Dustin Ackley Rumors

Odds And Ends: Ackley, Reds, Bradley

Some links for the morning...

• Dustin Ackley will arrive in Seattle Monday to work out with the team, meet the media and officially sign his $7.5MM deal, according to MLB.com's Jim Street.
• Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News says the Reds are desperate for starting pitching just a few months after it looked like their rotation was set.
• This is not what the Cubs envisioned when they signed Milton Bradley to a multi-year deal last offseason. Bradley told Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune that he "never" feels comfortable at Wrigley Field because he gets booed. However, he insists that he'll be all right in spite of the hatred he faces "on a daily basis."
• Joel Sherman of the New York Post says Mets GM Omar Minaya looks clueless at times, but the mess hardly stops with him.

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Signing Deadline Roundup: Ackley, Turner

Some more links in the aftermath of yesterday's deadline to sign draft picks...

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Mariners Sign Dustin Ackley

The Mariners signed second overall pick and Scott Boras client Dustin Ackley, according to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo.  It's a big league deal worth $9.5MM, says SI's Jon Heyman.  The five-year contract ties Mark Teixeira's mark for position players, says ESPN's Jason Churchill.  Baseball America's Jim Callis says the deal is actually for $7.5MM guaranteed.  Click here to see MLB.com's scouting report on the UNC outfielder.

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Draft Updates: Ackley, Cards, Tigers, Rangers

Here's a few looks at some clubs who are still working to sign their top picks...

• Ryan Divish reports that the Mariners have requested that first-round pick Dustin Ackley take a physical. Divish speculates that this could signal the two sides becoming closer to a deal.
• The Cardinals are still optimistic that they'll reach a deal with first-rounder Shelby Miller, according to Matthew Leach from MLB.com. The commissioner's recommended slot is $1.386MM for the 19th overall pick, but it's clear that Miller will receive more than that, Leach says. Miller himself was quoted, saying: "Right now, I'm definitely looking to sign a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. It feels good." Sounds like good reason to be optimistic to me. UPDATE: B.J. Rains tweets that Miller is on his way to St. Louis for a physical as well.
• Jason Beck writes that the Tigers have 21 picks that remain unsigned, including first-rounder Jacob Turner and second-rounder Andrew Oliver. Both Turner and Oliver are being advised by Scott Boras, which could complicate the signings. Turner was rumored to be seeking a deal similar to Rick Porcello's $7.285MM deal before even being drafted by the Tigers. Oliver is coming off a rough season which dropped him to the second round. Beck writes that he could raise his stock by returning to Oklahoma State for another season.
• The Rangers are "doing everything they can" to sign first-rounder Matthew Purke, says T.R. Sullivan. Purke passed his physical, and has met with club president Nolan Ryan. According to Sullivan though: "all indications from both sides are there is still a substantial gap to bridge before a deal gets done."

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Odds & Ends: Orioles, Angels, Ackley

Some Sunday morning odds and ends from around the league:

• The Orioles received first baseman Rhyne Hughes from the Rays to complete the August 7 deal for Gregg Zaun, says Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. The O's also sent more than $300K to the Rays. According to Connolly, the 25-year old Hughes "hit .313 with seven homers and 26 RBIs in 56 games at Triple-A Durham and .252 with 15 homers and 46 RBIs in 58 games at Double-A Montgomery this season. He struck out 149 combined times in 440 at-bats this year."
• Ed Eagle of MLB.com reports the Angels signed University of Washington quarterback Jake Locker, their tenth round pick. Locker wants to pursue a career in pro-football but views the opportunity with the Angels as a backup plan. According to Eagle, "Locker is considered a potential high-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft."
• Larry Stone of the Seattle Times chimes in on the latest with Dustin Ackley and the Seattle Mariners who need to reach an agreement by midnight tomorrow.
• Miguel Tejada is willing to move to third if it keeps him in Houston, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.

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What To Expect Before The Signing Deadline

ESPN.com's Keith Law reminds us that the Reds seemed unlikely to sign Yonder Alonso until hours before the deadline to sign draft picks last summer. It shouldn't be any different this year; here are the details:

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Mariners Rumors: Felix, Ackley, Branyan

Jack Zduriencik says he hasn't started talking with Felix Hernandez about a new deal, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times, who passes on comments the Mariners GM made on Q-13 FOX over the weekend. Here are the details and assorted Mariners rumors:

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Heyman On Halladay, Pedro, Ackley, Andruw

SI.com's Jon Heyman hears that the Blue Jays could keep Roy Halladay, especially since Toronto fans would not be receptive to a deal that sends their ace elsewhere. If the Jays do deal Halladay, they say they're looking for two premium prospects who will be ready for the majors next year and two other prospects who are further away from making big league contributions. Here are the details and the rest of Heyman's rumors:

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Mariners Not Adding Third Baseman Yet

Larry Stone sat down with Jack Zduriencik following the Ryan Langerhans acquisition today, to ask if anything else was on the horizon in the wake of Adrian Beltre's injury. Zduriencik said that for the time being, nothing is in the works:

Zduriencik has not received any calls offering a third baseman yet, and says the Langerhans acquisition is more related to the loss of Endy Chavez than to Beltre's surgery.

Stone also reports that Zduriencik sat with Scott Boras in the first row behind home plate at Dodger Stadium. The two discussed Beltre, Jarrod Washburn, and Dustin Ackley, but nothing too formal on any of the three.

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Heyman On Penny, Ackley, Milledge

SI.com's Jon Heyman places Marco Scutaro and David Ortiz atop his lists of over and underperforming players. In the same article, he provides some trade rumors:

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