the Tribe come Opening Day. That said, I also think Cleveland would be more than willing to listen to trade offers for him, especially if the team wants to avoid trading away a starting pitcher in order to upgrade the offense. If the Dodgers are really going to shop outfielder Yasiel Puig, is he a realistic target for the Tribe? -- Zach W., Dayton, Ohio Puig is young (24) and under control for the next three seasons at an affordable cost ($24.6 million overall). That fits the kind of player you'd expect the Indians to target in trade talks, given that the team isn't in a position to be a major player in free agency. So I'd expect the Indians to inquire about Puig at the very least. Would you be willing to part with one of Cleveland's talented starting pitchers? That might be the price. Do you think the Indians should go after Justin Upton or Jason Heyward? -- @JBlyer27 (via Twitter) Do I think they should? Yes, but I don't expect it to happen. The Indians have some financial wiggle room, but not enough right now to go after the top-tier free agents. The Royals have shown us that a mid-market team can win. What have they done in the last two years that the Indians haven't? -- @shlawallace (via Twitter) The biggest difference over the past two years overall has been the defense. The Royals had 96 Defensive Runs Saved compared to minus-57 for the Indians across the 2014-15 seasons combined. The good news for Cleveland is that the '15 version (18 DRS) improved dramatically in the field, closing the gap some on the Royals in the second half. Beyond that, Kansas City has featured a better bullpen and a slightly better offense. As for starting pitching, Cleveland (33.1 fWAR) has had the edge over K.C. (19.1) by a lot. Is the Indians' 2016 center fielder currently on the 40-man roster? -- Mike D., Cleveland To be honest, I'm not sure. The Indians believe Brantley could slide to center field in the event that the team adds to the offense via left field, but the preference is to keep him in left. Abraham Almonte played admirably in center in the second half for the Tribe, but he projects better as a fourth outfielder. I think the Indians will try to find a new center fielder externally this offseason. Do you think the Indians will re-sign Gavin Floyd as depth? He pitched pretty well in September after coming back from his elbow injury. -- @1st_and_punt (via Twitter) If Floyd is back with the Indians, I'd wager it would be on a Minor League contract with a spring invite. Cleveland has a solid front four in the rotation, a pair of fifth-starter candidates in Josh Tomlin and Cody Anderson, and lefty TJ House still in the fold. Floyd (2.70 ERA in 13 1/3 innings) did pitch well in his brief bullpen stint in the final month, but I don't think it was enough to hand him a Major League deal. How likely is it that the Indians retain Mike Aviles? It seems like Jose Ramirez could replace him as a super utility player, but it does seem like Aviles gives the team that "veteran presence." -- Andrew F., Minneapolis I think Ramirez's performance down the stretch (.775 OPS last 50 games) helped convince Cleveland that he could indeed fill that kind of utility role. Ramirez switch-hits, offers speed off the bench and can fill in around the infield and in left field. Aviles brought a lot to the Indians over the past few years -- especially in the clubhouse -- but I'm not sure there will be a spot for him on the roster.

Is Progressive Field where left-handed power hitters go to die? Hey, Hoynsie Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie. Hey,Hoynsie: I read somewhere that Brandon Moss believed the properites of Progressive Field hindered his ability to hit home runs. Is there anything to backup his claim? Does Progressive Field limit left-handed power? – Bobby Reichert, La Crosse, Wis. Hey, Bobby: I never heard that from Moss directly, but I did hear it through another player. The odd thing is that one of the first things Moss said when the Indians acquired him in a trade from Oakland last year at the winter meetings was that he was looking forward to hitting at Progressive Field because he felt O.co Coliseum hurt his production. Moss hit 15 homers before the Indians traded him to St. Louis on July 30. He hit only two at Progressive Field. There was grumbling among some Indians hitters about the 19-foot wall that runs from left field into the gap in left center field and how it hurt their power. The Bill James Handbook, in regards to left-handed hitters, gave Progressive Field an index of 110 for the 2014 season. That means the ballpark allowed 10 percent more homers to lefties than the average ballpark. The index for lefties from 2012 through 2014 was 109. The research included homers hit by the Indians and the visiting team. This year Michael Brantley, a left-handed hitter, led the Indians by hitting nine of his 15 homers at home. Switch-hitter Francisco Lindor was next with eight homers at home, but just three from the left-side of plate. Jason Kipnis andCarlos Santana tied for third place with six homers each at Progressive Field. While Kipnis hit all six of his left-handed, which makes sense because he's a left-handed hitter, the switch-hitting Santana hit four of his six left- handed. Santana led the Indians with 19 homers. The Indians hit 141 homers, 61 at home and 80 on the road in 2015. They hit 83 left-handed and 58 right-handed. The Tribe's 61 homers at home were the second fewest in the AL. Hey, David: The Indians need a center fielder, but the Cubs gave Fowler a qualifying offer worth $15.8 million. If he doesn't take it and becomes a free agent, the Indians would lose their No.1 pick in the 2016 draft if they signed him. Hey, Hoynsie: I know there is a lot of chatter about the Indians parting with one of their young starting pitchers, but I just don't see the right deal out there. The name that keeps popping up is Miami center fielder Marcell Ozuna, but I don't see where this would be a fair swap for Danny Salazar or Carlos Carrasco for him. Do you think the Indians will overpay for a big bat? -– Casey Dubiel, Belmont. Hey, Casey: I could be a wise guy and say the Indians don't overpay for anything. But this is the same team that signed Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. Seriously, I do not see them trading one of their top starting pitchers unless it's a deal they can't walk away from. Hey, Robert: If I were the Cubs, I'd be interested in Salazar, too. If I'm the Indians and the Cubs ask for Salazar I'd ask for Kris Bryant. Now that's a trade that might make a headline or two. Hey, Mitch: I'm a little disappointed. You haven't been paying attention have you? Cespedes could sign a deal worth over $100 million for five years. It will not be with the Indians. Hey, Eric: I'm sure the Indians will consider every option. It's difficult to improve a team strictly through trades, but that seems to be the Tribe's main avenue. To do that, they have to consider ever variable. Hey, Matthew: I'm going to go with fourth names -- Shawn Armstrong, Tyler Naquin, Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier. Armstrong probably has the best chance because he's already made his big league debut and the Indians could use a fresh arm in the pen. But opportunities in the Tribe's unsettled outfield could present themselves to Naquin, Zimmer and Frazier depending on the offseason. Hey, Mike: I think they'll probably be a transition period on the business side of the franchise in the wake of Mark Shapiro joining the Toronto Blue Jays,, but I don't think much changes on the baseball side. Chris Antonetti's vision, as was Shapiro's when he was general manager, is to assemble a team that can win a World Series. As we've learned that's easier said than done. Hey, Todd: In 2002, Sabathia's second year in the big leagues, he was robbed at gunpoint by two former Cleveland State basketball players after a night of partying. Alcohol was involved, but that's the only instance I knew about during his career with the Tribe. Sabathia was always a go-to guy with the Indians from a reporter's standpoint. I hope he's able to stay sober now that he's out of rehab. Reddit Email

Cleveland Indians activate Nick Hagadone, TJ House; re-sign RHP Joe Colon Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians did some housecleaning with their 40-man roster Saturday morning. They activated left-handers Nick Hagadoneand TJ House from the 60-day disabled list and added them to the 40-man roster. Catcher Adam Moore, who appeared in one game for the Indians in 2015, was outrighted to Class AAA Columbus and chose to become a free agent. The Indians also re-signed right-hander Joe Colon to a minor league deal and invited him to spring training with the big league club. Hagadone is recovering from surgery on his left elbow. He was 0-1 with a 4.28 ERA in 36 appearances for the Indians this year before going on the disabled list with a back injury. While making a rehab appearance, he broke a bone in his elbow and needed surgery. House opened the season in the Indians' rotation, but a sore left shoulder ruined his season. He went 0-4 with a 13.15 ERA in four starts for the Tribe. He recently made three appearances in the Arizona Fall League. The Tribe tried to put House on the disabled list in the minors, but he filed a grievance and was placed on the big league DL. It meant he received his big league salary. The Indians drafted Colon, 25, in 2009. This year he was a combined 3-0 with a 3.14 ERA in 33 games for Class AA Akron and Class AAA Columbus. There are 37 players on the 40-man roster.

Nick Cafardo / SUNDAY BASEBALL NOTES / Battle between scouting and analytics continues The general managers meetings take place this coming week in Boca Raton, Fla., and we’ll see, in person, the changing face of baseball front offices. Formulas, calculations, models, concepts, and projections have overshadowed in some cases instincts and scouting. Smart has replaced street smart. This is baseball 2015, except in Kansas City and San Francisco, the homes of the last two World Series champions, where traditional baseball lives. “I’ve seen so many good baseball men who will be pushed out of the game, and never be allowed back, to make room for some of the huge analytical departments that these teams employ now,” said an American League GM. “And the question we all have: Has this made the game better? I’m not sure the answer to that is yes.” Fundamentals have slipped throughout the game. Pitchers can’t throw to bases. Few players can bunt. Hitters don’t even know how to beat shifts by slapping the ball the other way. Outfielders are consistently unable to hit the cutoff man. Base-running blunders are the norm. Has all this occurred as a result of a shift in philosophies? If not, what a coincidence. Every team has power pitchers who can’t get past six innings; only 28 pitchers managed 200-plus innings in 2015, one of the lowest totals in years. And power pitchers are getting hurt at an alarming rate. Tommy John surgeons are getting rich. There’s more dependence on bullpens, which in most cases comprise pitchers who aren’t good enough to be starters. It was interesting to watch the free-and-easy nature of the game from the 1950s to the ’80s, when players such as Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente just went up to the plate, saw the ball, and hit it, as opposed to the robotic nature of today’s game, where everything seems programmed and where data dictate whether a player swings or doesn’t. And so, what we’ll see at the GM meetings is a cast that is changing to reflect baseball 2015 and beyond. All teams will tell you they are hybrids of analytics and traditional scouting, but they all lean one way or the other. Does data support scouting or does scouting support data? In the AL East, Yankees GM Brian Cashman tilts toward analytics. The Blue Jays will have a new look with Alex Anthopoulos leaving after incoming president Mark Shapiro decided he wanted to have the final say on baseball issues and criticized Anthopoulos for trading top prospects. While Anthopoulos leaned toward traditional, Shapiro is more analytical. The Rays always have been more analytical. The Orioles are more traditional, yet Dan Duquette was one of the first GMs to use analytics, when he was in Boston. Dave Dombrowski remains a traditionalist, so the Red Sox will trend that way, but new GM Mike Hazen embraces analytics. In the AL Central, the Tigers’ new GM, Al Avila, is a scouting guy, so he leans traditional. The Indians are more analytical. The White Sox are more traditional, with a host of scouts who have been together for years. The Twins are definitely traditional. In the AL West, the Astros were always more analytical, but they’ve acknowledged scouting is still important. Billy Eppler, Cashman’s longtime assistant who is the new GM of the Angels, leans analytical, though he embraces scouting. Now the question is, can Eppler and manager Mike Scioscia co-exist? Scioscia may be the last of the old-fashioned managers who consider analytics taboo. Scioscia will eventually lose this battle. Former Angels GM Jerry Dipoto, who quit over an analytics battle with Scioscia, is now the GM in Seattle and is definitely analytical, as is his new manager, Scott Servais, his former assistant GM in Anaheim who has no prior managerial experience, also a trend among the analytics folks. The Rangers really are a balanced team, but they lean analytical. The A’s lean very much analytical. In the National East, the Braves and Nationals lean traditional. The Mets use analytics, but they also lean traditional. The Marlins are traditional but are developing their first analytics department this offseason. The Phillies were always more traditional under Ruben Amaro Jr., but with Medfield’s Matt Klentak hired as GM to help president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, who is also more traditional, the Phillies’ approach could change. In the NL Central, the Cardinals lean toward analytics. The Brewers have hired Harvard-educated Dave Stearns, 30, who is heavily analytical, based on his Astros background as the assistant GM under Jeff Luhnow. The Cubs will remain a mix of analytics and scouting with the Theo Epstein/Jed Hoyer/Jason McLeod troika, but Epstein leans toward analytics. The Reds, a traditional team, are also changing. While Walt Jocketty moves up to president of baseball operations, the new GM is Dick Williams, who has been a business executive with the team and is the son of one of the minority owners. It’s unclear which way Williams will lean. The Pirates have great scouts, but they lean toward the analytics side. In the NL West, the Dodgers are analytics all the way. More than 40 of their scouts and baseball operations staffers have been fired. The Padres are continuing to figure out who they are, but they lean toward analytics, as do the Rockies. Analytical or traditional? All MLB teams use both stats and scouts to evaluate players, but they also all lean a bit more one way than the other. Here's how we see all 30 teams lining up. Analytical Traditional AL East Yankees, Blue Jays, Rays Red Sox, Orioles AL Central Indians Tigers, White Sox, Twins, Royals AL West Astros, Angels, Mariners, Rangers, A's NL East Braves, Nationals, Mets, Marlins, Phillies NL Central Cardinals, Brewers, Cubs, Pirates Reds NL West Dodgers, Padres, Rockies Giants, Diamondbacks : We’ll see how trades evolve as the faces change. You won’t see two GMs sitting at a bar over a few drinks and making a deal. Some of the greatest deals in baseball history were made that way. Now there will be enough data shared to choke a horse. And in the end everyone will likely have the same, or pretty close to the same, data. What has always separated teams is how their scouts evaluate players. Their job is not only to evaluate talent, but to recognize heart, desire, makeup, toughness, resiliency, adaptation to the team culture and the city. All of the things that can’t be quantified but may be the most important traits. JOB WELL DONE Dipoto offered opinions on Sox Before he left to become the GM of the Mariners, Jerry Dipoto took his temporary role with the Red Sox very seriously. According to Dave Dombrowski, Dipoto turned in a detailed report on the Sox organization from top to bottom, and Dombrowski said he found it helpful. Given Boston’s minor league talent, the report was mostly positive, but coming into a new situation, the information was valuable to Dombrowski. Former GM Ben Cherington had hired Dipoto before walking away when Dombrowski came aboard. It would make sense to watch for Mariners/Red Sox trade talks, as Dipoto’s knowledge of the Red Sox is likely higher than any other GM’s. .Dipoto already has struck with the first major deal of the offseason, acquiring hard-throwing righthander Nate Karns from the Rays for utilityman Brad Miller, first baseman Logan Morrison, and reliever Danny Farquhar, as well as lefthander C.J. Riefenhauser and minor league outfielder Boog Powell. Obtaining Karns was considered a coup, though the Rays were likely to make one of their starters available in an effort to improve their offense. The Rays hope Miller can be their new Ben Zobrist. Karns protects Dipoto in case he can’t re-sign free agent Hisashi Iwakuma, who will likely receive a qualifying offer. Not clear where Morrison fits, and the Rays may now try to move James Loney and be rid of his $9.67 million salary. Farquhar gives the Rays another big arm in the bullpen. Powell has been a productive prospect and could emerge as a starter for Seattle. A lefthanded-hitting center fielder and former first-round pick, he batted .295 with a .385 on-base percentage, 16 doubles, 9 triples, and 18 stolen bases over 117 games between Triple A Durham and Double A Montgomery in 2015. But Dipoto has made building pitching depth his No. 1 priority. It’s expected he’ll be active in the free agent market, targeting pitchers such as Yovani Gallardo and Mike Leake, and others in that second tier. The Mariners were picked by many to make the World Series in 2015, but they fell far short. GM Jack Zduriencik and manager Lloyd McClendon lost their jobs as a result. Apropos of nothing 1. As expected, Pawtucket Red Sox owner Larry Lucchino opted for Dr. Charles Steinberg and Dan Rea to run the team over Jeremy Kapstein. Lucchino also persuaded Mike Tamburro to accept a vice chairman title, even though Tamburro won’t be that involved. Some of Lucchino’s investors weren’t happy with the choices. 2. It was great to see the Royals recognize the scouts who did such a great job preparing for the teams they beat in the playoffs. The Royals invited the scouts into the World Series celebration, so Tim Conroy, Lynn’s Mike Pazik, Mike Toomey, Paul Gibson, Mitch Webster, Dennis Cardoza, and Alec Zumwalt got to revel in a championship they played a part in. 3. Roger Clemens will be honored at The Sports Museum’s 14th annual The Tradition, at TD Garden on Dec. 2. Clemens’s award will be presented by Red Sox radio voice Joe Castiglione. Also honored will be Danny Ainge, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Richard Seymour, Gerry Cheevers, and Don Rodman. For tickets, visit www.sportsmuseum.org or contact Renee Quinn,at [email protected] or 617-624-1231. Reserved seating is $300 and general admission is $200. Net proceeds benefit The Sports Museum. 4. We’re likely to hear by the first of the year whether Pete Rose will be reinstated by commissioner Rob Manfred. Signs point to the status quo, but with Rose being allowed to take part in more MLB-related activities. 5. With Lucchino out, maybe now the Red Sox will properly honor Wade Boggs and retire his No. 26. 6. One of the theories out there on Alex Anthopoulos is that he’ll eventually be the GM of the Montreal franchise if the Rays or Athletics relocate, or if there is expansion. Might be a good theory, but Anthopoulos will surely get a job before that. 7. A career well done by Aramis Ramirez, who announced his retirement last week. He played 18 years and hit .283 with 386 homers, 1,417 RBIs, and an .833 OPS. He played in 2,194 games and had 2,303 hits with three All-Star appearances. Updates on nine 1. Dusty Baker, manager, Nationals — The 66-year-old Baker didn’t mind being the second choice to Bud Black for the job. Baker managed 10 years with the Giants, four with the Cubs, and six with the Reds. He managed for 20 consecutive years, from 1993-2013, before a two-year hiatus. He has an 840-715 record and will be the second-oldest manager in baseball, 18 days younger than Terry Collins. 2. Shane Victorino, OF, free agent — Agent John Boggs said Victorino is finally healthy and wants to play in 2016. Boggs also said that Victorino, who hit .214 for the Angels and .230 overall (.245 for the Red Sox) in just 204 at-bats in 2015, would resume switch-hitting with his new team. 3. Mike Napoli, 1B/OF, free agent — Napoli managed to raise his value in the second half with the Rangers. He also added left field to his defensive repertoire. Napoli hit .295 with five homers and 10 RBIs with a .908 OPS in 78 at-bats with the Rangers. There’s also some talk about adding catcher back to his tool box. 4. Jeffrey Loria, owner, Marlins — We’ve been critical of him for his managerial hirings, but Loria is deeply committed to good scouting. He’s already hired two outstanding scouts in Paul Ricciarini, previously with the Astros, and Jim Cuthbert, who was the Indians’ advance scout. 5. Dayton Moore, GM, Royals — Moore has gone from a man who was consistently ridiculed to one continually praised, after his patience and the lumps he took paid off the last two seasons. Moore is now considered the quintessential GM. And like Brian Sabean, whose Giants beat Moore’s Royals in the 2014 World Series, Moore is a traditionalist. 6. Jonny Gomes, OF, free agent — Gomes, 34, was disappointed that he wasn’t on the Royals’ World Series roster, but said, “I was able to contribute behind the scenes. I helped a lot with the game-planning and the pregame discussions. I wanted to play, don’t get me wrong, but it gave me a glimpse of what I want to do when I’m done playing.” Gomes, who keeps winding up with postseason teams (he has been on two World Series winners), said he wants to be a manager someday. For now, he wants to continue playing. “They’ll have to rip the jersey off my back,” he said. 7. Dave Roberts, coach, Padres — Roberts, who made the 2004 Red Sox championship possible, will likely not return to the Padres if he doesn’t land the Dodgers manager job, after the Padres did not interview him for their managerial opening. Roberts is waiting to hear whether he has made the second round of interviews in LA. His upbeat nature and embracing of analytics are certainly positives as the Dodgers try to replace Don Mattingly. Roberts is seen as a perfect mentor for Yasiel Puig, who needs that special touch to bring out his talent. Bud Black has entered the picture in LA. There’s also Bob Geren, Raul Ibanez, Gabe Kapler, and Ron Roenicke in the mix. Roberts also interviewed for the Mariners job. 8. Frank Viola, Triple A pitching coach, Mets — Behind the scenes, Viola has done a great job grooming the Mets’ young pitchers. He did it this year with righthander Noah Syndergaard and lefthander Steven Matz. Viola will now try to advance the next group, which is headed by former Princeton righthander Matt Bowman, who really struggled at Triple A (7-16, 5.53 ERA) but whom Viola sees as someone who could emerge. 9. Dan Jennings, former GM and manager, Marlins — Jennings won’t be a manager or GM any time soon, but said he has a few options to join organizations and will likely decide soon. Jennings, who has two years remaining on his contract with the Marlins, will likely take an advisory role. Extra innings From the Bill Chuck files: “How good were the Royals in 2015 hitting against fastballs? Very. All teams averaged .275 against fastballs, while the Royals hit .311.” . . . Happy birthday, Nick Punto (38), Jose Offerman (47), and Jerry Remy (63). Roller coaster ride Unheralded Daniel Murphy was having a historically great postseason before stumbling big time in the World Series. The Mets second baseman homered in a record six straight postseason games in the NL Division Series and Championship Series, winning NLCS MVP honors. The ride came to an abrupt halt in the World Series, but he still joins a list of lesser- known players who did some of their best work in October. Boston Globe LOADED: 11.08.2015