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Indians In “Aggressive Pursuit” Of Nick Swisher

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The Indians are in "aggressive pursuit" of Nick Swisher in the wake of the Shin-Soo Choo trade, reports ESPN's Jim Bowden (Twitter links). Mark Feinsand of The New York Daily News says the Red Sox, Phillies, Mariners, Rangers, and Orioles have interest in the free agent switch-hitter as well.

Swisher, 32, hit .272/.364/.473 with 24 homers for the Yankees this season. It was his seventh consecutive season of 145+ games played and 22+ homers, one of only three big leaguers who can make that claim. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes ranked Swisher as the sixth best free agent available this offseason, predicting he would sign with Baltimore.

NL East Notes: Braves, Nationals, Phillies

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Here are the latest links from the NL East…

  • The Braves made an “aggressive” offer for Shin-Soo Choo before the Reds acquired him, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). The Mariners were also involved, but their offer wasn’t as strong.
  • Nationals manager Davey Johnson said he has received “positive signs” from GM Mike Rizzo that Washington will re-sign free agent first baseman Adam LaRoche before Christmas, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports (on Twitter).
  • The Phillies and Brewers were in on Sean Burnett before he signed with the Angels, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (all Twitter links). Morosi wonders if this means the Phillies would be willing to move a left-handed reliever. It's possible Antonio Bastardo, Jeremy Horst and Raul Valdes would have become trade candidates if the Phillies had signed Burnett.
  • Here's the latest on the Mets and R.A. Dickey.

Olney On Wilson, Bourn, Indians, Red Sox

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One AL GM said the Indians got “incredible value” for Shin-Soo Choo by obtaining Trevor Bauer in last night’s three-team trade, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports. While evaluators love Didi Gregorius’ glove, they wonder if the Diamondbacks’ new infielder will hit enough to merit an everyday job. Here's the latest from Olney (some Twitter links)…

  • Free agent right-hander Brian Wilson is expected to have opportunities to close, Olney writes. The Giants non-tendered their longtime closer last month, making him a free agent.
  • Agents and executives wonder what will happen with free agent center fielder Michael Bourn, Olney reports(on Twitter). In my view the Rangers and Mariners appear to be two possible destinations for the Scott Boras client.
  • The Indians could still trade Asdrubal Cabrera, Justin Masterson and Vinnie Pestano, as Olney points out (on Twitter). There’s “not much action” on Chris Perez, however.
  • Some evaluators say the Red Sox are poised to move on the pitching market as prices drop, according to Olney(on Twitter). GM Ben Cherington figures to add starting pitching depth at some point, as his projected rotation consists of Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Felix Doubront, John Lackey and Franklin Morales.
  • It’s apparent that the Mariners aren’t the top choice of the best free agent hitters. Olney suggests Seattle will end up signing a leftover player, though they’re pressing to land someone of note.
  • Phillies officials have privately maintained that they’d be prepared to offer Josh Hamilton a three-year deal.

Trade Reactions: Reds, Choo, D’Backs, Indians

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Earlier tonight, the Reds, Indians, and Diamondbacks completed a three-team deal that will change the complexion of all three teams and have a significant effect on the rest of the major league offseason.  We already saw some fallout from the trade when D'Backs General Manager Kevin Towers said that it is "highly unlikely" that he will move Justin Upton now that the team has addressed its other needs.  Here's more reaction to the deal..

  • The Reds aren't done and are still planning to add a utility man, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (via Twitter) spoke to two scouts who watched Shin-Soo Choo last season and both believe that Reds manager Dusty Baker will wind up slotting Jay Bruce in center field and Choo in right field.  The Reds reportedly plan to use Choo in center and even referred to him in their press release as a center fielder, despite having played only ten games there as a big leaguer.
  • The Reds will probably make a qualifying offer to Choo to get a first round pick next year when he becomes a free agent and Billy Hamilton is ready to take over the position, Bowden tweets.
  • If Upton is staying put in Arizona as Towers says, the Rangers pretty much have to sign Josh Hamilton with the options rapidly dwindling, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com tweets.
  • When Reds GM Walt Jocketty said that he was seeking a one-year option in center field at the winter meetings, Crasnick (Twitter links) figured he was talking about a Coco Crisp or a David DeJesus type.  Instead, Jocketty went way bigger.
  • Didi Gregorius reminds Towers of "a young Derek Jeter", tweets Steve Gilbert of MLB.com.
  • It's possible that the Diamondbacks will move Chris Owings over to second base if Gregorius succeeds at short, tweets Steve Gilbert of MLB.com.
  • Choo doesn’t have to be good or even average in center field to be an overall upgrade over Drew Stubbs, writes Jack Moore of Fangraphs.
  • Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter) tips his cap to Indians GM Chris Antonetti for turning Choo and spare parts into six years of Trevor Bauer.

Reds Acquire Shin-Soo Choo In Three-Team Deal

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8:12pm: The Diamondbacks announced that they have acquired shortstop Didi Gregorius, left-handed pitcher Tony Sipp, and first baseman Lars Anderson from the Indians in exchange for right-handed pitchers Trevor Bauer, Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw.  The Reds are receiving Shin-Soo Choo and Jason Donald in the swap and are sending Drew Stubbs to Cleveland as well.  The Indians will send the Reds approximately $3.5MM to account for the differences in projected salaries between Choo and Stubbs, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).

The Reds will use Choo in center field even though he hasn't played there for the Indians since 2009 and has played just ten MLB games at the position in total.  The Reds are banking on the 30-year-old's offensive production being able to make up for whatever they might lose defensively.  The veteran owns a  .289/.381/.465 slash line across eight major league seasons.

Choo, a Scott Boras client, is set to hit the open market after the 2013 season.  The Indians have been said to have him available via trade, albeit with a high price tag.  The Reds will plug Choo in as the leadoff hitter, a role they have been working hard to fill.  The club spoke with the Twins about Ben Revere before he was traded to the Phillies and also had conversations with the Rockies about Dexter Fowler.

Stubbs, 28, struggled at the plate in 2012 as he posted a .213/.277/.333 batting line with 14 home runs in 544 plate appearances.  The former eighth-overall pick in the 2006 draft has a .241/.312/.386 across four big league seasons with the Reds.

It was believed that the initial acquisition of Gregorius by the Indians would pave the way for them to deal fellow shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, but they instead flipped Gregorius and kept Cabrera.  The 22-year-old Gregorius won't be arbitration eligible until 2016 and won't see the open market until 2019.  The Netherlands native split time between Double-A and Triple-A last season, hitting .265/.324/.393 with seven homers in 561 plate appearances.  The 27-year-old Cabrera, meanwhile, is set to earn $6.5MM in 2013 and $10MM in 2014 before hitting free agency.  Gregorius entered 2012 as the Reds' sixth-best prospect, according to Baseball America.  The publication also had him ranked as the organization’s best defensive infielder and deemed him to have the best throwing arm in the farm system.

Sipp posted a 4.42 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 63 relief appearances last season. The 29-year-old was a fixture in the Indians' bullpen, making 248 relief appearances with Cleveland from 2009-12.

The Indians acquired Anderson at the trade deadline this year from the Red Sox in exchange for Double-A starter Steven Wright.  The 25-year-old posted a .250/.353/.396 slash line in 111 games for Triple-A Pawtucket and Triple-A Columbus.  Anderson has also played in 30 big league games for the Red Sox across three seasons.

Bauer, 21, was the third overall selection by Arizona in the 2011 Draft out of UCLA.  Baseball America had Bauer as the ninth-best prospect in baseball entering 2012.  The hurler spent most of 2012 between Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno where he had a combined 2.42 ERA with 10.8 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 in 22 starts. Bauer became the first member of the 2011 draft to appear in the big leagues when he made four starts for the Diamondbacks in July.

Albers, 29, spent 2012 with the Red Sox and D'Backs, posting a 2.39 ERA with 6.6 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 63 relief appearances.  For his career, Albers owns a 4.68 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 across seven big league seasons.

Shaw, 25, spent the bulk of last season in the Arizona bullpen where he had a 3.49 ERA with 6.2 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 64 relief appearances.  The right-hander was taken in the second-round of the 2008 draft by the Diamondbacks and has seen time in 97 big league games across the last two seasons.

8:04pm: The portion of the deal involving the Diamondbacks and Indians has not been finalized, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com (via Twitter).

7:50pm: The deal sending Shin-Soo Choo to the Reds has been completed, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).  The Reds will also receive Jason Donald in the trade, Heyman confirms (via Twitter).

The three-team deal that was being worked on had Shin-Soo Choo and Jason Donald going to the Reds, Didi Gregorius to the Diamondbacks, and Drew Stubbs plus an Arizona pitcher going to the Indians, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Patrick Corbin or Trevor Bauer will likely be the Arizona pitcher going to Cleveland, Rosenthal tweets.

Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com first reported that the Reds were close to acquiring Choo in a deal with the Indians netting them Stubbs and Gregorius.  Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer reported that the D'Backs were involved, making it a three-team deal.  Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported the framework of the trade. 

Indians, Phillies Discussed Asdrubal Cabrera Deal

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Asdrubal Cabrera, arguably the top shortstop available, has drawn trade interest as a third baseman. Before the Winter Meetings began, the Indians and Phillies discussed a trade that would have sent the shortstop to Philadelphia for Vance Worley and prospects, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. 

The Phillies, who have since sent Worley to the Twins and acquired Michael Young from the Rangers, would have used Cabrera at third base, according to Hoynes. While the Phillies offered Worley and two prospects, the Indians wanted more.

Cabrera, 27, will earn $6.5MM in 2013 and $10MM in 2014 before his contract expires. The switch hitter can block trades to the Red Sox, Yankees, Tigers, Nationals, Giants and Mets. In 616 plate appearances this past season, he posted a .270/.338/.423 batting line.

The Indians appear to have closed the books on Kevin Youkilis, though they still have needs in left field and at DH. Nick Swisher remains a target for Cleveland, according to Hoynes. GM Chris Antonetti hopes to add to his rotation and the Indians have been in touch with most free agent starters.

Latest On The Rangers: Upton, Pierzynski, Dickey

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The Rangers lost out on a trade target when the Royals acquired James Shields last night, just days after losing out on free agent target Zack Greinke. Things aren't going exactly as they've planned this offseason, and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has a host of Rangers updates in his latest column…

  • A rival executive told Rosenthal that the Rangers are either going to overpay Josh Hamilton or overpay Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers for Justin Upton. Rangers GM Jon Daniels is so focused on Upton that he figures to eventually land him, writes Rosenthal.
  • It's not completely out of the question that the Rangers could acquire Upton and still sign Hamilton now that Greinke is off the table.
  • Anibal Sanchez is a long shot for the Rangers, but he's on their radar. A trade for R.A. Dickey is also unlikely at this point.
  • The team is said to prefer lower-cost starters and could pursue someone like Chris Capuano in a trade to provide an upgrade over Martin Perez.
  • The Rangers are interested in A.J. Pierzynski, who would obviously push Geovany Soto into a backup role. Pierzynski's left-handed bat would help to balance a heavily right-handed lineup.
  • Ian Kinsler isn't big on the idea of shifting to first base one year into his five-year extension in order to allow Jurickson Profar to play second base, but he will play wherever he's asked.
  • Daniels tells Rosenthal he's not planning on Kinsler switching positions yet and is considering all possible scenarios for the 2013 roster.
  • A three-team deal with the Rangers, Diamondbacks and Indians was "very close" to happening at the Winter Meetings. The foundation of the deal was Upton to Texas, Cabrera to Arizona, and Mike Olt and one of Trevor Bauer or Patrick Corbin to Cleveland. Presumably, other names were involved.

Reds, Indians, D’Backs Talking Shin-Soo Choo Trade

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6:48pm: The three-team deal would see Shin-Soo Choo and Jason Donald going to the Reds, Didi Gregorius to the Diamondbacks, and Drew Stubbs plus an Arizona pitcher going to the Indians, a source tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Patrick Corbin or Trevor Bauer will likely be the Arizona pitcher going to Cleveland, Rosenthal tweets.

4:52pm: The Diamondbacks would much prefer getting Gregorius back from the Indians instead of Cabrera in exchange for young pitching, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets.

4:20pm: There is now a three-team deal in the works between the Reds, Indians, and Diamondbacks, according to Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer.  Asdrubal Cabrera is not involved in the discussions at this stage.

The Indians discussed a deal for Cabrera with the Diamondbacks that would have netted them right-hander Trevor Bauer and left-hander Tyler Skaggs at the winter meetings.

3:01pm: The Reds and Indians are deep in talks that would send Shin-Soo Choo to Cincinnati, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.  The Indians would receive center fielder Drew Stubbs and shortstop Didi Gregorius in return while the Reds are expected to receive another player in the deal.

The Reds would use Choo in center field even though he hasn't played there for the Indians since 2009 and has played just ten MLB games at the position in total.  The Reds are banking on the 30-year-old's offensive production being able to make up for whatever they might lose defensively.  The veteran owns a  .289/.381/.465 slash line across eight major league seasons. 

The acquisition of Gregorius could allow the Indians to deal fellow shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera.  Cabrera, 27, is set to earn $6.5MM in 2013 and $10MM in 2014 before hitting free agency.  Meanwhile, the 22-year-old Gregorius won't be arbitration eligible until 2016 and won't see the open market until 2019.  The Netherlands native split time between Double-A and Triple-A last season, hitting .265/.324/.393 with seven homers in 561 plate appearances.

Stubbs, 28, struggled at the plate in 2012 as he posted a .213/.277/.333 batting line with 14 home runs in 544 plate appearances.  The former eighth-overall pick in the 2006 draft has a .241/.312/.386 across four big league seasons with the Reds.

Choo, a Scott Boras client, is set to hit the open market after the 2013 season.  The Indians were said to have him available via trade, albeit with a high price tag.  The Reds would plug Choo in as the leadoff hitter, a role they have been working hard to fill.  The club spoke with the Twins about Ben Revere before he was traded to the Phillies and also had conversations with the Rockies about Dexter Fowler.

Ohio Notes: Hernandez, Bourn, Mesoraco, Hannahan

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The Indians are still pursuing free agent Kevin Youkilis and still trying to work out a multi-team trade involving Asdrubal Cabrera and the Diamondbacks, reports FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal (Twitter link).  The Tribe is also looking at alternative moves in case Youkilis signs elsewhere or the complicated trade fails to materialize.  We collected the latest items about the Tribe's pursuit of Youkilis and Nick Swisher earlier today on MLBTR and yesterday looked at the latest mountain of speculation surrounding this rumored multi-team deal that also reportedly involves the Rangers, Rays, Mariners, Justin Upton, Derek Holland and a number of young players.

The Reds have generated a lot of buzz this offseason as well, so let's check in on the latest from both of Ohio's clubs…

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