MLBTR Originals News & Rumors

Time to recap the original content posted here at MLBTR over the last seven days…

• Tim Dierkes' offseason in review series continues with the Padres, Orioles, Reds, and Mariners.
• Ben Nicholson-Smith interviewed Matt Purke of TCU, who is expected to be a high draft pick this June.
• Ben also penned a guest post at FanGraphs focusing on the Tigers' rotation depth. He also listed the youngest remaining free agents and explained that contract extension season isn't over.
• Mark Polishuk looked at some catching options for the Astros in the wake of Jason Castro's injury.
• I wondered aloud if James Shields will be the next Rays' starter to get traded, and also listed some players that signed contract extensions before playing a game with their new team.
• Our series looking at players in make or break years continued with Carlos Beltran of the Mets.
• This week's poll questions asked you which non-tendered player will most help their new team and when the Royals will trot out their next winning team.
• Howard Megdal's latest Jack of all Trades post explored some non-roster invitees.
• I rounded up the best the blogosphere had to offer in Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
• This week's chat transcript can be found here.

Here's a look back at some of the analysis and reporting MLBTR's writing team delivered this week..

• We spoke to Nick Johnson's agent, Rex Gary, who told us that major league clubs are closely monitoring his client's progress.
• On Tuesday we rolled out our Draft Prospect Q&A series, in which we introduce you to the top athletes in the 2011 draft.  First up: Sonny Gray.
• Sometimes contract extensions can go horribly wrong, as our own Mike Axisa writes.  You too can review past contracts, both good and bad, using our Transactions Tracker.
• Ben Nicholson-Smith looked into his crystal ball to preview the 2011-2012 free agent class.
• Our Offseason In Review series rolled on with looks at the Tampa Bay Rays, Oakland Athletics, and Florida Marlins.
• This week we polled our readers on Chris Carpenter's future,
• Howard Megdal decided to play Jack Of All Trades with his first pack of baseball cards in 2011.
• I took a look at the Braves' pitching surplus and asked if they should shop their spare starters.
• This upcoming season marks a Make Or Break Year for Bobby Abreu and pitcher Edwin Jackson.
• Mike Axisa looked at Baseball America's top 100 prospects in baseball and identified the ones that were drafted using compensation picks.  Mike also highlighted some keen waiver pickups.
• If you think about it, every year is a contract year, writes Ben Nicholson-Smith in a post at Fangraphs.
• There was tons of great stuff from around the web this week and it was all highlighted in the most recent edition of Baseball Blogs Weigh In.

Major League camps opened all across Florida and Arizona this week, but that doesn't mean hot stove news has taken a back seat to the game on the field. Here's a recap of the original content we produced this week…

• Tim Dierkes continued his Offseason In Review series by looking at two NL Central clubs, the Pirates and Cubs.
• Ben Nicholson-Smith rounded up the contract extensions given to arbitration-eligible players this winter, as well as those that did not buy out free agent years. He also explained the challenge the Cardinals are facing after failing to sign Albert Pujols long-term, found some potential suitors for CC Sabathia, and looked ahead to some second basemen who will be free agents after the season.
• Ben appeared at Yahoo! Sports to discuss potential suitors for Pujols, and at FanGraphs to review this winter's relief pitcher market.
• Our series looking at players in make or break years continued with Aramis Ramirez of the Cubs and Casey Blake of the Dodgers.
• I looked ahead to some 2012 vesting options we should keep an eye on this summer.
• This week's poll questions asked which move you thought was the best of the offseason, and whether or not you'd offer Jose Bautista $64MM+. Bautista's future was also a discussion topic.
• Howard Megdal's latest Jack of all Trades post looked at players born on February 17th. He also examined some transactions that took place on Valentine's Day.
• The best the blogosphere had to offer was rounded up Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
• This week's chat transcript can be found here.
• If you're new to MLBTR, here's a handy guide on all the different ways you can use the site. Be sure to check out and subscribe to our team and transaction-only feeds.

It's time to take a look back at all of the original reporting and analysis MLBTR has come up with this week..

• This week we asked our readers where they think Michael Young will wind up and where pitcher Kevin Millwood will sign.
• Confused about aspects of the Bernie Madoff/Mets situation?  Don't fret, you're not alone.  This week Howard Megdal brought us a simple guide to the Metropolitans' mess.
• Mike Axisa rounded up the best baseball writing from around the web in this week's edition of Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
• Tigers pitcher Joel Zumaya is about to enter a Make Or Break Year.
• As of last Monday, only 13 arbitration eligible players were still unsigned for 2011.  To keep up with all of the remaining cases, check out the MLBTR Arb Tracker.
• Three contracts signed this winter prevent the team from offering arbitration if the player is a Type A at the end of the term and Tim Dierkes ran them down in one handy post.
• Having trouble keeping track of all our original work?  Check out this list of our regular MLBTR features.
• Steve Adams took a look at minor league deals that could be worth a million or more.
• Our own Ben Nicholson-Smith is doing his thing over at Fangraphs in a series of guest posts.
• We fielded your questions in our weekly chat.  If you missed out, you can take a look at the transcript right here.
• February 6th has been a busy day in years past, as Luke Adams pointed out.
• Do you love baseball?  Do you speak Spanish?  You just might have what it takes to work for MLBTR as a translator.

Here at MLBTradeRumors, we're about a lot more than supplying you with up-to-the-minute hot stove news.  Here's a look back at some of our original work this week..

• We asked our readers to vote on which team offered Vladimir Guerrero $8MM, how the 2011 Rays will fare, and Justin Duchscherer's next team.  More than half of you guessed correctly, saying that Duchscherer would wind up in Baltimore.
• This season will be a "Make Or Break Year" for Dodgers reliever Jonathan Broxton and Bucs catcher Ryan Doumit.
• Fifteen players have signed guaranteed one-year contracts worth less than a million bucks this winter and Mike Axisa introduced us to the six-figure contract club.
• Check out our latest installments of "This Date In Transactions History".
• Unclear about what's considered in arbitration cases?   Here's what matters in arbitration and what does not. 
• We took a look around the blogosphere in Friday's edition of Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
• I feel rather svelte after reading Howard Megdal's Jack Of All Trades: Baseball's Roundest.
• Now you can subscribe to MLBTR on your Amazon Kindle for just $1.99 per month.  How cool is that?
• Ben Nicholson-Smith examined ten well-paid arb eligible players.  And if you need even more Ben in your life (who doesn't?) check out his series of guest posts over at Fangraphs.
• We covered a lot of ground in this week's chat.  If you missed any part of it, you can take a look at the transcript here.
• With just weeks to go until pitchers and catchers report, we ran down the twenty biggest free agent deals of the offseason.

Time to recap the last seven days of original MLBTR content…

• Ben Nicholson-Smith provided a ton of original Blue Jays' coverage this week. He wrote about some recent comments made by GM Alex Anthopoulos, the team's eventual payroll boost, and their pursuit of bullpen depth. In the wake of the Vernon Wells' trade, I looked at Toronto's future payroll obligations.
• Ben also looked at four potential landing spots for Vladimir Guerrero, the 22 teams that have given out multiyear contracts this offseason, and ten arbitration cases to watch.
• Nick Collias reported that the Cubs signed a pair of Cuban players: outfielder Ruby Silva ($1.2MM) and catcher Yaniel Cabezas ($500K). MLBTR also reported that Ian Stewart had avoided arbitration with the Rockies.
• We started a new series looking at players who face a make or break year in 2011. So far we've covered Grady Sizemore of the Indians, Nate McLouth of the Braves, and Scott Kazmir of the Angels.
• We posted a pair of poll questions this week, asking where Justin Duchscherer will sign and who the best unsigned starting pitcher is.
• I rounded up the latest and greatest from around the web in Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
• Here is this week's chat transcript.
• Howard Megdal's latest Jack of all Trades post looked at baseball's tallest players.

As the sports world turns its attention to football for the evening, let's recap the original content we posted over the last week…

• Ben Nicholson-Smith gave us five facts about the Elias rankings while Tim Dierkes examined the contracts that the Beverly Hills Sports Council was able to find for their relief pitcher clients this winter.
• Ben also looked at Jeremy Guthrie's arbitration case, the Rays' 2011 draft, and listed the remaining free agent starters by innings pitched. He was on conference calls regarding Gil Meche's retirement and Armando Galarraga being designated for assignment, plus he gathered some thoughts about Joey Votto's new contract extension.
• I went back and listed all of the recent contract extensions signed on January 21st.
• This week's poll questions asked which free agent signing was the most surprising, and if you believe the Cardinals will work out an extension with Albert Pujols.
• The best of the blogosphere can be found in Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
• Here is this week's chat transcript.
• Remember to check out our team and transactions-only feeds, and don't forget our Arbitration Tracker.

Here's a look back at some of the analysis and reporting MLBTR's writing team delivered this week..

• Mike Axisa brought us two installments of This Date In Transaction History, one for January 15th and one dedicated to Chan Ho Park.
• We asked MLBTR readers to weigh in on where Jim Thome will sign, if Andruw Jones will end up in pinstripes, and who the Rays will sign to DH.
• This week MLBTR confirmed a report that the Mets signed Taylor Tankersley to a minor league deal.  The left-handed reliever will receive an invitation to Spring Training.
• Only a few free agent groundballers remain on the open market, says Ben Nicholson-Smith.  Ben also looked at the potential destinations for the remaining designated hitters.
• Need a refresher course on how to get the most out of MLBTR?  We got you covered.  We also ran down all of MLBTR's regular features.
• This week baseball blogs weighed in on Trevor Hoffman's career, Chris Perez's arbitration case, and much much more.
• Agent Scott Boras will have his work cut out for him as he tries to find a monster deal for Prince Fielder next winter, writes Mike Axisa.
• The Brad Penny deal could affect more people than you think.
• We revisted the free agent arbitration decisions in the American League and the National League.
• Missed our weekly chat?  Don't worry, you can find the full transcript right here.

Here's a look back at some of the analysis and reporting MLBTR's writing team produced this week..

• Want to know what kind of transactions we can expect in early January?  Take a peek at the history of transactions made on January 2nd and January 8th in years past.
• This year's incarnation of the Diamondbacks will likely have fewer strikeouts at the plate, but Mike Axisa wonders what effect that could have on their production.
• This week we discussed the Twins' bullpen and the Angels' offseason while readers weighed in on the Rockies extensions, which blockbuster deal they preferred, and the next landing spot for Orlando Cabrera.
• Speaking of polls, click here to let us know what MLBTR posts you read regularly.
• Want to help contribute to MLBTR?  We're currently looking for team coordinators.
• What an honor for Bert Blyleven!  I'm of course talking about his selection as Howard Megdal's Jack Of All Trades for this week.
• Ben Nicholson-Smith examined the teams that came close to making the playoffs last season.
• The Adrian Beltre deal had a ripple effect on several parties.
• Want the best of the baseball blogosphere in one handy post?  We got you covered with the latest edition of Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
• "Odds & Ends" is so 2010.  Get with the times grandpa – these days the cool kids are calling it "Quick Hits".
• On Wednesday, Ben Nicholson-Smith hosted our weekly chat.
• We recently introduced an Arbitration Tracker, which you can find under the "tools" tab at the top of the site.  Under that tab you'll also find our Transaction Tracker and Free Agent Tracker.

With a relatively small amount of baseball news being made during in the last week, we pumped out plenty of original content to help quench your hot stove thirst. Let's recap all of it…

• With 2010 drawing to close, we presented our list of the top 15 stories of the year, led by Cliff Lee's season-long saga. Ben Nicholson-Smith also rounded up the top 15 remaining free agents, and we also looked at each club's remaining needs.
• Tim Dierkes looked ahead to potential impact bats that could be available after the 2012 season, and wondering how long Phillies' four aces could stay together. He also listed the best signings from January 2010, the hardest available throwers, and wrote about all the backloaded deals being given out.
• Ben named five outfielders that could benefit from Jayson Werth's contract, and looked to see if there's a fit between the Rays and Brian Fuentes. He also examined the Mariners' offseason, explained what changed for Orlando Hudson, listed the remaining free agents that will cost a draft pick to sign, and explored outfield options for the Braves. Finally, he spoke to Pirates GM Neal Huntington about his team's rebuilt bench.
• Steve Adams looked at alternatives for Adam LaRoche, Dan Mennella broke down the market for Rafael Soriano, and Luke Adams tried to dig up possible fits for Grant Balfour. Ben did the same for Troy Glaus, Tim for Manny Ramirez. I examined the youngest free agent on the market.
• This week's poll questions asked which DH you'd sign for 2011, where Scott Podsednik will sign, where Adrian Beltre will sign, will Carl Pavano get a three-year deal, and whether or not Andy Pettitte will retire.
• Discussion topics included lefty relief options for the Mets, middle infield options for the Yankees, and Washington's first base backup plan.
• We explored the history of transactions made on December 26th, December 28th, December 31st, and January 2nd.
• Howard Megdal's latest Jack Of All Trades post focused on Esteban Loaiza.
• I rounded up the best the blogosphere had to offer in this week's Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
• This week's chat transcript can be found here.
• Our Arbitration Tracker debuted, and there will plenty of action for the Angels, Padres, Blue Jays, and Giants. Don't forget to check out our team Facebook pages.