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Quick Hits: Prospects, Yankees, Okajima, Carpenter

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Jurickson Profar of the Rangers, Oscar Taveras of the Cardinals and Dylan Bundy of the Orioles top Keith Law's list of the best 100 prospects in baseball at ESPN.com. Five Cardinals occupy spaces on Law's top 100 list, which focuses on high-impact minor leaguers who could develop into MLB stars. Here are some links from around MLB with Spring Training approaching quickly…

  • There’s lots of talent beyond the top 100, so Law looks at some prospects who just missed his primary list.
  • General manager Brian Cashman said the Yankees are content to let MLB lead the investigation into Alex Rodriguez’s involvement with a Miami-based clinic that distributed performance enhancing drugs to prominent athletes. As Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger reports, the GM hasn’t spoken to Rodriguez about the issue, nor have others in the organization. “The only thing required from our end, right now, is patience and smarts,” Cashman said.
  • Athletics GM Billy Beane said the team’s 25-man roster is now complete, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. However, Slusser reports that the A's are still considering free agent left-hander Hideki Okajima.
  • Though Chris Carpenter is expected to miss the 2013 season, the Cardinals won’t be responsible for all of his $12.5MM salary. Insurance will cover some of that sum in 2013, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). That said, the Cardinals aren’t expecting major savings.

Angels, Callaspo Agree To Two-Year Deal

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5:00pm: Callaspo will earn $4.1MM in 2013 and $4.875MM in 2014, Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com reports (on Twitter). The deal includes standard award bonuses. 

4:08pm: The Angels have finalized their two-year, $8.975MM contract with Alberto Callaspo, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (Twitter link). Agent Eric Goldschmidt represents the 29-year-old.

The contract buys out Callaspo's final season of arbitration eligibility and his first free agent year. He is now on track to hit free agency following the 2014 season.

The third baseman posted a .252/.331/.361 batting line in 520 plate appearances with the Angels in 2012. In seven seasons at the MLB level, Callaspo has a .335 on-base percentage. He has considerable experience at other positions, but the Angels have relied on him almost exclusively at third since trading for him in 2010.

MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez first reported that the deal was nearly done and Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times first reported the value of the contract.

Rays Sign Kelly Johnson

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The Rays announced that they have signed second baseman Kelly Johnson to a one-year deal. The SFX client will earn $2.45MM in 2013, according to the team.

The addition of Johnson will allow Tampa Bay to play Ben Zobrist in right field, but the club is expected to still use Zobrist at second base at times and Johnson may play some outfield, Ken Rosenthal tweets.  Johnson, who turns 31 next month, hasn't played in the outfield since his debut season in 2005 with the Braves.

Johnson hit .225/.313/.365 with 16 homers in 581 plate appearances for the Blue Jays in 2012.  For his career, Johnson owns a .255/.338/.429 slash line across seven seasons.  

Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports first reported the agreement.

Rays Sign Kyle Farnsworth

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The Rays announced that they have signed free agent reliever Kyle Farnsworth to a one-year, Major League contract. Farnsworth will earn a base salary of  $1.25MM with the chance to double his earnings through incentives.

Farnsworth posted a 4.00 ERA with 8.3 K/9, 4.7 BB/9 and a 55.1% ground ball rate in 27 innings for the Rays in 2012. The 36-year-old earned $3.3MM in 2012, up from $2.6MM in 2011. He was linked to the Brewers this offseason and had multiple offers as recently as last week. He ultimately narrowed his choices to the Rays and another unknown club. Meister Sports Management represents Farnsworth.

ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick first reported the agreement (Twitter links). Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports and Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times all reported on the value of the deal (Twitter links). 

Rays Designate Brignac, Johnson For Assignment

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4:31pm: The Rays also designated Elliot Johnson for assignment, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports (Twitter links). Johnson, 28, appeared in 123 games for the Rays in 2012. He posted a .242/.304/.350 batting line with six home runs in 331 plate appearances. The moves create roster space for Kyle Farnsworth and Kelly Johnson, whose deals are now official. 

4:05pm: The Rays will designate Reid Brignac for assignment, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The Rays are in need of 40-man roster space, presumably to make official the signings of Luke Scott, Kelly Johnson and Kyle Farnsworth.

Brignac appeared in 16 games for the Rays last year, playing second base, third base, shortstop and left field. The 27-year-old spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he posted a .231/.323/.353 batting line in 400 plate appearances as a middle infielder. Brignac, who is not yet arbitration eligible, has a .227/.268/.317 batting line in parts of five MLB seasons.

Nationals Sign Jeremy Accardo

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The Nationals announced that they signed right-hander Jeremy Accardo to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training (Twitter link). Accardo is a client of Lapa/Leventhal.

Accardo, 31, pitched for the Indians and Athletics in 2012. He appeared in 27 total games, posting a 4.82 ERA with 7.0 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 37 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. Accardo is an eight-year MLB veteran who saved 30 games for the 2007 Blue Jays.

Orioles Claim Canzler, Designate Martinez

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Russ Canzler's offseason travels haven't ended just yet — the Orioles announced that they claimed the first baseman/outfielder off of waivers from the Yankees. Baltimore designated catcher Luis Martinez for assignment in a corresponding move.

The Yankees designated Canzler for assignment four days ago to create roster space for Travis Hafner. Not surprisingly, he failed to clear waivers. This marks the fourth time this winter he has been claimed off of waivers: the Blue Jays claimed him on December 21st, the Indians claimed him on January 2nd, and the Yankees claimed him on January 4th.

Canzler appeared in 26 games for the Indians this past season. The 26-year-old posted a .269/.299/.398 batting line in 97 MLB plate appearances while playing first base and left field. He spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he posted a .265/.328/.487 batting line with 22 home runs and 36 doubles in 539 plate appearances. Chris Cotillo first reported today's claim on Twitter.

The Orioles initially acquired Martinez from the Rangers with a January waiver claim. Martinez appeared in ten games with Texas this past season. He spent most of the year at Triple-A, where he hit .270/.350/.386 in 247 plate appearances. The 27-year-old also appeared in 22 games with the Padres in 2011, his first campaign in the Major Leagues.

Cardinals Have “Negligible” Interest In Lohse

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The Cardinals don't expect Chris Carpenter to pitch for them in 2013, and the right-hander's career could be over. But it doesn't sound as though the team will turn to Kyle Lohse to restore its rotation depth. Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Cardinals' interest in Lohse is "negligible" at this time (Twitter link).

The Cardinals stand to obtain a compensatory draft pick if Lohse signs with another team, as he declined St. Louis' qualifying offer after the season. The Cardinals seem content to let him sign elsewhere, but certain teams are reluctant to surrender a pick to sign Lohse. For example, the Rangers and Angels don't appear to have serious interest at this time. However, the Brewers and Orioles would be interested at the right price.

While Cardinals GM John Mozeliak declined to discuss Lohse in particular today, he acknowledged that the club could consider making an addition under the right circumstances. The Cardinals have their share of internal rotation options in Adam Wainwright, Jaime Garcia, Jake Westbrook, Lance Lynn, Trevor Rosenthal and Shelby Miller.

Yankees To Sign Juan Rivera

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FEBRUARY 5th: Rivera's deal includes a base salary of $1.2MM, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The deal includes $800K in incentives, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter).

JANUARY 28th: The Yankees have agreed to sign Juan Rivera to a minor league deal, Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com reports. Proformance represents Rivera, who began his MLB career with the Yankees.

Rivera played for the Dodgers in 2012, posting a .244/.286/.375 batting line with nine home runs in 339 plate appearances. The 12-year MLB veteran bats from the right side, meaning he’ll likely compete with Matt Diaz and Russ Canzler for playing time against left-handed pitching. The Dodgers declined Rivera's 2013 option earlier in the offseason, after using him at first base and in both corner outfield positions this past season.

Rivera played for the Yankees from 2001-03, but didn't get the chance to play full time until 2004, after the Expos acquired him along with Randy Choate and Nick Johnson for Javier Vazquez.

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