« Jeter & Yankees Are Far Apart | Main | Free Agent Stock Watch: Mariano Rivera »

Odds & Ends: Johnson, Webb, Bedard, Ellsbury

Links for Friday, as the Yankees and Derek Jeter continue negotiating ...

• If you're curious to see which draft picks are changing hands as free agent compensation, check out the constantly updated 2011 Draft Order page at River Ave. Blues.
• Meanwhile, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports explains that the large number of Type-A and B free agents (35 total) could impact how willing teams are to forfeit draft picks to sign free agents.
• Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star tweets that the Royals have re-signed right-hander Blake Johnson to a minor league deal. The 25-year-old owns a 4.42 minor league ERA, and he originally joined the Royals in a 2006 trade that sent Odalis Perez to KC and Elmer Dessens to the Dodgers.
• Brandon Webb, Erik Bedard, Jeff Francis, Chris Young and Jeremy Bonderman are intriguing cost-effective pitching options on the free-agent market, writes Chris Toman of the Sports Network (via the Miami Herald). Each pitcher has seen his career derailed by injury to his pitching arm and will likely be seeking short-term, incentive-laden contracts, but there's a steep drop-off in the market from Cliff Lee to the second-tier starters.
• Jacoby Ellsbury's reportedly strained relationship with the Red Sox and his attractiveness to potential suitors make him a strong trade candidate this offseason, according to Paul White of USA Today. Boston GM Theo Epstein has hinted that the Red Sox roster is in need of a "restocking," according to White, and Ellsbury could be a good fit for the Padres, Diamondbacks, Angels, Braves, Mets and Cubs.
• Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports contrasts Paul Konerko's relatively quiet contract negotiations with those of Derek Jeter. Konerko, is coming off a fine season (.312/.393/.584), and he could accept salary arbitration and earn a raise on the $12MM he earned in 2010, but Morosi writes a three-year deal could be mutually beneficial for both parties. White Sox GM Ken Williams has been quiet about Konerko, who is known to have a good relationship with owner Jerry Reinsdorf.

---

Lijit Search

---

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner