Week In Review: 12/4/11 – 12/10/11

This was an incredibly exciting week here at MLBTR as we brought you 24/7 live Winter Meetings coverage.  On Thursday, Luke Adams gave us a comprehensive look back at all the major happenings during the meetings in Dallas.  For a day-by-day look, check out our posts summing up Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 by Steve Adams.  Here are the biggest stories that took place after the Meetings..

• The Diamondbacks acquired pitchers Trevor Cahill and Craig Breslow from the Athletics for minor leaguers Jarrod Parker, Collin Cowgill and Ryan Cook.  The right-handed Cahill is the centerpiece of the deal for Arizona and has logged 175 innings in each of his three seasons as a Major Leaguer.  In Parker, Cowgill and Cook, the A's get three prospects who all have far less than a full season of service time.
• The Cardinals and Rafael Furcal reached agreement on two-year deal worth roughly $14MM.  The 34-year-old hit .255/.316/.418 with seven homers in 217 plate appearances after being traded to St. Louis at the deadline last year. 
• The Padres found their Heath Bell replacement, acquiring closer Huston Street from the Rockies for minor league left-hander Nick Schmidt.  The Rockies are eating $1MM on Street's $8MM salary. Street, 28, posted a 3.86 ERA, 8.5 K/9, 1.4 BB/9, 1.54 HR/9, and 34.9% groundball rate in 58 1/3 innings for the Rockies this year, saving 29 games in 33 attempts.
• The Rays locked up 22-year-old phenom Matt Moore for at least five years.  Moore has just 17 days of big league service time (plus ten innings in the postseason), but the Rays committed $14MM for Moore’s next five seasons.  The contract is similar to the Rays’ commitment to Evan Longoria, but is the first of its kind for a pitcher.
• Reigning NL MVP Ryan Braun tested positive for a performance-enchancing drug.  He is now facing a 50-game suspension and is disputing the positive test through arbitration.
• The Yankees surprised everyone when they submitted the winning bid on Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima.  The club now has less than a month to work out a deal with him.
• MLB officially reinstated Manny Ramirez from the voluntary retirement list. Ramirez intends to attempt a comeback next year, but will first need to serve a 50-game suspension for his failed PED test this past season.  With several DH candidates on the free agent market that come with less baggage, Ramirez will likely have to settle for a non-roster invite to Spring Training.
• The Nationals traded right-hander Collin Balester to the Tigers in exchange for right-hander Ryan Perry.
• The Tigers reached agreement with reliever Octavio Dotel on a one-year contract, plus a club option for 2013.  Dotel will earn $3MM in 2012 and the club option is worth $3.5MM (with a $500K buyout).
• The Diamondbacks agreed to terms with first baseman Lyle Overbay on a one-year deal worth $1MM, the team has announced.
• The Diamondbacks' acquisition of Trevor Cahill may lead them to trade lefty Joe Saunders.
• The Padres' rotation will have a different look next year, but the club isn't planning to move Mat Latos.  Still, other teams don't think the right-hander is cemented in the team's long-term plans.
• The Dodgers are interested in Daniel Murphy of the Mets.
• The Rangers intend to look into contract extensions for their core players, and that process has started with Ian Kinsler.
• Yesterday, Angels GM Jerry Dipoto confirmed that Kendrys Morales will be tendered a contract before Monday's deadline.
• The Phillies signed Dave Bush, Steven Lerud and David Purcey to minor league contracts.