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Orioles, Showalter Progressing Toward Extension

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Monday: Showalter's extension isn't expected to be completed until next week, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports (on Twitter). There are no snags in the negotiations, the two sides are simply moving slowly and both have busy schedules.

Friday: 9:38pm: The new deal would be for three years and would keep Showalter in Baltimore through 2016, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

7:45am: The Orioles could announce a contract extension for manager Buck Showalter as soon as early next week, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports. Owner Peter Angelos will meet with Showalter again today to discuss the manager’s next contract.

Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reported last month that the sides were close to a deal. Showalter and Angelos met several times last month, Kubatko reports. If everything goes according to plan, they’ll agree to a multiyear deal within a few days.

The Orioles made their first postseason appearance in 15 years this past season after finishing the regular season with a 93-69 record. Showalter, 56, finished second to A's manager Bob Melvin in the 2012 American League Manager of the Year voting. Now entering his fourth season with Baltimore, Showalter has a record of 1078-1018 in 14 seasons managing at the MLB level.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Adam Kennedy Drawing Interest

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Free agent infielder Adam Kennedy is drawing interest as a left-handed bench bat and super utility player. Agent Tim Trafficanda of TWC Sports told MLBTR discussions are taking place with three to four teams.

Kennedy, who turns 37 on Thursday, played in 86 games for the 2012 Dodgers, posting a .262/.345/.357 batting line in 201 plate appearances. The 14-year MLB veteran spent considerable time at second base and third base, and made appearances at first base and in left field. Kennedy posted a .268/.361/.377 batting line in 170 plate appearances against right-handed pitching in 2012, a reasonable approximation of his career .278/.333/.400 line against righties.

Kennedy obtained a one-year, Major League deal worth $800K plus incentives when he signed with the Dodgers last offseason. He’s in the process of opening a baseball development facility in Anaheim.

Ten Teams Interested In Aledmys Diaz

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At least ten teams have expressed strong interest in Cuban shortstop Aledmys Diaz, MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports (all Twitter links). Diaz, who turns 23 tomorrow, is a free agent. More teams appear to have expressed interest once they realized that signing him wouldn’t count against their caps for international bonuses.

The showcase for Diaz and fellow Cuban prospect Dariel Alvarez has been pushed back to the end of January, Sanchez reports. Alvarez, a 24-year-old outfielder, is also a free agent. The Cardinals are among the teams monitoring the two players, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last week. The Twins also appear to have interest. Sanchez introduced us to Diaz and Alvarez in detail back in November.

Rosenthal On Berkman, Sizemore

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The latest notes from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…

  • The Yankees were in on Lance Berkman before he signed a one-year, $11MM contract with Texas, Rosenthal reports (on Twitter). Two people tell Rosenthal the Yankees made Berkman an offer, while a third source says the sides simply talked.
  • Free agent outfielder Grady Sizemore doesn’t want to sign a new contract until he’s ready to play again, agent Joe Urbon told Rosenthal. The 30-year-old underwent microfracture surgery on his right knee in September, and isn’t ready to commit to a team just yet. “It could be Opening Day. It could be midseason,” Urbon said. “Midseason is more likely.” The CAA agent added that a number of teams have expressed interest in Sizemore. Some of those teams have offered to sign the 30-year-old and let him rehab on his own schedule.

Teams Have Called Chipper; He’ll Stay Retired

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Several teams have called to see if Chipper Jones can be persuaded to come out of retirement and play another season, agent B.B. Abbott told Mark Hale of the New York Post (Twitter links). However, Jones will stay retired. The Yankees didn’t call about the 40-year-old, Hale reports.

Jones' 19-year MLB career ended after yet another strong offensive season and a memorable farewell tour. The switch hitter posted a .287/.377/.455 batting line and hit 14 home runs in 448 plate appearances as Atlanta's starting third baseman last year. Jones, an All-Star in 2012, will presumably be enshrined in baseball's Hall of Fame once he’s eligible for induction. He said in August that he won't reconsider his decision to retire.

New York Notes: Hairston, Pavano, Francisco

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Mark Hale of the New York Post has a number of updates related to New York’s two teams. Here’s the latest (all links go to Twitter)…

  • The Mets remain interested in Scott Hairston, Hale reports. GM Sandy Alderson has checked in on a number of outfielders, including Jason Kubel and Justin Upton of the Diamondbacks.
  • Agent Dave Pepe, who represents free agent right-hander Carl Pavano, said there’s some mutual interest between the Mets and his client. "We clearly have an interest and I think they do too,” Pepe told Hale. “We’ll see where it goes.” The agent added that Pavano’s workouts are going well and that he’s drawing interest from multiple teams.
  • The agent for Scott Podsednik said the Mets haven’t shown any interest in the free agent outfielder, Hale reports.
  • Agent John Boggs said the Yankees and Mets are among five teams to express interest in free agent outfielder Ben Francisco. Playing time will figure into Francisco’s decision, according to Boggs. The right-handed hitting Francisco has a career line of .252/.329/.414 against left-handed pitching.
  • The Yankees don’t have interest in Jim Thome, Hale reports.

Yomiuri Giants Sign Jose Lopez

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12:20pm: Lopez obtained a $1.2MM guarantee plus $500K in performance bonuses, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The deal includes a team option for 2014.

10:17am: The Yomiuri Giants have signed infielder Jose Lopez, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). Lopez, a client of agent Martin Arburua, was close to a deal with the 2012 Japan Series winners last month. 

Lopez spent the 2012 season with the Indians and White Sox, playing mostly at the infield corners. The 29-year-old hit .246/.270/.356 in 248 total plate appearances for the AL Central teams. A right-handed hitter, Lopez made the All-Star team in 2006 and hit 25 home runs three seasons later.

Cubs Sign Zach Putnam

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The Cubs signed free agent right-hander Zach Putnam to a minor league contract, according to the transactions page at CBSSports.com. The Cubs had claimed Putnam off of waivers from Colorado in early November, but non-tendered him later in the month.

The 25-year-old appeared in two games for the Rockies in 2012. He spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he posted a 4.15 ERA with 7.3 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 60 2/3 innings.

Mets, Diamondbacks Discussed Upton, Kubel

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The Mets talked to the Diamondbacks about potential trades involving outfielders Justin Upton and Jason Kubel, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). However, Arizona’s asking price is too high on Upton and Kubel isn’t a perfect fit for New York, according to Heyman. This suggests the Diamondbacks won’t be sending one of their surplus outfielders to the Mets, who continue seeking outfield depth.

The Padres, Braves, Mariners and Rangers have expressed some interest in trading for Upton this offseason. The right fielder can block trades to certain teams, including the Blue Jays and Mariners. Meanwhile, Kubel has also drawn trade interest from teams such as the Orioles. 

In a recent poll of more than 13,000 MLBTR readers, voters were split on whether Upton or Kubel would be dealt. There’s an expectation that GM Kevin Towers will make a trade since Arizona has numerous internal options including Cody Ross, Gerardo Parra and prospects Adam Eaton and A.J. Pollock.

The Mets have been eyeing outfielders all offseason, but Andrew Brown and Collin Cowgill have been their highest profile additions to date. If the season opened today, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Lucas Duda and Mike Baxter would be among the leading candidates for regular playing time in New York.

Upton, 25, will earn $38.5MM through 2015, including a $9.75MM salary in 2013. Kubel, 30, has one more guaranteed year on his contract, which includes a 2014 team option. He'll earn $7.5MM this coming season.

Orioles Notes: Martinez, Exposito, Urrutia

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It's been a quiet offseason for the Orioles, as MLBTR's Transaction Tracker shows. Executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette re-signed Nate McLouth, traded for Danny Valencia and Trayvon Robinson, and completed a number of waiver claims and minor league signings. Here's the latest from Baltimore…

  • The Orioles have four catchers on their 40-man roster after claiming Luis Martinez, as Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun points out. Baltimore executives have been looking to improve organizational catching depth, and they now have Martinez, Taylor Teagarden and Luis Exposito behind Matt Wieters. Both Exposito and Martinez could begin the 2013 season in Triple-A, since they both have minor league options, Encina writes.
  • Henry Urrutia, a Cuban defector who signed with the Orioles this past summer, remains in Haiti, Encina reports. He hasn’t been able to obtain a visa, so it’s not clear whether he’ll be able to participate in Spring Training.
  • While some expect the Orioles to regress in 2013, it's possible they'll continue playing at the level that led them to the playoffs this past season in the view of Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com.

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