Day In Review Rumors

Winter Meetings Review: Day 3

The Winter Meetings will conclude today with the Rule 5 Draft. In case you missed the action, we've already recapped Day 1 and Day 2, and here's what took place on Day 3...

Transactions:

• The Angels issued a pair of two-year contracts yesterday, signing Joe Blanton for a total of $15MM and Sean Burnett for a total of $8MM. Each contract contains an option for a third year.
• The White Sox agreed to sign Jeff Keppinger to a three-year deal that will pay the long-time utilityman $12MM.
• Randy Choate received a surprising three-year, $7.5MM contract with the Cardinals. Choate has long been one of the game's deadliest weapons against left-handed hitters.
• The Diamondbacks made a pair of Major League signings, inking Eric Chavez for one year and $3MM, and also signing Wil Nieves for $800K to be their backup catcher in 2013.
• Nate Schierholtz signed a one-year contract with the Cubs worth $2.25MM. The longtime Giant can also earn up to $500K in incentives.
• Nate McLouth will be returning to the Orioles on a one-year deal that will pay him $2MM and also contains another $500K of incentives.
• The Mariners agreed to a one-year, Major League contract with Jason Bay that will pay the former All Star less than $1MM as he attempts to re-establish his career.
• Jeff Francis re-signed with the Rockies on a one-year, Major League deal, though the exact dollar figures haven't been released yet.
• The Pirates acquired formertop prospect Andrew Oliver from the Tigers in exchange for minor league catcher Ramon Cabrera.
• The Braves exercised their 2014 option on manager Fredi Gonzalez.

Rumors:

• Talk surfaced of a four-team blockbuster that would send Justin Upton to the Rangers, Asdrubal Cabrera to the Diamondbacks and prospects to the Indians. Late last night it was reported that the Mariners were one potential partner in the deal. They hope to use their prospects to ensure that Upton lands in Texas, because it would allow them the opportunity to sign Josh Hamilton.
• Speaking of Hamilton, the Mariners are indeed making a serious run at him. He's holding out to hear from his first choice, however -- the Rangers.
• Meanwhile, the Rangers are waiting for a decision from Zack Greinke, whose decision appears to be down to Texas or the Dodgers, barring the emergence of the dreaded mystery team. There's a growing sense that he'll end up with the Rangers, it seems.
• The Mets are still weighing their options on whether to trade or extend R.A. Dickey, whose asking price is two additional years at $13MM each.
• An offseason extension for the Mariners and Felix Hernandez was reported to be very nlikely, and the same can be said for Padres third baseman Chase Headley.
• The Phillies and Rangers are in advanced talks about a trade for Michael Young.
• Kevin Youkilis has offers from multiple teams, one of whom is the Indians. Cleveland is in heavy pursuit of Youkilis, who is weighing his options for the time being.
• The Nationals remain confident they can re-sign Adam LaRoche, but the team's preference is to keep the contract to a guarantee of two years.
• Four teams -- the Cubs, Brewers, Royals and Red Sox -- were linked to Ryan Dempster. The Royals reportedly made a two-year, $26MM offer but were rejected as Dempster holds out for a third year.
• The Twins are calling teams to gauge interest in 2006 AL MVP Justin Morneau in their quest to add pitching talent to the organization.
• Multiple teams, including the Royals, Brewers and Twins have contacted the Rangers regarding lefty Derek Holland.
• Brewers general manager Doug Melvin will listen to offers on Corey Hart, but isn't shopping his slugger and would need a significant return to make a deal.
• Five teams are interested in veteran corner infielder Jack Hannahan, who is expected to sign a Major League deal.
• Jason Grilli has offers from several teams and is currently "wading through them," though the Brewers are not in the mix. I'd expect Grilli to sign for multiple years based on his 2012 season.

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Winter Meetings Review: Day 2

The second day of the Winter Meetings brought more high profile action than the first (which I recapped here yesterday morning in case you missed it), so let's dive in...

Transactions:

• The most lucrative contract of the day went to Shane Victorino, who signed a three-year deal with the Red Sox worth $39MM.
• The Giants were able to retain Marco Scutaro, signing him to a three-year deal. Scutaro parlayed his Herculean performance down the stretch and in the playoffs into a cool $20MM.
• The Nationals landed Dan Haren on a one-year deal that will pay the former Angel $13MM.
• The Rays acquired Yunel Escobar from the Marlins in exchange for minor league infielder Derek Dietrich. The Marlins are reportedly hoping to re-invest Escobar's $5MM salary in finding a new third baseman.
• Earlier this week it looked like the Phillies would acquire Wilton Lopez, but in the end the Astros wound up trading their best reliever to the Rockies in exchange for Alex White and Alex Gillingham.
• The Diamondbacks signed veteran Eric Hinske to a one-year deal worth just over $1MM.
• The Giants will be keeping their leadership in place for at least the next two years, as they exercised 2014 options on both general manager Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy.

Rumors:

• The Dodgers and Rangers appear to be the final two teams battling it out for Zack Greinke, though one source told Jon Heyman of CBS Sports there's still a third team poking around. For the Rangers, their pursuit of Greinke has talks with Josh Hamilton on hold, as they can likely only sign one of the two superstars.
• Hamilton will reportedly give the Rangers the chance to match any offer another club makes before accepting it. The Rangers and Mariners are among the interested teams.
• Dollars are the holdup in extension talks between the Mets and R.A. Dickey, not years. The Mets don't want to trade Dickey for just one prospect either. A Royals official noted that the team will not trade Wil Myers for Dickey, but the team is still interested. Here's the latest on Dickey.
• Mariners fans didn't see an acquisition on Day 2, but Seattle was in numerous headlines. General manager Jack Zduriencik is interested in an extension that will make Felix Hernandez a Mariner for life, the team emerged as a surprise suitor for Michael Bourn and they're also nearing a deal with Jason Bay.
• On Day 1 we learned that Ryan Dempster is seeking a three-year contract, and on Day 2 it was revealed that he's seeking an annual payday of around $13MM. The Brewers, Angels and Red Sox were all linked to Dempster on Day 2.
• The Red Sox and Angels are both also showing interest in Kyle Lohse.
• What would the Winter Meetings be without the mystery team? We saw our first mystery team rumor emerge surrounding Anibal Sanchez. Six teams are reportedly in on Sanchez: the Tigers, Angels, Royals, Dodgers, Red Sox and of course, the mystery team.
• Surprisingly, the Marlins apparently won't be trading Ricky Nolasco, despite having cleaned house and despite Nolasco's reported desire to pitch elsewhere.
• Ryan Ludwick and the Reds are getting closer to a new contract, but Ludwick is still talking with other teams.
• Speaking of the Reds, they're also interested in signing Homer Bailey and Mat Latos to long-term deals this offseason. The team has already approached Bailey and will do so with Latos shortly.
• Jason Kubel now seems more likely to be dealt than Justin Upton, and the Mariners came calling on Kubel yesterday.
• The Indians met with the agent for Kevin Youkilis and are interested in making Youk their first baseman.
• The Yankees have most of Alex Rodriguez's contract insured, meaning they could potentially receive as much as 75-100 percent of the money back they'll lose due to his injury if he misses a full season.
• The Yankees have strong interest in Jeff Keppinger, whose price continues to rise as more suitors continue to emerge. Keppinger's price tag right now is likely at three years and $13MM+.
• The Rangers haven't been successful in making Mike Olt the centerpiece of a Justin Upton trade, but plenty of teams are calling on the highly touted young third baseman.
• Ben Nicholson-Smith appeared on the Rosters and Rumblings podcast with Jason Martinez of MLB Depth Charts to discuss the signings of Dan Haren, Joakim Soria, Angel Pagan and Shane Victorino as well as Mariners rumors and the middle infield market.

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Winter Meetings Review: Day 1

We're through one full day of the Winter Meetings, and several significant free agents have already come off the board. Here's a recap of the top stories from amidst the flurry of action yesterday:

Transactions:

• The Giants kept Angel Pagan in the fold by re-signing their center fielder to a four-year deal worth $40MM.
• Mike Napoli won't be returning to the Rangers, nor will he primarily serve as a catcher anymore. The slugger reached an agreement on a three-year, $39MM contract with the Red Sox to serve as Boston's primary first baseman.
• The Rangers did, however, nab a significant free agent when they landed Joakim Soria on a two-year, $8MM contract. Soria figures to setup for Joe Nathan this year and could inherit the ninth inning in 2014.
• Jason Marquis will be returning to the Padres in 2013 after signing a one-year deal worth $3MM -- the same guarantee he received from the Twins last season.
• The Rangers retained midseason acquisition Geovany Soto by signing him to a one-year deal that guarantees the former NL Rookie of the Year $2.75MM with another $250K of incentives.
• James Loney signed a one-year deal with the Rays that guarantees him $2MM and contains another $1MM worth of incentives.

Rumors:

• The Yankees will be without Alex Rodriguez for the majority of the season's first half in 2013 as the former MVP will undergo left hip surgery this offseason and need 4-6 months of recovery time.
• The Red Sox, Phillies and Brewers were all linked to Josh Hamilton, but it's the Mariners who reportedly met with the market's top position player most recently.
• The Mariners are also discussing Justin Upton with the Diamondbacks. Talks with the Rangers appear to be stalled, as Arizona is still demanding Elvis Andrus be included in any deal. The D-backs are also discussing Jason Kubel trade scenarios.
• Eight teams met with the Mets about R.A. Dickey, but the price is reported to be sky-high.
• The Angels are in on Edwin Jackson and could also re-visit discussions with Dan Haren despite declining his option.
• Shane Victorino has multiple three-year offers on the table and even has a four-year offer to consider. As many as seven teams have been linked to the Flyin' Hawaiian.
• Ryan Dempster is seeking a three-year contract and is expected to draw interest from the Brewers, Diamondbacks, and Twins.
• The Nationals have shown interest in trading for James Shields and have discussed both Danny Espinosa and Mike Morse with the Rays.
• The Nationals also added a pair of lefty relievers when they inked Zach Duke to a Major League contract and added Bill Bray on a minor league deal.
• The Dodgers are shopping Dee Gordon, but they will only part with the promising young shortstop in exchange for a "significant" return.
• The Reds have an offer on the table for Ryan Ludwick and will meet with their former left fielder's agent today.
• The Mariners and Orioles are both very interested in Billy Butler, but the Royals aren't keen on dealing him unless it's for impact Major League pitching.
• The Marlins are shopping Yunel Escobar and several teams -- including the Rays, Athletics, Cubs, and Yankees -- are interested. Ricky Nolasco is also said to want out of Miami.
• Multiple teams have placed calls to the Astros about Bud Norris, who is arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason.
• The Indians are looking for a package of four prospects in return for Asdrubal Cabrera. A deal that would have sent Cabrera out of Cleveland in exchange for an MLB pitcher and two prospects fell apart when the Tribe asked for a third minor leaguer to be included.
• The Yankees are willing to listen to offers for Curtis Granderson.

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Day In Review: Top Stories From Day 3

Recaps from Day 1 and Day 2 are available for those who missed anything, and let's jump right into Day 3's highlights as the sun prepares to rise on the final day of the Winter Meetings:

• There will be no decision by Albert Pujols prior to the Meetings' conclusion, however we do know this: The Marlins are likely out, but the Angels are definitely in. The Angels claim they can sign both Pujols and C.J. Wilson. Reports of a 10-year, $220MM offer from the Cardinals may not be accurate, and ESPN's Jayson Stark reported there is indeed an unknown third team in the mix that would need to trade an established first baseman to clear room for The Machine.
• One big reason the Marlins are out on Pujols is the fact that $58MM of their perhaps not endless budget went to a four-year deal for Mark Buehrle. The long-time South Side hurler will now reunite with manager Ozzie Guillen in South Beach.
• With Buehrle off the market, all eyes are on C.J. Wilson, who is expected to announce that he'll sign with the Angels or Marlins this morning. While the Fish have a six-year offer on the table for Wilson, it's the industry consensus right now that he'll take a five-year deal to pitch for the Angels near his California home.
• With the top two American southpaws set to come off the market, it'll become open season on Yu Darvish. The Nippon-Ham Fighters ace announced late last night that he'll be posted today. So far, reports suggest the Rangers, Blue Jays, and Yankees are expected to bid with the Red Sox being a potential wild card.
• Those not wanting to spend big in dollars could instead spend big in prospects and pony up for the Dan Haren-esque haul the Athletics want in exchange for Gio Gonzalez. While the Oakland ace is a hot topic, he's not expected to be dealt before the Meetings end.
• If a Haren haul's not your thing but controllable left-handed pitchers are, you might try giving the Mets a call about Jonathon Niese. The Amazins are willing to listen on Niese and any player whose last name isn't "Wright."
• The Padres found Heath Bell's replacement when they nabbed Huston Street from the Rockies for nothing more than a player to be named later and the majority of Street's salary.
• The Red Sox are looking to trade for a Western division closer of their own, but their talks with the A's about Andrew Bailey aren't progressing as well. They offered Josh Reddick and some prospects, but the two sides aren't close.
• Marlins executives shot down the reports that Hanley Ramirez wanted to restructure his contract following the signing of Jose Reyes and assure that he will not be traded.
• Last night was the deadline for free agents who'd been offered arbitration to accept or decline. Here's the rundown, but all you really need to know is that the only three who accepted are Kelly Johnson, David Ortiz, and Francisco Rodriguez.
• K-Rod's acceptance seems to have really thrown a wrench into the Brewers' offseason plans, but GM Doug Melvin says they knew it was a possibility and took the risk. The Brew Crew expected Jimmy Rollins to re-sign with the Phillies even before that decision, at least.
• The Astros hired former Cardinals exec Jeff Luhnow as their new general manager.
• The Tigers are nearing a deal with the well-traveled Octavio Dotel, while the Angels came to terms with righty LaTroy Hawkins for $3MM on a one-year deal.
• The Yankees surprisingly won the bid for Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima and are also willing to eat $8MM of A.J. Burnett's salary to faciliate a trade.
• The Pirates bought a whole bunch of upside for $4.5MM when they signed free agent lefty Erik Bedard to a one-year deal.

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Day In Review: Top Stories From Day 2

If you missed anything from Day 1 of the Winter Meetings, here's the rundown from the crack o' dawn yesterday. If you missed anything from Day 2, the good stuff's all down below:

• There was literally too much Albert Pujols talk for one post, so we split it up into two. Pujols reportedly has three offers of $200MM+, though one is from the dreaded "mystery team." Conflicting reports have the Angels either in the mix or out entirely, but Pujols does appear to be down to choosing between the Marlins and Cardinals, with some expecting a decision today.
• The White Sox are apparently blowing it up and starting over, though GM Kenny Williams kicked the effort off in an odd way by dealing closer Sergio Santos to the Blue Jays in a one-for-one swap for Double-A strikeout machine Nestor Molina. Santos is under team control for the next six years on a very affordable three-year, $8.25MM deal with three team options ($6MM, $8MM, and $8.75MM).
• Not everything is rosy down in Miami, as a report surfaced that Hanley Ramirez prefers a trade rather than changing positions to accommodate new teammate Jose Reyes.
• The Angels don't want to go six years on C.J. Wilson, whose agent Bob Garber met with the Rangers yesterday and was "pleasantly surprised." The Rangers' first offer was said to be for $60MM over four years.
• The Mets remade their bullpen in about as much time as it took me to make the frozen pizza I made for dinner. They signed Jon Rauch to a one-year deal ($3.5MM), inked Frank Francisco for two years ($12MM), and traded Angel Pagan to the Giants for Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez.
• The Giants, by the way, are said to be "far down the road" on another trade as well.
• Gio Gonzalez is becoming a hot topic. Late last night word got out that the Tigers were making a strong push for the A's lefty, and then we learned at about 3am that the Phillies are in the mix as well.
• With the Phillies' interest fading and the Angels' initial offers on the low end, the Brewers have emerged as the favorites for Aramis Ramirez.
• Mark Buehrle is seeking a four-year deal and has narrowed his decision to five teams, although it's not clear as to which five are in the conversation. The Rangers, Nationals, Marlins, and Twins all had offers to the former South Sider on Monday.
• The Dodgers are apparently addicted to two-year deals, and who was Aaron Harang to deny them? He got $12MM from L.A.'s NL crew.
• The Rockies picked up non-tender candidate Kevin Slowey off the Twins' scrap heap for a player to be named later. The Orioles talked with Minnesota about Slowey, too.
• David Ortiz is planning on accepting arbitration to stay with the Red Sox, though he has yet to do so.
• Other teams get the feeling that the Braves will indeed move either Jair Jurrjens or Martin Prado this offseason.
• The Twins made a three-year offer to Michael Cuddyer, who ironically saw the birth of his own pair of twins yesterday. Is that an omen?

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Day In Review: Top Stories From Day 1

Here's a look back at the top stories from the first day of the 2011 Winter Meetings (dating back to Sunday evening):

• The Marlins proved they meant business with their big name free agent pursuits when they reeled in Jose Reyes on a six-year, $106MM contract that will likely push franchise cornerstone Hanley Ramirez over to third base. Incredibly, the Mets will only receive Miami's third-round pick (at best) plus a supplemental rounder as compensation for Reyes.
• You'd think that would be it for the Marlins, but they've got a reported ten-year offer on the table to Albert Pujols. That number has to make Cardinals fans nervous.
• The Angels have emerged as the front-runners for C.J. Wilson, but the Marlins are in on him as well. The Rangers are set to make their first formal offer today, and the Nationals have shown interest as well.
• Wilson isn't Washington's top priority though; that honor goes to Mark Buehrle, who also has offers from the Rangers, the Marlins (surprise!), the Twins (actual surprise!), and a mystery team.
• Prince Fielder just doesn't seem to be a good fit anywhere. Currently, the Orioles and Mariners have shown some degree of interest, while the Dodgers and Brewers likely can't afford him.
• The Phillies' first meeting with Jimmy Rollins' agent Dan Lozano didn't go well. The Phils would love Rollins back, but not at five years, which has led them to pursue Aramis Ramirez as a backup plan. They're shopping Placido Polanco to make that fit more logical.
• The Twins re-signed Matt Capps to a one-year, $4.5MM deal with a $6MM club option ($250K buyout). Minnesota could've netted a free supplemental round pick by letting Capps sign elsewhere.
• The Dodgers signed Jerry Hairston Jr. to a two-year, $6MM deal and are nearing another two-year pact with Aaron Harang, believed to be worth around $12MM.
• Rays executive VP of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has decided against becoming the next general manager of the Astros. Friedman, a Houston native, was said to be their top choice.
• The Red Sox and Athletics will meet on Tuesday to discuss a potential Andrew Bailey trade.
• I'd be remiss not to mention the return of Manny Ramirez to the baseball world. Ramirez has filed for reinstatement and will only be required to serve a 50-game suspension, should a team decide that gambling on the upside of his bat is worth the front row seat to the "Manny Being Manny" show.

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Day In Review: 12/9/10

Compared to the rest of the week, today has been relatively quiet, but there was still a steady flow of news and rumors. Here's what has happened since yesterday's Day in Review post:

• The day began with the 2010 Rule 5 Draft. The Pirates took Josh Rodriguez from the Indians with the first overall pick and other clubs selected 18 other players later on.
• The day ended with news of the Reds' six-year, $51MM agreement with Jay Bruce.
• Miguel Olivo became the most recent catcher to sign a lucrative multiyear deal, as he agreed to a two-year, $7MM contract with the Mariners.
• Seattle was busy today; they also offered a contract to Laynce Nix.
• The Astros created some more competition for their rotation by adding a former Mariner, agreeing to a deal with Ryan Rowland-Smith.
• The Pirates acquired Cesar Valdez from the Diamondbacks to complete the Zach Duke trade.
• A number of deals moved forward today. The Orioles officially acquired J.J. Hardy and Brendan Harris from the Twins, the Dodgers officially signed Vicente Padilla, the Pirates reached an agreement with Scott Olsen, the O's reached an agreement with Koji Uehara and the Mets announced their deals with Ronny Paulino and D.J. Carrasco.
• We also heard that the Red Sox aren't as aren't as close to extending their new first baseman as it seemed. Adrian Gonzalez says he doesn't have an extension in place with the Red Sox.
• Boston continues to be aggressive; the Red Sox are considered the frontrunners for Russell Martin.
• The Cliff Lee saga continued, as the Yankees offered a number of deals and the Rangers visited the left-hander at his home in Arkansas. Lee could make a decision soon.
• The Brewers continue to show interest in Carl Pavano, but they don't want to offer more than two years.
• Luring Pavano to Milwuakee could be a challenge, but he's not the only pitcher the Brewers are going to talk to. They will begin extension talks with new addition Shaun Marcum.
• The Twins, one of the teams with interest in Pavano, would consider trading Kevin Slowey.
• There's mutual interest between Adam LaRoche and the Orioles.
• The Pirates may be moving closer to a deal for Kenshin Kawakami.
• The Michael Young rumors slowed down.
• The Rockies are hoping to extend Carlos Gonzalez, but negotiating a long-term deal with the Scott Boras client may not be easy.
• We also learned that the Cardinals consider Gregg Zaun a fallback option and that the Cubs remain interested in Brandon Webb.

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Day In Review: 12/8/10

Wednesday was another typically busy day in Orlando at the Winter Meetings. Let's run down the most noteworthy news and rumors since yesterday's Day in Review post....

• The Red Sox struck again, agreeing to terms with Carl Crawford on a seven-year, $142MM deal just days after acquiring Adrian Gonzalez. The news came as a surprise to many who viewed the Angels as the favorites to land Crawford, and it figures to create an interesting fallout. Early feedback on the signing has been mostly positive.
• Another ex-Ray, Carlos Pena officially signed with the Cubs.
• The Diamondbacks made a push for Paul Konerko, but the long-time White Sox first baseman ultimately agreed to re-sign with Chicago for three years and $37.5MM.
• The Yankees finally made a formal offer to Cliff Lee, proposing a six-year pact worth $140MM. Meanwhile, the Red Sox, who were attempting to drive up Lee's cost, were identified as one of the mystery teams who had made a seven-year bid on Lee, albeit at a reduced price. Here are the rest of Wednesday's Lee rumblings.
• The Rays and Twins decided to trade their starting shortstops, with Jason Bartlett heading to San Diego and J.J. Hardy on his way to Baltimore.
• There were also plenty of trade talks that didn't result in any deals - at least not yet. The Cubs pursued Matt Garza, the Rangers continued to listen on Michael Young, and the Marlins had a few discussions involving Ricky Nolasco, Leo Nunez, and Zack Greinke. Speaking of Greinke, here are the rest of Wednesday's rumors on him.
• The Royals reached agreements with a pair of former Braves, adding Jeff Francoeur and Melky Cabrera on one-year deals.
• Jack Cust will be the newest Mariner, agreeing to sign a one-year contract with Seattle. Could Miguel Olivo be next? The Mariners appear to have serious interest in the backstop.
• Although the Twins are still considered the front-runners for Carl Pavano's services, the Brewers dominated the day's Pavano rumors.
• Another intriguing free agent, Russell Martin, is fielding offers from multiple teams.
• A pair of NL East rivals agreed to sign left-handed relievers to similar deals: the Braves will pay George Sherrill $1.2MM for 2011, while Dennis Reyes' one-year contract with the Phillies guarantees him $1.25MM.
• Koji Uehara and the Orioles reached an agreement that will keep the right-hander in Baltimore for two years, if he stays healthy enough for the 2012 option to vest.
• Two National League teams added backup catchers, as Dioner Navarro agreed to terms with the Dodgers and Wil Nieves agreed to sign with Milwaukee.
• The Diamondbacks re-signed Mike Hampton and are close to adding Henry Blanco as well.
• On the heels of his best season since 2004, Miguel Cairo received a multiyear guarantee, signing a two-year pact with the Reds.
• The Mets continued their offseason of affordable acquisitions, inking Boof Bonser to a minor league deal.

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Day In Review: 12/7/10

Another day of the Winter Meetings is officially in the books. Here's everything that's happened since yesterday's Day In Review post:

• The highest profile move of the day belongs to the Cubs, who agreed to terms with Carlos Pena on a one-year deal believed to be worth $10MM late last night. Chicago's also shopping Tom Gorzelanny, and the Tigers have shown interest.
• The Rockies made the next-biggest signing of the day, inking Ty Wigginton for two years and $8MM. That's far more money than most people had pegged Wigginton for.
• The Yankees' signing of Derek Jeter became official.
• Lots of low-profile moves, such as the Dodgers signing Tony Gwynn Jr. to a one-year deal for $675K and the Pirates agreeing to a surprising two-year deal with Matt Diaz. Pittsburgh is also looking at multiple relievers.
• The Mets made a pair of free agent signings, agreeing to terms with Ronny Paulino on a one-year, $1.3MM deal and D.J. Carrasco on a two-year, $2.5MM deal.
• A few more low-budget moves appear to be on the horizon, as the Padres are close to signing Dustin Moseley to a one-year deal and the Dodgers nearing an agreement with Vicente Padilla for $2MM. Also, the Brewers are close to signing Wil Nieves and Dennys Reyes may sign with the Phillies within the next day or two.
• Much was made last night of talks to send Michael Young from Texas to Colorado, but in the end, the Rangers told their third basemen he'd be going nowhere. Meanwhile, Texas likes Magglio Ordonez.
• The Cubs and Rangers were said to be discussing a multi-player deal that would send Chris Davis and Darren O'Day to Chicago. Their signing of Carlos Pena may impact that train of thought.
• The Orioles appear to be closing in on a deal to keep Koji Uehara in Baltimore, and will not be trading for Jason Bartlett, as was rumored. The same is true of the rumored Kenshin Kawakami swap.
• We learned that Tsuyoshi Nishioka is looking for about $12MM total over three years, and the Twins aren't far off. However there were no talks between the two sides yesterday, though no one is worried about getting something done.
• Oakland made a serious offer to Brandon McCarthy and is considering several DH types including Hideki Matsui and Vladimir Guerrero.
• The Braves will begin talk about an extension for Dan Uggla and are confident one can be reached.
• The Nationals have switched their focus to Adam LaRoche, are out on Carl Pavano, but may still be in talks for Cliff Lee.
• Ryan Ludwick is drawing trade interest from several teams.
• The Cardinals have considered adding Yadier Molina's older brother Bengie Molina as a backup.
• Jesse Crain is reportedly looking for Joaquin Benoit money. Good luck with that. His former teammate Matt Guerrier was rumored to be as well, before his agent shot that down.
• More on the reliever front -- Kevin Gregg has received offers from three teams, while the Yankees and possibly White Sox are in on Kerry Wood.
• The latest on big name free agents and trade chips: Cliff Lee's offers have allegedly jumped to seven years, though no teams are owning up to it. Carl Crawford remains the Angels' top priority, clubs are upping their offers for Zack Greinke, three teams called about Prince Fielder, the Rays are motivated to move Matt Garza, Brandon Webb's agent met with several clubs, and the Red Sox are talking about Carlos Beltran.

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Day In Review: 12/6/10

The Winter Meetings kicked off yesterday, and if you didn't have time to keep up with everything, that's understandable. Here's a recap of everything that's gone down from last night through the authoring of this very post:

• We'll start with the transaction news: Boston's acquisition of Adrian Gonzalez became official. The Padres will receive Casey Kelly, Anthony Rizzo, Reymond Fuentes, and a player to be named later for their elite first baseman.
• The Brewers' and Jays' swap of prospect Brett Lawrie and Shaun Marcum became official as well. Milwaukee beefed up its rotation by trading a prospect who was likely blocked. The Brewers said they're willing listen on any of their players in the right deal, including another of their top prospects -- center fielder Lorenzo Cain.
• The Diamondbacks had a huge day; in addition to trading Mark Reynolds to Baltimore in exchange for David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio, they also signed Melvin Mora to a one-year, $2MM deal and found their likely closer in J.J. Putz, who inked a two-year, $10MM deal with a club option. They also have an offer out to Mike Hampton.
• The Pirates are looking to improve their rotation, as they're close to a deal with lefty Scott Olsen, and agreed to sign Kevin Correia to a two-year deal worth $8MM. More money than I thought he'd get, but I don't mind the Correia signing, personally.
• The Padres agreed to terms with San Diego native Aaron Harang on a one-year deal that will guarantee the big righty $4MM. He's a reasonable candidate to rebound in San Diego.
• Seattle signed 17-year-old Dominican shortstop Esteilon Peguero for $2.9MM. It's a huge bonus, but he's one of the most advanced offensive prospects in Latin America.
• The Athletics did not reach an agreement with Japanese righty Hisashi Iwakuma. Iwakuma was said to be seeking too much money. Oakland will again pursue him when he is a free agent in 2011.
• With all of that in mind, let's look at offers that might happen and deals that might get done: The Twins offered Tsyoshi Nishioka a multiyear deal believed to be three years at an annual salary of $3MM-$5MM.
• Adrian Beltre is reportedly seeking a five-year deal worth more than $70MM, though he lost a suitor today due to the Red Sox acquiring Gonzalez.
• If you're thinking there's going to be a firesale in San Diego, think again. The Padres will not trade All-Star closer Heath Bell.
• In the wake of Washington's surprise signing of Jayson Werth to a mammoth contract, Josh Willingham is now more likely to be moved than ever.
• Despite having their rotation filled out, the Dodgers are looking to bring back Vicente Padilla. Some reports say it would be in a bullpen capacity, while others have suggested a rotation spot.
• Russell Martin may have had a bad season in 2010, but good catching is hard to find, and he'll have plenty of suitors to choose from.
• The Astros have made both Matt Lindstrom and Jeff Keppinger available, while the Cardinals are out on Jason Bartlett and shopping Brendan Ryan and his stellar glove around.
• The Rockies seem willing to spend big this offseason. They've locked up Troy Tulowitzki for ten years, signed Jorge de la Rosa, and reportedly made an informal seven- to ten-year offer to Carlos Gonzalez.
• That's not the only rumored extension we heard about today. We also learned that Albert Pujols, Trevor Cahill, and Dan Uggla will be considered for extensions as well.
• The Red Sox are interested in Magglio Ordonez, and reportedly would be willing to give up a draft pick for Scott Downs, but not Grant Balfour. They're also in on Matt Guerrier.
• Six teams have shown interest in Koji Uehara, including Baltimore, Boston, Minnesota, Seattle, Milwaukee, and St. Louis.
• Hopefully you haven't had your heart set on acquiring Justin Upton, because it looks like the D'Backs won't be trading him after all.
• The Nats, Cubs, and Brewers are among the teams who have called the Dodgers about James Loney.
• A pair of former All-Stars is looking to get back into MLB after sitting out a season or two: Chien-Ming Wang is seeking a Major League deal, while Joe Crede is looking for an opportunity to play as well. Meanwhile, here's the latest on another free agent who's missed a few seasons, Brandon Webb.
• Curious to see the latest news on the biggest free agents and trade targets left on the market? No problem. Cliff Lee could see up to seven years, Carl Crawford could benefit hugely from Jayson Werth's deal, the Royals want Travis Snider and Kyle Drabek for Zack Greinke, the Dodgers keep coming up in Prince Fielder rumors, Paul Konerko's talks with Chicago could put him in line for a $12.5MM salary, and here's the latest on Carl Pavano, who could return to the Twins.

Obviously, we can't link to everything that's happened the past few days, but hopefully that's got you caught up to speed for the most part! MLBTR will continue to have around-the-clock coverage of the 2010 Winter Meetings, including overnight coverage once again throughout the duration of the meetings, so feel free to stay up late with us!

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