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Mets Notes: Wright, Wilpon, Weiner

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The Mets, winners of 77 games a year ago, lost their franchise shortstop this offseason and lowered payroll by approximately $52MM. Here are some links pertaining to the team…

  • Mets GM Sandy Alderson told Joel Sherman of the New York Post that he’s looking forward to seeing what David Wright can do in 2012. “He is not trade bait,” Alderson said. “Is he part of the future? I hope the answer is yes. Let’s see how he bounces back this season.” As Sherman points out, third base in New York city is as uncertain as it’s been since 2004.
  • MLBPA leader Michael Weiner voiced support for Mets owner Fred Wilpon and his family in Mets camp today, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com writes. “The Wilpons want to win,” Weiner said
  • Weiner also said it’s good for the game if the Mets prosper, and not just because that would make them bidders for top players. “It’s not as narrow a concern as, ‘Well, we want the Dodgers or the Mets to be able to bid for free agents.’ If the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets are prosperous, the game does better,” Weiner said.

Twins Extend Glen Perkins

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The Twins have signed left-hander Glen Perkins to a three-year, $10.3MM extension, the team announced. The SFX client was already under contract for $1.55MM in 2012, so the deal covers the 2013-15 seasons. It includes a club option for 2016. 

“He has been a reliable reliever for us and has helped stabilize the back end of our bullpen in the set-up role," Twins GM Terry Ryan said.

Perkins, 29, posted a 2.48 ERA with 9.5 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 61 2/3 innings last year. Pitching out of the bullpen, his average fastball velocity jumped to 93.8 mph. 

Perkins' deal buys out his final season of arbitration eligibility and at least two free agent seasons. It includes incentives for games finished, according to MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger (on Twitter). Sean Marshall, a left-handed setup man with a stronger track record than Perkins, recently signed a three-year, $16.5MM extension with the Reds. MLBTR's Extension Tracker offers a complete look at recent extensions for lefty relievers.

Nationals Inquired On Jason Bourgeois

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The Nationals are interested in outfielder Jason Bourgeois and have asked the Astros about him at least three times since the Winter Meetings took place in December, Bill Ladson of MLB.com reports. The two clubs are not close to a deal and one of Ladson’s sources suggests there’s no more than a 50% chance of a trade. 

Bourgeois would be a ‘stopgap’ solution for Washington, according to Ladson. However, GM Mike Rizzo said last week that he's looking for a long-term solution in center field. “We won’t make the change for a short-term answer,” he told Adam Kilgore.

Nationals manager Davey Johnson has been pleased with internal candidates for the center field job such as Roger Bernadina, Brett Carroll and Rick Ankiel, according to Ladson. Jayson Werth could also play center for Washington.

Bourgeois posted a .294/.323/.357 line with 31 stolen bases last year, while playing all three outfield positions and appearing at second base. The 30-year-old will be arbitration eligible for the first time after the 2012 season.

NL East Notes: Lannan, Samson, Reyes, Hamels

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National League East teams averaged 84 wins last year, more than any division in baseball except the AL East. Here are some links from Florida, where NL East teams are preparing for the 2012 campaign…

  • Bill Ladson of MLB.com hears from one person who believes the Nationals will trade John Lannan before Opening Day. The Nationals might seek prospects for Lannan, a Spring Training trade candidate.
  • Marlins president David Samson recently said Miami's politicians are "not the intellectual cream of the crop," according to the business publication Miami Today. Samson suggested the population of Miami, which partially funded the Marlins' new stadium, is unintelligent. "We're not the smartest people in Miami," he said. His words are causing a stir, but he told the Miami Herald that he was "misquoted, misrepresented, mis-everything." UPDATE: Here's a clip of the comments. To my ear it does appear they were taken out of context.
  • Samson also said Jose Reyes was all about the money this offseason, but Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports that Reyes would have considered a deal worth less than $106MM from the Mets and was shocked when New York didn't make him an offer. Reyes would have seriously considered a five-year deal if the Mets had offered one, Martino reports.
  • Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com asked three agents what Cole Hamels would obtain as a free agent after the season and heard guesses in the $150-175MM range. C.C. Sabathia’s seven-year, $161MM deal remains the record for pitchers, but Hamels could challenge it if he hits free agency after 2012.

Dombrowski Talks Rotation, Inge

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The Tigers don’t have an established fifth starter, so there’s been some speculation about their interest in potentially available pitchers around the league. However, Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski joined MLB Network Radio and said he’s pleased with the ability of the team’s internal candidates.

“You’re always looking to upgrade, but I think for us we’re really looking for one of these youngsters to grab that fifth spot,” he said. 

Right-hander Jacob Turner and left-handers Duane Below, Adam Wilk and Andy Oliver are currently competing to start behind Justin Verlander, Doug Fister, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello. Tigers assistant GM Al Avila acknowledged last week that the Tigers will watch other teams' pitchers in case a fit emerges.

Dombrowski said Brandon Inge seems like a natural at second base, where he is in the mix for playing time along with Ryan Raburn and Ramon Santiago. The GM said Inge’s athleticism makes it seem like he’s been playing his new position for a decade.

Quick Hits: Guerrero, Lee, Gordon, Giolito

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The Yankees signed Orlando Hernandez to a four-year, $6.6MM contract on this date 14 years ago. El Duque posted a 3.96 ERA in six seasons with New York and also made a number of memorable postseason starts as the Yankees won three consecutive World Series titles. Hernandez expressed interest in making a comeback as recently as last year, before officially retiring in August. Here are today's links…

  • Agent Fern Cuza told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that Vladimir Guerrero “still wants to play.” Guerrero is waiting the right opportunity and has a strong preference for contenders (Twitter links).
  • Free agent first baseman Derrek Lee is open to the right opportunity and doesn’t plan to officially retire, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets.
  • Negotiations between the Royals and Alex Gordon are in their early stages, but are expected to pick up later this spring, according to Rosenthal. Gordon will almost certainly look to sign for more than $55MM, the current Royals record, Rosenthal writes.
  • It’s too early to predict which team will select high school right-hander Lucas Giolito, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter). Giolito sprained the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow yesterday.

AL East Notes: Duquette, Damon, Martin

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Wei-Ying Chen, Hiroki Kuroda and Carlos Pena obtained the biggest free agent contracts handed out by AL East teams this offseason, not counting the Yankees’ extended agreement with C.C. Sabathia. Here’s the latest on the division… 

  • Orioles executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette told Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe that he’s operating differently in Baltimore than he did as Boston’s GM. “I have a fresh start in Baltimore,’’ he said. “I believe I could do a better job in one-on-one communication in a couple of different areas of the job. 
  • Ian Browne of MLB.com checks in with Ben Cherington, who’s now wrapping up his first offseason as Boston’s GM. Though Cherington says he’s far from unflappable, his boss, Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino, says he’s off to a “flying start.”
  • The Orioles haven’t ruled out Johnny Damon, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets. The Orioles have switch-hitting DH Wilson Betemit in place, but they could shift him to third at times or play Damon in left if their interest in the free agent is serious. 
  • Yankees catcher Russell Martin told Heyman that he was pleased to see the Cardinals recognize the value of Yadier Molina’s all-around game with a $75MM deal (Twitter link). "He kind of set the bar," Martin said.

Minor Moves: Ruiz, Meloan, Hernandez

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Here are the details on the latest minor moves. Unless otherwise noted, Matt Eddy of Baseball America first reported these transactions on Twitter…

  • The Diamondbacks signed 34-year-old first baseman Randy Ruiz. He won the 2009 Pacific Coast League MVP and spent the past two seasons in Japan.
  • The Rangers signed right-hander Jon Meloan, who has big league experience with the Dodgers, Indians and Athletics.
  • The Padres signed right-hander Dennis Tankersley. Baseball America ranked Tankersley ahead of Jake Peavy in its 2002 handbook, but he hasn't pitched affiliated baseball since 2008.
  • The Blue Jays signed right-hander Fernando Hernandez, who appeared briefly with the 2008 Athletics. The reliever has a 3.55 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in nine minor league seasons.
  • The Cubs released right-hander Kyle Smit, who struggled at three levels in 2011.
  • The Dodgers signed right-handed reliever Blake Johnson, their second round selection in the 2004 draft.
  • The Mariners released former catching prospect Angel Salome, according to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus.

Quick Hits: Royals, Heyward, Diamondbacks

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On this date 25 years ago Andre Dawson signed a one-year, $650K contract with the Cubs. Owners were colluding against players at the time, and Dawson had even offered the Cubs a blank check earlier that winter. Dawson would go on to win the 1987 NL MVP, though the Cubs finished last in the NL East that year. Here are today's links…

Pirates Notes: McCutchen, Walker

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The Pirates have officially announced their contract extension with Andrew McCutchen, which makes Neil Walker the next candidate for a long-term deal. Here are some links pertaining to the Pirates… 

  • McCutchen turned down two contract offers before agreeing to terms with the Pirates, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.
  • The Pirates figured that Walker would be easier to sign than McCutchen earlier on in the negotiating process. A source close to the Walker-Pirates talks tells Biertempfel that a lot of work needs to be done on a possible agreement.
  • It sounds like the Pirates won't work out an extension with Walker in the immediate future, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets.
  • Pirates GM Neal Huntington said Pirates fans don’t have to worry that the club will flip McCutchen for prospects, according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark. “We are now well beyond the talent-accumulation phase,” Huntington said. “We're into the championship, Major League team-building phase." Huntington also pointed out that in baseball there’s no LeBron James or Sidney Crosby to come in and save a franchise more or less on his own. 
  • Heyman writes that he doesn't consider McCutchen a $51.5MM player yet, though Pirates people expect him to become one.

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