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BayStars Sign Nyjer Morgan

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Nyjer Morgan has signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). Morgan, a Turner Gary Sports client, will earn $1.6MM to play for the BayStars in Japan's Central League.

Morgan played for the Brewers in 2012, posting a .239/.302/.308 batting line in 322 plate appearances. The 32-year-old played all three outfield positions and stole 12 bases in 17 attempts. His best season at the big league level might have been 2011, when he hit .304/.357/.421 for a Brewers team that won the NL Central.

Morgan elected free agency in early November, after being outrighted off of Milwaukee's 40-man roster. If he drew interest from MLB teams it wasn't chronicled on the pages of MLBTR.

Quick Hits: Rockies, Yankees, Wells

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The latest links from around MLB, as the Justin Upton rumors pick up…

  • Though the Rockies continue looking for starting pitching, they aren’t close to signing Carl Pavano or Derek Lowe, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports. Renck reported earlier this week that the Rockies were pursuing the free agent right-handers aggressively.
  • The Rockies would love to sign free agent catcher Yorvit Torrealba to a minor league deal, Renck reports. The veteran backstop played for the Rangers, Brewers and Blue Jays in 2012.
  • The Yankees discussed Delmon Young internally, but didn’t have great reports on his performance, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The Phillies signed Young to a one-year contract yesterday.
  • Vernon Wells could spend much of the coming season on the Angels’ bench, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. Wells is unlikely to be traded, yet he doesn’t project as a regular. Though the Angels explored deals involving Wells, owner Arte Moreno was never willing to absorb a substantial part of the $42MM remaining on Wells’ contract to complete a trade. Naturally other teams weren’t interested in paying Wells $21MM per season through 2014.

Rockies, Herrera Avoid Arbitration

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We'll track the day's arbitration settlements under $2MM here. Be sure to use MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker for all the details related to this year's cases…

NL East Notes: Bourn, Hairston, Marlins

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The Phillies made headlines yesterday, signing Delmon Young to a one-year deal. Here’s the latest on some of Philadelphia’s NL East rivals…

  • A person with knowledge of the Mets’ plans wouldn’t rule out the possibility that the team could sign free agent center fielder Michael Bourn, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports. This would be a surprise, especially since signing the Scott Boras client would lead to the forfeiture of the Mets’ top draft pick this year, the 11th overall selection. GM Sandy Alderson told Andy McCullough of the Star Ledger earlier this month that he had strong reservations about surrendering that selection.
  • David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution hears that Scott Hairston probably isn’t an option for the Braves anymore (Twitter link). By the way, MLBTR extends a hello to Jerry Hairston Sr., who gets information about his son's free agency from this website (via McCullough on Twitter). Hairston Sr. played at the MLB level for 14 seasons, but he pre-dates MLBTR. There are still lots of Hairston rumors thanks to Scott and Jerry Jr.
  • Recent trades have improved depth throughout the Marlins' organization, vice president of player development Marty Scott told Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. "It continues to give us more depth," Scott said. "We do not have a need to rush everybody."

Orioles Pursuing Jason Kubel

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12:21pm: It's unlikely the Orioles would acquire both Kubel and Porcello, Rosenthal writes in an expanded piece at FOXSports.com. Free agent left-hander Joe Saunders and trade candidate Alfonso Soriano are also possibilities, according to Rosenthal. Saunders seeks a three-year contract, but Soriano is the least likely option for Baltimore.

10:17am: The Orioles are pursuing a trade for Diamondbacks outfielder Jason Kubel, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). However, talks are not at an advanced stage. The Diamondbacks were looking to obtain young pitching from the Orioles for Kubel earlier in the month.

If the Orioles were to acquire Kubel, he'd be in the running for playing time at left field and DH along with Nate McLouth, Nolan Reimold and Wilson Betemit. Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks would no longer have surplus outfielders if they send Kubel to Baltimore.

The Diamondbacks continue to weigh offers for Kubel and Justin Upton, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reported yesterday. The Diamondbacks want to deal one of the outfielders sooner rather than later and they feel as though there’s a good chance of getting “suitable value” for Kubel if they decide to deal him, Olney reported. Rival executives view the Orioles as a possible match for Kubel.

Rosenthal notes that the Orioles also like Tigers starter Rick Porcello. However, the Tigers don't appear to be in a rush to trade the right-hander Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reported yesterday. The Diamondbacks are also among the teams that have been linked to Porcello this winter.

Braves Nearing Deal For Justin Upton

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The Braves are close to acquiring Justin Upton from the Diamondbacks, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (Twitter links). The teams are still working through the final details of the deal, which will send Randall Delgado to Arizona.

If the Braves complete a deal for Upton, they'll have a new-look outfield that will also feature B.J. Upton and Jason Heyward. Justin's older brother signed with Atlanta as a free agent earlier in the offseason, agreeing to a five-year, $75.2MM contract. Both Upton brothers bat right-handed and would add balance to what had previously been a lefty-heavy lineup.

This post was first published on January 24th, 2013.

Indians Considering Thome, Hafner

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The Indians are looking to add a hitter and could spend modestly to supplement their offense, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. The team is considering a reunion with several former Indians, including Jim Thome and Travis Hafner, Heyman reports. Though there’s been “a hint of buzz” about a reunion with Manny Ramirez, he’s not a consideration. 

The Indians don't have an obvious internal DH option at this point, assuming Mark Reynolds plays first base. GM Chris Antonetti recently acknowledged that Hafner remains an option in Cleveland. Thome, 42, played for the Phillies and Orioles in 2012. He has said he's not retired and would consider playing because he still feels good physically.

Heyman identified former Indians such as Johnny Damon, Casey Kotchman and Grady Sizemore as other potential options for Antonetti. Free agents Aubrey Huff, Luke Scott, Carlos Lee, Jason Giambi and Juan Rivera are also available. Indians designated hitters ranked 11th in the American League with a .226/.317/.385 batting line in 2012.

Mutual Interest For Rays, Luke Scott

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The Rays and Luke Scott continue to express mutual interest in signing a new contract, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Scott has been a free agent since the end of October, when the Rays declined his $6MM option for 2013.

Scott made two trips to the disabled list as a result of oblique and back injuries in 2012. When healthy he hit 14 home runs and posted a .229/.285/.439 batting line in 344 plate appearances. However, there’s been limited buzz surrounding the 34-year-old PSI Sports Management client to this point in the offseason. He indicated in the fall that he hoped to return to Tampa Bay. “It's just a great place to play,” he told Bill Chastain of MLB.com. “I really enjoyed my time here. I hope they'll have me back."

Topkin suggests the Rays could consider alternatives such as free agents Travis Hafner, Aubrey Huff, Dan Johnson, Carlos Lee, Juan Rivera and Jim Thome or trade candidates such as Jason Kubel and Mike Carp.

Rosenthal On Posey, Dodgers, Yankees

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Yesterday Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the Mariners are at least considering a four-year, $100MM extension offer for Felix Hernandez. Rosenthal has another round of rumors at FOXSports.com today. Here are some highlights…

  • Buster Posey and the Giants have mutual interest in reaching a long-term deal, but there’s no urgency to complete an extension. Rosenthal estimates that a seven-year, $120MM deal on top of Posey’s $8MM salary for 2013 could work for both sides.
  • Though the Dodgers denied Don Mattingly’s request for increased job security, team officials rave about the manager privately and dispute that he’s a ‘lame duck.’ However, Rosenthal guesses that the team will address the matter before too long to preserve Mattingly’s authority. This time, they probably won’t announce the length of their agreement in an attempt to avoid future scrutiny.
  • The Yankees intend to lower their payroll below $189MM by 2014, but the financial incentives in place for doing so might not be as strong as initially anticipated. The team could end up obtaining less than expected from the new market-disqualification revenue-sharing program, as Rosenthal explains. However, Yankees officials say the team’s offseason strategy has been influenced by available players rather than maneuverings based on the sport’s collective bargaining agreement.

Napoli, Cherington Discuss Contract, Health

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Mike Napoli’s hip condition led to a restructured contract and what he described today as “a pretty tough offseason.” But avascular necrosis (AVN), the condition affecting both of Napoli’s hips, hasn’t diminished his expectations for 2013. The recently-discovered condition has been symptomless, and was caught at an early stage.

“We’re moving in a good direction and I feel like we’ve got that behind us and are ready to go,” Napoli said on a conference call with reporters this afternoon.

Napoli’s one-year, $5MM contract with the Red Sox includes incentives that can boost the value of the deal to $13MM. The sides readjusted their initial three-year, $39MM agreement after Napoli’s physical revealed that he has AVN. 

The 31-year-old said he was initially “shocked” to discover that he had the condition. He played through it in 2012, when he hit 24 home runs, and the Red Sox expect he can be similarly productive this coming season. They’ll rely on Napoli at first base because they want him to stay healthy and they already have ample catching depth.

“There’s no reason Mike Napoli won’t be our primary first baseman in 2013,” Boston general manager Ben Cherington said. “That’s what we’re counting on.”

The Red Sox would be comfortable relying on Napoli as a catcher, Cherington added. That said, the team wanted to add offense at first base given the presence of catchers Jarrod Saltalamacchia, David Ross and Ryan Lavarnway. On offense, Cherington expects Napoli will see pitches, get on base and hit for power — especially given Fenway Park’s dimensions.

Napoli said he expects playing first base will be easier on his body than catching, and that he plans to be ready on Opening Day. After consulting with many doctors he started taking medication for AVN, which has also affected prominent athletes such as Bo Jackson and Brett Favre. 

Napoli remained a free agent after the initial deal caused a delay, and other teams inquired about the possibility of signing him. Agent Brian Grieper of Paragon Sports International said he listened to interested teams and outlined different options to Napoli. However, the Red Sox were patient and supportive throughout the process, Grieper said. While Napoli initially sought a multiyear deal, he wanted to play in Boston instead of returning to the Rangers or signing with another club.

“I had a great two years in Texas and enjoyed my time there,” he said. “The best fit for me was in Boston.”

It took a while, but the unexpectedly lengthy process led to a deal that has both sides looking ahead hopefully at the 2013 season.

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