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Progress For Red Sox, Mike Napoli

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9:46pm: Brian Grieper, Napoli's agent, says it is "reasonable to expect" that Napoli will have made his decision about signing with the Red Sox by next week, ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes reports.  "All signs point to" the two sides eventually agreeing to a one-year contract, Edes says, though Napoli may have to undergo another physical before things are finalized (all Twitter links).

3:49pm: The Red Sox and Napoli are making significant progress toward a one-year agreement, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio reports (on Twitter).

11:05am: Mike Napoli and the Red Sox have made progress toward a new agreement, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. The deal isn’t done, however, and both sides are keeping their options open. The situation should be resolved by next week at the latest, according to Heyman.

The sides had agreed to a three-year, $39MM contract, but the deal didn’t go through as expected. Napoli has a hip issue that prompted the Red Sox to seek protective language in the deal. The 31-year-old has remained Boston’s top first base target and seems like a more probable solution than trade candidate Michael Morse, Heyman writes. Despite the hip issue, Napoli expects to be ready for Opening Day. He is said to be talking to a couple of other American League clubs, according to Heyman.

The Red Sox are exploring trades for a left-handed hitting first baseman/outfielder, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (Twitter link). Boston would like to complement right-handed hitters such as Napoli and Jonny Gomes, who both have a history of effectiveness against left-handed pitching.

Quick Hits: Wuertz, Webb, Wheeler

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Rafael Soriano’s two-year, $28MM agreement with the Nationals dominated headlines this afternoon, but let’s not let the news overshadow some other notes from around MLB. Here are Tuesday’s links…

  • Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN in Minneapolis suggests reliever Michael Wuertz will soon sign a minor league deal with a National League team (Twitter link).
  • NL East teams such as the Phillies, Marlins, Nationals and Mets are keeping tabs on free agent right-hander Brandon Webb, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
  • The Mets won’t trade Zack Wheeler to acquire Justin Upton from Arizona, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter link). The Mets and Diamondbacks don’t see a fit for a deal involving Upton at this point, Heyman adds. New York does have interest in high-profile outfielders such as Upton.
  • The Red Sox have seen all of Javier Vazquez's starts in Puerto Rico, Peter Gammons of MLB Network reports (on Twitter). Many clubs will be watching the free agent right-hander pitch today, Gammons notes. Vazquez, 36, has said he's not in a hurry to sign.

East Notes: Orioles, Mets, Wilson, Blue Jays

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We know that the Orioles aren't looking to trade J.J. Hardy based on recent comments from manager Buck Showalter, but that doesn't mean that Baltimore won't look to make other deals.  "I know from talking to Peter [Angelos], if there's a deal there that everybody thinks works, we're going to go. Nobody's scared here.  Nobody's afraid to make a deal here. Trust me. Trust me. It's just, we've got to get the right one," said the skipper, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (on Twitter).  Here's more out of the AL and NL East..

  • The Mets are reportedly showing serious interest in Brian Wilson, but Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (onTwitter) doesn't see a signing in the immediate future.  At this stage, Rubin is told that Wilson still has a ways to go after undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. 
  • Don't look for the Mets to actively pursue Grady Sizemore thanks to an outfield already full of left-handed hitters, adds Rubin (via Twitter). The former Indians star's health remains an issue heading into 2013 as Sizemore works to recover from microfracture surgery on his knee.
  • Other teams in the AL East, like the Blue Jays, claim that they're not building with the idea of pouncing while the Yankees are cost-conscious, but Ken Davidoff of the New York Post isn't necessarily buying it.  Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos has said that his club has a three-to-five-year window to seriously contend, and a person familiar with the the Blue Jays’ internal discussions says that it ties back into the Yankees’ apparent weakening and the Red Sox's disappointing 2012.
  • The Red Sox have high hopes for their recently-replenished youth movement, writes Tim Britton of The Providence Journal.  Boston has placed a greater emphasis on developing talent from within their system ever since their August trade with the Dodgers.

Daniel Seco contributed to this post.

Cafardo On Napoli, Lohse, Upton, Bourn, Soriano

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It has been six weeks since the Red Sox and Mike Napoli agreed to terms on a three-year, $39MM contract. The holdup in finalizing the deal is concern with one of Napoli's hips and the team's desire to write protective language into the contract. Recently, we learned the Red Sox are continuing negotiations with Napoli, but would like to shorten the deal to just one year and have been in contact with the Nationals about Mike Morse. A major league source told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe this about Napoli's hip, "It’s one of those things where it could go anytime or five years from now. Nobody really knows, which is why the Red Sox want strong language after putting $40 million on the table for him.” Cafardo believes it's starting to make sense for the Red Sox to trade for Justin Morneau or to make Daniel Nava a first baseman/left fielder. More from Cafardo:

  • That Kyle Lohse is still available at this late date is somewhat of a stunner to Cafardo. Lohse's market has been stunted with him being tied to draft pick compensation and that no one seems willing to go beyond two years, although several teams needs starting pitching and his stuff translates to both leagues. 
  • Draft pick compensation has also shrunk the market for Michael Bourn. Another factor, according to a NL GM, has been the Twins trading both Denard Span and Ben Revere and the Braves signing B.J. Upton.
  • Cafardo thought it was strange for Justin Upton to reject his trade to Seattle since it's one of the nicest cities in the country and the fences at Safeco Field have been moved in.
  • Cubs President Theo Epstein has come to realize Alfonso Soriano is an excellent clubhouse presence because of his willingness to help younger players. With that and his excellent 2012 season, Epstein wants a player of note in any deal where the Cubs eat a majority of the $36MM left on Soriano's contract.
  • Discussions to include Garrett Jones in the Joel Hanrahan trade never progressed very far because "the Pirates really valued Jones highly," a major league source told Cafardo.   
  • One NL GM told Cafardo Roy Oswalt may still want to pitch, but on his terms and perhaps for only a half a season. Many teams have given up trying to persuade the 35-year-old to pitch, feeling the vibe is that he just doesn’t want it bad enough. Cafardo also notes Oswalt suffered a forearm strain at the end of his time with the Rangers last season. 
  • Bobby Valentine has turned down some opportunities to serve as an advisor for teams. Valentine has instead decided to focus on expanding his restaurant business, growing his film company, and working for NBC Sports since being fired as manager of the Red Sox.

AL East Notes: Dickerson, Hardy, Orioles, Red Sox

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Here's today's look at the American League East..

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Latest On Red Sox, Mike Napoli

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9:29pm: ESPN's Jim Bowden says (on Twitter) the Red Sox would like to shorten the deal to just one year. GM Ben Cherington told Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe that negotiations continue with Napoli (Twitter link).

4:41pm: The three-year, $39MM agreement between Mike Napoli and the Red Sox has yet to be announced, and before the Red Sox sign off on a contract, they want to restructure the deal to include protective language, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. The Red Sox still seem hopeful that they’ll be able to reach an agreement with the catcher/first baseman, according to reports earlier in the week.

The Red Sox want to add protective language to the deal because they found an issue with one of Napoli’s hips, Rosenthal reports. The Red Sox have included protective language in past deals for players such as J.D. Drew. Before Drew signed his deal, Detroit signed Ivan Rodriguez to a free agent contract that allowed the Tigers to buy the catcher out if he spent a certain amount of time on the disabled list for designated reasons.

Another team has expressed interest in Napoli. However, Rosenthal says no team has made a serious effort to sign him.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Michael Morse Rumors: Friday

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Minutes after news broke that Adam LaRoche had agreed to return to the Nationals on a two-year deal, the speculation about trades involving Michael Morse began. Morse, a free agent next offseason, offers right-handed power at a time that it’s very much in demand. The Nationals don’t have an everyday role for him after signing LaRoche, but many other teams are interested. Here’s the latest on Morse, starting in the American League East…

  • The Yankees called the Nationals about Morse after Washington signed LaRoche, Jack Curry of the YES Network reports (on Twitter). The sides will eventually discuss a deal, but the Nationals weren’t ready to talk trades when the Yankees first called.
  • The Red Sox are one of the teams in contact with the Nationals about Morse, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. Rosenthal suggests Morse could be an alternative to Mike Napoli at first base in Boston. However, the Red Sox would need to part with young talent and possibly a left-handed reliever to obtain Morse. 
  • The Rays have also been linked to Morse, who's drawing interest from several teams.

AL East Notes: Jeter, Morse, Red Sox, Duquette

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The Yankees could have another tricky negotiation with Derek Jeter on the horizon, writes Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York.  Jeter is entering the last guaranteed year of his current deal and he holds a 2014 player option worth $9.5MM ($8MM in base salary plus $1.5MM that Jeter has thus far earned in incentives).  If Jeter comes back from offseason ankle surgery and continues to hit well, the Yankee icon will surely be looking for a longer commitment beyond 2014.  Knowing the Yankees' stance on extensions, however, I'd expect the team to not discuss another deal with Jeter until after the 2014 season, when Jeter will be 40 years old and the Bombers will have a better idea if their captain is worth another multiyear contract.

Here are the latest items from around the AL East…

  • The Yankees have "nothing alive" with the Nationals in regards to a deal for Michael Morse, reports Chad Jennings of the LoHud Yankees blog (Twitter link).  New York was one of several teams interested in Morse, who has been on the trade block since the Nats re-signed Adam LaRoche.
  • In an interview on WEEI radio's Hot Stove Show (partial transcription from WEEI.com's Kirk Minihane), Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said that there is no news about the team and Mike Napoli.  The Sox are continuing to talk with Napoli while also exploring other options at first base.
  • Speaking of those first base options, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that the Red Sox "have explored" signing Casey Kotchman and Nick Johnson and also checked in with the Mariners about a trade for Justin Smoak.
  • The Orioles are looking for pitching depth as they head into Spring Training, executive VP Dan Duquette tells MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli.  Though the O's haven't made any major transactions this winter, Duquette believes his team has improved itself, though he did vaguely mention a few deals that didn't happen.  "We looked around the industry for that middle-of-the-order bat," Duquette said. "There was one free agent that was a significant player. There have been some other players available in a trade that I'm not sure they were better than what we had, and the cost of the acquisition has been a little pricey for us."

Javier Vazquez Rumors: Thursday

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Though he didn't pitch during the 2012 season, veteran right-hander Javier Vazquez has drawn interest from several teams as he toys with the idea of returning to the Major Leagues under the right circumstances.  Here's the latest on some of Vazquez's suitors…

  • The Red Sox have watched each of Vazquez's last two starts in the Puerto Rican Winter League but Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald isn't sure how interested the team is in Vazquez, with one source saying the Sox are "just continuing to scout him" at this point.
  • Beyond the Red Sox and the Nationals, the White Sox also scouted Vazquez's last start, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link).  Vazquez pitched for the Pale Hose from 2006-2008.
  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. tells ESPN's Jayson Stark (Twitter links) that the team has scouted Vazquez but their interest is limited "until we know what his plan is…We're flying at about 5,000 feet, just to see what's going on."
  • Despite all this interest, Vazquez reiterated that he hasn't decided yet if he'll return next season, tweets Rosenthal.  Vazquez's fastball reportedly reached 94 mph during his most recent start.

GM Notes: Cherington, Rizzo, Colletti

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Let's catch up on the latest stories and happenings taking place in front offices from around the league…

  • Red Sox GM Ben Cherington spoke to Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio about the status of free agent Mike Napoli and where the slugger stands with the team. Cherington told Bowden (via Twitter) that Boston is still looking to add offense to the first base position as the club still considers Napoli to be a free agent. He added that the Red Sox will continue to work through the issues of signing Napoli but admits there is no deal at this point (on Twitter).
  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo faces the task of improving a 98-win team this offseason and recently took a break from the action to chat with MLB.com's Bill Ladson on the state of Nationals baseball. Rizzo points to the young, talented players on his roster taking the proverbial "next step" as one of the factors for the team's continued success in 2013.
  • Dodgers GM Ned Colletti's major concern for his roster isn't about adding more pieces but rather making sure players are fully recovered from various injuries before Spring Training starts, writes Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. "We're fine right now if we come into camp, we're in a good spot," Colletti said.
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