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Red Sox Sign Ryan Rowland-Smith

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The Red Sox have come to terms on a deal with Ryan Rowland-Smith, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. No word on the details of the contract. The 30-year-old lefthander will be pitching for his native Australia in the World Baseball Classic.

The Frye McCann Sports client last appeared in a MLB game in 2010 with the Mariners where he posted career-lows of a 6.75 ERA, 4.0 K/9, 2.1 HR/9, and 11.6 H/9 while appearing in 27 games, 20 as a starter. Rowland-Smith spent last season with the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate recording a 3.94 ERA and 7.2 K/9 in 77 2/3 innings covering 30 games including eight starts.

Last month, Crasnick reported Rowland-Smith threw for seven teams in Arizona, but the Red Sox were not one of them.

Cafardo On Yankees, Sanchez, Lohse, Red Sox

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has some extremely kind words about MLBTR and founder Tim Dierkes.   "Call it American ingenuity, or a great business model for start-ups, but it has been incredible to watch the growth of mlbtraderumors.com — to the point where it’s now the go-to site for major league executives, reporters, and fans," Cafardo writes.  Here's more from today's column..

  • Backstops Francisco Cervelli, Chris Stewart, Bobby Wilson, and Austin Romine won't light up the scoreboard, but that's alright with Yankees GM Brian Cashman.  “We’re not looking for catching. We just know our offensive production at that position isn’t going to be as good as in the past," Cashman said.
  • Despite some interest in free agent second baseman Freddy Sanchez, teams have not been willing to commit to him.  The former NL batting champion has had numerous injuries and surgeries in the past. 
  • One AL GM offered up his prediction on where Kyle Lohse will land.  "[The Rangers] missed out on a couple of guys. While you don’t want to overpay or give him an extended contract, they seem to be the most motivated to get a deal done with him.” 
  • Some teams may not be anxious to add Red Sox reliver Alfredo Aceves to their club house, but one American League GM says that someone will pull the trigger.  “He’s a talented pitcher who can do a lot of things,” said the GM. “The baggage is there, but some team will put up with the baggage. Who knows? If he gets to start somewhere, maybe all of the problems go away.”
  • Cafardo believes that Brian Wilson will be the Tigers' fallback option when he's ready to return after surgery.  Until then, Bruce Rondon will have the opportunity to close in Detroit.
  • Free agent left-hander Joe Beimel wants to make a return and has auditioned for some teams. The 35-year-old is coming back from Tommy John surgery last May.
  • The stock of minor league catcher Christian Vazquez is rising so rapidly that Cafardo wonders if the Red Sox will pursue deals for Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Ryan Lavarnway.  Vazquez will likely start the year at Double-A but could move up quickly.

AL East Notes: Yankees, De La Rosa, Red Sox, Orioles

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Here's the latest out of the American League East..

  • Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com ran down his likes and dislikes on the Yankees this season.  Heyman likes that the Bombers have kept their strong rotation in tact and believes that even though they acted like a small-market team this winter, they will go out and spend in July if they need to.  Meanwhile, Heyman is concerned about the club's age and lack of depth in the minors.
  • Pedro Martinez believes that Rubby De La Rosa, one of the key pieces of the Red Sox's blockbuster trade with the Dodgers, has a chance to be "someone special", writes Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.  De La Rosa is rebounding from Tommy John surgery and will see his innings capped in 2013.
  • Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com wonders if quality is more important than quantity when it comes to a team's farm system.  The Orioles had just two players ranked in the Baseball America top 100 prospects list this year, with Dylan Bundy at No. 2 and Kevin Gausman at No. 26.  Manny Machado also would have been towards the very top of the list had he qualified for rookie status.
  • Orioles reliever Darren O'Day told the local press, including CSNBaltimore.com (video link) that he is especially happy to have a contract extension with the club given the way that he has bounced around in the past.  O'Day inked a two-year extension with a club option for 2015.

Minor Moves: Maloney, Hampson, Blanco, Blue Jays

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Here's a look at today's minor moves, courtesy of Baseball America's Matt Eddy..

  • The Red Sox have signed left-hander Matt Maloney to a minor league deal, according to Eddy. The 29-year-old has spent time in the big leagues in each of the past four seasons and owns a career 3.83 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in Triple-A.
  • The Mets have re-signed left-hander Justin Hampson, Eddy writes.  The 32-year-old posted a 2.33 ERA with 8.1 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 for Triple-A Buffalo in 2012.  Hampson also saw time in 13 big league games last season for the Mets and a combined 74 for the Padres in 2007 and 2008.
  • The Phillies released shortstop Andres Blanco, according to Eddy.  Blanco, 28, last appeared in the majors with the Rangers in 2011 and owns a career .255/.301/.333 slash line across six big league seasons.
  • The Blue Jays re-signed right-hander Clint Everts, Eddy reports.  Everts, who spent last season with Toronto's Triple-A affiliate, was taken with the fifth-overall pick in the 2002 draft by the Expos.

Red Sox Notes: Bogaerts, Bradley, Cherington

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On this date 12 years ago the Red Sox purchased Jorge De La Rosa from Monterrey of the Mexican League. De La Rosa, now a starter with the Rockies, never pitched for the Red Sox but he did play an important role in their history. Two years after acquiring De La Rosa the Red Sox traded him and three others to Arizona for Curt Schilling. Here are today's Red Sox-related links…

  • Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr.  offer a "glimpse into the future" of the Red Sox in the words of manager John Farrell, Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com reports. Farrell expressed confidence that Bogaerts will be able to handle either third base or shortstop from a defensive standpoint. However, both players are set to open the 2013 season in the minor leagues. 
  • Bogaerts ranked eighth on Baseball America's list of the game's top prospects and Bradley ranked 31st. Both project to reach the MLB level in 2014, according to BA.
  • Red Sox GM Ben Cherington knows it takes more than character to compete in the AL East, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. "It has to start with talent," Cherington said. "You can have a bunch of good guys in spring training, but if you're not winning in May, you're not feeling good anymore.'' As others in the Red Sox organization explained to Nightengale, winning and strong clubhouse culture are often closely linked.
  • It's finally time for the Red Sox to focus on baseball instead of off-field distractions, Jon Paul Morosi writes at FOX Sports.com. Farrell said he's been impressed with the attention to detail displayed by some newcomers.

NL Central Notes: Gonzalez, Wainwright, Willis, Bucs

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It was on this day in 1986 that Rollie Fingers chose his mustache over the Reds.  The veteran closer was offered a Spring Training invite by the Reds on the condition that Fingers shave his famous handlebar in order to meet with the team's facial hair policies.  Fingers turned the deal down and instead retired, ending his 17-year Major League career and paving the way for his eventual induction into the Hall of Fame. 

Here's the latest from around the NL Central…

  • The Cardinals exchanged figures with Alex Gonzalez this offseason but couldn't come to terms, and the veteran shortstop instead signed with the Brewers, MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reports.  The Cards' best offer was a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $1MM plus another $1MM if Gonzalez made the roster, which couldn't top Gonzalez's deal with Milwaukee.  A dozen teams scouted Gonzalez's offseason workout sessions, with the Red Sox and Dodgers showing particular interest in the 36-year-old.
  • Steve Hammond, Adam Wainwright's agent, is out of the country for the next 10 days so there won't be any immediate extension talks between Wainwright and the Cardinals, B.J. Rains of St. Louis 1380 AM Radio reports (via Twitter).  We heard on Monday that both sides were keeping the lines of communication open about a new contract for the ace right-hander.
  • Dontrelle Willis talks to CSN Chicago's Patrick Mooney about his career, his short-lived retirement, his controversial exit from the Orioles organization and his return to the Cubs on a minor league contract.
  • The Pirates are desperate for success but ESPN's Buster Olney notes that the team must weigh the short-term benefit of a winning season against the long-term costs (both developmentally and financially) of calling up young starters Jameson Taillon and Gerrit Cole.  MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith noted earlier today that the Pirates could prevent Cole from gaining Super Two eligibility by delaying his callup until mid-June.

East Notes: Phillies, Steinbrenner, Yankees, Red Sox

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Despite what some observers may think, the Phillies refuse to believe that their window has closed, writes Bob Nightengale of USA Today.  "If I really thought the window was closing," said Cole Hamels, "I would have been gone. I play to win. They didn't have to give me any assurances. You can see it. You can feel it."  There are a number of questions surrounding the Phillies, including offseason acquisition Michael Young's ability to play third base, but Ryan Howard cautions fans not to be surprised by their success in 2013.  Here's more out of baseball's eastern divisions..

  • Hal Steinbrenner has been adamant about the Yankees cutting their payroll to $189MM, but ESPN New York's Wallace Matthews reports that he may return to something resembling his father's free-spending ways. "This is the first time since George died that it appears a Steinbrenner is actually running the Yankees," a source tells Matthews. A change in the Yankees' approach would have dramatic implications throughout the free-agent market, and it could have a near-immediate impact on Robinson Cano as he enters his walk year.
  • The Red Sox generally haven't incorporated former major league players into their decision-making, but GM Ben Cherington appreciates special assistant Jason Varitek's input, writes Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.  In the coming months, Varitek will assist the front office in player development and draft scouting.  Two other former Red Sox stars, Pedro Martinez and Tim Wakefield, are also working with Cherington.
  • In addition to being a key bullpen piece for the Orioles, the recently extended Darren O'Day is also a mentor to his fellow Baltimore sidearmers, writes Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com. O'Day recently agreed to a two-year, $5.8MM deal with a club option for 2015.

Charlie Wilmoth contributed to this post.

Quick Hits: Rangers, Nava, Helton, Cano

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The Rangers have financial flexibility following a relatively quiet offseason, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). However, they aren’t desperate for a starting pitcher at this stage. Here are the latest links from around MLB…

  • Daniel Nava represented himself for the early part of his MLB career, but he has now hired an agent, Alex Speier of WEEI.com reports. Joe Sambito of SFX now represents Nava, who posted a .243/.352/.390 batting line in 317 plate appearances for the Red Sox in 2012. Check out MLBTR’s Agency Database for more information on player representatives.
  • Troy Renck of the Denver Post would be “really surprised” if Todd Helton plays again in 2014 (Twitter link). It’d be complicated for the Rockies to bring Helton back in anything but a part-time Jason Giambi-like role. Helton will earn $5MM in 2013 before hitting free agency.
  • ESPN.com’s Buster Olney wonders if the Nationals could pursue Robinson Cano as a free agent next offseason (Twitter link). Cano will appeal to many teams if he reaches free agency, though there’s no guarantee that’ll happen. The Yankees appear to be prepared to discuss a significant long-term contract with their longtime second baseman.
  • Olney suggested in his most recent blog entry that the Cubs and Dodgers could also bid for Cano. The Yankees' baseball operations department could be prepared to commit $189MM or so over seven years for Cano in Olney's view.

AL East Notes: Cano, Soriano, Orioles

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The Yankees and Orioles made the playoffs last year and a third AL East club, the Rays, won 90 games. The Blue Jays and Red Sox disappointed in 2012, but after a winter of offseason moves both teams hope to contend in 2013. Here are the latest AL East links at a time that the division truly seems wide open…

  • The Yankees say they’re prepared to discuss a significant long-term contract with Robinson Cano, but as Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes, there’s lots of rhetoric involved at this stage. The sides will declare their mutual interest in working out a new deal while remaining inflexible on financial details. Sherman expects agent Scott Boras to seek a ten-year deal in the $225-240MM range. The Yankees could start by suggesting a high average annual value for a shorter term, perhaps $170-175MM for seven years.
  • The Yankees would not give up a good prospect to acquire Alfonso Soriano, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). Heyman suggests the Yankees would pay $10MM of the $36MM remaining on the left fielder's contract. Soriano has indicated he'd consider trades to a group of six or seven teams, including the Yankees.
  • The Orioles announced that they promoted Brady Anderson to the role of VP of baseball operations. Ned Rice, who had been the club’s assistant director of Major League operations, was promoted to director of Major League administration.
  • The Mariners have a list of Red Sox players that they're looking at as a player to be named later in the Mike Carp trade, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times (on Twitter).  All four players are lower level non-premium minor leaguers in the Red Sox system.
  • Here are some more notes on the Red Sox.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Red Sox Notes: Carp, Overbay, Hanrahan

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Earlier this morning the Red Sox acquired Mike Carp from the Mariners for a player to be named later or cash considerations. The move provides the Red Sox with another lefty hitting option while creating some additional pressure for other players competing for playing time. Here’s the latest on the Red Sox…

  • The Red Sox aren’t expected to give up a significant prospect in the deal, Alex Speier of WEEI.com reports. Carp is out of options and takes up a 40-man roster spot, which limited his trade value. The primary cost of acquiring Carp was cash, Speier writes.
  • Lyle Overbay, who joined the Red Sox on a minor league deal earlier this year, could be the odd man out now that the Red Sox have acquired Carp. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wonders if Overbay could end up returning to the Brewers, who now need a first baseman (Twitter link). Overbay told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he's prepared to compete for a roster spot with the Red Sox.
  • Joel Hanrahan is willing to discuss an extension with the Red Sox if the team is interested, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports. "It has been great here so far," Hanrahan said.
  • Kevin Youkilis said the Red Sox called his agent during the offseason, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (Twitter link). Discussions didn't intensify and the longtime Red Sox star signed with the Yankees.
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