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Michael Bourn Rumors: Friday

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For the last few weeks many of the details related to Michael Bourn's free agency have remained unknown. Which teams are interested other than the Mets? Could the Mets sign Bourn without surrendering the 11th overall draft pick this June? Would they commit more than $40MM? What we do know is that the Mets are interested in signing Bourn to a multiyear deal and that they intend to keep their draft pick. Here are today’s Bourn-related rumors, with the most recent updates up top:

  • Mets GM Sandy Alderson stated in an online chat with fans that the Mets would like to sign Bourn. “For us, he would be a very nice fit,” Alderson said. “I think we’re still in the mix, but I couldn’t really predict anything at this point” (video link with text via Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog.com).
  • Cerrone hears from people connected to the team that the Mets are thinking three years and around $40MM for Bourn. Agent Scott Boras is still seeking at least four years and $15MM per season, according to Cerrone.

Mariners Designate Shawn Kelley For Assignment

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The Mariners announced that they designated right-hander Shawn Kelley for assignment. The move creates roster space for Kelly Shoppach, whose one-year deal is now official.

Kelley appeared in 47 games for the Mariners in 2012, posting a 3.25 ERA with 9.1 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 and a 28.8% ground ball rate in 44 1/3 innings. The 28-year-old will earn $935K in 2013 after avoiding arbitration with the Mariners last month.

The Mariners have ten days to outright Kelley to the minor leagues, trade him or release him. It won't be surprising if he's claimed or traded given his 2012 numbers.

Mariners Sign Kelly Shoppach

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The Mariners announced that they have signed free agent catcher Kelly Shoppach to a one-year, Major League contract. The LSW Baseball client will earn $1.5MM in base salary and up to $500K in incentives.

Shoppach split the 2012 season between the Red Sox and Mets, appearing in 76 total games. The right-handed hitter posted a .233/.309/.425 batting line with eight home runs. In eight big league seasons, Shoppach has a .267/.358/.510 batting line against left-handed pitching. He earned $1.135MM last year and wasn't linked to any teams this offseason.

Shoppach joins a Mariners roster that includes catchers Jesus Montero and Ronny Paulino. The Mariners recently traded John Jaso to Oakland in the three-way deal that brought Michael Morse to Seattle.

Greg Johns of MLB.com first reported the agreement and ESPN's Jerry Crasnick first reported the value of the deal (Twitter link).

Quick Hits: Angels, Blue Jays, Cabrera

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The Mariners agreed to sign Felix Hernandez to a record-setting contract today. The seven-year, $175MM agreement will establish a record for starting pitchers, topping C.C. Sabathia’s $161MM contract by a considerable margin. Here are the latest links from around MLB…

  • Angels GM Jerry Dipoto explained to ESPN.com's Buster Olney that the acquisition of Josh Hamilton should lead to a strong defensive outfield in 2013. "We're taking three center fielders and trying to create the best defensive alignment we can," Dipoto said.
  • Dave Cameron of FanGraphs lists his top ten offseason moves, including three by the Blue Jays. But don’t worry, Mets fans. Cameron likes the R.A. Dickey trade for both sides and lists the Mets’ acquisition of Travis d’Arnaud and Noah Syndergaard as one of the winter’s best deals.
  • Jordan Bastian of MLB.com spoke with a few sources who expect the Indians to trade Asdrubal Cabrera by next winter (Twitter link). The Indians’ recent two-year deal with Mike Aviles increases the sense that Cabrera could be dealt in Bastian’s view.

Outrighted To Triple-A: Barret Browning

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We’ll track the day’s outright assignments here…

  • The Cardinals outrighted left-hander Barret Browning to Triple-A, Matt Eddy of Baseball America reports. The Cardinals had designated Browning for assignment last month to create roster space for Ronny Cedeno. Browning appeared in 22 MLB games last year, but spent much of the season at Triple-A, posting a 1.73 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 41 2/3 innings.

Indians, Mike Aviles Agree To Two-Year Deal

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The Indians avoided arbitration with Mike Aviles, agreeing to a two-year contract, Zack Meisel of MLB.com reports (on Twitter). The Legacy Agency represents Aviles, who obtains $6MM for the two-year term, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports (on Twitter). The Indians announced the deal, noting that it includes a club option for 2015 (Twitter link).

Aviles had filed for $3.4MM with the Indians countering at $2.4MM, as MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows. A two-year deal would buy out both of Aviles' arbitration seasons, but wouldn't delay his path to free agency. The Indians have now agreed to terms with all of their arbitration eligible players.

For more on the process be sure to check out MLBTR's Arbitration Basics.

Michael Bourn Rumors: Thursday

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The Mets have discussed three-year deals for Michael Bourn, and might be willing to offer a fourth season. However, they don’t seem willing to spend close to $15MM per season and they would only sign the center fielder if their 11th overall draft pick becomes protected. Here are today's Bourn-related rumors, with the most recent items up top…

  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post doesn't get the sense that the commissioner's office would relent to help the Mets sign Bourn (all Twitter links). Bud Selig doesn't want to create the perception that he favors Mets owner Fred Wilpon and the commissioner's office isn't inclined to help agent Scott Boras. Arbitration remains a possibility, however. Sherman's hunch is that the Mets would offer three years and $30-35MM. Boras appears to want to obtain at least $13MM per season on a deal that surpasses Angel Pagan's four-year, $40MM contract.

Earlier updates:

  • It's likely that the Mets' 11th overall draft pick would be protected if they sign Bourn, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio reports (Twitter links). This would be accomplished through negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA, Bowden adds. Both parties negotiating the CBA intended to protect the picks of the teams with the ten worst records, Bowden reports. This would strengthen the Mets' argument for keeping the 11th overall pick.
  • Bowden hears from an interested team that Bourn is more likely to sign for $14-15MM per year than for $11-12MM per year (Twitter link).
  • The Mets are still “very motivated” to sign Bourn and their interest in him is sincere, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports. The team remains adamant about keeping its first round draft choice, the 11th overall selection. The process of filing a grievance on Bourn’s behalf has not yet been initiated, according to Martino. If the Mets do push for resolution on the issue, it’ll end up in front of an independent arbitrator who will hear arguments from MLB and the MLBPA.

No Extension Talks For Red Sox, Lester

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Left-hander Jon Lester could hit free agency less than a year from now, but the Red Sox don’t seem anxious to negotiate a new contract at this time. Lester said the team has not approached him about a contract extension, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports (on Twitter).

Lester will earn $11.625MM this coming season in the last guaranteed year of the five-year, $30MM contract he signed in the spring of 2009. The deal includes a $13MM team option for 2014, which means Lester will only hit the open market if the Red Sox decline the option. ACES represents Lester, who drew some trade interest earlier in the offseason.

Though Lester started 33 games and completed 205 1/3 innings last year, he didn't pitch as well as usual, posting a 4.82 ERA with 7.3 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 and a 49.2% ground ball rate. His fastball averaged 92.6 mph — right around his career mark.

Top Free Agent Contracts For Starting Pitchers

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Until free agent starters Kyle Lohse and Joe Saunders sign new contracts, it’ll be too early to draw final conclusions about this year’s starting pitching market. Both pitchers have cases for multiyear deals at a time that many teams could still use rotation depth.

Yet Spring Training is just a week away, and most free agent pitchers have signed. MLBTR’s Free Agent Tracker offers a look at the top free agent signings for starting pitchers this offseason. Here’s the top ten, beginning with the largest guarantees (links go to MLBTR posts):

  1. Zack Greinke, Dodgers – six years, $147MM – Greinke established a new record for right-handed pitchers.
  2. Anibal Sanchez, Tigers – five years, $80MM – Sanchez returned to Detroit after coming close to a deal with the Cubs.
  3. Edwin Jackson, Cubs – four years, $52MM – The Cubs bolstered their rotation with many free agent arms, including Jackson.
  4. Jake Peavy, White Sox, – two years, $29MM – Soon after becoming the Chicago GM, Rick Hahn re-signed Peavy.
  5. Ryan Dempster, Red Sox – two years, $26.5MM – Dempster elected to stay in the American League after 15 seasons in the NL.
  6. Jeremy Guthrie, Royals – three years, $25MM – Excel Sports Management found a three-year deal for Guthrie relatively early in the offseason.
  7. Brandon McCarthy, Diamondbacks – two years, $15.5MM – McCarthy recovered from a skull fracture to obtain a multiyear deal.
  8. Joe Blanton, Angels – two years, $15MM – The Angels' rotation underwent major changes this winter.
  9. Hiroki Kuroda, Yankees – one year, $15MM – Kuroda declined New York’s qualifying offer then re-signed for another year in the Bronx.
  10. Hisashi Iwakuma, Mariners – two years, $14MM – It didn’t take long for the Mariners to retain Iwakuma on a two-year deal.

Quick Hits: Giants, Bourn, MLBPA, Andrus, Rolen

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The MLBPA announced that Dave Prouty has been promoted to the position of general counsel, replacing executive director Michael Weiner in that role. The 54-year-old Prouty becomes the fourth general counsel in the history of the MLBPA. “I am confident that Dave will excel in his new role and that the players will continue to receive the high level of legal representation they have come to expect from their union,” Weiner said. Here are some links from around MLB…  

  • While emphasizing that GM Brian Sabean decides which players to sign, Giants skipper Bruce Bochy won't rule out a return for Brian Wilson, writes Chris Haft of MLB.com.  "I can't say that [Wilson] will be back." But, Bochy added, "I can't say the door's closed on Brian Wilson. … I don't think that's completely shut."
  • The Mets are still hopeful on Michael Bourn and General Manager Sandy Alderson talking about him publicly is a positive sign, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.  However, nothing appears to be imminent between the club and the top remaining free agent left on the open market.
  • In an appearance on ESPN Dallas’ the Ben & Skin Show, Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus said he hopes to stay in Texas long-term (story via Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com). However, the Scott Boras client said he’s prepared to “see what happens” when his contract expires following the 2014 season. “We’re still talking about it. That’s all I can say. For sure, I would love to stay here.”
  • Dodgers GM Ned Colletti suggested on MLB Network that free agent third baseman Scott Rolen will "probably end up some other place than Los Angeles,"Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports. The Dodgers had “some interest” in bringing Rolen on to provide depth at the corner infielder positions, Colletti acknowledged.
  • Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times has the details on the incentives included in the contracts for Kyle Farnsworth and Kelly Johnson. The Rays announced their deals with both players yesterday.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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