Week In Review: 4/8/12 – 4/14/12

Let's take a look back at a week that was filled with contract extensions…

• The Indians extended franchise cornerstone Carlos Santana with a five-year deal that will guarantee the switch-hitting backstop $21MM. The contract has a club option for Santana's first free agent season.
• Ian Kinsler won't be reaching free agency anytime soon; the Rangers officially locked up their second baseman with a five-year, $75MM contract. The contract contains an option for a sixth year.
• Kinsler wasn't the only second baseman signing a big deal. Despite reports that the Reds may not be able to afford Brandon Phillips following Joey Votto's extension, Cincinnati inked a new six-year pact with Phillips, guaranteeing him $72.5MM.
• Extension talks with a pair of aces aren't going so smoothly, however. Cole Hamels' talks with the Phillies are going nowhere currently, and the Brewers have put negotiations with Zack Greinke and new agent Casey Close on hold.
• The Mets are considering a contract extension of their own, as they hope that David Wright performs well enough to earn himself a new long-term deal.
• The Indians signed Johnny Damon to play left field, guaranteeing him $1.25MM and with another $1.4MM worth of incentives. As we learned later in the week, Damon doesn't have an opt out date, but rather an agreement that he and GM Chris Antonetti will discuss the issue if Damon isn't receiving playing time.
• The Phillies signed Mike Fontenot to a minor league deal.
• The Padres announced this week that chairman John Moores intends to sell the team — the same week that the sale of their NL West rival Dodgers was approved in court.
• Scott Baker's days with the Twins may be over. The right-hander will undergo season-ending elbow surgery before making an appearance. The Twinkies hold a $9.25MM option on Baker, which it seems unlikely they'll exercise.
• Transferring Baker to the 60-day DL allowed the Twins to claim Clete Thomas off waivers from the Tigers. Detroit had DFA'ed the outfielder earlier in the week. Thomas started in right field in Minneapolis today and homered in his second Twins' at-bat.
• The Padres acquired Brian Tallet from the Pirates in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later.
• The Red Sox lost Jacoby Ellsbury for a substantial amount of time this week due to a shoulder injury, and are now mulling over their options.They could scour the waiver wire, or, it's possible that we see the BoSox pull off an early season trade.