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Quick Hits: Red Sox, Gregg, Soler

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The Braves announced that they’re retiring John Smoltz’s number 29 to honor the right-hander’s contributions over the course of 20 seasons with Atlanta. Here are today’s links…

  • Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine publicly questioned Kevin Youkilis' commitment, but GM Ben Cherington says the entire organization knows Youkilis works and plays hard. "Bobby's acknowledged that he shouldn't have said what he said and spoke to Kevin about it,'' Cherington told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
  • The Red Sox aren’t likely to deal for an outfielder to fill in while Jacoby Ellsbury’s on the disabled list, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe hears from a team source.
  • MLB.com’s Brittany Ghiroli wonders if it’s time for the Orioles and Kevin Gregg to part ways (Twitter link). Gregg, who had a rough outing in Toronto yesterday, will earn $5.8MM this year. I expect the Orioles to decline their $6MM club option for Gregg this coming offseason.
  • As far as MLB teams know, Jorge Soler isn’t officially a free agent yet, Ben Badler of Baseball America tweets. This means teams can’t yet negotiate with the promising young outfielder.

Red Sox Actively Exploring Outfield Market

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The Red Sox are “actively” exploring the market for available outfielders, a major league source told Alex Speier of WEEI.com.  However, it’s unlikely that the Red Sox will find a starting center fielder on the trade block this early in the season.

Two American League talent evaluators wondered aloud to Speier whether the A’s Coco Crisp could be a fit.  Crisp has been displaced from center field, where his value is greatest, to left field by the signing of Yoenis Cespedes.  Oakland is also said to like several prospects in the Red Sox’s system and the two teams came close on a deal that would have brought Gio Gonzalez to Boston in a prospect-driven deal.

Red Sox Designate Bowden, Exposito For Assignment

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The Red Sox have designated Michael Bowden and Luis Exposito for assignment, tweets Alex Speier of WEEI.com.  The moves were made to allow Boston to promote Jason Repko and Nate Spears.

Bowden, 25, was one of three supplemental first-round picks by Boston in 2005 along with Clay Buchholz and Jed Lowrie.  The right-hander has a 3.27 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in parts of four Triple-A seasons.  Bowden has also appeared in 39 big league games for the Red Sox over the last five years. 

Exposito, also 25, moved up to Triple-A Pawtucket last season and hit .242/.298/.367 with eight homers in 359 plate appearances.  The catcher was briefly called up to the Red Sox last June but did not appear in a game.

Cafardo On Greinke, Marcum, Damon, Indians

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Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wonders how the Red Sox will approach Jacoby Ellsbury, now that he is injured for the second time in three years?  The Sox could be thinking longer-term with players like Daniel Bard, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Andrew Bailey but Ellsbury's health is a concern.  However, it might not make a big difference one way or another as Ellsbury is a Scott Boras client.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • The Brewers took a hit when they couldn’t retain Prince Fielder, and owner Mark Attanasio is very competitive.  That could spark the club to get a deal worked out with right-hander Zack Greinke, even though the two sides recently put discussions on hold.  Greinke, however, needs to have a strong season and show consistency from one year to the next to get the big-money deal he’s after.  Greinke could be after a Matt Cain-type deal (six years, $127.5MM) but the numbers may not support that.
  • There hasn't been much talk between the Brewers and Shaun Marcum either, but Milwaukee should have extra incentive to get a deal done after giving up Brett Lawrie to land him.
  • Could the Indians slow offensive start have sparked them to sign Johnny Damon?  Cafardo writes that GM Chris Antonetti came to the conclusion that the Tribe could use Damon, especially after the club hit .176 on its opening five-game homestand.
  • Scouts seem to have split opinons on Alex Rodriguez as some say that his bat has slowed down significantly and others believe that he looks as physically sound as he has in three years.  Cafardo agrees with the latter.  Including this season, Rodriguez has six years remaining on his ten-year, $275MM deal.

Red Sox Mulling Options After Jacoby Ellsbury Injury

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The Red Sox are mulling over options after losing Jacoby Ellsbury for an unknown amount of time with a sublexed right shoulder, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). He notes that it is tough to make an impact trade in April, so a lesser move is more likely. Earlier today Rosenthal speculated that guys like Scott Podsednik, Clete Thomas, and Brett Carroll could be fits.

As well, the Red Sox could enter into talks with the Cubs to acquire center fielder Marlon Byrd, according to Gordon Wittenmeyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. The North Siders have been trying to trade Byrd "for months," Wittenmeyer reports, and the front offices remain relatively close due to the presence of former Boston executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer in Chicago.

With Ellsbury and Carl Crawford (wrist, elbow) on the shelf, the Red Sox will use Cody Ross, Ryan Sweeney, and Darnell McDonald as their primary outfield for the time being. Defensive specialist Che-Hsuan Lin has been called up to fill Ellsbury's spot, but he owns a .230/.322/.296 batting line in 402 plate appearances at the Triple-A level. Red Sox ownership indicated a willingness to add payroll under the right circumstances earlier this month, and an injury to the MVP runner-up likely qualifies.

East Links: Podsednik, Carroll, Thomas, Izzy, A-Rod

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AL MVP runner-up Jacoby Ellsbury sublexed his shoulder in yesterday's game and there is no timetable for his return (Twitter link). The Red Sox will call up Che-Hsuan Lin to take his roster spot. Here's the latest from baseball's two East divisions…

  • Scott Podsednik could be an option for the Red Sox following Ellsbury's injury, says Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). The Phillies would let Podsednik out of his minor league deal for a big league job, and Rosenthal says they could also trade for a Marlon Byrd or Coco Crisp type later in the season.
  • With some help from a reader, Rosenthal speculates that the recently DFA'd Brett Carroll and Clete Thomas could also be fits for the Red Sox following Ellsbury's injury (Twitter links).
  • "I’m still thankful they gave me the chance," said Angels reliever Jason Isringhausen to Dan Martin of The New York Post, referring to his time with the Mets last season. Izzy said he spoke to the Mets about a return this offseason.
  • Alex Rodriguez hit his 630th career home run yesterday, tying him with Ken Griffey Jr. for fifth on the all-time list. Joel Sherman of The New York Post says his homer bonuses will become an issue for the Yankees if they intend to get under the $189MM luxury tax threshold by 2014. A-Rod will get $6MM each for his 660th, 714th, 755th, 762nd, and 763rd career homers.

Quick Hits: Pedroia, Rodney, Expos, Morneau

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The Braves played their first ever game in Atlanta on this date in 1966. The contest featured two home runs from Joe Torre, but the Pirates won 3-2. Here are today's links…

  • Ian Kinsler recently signed an extension with the Rangers, even though he was already under team control through 2013. How about Dustin Pedroia, who’s under contract through 2014 with an $11MM club option for for 2015? Pedroia tells Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he wants to stay in Boston and play for the Red Sox. His agent, Seth Levinson, says "Dustin's value far transcends his statistics."
  • Manager Jim Leyland said the Tigers were "quietly interested" in Fernando Rodney before he signed with the Rays, MLB.com's Jason Beck reports. The former Tigers reliever has yet to allow a baserunner in four outings with his new club.
  • Former Expos GM Omar Minaya explained to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that the deal that sent Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore to Cleveland occurred under highly unusual circumstances. “Long-term, we were going to be contracted,” he said. “And if you were going to be contracted, the No. 1 priority was to be as competitive as you can.” Minaya, now the Padres’ senior VP of baseball operations, and Mark Shapiro of the Indians completed the fateful Bartolo Colon trade ten years ago.
  • Jim Bowden of ESPN.com couldn’t find any GMs interested in trading for Justin Morneau. The Twins first baseman earns $14MM per season in 2012 and 2013, but Bowden wonders if the Rangers or Yankees could show interest later this summer.

Quick Hits: Dodgers, Pujols, Lannan

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Jackie Robinson signed a Major League contract with Dodgers GM Branch Rickey on this date in 1947. Robinson played in his first MLB game five days later and went on to be named Rookie of the Year. Here are some notes from around MLB on the anniversary of that historic day…

  • Things are looking up for the Dodgers now that they've put 2011 behind them and are about to undergo an ownership transition, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports writes.
  • Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com suggests the Cardinals will be fine this season, even with longtime star Albert Pujols playing for the Angels.
  • The Orioles, Cubs, Tigers, Red Sox, Astros and Tigers have expressed interest in John Lannan, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. However, the Nationals are inclined to hold onto the left-hander. "We feel he's a solid major-league starting pitcher," GM Mike Rizzo said. "But we feel we have five guys who are better than him." The Tigers haven't ruled Lannan out, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets.
  • High school center fielder Byron Buxton and college catcher Mike Zunino top Keith Law's list of amateur player eligible for this summer's draft (ESPN Insider link).

Red Sox Notes: Bard, Theo, Valentine, Cook

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While three games isn't a great sample size, it's never too early to panic in Boston or New York.  Some items on the Red Sox this afternoon..

  • The season may be young but Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports fears that the Red Sox's bullpen issues might be a sign of a long-term problem.  Rosenthal writes that it might be time for the BoSox to turn to Daniel Bard as the closer since it is far too early in the season to trade for a reliable replacement.
  • Theo Epstein left behind quite a mess from his final years in Boston, writes Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe.  When adding up the salaries of Carl Crawford, John Lackey, Bobby Jenks, Andrew Bailey (not an Epstein acquisition, though), and Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Red Sox effectively have more than $60MM on the disabled list.
  • Is skipper Bobby Valentine looking to take Moneyball out of the equation in Boston?  While some of Bobby V's decisions have raised eyebrows early in the year,  Rob Neyer of SBNation says that it's far too early to tell one way or another.
  • Veteran Aaron Cook can opt-out of his minor league deal on May 1st but it's more likely that the 33-year-old will have a place on the major leauge roster by then, writes Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.  Cook will earn the prorated portion of $1.5MM if he is called up to the varsity squad.

Cafardo On Kinsler, Cox, Damon, Prior, Lannan

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It's clear to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that the collapse of last September bothered some Red Sox players more than others.  While some are using it as fuel for motivation, others seem eager to leave it in the past completely.  Former Braves manager Bobby Cox told Cafardo that he preferred the latter. "The way I looked at it, you let it go both ways. If we win the World Series, I’d say enjoy it but time to get ready for the next year. Every season is different. I don’t think there should be carryover either way," Cox said.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • Major league sources say that Ian Kinsler should average $13-$14MM over five or six years once his deal is done.  While he and the Rangers couldn’t come to terms by Opening Day, it’s not out of the question that something gets done during the season.  Brandon Phillips of the Reds should be in the Dan Uggla range – about five-years for $60MM.  Dustin Pedroia's six-year, $40.5MM deal with the Red Sox now looks like bargain as it goes through 2014 with an $11MM option for 2015.
  • When asked if he would consider managing again, Cox didn’t give a resounding no. "I don’t know. I don’t know. I’m done," he said. But he added, “I miss it. I miss it every day." While Cox has deep ties to Dodgers president Stan Kasten, he said he would not consider going back to being a GM.  Cox is signed to be an adviser for the Braves through the 2015 season.
  • When asked about Johnny Damon remaining on the open market, one AL GM was perplexed and suggested that the Rays, Indians, Orioles, and Tigers could all use him.
  • Cafardo's "all-free agent team" features right-hander Roy Oswalt, Damon in center field, Hideki Matsui as DH, Vladimir Guerrero in left field, Magglio Ordonez in right, catcher Ivan Rodriguez, first baseman Derrek Lee, second baseman Aaron Miles, shortstop Felipe Lopez, third baseman Casey Blake.  Oswalt tops the rotation alongside Javier Vazquez, who he notes has not officially retired.  Cafardo also lists Mike Gonzalez and Arthur Rhodes as the top relievers available.
  • Mark Prior’s throwing sessions have looked decent, according to major league sources, and he may be getting ready to throw for teams soon.
  • Nationals pitcher John Lannan remains in limbo as he pitches in Triple-A, but as injuries mount his trade request may be heard.  The left-hander is only 27 and could fit on many staffs as a fourth or fifth starter, but his $5MM salary is an obvious hurdle.
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