Braves Sign Kenshin Kawakami
4:27pm: O’Brien says now it’s about $23MM over three years.
2:02pm: David O’Brien says Kawakami gets three years, $25MM.
8:38am: A news conference is scheduled for today, so it’s safe to assume pitcher Kenshin Kawakami passed his physical and is a Brave. We’ll add the terms of the three-year deal once they become available. The Japanese paper Sponichi believes it’s worth $24MM, though it was written in uncertain terms according to Patrick Newman.
If the Braves are able to sign Derek Lowe, they’ll have a rotation of Lowe, Javier Vazquez, Kawakami, Jair Jurrjens, and Jorge Campillo (with Tommy Hanson knocking on the door and Tim Hudson in the second half).
Manny Ramirez Rumors: Tuesday
Henry Schulman describes the divide between the Giants’ limit and Scott Boras’ request for Manny Ramirez: Boras wants four years with a fifth-year vesting option, while the Giants probably won’t exceed two years.
Manny is Boras’ last great project of the offseason. If he can somehow play the Giants and Dodgers off each other, maybe he gets that third guaranteed year.
Orioles Rumors: Dunn, Wigginton, Sexson
3:15pm: Roch Kubatko says the Orioles would only consider Adam Dunn as a DH, and he wants to play the outfield.
1:40pm: The latest from Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun (with an assist from Jeff Zrebiec)…
- The Orioles want a first base candidate who can also play other positions, since they want to use Aubrey Huff at first sometimes. Ty Wigginton remains on the radar, but the Orioles don’t want to go beyond one year. The O’s have apparently moved on from the Richie Sexson idea.
- The Orioles signed former Yankees outfielder Justin Christian to a minor league deal.
- The O’s finalized their two-year contract with Koji Uehara.
Astros Sign Russ Ortiz
According to the Houston Chronicle, the Astros signed pitcher Russ Ortiz to a one-year deal. Ortiz had Tommy John and flexor tendon surgery in August of ’07.
Odds and Ends: Smoltz, Young, Cameron
Links for Tuesday…
- Lyle Spencer doesn’t think Michael Young and Jermaine Dye make sense for the Angels.
- Joel Sherman speculates on some possible matches Young trades.
- The Marlins’ recent minor league signings, including John Koronka and Jay Gibbons.
- The Red Sox officially announced the John Smoltz signing today. Here’s the transcript, and here are the contract terms.
- Buster Olney debunks the Mike Cameron for Nick Swisher rumor, saying the teams haven’t talked trade since the Winter Meetings.
- With the ninth pick in a fantasy draft, this is the team I’d put together.
Heyman On Young, Pettitte, Dye, Cordero
The latest from SI.com’s Jon Heyman…
- It’s more likely that Michael Young will give in and move to third base than be traded. Heyman runs through six (long shot) "potential contenders." Most were addressed here, but Heyman adds the Yankees.
- Yankees people believe there is less than a 50% chance of the team re-signing Andy Pettitte. He could instead retire or sign with the Dodgers or Astros.
- Heyman suggests Bobby Abreu or Garret Anderson for the Reds, noting that Abreu is probably too expensive.
- The White Sox want "top pitching prospects" for Jermaine Dye, not necessarily big league-ready ones.
- The Dodgers were among 12 teams who watched Chad Cordero throw on Friday. The Mets, Twins, Brewers, Rangers, Tigers, Diamondbacks, and Nationals are among the other known attendees.
Red Sox Sign Takashi Saito
TUESDAY, 12:30pm: Dylan Hernandez says Saito’s deal could be worth as much as $15MM over two years, although he is guaranteed just $1.5MM.
SATURDAY, 2:23pm: It appears the Dodgers weren’t ready to offer the contract terms needed to bring Takashi Saito back. As Tony Jackson reports: "[the Dodgers] weren’t about to give him anything close to this much money."
8:41am: Ken Rosenthal reports that the Red Sox have signed Takashi Saito to a one-year contract with a club option for 2010. The deal’s worth between $1.5 and $2.5MM in 2009, but Saito could earn up to $7MM if he pitches well, according to Rosenthal’s sources.
Saito passed his physical yesterday.
Braves Interested In Nady, Swisher
Jerry Crasnick and Ken Rosenthal are both reporting today that the Braves have interest in Yankees outfielders Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady. It’s not the first time we’ve heard the Braves connected to the two. The general feeling is that the Yankees are more willing to trade Nady, and the Braves may have to compete with the Mets for him.
Dunn Looking For Four Years, $56 Million
ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick talked to an official of a team interested in Adam Dunn. That official said Dunn’s current asking price is four years, $56MM ($14MM per). Crasnick says the Braves and Nationals are more focused on trades.
Even in the depressed market Dunn has a case for more than the $30MM Milton Bradley received. But not significantly more, and Bradley’s deal protects against a first-year injury. Plus, Dunn’s list of suitors is small.
Pirates Sign Craig Monroe
According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates signed outfielder Craig Monroe to a minor league deal. Monroe, 32 in February, hit .202/.274/.405 for the Twins in 179 plate appearances before he was designated for assignment. He earned $3.82MM for his efforts.