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AL West Rumors: Rangers, Kemp, A’s, Kang

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The Rangers are expected to talk to the Mets and Marlins about starting pitchers, tweets T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. Sullivan mentions Jon Niese and Dillon Gee of the Mets and Andrew Heaney and Nathan Eovaldi of the Marlins as likely targets. Presumably, Texas would consider other targets as well. New York needs a shortstop while Miami could use first base help. The latest from the AL West..

  • There has been no recent progress in the Matt Kemp trade talks between the Mariners and Dodgers, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
  • A’s manager Bob Melvin likes internal shortstop options, notably Andy Parrino, but he also said he wouldn’t be surprised if they added one before spring, according to Jane Lee of MLB.com (via Twitter).
  • Meanwhile, GM Billy Beane says that contrary to reports, the A’s are not among the teams with interest in Korean shortstop Jung-ho Kang (link).
  • Beane confirmed that the A’s are targeting young shortstops in deals, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter).
  • Astros GM Jeff Luhnow says he’s still very much focused on adding bullpen depth through free agency or trade, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com (via Twitter).

Minor Moves: Solano, McCoy, Lombardozzi

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Today’s minor moves..

8:27pm:

4:57pm:

  • The Orioles announced that they have outrighted left-hander Pat McCoy and infielder Steve Lombardozzi to Triple-A Norfolk.  The O’s 40-man roster is now down to 37.
  • The Nippon Ham Fighters have signed third baseman Brandon Laird, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The 27-year-old former Yankee farmhand spent 2014 with the Nationals Triple-A affiliate. He posted a healthy .300/.350/.490 line in 506 plate appearances. The Ham Fighters are also reportedly close to signing outfielder Jeremy Hermida.

Infield Market Rumors: Monday

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With Pablo Sandoval off the board, attention on the third base market has shifted to Chase Headley. But Jed Lowrie also could be an option at the hot corner (as well as at short and second). He took a step backward last year in the power department, but has a lengthy track record of legitimate pop. Better still, the 30-year-old managed to stay on the field after some injury issues in his past.

Here’s the latest on the infield market:

  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter) hears that Headley will make his decision by the end of the Winter Meetings.  There are three or four teams bidding on him right now, including the Giants and Yankees.
  • It’s not just the starting pitchers that are waiting for Jon Lester to sign, tweets Sherman.  Headley is also up in the air because the Giants won’t know how much they can afford to spend until they know whether they can sign Lester.
  • The Giants will consider Lowrie at third if they can’t land Headley, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports (Twitter links). As for Headley, four years at a $11MM to $12MM AAV is probably too rich for San Francisco, Crasnick adds.
  • Another National League squad, the Marlins, could also have interest in Lowrie as an option at a position other than shortstop, per another Crasnick tweet. Miami is “exploring” the market at those positions. Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill and GM Dan Jennings told me last month at the GM Meetings that the team feels comfortable with its internal options at the keystone but would consider sensible upgrades.

Earlier Updates

  • The Astros have at least “kicked the tires” on Headley as an option at third base, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe tweets.
  • Lowrie is indeed willing to play elsewhere in the infield, Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle reports. That face makes him a solid fit for the Astros, where he could keep the seat warm for Carlos Correa at short before eventually sliding to third, or possibly move to hot corner right away while providing some insurance up the middle.
  • The Astros have been pursuing Lowrie, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports on Twitter. Houston dealt Lowrie to the Athletics before the 2013 season. For Houston, Lowrie could conceivably fill in at short, third, or both over the life of a hypothetical deal. I noted the Astros as a possible landing spot in Lowrie’s free agent profile, in which I also predicted he could score a three-year deal at a $10MM AAV.

Central Rumors: Tigers, Cespedes, Twins

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The Tigers declined to open up a spot on their 40-man roster prior to today’s deadline, which means that they will not be adding anyone in the Rule 5 draft, as Chris Iott of MLive.com writes.  The Tigers protected infielder Dixon Machado and pitcher Angel Nesbitt from the Rule 5 draft last month, but left Joel Hanrahan unprotected due to his contract situation.  More out of the Central divisions.

  • Hanrahan’s deal has a $1MM base salary if he reaches the majors with up to $2MM in incentives, according to Jason Beck of MLB.com (via Twitter).  It was originally believed that Hanrahan’s deal with the Tigers had a bit more in incentives.
  • Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski said that the club is open to a possible Andy Dirks return, according to Chris Iott of MLive.com (via Twitter).
  • “A lot of clubs have asked about” Tigers pitchers, but Dombrowski says that he still feels good about the five starters they currently have in place, Iott tweets.
  • The Reds have a need for a power bat and have some interest in Red Sox outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, according to CSNNE.com’s Sean McAdam.  The Reds and Cespedes have been connected for some time.  The Reds have starting pitching that they can deal, which would make the two teams seem like solid trade partners on the surface.
  • Twins manager Paul Molitor has not made any recruiting calls since contacting outfielder Torii Hunter, tweets Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
  • Brewers manager Ron Roenicke says the club is focused on filling the bullpen, reports Adam McCalvy of MLB.com (via Twitter). Milwaukee is open to both free agents and trades. Today, they focused on watching video of left-handed relievers.

Latest On Melky Cabrera

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Earlier today, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported that the Mariners appear to be the favorites for Melky Cabrera, but we later got word that the M’s are still looking at a wide range of outfield options.   Meanwhile, the White Sox, Giants, and Royals have also been linked to him as of late.  Here’s the latest on Cabrera..

  • The Royals will meet with Cabrera’s reps tonight, according to Andy McCullough of The Kansas City Star (on Twitter).
  • The Royals seem to think that Cabrera is probably out of their price range, according to Heyman (via Twitter).  The Mariners, he adds, are still the favorites.

NL East Notes: Clippard, Kang, Breslow

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Nationals GM Mike Rizzo told reporters that there’s no progress to report in potential contract extensions with Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister, Ian Desmond, Tyler Clippard, and Denard Span, tweets William Ladson of MLB.com.  Here’s a look at more out of the NL East..

  • Rizzo told Ladson that teams are showing interest in Clippard. The right-handed reliever has spent most of his career as a setup man but has some experience as a closer too. He’s projected by MLBTR’s Matt Swartz to earn $9.3MM in his final spin through arbitration.
  • The Mets are interested in Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang, tweets Matt Ehalt of The Record. Kang is expected to be posted later this week. As we learned earlier this evening, GM Sandy Alderson alluded that Kang could be out of the club’s price range. As for left-handed reliever Craig Breslow, the Mets’ interest is “overblown.”
  • Mets farm director Jon Miller will leave the organization at the end of the year, sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Andy Martino of the New York Daily News (via Twitter) hears that Miller is already done with the club.
  • Rizzo sounds like a man who is ready to make some moves.  “We’re open for business,” the Nationals GM said, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post (via Twitter).

Mets Shopping Dillon Gee

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The Mets are aggressively shopping Dillon Gee to teams in need of a starter, a high-ranking source told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.  The Mets have publicly acknowledged that they’re looking to deal a starter but a source tells Rubin that they’re pushing Gee more than the others in the rotation.

Marc Carig of Newsday (via Twitter) hears that there are three to five teams in on Gee. Earlier today, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News noted that the Giants and Royals are two clubs to keep an eye on when it comes to Gee.

Gee had a solid but unspectacular 2014 season, with a 4.00 ERA, 6.2 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 137 1/3 innings in the Mets’ rotation. He is under the Mets’ control for two more seasons and is projected to earn ~$5.1MM in 2015, according to Matt Swartz’s projections.

Bartolo Colon and Jon Niese have also been mentioned as trade possibilities, but at this time, Gee appears to be the most likely to go.

Angels Notes: Wilson, Beckham, Backup Infielder

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Here’s the latest on the Halos:

  • It was reported over the weekend that the Angels have C.J. Wilson on the trade block, but GM Jerry Dipoto denies that’s the case, according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).  Dipoto said that he has not made a call nor has he received a call on the pitcher.
  • Dipoto added that he has not engaged any free agents, aside from Gordon Beckham, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register (via Twitter).
  • Dipoto indicated that a trade for a backup infielder is also a possibility, according to Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com (on Twitter).
  • It sounds like the Angels will be signing a left-handed reliever to a minor league deal this week, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register (via Twitter).

AL Central Rumors: Williams, Rodriguez, Indians

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The latest from the AL Central..

  • We learned earlier that the Blue Jays had interest in White Sox executive Kenny Williams, but the club did not grant Williams permission to interview. Chicago’s chairman Jerry Reindorf spoke about the decision, saying “this is not the right time,” reports Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune.  He went on to say the club is focused on building a contender for 2015.
  • Francisco Rodriguez is among the many relievers that the White Sox are looking at, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
  • Now that the Indians have added Brandon Moss, they will shift their focus to pitching, tweets Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Specifically, they’ll aim to add more starting pitcher depth. This is already a strength for the club, but as they say, you can never have enough pitching. Presently, veterans Zach McAllister and Josh Tomlin are listed as the sixth and seventh starters.

Rangers Interested In Evan Gattis

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6:43pm: The Braves are not looking to trade Gattis, O’Brien reiterates (via Twitter). For a deal to happen, “a team would have to blow their doors off.” It’s unclear what would constitute that level of offer, but a package with more than one of the below prospects would seem to fit the bill.

5:54pm: The Braves aren’t eager to trade Gattis, tweets David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. However, the Rangers could offer multiple names from among Jake Thompson, Alex Gonzalez, outfielder Nomar Mazara, or others.

5:32pm: The Rangers are showing interest in Braves catcher Evan Gattis, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. The Rangers have been repeatedly linked to Braves outfielder Justin Upton, but Gattis makes more sense for Texas. Unlike Upton, who is a free agent after the season, Gattis is under club control for another four seasons. While most teams prefer to think of him as an outfielder or designated hitter, he’s a good enough catcher to fill a part time role in 2015.

Grant mentions a few of the Rangers’ top prospects as targets for Atlanta. Texas is unwilling to offer right-handed pitchers Jake Thompson or Alex Gonzalez in a trade for Upton since he’s a short term patch. Ostensibly, they may be on the table for Gattis since he’s a long term solution.

Ultimately, a deal is still a “long-shot from being even a long-shot.” If the Rangers do acquire Gattis, his cheap salary could allow them to more aggressive pursue mid-tier free agents like Justin Masterson.

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