Jays Acquire Kevin Mench, Brad Wilkerson

3:03pm: The Wilkerson signing is also official now. Both are pretty much no-risk moves. 2:48pm: According to the Newberg Report mailing list, the Blue Jays have acquired outfielder Kevin Mench from the Rangers for cash considerations. The Brad Wilkerson acquisition may still be in the works, but Mench is a better match as a lefty-masher. He has a career line of .305/.361/.563 against them. It's only been 34 Triple A ABs but Mench is hitting .412/.500/.706 against southpaws this year.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Wells, Griffey, Olney, Tavarez, Edmonds

A lot of links today, so let's get to what is being said about some trade and signing possibilities in the Blogosphere... The Darth Boss George Brigade wants Hank Steinbrenner to sign David Wells to prove that Hank is indeed his father's son. River Ave. Blues says the Yankees are too smart to sign Wells and then goes on to list about 87 pitchers that should be given a shot in the Highlanders' rotation before Wells. Redlegs Rant feels that Ken Griffey Jr. is behind the recent stories that speculate on him being traded. Mariners Central speculates on some of...

Jays Targeting Wilkerson

The rumblings have become something more - Jeff Blair says the Blue Jays are "zeroed in on signing" outfielder Brad Wilkerson. The Jays had been mulling Jason Michaels previously, but he went to the Pirates. The Jays are looking for someone who can hit southpaws. Wilkerson, a left-handed hitter, handled 'em in '07 and '05, flailed against them in '06. The Mariners designated him after 68 plate appearances of a .232/.348/.304 line.

Brad Wilkerson Possibilities

What's next for outfielder Brad Wilkerson? Two possibilities are the Red Sox and Blue Jays, according to a source. The Red Sox previously wanted Wilkerson for a bench role. The Jays may want to add a lefty bat. Not saying these two clubs are necessarily interested, but they may be possible fits as Wilkerson looks for a job. Wilkerson, 30, is hitting .234/.323/.444 in 394 ABs since the start of the '07 season.

The Bonds Situation

This is one topic that's been hashed and rehashed about a million times. Oh well; let's talk Barry Bonds once again. SI's Tom Verducci analyzes the situation and determines that the Blue Jays make the most sense. J.P. Ricciardi indicated a lack of interest to Verducci, though. The fact remains that no team has offered Bonds even the league minimum. I am often asked whether I think he will play this year, and I keep saying yes. Here are the objections, and my answers to them: "Bonds will be too expensive." We can't say that until a team actually makes...

Will Salty Callup Lead To Laird Trade?

Jarrod Saltalamacchia has been called up, and GM Jon Daniels has no plans for him to warm the bench. Salty performed well at AAA Oklahoma, and when backup backstop Adam Melhuse broke a bone in his hand on Thursday, the call-up seemed imminent. However, incumbent Rangers catcher Gerald Laird has also been solid to start the season. Given the organization's desire to get Saltalamacchia regular at-bats and the lackluster hitting of first baseman Ben Broussard, I think it's likely that the defensively sub-par Salty will see at least some time at the "cold corner." But with the Rangers off to...

Odds And Ends: Thomas, Jays, Myers, Nomo

Expect another one of these today. There's lots of little stuff, but not much in the way of substantive rumors. The Mariners were one of four teams contacted by Frank Thomas's agent. The A's were obviously another. So who were the other two? With 24-year-old backstop Robinzon Diaz mashing in AAA, the Jays might look to spin off either Gregg Zaun or Rod Barajas come July. 39-year-old southpaw Mike Myers requested and was granted his unconditional release from the Dodgers. After DFAing him on Sunday, the Royals have placed Hideo Nomo on release waivers. If unclaimed by noon on Tuesday,...

Rosenthal's Latest: Gross, Rios, Perez

The tireless Ken Rosenthal has another column up today. Not a whole ton in the way of trade rumors, but let's see what we can salvage from the article. The A's could be a team interested in trading for the Brewers' Gabe Gross, who is the likely casualty once Mike Cameron returns from suspension. Gross can play all three outfield positions, and it's not clear whether the A's view him as a roving fourth outfielder, or a replacement for Emil Brown. Rosenthal notes that the Blue Jays are following the lead of David Eckstein, hustling like crazy to first base....

Frank Thomas Released

11:10am: While I was writing the below, Frank Thomas was released. That was fast. I would expect the Jays to call up Adam Lind. They've lost a big chunk of run production, so they should be looking for a new DH. Barry Bonds? As for Thomas, I think there will be a lot of interest. My immediate thought is the Rays, which could come back to bite the Jays. Better suggestions? 9:48am: More drama coming out of the Blue Jays clubhouse as Frank Thomas has been benched indefinitely, sparking rumors of his potential release. Last night, the Big Hurt was...

Odds and Ends: Braun, Cueto, Pelfrey

An assortment of links... Ryan Braun's agent is in town to talk about extension scenarios with the Brewers. Perhaps the Brewers could get him for slightly more than the $30MM Troy Tulowitzki received. As Tom Haudricourt writes, a Prince Fielder extension seems less likely. The Blue Jays once offered Frank Catalanotto for Johnny Cueto, when Wayne Krivsky was new on the job. Nice try, J.P. Buster Olney believes tonight's start by Mike Pelfrey might determine the likelihood of the Mets pursuing outside pitching help. Claudio Vargas remains unsigned.

Blue Jays Sign Alex Rios, Aaron Hill

Surprise move by the Jays today - they inked second baseman Aaron Hill to a four-year, $12MM deal with club options for three years after that. The deal begins with the '08 season and then covers his three arb years. Orlando Hudson, a decent comparable, got about $12.8MM for a similar slice of his career. Sounds fair, and the options are a nice bonus for the Jays. The Jays also completed Alex Rios' six-year, $64MM deal. This is another fine contract for Toronto, as they get four of Rios' free agent years at a below-market price. The Jays have a...

Rios Extension To Be Announced Today?

Baseball Digest Daily is reporting a press conference scheduled at the Rogers Centre this afternoon. The belief, from BDD and many other quarters, is that they'll be announcing Alex Rios' extension. Standard PR move to wait until the home-opener. It's supposed to be a six-year, $65MM deal extension. It would start with the '09 season with an option for 2015 for around $15MM. If those numbers are correct, it sounds like a smart move for Toronto.

Stark's Latest: Bonds, Howard, Vargas

ESPN's Jayson Stark has a new Rumblings and Grumblings up; let's take a look. Stark surveyed execs from three teams about why Barry Bonds remains unemployed. They provided the answers you'd expect, and collusion isn't one of them. One of the team officials believes a major injury to one of the 14 DHs could very well result in a Bonds signing. Related note: Gary Sheffield just tore a tendon in his finger. Meanwhile, Joel Sherman speculates that Bonds would be a nice match with the Blue Jays. There are signs that Ryan Howard wants an unprecedented contract - he won't...

Odds and Ends: Alfonzo, Hill, Kline, Reitsma

Time for a link roundup. SI.com's Jon Heyman says the Mets have talked with Edgardo Alfonzo. Alfonzo, 34, came up a Met and snagged MVP votes in 2000 with a .967 OPS. Seems like Aaron Hill's contract extension may wait until after the season, when his offensive value is more clearly established. No interest in Steve Kline yet...teams will probably wait the Giants out so they don't have to pay his $1.75MM salary. If Chris Reitsma doesn't make a decision soon about heading to Triple A, the Ms could place him on the restricted list. Dejan Kovacevic hasn't heard anything...

Latest On Rios Negotiations

12:24pm: J.P. Ricciardi is optimistic the Rios extension will get done, and the two sides are pushing their deadline back a few days. 8:17am: According to Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun, the holdup in the Alex Rios negotiations is the amount of money for the option year. It might be the salary or the buyout amount. Sounds like a minor stumbling block before completing the six-year, $65MM pact. J.P. Ricciardi is cautiously optimistic; the Jays kick off their season in less than four hours. That is supposedly the deadline, but stretching it another day or two doesn't seem like...

No Multiyear Deal For Aaron Hill

From Buster Olney's blog this morning: The Blue Jays attempted to sign second baseman Aaron Hill to a multiyear deal but could not reach an agreement. Hill, 26, broke out last year with a .291/.333/.459 line. He could be even better this season, with a shot at 20 home runs. His defense is among the best in the game at second base. Hill will reach arbitration for the first time after this season. Orlando Hudson might be a solid comparable. Hudson made $2.3MM, $3.9MM, and $6.25MM in his arbitration years.

Odds And Ends: Quintero, Rios, Pierre

A few random notes from around the MLBiverse... Henry Schulman says the Giants are in need of a backup catcher and a logical choice may be Astros backup Humberto Quintero, whom Bruce Bochy is familiar with from his days with the Padres. He also notes that the Rays have two experienced catchers that were just reassigned to the minor leagues in Josh Paul and Mike DiFelice. The Jays and Alex Rios are closer today to an agreement on a long-term extension than they were yesterday. That according to Rios' agent, Paul Kinzer. Yesterday it was reported that the Jays had...

Jays Close To Long-Term Deal With Rios?

SATURDAY, 9:41am: The six-year, $65MM offer is on the table for Rios. If the sides can't make a deal this weekend, the talks will be pushed until after the season. TUESDAY, 11:57am: This deal remains close, but not done. The Jays have a firm Sunday deadline with their offer to Rios. MONDAY, 11:02pm: Ken Rosenthal reports that the Blue Jays are nearing a long-term extension for right fielder Alex Rios. The six-year deal would cover two arb years and four of free agency, starting with the '09 season. The amount would be around $65MM, apparently with a 2015 option for...

Who Wants Reed Johnson?

3:40pm: Ken Rosenthal says the Cubs are "showing the heaviest interest" in Johnson. Johnson does make sense for the Cubs, playing center when the team faces a lefty. It might hold Felix Pie back slightly, but it's a win-now move. Rosenthal says the Red Sox, Rays, and Rangers are the other teams in on Johnson. It's definitely surprising to see the Sox and Rangers in the mix as neither club is light on outfielders. 9:40am: If 31 year-old outfielder Reed Johnson clears release waivers, he's going to be a hot commodity. Already, the expected three teams have been named as...

Braves Expect Trades

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's David O'Brien talked to Braves GM Frank Wren, and he learned that Wren expects to "make a deal or two." DOB says the Braves are looking to add a proven bench bat. They can spare an out of options reliever from the group of Blaine Boyer, Chris Resop, Tyler Yates, and Royce Ring. O'Brien sees Yates as the one to go. Catcher Brayan Pena and first baseman Scott Thorman are other possible trade chips. As for who's coming to Atlanta, O'Brien pretty much ruled out Reed Johnson and Robert Fick. He considers Wes Helms a possibility. The...

Odds and Ends: Papelbon, Darvish, Crisp

Let's round up some morning links. McCovey Chronicles feels that the Jose Castillo signing reduces the Joe Crede threat level for the Giants. Jonathan Papelbon wants to drive the market for closers upward. Keith Law discusses J.P. Ricciardi's decision to overrule scouting advisers and draft Ricky Romero over Troy Tulowitzki for the Blue Jays back in '05. If Yu Darvish is posted after this season, will it cost $75MM just to negotiate with him? From Buster Olney on Sunday: "Rival teams are not entirely sure if the Red Sox are devoted to the idea of trading Coco Crisp." Pedro Martinez...

Jays Release Reed Johnson

SUNDAY: According to the Toronto Star, the Jays have released Reed Johnson. The Jays have to pay $546K of his $3.275MM salary. Not a huge deal, but non-tendering him several months ago would've been better. Joel Sherman describes the Mets' interest in Johnson as "mild at best." SATURDAY: The Globe and Mail's Jeff Blair refers to "scuttlebutt among scouts" about the Jays placing outfielder Reed Johnson on waivers. However, J.P. Ricciardi said this was not true. The Toronto GM said a choice is close regarding Johnson and Shannon Stewart, and both won't make the team. The Mets might be a...

Rosenthal's Latest: Roberts, Horacio, Willits

Rumor guru and baseball insider Ken Rosenthal has a new column at FOX Sports. Let's discuss. Rosenthal does not see the Cubs taking on the salaries of both Brian Roberts and Coco Crisp, even if they shed their Jason Marquis commitment. Roberts remains the focus. Horacio Ramirez's agent says seven clubs have already expressed interest in his client. Perhaps he meant to say 0.7. Rosenthal runs through many Rocco Baldelli replacement options for the Rays: Reggie Willits, Kenny Lofton, Gabe Gross, and Reed Johnson. Only Willits seems the perfect fit, and the Angels aren't making him available. Willits and his...

Janssen Injury Could Result In Trade

News comes today that Blue Jays pitcher Casey Janssen will miss the season with a torn labrum. He was a bullpen ace last year, and was expected to move back to the rotation this year. Robert MacLeod's above-linked article quotes Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi saying he might explore the trade market in the wake of the injury. If we take J.P. at his word this time, which starters could be possibilities? The Brewers have the most obvious surplus with Chris Capuano, Dave Bush, and Claudio Vargas. Bush came up a Blue Jay before being traded to Milwaukee with Gabe Gross...

Mets Inquire On Reed Johnson, Shannon Stewart

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Mets have checked in on Blue Jays outfielders Shannon Stewart and Reed Johnson. Nicely done, Drunk Jays Fans. Although you spelled "rumor" incorrectly. Sherman says Stewart is a long shot since he can't handle right. The Mets want someone who can handle both corners, and Johnson could be that someone (he's played 64 games in right in '06 and 13 in '07). The 31 year-old will earn $3.275MM this year. He could be useful if last year's back problems are behind him.

Blue Jays Sign Armando Benitez

According to the Toronto Star, the Blue Jays have signed reliever Armando Benitez to a minor league deal. He's apparently not in the closer picture (which makes sense, with B.J. Ryan and Jeremy Accardo good to go). Benitez, 35, struck out 57 in 50.1 innings last year with the Giants and Marlins. The problem was too many hits, home runs, and walks. That resulted in an ERA of 5.36. Benitez's control has always been poor; he's succeeded by being tough to hit. The strong Toronto defense could help in that regard. By the way, Benitez's agent called the White Sox...

Managers On The Hot Seat

It is a slow news day, so we are going to venture a bit off the beaten path...As spring training is now in full swing, a number of managers may have their jobs on the line during the '08 season. Three managers are in the final year of their deals and another 12 managers have two years left on their contracts. This second group will be due either an extension or a pink slip next winter as few teams are willing to play out a season with a lame-duck manager. Therefore, any manager with two years remaining on their contracts...

Shawn Green Retires

According to Mark Hale of the New York Post, outfielder Shawn Green has decided to retire. He had interest from a half-dozen clubs, but apparently nothing close enough to his California home. Green retires at 35 with about $100MM earned in his career. That'd be kind of nice, wouldn't it? Green finishes with a line of .283/.355/.494 and 328 home runs. He topped 40 HR in three different seasons.

Shannon Stewart Signs With Blue Jays

TODAY: Fun fact/correction, courtesy of Susan Slusser. Turns out the A's will not be receiving a compensation pick for Stewart, since he signed a minor league deal. It also seems a long shot that they get one for Mike Piazza, as he could retire, settle for a minor league deal, or head to Japan. 2-24-08: According to Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail, Shannon Stewart has signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays. It seems that Stewart's agent switch helped facilitate the contract, as the Jays made an offer earlier in the winter. My guess is that...

No Market For Reed Johnson

According to a source of Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail, the market for left fielder Reed Johnson is "non-existent." This is not a big surprise - Johnson was a candidate to be non-tendered this winter. He had back surgery in April and is set to earn $3.27MM in '08. Blair speculates that the Jays may be inclined to listen to offers for Adam Lind. Back in November, ESPN's Keith Law had this to say about Lind: Lind has a classic left-hander's swing and good hand-eye coordination. His power is fringe-average but projects to above-average. He's best suited to...

Odds and Ends: Choo, Inge, Lohse, Francona

Let's round up some rumors and links. Not only is Shin-Soo Choo out of options, but he's recovering from Tommy John surgery and may have to join the South Korean military. Brandon Inge sat out a demanding drill on Friday, causing Tom Gage to wonder if trade talks are ongoing. Dave Dombrowski spoke on the topic recently, saying all the right things about Inge. Kyle Lohse is not interested in a minor league deal or playing in another country. He's still waiting by the phone though. Funny anecdote involving J.P. Ricciardi's son. Terry Francona was extended through 2011, with club...

Rosenthal's Latest: Gross, Weaver, Encarnacion

Ken Rosenthal is on the scene with some new rumors. Astros president Tal Smith arguing other teams' arbitration cases. Rosenthal finds it a bit awkward, while Keith Law finds it to be a hilarious conflict of interest. Possible trades of Matt Murton to the Padres or Rangers seem to have fizzled. The Padres may turn to the Brewers' Gabe Gross, a player who previously caught the eye of the A's, Indians, and Braves. Our good friend PECOTA sees a .267/.366/.467 line from Gross this year. With Gross and various veteran starters, the Brewers have some surpluses to work with. Rosenthal...

Odds and Ends: Crisp, Stewart, Meyer

Let's round 'em up! I'm doing a fantasy baseball mailbag feature at The Hardball Times. Check out the first entry. Nothing really new from Coco Crisp...if he loses the center field battle, he'll probably prefer a trade. The Brewers are close to a minor league deal with Russell Branyan, who might have a hard time sniffing the big league roster anytime this season. The Toronto Star relays from J.P. Ricciardi that the Blue Jays no longer have an offer on the table for Shannon Stewart. Turns out Oakland's Dan Meyer has a fourth option, meaning he's likely to lose the...

Jays To Talk Long-Term Deal With Rios

Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail spoke to Alex Rios' agent Paul Kinzer today. Blair learned that Kinzer will meet with Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi early this week to talk about a long-term contract extension. Rios recently agreed to a $4.835MM contract for '08. Rios, eligible for free agency after 2010, seeks at least a three-year extension (buying out one or more years of free agency). Rios, 27, hit .297/.354/.498 for the Jays in '07. The average AL right fielder hit .288/.359/.465 by comparison. Additionally, the Fielding Bible's panel of experts ranked Rios as the best defensive right fielder...

Four Teams Considering Trot Nixon

According to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, four teams watched 33 year-old outfielder Trot Nixon audition in Tucson today: the D'Backs, Blue Jays, Mariners, and Dodgers. Nixon earned $4MM in '07 while hitting .251/.342/.336 for the Tribe in 354 plate appearances. He was pretty much injury-free. Nixon's calling card had typically been his ability to rake right-handed pitching. He hit .256/.352/.345 against righties in '07, drawing plenty of walks but displaying no power. Rather than a platoon he seems in line for a bench job this year.

Odds and Ends: Perez, Jones, Howard, Burnett

Let's round up today's linkage. No more long-term discussions with Oliver Perez and the Mets. Andruw Jones already wants to talk extension with the Dodgers. The Cardinals are not likely to make anymore acquisitions. In my view the team has question marks in right field, the middle infield, and the rotation. Here's a look at their MLB.com depth chart. By the way, could Ryan Franklin be a league average starter? They could try it if the current options don't pan out. Jim Salisbury thinks the Ryan Howard contract situation is a nonstory. I think this is partially because (and I...

Jays Likely To Offer Towers Arbitration

Josh Towers has pretty much proven to be less than useful in the AL East. However, his peripheral stats aren't too shabby and most speculate a move to the easier league would turn him into a solid #4 starter. J.P. Ricciardi knows this, and is likely to offer arbitration to Towers. Towers is due for a bump from the $2.9MM he made in '07. I'll guess he'll land in the $3.5-4MM range. Ricciardi is paying lip service to the idea of keeping Towers around, but he'll surely explore the trade market for him. He might be disappointed - no one...

Odds and Ends: Kendall, Crisp, Gagne

I'm back in the swing of things, kind of. We're still living out of boxes, but I've got a laptop and I'm digging into all the rumors I missed. Joe did a great job the last couple of days. Be sure to visit his Yankees blog, River Ave. Blues. On to today's random rumors... I'm hearing that Jason Kendall could be a fallback for the Mets if they can't pry Ramon Hernandez loose from the Orioles. The Blue Jays have about $4MM to spend, and J.P. Ricciardi likes the idea of Michael Barrett splitting time behind the plate with Gregg...