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Stark On Chapman, Twins, Lind, Braves

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Reds GM Walt Jocketty told ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark that he doesn’t mind the constant discussion surrounding Aroldis Chapman’s role. "I like it. It creates interest in our club, and that's all good,” Jocketty said. “Everybody has a theory on it.” The GM says Chapman would like to start, and that the left-hander will remain in the bullpen for the 2012 season. Here are the rest of Stark’s notes and rumors:

  • Twins people have told rival teams they aren’t likely to trade Justin Morneau this summer.
  • When teams have asked about Denard Span, the Twins have said they aren’t interested in making trades right now, Stark reports. However, there are indications the Twins will listen on Span if the offers are good enough.
  • Stark hears that the Nationals don’t consider Bryce Harper the answer in center field.
  • Scouts and executives from three teams say they don’t have interest in Adam Lind, who was recently optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas.
  • The Braves are more likely to pursue an impact starting pitcher than a hitter this summer, according to rival teams. GM Frank Wren maintains that Kris Medlen is “probably better than any arm who will be available.” Medlen could join the rotation midseason, according to Wren.
  • Rival teams say the Orioles would like to upgrade at first base and/or third base.
  • Stark hears that Angels manager Mike Scioscia doesn’t have to worry about his job security. The skipper is under contract through 2018.

The Latest On Roy Oswalt

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Free agent right-hander Roy Oswalt hasn't discussed a contract with the Red Sox or Rangers, according to the latest rumors. The Phillies have also been linked to Oswalt, who is expected to sign a new contract midseason. Here are the latest rumors:

  • Oswalt's preference is to play for the Rangers, Cardinals, or Braves according to ESPN's Jayson Stark, but there's no indication either St. Louis or Atlanta has interest. Stark hears that money is the most important factor, but Oswalt also doesn't not want to be a major media storyline wherever he goes.
  • Oswalt is on the Orioles' radar, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com writes. Orioles executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette said this week that he's looking for ways of adding pitching depth, so it's not surprising they're eyeing Oswalt. Teams other than the Orioles, Red Sox, Phillies and Rangers may be involved, according to Heyman.

Minor Moves: Cory Aldridge, Lance Zawadzki

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The latest minor moves from around MLB…

  • The Angels have signed outfielder Cory Aldridge to a minor league deal, reports Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). The 32-year-old hit .363/.440/.650 in the Mexican League this year after not playing in 2011. Aldridge has 18 career big league plate appearances to his credit with the 2001 Braves and 2010 Angels.
  • The Braves signed infielder Lance Zawadzki to a minor league contract, according to the transactions page at CBSSports.com. The 26-year-old switch-hitter has big league experience with the 2010 Padres and had spent the early part of the 2012 season with the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate. Zawadzki owns a .259/.332/.394 batting line in parts of six minor league seasons.

2013 Contract Issues: Atlanta Braves

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The Braves are next in MLBTR’s 2013 Contract Issues series:

Eligible For Free Agency (7)

  • Michael Bourn – The 29-year-old headlines a strong class of free agent center fielders that also includes Shane Victorino and B.J. Upton. Bourn is hitting .320/.376/.403 with 13 stolen bases and The Fielding Bible considered him an elite defender as recently as 2010. He'd be a fit on the 2013 Braves, but others will also come calling for the Boras Corporation client. Atlanta figures to make one qualifying offer after the season, and it'll go to Bourn.
  • Matt Diaz - Diaz can still hit lefties, so there's a role for him on a team that includes its share of left-handed hitting starters.
  • David Ross - Ross could be a fit again in 2013, though powerful catching prospect Evan Gattis continues to hit in the minors.
  • Jack Wilson - Wilson hasn't done much of anything at the plate since the Braves traded for him last summer, so if the front office wants a little more offense from their backup shortstop, Wilson will be out of a job.
  • Chad Durbin - Unless Durbin can limit the longball, he'll be removed from the roster before the offseason arrives.
  • Eric Hinske - Hinske continues to add value as a backup corner player. It won't be surprising if there's room for him on next year's Braves team.
  • Livan Hernandez - The innings eater figures to sign a one-year or minor league deal this offseason. It's too soon to know whether Atlanta will want him back.

Contract Options (3)

  • Chipper Jones: $7MM club/vesting option. Jones has already decided to retire following the 2012 season.
  • Tim Hudson: $9MM club option with a $1MM buyout. It will be hard to do better than Hudson for a net cost of $8MM. Plus, the Braves' pitching staff doesn't seem quite as deep as it did a few months ago.
  • Brian McCann: $12MM club option with a $500K buyout. The Braves will exercise this option following the season and they could look to lock McCann up to a Yadier Molina-like extension.

Arbitration Eligible (8)

The Braves' arbitration eligible players will earn a significant percentage of the team's 2013 payroll. Heyward and Venters will see their salaries spike and Hanson could join some exclusive company with a salary of $4MM-plus for his first year of eligibility. Prado's salary could approach $7MM in his last season before free agency. Jurrjens is a trade and non-tender candidate following his struggles with the Braves and at Triple-A.

2013 Payroll Obligation

The Braves have committed just $14.7MM to next year's team — there's Dan Uggla's contract, a couple of option buyouts and not much else. Given that the Braves have typically spent $90MM or so on payroll in recent years, GM Frank Wren should have considerable financial flexibility. However, he will have lots to address between the team's arbitration class, its outfield and its bench.

Pirates Acquire Drew Sutton From Braves

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The Pirates have acquired infielder Drew Sutton from the Braves in exchange for cash considerations, tweets Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.  Sutton, 28, owns a .258/.322/.403 slash line in 178 big league plate appearances.

The utility man signed a minor league contract with Atlanta in November.  Sutton was hitting .267/.373/.363 in 37 games for Triple-A Gwinnett this season.  He'll be assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis, and Biertempfel tweets that he expects the club to make a corresponding move.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NL Links: Braves, Mets, Oswalt, Dodgers, Wood

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Here are some links from the National League as the Cardinals and Dodgers play baseball's only intra-league game of the night…

  • Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution hears the Braves have not ruled out signing Roy Oswalt, but he assumes their interest depends on the price (Twitter link). Oswalt has begun auditioning for teams.
  • The Mets, meanwhile, are not in the running for Oswalt according to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.
  • Steve Dilbeck of The Los Angeles Times praises Dodgers GM Ned Colletti for his job building the team that owns baseball's best record.
  • The Reds tried to sign Kerry Wood this offseason, manager Dusty Baker told John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link). "But he loves Chicago, and Chicago loves him," said Baker.
  • The Cubs will announce Wood's new position with the team tomorrow, reports Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). He's expected to become a special assistant.
  • After Wood announced his retirement today, Baseball America compiled some old scouting reports from his days as a prospect. "Scouts say Wood is so advanced that he should be ready for the big leagues faster than all but one or two college pitchers," said the publication when Wood was a high school senior in June 1995, less than three years before he made his big league debut.

Rosenthal On Braves, Dempster, Rizzo, Astros

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One scout told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that the work of the Braves’ hitting instructors and the performance of Kris Medlen has made the difference for the team so far in 2012. Atlanta GM Frank Wren agrees with that assessment, according to Rosenthal, who offers notes and rumors from around the league in his latest column:

  • The Cubs are more likely to trade Ryan Dempster if they sign Matt Garza to an extension. However, Dempster’s ten and five rights allow him to veto any trade, so he’ll have leverage if the Cubs look to make a move. It doesn’t seem likely that Dempster will sign a below-market extension to stay in Chicago, Rosenthal writes.
  • The Cubs don’t have immediate plans to call up Anthony Rizzo, who figures to stay in the minor leagues until an opening emerges.
  • Releasing Alfonso Soriano doesn’t appear to be an option; the outfielder has approximately $50MM remaining on his contract with the Cubs.
  • General managers criticize the collective bargaining agreement, Rosenthal reports. Some low-revenue teams dislike spending restrictions on the draft, since they feel the limitations will drive up the price of MLB talent.
  • Chien-Ming Wang, who is now rehabbing at Triple-A, could be valuable insurance for the Nationals, since they’ve decided to cap Stephen Strasburg’s innings.
  • Brett Myers’ 2013 option likely vests with approximately 55 games finished, Rosenthal suggests. The right-hander will obtain a $500K bonus if the Astros trade him.
  • One scout says Blue Jays catching prospect Travis D’Arnaud looks like Russell Martin did with the Dodgers.

NL East Notes: Nationals, Wang, Braves, Bourn

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A look at items out of the National League East..

  • The Nationals have a scout in Boston with an eye on the Red Sox's catchers, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).  The Nats will be without starting catcher Wilson Ramos for most, if not all, of the 2012 season.
  • Nationals pitcher Chien-Ming Wang is probably physically ready to return from his rehab stint but the club will wait the full 30 days before making a difficult decision regarding their rotation's logjam, writes Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider.  The Nats could use their pitching surplus to improve elsewhere as they're set to have Wang and Ross Detwiler on the major league roster with John Lannan in Triple-A.
  • Michael Bourn is off to a red-hot start in his walk year, writes David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  Agent Scott Boras confirmed that he has had contract talks with the Braves and O'Brien opines that the centerfielder is unlikely to sign for less than $50MM.

Braves Sign Felix Pie

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The Braves have signed Felix Pie to a minor league contract, reports Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (on Twitter). The ACES client has been assigned to their Triple-A affiliate.

Pie, 27, had been playing with the independent Camden River Sharks this spring. He hit .360/.393/.620 with three homers in 56 plate appearances before landing back in affiliated ball. Pie hit .220/.264/.280 in part-time duty with the Orioles last season and is a .249/.298/.374 career hitter in the big leagues.

Quick Hits: Padres, Jurrjens, Reds, Angels

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Here are some links from around the league as Tuesday turns into Wednesday…

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