Odds and Ends: Gammons, Kawakami, Buck

Links for Monday…

• Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik admitted to have a conversation with Ken Griffey Jr.’s agent, but wouldn’t reveal anything else.
• One of Matthew Cerrone’s readers dug up a Primera Hora article saying the Mets have been scouting free agent reliever Fernando Cabrera.
• Bob Klapisch looks at Pedro Martinez’s four-year, $53MM deal and asks: was it worth it?
• Rays Index notes that Grant Balfour will use WBC participation as a bargaining chip in contract negotiations (he’s eligible for arbitration).
• Marc Hulet of Baseball Analysts looks at top hitters for the Rule 5 draft.
• Fire Brand of the American League did a Q&A with ESPN’s Peter Gammons.  Some good stuff in there.
• A few notes from Patrick Newman at NPB Tracker.  The Hanshin Tigers are reportedly considering offering $20MM over four years to Kenshin Kawakami, while Yu Darvish had his contract renewed at $2.7MM for next year.
• Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the Mets want to add one starter and push Jonathan Niese to the #5 spot.
• Rany Jazayerli notes that a John Buck trade would make sense for the Royals.
• I mentioned the Royals’ signing of J.R. House earlier, but should add that they also signed Franquelis Osoria and Matt Tupman to minor league deals.