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Angels Interested In Scott Podsednik

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The Angels are showing interest in Scott Podsednik, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal writes that Podsednik would likely play left field, a position many fans and analysts thought Carl Crawford might occupy for 2011 and beyond.

As MLBTR's Steve Adams explained last month, Podsednik can still run, make good contact and get on base (.342 OBP last year, .352 in 2009). However, he isn't the base stealer he once was and doesn't hit for much power. Now 34, Podsednik is probably not going to steal 70 bases or be an elite leadoff hitter, but he's in position to command a raise from the $1.75MM salary he earned last year.

The Dodgers seem open to re-signing Podsednik, but they declined to offer him arbitration, so they will not obtain a supplementary first round draft pick if he joins another team instead.

Padres To Sign Orlando Hudson

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The Padres officially announced that they agreed to sign Orlando Hudson to a two-year deal. The contract is worth $11.5MM, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Hudson first reported the deal himself on MLB Network Radio last Friday morning (Twitter links). Legacy Sports represents Hudson.

The 33-year-old hit .268/.338/.372 with 10 steals and 24 doubles for the Twins last year. The four-time Gold Glover didn't add to his hardware collection this offseason, despite ranking third among MLB second basemen in UZR/150 (minimum 800 innings, Hudson posted 12.0 UZR/150).

After signing two consecutive one-year deals, Hudson finally has himself a multiyear contract. He turned downs the Twins' offer of arbitration, so Minnesota will obtain a supplementary first round pick in the 2011 draft for losing the Type B free agent.

Astros Sign Bill Hall

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The Astros have signed Bill Hall to a one-year, $3.25MM deal that includes a mutual option for 2012. Hall will earn $3MM this season and either $4MM or a $250K buyout in 2012. The Yankees and Dodgers were among the teams pursuing Hall, who will play second base regularly for Houston. Gaylord Sports represents Hall.

Hall, 31 this month, hit 18 homers for the Red Sox as a utilityman last year. He batted .247/.316/.456 and played all three outfield positions plus second, third and short. He even set the Royals down in order when Terry Francona called on him to pitch in May.

The agreement "practically ensures" that the Astros will trade Jeff Keppinger, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes (Twitter link). Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi reported earlier that the Yankees have spoken to the Astros about acquiring Keppinger for their bench. 

Rosenthal broke the news (on Twitter) and the AP added financial details.

Rockies Sign Billy Buckner

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The Rockies signed righty Billy Buckner to a minor league deal with a spring training invite, reports MLB.com's Thomas Harding.

Buckner, 27, came up through the Royals' system and was traded to Arizona in '07 for Alberto Callaspo.  This year, the D'Backs sent Buckner to the Tigers for Dontrelle Willis, but Detroit released him less than two months later.  In 2010 the former second-rounder posted a 6.25 ERA, 5.4 K/9, 3.7 BB/9, and 1.1 HR/9 in 80 2/3 innings across two Triple-A stops.

Heading into the '09 season, Baseball America ranked Buckner eighth among D'Backs prospects.  At that time, they suggested Buckner had "the weapons to pitch in the middle of a rotation."  Today, Rockies player development director Marc Gustafson told Harding, "We've seen a lot of him, and he's a hard worker and he still has some upside as a prospect."

Hard work will indeed be required for Buckner to get starts for the 2011 Rockies.  Their rotation seems locked in with Ubaldo Jimenez, Jorge de la Rosa, Jhoulys Chacin, Jason Hammel, and Aaron Cook, while Felipe Paulino, Esmil Rogers, and Eric Stults are back-end candidates as well.

Pirates Reach Agreement With Josh Fields

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The Pirates reached an agreement on a minor league deal with third baseman Josh Fields, the team announced on Twitter.  A spring training invite is included.

Fields, 28, joined Kansas City a year ago in the Mark Teahen trade.  Hip surgery took up most of his Royals career, though he had 104 interesting pro plate appearances before being non-tendered this month.  Beyond the hot corner, he's dabbled at first base and left field.

Fields was drafted 18th overall by the White Sox in 2004 and was once considered a top prospect.  He crushed 23 home runs in 418 plate appearances with the Sox in '07, nine of which came in August of that year.  Earlier this month the Pirates added another former top third base prospect in Andy Marte, cutting a third one loose in Andy LaRoche.

White Sox Sign Jesse Crain

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The White Sox officially signed righty reliever Jesse Crain to a three-year, $13MM deal today.  He'll earn $4MM in 2011 and $4.5MM per year in 2012-13, tweets MLB.com's Scott Merkin.  Crain was rumored to be seeking a contract on par with Joaquin Benoit's, and Chicago has been looking for relief help all offseason.  The Sox lost about half of their 2010 bullpen innings with the departures of Bobby Jenks, J.J. Putz, Scott Linebrink, and others.

Crain, 29, had the best season of his career in 2010, pitching to a 3.04 ERA, 8.2 K/9, 3.6 BB/9, 0.7 HR/9, and 39.2% groundball rate in 68 innings for the Twins. Crain missed most of the 2007 season due to shoulder surgery and then missed a few weeks with a shoulder strain in 2009. He doesn't have much of a platoon split, holding righties to a .239/.299/.359 batting line in his career compared to .238/.332/.366 for lefties. 

With the White Sox deal Crain becomes the fourth reliever to sign a three-year contract this winter, joining Benoit, Scott Downs, and former teammate Matt Guerrier.  He also drew interest from the Rockies and Red Sox.  Crain is represented by SFX.

MLB.com's Peter Gammons and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reported on the deal as it developed.

Tim Dierkes contributed to this post.

Cubs, Rangers Ahead Of Nats For Brandon Webb

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The Cubs and Rangers have jumped ahead of the Nationals in the Brandon Webb sweepstakes, tweets MLB.com's Bill Ladson.  Webb is already throwing and preparing like usual for spring, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.  On Friday, we learned that Webb is likely to decide on a team soon.

About a month ago, Webb's agent Jonathan Maurer told MLBTR, "Brandon is hungry, excited, and ready to start 30 plus times in 2011."  Webb is two years removed from the Majors due to shoulder issues.

Odds & Ends: Pavano, Greinke, Soria, Pettitte

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Two years ago today, the Yankees officially signed C.C. Sabathia to the largest-ever contract for a pitcher.  Sabathia's $161MM record figures to hold for a while, though a couple of monster seasons by Francisco Liriano, Cole Hamels, Zack Greinke, and Matt Cain could put it in jeopardy in the 2012-13 offseason if those pitchers do not sign extensions.  Today's links:

Indians Sign Austin Kearns

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The Indians signed outfielder Austin Kearns to a one-year, Major League contract, according to the team's Twitter feed.  The deal is worth $1.3MM plus incentives, reports MLB.com's Jordan Bastian, who also notes that the Indians will have to remove someone from their 40-man roster for Kearns.  Kearns spent the 2010 season with the Tribe before being traded to the Yankees on July 30th for Zach McAllister.

Kearns, 30, hit .263/.351/.395 in 461 plate appearances this year, playing mainly left field.  I imagine the Indians' ideal outfield setup involves Shin-Soo Choo, Grady Sizemore, and Michael Brantley as starters and Kearns as the primary backup.  Kearns is represented by SFX.

The Kearns deal marks Chris Antonetti's first Major League signing as Cleveland's GM.  Antonetti agreed to a minor league deal with Travis Buck earlier today.  Bastian notes that the Indians remain in the market for a veteran starting pitcher and perhaps a third baseman.

Orix Buffaloes Sign Chan Ho Park

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Japan's Orix Buffaloes agreed to a one-year deal with pitcher Chan Ho Park, according to the team's Twitter feed.  The contract is worth just over $1MM, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.  The 37-year-old Korean righty posted a 4.66 ERA, 7.4 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, 1.3 HR/9, and 48.7% groundball rate for the Yankees and Pirates this year in 63 2/3 relief innings. 

Park still had enough left in the tank to function as a National League middle reliever, but he's chosen to play in Japan instead.  The Buffaloes recently added Alfredo Figaro out of the Tigers' system as well.

If this is it for Park's Major League career, he finishes with a 4.36 ERA and 124 wins in 1,993 innings for the Dodgers, Rangers, Padres, Mets, Phillies, Yankees, and Pirates.  Unfortunately, he is best known for a disastrous five-year, $65MM deal signed with the Rangers nine years ago.

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