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Quick Hits: Tomko, Rockies, Turner, Twins

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Brett Tomko, who impressed with his pitching in a recent stint in the Dominican Republic, is working out in California and plans to audition for clubs in late January, a source tells MLBTR's Zach Links. The veteran is healthy and hitting 90-92 mph on the gun with his fastball to go along with a solid changeup and cutter. Tomko is seeking a minor-league deal with an invite to big-league spring training. If he doesn't make the 25-man roster out of the gate, he's willing to go to Triple-A as an insurance policy to either start or pitch out of the bullpen. Here are more notes from around the big leagues.

  • If you've ever wondered how salaries work for non-Japanese players in Japanese baseball, NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman has a handy chart. Former top MLB players like Andruw Jones and new Rakuten Golden Eagle Kevin Youkilis have salaries that top $3MM. Former MLB regulars who weren't stars, like Casey McGehee and Nyjer Morgan, tend to make in the $1MM-$3MM range, while good Triple-A players and fringe big-leaguers like John Bowker and Fred Lewis make between $400K and $1MM.
  • The Rockies deserve a B- grade for their offseason so far, opines Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post (on Sulia). Renck notes that the Rockies haven't acquired a catcher like Carlos Ruiz (who ended up re-signing with the Phillies). He also suggests the Rockies ought to also try to add another starting pitcher. Juan Nicasio, Jordan Lyles and Christian Friedrich are currently their main fifth-starter possibilities behind Jorge De La Rosa, Jhoulys Chacin, Brett Anderson and Tyler Chatwood.
  • The Twins have "checked in" on free-agent infielder Justin Turner, although their level of interest is unclear, 1500ESPN.com's Darren Wolfson tweets. Wolfson notes that Turner is connected to Twins special assistant Wayne Krivsky, who drafted Turner in 2006, when Krivsky was the GM of the Reds.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Central Notes: Castro, Indians, Twins, Hart

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Starlin Castro claims that stress related to an ongoing legal dispute in the Dominican Republic has affected his on-field performance for the Cubs, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports. A coach at a baseball school in the Dominican is suing Castro, contending that a contract the shortstop's father signed when Castro was an amateur entitles the academy to a portion of his Major League earnings. The affair has had a "direct impact on his duties as a professional ballplayer, leading to one of his worst-ever statistical performances," Castro's countersuit states. While the 23-year-old played in 161 games last season, 2013 saw him slump to a .245/.284/.347 line. The 2014 season will be the second of the seven-year, $60MM deal Castro signed inked with the Cubs in 2012. Here's more from around baseball's Central divisions:

 Zach Links contributed to this post.

 

Twins’ Colabello Rejects Offer To Play In South Korea

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SATURDAY: Colabello has rejected an offer to play in South Korea, Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press writes. A source with direct knowledge of the situation says Colabello turned down a "significant offer" from a Korean team that wasn't the LG Twins. The slugger could have earned nearly $1MM in 2014 under the offer, while the Twins would have received a comparable buyout. "Things are always subject to change, but Chris made it clear he wants to help the Minnesota Twins," said Brian Charles of Big League Management Co., who represents Colabello.

FRIDAY: Berardino now indicates that the Twins are asking for "possibly upwards of $1MM."

FRIDAY: The Twins could send 1B/OF Chris Colabello to play in Korea, Berardino notes (citing a Korean news report). The Twins are reportedly in discussions with the LG Twins (and that's not a typo) to transfer Colabello's contract, which could net them up to $1MM. Such a move would free a 40-man roster space for the (Minnesota) Twins, who need one to accomodate the impending signing of catcher Kurt Suzuki. The Twins could only send Colabello abroad with his permission.

Colabello, 30, hit .194/.287/.344 in 181 plate appearances in his big-league debut in 2013, but he also hit 24 home runs in Triple-A, posting a .352/.427/.639 line in 391 plate appearances there. Colabello has a total of 50 home runs between the minors and the Majors since the Twins signed him out of independent ball prior to the 2012 season.

Aaron Steen contributed to this post.

Central Notes: Rincon, Twins, Viciedo, Konerko

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The Twins announced a wave of front office promotions today, highlighted by the promotion of assistant GM Rob Antony to vice president/assistant GM. Antony will be responsible for Major League contracts (including arbitration); Major League and Minor League player evaluation; and oversight of the team's video, baseball analytics and baseball communications department. More from the Central divisions…

  • Former Twins reliever Juan Rincon is looking for a minor league deal with, ideally, an invite to big league spring training, agent Burton Rocks tells MLBTR.  Rincon, 35 in January, wants a club to bring him in to help mentor younger pitchers and have him continue in that role after his playing career is through as a scout.  Rocks has talked to "four or five" clubs about his unique proposal for Rincon, who spent last season with the York Revolution of the Atlantic League.  
  • The White Sox have an infusion of young, exciting position players including outfielders Avisail Garcia and Adam Eaton and Paul Konerko is excited to be back in the fold and see what they can do. "Eaton is the guy that can make things go if he hits his stride," Konerko said on a conference call with White Sox season ticket holders, according to CSNChicago.com. "A guy like Eaton can be a someone who is a complete steal because of the tools he has. He can be a real mainstay."  Konerko re-signed with Chicago on a one-year deal that gives him a $2.5MM guarantee.
  • Dayan Viciedo could split time this season with Alejandro De Aza in left field, remain the starter if De Aza is moved, or he could wind up traded himself, writes CSNChicago.com's Dan Hayes.  The White Sox haven't given up on the 25-year-old, but they're not sure what they'll do with him either.
  • Jeff Karstens is said to be pain-free and in midst of normal winter throwing program. tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. He's planning to work out for clubs in January. Karstens had shoulder surgery in June, which involved debridement of his rotator cuff and labrum, and never threw a big league pitch for the Pirates in 2013.  The veteran is represented by All Bases Covered Sports Management, as shown in the MLBTR Agency Database.
  • The Twins were in on Eric Chavez before he signed with the Diamondbacks earlier today, a source tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter).

Kurt Suzuki Has Interest from Twins, Mariners

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The Twins and Mariners are possibilities for veteran catcher Kurt Suzuki, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).  The Cubs are also among the clubs with interest, as noted by Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle last week.

While Minnesota likes the 30-year-old, Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press (Twitter link) hears from a person with direct knowledge that nothing is going on yet between the club and the catcher.  Suzuki hit .232/.290/.337 with five homers in his second straight season split between the A's and Nationals.  Though he's typically been solid in terms of catching base stealers, Suzuki caught just eight of 65 potential thieves in 2013 (12 percent) and graded out as one of the league's worst in terms of pitch-framing. He was highly adept at blocking pitches in the dirt, per Fangraphs, trailing only Yadier Molina in that regard.

Braves Acquire Ryan Doumit For Sean Gilmartin

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2:17pm: The Twins have confirmed the trade via press release. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN reports that the Braves are taking on all of Doumit's $3.5MM salary (Twitter link).

1:54pm: The Braves have acquired Ryan Doumit from the Twins in exchange for left-hander Sean Gilmartin, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

Doumit-Ryan

Doumit, who will turn 33 on April 3, is coming off a down season in which he batted .247/.314/.396 and dealt with concussion issues late in the year. However he's just one year removed from a strong .275/.320/.461 showing with a career-high 18 homers for the Twins.

Though he's not considered a strong defensive catcher, Doumit would give the Braves a cheap option behind the dish in the wake of Brian McCann's departure to the Yankees. Doumit is owed jusr $3.5MM in 2014. The Braves have Evan Gattis, Gerald Laird and Christian Bethancourt as internal options at catcher, but Bethancourt could require more seasoning, Laird is a backup and Gattis has serious OBP concerns. He alsos struggled against right-handed pitching (.236/.284/.473), which is where Doumit exceeds (.270/.330/.454).

Gilmartin, 23, entered the 2013 season ranked as the Braves' No. 4 prospect, per Baseball America, and their No. 3 prospect, per MLB.com. Though he suffered a down year, BA still ranked him 10th among Braves prospects, and MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo kept his ranking strong at No. 4.

Gilmartin struggled through injuries and posted a 5.06 ERA across three levels in 2013, averaging 6.9 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in a total of 105 innings. Selected with the No. 28 overall pick in the 2011 draft, Gilmartin draws praise for his polish from both BA and MLB.com. BA writes that his 89-91 mph fastball has good movement and is complemented by a plus changeup and a slider with "sharp, late break." According to Mayo, "[Gilmartin's] ceiling is somewhat limited, but he's not far from being ready to step in as a middle-of-the-rotation type in the big leagues."

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports first reported that the trade was close (Twitter link).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Central Notes: Cubs, Veras, Santana, Pirates

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The Jose Veras signing makes sense for the Cubs since he comes at an affordable rate, has experience, and can groom the younger guys like Pedro Strop, opines Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com (via Twitter). Earlier tonight, the Cubs agreed to sign Veras to a one-year, $4MM deal with a $5.5MM club option for 2015.  Here's more out of the AL and NL Central..

  • Before agreeing to his deal with the Cubs, Veras tells Brian McTaggart of MLB.com (on Twitter) that he also had an offer from the Mariners. The Rockies and Astros were also among the clubs with reported interest.
  • Even after the Mike Pelfrey agreement, the Twins are maintaining dialogue with Johan Santana's representatives, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter). For his part, Santana is very open to a return.
  • Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel checked in with Brewers GM Doug Melvin and it doesn't sound like the club is closing in on a first base solution.  "It's pretty quiet," said Melvin. "We know all the names. It's a small group. Nothing changes from one day to the next. Ike Davis is the one player people talk about. Other than that, there's not much available."   Haudricourt also asked Melvin about Rangers' first baseman Mitch Moreland, but Melvin says that at last check, Texas said they won't move him. 
  • With multiple question marks, David Schoenfield of ESPN.com feels that the Pirates are likely to regress in 2014.

Minor Moves: Tolleson, Treanor, Pino

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Tonight's minor moves..

  • The Blue Jays announced that they have agreed to terms with infielder Steven Tolleson on a minor league contract with an invitation to attend big league spring training.  The 30-year-old spent last season with the White Sox's Triple-A affiliate, batting .288/.381/.426 with eight home runs.  Tolleson has appeared in 54 Major League games for Oakland (2010) and Baltimore (2012).
  • The Indians announced that they signed catcher Matt Treanor to a minor league deal with an invite to major league spring training.  He'll earn $800K if he makes the big league roster, tweets Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer.  Treanor had 122 plate appearances with the Dodgers in 2012, posting a less-than-stellar .175/.281/.282 slash line.  The 37-year-old did not play last season as he recovered from surgery on his left knee.
  • The Twins signed right-hander Yohan Pino to a minor league deal, according to the MLB.com transactions page.  Pino, who turns 30 on Dec. 26, spent the bulk of last season with the Reds' Triple-A affiliate, posting a 3.26 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 16 starts and 15 relief appearances. 

New York Notes: Reynolds, Baker, Murphy, Tejada

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Earlier today, the Yankees reached agreements with both Brian Roberts and Matt Thornton.They're likely to continue adding pieces, however. A source confirmed to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (Twitter link) that the Yanks have spoken to Mark Reynolds' agent, though nothing is close on that front. Here's the latest on Reynolds, the Yankees and the Mets…

  • The Yankees are in on Reynolds, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, but they'll face competition from the Twins, Angels and others in their attempt to land him.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Yankees have also expressed interest in Jeff Baker as a potential right-handed bat to get some time at second base and third base (Twitter link). Baker mashed against lefties in 2013, posting a .314/.407/.667 batting line with 10 homers.
  • Daniel Murphy has seen his name in trade rumors this offseason, but he says his agents came away from the Winter Meetings with the impression that he'll be with the Mets in 2014, writes Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.  Sources tell Rubin that the Mets continue to listen on Murphy, but the asking price is high.
  • Mets GM Sandy Alderson says that two to three teams are potential trade partners at shortstop, although the chances of Ruben Tejada starting Opening Day at the position are much better than at the end of the season, Rubin writes.  "Well, I think it is more likely certainly than it was a couple of months ago, let's say," the GM said. "But we've improved the team at other positions. And so giving Ruben a chance to reestablish himself as an everyday player isn't such a bad thing. But we'll continue to monitor what's there from the trade market and conceivably free agency, although there really isn't much left there. There are two or three teams that are possibilities."
  • Alderson also suggested he would be looking for an equivalent return to what others have received for trading first basemen. The Marlins got 23-year-old Carter Capps from the Mariners for Logan Morrison last week.
  • The Mets GM expects a fifth-starter candidate to be signed on a minor-league deal.  That would allow Jenrry Mejia, Jacob deGrom, and Rafael Montero to compete for a spot out of spring training and help ensure that top prospect Noah Syndergaard would not be blocked from a summer promotion.
  • While it's not a huge surprise, Alderson downplayed the Mets' odds of landing Masahiro Tanaka.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Braves Close To Acquiring Ryan Doumit

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The Braves and Twins are finalizing a deal that would send catcher/outfielder Ryan Doumit to Atlanta, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

Doumit, who will turn 33 on April 3, is coming off a down season in which he batted .247/.314/.396 and dealt with concussion issues late in the year. However he’s just one year removed from a strong .275/.320/.461 showing with a career-high 18 homers for the Twins.

Though he’s not considered a strong defensive catcher, Doumit would give the Braves a cheap option behind the dish in the wake of Brian McCann’s departure to the Yankees. Doumit is owed jusr $3.5MM in 2014. The Braves have Evan Gattis, Gerald Laird and Christian Bethancourt as internal options at catcher, but Bethancourt could require more seasoning, Laird is a backup and Gattis has serious OBP concerns. He alsos struggled against right-handed pitching (.236/.284/.473), which is where Doumit exceeds (.270/.330/.454).

This post was originally published on Dec. 18.

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