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Prince Fielder Rumors: Friday

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Nationals GM Mike Rizzo said yesterday that first base is “settled” in Washington, but acknowledged that Prince Fielder will make a major impact on his next team. The Nationals continue to be linked to Fielder, though they say they're content with Adam LaRoche at first base. Here's the latest on Fielder, with the most recent rumors up top:

  • The Rangers have “one eye” on Fielder, but locking up Yu Darvish remains their number one goal, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. If they sign Darvish, as expected, the chances of a deal with Fielder will drop.
  • In some corners of the Nationals organization, there’s “great skepticism” about a very long-term deal for Fielder, tweets ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. Owner Ted Lerner figures to have the final say in the matter.

Alex Cora Likely To Play In 2012

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Free agent utility player Alex Cora is drawing interest as a player and as a coach, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports. The 14-year veteran will probably choose to play another year, according to Heyman.

Cora posted a .224/.287/.276 line in 172 plate appearances for the Nationals in 2011, playing all four infield positions. The 36-year-old Boras Corporation client has a .243/.310/.338 career line since breaking in to the Major Leagues as a member of the 1998 Dodgers. As the 2011 ended, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reported that teams have inquired about Cora's interest in managing. Washington GM Mike Rizzo has interest in Cora as a future coach.

Orioles, Cubs Discussed Alfonso Soriano

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The Orioles and Cubs have discussed a trade involving Alfonso Soriano, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported yesterday that a couple of teams have inquired about Soriano and at this point there's no indication that Baltimore GM Dan Duquette is close to adding Soriano to the left field/designated hitter mix.

Soriano posted a .244/.289/.469 line with 26 home runs last season and is under contract through 2014. There’s $54MM remaining on the 35-year-old left fielder's contract and his no-trade clause allows him to block trades. The Cubs would presumably have to absorb upwards of $40MM to facilitate a deal. Earlier in the week, they sent Carlos Zambrano to the Marlins, absorbing $15.5MM of his $18MM salary in the process.

Mets, Ronny Cedeno Nearing Deal

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2:57pm: The Mets are close to a one-year deal with Cedeno that would be worth $1.1-1.2MM, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

11:59am: The Mets and free agent shortstop Ronny Cedeno have reached a critical point in their negotiations, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. They haven't agreed to a deal yet, but there could be a verdict soon, Rubin reports. Andy McCullough of the Star Ledger tweets that the sides are nearing a deal and that Cedeno is still considering his options.

The Mets seek shortstop depth behind Ruben Tejada and have been linked to free agents such as Cedeno, Jack Wilson and Ryan Theriot. The Pirates declined Cedeno's option earlier this offseason, after he posted a .249/.297/.339 line in 454 plate appearances. The 28-year-old posted a strong 6.8 UZR/150 at shortstop this past season, though his career mark of -1.6 UZR/150 is slightly below average. The Red Sox and Pirates were also linked to Cedeno earlier this offseason. Peter E. Greenberg & Associates represents Cedeno.

This post was first published on January 6th, 2012.

Athletics Sign Coco Crisp

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The Athletics have officially signed Coco Crisp to a two-year, $14MM deal that includes a club option for 2014, the team announced. News of the agreement ended 24 hours of rumors and speculation about Crisp's destination. He decided to return to Oakland despite interest from the Orioles, Cubs, Cardinals and many other teams.

Coco Crisp - A's

The deal will pay Crisp $6MM in 2012 and $7MM in 2013. The A's can exercise a $7.5MM option for 2014 or pay the center fielder a $1MM buyout. If the A's trade the Steve Comte client, he gets a one-time bonus of $250K.

MLBTR's Tim Dierkes ranked Crisp 21st among MLB free agents at the beginning of the offseason. The switch-hitter led the American League with 49 stolen bases in 2011, hitting .264/.314/.379 with 27 doubles as Oakland's center fielder. The California native seemed to prefer West Coast teams, but explained in September that he was also looking to play on a winner and find a good "financial situation" for himself.

Crisp joins Michael Taylor and Josh Reddick in the Athletics' new-look outfield. Josh Willingham signed with the Twins and David DeJesus signed with the Cubs, leaving Billy Beane, David Forst & Co. with the unenviable task of filling out an entire outfield. The A's sent Jai Miller to the Orioles today and may still be on the lookout for outfield depth.

ESPN's Buster Olney first reported the agreement. Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio heard from an unconfirmed source that Crisp was nearing a deal with the A's (Twitter link). Photo courtesy Icon SMI.

Dodgers Sign Mike MacDougal

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The Dodgers announce that they signed right-hander Mike MacDougal to one-year deal that includes a club option for 2013. The contract is worth $1MM, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. Hendricks Sports represents the 34-year-old right-hander.

MacDougal spent the 2011 season with the Dodgers and posted a 2.05 ERA with 6.5 K/9, 4.5 BB/9 and a 60.9% ground ball rate in 57 innings. He ranked tenth among MLB pitchers in ground ball rate last year (minimum 50 innings). The 11-year veteran has a career ERA of 3.94 with 7.4 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9.

Mets Notes: Young, Santana, Cedeno, Harris

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Sandy Alderson told reporters that it's fair to assume the Mets won't sign free agents who cost more than $1.5MM before Spring Training, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. The GM also explained that teams generally have "a greater reluctance to make a big deal" as Spring Training draws closer. Here are more details on the Mets:

  • Alderson said he's looking to fill out his bench and bullpen, according to Rubin. The GM said he wants a backup shortstop and a "swingman" for the pitching staff. 
  • Alderson recently met with free agent Chris Young in San Diego, according to Rubin. "He's the kind of guy we might re-sign under the right circumstances," the GM said. 
  • Johan Santana is in a normal progression toward Spring Training, Alderson said.
  • The Mets continue looking at Ronny Cedeno as a backup shortstop option, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets.
  • The Mets aren’t likely to attempt to re-sign Willie Harris after agreeing to terms with Scott Hairston earlier today, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News tweets.

Nationals, Rays, Padres Interested In Eric Chavez

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The Yankees aren’t the only team interested in free agent infielder Eric Chavez. The Nationals, Rays and Padres are among the other clubs interested in the Scott Leventhal client, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

Chavez, 34, posted a .263/.320/.356 line in a reserve role for the Yankees last year, backing up at third and even appearing at first base. The Yankees, who failed to reach an agreement with Japanese infielder Hiroyuki Nakajima, have interest in re-signing the six-time Gold Glove winner. This is the first time the Nationals, Rays and Padres have been linked to Chavez this offseason.

Prince Fielder Rumors: Thursday

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Nationals GM Mike Rizzo says his position on Prince Fielder has not changed since the Winter Meetings, according to Amanda Comak of the Washington Times. Washington is committed to Adam LaRoche and first base is “settled,” the GM said. Rizzo acknowledged Fielder’s value, saying he’ll help any club he’s with, but pointed out that the Nationals are often bandied about as a possible suitor for unsigned Scott Boras clients. Here are the details on Fielder:

  • The Nationals appear to be “deep in the mix” for Fielder and as many as eight other teams are showing some level of interest, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
  • Some Marlins executives have said they aren’t going to pursue Fielder, but it appears some front office members are intrigued, according to Heyman.
  • The Cubs and Blue Jays don’t appear to be willing to offer more than five years, according to Heyman.
  • ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick previews what lies ahead for Boras’ many remaining unsigned clients, including the ‘PF Flyer.’ Crasnick says we can’t count out the Cubs, who are lingering on the fringe of the Fielder sweepstakes.
  • One GM called the Mariners a "darkhorse" for Fielder and suggested GM Jack Zduriencik may feel pressure to respond to splashy moves by the Rangers and Angels.

Angels Open Extension Talks With Kendrick, Aybar

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The Angels opened extension talks with the agents for second baseman Howie Kendrick and shortstop Erick Aybar, GM Jerry Dipoto told Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times. Both infielders are entering their final year of arbitration, but Dipoto has interest in keeping them in Anaheim beyond 2012.

“At this point, it’s something we’ve begun to explore and will continue to explore,” Dipoto said. “There is no timetable, but certainly, it’s something we’re interested in pursuing.”

Kendrick, a 28-year-old Reynolds Sports Management client, posted a .285/.338/.464 line with a career-best 18 homers in 2011. MLBTR projects a $5.2MM salary for him in 2012. That's $500K more than Aybar, who comes in at $4.7MM in our projections. SFX represents the 27-year-old Aybar, who posted a .279/.322/.421 line with 30 stolen bases as the Angels' shortstop in 2011.

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