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Rays Claim Pedro Figueroa Off Waivers From Athletics

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The Rays have claimed lefty Pedro Figueroa off of release waivers from the Athletics, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The 28-year-old reliever had spent his entire career in the Oakland organization.

Figueroa spent most of the last two seasons throwing at Triple-A, where he compiled a 2.62 ERA in 44 2/3 innings in 2012. That earned him a shot at 19 big league appearances, over which he managed a 3.32 ERA. But Figueroa saw his ERA rise to a 4.10 mark in 59 1/3 innings last year in the upper minors and was bombed in just five MLB outings. The native Dominican suffered a spike in walks (from 3.6 BB/9 to 5.0 BB/9) and became easier to hit (7.1 H/9 against 8.6 H/9) across his two Triple-A campaigns.

Poll: When Will David Price Be Traded?

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At the outset of the offseason, it seemed highly likely that the Rays would deal ace David Price. Presumably, Tampa hoped to bring in the kind of haul that James Shields commanded last year. (That trade brought back a return that included AL ROY Wil Myers and top prospect Jake Odorizzi.) As with Shields at the time he was dealt, Price comes with two more years of team control, making now a seemingly opportune moment to maximize his return.

But the market for Price has apparently been slow to develop. Last we've heard, the club may be considering holding onto the 2012 AL Cy Young winner, at least to start the season. Though a trade may still be the most likely result, its timing is now in question. Indeed, there have not been any recent reports of traction in talks.

So, MLBTR readers: when do you think Price will finally be dealt — if at all?

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Tanaka, Yankees, Orioles

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The Red Sox are pretty much the only big market team not heavily connected to Masahiro Tanaka, but a case could be made that they should be involved, writes John Tomase of the Boston Herald.  Boston already has six starters under contract with a rich minor league system that could deliver three or four more in the next two years and they're right against the $189MM tax threshold, but the 25-year-old is a special talent.  More out of the AL East..

  • For the Yankees rotation to go from a concern to a strength, the Bombers will need a lot to go right, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  Sherman says the Yanks have to sign Tanaka, have Manuel Banuelos and Michael Pineda return to health and a high-level form, and see Ivan Nova be the pitcher he was upon returning full-time to the rotation last July.
  • Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com looks at the Orioles roster and finds that surprisingly few players were signed as major league free agents.
  • The Rays are excited about the defensive play that new catcher Ryan Hanigan will bring, writes Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times.  Tampa Bay acquired the backstop from the Reds earlier this month in a three-team deal and promptly gave him a contract extension.

Sam Fuld Weighing Offers From Five Teams

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Free agent outfielder Sam Fuld is currently weighing offers from five different clubs, a source told MLBTR's Zach Links. Each offer is a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. While some teams have been ruled out, a return to the Rays hasn't been ruled out. Fuld is trying to decide which team will present him with the best opportunity to win a roster spot this spring.

Fuld, who turned 32 in November, batted .199/.270/.267 with a pair of homers and eight stolen bases in 200 plate appearances with the Rays in 2013. Originally acquired from the Cubs in the Matt Garza trade, Fuld has consistently put up strong defensive marks in the corner outfield spots and is also capable of playing center field.

Rays Release Leslie Anderson

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The Rays have released first baseman Leslie Anderson so that he can pursue an opportunity to play in Asia, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link).

Tampa Bay signed Anderson after he defected from Cuba prior to the 2010 season, giving him a four-year deal worth $3.75MM. Anderson's bat never fully took off in the minor leagues, however, and he found himself designated for assignment prior to the 2011 campaign. In 1599 plate appearances at the Triple-A level, the now-31-year-old Anderson owns a .295/.348/.439 batting line.

Rays Sign Jordan Norberto To Minor League Deal

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Left-hander Jordan Norberto has signed with the Rays, the pitcher announced on Twitter (Spanish link). Norberto, 27, is a client of Praver/Shapiro.

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle spoke with Norberto, who confirmed to her that he has signed a minor league contract and still has to serve his Biogenesis suspension. He also still has a grievance filed against the A's for sending him to the minors before he was injured, but he still appreciates the A's for how well they treated him overall (All Twitter links). Slusser goes on to note that Norberto won't be in camp with the Rays during Spring Training but will report directly to the minors with the Rays as soon as he is able to do so.

Norberto had Tommy John surger this past June and didn't pitch in the Majors in 2013. He was a key member of the Athletics' 2012 bullpen, however, pitching to a 2.77 ERA with 8.0 K/9, 3.8 BB/9 and a 45.7 percent ground-ball rate in 52 innings of relief for the AL West Champs.

Rays Claim Jerry Sands

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The Rays have claimed first baseman Jerry Sands off waivers from the Pirates, according to Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune (on Twitter). Sands was designated for assignment 10 days ago, along with right-hander Ryan Reid, in order to clear room on the Bucs' 40-man roster for Clint Barmes and Edinson Volquez. Reid was claimed by the Mets earlier this afternoon.

Sands, who turned 26 at the end of the season, batted just .207/.311/.329 with seven home runs in 106 games (397 PAs) at the Triple-A level this season. Formerly with the Dodgers, Sands was one of the players in the Adrian Gonzalez/Carl Crawford/Josh Beckett blockbuster of August 2012. The Red Sox included him in another notable trade last offseason, as he was one of the pieces acquired by Pittsburgh in the ill-fated (for Boston) trade that sent Mark Melancon to Pittsburgh and Joel Hanrahan to Boston.

In his minor league career, Sands is a .276/.366/.526 hitter with 128 homers in 2433 plate appearances. He'll provide the Rays with some depth at first base, though GM Andrew Friedman hopes to have that position solidified for the next three seasons now that he's inked James Loney to a $21MM pact.

Cafardo On Papelbon, Youkilis, Overbay, Drew

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In today's Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo makes the case for Braves pitcher Tom Glavine to earn induction into the Hall of Fame.  For his part, Glavine said he would be thrilled to go in with Greg Maddux and Bobby Cox. “Bobby Cox had the biggest influence in my career and probably the second- or third-biggest influence in my life,” Glavine said. “Greg was a dear friend, and just being around him made me better. I learned so much. We talked so much about pitching and situations, and hitters. I couldn’t have asked for a better teammate and influence on my career. To have three of us together like that would be incredible, and Smoltzy next year.”  More from today's column..

  • One of the reasons the Phillies haven’t been able to find a buyer for Jonathan Papelbon is his drop in velocity.  Papelbon, who was regularly 95-96 in his Red Sox days, fell to 91-92 and sometimes less last season. “That was a red flag for me,” said an AL scout. “He didn’t look like the same guy. Whether that was physical or he just didn’t have the adrenaline flowing with a bad team, I don’t know.”
  • Kevin Youkilis' one-year deal could be worth up to $5MM and is apparently more than he could have received anywhere in MLB.  The Yankees had some interest, but at a lower price. The Indians, Giants, and Rays also had interest at one time. Back problems limited Youkilis to 28 games last season with the Yankees, and he simply couldn’t convince the masses he was healthy. 
  • Lyle Overbay's market is lukewarm right now and he'll likely be a January tack-on for someone. Cafardo predicts he'll wind up as a backup or a low-cost option for a team such as the Orioles or Indians.
  • The Mets and agent Scott Boras have discussed parameters but no firm numbers for Stephen Drew and right now, it looks like GM Sandy Alderson is sticking with Ruben Tejada. There’s always the Yankees, but Drew has never played anywhere but shortstop and Derek Jeter doesn’t appear to be moving to another position.  The road, for now, is still leading back to the Red Sox.
  • Agent Scott Boras scoffs at the notion that the market for Kendrys Morales has dried up due to the draft pick compensation issue.  Cafardo says that at some point a team such as the Orioles may give it up to have a superb hitter in the middle of their order and cautions to never underestimate Boras.  
  • Mark Mulder is looking for a minor league deal with incentives if he makes the major league club. He's worked out for the Giants, Padres, Diamondbacks, Angels, and Phillies over two sessions and the second session he improved his velocity from 88 to 92 mph.  The Red Sox have inquired on Mulder, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2008, but probably won’t pursue him.  Back in late November, Giants GM Brian Sabean indicated that he wouldn't be in on Mulder since he's seeking a big league deal.
  • Even with the Yankees' declaration that Brett Gardner won’t be traded, they would listen to the right deal.
  • It's a big surprise that agent Scott Boras couldn’t get Tigers owner Mike Ilitch to outbid the Rangers for Shin-Soo Choo since they have a need for a leadoff hitter. The Tigers are apparently continuing to commit to Austin Jackson at the top of the order and hope his game smooths out.
  • The Rays and Cubs want at least three very good players for David Price and Jeff Samardzija, respectively, whether they're major league-ready or top prospects. 

East Notes: Price, O’s, Balfour, Braves, Marlins

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In an article with the latest on the David Price situation, the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin dismisses reports that the Rays are motivated to move the Cy Young winner by Dec. 31 to avoid having to pay $4MM in deferred money. "The payment isn't due until Oct. 1, and it is the Rays' obligation, so really a nonfactor, as including it would be the same as asking for cash in a deal and subject to MLB approval," Topkin writes. While the Mariners are often named as a likely suitor for Price, they "seem to talk more about what prospects they don't want to trade." Here's more from the AL and NL East:

  • The Orioles could fill their closer and second base vacancies from within, writes Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Fans have been frustrated by the club's quiet offseason thus far, but the O's seem likely to pluck their next second baseman from what they already have, and they won't spend lavishly on another ninth-inning option if Fernando Rodney doesn't drop his price.
  • The Orioles' nullified deal with Grant Balfour could conceivably have ramifications for Baltimore, Kubatko writes.  It's possible that the reliever could decide to file a grievance with the Players' Association or that some free agents down the road may be leery of agreeing to terms with the club.
  • The Yankees could be back in on Balfour, along with the Tigers, Rockies, and Angels, writes Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.  Earlier this week we heard that the Rays are also in the mix.
  • The Braves won't force the issue in their search of bullpen depth, writes MLB.com's Mark Bowman.
  • The Marlins, meanwhile, are after a veteran presence to add to their pen, writes Joe Frisaro of MLB.com.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AL Notes: Youkilis, Angels, Gimenez

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Kevin Youkilis wanted to avoid travel and play for a West Coast MLB team, so it was a surprise to see him agree to terms with Rakuten in Japan. WEEI.com's Alex Speier writes that the Indians, Yankees and Rays were interested in Youkilis, but that Youkilis preferred retiring to flying all the way to the eastern part of the US. When the opportunity to play in Japan arose, however, Youkilis' wife and seven-year-old daughter were excited about the chance to there for a year. Youkilis says he plans to spend a year there, then decide whether he wants to continue his career (all Twitter links). Here are more notes from around the American League.

  • Despite an "uninspiring" offseason, the Angels could be dramatically better in 2014, Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs writes. The team isn't particularly well positioned for the long term, but Mike Trout gives them a huge edge, and their WAR expectation in 2013 was significantly better than their actual record. Their moves this offseason — primarily trading Mark Trumbo to the Diamondbacks and Peter Bourjos to the Cardinals — haven't done much to help them, at least not in the short term. But the Angels should be much better than they were in 2013, Sullivan suggests, especially if they happen to add Masahiro Tanaka.
  • The reason the Rays placed catcher Chris Gimenez on waivers was that they thought he would not make the big-league team and so they wanted to sneak him through, the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin tweets. The move was not made with any further roster shuffling in mind. The Athletics claimed Gimenez earlier today.
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