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NL Notes: Cubs, Bailey, Rolen, Braves, Nats Bullpen

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Thirty-one years ago today, the Cubs and Phillies swapped shortstops with Ivan DeJesus heading to Philadelphia and Larry Bowa going to Chicago. The Cubs also acquired a 22-year-old prospect by the name of Ryne Sandberg. This prospect managed to be named the 1984 National League MVP, played 16 years, finished with a career slash line of .285/.344/.452, and was enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005. Let's take a look at the news and notes involving the Cubs and the rest of the Senior Circuit:

  • Cubs GM Jed Hoyer told Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette on SiriusXM's MLB Network Radio "never say never…but likely this is the team we go to Spring Training with," Bowden tweeted.
  • Regarding Matt Garza, Hoyer told Bowden and Duquette the focus is to get him healthy and into the Cubs' rotation; but, that could change since Garza will become a free agent after the 2013 season and the team needs to collect talent (Twitter link).
  • Homer Bailey says "nothing has been mentioned at all" about a long-term contract with the Reds, but "it would be something to consider," reports Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. The arbitration eligible right-hander says the arb process has been slower this year because of the Reds' large arbitration class, but "it will all work itself out." You can follow all arbitration cases by using the MLBTR Arbitration Tracker. 
  • Dodgers manager Don Mattingly has reached out to Scott Rolen to express the team's interest in him, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. Mattingly said he spoke to Rolen about what the Dodgers envision his role would be, but did not ask Rolen specifically about his decision making or timing. The Dodgers see the 37-year-old as insurance if Luis Cruz fails at third base, as well as a potential right-handed-hitting backup to Adrian Gonzalez at first base.
  • Braves GM Frank Wren sat down for an interview with Bill Shanks of the Macon Telegraph and spoke in great detail about the Justin Upton trade, the financial flexibility the deal gives the Braves, and whether future payrolls will be increased from the current $98MM.
  • Nationals relievers Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard were both surprised by the signing of Rafael Soriano, but believe he makes the team better, writes Amanda Comak of the Washington Times. GM Mike Rizzo met with Storen and Clippard this weekend to reassure them that acquiring Soriano was not a reflection on their abilities, Comak added. 

NL Central Links: Kaepernick, Cubs, Rolen, Brewers

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Colin Kaepernick is on the verge of a Super Bowl championship with the 49ers but he could've been a Chicago Cub after being drafted in the 43rd round of the 2009 amateur draft.  ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine has the story of how the Cubs took a flyer on Kaepernick, who reportedly had a 90-mph fastball as a right-handed pitching prospect. 

Here's the latest from the Cubs and elsewhere around the NL Central…

  • Theo Epstein feels his team has a greater need for young pitching than it does for position player prospects but that doesn't necessarily mean Chicago will choose a young arm with the second overall pick in June's amateur draft, the Cubs president told media (including CSNChicago.com's Patrick Mooney). "It’s interesting because in the history of the draft, the best bets up top are position players because of the uncertainty and the attrition and injury risk of pitchers," Epstein said.  "So those are pretty real trends over time. We’re going to take the best player available." 
  • The Reds hope to hear from Scott Rolen this week about the third baseman's playing future, GM Walt Jocketty told media (including Tom Groeschen of the Cincinnati Enquirer).  Rolen has been mulling retirement but has said that the Reds are his first choice if he does continue playing.
  • The Brewers have an internal budget of around $85MM for 2013, a significant drop from the team's record $101MM payroll from 2012, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes.  The drop has been attributed to management's desire to retain flexibility for future moves and an unwillingness to spend on what the Brewers felt was an overinflated pitching market.  Haudricourt hears from a source that the Brewers "lost several million dollars" in 2012.
  • With so many other NL teams making big moves this winter, Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wonders if the Cardinals will be able to stay in contention after a relatively quiet offseason.

Quick Hits: Heyward, Rolen, Logan, Porcello

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It's time for players such as Buster Posey, Mike Trout and Jason Heyward to get long-term contract extensions, Jim Bowden writes at ESPN.com. Many players, perhaps even some of those on Bowden's list, will sign extensions in the coming months, and MLBTR's Extension Tracker will document all of the deals. In the meantime, here are today’s links…

  • Though Scott Rolen hasn't made a final decision about whether to play in 2013, he has told people that the Reds would be his top choice if he does return, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports (Twitter link).
  • CAA now represents reliever Boone Logan, MLBTR has confirmed. The Yankees recently avoided arbitration with the left-hander, agreeing to a one-year, $3.15MM deal for 2013. Be sure to rely on MLBTR’s Agency Database for all agency-related queries.
  • The Tigers don’t appear to be close to trading Rick Porcello, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter links). Knobler adds that there’s no real pressure to move Porcello in the immediate future despite Detroit’s starting pitching depth. The Tigers have also been calling around trying to move Brennan Boesch, Knobler reports.

Reds Sign Armando Galarraga

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The Reds have signed free agent right-hander Armando Galarraga to a minor league contract, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). SFX represents Galarraga, who turned 31 last week.

Galarraga, who's best known for his near-perfect game in 2010, pitched for the Astros in 2012. He posted a 6.75 ERA with 17 strikeouts and 18 walks in 24 innings for Houston before being removed from the MLB roster in August. He also started ten games at the minor league level, posting a 3.97 ERA in 47 2/3 innings. Galarraga posted a 4.55 ERA in 466 2/3 innings as a member of the Tigers' rotation from 2008-10. 

Reds Sign Jacob Constante

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We’ll track the day’s international signings here…

  • The Reds signed Dominican left-hander Jacob Constante for $730K, Ben Badler of Baseball America reports. The Reds watched Constante pitch in the International Prospect League All-Star Game last week, when he showed good life on a fastball that registered in the 92-94 mph range. Constante turns 19 in March and has a potentially above-average slider, according to Badler. The prospect's signing marks the biggest bonus for the Reds during the 2012-13 international signing period.

NL Notes: Braves, Reds, Pirates, Duda, Chipper

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It was on this date in 1871 the Boston Red Stockings incorporated giving birth to today's Atlanta Braves. Let's take a look at the news from the 21st century Braves and the rest of the National League:

  • The Braves have enough payroll space to add one significant salary and have yet to rule out Michael Bourn or Justin Upton, according to David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. O'Brien adds GM Frank Wren has spoken with Bourn's agent Scott Boras, but they didn't start any negotiations. O'Brien also has been told manager Fredi Gonzalez contacted Bourn within the past few weeks. In regards to Upton, O'Brien sees the Braves and Rangers as the last two teams standing, but neither seems willing to match what the Mariners offered in their failed bid to acquire the outfielder.
  • O'Brien, via Twitter, discounts the suggestion the Braves have yet to acquire Bourn or Upton to save payroll in order to sign Martin Prado to a long-term deal. 
  • It's been nearly a decade since the Reds had to go to an arbitration hearing, but this year could be different, writes MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. "We're hopeful we can get something done," Reds GM Walt Jocketty said of the six players with whom salary figures were exchanged. "Some of the spreads were significant. We'll see how it proceeds the next week or two." The Reds' arbitration class is headlined by Mat Latos, whose case was analyzed by MLBTR's Matt Swartz last week. You can keep track of all of the Reds' arbitration cases with MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker.
  • With the Red Sox still seeking a left-handed hitting first baseman/left fielder, Tom Singer of MLB.com wonders if the Pirates will make another run at Jose Iglesias, as the starting point of a bigger deal involving Garrett Jones (Twitter links).
  • There is still no clear-cut answer as to whether Francisco Liriano will be with the Pirates in 2013, tweets Singer. The Pirates and Liriano agreed to a two-year, $12.75MM contract in December, but the deal was put on hold earlier this month when it was discovered the left-hander injured his right arm.
  • Lucas Duda told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com his surgically repaired right wrist feels great and he has started hitting off a tee. Duda is projected to man left field for the Mets.
  • Chipper Jones was honored at the New York BBWAA dinner last night and confessed to the audience he was starting to get the itch to go back to Spring Training, Rubin reports. "I was on the Braves' web site, just kind of messing around on my computer," said Jones. "I was thinking to myself, 'You know what? I think I'm going to go down and get me a workout in, see how everything feels.' I was down there for about five minutes and I figured I'd go to Hawaii instead."

Arbitration Notes: Motte, Freese, Heisey

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Teams and players submitted corresponding arbitration figures today, and leading up to the noon CDT deadline many players avoided arbitration. This post offers a look at some of the players who avoided arbitration, this post has filing numbers for teams and players and MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker provides the complete breakdown. Now for some additional notes about arbitration eligible players…

  • There’s much more momentum toward a contract between Jason Motte and the Cardinals than there is between the team and David Freese, Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (on Twitter). Marc Rzepczynski, Freese and Motte are St. Louis' three remaining arbitration eligible players, as MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows.
  • Though the Reds discussed a multiyear deal with outfielder Chris Heisey, the sides are more likely to agree on a one-year deal, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports (on Twitter). Heisey has a projected $1.3MM salary as he goes to arbitration for the first time.

Arbitration Filing Numbers

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Many players will avoid arbitration today, and dozens of others exchanged figures with their teams in anticipation of hearings. Most cases won't go to arbitration hearings, but teams such as the Rays, Marlins, Blue Jays and Braves are known for their 'file and trial' policies. For players on those teams this marks the last chance at negotiations before a hearing.

MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker will keep you up to date on every one of the filing numbers from around the game, but here are the highlights — players who filed for $4MM or more. Now for the details…

Reds, Logan Ondrusek Agree To Deal

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The Reds and Logan Ondrusek have agreed to terms on a two-year deal to avoid arbitration, a source tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).  The right-handed reliever is a client of Rich Thompson.

Ondrusek, 28 in February, posted a 3.46 ERA with 6.4 K/9 and 5.1 BB/9 in 63 games last season.  This was the reliever's first time entering the arbitration process and it looks like he won't encounter it again until after the 2014 season.  Ondrusek, who is a Super Two, is eligible for free agency after the 2016 campaign.

The Reds have several arbitration cases left, including Mat Latos.  Earlier this week, Matt Swartz examined Latos' situation.  Swartz's projections had Ondrusek pegged at $900K this winter.

National League Notes: Cardinals, Rolen, Dodgers

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On this day in 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave baseball the go-ahead to play despite World War II. In his famous "Green Light Letter" FDR said‚ "I honestly think it would be best for the country to keep baseball going." He also encouraged more night baseball so that day-shift workers would have the opportunity to attend games.

Here's the latest news and headlines from around the National League…

  • The Cardinals' hope for building a successful middle infield in 2013 will be closely tied to the health of shortstop Rafael Furcal, writes Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com. The 35-year-old veteran suffered a season-ending elbow injury in August.
  • The Reds have yet to hear back from Scott Rolen regarding his plans for the 2013 season, says John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The 37-year-old third baseman posted a .245/.318/.398 batting line in 2012.
  • Count the Dodgers as a potential suitor for Rolen's services as the team looks to strengthen the left side of its infield, writes Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. Rolen has enjoyed success at Dodgers Stadium over the course of his career as he's batted .338 with a .955 OPS.
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