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Tigers To Sign Brayan Pena

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The Tigers announced that they agreed to a one-year contract with catcher Brayan Pena. Pena, a client of the Wasserman Media Group, was granted free agency by the Royals on November 28th. President and GM Dave Dombrowski suggested Pena will be an important part of Detroit's bench in 2013.

“As a switch-hitter, he will serve as a solid complement to Alex Avila as our backup catcher for the 2013 season,” Dombrowski said.

Pena, who turns 31 next month, appeared in 68 games for the Royals in 2012, posting a .236/.262/.321 batting line in 226 plate appearances. He has a .248/.286/.350 batting line in eight seasons with the Braves and Royals. Former Tigers backup Gerald Laird signed with Atlanta earlier this offseason.

Regular MLBTR Features

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If you're a regular MLBTR reader, you'll be familiar with our chats, our Week In Review posts and Mike Axisa's Baseball Blogs Weigh In feature. Here's some more detail on when you'll see our weekly features and exactly what to expect from them:

  • MLBTR Chats - Come join me every Wednesday at 2pm CDT to chat about the latest trades, signings and rumblings around the Major Leagues.
  • Baseball Blogs Weigh In - Every Friday morning, Mike Axisa directs you to some of the best writing on baseball blogs around the web. Whether it's opinion, stats or something else entirely, you can connect to the best of the blogosphere once a week on MLBTR. If you want to send Mike a post of yours, reach him at: mike@riveraveblues.com.
  • Week In Review - It's remarkable how much happens in seven days. Every Sunday night, Daniel Seco summarizes the week's biggest stories in our Week In Review posts.
  • MLBTR Originals - Edward Creech gathers all our original analysis and reporting in one place every Sunday night.

Poll: The Rays-Royals Trade

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The Rays and Royals made a major trade last night, and in the 12 hours or so since the teams announced the deal, many executives, writers and analysts have responded with their reactions. Now it’s your turn to weigh in on the deal.

Should the Royals get credit for strengthening their pitching staff with James Shields and Wade Davis? Or did they overpay for pitching depth and make a deal they’ll ultimately regret? And does the acquisition of Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery and Patrick Leonard justify the Rays’ decision to deal Shields and Davis? Or did the Rays make a mistake in choosing prospects over established players? It's time to hear what you think of the trade…

Zack Greinke Rumors: Friday

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Angels GM Jerry Dipoto told reporters yesterday that he's "prepared to move on from Zack Greinke." Even the Dodgers are considering moving on, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported yesterday. The Rangers maintain interest in the free agent right-hander, but there's not much clarity beyond that. Here are the latest rumors surrounding Greinke with the most recent updates up top…

  • The Angels are "very unlikely" to make a last-minute play for Greinke as they did last year with Albert Pujols, a source tells ESPN's Jim Bowden (Twitter link).
  • Also from Bowden's Twitter feed, a Dodgers source says that if the team can't sign Greinke, it will explore a trade for R.A. Dickey or pursue Anibal Sanchez in free agency.  Sanchez is the Dodgers' top choice ahead of Kyle Lohse amongst free agent starters.

Earlier updates:

  • Nolan Ryan and the rest of the Rangers front office blew Greinke away, Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio reports (on Twitter). Greinke apparently loves the team's chances of winning the World Series.
  • The Dodgers are pessimistic about their chances of signing Greinke, Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports. GM Ned Colletti had a memorable response when asked if he was on the doorstep of signing the free agent right-hander. "We're not on the front lawn. … We're barely out of the car at the curb. It's better than driving around the neighborhood looking for the house. We know where the house is located. We just can't seem to get out of the car."
  • Many trade and free agent possibilities are on hold as teams wait to see where Greinke will sign, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Greinke knows the Dodgers and Rangers are serious about signing him, but he now appears to be uncertain about his next step. The Rangers would prefer to sign Greinke, trade Michael Young to Philadelphia and acquire Justin Upton, Nightengale reports.

Free Agent Rumors: Dempster, Ichiro, Jackson, Tejada

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Approximately half of the free agents on MLBTR’s top 50 list remain unsigned, which means there will be lots of action in the next few weeks. Here are the latest free agent updates from around MLB…

  • The Brewers, Red Sox and Royals are the "three main teams" looking at Ryan Dempster, reports Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link).  This would seem to eliminate the Cubs, who we recently heard weren't negotiating with Dempster.
  • The Yankees are still talking to Ichiro Suzuki as they continue waiting to hear from Kevin Youkilis, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). Youkilis is weighing multiple offers and the Indians are also bidding for his services.
  • The Royals and other teams seem “very cool” to Edwin Jackson, Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star reports (on Twitter). In other words they aren't overly eager to spend aggressively on him.
  • Braves GM Frank Wren said he has interest in certain outfielders as one-year stopgaps, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports (on Twitter). The Braves need another outfielder, even after signing B.J. Upton.
  • The Diamondbacks are very interested in Miguel Tejada, Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com reports (on Twitter, in Spanish). The team offered Tejada a minor league deal, but he’d like a guaranteed contract.
  • The Marlins are only interested in Carl Pavano if he’ll accept a low base salary of $3MM or so plus incentives, Phil Mackey of ESPN 1500 reports (on Twitter). Pavano’s agent met with the Twins yesterday,  Mackey adds.

White Sox Could Trade Viciedo Or De Aza

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The White Sox have discussed deals involving Dayan Viciedo and Alejandro De Aza, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports. The White Sox and Mariners discussed a deal that would send Viciedo to Seattle. Meanwhile, the Reds and Mariners discussed a deal that would send De Aza to Cincinnati.

Discussions with Seattle may have slowed down now that the Mariners have agreed to terms with Jason Bay, Gonzales writes. The White Sox, who are seeking a left-handed bat, would have wanted prospects from Seattle in a deal for Viciedo. The Mariners have been linked to numerous free agent hitters, so it's not surprising to see that they're also considering trades for power hitters.

The Reds are considering adding an outfielder capable of leading off and have also been linked to Dexter Fowler of the Rockies.

Rays Still Seek Catcher

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The Rays continue “poking around” for a catcher, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). They asked at least one team about the possibility of working on a three-way trade that would send Devin Mesoraco from Cincinnati to Tampa Bay.

Mesoraco, 24, appeared in 54 games with the Reds this past season, posting a .212/.288/.352 batting line in 184 plate appearances. He entered the season as the 16th-best prospect in MLB, according to Baseball America. The Rays currently have Jose Molina, Jose Lobaton, Robinson Chirinos and Chris Gimenez as internal catching options.

Yankees, Brett Gardner Avoid Arbitration

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2:22pm: It's a $2.85MM contract, the Associated Press reports (via the Boston Herald). The deal also includes $150K in performance bonuses. 

1:09pm: The Yankees announced that they avoided arbitration with Brett Gardner, Chad Jennings of the Journal News reports. Gardner, a client of Pro Star Management, Inc., agreed to a one-year deal for the 2013 season.

The 29-year-old had a projected salary of $2.8MM, according to MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz. That's the amount Gardner earned in 2012, when he was limited to 16 games because of an elbow injury. As MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows, the Yankees now have four unsigned arbitration eligible players: Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, Boone Logan and David Robertson.

Rockies, Reds Have Discussed Fowler

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2:19pm: Talks between the Phillies and Rockies never got serious, Renck reports (on Twitter). Talks with the Reds could pick up, but Colorado's demands haven't changed.

1:18pm: The Phillies had some serious talks with the Rockies about Fowler before acquiring Ben Revere, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter links). The Mariners have also checked in on Fowler, who seems to be a backup plan for Seattle.

11:21pm: The Rockies and Reds have engaged in preliminary trade talks about Dexter Fowler, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. Cincinnati could trade players from its MLB roster, but right-hander Homer Bailey will likely remain with the Reds, according to Rosenthal.

Any Reds package would start with Mike Leake and involve at least two more prospects, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reported last night. The Reds maintain interest in Fowler and the Braves can't be ruled out, Renck adds.

Reds general manager Walt Jocketty recently downplayed the chances of trading for Fowler, saying he hasn’t really talked to the Rockies. “I’m not sure Colorado is moving Fowler,” Jocketty said, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer suggested this week that the Reds could make a run at acquiring Fowler.

From a financial standpoint trading for Fowler would be more affordable than signing Michael Bourn. Fowler, a 26-year-old switch hitter, posted a .300/.389/.474 batting line in 530 plate appearances this past season. He's second time arbitration eligible with a projected salary of $4MM and will remain under team control through 2015.

Rosenthal suggests the Reds could trade MLB players such as Leake and outfielder Drew Stubbs. 

Josh Hamilton Rumors: Friday

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The Winter Meetings are over and the top free agent position player remains unsigned. Josh Hamilton has drawn serious interest from the Mariners and Rangers, and the Red Sox continue checking in on the outfielder. Here's the latest…

  • The Phillies have shown very little interest in Hamilton and they seem wary of him, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports (on Twitter).
  • One GM wondered to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com why teams would make Hamilton offers if the outfielder will take the offers to Texas and provide the Rangers with the chance to match (Twitter link).
  • As Joel Sherman of the New York Post explains, much would have to fall into place for the Yankees to sign Hamilton. At this point the chances of him joining the Yankees seem slim at best.

Earlier updates:

  • Baseball people suggest Hamilton and agent Michael Moye are still holding out for a six or seven-year contract worth $25MM or so per season, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports.
  • A rival general manager says Yankees people other than GM Brian Cashman are quietly running a background check on Hamilton, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (on Twitter). Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio recently suggested the Yankees should be viewed as a potential destination for Hamilton. However, the team aims to lower payroll below $189MM by 2014, so some creativity would be required to add a premium player such as Hamilton.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post"will only believe the Yankees are truly out" on Hamilton when he's at a press conference wearing another team's jersey. While GM Brian Cashman has discussed the importance of remaining patient, Sherman senses that the Yankees are "incredibly touchy" to recent criticism and could pursue the slugging outfielder.

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