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Week In Review: 1/22/12 - 1/28/12

It's time to take a look back at the week that was..

• The Tigers officially agreed to sign free agent first baseman Prince Fielder to a nine-year, $214MM contract.  The agreement has no opt-outs and will keep Fielder in the Motor City through his age 36 season for an average annual value of $23.78MM.  Over the years, Tigers owner Mike Ilitch and GM Dave Dombrowski have dealt extensively with Scott Boras regarding clients such as Kenny Rogers, Ivan Rodriguez, Johnny Damon and Magglio Ordonez.
• The Rangers are set to meet with Roy Oswalt tomorrow morning, assuming he's still a free agent by then.  The Cardinals were reportedly close to a deal with the veteran pitcher but those rumblings have been denied by GM John Mozeliak.  There is "no chance" of Oswalt relieving in 2012, agent Bob Garber told Tim Dierkes.
• Free agent pitcher Edwin Jackson has multiple three-year offers.  The Red Sox have made Jackson an offer and it's believed that he would take a one-year deal to play in Boston.  The Orioles are in the mix and though it doesn't look like they'll offer a four-year deal, they could put a three-year contract with an option year on the table.
• The Giants and Tim Lincecum agreed to a two-year, $40.5MM contract extension, avoiding arbitration with the two-time Cy Young Award winner.  The two-year deal buys out Lincecum's final two seasons of arbitration eligibility and avoids a potentially historic hearing.  The right-hander will earn $18MM in 2012 and $22MM in 2013 to go along with a $500K signing bonus.
• The Blue Jays signed right-hander Brandon Morrow to a three-year, $20MM extension, the team announced.  The deal includes a 2015 option for $10MM.  Morrow will earn $4MM in 2012 and $8MM in 2013 and 2014. There's a $10MM option with a $1MM buyout in 2015 for a total guarantee of $21MM.
• The Red Sox signed outfielder Cody Ross to a one-year deal worth roughly $3MM plus incentives.  Ross played all three outfield positions for the Giants last season and hit .240/.325/.405 line with 14 home runs in 461 plate appearances.  The club designated right-hander Scott Atchison for assignment to make room for Ross.
• The Dodgers pushed hard for Prince Fielder for weeks and thought they had a legitimate chance of signing him by offering the slugger a seven-year deal.
• MLB has informed teams that Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is now a free agent after recently gaining residency in the Dominican Republic.
• The Blue Jays agreed to sign right-handed reliever Francisco Cordero to a one-year, $4.5MM contract.  Cordero, 36, posted a 2.45 ERA with 5.4 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 50% ground ball rate in 69 2/3 innings for Cincinnati this past season.
• The Rockies and Rafael Betancourt agreed to a contract extension which guarantees Betancourt's $4.25MM mutual option for 2013 and adds an option at the same salary for 2014.  He'll earn $4MM in 2012 as part of his current contract.
• The Phillies avoided arbitration with Hunter Pence, agreeing to a one-year, $10.4MM contract for 2012.  The sides settled at the midpoint between Pence's request for $11.8MM and the Phillies' $9MM offer.
• The Yankees and Russell Martin avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $7.5MM with $100K in performance bonuses.
• The Reds acquired infielder Wilson Valdez from the Phillies for left-hander Jeremy Horst.  Horst will be in Major League Spring Training as a non-roster player.
• A possible deal to send Rangers reliever Koji Uehara to Toronto fell through when the reliever exercised his no-trade clause.  Uehara is now said to be drawing trade interest from the Orioles.
• Juan Pierre signed a minor league deal with the Phillies that includes an invitation to Spring Training. 
• On Friday, the Giants agreed to sign free agent infielder Ryan Theriot to a one-year deal worth $1.25MM with $750K in incentives.
• The Yankees have interest in Raul Ibanez.  The veteran has drawn interest from a number of clubs, including the Mets and Tigers, in recent weeks.
• There are early indications that the Giants will have a decent or better chance to lock Matt Cain on another long-term deal.
• Free agent outfielder J.D. Drew is "very likely" to retire.
• The Blue Jays signed 44-year-old infielder Omar Vizquel to a minor league contract that contains an invitation to the Major League Spring Training camp.
• The Reds and reliever Jose Arredondo avoided arbitration by agreeing to terms on a two-year, $2MM contract.
• The Mariners signed Kevin Millwood to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training.
• Jeff Keppinger signed a one-year, $1.525MM Major League deal with the Rays.  In order to make room for the 31-year-old, the club designated Russ Canzler for assignment.
• The Orioles announced that they have signed Wilson Betemit to a two-year, Major League contract that includes a vesting option for 2014.  Betemit's deal could be worth up to $6MM.
• Cuban left-hander Gerardo Concepcion, an 18-year-old free agent, is very close to signing with a team.  According to his agent, Concepcion has drawn the most interest from the Rangers, White Sox, Cubs, and Yankees.
• The Indians placed Roberto Hernandez Heredia (better known as Fausto Carmona) on the restricted list.  The move clears a spot on the team's 40-man roster, and Hernandez will not accrue service time or get paid until he reports.
• The Red Sox and Andrew Bailey avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.9MM deal that includes $100K in incentives.
• The Nationals agreed to sign free agent right-hander Brad Lidge to a one-year deal.  Lidge will earn $1MM plus incentives.
• Corner outfielder Austin Kearns agreed to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training.
• The Reds signed Willie Harris to a minor league deal.  The 33-year-old can earn an $800K salary if he makes the Reds out of Spring Training.
• The Diamondbacks claimed catcher Craig Tatum off of waivers from the Astros.  The 28-year-old backstop will provide the Diamondbacks with another option behind Miguel Montero and Henry Blanco.
• The White Sox signed left-hander Scott Olsen to a minor league contract with a 2013 team option.
• The Red Sox signed right-hander John Maine to a minor league contract.
• The Reds agreed to sign free agent left-hander Jeff Francis to a minor league deal.
• The Astros signed left-hander Zach Duke to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to Spring Training.
• The Indians inked reliever Dan Wheeler to a minor league contract.
• The Giants agreed to terms with reliever Clay Hensley on a Major League contract.

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