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How To Use MLBTR

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An explanation of the many ways to enjoy MLB Trade Rumors:

  • If the main site doesn't load perfectly on your cell phone, try the more mobile-friendly mlbtraderumors.mobi.  It's a simple page that shows you just the headlines and lets you click through to what you want to read.
  • If you're an iPhone user, be sure to pick up our app for the latest news and rumors.
  • If you want only the hard news in the form of transactions, our transactions page is the ticket.  You can also get only the transactions via Twitter or RSS. 
  • To return to the main page at any time, just click on the title or the Home button on the navigation bar below the title. 
  • The navigation bar will cover many of your needs.  Use the About dropdown to learn about this site or any of its writers. 
  • The Contact button takes you to a page where you can write an email message to the MLBTR writers.  If you have a link to a rumor we've missed, please send it in through the Contact page!  Also use the Contact page to inquire about advertising on MLBTR.
  • The Archives dropdown shows you 15 months worth.  If you need to go back further, click on Site Map at the very bottom of the page.  Site Map also lists out every MLBTR post category, including players, teams, and features.
  • The Tools dropdown takes you to a number of different places. The MLBTR Widget allows website owners to easily add a constantly updated box with all of MLBTR's headlines to their sites.
  • Also under the tools tab is our Transaction Tracker, which enables you to search about anything and everything to do with baseball trades, signings and extensions. 
  • Be sure to check out our Free Agent Tracker in case you're wondering about this year's remaining free agents. There aren't many free agents left, but we have all the information you need.
  • Our Arbitration Tracker is also under the Tools tab. It enables you to look back through all of the year's arbitration cases.
  • MLBTR's Agency Database lets you know which agencies represent which players. It's searchable by team, agency or player, so be sure to check it out.
  • The Forums button takes you here, to a message board community of MLBTR readers with over 8,200 members.  You can discuss any baseball-related topic on the Forums, and start your own thread too.
  • Feeds By Team is a very useful dropdown.  Hover over it to see all 30 teams.  Click on the team name to bring up a page of every post containing information about that team, with the latest on top.  These are the same pages you'll find if you go to the Rumors By Team section on the sidebar and select A's Rumors, Angels Rumors, etc.  Also under the Feeds By Team dropdown, you'll find RSS and Twitter buttons.  Those links allow you to follow a single team's rumors via RSS or Twitter.  Did you know we have a separate Twitter account for each of the 30 teams?  For example you can follow @mlbtrtigers, where you would get the latest Tigers updates.
  • On the far right of the Navigation bar, you'll see buttons for Twitter, Facebook, and RSS.  MLBTR has over 68,000 Twitter followers, over 32,000 Facebook fans, and over 53,000 RSS subscribers.  Sign up for these and you'll be the first to receive all of our posts.
  • Be sure to check out your favorite team's MLBTR page on Facebook so you can receive and comment on the latest rumors.
  • On to the sidebar.  It begins with a list of our Top Stories, which our writers update any time major hard news occurs.  Go here for a quick update on the most important stories.  Below that is the site's Search Box, where you can type in any player's name and get the latest on him. 
  • MLBTR Features has all kinds of goodies, including our free agent lists, 2011 draft order, list of Scott Boras clients, and GM-related stuff.  Many of the MLBTR Features are constantly updated by our writers, so be assured that our free agent lists are always fresh. 
  • Below Features you've got headlines for all the Recent Posts, in case you'd rather not scroll to see all the headlines.  Then there's a box for our Mailing List, where you can sign up to receive a daily email containing MLBTR's posts.  Use this option if you don't need the news as soon as possible.
  • Next we have Featured Posts, where you'll find original work from MLBTR writers we consider noteworthy.  For example, read about what matters in arbitration.

Draft Notes: Cole, Rendon, Hultzen, Gray

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It's far too early in the spring for teams to have their draft boards finalized, as Keith Law pointed out at ESPN.com this week. With nearly two months remaining between now and the draft, a lot can change, but that doesn't stop Law from passing along the latest on the early intentions of some teams with high picks:

  • Law hears that the Mariners will take either Gerrit Cole or Anthony Rendon with the second pick in the draft, depending on which player is available after the Pirates select first overall.
  • The D'Backs, who pick third, covet Virginia left-hander Danny Hultzen, according to Law. 
  • The Orioles are 'extremely likely' to take a college pitcher with the fourth overall pick. They could take Hultzen or Georgia Tech left-hander Jed Bradley.
  • The Royals (5th pick) are also likely to take a college arn and they're interested in UConn right-hander Matt Barnes, Hultzen and Bradley.
  • The D'Backs (7th pick) and Cubs (9th pick) have Vanderbilt right-hander Sonny Gray high on their internal rankings, according to Law.

Boston’s Long-Term Commitments

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The Red Sox announced their extension with Adrian Gonzalez today, less than a week after locking Clay Buchholz up to a long-term deal of his own. The Red Sox will see at least six players hit free agency after the season, while others are under team control for many years to come. Here's a look how long the Red Sox have their current 25-man roster under team control:

Through 2011: J.D. Drew, David Ortiz, Mike Cameron, Jonathan Papelbon, Tim Wakefield, Jason Varitek

Through 2012: Bobby Jenks, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Marco Scutaro (option), Dan Wheeler (club option)

Through 2013: Kevin Youkilis, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Matt Albers (currently on DL)

Through 2014: Josh Beckett, Jon Lester (club option), John Lackey, Alfredo Aceves, Jed Lowrie

Through 2015: Dustin Pedroia (club option), Daniel Bard, Darnell McDonald

Through 2016: Felix Doubront

Through 2017: Carl Crawford, Clay Buchholz (club option)

Through 2018: Adrian Gonzalez

Boston may cut ties with some of their arbitration eligible players before they pick up six years of MLB service, but I've listed the current period of team control. With their recent long-term deals, the Red Sox have extended control over their core players. Drew, Ortiz and Papelbon are eligible for free agency after the coming season and after that it appears that Youkilis will be the next major contributor to hit the open market.

MLBTR’s Agency Database

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MLBTR's agency database is constantly updated with the latest representation changes.  For example, the database reflects our early morning tweet that Rays righty Jeff Niemann is now with Hendricks Sports as he awaits his first arbitration year, rather than CAA.  Casey Close's move to Excel Sports Management is in the database as well.  If you're ever wondering about a player's agent, MLBTR's database is the best resource on the web.

While we're on the topic, we're attempting to determine who represents Jonathan Herrera, Alexi Ogando, Jay Gibbons, and Tom Wilhelmsen, so please email mlbtrdatabase@gmail.com if you know the answer.

Red Sox Extend Adrian Gonzalez

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After months of anticipation, the Red Sox have signed Adrian Gonzalez to a contract extension, the team announced. The deal is for seven-years and $154MM, according to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com. 

Gonzalez gets a $6MM signing bonus, $21MM per year from 2012-16 and $21.5MM in 2017 and 2018, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter links). The contract includes a partial no-trade clause, according to Olney. Gonzalez can block deals to two teams, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Those teams are prohibited from acquiring Gonzalez and flipping him to the Yankees.

It's the second nine-figure contract the Red Sox have agreed to since December (Carl Crawford signed for $142MM) and the second-biggest guarantee in franchise history. Only Manny Ramirez ($160MM, eight years) signed for more guaranteed money.

The Red Sox progressed toward an agreement with Gonzalez's agent, John Boggs, after acquiring the first baseman from the Padres in a December trade. The sides didn't finalize a deal and talks continued earlier in the spring. As Alex Speier of WEEI.com pointed out in December, the Red Sox may have waited to announce the deal because they save on the luxury tax by waiting.

Gonzalez underwent shoulder surgery in October, so the delay also gave Boston time to evaluate his health. The 28-year-old has a .268/.362/.439 line in 41 plate appearances so far, though his career line is a more robust .284/.368/.506.

The extension means Gonzalez won't hit free agency after the season, when Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder are expected to test the open market for the first time in their respective careers. Ryan Howard, who signed an extension with the Phillies last April, would have been eligible after 2011 as well.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Rendon, Buchholz, Price

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Six years ago today, baseball finally returned to Washington D.C. when the Nationals beat the Diamondbacks in their home opener at RFK Stadium. Livan Hernandez got the win, Chad Cordero the save, and Vinny Castilla went 3-for-3 with four runs driven in. It was the first MLB game played in the nation's capital since September of 1971.

Here is this week's batch of links…

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here. Only one email per week, please.

Agent Casey Close Joins New Firm

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Casey Close, the agent for prominent MLB Players including Derek Jeter and Ryan Howard will join NBA agent Jeff Schwartz at Excel Sports Management, according to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal. Close left CAA Sports in February.

Close is expected to represent Jeter, Howard and Derrek Lee on baseball matters, but the agent will share the marketing responsibilities for Jeter and Howard with CAA going forward, according to Mullen. Paul Pierce and Blake Griffin are among Schwartz’s notable NBA clients.

Jeter (through 2014) and Howard (through 2016) are under contract long-term, but Lee is on a one-year deal and will become a free agent again after the season. MLBTR's Agency Database has agency information for all teams and players.

Olney On The Bullpen Market

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Teams like the Yankees and White Sox are already encountering bullpen problems and it won’t be long before other clubs are looking for relief help as well. The Yankees aren’t optimistic about the current relief market, while Chicago’s search for an effective closer has manager Ozzie Guillen dreaming of Bobby Thigpen. As one GM points out to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, lots of teams will be looking for bullpen help this summer and lots of effective pitchers should eventually become available.

Unless Heath Bell takes a massive discount to stay in San Diego, Olney suggests the Padres will deal him. The White Sox should be considered the early favorites to land Bell, Olney says.

Jonathan Broxton, Francisco Rodriguez and the Blue Jays and Rays relievers could also become available this summer. Jose Valverde will probably stay in Detroit unless the Tigers fall far out of the race, but Michael Wuertz (now on the disabled list) could be on the block even if Oakland contends.

Quick Hits: Zito, Rangers, Morgan, Angels

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Links for Thursday night..

Mets Notes: Feliciano, Collins, Mejia

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The latest on the Mets after wrapping up a doubleheader against the Rockies at Citi Field…

  • Andy Martino of the New York Daily News (via Twitter) says that reliever Boof Bonser will undergo Tommy John surgery next week.  The 29-year-old was one of the team's top insurance options in Triple-A Buffalo.
  • Pedro Feliciano has a 'damaged' shoulder, but Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News says "nobody should be blaming the Mets for this injury." The Yankees had the chance to look into the left-hander's medical reports before signing him and Feliciano didn't have problems early in Spring Training.
  • New Mets manager Terry Collins went "ballistic" in a team-only meeting after last night's loss, one player told Mike Puma of the New York Post. David Wright said the message will help prevent the 4-7 Mets from getting emotionally deflated.
  • Help may be on its way. Pitching prospect Jenrry Mejia says he's becoming a pitcher, rather than a thrower, according to Robert Emrich of MiLB.com. The 21-year-old has allowed no runs, five walks and six hits through 12 2/3 Triple-A innings so far in 2011, striking out 11.
  • A bit of Mets history: though we think of recently-deceased Hall of Famer Duke Snider as a lifelong Dodger, the Giants purchased him from the Mets on this date in 1964.

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