AL East Links: Swisher, Orioles, Ross, Cabral

Nine players received qualifying offers this winter, including five from the AL East: Nick Swisher, Hiroki Kuroda, Rafael Soriano, B.J. Upton, and David Ortiz. Here's the latest on the division...

• Unsurprisingly, Swisher will pass on the Yankees' qualifying offer and look for a lucrative multiyear contract this offseason, report Dan Martin and George A. King III of The New York Post.
• Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com thinks the Orioles have enough pitching depth to trade an arm or two this winter. He listed eight potential starters currently on the team's 40-man roster.
• Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal makes a case that the Red Sox should have made Cody Ross and qualifying offer before yesterday's deadline.
• The Yankees intend to keep 2011 Rule 5 Draft pick Cesar Cabral and give him another look in Spring Training, reports Chad Jennings of The Journal News. Cabral, a left-hander, missed all of this season with an elbow injury.

2011 Rule 5 Draft Results

Rule 5 players must stay with their new big league club all year or be offered back to the old team. MLB.com has a full recap of both the Major League and minor league portions of the draft. The results of the Major League phase are listed below:

1. Astros take Rhiner Cruz from Mets.
2. Twins take Terry Doyle from White Sox.
3. Mariners take Lucas Luetge from Brewers.
4. Orioles take Ryan Flaherty from Cubs.
5. Royals take Cesar Cabral from Red Sox; traded to Yankees for cash.
6. Cubs take Lendy Castillo from Phillies.
7. Padres
8. Pirates take Gustavo Nunez from Tigers.
9. Marlins
10. Rockies
11. Athletics
12. Mets
13. White Sox
14. Reds
15. Indians
16. Nationals
17. Blue Jays
18. Dodgers
19. Angels
20. Giants
21. Braves take Robert Fish from Angels.
22. Cardinals take Erik Komatsu from Nationals.
23. Red Sox take Marwin Gonzalez from Cubs, traded to Astros for Marco Duarte
24. Rays
25. Diamondbacks take Brett Lorin from Pirates.
26. Tigers
27. Brewers
28. Rangers
29. Yankees take Brad Meyers from Nationals.
30. Phillies

Rays Return Cesar Cabral To Red Sox

The Rays returned Rule 5 pick Cesar Cabral to the Red Sox, tweets WEEI's Rob Bradford.  The lefty will report to minor league camp tomorrow.  The Rays claimed Cabral in the December draft, but he also had a brief stop with the Blue Jays this spring.

Cabral, 22, posted strong peripheral stats in 48 relief innings at High-A ball last year, but 60 hits allowed led to a 5.81 ERA.