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Yankees, Angels Discussed Vernon Wells

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The Angels have a few too many outfielders after signing Josh Hamilton, though they prefer to trade Kendrys Morales or Vernon Wells rather than Peter Bourjos or Mark Trumbo according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Yankees discussed Wells with Anaheim at the Winter Meetings.

Wells, 34, has hit .222/.258/.409 in 791 plate appearances with the Angels over the last two seasons. He's owed $21MM in each of the next two seasons, and the Halos know they'll have to eat most of that to facilitate a trade. The Yankees are seeking a right-handed bat to complement their all-lefty outfield, though they still have interest in free agent Scott Hairston. Wells has hit .266/.312/.481 against southpaws these last two years.

Rosenthal says the Phillies and Rays are also possible fits for Wells, though the former is ramping up their pursuit of Cody Ross. Wells has a full no-trade clause but would likely waive it for a team offering more playing time.

East Notes: Braves, Trumbo, Yankees, Orioles

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The Braves made an “aggressive” offer for Shin-Soo Choo, but ultimately it was the Reds that snagged him in a three-team deal.  Could Atlanta be in the mix for another slugger?  Here's more on that and other notes out of the Eastern divisions..

  • The Braves have Angels outfielder/first baseman Mark Trumbo on their radar, according to David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (on Twitter).  Earlier today, it was reported that the Halos are very likely to trade either Trumbo or Peter Bourjos for a pitcher.  However, Trumbo appears to be less available than Bourjos.
  • The Yankees luxury tax penalty for 2012 will come in at $18.9MM, according to the Associated Press.  The Bombers have run up a luxury tax bill of $224.2MM over the past ten years, with the fee increasing from $13.9MM last year.  
  • It's possible that the Orioles' relative quiet in the free agent market will become the new norm in the AL East, writes Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com.  Of course, the rival Rays and Blue Jays made major splashes this offseason via trade.

Yankees Designate Josh Spence For Assignment

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The Yankees announced that they designated left-hander Josh Spence for assignment. The move creates 40-man roster space for recently-signed infielder Kevin Youkilis.

The Yankees acquired Spence last month when they claimed him off of waivers from the Padres. The 24-year-old appeared in 11 games for San Diego this past season, posting a 4.35 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 10 1/3 innings. In 40 career innings at the MLB level, Spence has a 3.15 ERA with 9.2 K/9 and 5.4 BB/9. The Padres originally selected him in the ninth round of the 2010 draft.

Yankees Sign Kevin Youkilis

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The Yankees announced that they have signed infielder Kevin Youkilis on a one-year contract.  The Pro Star Management, Inc. client obtains $12MM, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, who first reported the agreement (via Twitter).  Youkilis drew interest from a number of clubs this offseason, including the Indians and newly-minted skipper Terry Francona. 

Youkilis struggled offensively as a member of the embattled 2012 Red Sox, hitting just .233/.315/.377 with four homers across 165 plate appearances.  However, he bounced back after being traded to the White Sox and boosted his slash line to .236/.346/.425 with 15 home runs in 344 plate appearances.

The 33-year-old is expected to see significant time at third base as Alex Rodriguez recovers from surgery on his left hip.  A-Rod will be out until at least May and could even be sidelined until July.  When Rodriguez returns to action, Youkilis could help support him at third while also seeing time at first base and DH.

Cleveland bowed out of the Youkilis chase on Sunday when they inked Mark Reynolds to a one-year contract worth $6MM.  Prior to that, the Tribe reportedly offered Youkilis a two-year deal worth approximately $18MM.  Some also saw the free-spending Dodgers as a possible suitor for Youkilis, but it doesn't appear that they ever jumped into the mix.

Rosenthal notes (via Twitter) that this is another sign that the Yankees appear to be serious about tightening their belt before 2014.  The Bombers are looking to get under $189MM limit by that point and they have inked Youkilis, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Hiroki Kuroda to one-year deals to help accomplish that.

Minor Moves: Slaten, Manzella, Acosta, Gaudin

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Here are the latest minor transactions from around the league…

  • SK Wyverns of the Korean Baseball Organization announced the signing of left-handed reliever Doug Slaten.  Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net (Twitter link) first reported the deal earlier this week.  Slaten has a 3.52 ERA in 216 games for the Diamondbacks, Nationals and Pirates since 2006, including a 2.16 ERA in 10 games with the Bucs in 2012.
  • The Rockies have signed shortstop Tommy Manzella to a minor league deal with a Spring Training invitation, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Manzella last appeared in the majors in 2010 with the Astros and has bounced around the minors with four different organizations over the last two seasons.
  • Right-hander Manny Acosta has signed a one-year, $1.65MM contract with the Yomiuri Giants, according to Gene Mato, Acosta's agent (Twitter link).  The deal could be worth another $500K in bonuses.  Acosta, 31, was non-tendered by the Mets following a season that saw him post a 6.46 ERA over relief appearances.
  • The Giants have agreed to a minor league deal with right-hander Chad Gaudin, reports Janie McCauley of the Associated Press (via Twitter).  Gaudin posted a 4.54 ERA in 46 relief appearances for the Marlins last season.
  • The Yankees have signed catcher Bobby Wilson to a minor league deal that contains a Spring Training invite, reports ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter link).  Wilson hit .211/.277/.292 batting line in 201 plate appearances with the Angels last season and was both claimed on waivers and non-tendered by the Blue Jays earlier this offseason.
  • The Yankees have also signed infielder Gil Velazquez to a minor league deal, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter).  The 33-year-old Velazquez received 57 PAs with the Marlins last year and also has Major League exerperience with the Angels and Red Sox.
  • The Cardinals have signed 18-year-old Dominican right-hander Alex Reyes to a contract worth $950K, reports MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez (via Twitter).
  • The Nationals signed 16-year-old Dominican third baseman Neivy Pilier to a $225K deal, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America.
  • The Nationals signed infielder Brian Bocock to a minor league contract, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson (Twitter link).  Bocock last played in the majors in 2010 and has spent the last two seasons playing in the Phillies, Pirates and Blue Jays organizations.
  • The Padres acquired left-hander Chris Rearick from the Rays in exchange for infielder Vince Belnome, reports MLB.com's Corey Brock (via Twitter).
  • The Phillies have announced the signings of Andres Blanco, Josh Fields, Cesar Jimenez, Steven Lerud, Michael Martinez, Zach Miner, Jermaine Mitchell, Pete Orr and Humberto Quintero to minor league contracts with invitations to Spring Training.

Quick Hits: Rangers, Youkilis, Swisher

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The latest links from around MLB on a day Josh Hamilton obtained a $125MM deal from the Angels…

  • The Rangers haven’t pushed hard for free agent first baseman Adam LaRoche, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports (on Twitter). It appears that they’ll look at other options following the departure of Hamilton. However, Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com reports that LaRoche's name came up today and that Texas might be willing to offer three years (Twitter link).
  • The Rangers would like to add a pitcher, and are looking at mid-rotation starters, including Edwin Jackson, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports.
  • Managers Robin Ventura and Bobby Valentine reflected on Kevin Youkilis' 2012 season with Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Also within the piece, Sherman shows that the Giants won the 2012 World Series without spending more than $1.25MM on a free agent during the winter of 2011-12. Yes, Ryan Theriot was San Francisco's most expensive free agent signing a year ago.
  • Multiple teams continue pursuing Nick Swisher, but the free agent outfielder is “not even close” to making a decision, Scott Miller of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). At least three clubs are in the mix and a fourth may be involved. The Indians appear to be pursuing Swisher aggressively, and the Red Sox, Phillies, Mariners, Rangers, and Orioles have also been linked to him.

ESPN On Ichiro, Indians, Adams

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Here are some rumors from ESPN.com's baseball writers, starting with a note from Buster Olney (all links go to Twitter)…

Quick Hits: Wright, Red Sox, Dodgers, DeRosa

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On today’s edition of the Rosters & Rumblings podcast, Jason Martinez of MLB Depth Charts and I discussed the Indians–Reds–Diamondbacks trade, the Yankees’ recent signings and the latest rumors. Click here to listen in and continue reading for some notes from around MLB…

  • The Mets will pay David Wright $3.1MM annually from 2021-2025 as part of the deferred payments from his new contract extension, reports Adam Rubin of ESPN New York. The money is deferred without interest.
  • The Red Sox will pay the Dodgers a total of $11.7MM over the next three years as the cash component of their August blockbuster trade according to the AP (via ESPN). Boston will make identical payments of $3.9MM in 2013, 2014, and 2015.
  • Utility man Mark DeRosa told ESPN's Jim Bowden that his first choice is to re-sign with the Nationals (Twitter link). The 37-year-old free agent has hit .220/.309/.269 in 302 plate appearances while battling injuries over the last three seasons.

Earlier Updates:

  • Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports argues that the Yankees' strategy of slightly overpaying for free agents on one-year deals hasn't resulted in an improved team this offseason. Morosi wonders why GM Brian Cashman hasn't obtained a power bat for the outfield such as Justin Upton, Jason Kubel or Michael Morse.
  • We're seeing more teams prey on the desperation of others in trades now that Wild Card berths seem so attainable, Yahoo's Jeff Passan writes.
  • A rival executive expects the Rangers could obtain Upton from Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers if they are willing to part with Elvis Andrus, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). “I don't think KT will do it for less," the person said. Towers has said it’s “highly unlikely" that he moves Upton.
  • Shaun Marcum said on MLB Network Radio that he's open to re-signing with the Brewers, Jim Bowden reports (on Twitter). The Twins, Royals, Padres and Cubs have been linked to the right-hander in the past month or so.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Mets Remain In The Mix For Scott Hairston

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Scott Hairston is one of the few right-handed power outfield bats left on the free agent market, and he told Adam Rubin of ESPN New York that the Mets remain in the mix to re-sign him. It will take a multiyear contract, however.

"Things are starting to pick up now that the market is settling in," said Hairston. "Still unsure where I'll sign, though. There are a lot of trades happening around the league, so it's possible that interest may rise in the next few days. My agent has been in contact with [Mets GM Sandy Alderson], so he is aware I want a multiyear deal."

Rubin says the Yankees, Phillies, Giants, and Cardinals also have interest in Hairston. The 32-year-old hit .263/.299/.504 with 20 homers in 398 plate appearances for the Mets this season, including a .286/.317/.550 line in 199 plate appearances against left-handers. Jonny Gomes signed a two-year, $10MM contract with the Red Sox last month, setting the market for righty outfield mashers.

R.A. Dickey Rumors: Wednesday

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The extension and trade talks continue for the Mets and R.A. Dickey. The Mets recently increased their offer to the two-year, $20MM range on top of Dickey's 2013 salary of $5MM. Previously the team had been offering a total of approximately $16MM for the 2014-15 seasons, but Dickey still seeks $26MM for that two-year period. Meanwhile, at least a couple of teams have offered an elite prospect for the 38-year-old. Here’s the latest…

  • The Red Sox aren't pursuing Dickey for now, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). They won't pursue Dickey until they know if they can sign Ryan Dempster, a serious target for Boston. 

Earlier updates:

  • The Mets aren't expecting anything to happen with the Dodgers and Dickey, Martino reports (on Twitter). There doesn't appear to be a fit, as the Mets didn't like Zach Lee and Dee Gordon as a potential return.
  • Mets GM Sandy Alderson won't allow drama or emotion to determine the outcome of the Dickey situation, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News writes (Twitter links). The Mets say there's been more trade interest in Dickey since Zack Greinke signed and James Shields was traded.
  • Dickey spoke up about his extension talks at a Mets holiday function and the organization was "not happy" about it, Joel Sherman and Mike Puma of the New York Post report. There's an "underlying tension between team and player," the Post writers explain. Dickey, the 2012 NL Cy Young winner, continues to draw trade interest. The Rangers have inquired, and so has every AL East team. The Mets want a high-end prospect and at least one other very good prospect, but they'd consider providing the acquiring team with a window for negotiating an extension. 
  • Though the Mets are low-balling Dickey, they should use the leverage they have, Sherman writes. They know Dickey wants security and they know other teams seek top-of-the-rotation starters, so they're not about to compromise. The Mets have some concerns about the knuckleballer both on and off of the field.
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