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Kyle Lohse Rumors: Tuesday

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Kyle Lohse talked to B.J. Rains for MLBTR yesterday about his displeasure at twice going to arbitration hearings earlier in his career.  Lohse no longer has to worry about the arb process but has faced a different kind of awkwardness this offseason — he is still looking for a new team despite entering the winter as a top-ten ranked free agent.  Here's the latest on the Lohse market, with the newest updates at the top of the page…

  • A baseball executive tells ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine that the 34-year-old Lohse will be fortunate to find a multiyear deal at this point given his age.  Levine passed on this information during a fan chat about the Chicago teams, and he notes that Lohse isn't a fit for the Cubs since the right-hander is "more of a contending team type pitcher right now."
  • The Pirates don't seem to be interested in Lohse, FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi reports (Twitter link).  Morosi feels Lohse would be "a great fit" in Pittsburgh and indeed, Lohse would arguably project as the ace of a Pirates rotation that currently has two starters (Francisco Liriano and Jeff Karstens) dealing with health concerns.  A.J. Burnett, Wandy Rodriguez and James McDonald are the Bucs' top three starters.
  • The Braves have no interest in Lohse, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets.  Julio Teheran is slated to be the Braves' fifth starter, with Brandon Beachy on pace to rejoin the rotation at midseason after undergoing Tommy John surgery last June.

National League Notes: Jones, Cubs, Padres

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Chipper Jones says he's not going to un-retire and return to MLB, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports. "I'm well-adjusted, and there's no going back," Jones said. The Braves will retire his number 10 this June and induct him into their team Hall of Fame. Here are some more links from around the National League…

  • An MRI taken on Matt Garza revealed only a “mild strain,” Cubs GM Jed Hoyer said, according to ESPNChicago.com’s Jesse Rogers. Hoyer explained that Garza is expected to sit for a week or so and miss his first scheduled Spring Training start. The right-hander is on track to hit free agency following the 2013 season.
  • The Dodgers are set to open the season with Hanley Ramirez at shortstop, so Dee Gordon “appears almost certain to start the season in Triple-A Albuquerque,” according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. GM Ned Colletti acknowledged that the Dodgers placed Gordon “in a tough spot last year.” However, manager Don Mattingly described him as someone who “is dynamic and is going to be dynamic.”
  • In an MLB.com video clip, Padres general manager Josh Byrnes discusses San Diego’s approach to long-term contracts, explaining that the risks can be difficult for small-market teams to accept.
  • Byrnes also addressed the team’s payroll, stating that it had “already gone up” and would continue to do so. “Our ownership said, hey, if the right deal came up, whether it’s now or in-season, then bring it to us and [if it] makes short-term, long-term sense, we’ll do it.”
  • MLBTR checked in on the NL Central and the NL West earlier today.

Jeff Todd contributed to this post.

Alfonso Soriano Would Consider Trades

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Alfonso Soriano insists that his top priority hasn’t changed since signing a $136MM contract with the Cubs following the 2006 season. He said he still aims to win a World Series, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. But trade rumors involving Soriano persist, and the left fielder doesn’t want to be a part of a losing team.

"If we have a bad start, I have to think about moving somewhere else," he said.

Soriano said he has given the Cubs about six or seven teams to which he’d consider trades. The list includes the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Phillies and White Sox, according to the Sun-Times. Soriano, whose contract includes a full-no trade clause, has maintained an open dialogue with Cubs executives about the possibility of a trade.

"I don’t control that situation," Soriano said. “I’m just going day-by-day and see what happens and try to focus on my spring training to get ready for my season."

The 37-year-old has two years and $36MM remaining on his contract with the Cubs. He posted a .262/.322/.499 batting line with 32 home runs in 2012.

Pirates Notes: Walker, Grilli

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Earlier today the Pirates extended manager Clint Hurdle through the 2014 season. Hurdle's contract contains an option for the 2015 season as well. Here's more news on the Buccos for your Monday reading pleasure…

  • Neil Walker could be the next Pirate in line for a contract extension, writes Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Pirates president Frank Coonelly said an extension for Walker was "absolutely" a possibility and called the second baseman part of the team's core going forward.
  • Despite Coonelly's comments, Walker told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that he's not aware of any recent conversations between his agent and the Pirates about a long-term deal (Twitter link). Walker is client of Hendricks Sports, as shown in MLBTR's Agency Database.
  • More from Morosi, who tweets that Jason Grilli's final contract decision came down to the Pirates, Blue Jays and Cubs. All three teams offered similar deals, but Grilli elected to return to Pittsburgh on a two-year, $6.75MM contract.

Central Notes: Cubs, Brewers, Gamel, Chapman, Reds

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A look at the Central divisions..

  • There are six or seven teams in the eastern or central divisions to which Alfonso Soriano would accept a trade, writes Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com. The long-time Cubs outfielder made it clear last summer that he would not have accepted a potential trade to the Giants. Soriano told reporters that the Cubs know which teams he'd prefer, but stated multiple times that his first priority is to win in Chicago.
  • Brewers manager Ron Roenicke announced today that Mat Gamel, who was sidelined for the final five months of the 2012 season with a torn ACL, will miss all of the 2013 season, writes Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.  The Brewers were already thin at first base thanks to Corey Hart's injury.  They plan to cover with in-house options, but GM Doug Melvin will look for outside options as well.  McCalvy suggests (on Twitter) that they could consider the recently DFA'd Mike Carp and Daric Barton of the A's.
  • Craig Fehrman of Cincinnati Magazine profiled Aroldis Chapman and the journey that brought the left-hander to the Reds.  The piece includes Chapman's daring move to defect from Cuba and the unique events that led him to changing representation while auditioning for teams.
  • The Twins are not among the clubs that have expressed interest in Mark Prior, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter).  Prior is working on strengthening his shoulder in an attempt to hook on with a team in spring training.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

Diamondbacks Acquire Tony Campana

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The Cubs announced that they have traded outfielder Tony Campana to the Diamondbacks in exchange for minor league right-handed pitchers Erick Leal and Jesus Castillo.  The Cubs designated Campana for assignment last week to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Scott Hairston.

Campana, 26, finished 2012 with a slash line of .264/.308/.299 in 192 plate appearances.  The speedster also racked up 30 stolen bases last season, good for ninth in the National League.  The Diamondbacks are already more than set in the outfield, so its not clear what kind of role they have in mind for Campana.

Venezuelans Leal and Castillo are both just 17-years-old and spent time with the D'Backs Dominical Summer League affiliate in 2012.  Leal posted a 2.44 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9 in 12 starts and two relief appearances.  Meanwhile, Castillo had a 5.40 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in eight starts and six games out of the bullpen.

Cubs Notes: Garza, Ricketts, DeRosa

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Cubs right-hander Matt Garza, ranked ninth on MLBTR's 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings and one of the prime trade targets last summer until he hurt his elbow, faced live hitters for the first time since his injury. Garza "looked good" (MLB.com's Carrie Muskat on Twitter) and "was throwing strong" (Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune via Twitter) before cutting his session short walking off the field with a trainer while holding his left side. Manager Dale Sveum calls the injury a mild lat strain and says Garza will be fine, Sullivan tweets. Here's the other news coming out of Mesa today, as the Cubs held their first full-squad workout:

  • Owner Tom Ricketts told reporters, including ESPNChicago.com's Bruce Levine, he has been impressed by the job done by President Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer. "I think the progress is tremendous," Ricketts said. "People can't see all the decisions that are made behind the scenes. I see these guys making hundreds of smart decisions during the course of the year. Some of them are public decisions, and a lot of them are smaller decisions made behind the scenes. I just have complete total confidence that they are moving us in the right direction." 
  • Ricketts also addressed the reduction in payroll during his tenure, reports David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com. "The previous payroll model from the Tribune Company ownership was unsustainable in the current context which is why we are working to reach a deal on renovating the ballpark that will allow us to increase our revenue streams for the organization." 
  • The Cubs contacted Mark DeRosa about replacing Bob Brenly in their broadcast booth, tweets the USA Today's Bob Nightengale. DeRosa, who played two seasons on the North Side (2007-2008), instead chose to sign with the Blue Jays last month while the Cubs hired Jim Deshaies as their new TV analyst. 

Cafardo On Arroyo, Wang, Perez, Dodgers, Oswalt

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The Rays shed about $28MM of payroll this winter between B.J. Upton, James Shields, Carlos Pena, Jeff Keppinger, J.P. Howell, and Wade Davis, but that's no problem for the confident organization, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  While the team will look different in several areas this season, they'll still have their typically strong pitching.  The first four of the rotation are set with David Price, Jeremy Hellickson, Matt Moore, Alex Cobb with a competition between four strong candidates for the No. 5 spot.  Here's more from today's column..

  • Bronson Arroyo has been a consistent pitcher for the Reds, but the feeling from most people and the pitcher himself is that this could be his last year in Cincinnati.  One major league source says the Cubs would be a perfect fit as a strong veteran presence in their rebuilding effort. 
  • Agent Alan Nero said he has taken Chien-Ming Wang off the market until he pitches for Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic.  If he pitches well, the veteran should have a healthy market for a team in need of depth.  The Yankees are keeping tabs on Wang despite already having six starters in the fold.
  • While there’s more focus on where Alfonso Soriano might be dealt, David DeJesus could also be a nice midseason chip for the Cubs.  The outfielder would be a solid fit for a few teams, including the Phillies, Orioles, and Red Sox. 
  • It looks like the Indians will hold on to Chris Perez for now, but the Dodgers had serious interest in him not too long ago.  If Tribe gets off to a slow start, L.A's interest could be something to keep in mind.
  • The Red Sox have discussed first baseman/outfielder Mike Carp, who was designated for assignment last week by the Mariners, as a backup.  There may not be room, however, as they are committed to Lyle Overbay.  Overbay has asked the Red Sox if he could play some outfield as well this season.
  • Roy Oswalt still hasn't officially retired and he could be leaving the door open to join a club during the season.  Recently, we learned that the Mets tried to sell Oswalt on becoming their closer in 2013, but the veteran isn't interested in the bullpen.
  • Teams will pay attention to out-of-options Red Sox reliever Clayton Mortensen in spring training. The 27-year-old looks to be the odd man out the way the Sox bullpen could be configured.

Central Notes: Inge, Porcello, Tigers, Stewart

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The Pirates inked Brandon Inge to a minor league deal with an invite to big league camp earlier this week.  The third baseman obviously hopes to make the varsity squad but if it doesn't happen by late march, his contract includes an opt-out clause that will allow him to try elsewhere, tweets Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Post-Tribune.  Here's more out of the Central divisions..

  • There's been quite a bit of trade talk surrounding Rick Porcello this offseason but the pitcher says that he's not letting the speculation bother him, writes John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press.  Some believe that Porcello could be slotted in the bullpen if Drew Smyly beats him out for the fifth rotation spot, but he's not open to that possibility.  "I believe that I'm an established starter, and I believe that I belong in the starting rotation, and that's what I'm thinking about. I'm preparing to start for the Detroit Tigers. I'm not even considering the bullpen as an option," said Porcello.
  • Torii Hunter is on board with the projections that have the reloaded Tigers pegged as the best team in the AL Central despite the upgrades made by Indians and others, writes James Schmehl of the MLive.com.
  • Ian Stewart is ready to reestablish himself after a broken bone in his wrist hampered his play across the last two years, writes Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.  The Cubs non-tendered Stewart this offseason before signing him to a non-guaranteed deal.

Quick Hits: Heyward, Marmol, Arroyo, Lohse

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For that special baseball fan in your life, Valentine's Day means dressing up in an Expos throwback jersey and a fake mustache and glasses before hitting the town.  Here's the latest from around the majors as Spring Training is almost in full swing…

  • The Braves haven't talked to Jason Heyward about a long-term extension, MLB.com's Mark Bowman reports.  Heyward was arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter and agreed to a one-year, $3.65MM deal for 2013.  Heyward is under team control through the 2015 season.  Bowman thinks the Braves could also talk to Craig Kimbrel and Freddie Freeman about multiyear deals before the season begins.
  • Also from Bowman's story, Braves CEO and chairman Terry McGuirk said the organization is willing to spend to keep the team in contention for years to come.  "Money is not going to stand between us and getting it done at this point because we are that close," McGuirk said.  "I'm talking about [the] long term and short term. I'm talking about talent that is here and talent that isn't here."
  • Carlos Marmol said he "was a little sad" when the Cubs tried to deal him to the Angels earlier this offseason, ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine writes.  Marmol's contract expires after this season and the reliever said he wants to stay with the Cubs.  Levine speculates that the Angels could revisit a Marmol deal since Ryan Madson will likely start the year on the disabled list.
  • Bronson Arroyo is entering the final year of his Reds contract and the veteran realizes it could be his last year in Cincinnati, MLB.com's Mark Sheldon reports.  "When you have a team as we do, where everyone is coming into their own kind of at the same time, and add the fact we have a couple of monster deals already in place, it's going to be tough for me to stick around here if I have [a] successful season," Arroyo said.
  • Given the time Reds GM Walt Jocketty is spending on Homer Bailey's contract, John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer figures Bailey could be in line for a multiyear deal.  The Reds have already signed two other arbitration-eligible pitchers (Mat Latos and Logan Ondrusek) to two-year extensions this offseason.  Bailey is in his second year of arb eligibility.
  • Kyle Lohse's landing spot is debated by Jeff Sullivan and Dave Cameron of Fangraphs.  Lohse is expected to find a contact soon, though a number of teams linked to the right-hander are seemingly distancing themselves.  Sullivan and Cameron suggest the Rangers, Mariners, Padres and Indians could all be fits for Lohse and the two weigh the costs of Lohse's projected value against the value of the draft pick that most teams would have to give up to sign him.
  • Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch lists John Mozeliak's 10 best moves as Cardinals general manager.  Mozeliak signed a new extension with the Cards today that will keep him with the team through the 2016 season.
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