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Cafardo On Suzuki, Oswalt, Correia, Zimmermann

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe argues that two best players at catcher and shortstop positions in camp with the Red Sox organization are Ryan Lavarnway and Jose Iglesias and believes that they absolutely should be on the final 25-man roster.  There could be disagreement from different factions of the club about what to do with the two players and it'll be interesting to see how it all turns out.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • The Rays have been trying hard to get A's catcher Kurt Suzuki but Oakland isn’t crazy about getting Wade Davis or Jeff Niemann in return.  One National League GM points out that those are the type of pitchers that Billy Beane winds up trading and would want a higher grade of pitcher. Right now, the Rays aren’t willing to pay that price.
  • The idea that Roy Oswalt wants to play in the Midwest or South can be overcome with money, according to a major league source.  To get him, Cafardo writes that the Red Sox have to loosen their purse strings.
  • Major league sources say that the Pirates would entertain a deal for right-hander Kevin Correia.
  • The Angels asked the Nationals about Jordan Zimmermann, but there’s no chance unless they part with someone like Mike Trout, and that’s not happening. 
  • Red Sox outfielder Darnell McDonald could get some bites if he gets squeezed out in Boston.  The Indians, Giants, and Braves are all looking for a righthanded-hitting outfielder.
  • The Yankees are being a little careful about trading their pitching depth, but it appears Freddy Garcia would be available at the right price, which may be high.
  • White Sox pitchers Gavin Floyd and John Danks are both available in the right deal, but according to one GM, Kenny Williams will want at least "two A-level prospects and a third that’s a notch below, and that might not get it done."

Angels Emerging As Front-Runner For Oswalt?

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8:58pm: "I can't qualify for everything you hear," said GM Jerry Dipoto to MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez while reiterating that he is looking for overall pitching depth. "You never have enough pitching, so it's tough for me to say that there's not a time in this season where our situation may not change, but right now, we're very happy with where our pitching is."

10:25am: The Angels are "suddenly the front-runner" for free agent right-hander Roy Oswalt, reports ESPN's Jim Bowden (on Twitter). The Red Sox remain in the mix, though the Rangers and Cardinals are fading out of the picture despite Chris Carpenter's neck problems.

Oswalt, 34, is reportedly willing to sign anywhere and is eyeing a midseason return. Earlier in the offseason he was said to only be interested in playing for a team close to his Mississippi home. Andy Pettitte's return to the Yankees for a $2.5MM minor league deal may have set the market for free agent pitchers coming back during the season, though Oswalt isn't coming out of retirement like his former Astros rotation-mate.

The Angels have reportedly been seeking pitching depth behind their strong front four of Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, C.J. Wilson, and Ervin Santana, though they are said to be targeting out of options players and non-roster invitees. Oswalt at a salary similar to Pettitte's could be the bargain of the year.

AL East Notes: Cook, Red Sox, Pettitte, Orioles

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Earlier today, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine told reporters that Daisuke Matsuzaka could be back in the rotation as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.  In the meantime, another BoSox pitcher is making a strong case for breaking camp with the club.  More on that and other links out of the AL East..

  • Right-hander Aaron Cook can opt-out of his deal with the Red Sox on May 1st if he isn't on the big league squad, but the veteran might punch his ticket well before that, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.com.  Cook's deal with Boston is worth $1.5MM if he is put on the major league roster.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman is keeping tight-lipped when it comes to the makeup of the club's rotation, but he is preaching patience when it comes to Andy Pettitte, writes Jeff Bradley of the Star-Ledger.  For his part, the 39-year-old says that he plans on keeping to his schedule and joining the team around May 1st.
  • MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli likes Ryan Flaherty's chances of making the Orioles.  The Rule 5 pick must be returned to the Cubs if he is not on the O's Opening Day roster.

Quick Hits: Braves, Red Sox, Francona, Ortiz

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On this day twelve years ago, the Expos traded players to be named later and Jake Westbrook to the Yankees for pitcher Hideki Irabu.  One of those Bronx-bound PTBNLs wound up right-hander Ted Lilly.   The Bombers would deal Lilly to the A's a little more than two years later in a massive three-team trade.  Here's a look at what's happening today..

  • The Braves hold a $12MM option on Brian McCann for 2013 and veteran Chipper Jones would be sad to see him go elsewhere, tweets Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com.  Jones, who will retire after this season, believes that McCann is the type of player that "you want to build a ballclub around," tweets Crasnick.
  • Working as an analyst for ESPN, former Red Sox skipper Terry Francona got the chance to reconnect with his former team earlier today.  Francona just got around to speaking with owner John Henry last month and Tito says that the conversation should have happened sooner, tweets Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.
  • If David Ortiz wound up going to arbitration with the Red Sox, players' union chief Michael Weiner says that it would have been a case for the ages, writes Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal.  The two parties settled at $14.575MM, the midpoint between $12.65MM and $16.5MM.

Quick Hits: Wuertz, Oswalt, Jimenez, Matsuzaka

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Earlier today Chipper Jones announced he’ll retire following the 2012 season. Here are some other updates from around the Major Leagues…

  • Michael Wuertz threw for 15 teams today, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets.
  • Roy Oswalt doesn’t expect to pitch in the Major Leagues before June, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets. The Cardinals have uncertainty atop their rotation and other openings could emerge around the league, but the free agent right-hander seems content to wait for now.
  • Ubaldo Jimenez explained to Yahoo's Jeff Passan that the disappointing ending to his tenure in Colorado wasn't related to money. “It’s not about the contract,” Jimenez said. “People are going to say that. They know what it is.” The Indians are optimistic that Jimenez will put together a healthy season reminiscent of his breakout 2010 campaign.
  • Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said Daisuke Matsuzaka could join the rotation by early June, according to MLB.com's Ian Browne. The right-hander is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Red Sox Monitoring Mike Gonzalez Market

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The Red Sox are monitoring the market for left-handed reliever Mike Gonzalez, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe tweets. The Scott Boras client remains a free agent and intends to play in 2012.

The Indians and White Sox have been linked to Gonzalez this month, but the Athletics no longer seem interested and the 33-year-old turned down a minor league offer from the Rangers. “In these markets, sometimes late doesn't mean demand, it just means choice," Boras told Tim Dierkes three weeks ago.

Gonzalez posted a 4.39 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 53 1/3 innings for the Orioles and Rangers in 2011. Franklin Morales, Rich Hill, Felix Doubront and Andrew Miller are among Boston's left-handed options, but the latter two southpaws have been in the mix for rotation spots.

Quick Hits: Votto, Twins, Dodgers, Lannan

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The Padres signed Hall of Fame outfielder Rickey Henderson on this date in 2001 and the 42-year-old went on to steal 25 bases with San Diego in his final season as a Major League regular. Here are today's links…

  • Joey Votto told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that it'd be tough for a premium position player to sign a five-year deal. "No matter how fond a person is of the city, players have to maximize the number of years," Votto said. The first baseman, who is under contract with the Reds through 2013, says Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols "did excellent'' in free agency this offseason. Votto added that he would like to stay with the Reds and that the Cincinnati market seems strong.
  • Twins GM Terry Ryan said there's a "possibility" the club looks to obtain a utility player from outside of the organization, according to MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger (Twitter links). Ryan said he’s open to promoting a Double-A player like Brian Dozier, but not for the utility role.
  • Rival executives say manager Don Mattingly is one of the reasons the Dodgers are currently an underrated team, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The second-year skipper told Rosenthal that Spring Training has been easier this year, since he’s no longer breaking new ground at every turn.
  • Rosenthal hears the Tigers and Red Sox are the most serious suitors for left-hander John Lannan (Twitter link). However, Lannan hasn’t looked great this spring and the Nationals aim to clear his entire $5MM salary in any trade. Chien-Ming Wang’s hamstring injury could also affect Lannan's status as a trade candidate.
  • The Blue Jays remain interested in upgrading their rotation, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com tweets. It doesn't sound like the chances of a deal involving Gavin Floyd are particularly high, however.

AL East Notes: Garcia, Shoppach, Red Sox, Hughes

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Items out of the American League East..

  • Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com writes that Freddy Garcia could wind up as trade bait for the Yankees but there are a number of complications, including his $4MM salary.
  • The Marlins are a possible fit for the Yankees if they look to trade Garcia, as Miami has the payroll flexibility to take him on and the pitcher has a good relationship with manager Ozzie Guillen, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.  However, Olney notes (via Twitter) that all five Marlins starters are looking good at the moment.
  • The Red Sox have no plans to deal back-up catcher Kelly Shoppach, a source told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.  As a free agent signing, Boston would have to get approval from Shoppach in any trade made prior to June 15th.
  • In an interview on WEEI, Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said that the club has been working diligently to find ways to make the new Collective Bargaining Agreement work for them, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.com.  
  • In addition to Garcia, Phil Hughes could quickly emerge as a trade candidate for the Yankees as well, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Cafardo On Red Sox, Aybar, Lannan, Cecil

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While Larry Lucchino may not have officially signed a new deal with the Red Sox, the team’s president/CEO told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that he expects to be with the organization for years to come.  It's widely known that Lucchino has a greater role in baseball operations than he did in years past when he worked with GM Theo Epstein.  The CEO also told Cafardo that while ownership long considered Cherington to be Epstein's heir, there were brief discussions about going outside for a GM.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • The Angels are working on a multiyear extension with shortstop Erick Aybar, who can become a free agent next winter.  Agent Fernando Cuza is looking for a five-year deal and Aybar could land a big contract on the open market. If Jose Iglesias doesn't look like the Red Sox's long-term solution, Aybar may become an option.
  • Interest in Nationals left-hander John Lannan has diminished with some teams that feel what they have is just as good.  Boston, for example, feels equally comfortable with Felix Doubront and Andrew Miller.  However, the Nats still have a pitching surplus and it appears that teams are more interested in lefty Ross Detwiler’s upside.  It's also possible that Washington will want to keep all of their starters as insurance because of Chien-Ming Wang's hamstring injury.
  • As the Blue Jays create more room for their top young pitchers, left-hander Brett Cecil could be made available in a deal.  The former top prospect hasn’t lived up to expectations and hasn’t had an especially good spring.  Last week we learned that Cecil and Kyle Drabek are drawing attention from scouts.
  • Mike Aviles is the Red Sox's starting shortstop, but the Phillies are one team that would be interested in dealing for him as they look for an experienced backup infielder.  If Boston committed to Iglesias, Aviles could be made available.
  • The Indians are wading through left fielders to find a fit, and they could wind up with Johnny Damon.  One Tribe exec shot down that idea yesterday, saying that Damon's lackluster defense kills any interest they might have. While the Orioles keep indicating they won’t sign Damon, the veteran would be a great fit for their lineup.
  • Cafardo wonders if Ivan Rodriguez could land somewhere soon.  The Orioles feel protected with Ronny Paulino if Taylor Teagarden’s back issues persist, but Cafardo writes that Paulino never seems to endear himself wherever he goes.  The Royals are on the lookout for catching help due to Salvador Perez’s injury but rather solve that problem from within.  Yesterday we heard that the Royals extended a camp invite to Pudge which was not accepted but the club later denied the report.
6. Johnny Damon, LF/DH, free agent – Cleveland is wading through left fielders to find a fit, and they could wind up with Damon. While the Orioles keep indicating they won’t sign Damon, their lineup keeps screaming his name.

Quick Hits: Madson, Axford, Mets, Indians, Damon

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On this day in 1969, the Braves traded infielder Joe Torre to the Cardinals for Orlando Cepeda.  Here's a look at what's happening today..

  • Reds closer Ryan Madson still believes that the Phillies offered him a $44MM contract in November, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.   Phillies GM Ruben Amaro denies that any sort of proposal was offered while agent Scott Boras has a different story.
  • Brewers closer John Axford expects extension talks to begin soon as his agent, Dan Horwits, is in town to meet with the club, writes Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel.  Axford also says that he won't set a deadline for the talks as he doesn't believe that they would be a distraction to him during the season.
  • Multiple scouts told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter) that the Mets haven't been looking for a backup lefty hitting outfielder as of late.  Right now it looks like the club will turn to Adam Loewen or Mike Baxter rather than add someone from the outside.
  • The Indians are looking for a leftfielder but have no interest in Johnny Damon because of his lackluster defense, a Cleveland front office executive told Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (Twitter link).  In an interview with Bowden on MLB Network Radio this week, the veteran said that he plans to take his time in choosing a team as he looks for an everyday job.
  • The Red Sox's signing of Simon Mercedes marks a change in the club's approach to the international amateur market under new director of international scouting Eddie Romero, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.com.  Speier writes that former VP of International Scouting Craig Shipley would never have signed Mercedes because the right-hander lied about his documentation.
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