MLBTR Originals

A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR this past week:

• MLB Trade Rumors Podcast featured the conclusion of host Jeff Todd’s interview with agent Matt Sosnick of Sosnick Cobbe Sports. MLB.com’s Jane Lee also joined Jeff to discuss the A’s recent moves, including the Josh Donaldson trade. A new edition of MLB Trade Rumors Podcast will drop every Thursday and can be accessed on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
• There was also a special edition of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast previewing this week’s Winter Meetings. MLBTR will provide around-the-clock coverage from San Diego with Tim Dierkes and Steve Adams reporting live from the Manchester Grand Hyatt.
• Tim was the first to report the breakdown of Kyle Seager’s seven-year, $100MM contract extension: $3.5MM signing bonus, $4MM (2015), $7.5MM (2016), $10.5MM (2017), $18.5MM (2018), $19MM (2019 and 2020), and $18MM (2021). Tim also learned Seager’s 2022 option will convert to a player’s option, if he is traded, and how the value of that option will be calculated.
• Yankees GM Brian Cashman told reporters, including Zach Links, he still has some shopping to do this offseason despite signing free agent reliever Andrew Miller and acquiring shortstop Didi Gregorius in a three-way trade. “We need to address the left side of the infield, the starting rotation, finding a fourth outfielder…we’ll evaluate every opportunity that comes our way and with all the moving pieces that we have going on, we have to take a serious interest in all of those things and I can’t predict how that will go.“
• Tim was first with details of the one-year contract right-hander Fernando Rodriguez signed with the A’s to avoid arbitration: $635K.
• Prior to Tuesday’s deadline to tender contracts to arbitration eligible players, Tim offered his thoughts on the arbitration bubble players.
• Results from Tuesday’s non-tender deadline can be found in MLBTR’s Non-Tender Tracker, which is located on the right sidebar under MLBTR Features.
• Steve explained how the non-tender system works.
• Charlie Wilmoth profiled Alejandro De Aza as a non-tender candidate who could obtain a greater guarantee on the open market rather than through arbitration. Unfortunately for De Aza, he will have to settle for arbitration as the Orioles tendered the outfielder.
• MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz examined the arbitration cases of A’s ace Jeff Samardzija and Pirates closer Mark Melancon.
• Steve broke the news of the Brewers signing left-hander Brent Leach to a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite.
• Zach assembled the best of the baseball blogosphere for you in Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
• Steve hosted this week’s live chat.