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Quick Hits: Rodriguez, Red Sox, Mets

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Links from around MLB on a day that a number of prominent players were linked to a supplier of performance enhancing drugs…

  • Earlier today ESPN.com's Buster Olney suggested the Yankees will deal with Alex Rodriguez in a calculated manner following the news that the third baseman has been linked to the Biogenesis clinic in Miami. Olney's colleagues Wallace Matthews and Andrew Marchand have since reported that the Yankees are trying to void Rodriguez's contract, which is valued at $114MM over the course of the next five seasons.
  • Boston manager John Farrell suggested the Red Sox could add depth at first base in the near future, Alex Speier of WEEI.com reports. "I think we'll probably have some additions before camp opens up in that area," Farrell said. Check out Speier's piece for a position-by-position breakdown of the Red Sox.
  • The Mets are still in the market for relief help and could even pursue a closer, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The Mets signed right-hander Scott Atchison to a minor league deal today. For the latest on closers around the league follow @closernews throughout the fantasy baseball season.
  • Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said he hasn't ruled out making another modest signing or two, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Mets Sign Scott Atchison

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12:01pm: Atchison will make $700K at the MLB level and could earn $150K more in incentives, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports (on Twitter).

9:23am: The Mets signed right-hander Scott Atchison to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training, the team announced (on Twitter). Agent Rich Thompson represents Atchison, who turns 37 in March.

Atchison pitched for the Red Sox in 2012, posting a 1.58 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9 in 51 1/3 innings. The Red Sox non-tendered him at the end of November instead of proceeding through the arbitration process with a projected $800K salary. Atchison missed two months with forearm tightness last summer but returned to make five appearances in September. He considered Tommy John surgery, ultimately avoiding the procedure.

Mets Met With Michael Bourn

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Michael Bourn is the top unsigned free agent, but it will cost a top draft pick to sign the center fielder. He declined the Braves’ qualifying offer earlier this offseason, meaning the team that signs him must surrender a top selection in June (the precise placement of the pick would vary from team to team). Teams seem reluctant to part with their draft picks for Bourn, but agent Scott Boras appears to be seeking a $75MM contract for his client nonetheless. Here’s the latest…

  • Bourn's camp is working to persuade Alderson that signing Bourn would give the Mets credibility when pursuing free agents a year from now, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports (on Twitter).

Earlier updates

  • Mets GM Sandy Alderson and assistant GM John Ricco travelled to Houston last week to dine with Bourn and Boras, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. Though the sides didn’t engage in intense negotiations over dinner, it’s clear there’s a gap between Bourn’s asking price and the Mets’ interest level. The Mets don’t want to offer more than three years and they wonder if any other team is willing to go beyond the $40MM range.
  • It’s possible that Bourn could accept a shorter term deal if it includes an opt out clause that would provide him with the option of hitting free agency again a year from now. The Mets “could be amenable” to such a deal, Sherman writes.
  • Alderson will not sign Bourn without complete assurances that the Mets get to keep their first round selection, Sherman reports. The Mets’ 11th overall pick is unprotected, but the commissioner’s office doesn’t seem willing to grant the team the exception it seeks. Other clubs are lobbying MLB not to do the Mets this favor, Sherman reports. Though the MLBPA would file a grievance supporting the Mets if Bourn asks the association for support, an arbitrator wouldn’t necessarily rule in favor of an exception.

Quick Hits: Atchison, Garcia, Vazquez, Dodgers

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Free agent right-hander Javier Vazquez is getting his right meniscus repaired by one of the Marlins’ team doctors this Wednesday, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio reports (Twitter links). The right-hander is expected to be throwing at full strength within two to three weeks. Though seven teams have expressed serious interest in Vazquez, he has not made a decision about playing in 2013 as of now. Here are some more links from around MLB…

  • Right-hander Scott Atchison expects to sign a minor league deal with a team other than the Red Sox this week, writes MLB.com's Evan Drellich. Atchison told Drellich it the team he's closing in on will give him a good chance to make the Major League bullpen. Atchison was diagnosed with a partial UCL tear last August but has had "great results" in letting it heal with rest and rehab.
  • ESPN's Jerry Crasnick tweets that the Pirates expressed interest in Freddy Garcia, but the 36-year-old hurler elected to sign a minor league deal with the Padres instead.
  • Time Warner Cable and the Dodgers have officially agreed to a 25-year, $7 billion TV deal, John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal reports. The agreement will lead to the creation of a new regional sports network for the Los Angeles area; SportsNet L.A will launch in 2014.
  • The Rays signed free agent infielder Kelly Johnson today, but that won’t stop Ben Zobrist from playing “a lot” of second base for Tampa Bay, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). Johnson, who played 79 games in left field as a rookie in 2005, will bounce around.
  • Michael Bourn still wants a five-year deal, yet the Mets aren't willing to go there, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports (on Twitter). Here’s an explanation of how the Mets wanted to sign Bourn while keeping their first round draft pick this coming season.

NL East Notes: Marlins, Mets, Phillies

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Two NL East teams, the Nationals and Phillies, have projected payrolls surpassing $100MM for the 2013 season. Meanwhile, the Mets and Braves project to spend $80MM and $83MM on payroll, respectively. The Marlins will round out the division with a payroll in the $30-40MM range. Here are some links from the NL East, starting in Miami

  • Tension exists between Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria and some MLB players, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald explains. “Players don’t trust him,” one prominent agent told Jackson following the Marlins’ recent trade with Toronto. Players say the owner gets too close for comfort. “He’s always looking in the dugout,” one former Marlin told Jackson. “Mind your business!"
  • Mets GM Sandy Alderson sounds more optimistic about adding a reliever than acquiring an outfielder, Dan Martin of the New York Post writes. The Mets are hesitant to hand Frank Francisco the closer job again and have expressed interest in Brian Wilson and others.
  • Alderson discussed his offseason plans in detail on MLB Network Radio yesterday. For the latest on closers around the league follow @closernews throughout the fantasy baseball season.
  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. expects his team will compete in the NL East, even as division rivals make improvements, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports. "Absolutely. It's up to the players to prove me right, I guess," the GM said.

East Notes: Rays, Russell Martin, Mets

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On this day in 1937, the city of Cincinnati was devastated by a torrential downpour that left Crosley Field, home of the Reds, completely flooded. Two Reds pitchers took a boat out onto the field and navigated the vessel out toward centerfield as the water reached as deep as 21 feet by home plate. Allegedly, one of the pitchers, Lee Grissom, intended to use the boat to reach the front office to collect his paycheck.

Here's the latest news and headlines out of the AL and NL East…

  • The Rays may still be in the market for a bat and bullpen help even after what has been a busy offseason thus far, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Tampa will look to find someone to give James Loney days off at first base or another outfielder to provide depth. 
  • The Yankees will miss Russell Martin's presence behind the plate this season as Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com lists the reasons why. The veteran signed with the Pirates this offseason after New York failed to make Martin a priority.
  • The moves made this offseason by the Braves and Nationals shouldn't affect the Mets' long-term rebuilding plans by speeding up the process, writes Michael Baron of MetsBlog.com. General Manager Sandy Alderson prefers to let his top prospects to continue to develop rather than trade them for a proven big league entity. 

Mets Notes: Bourn, Wilson, Hairston, Upton

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Earlier today, Mets GM Sandy Alderson joined Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette on SiriusXM's MLB Network Radio.  Here's a look at some highlights with all links going to Bowden's Twitter..

  • The GM said that he would be very reluctant to give up a first-round pick to sign Michael Bourn, but Bowden (on Twitter) got the impression that they are considering the possibility because of the strength of their farm system.  The Mets have interest in Bourn and the player's union could potentially support them if they try and argue that their No. 11 pick should be protected from compensation.
  • Alderson said that the club may go back and see Brian Wilson pitch again in a few days (Twitter link).  The last time they saw the former Giants closer it was early on in his process.  It has been said that the Mets would jump at the chance to sign Wilson to a minor league deal, but that seems unlikely.
  • Alderson implied that if the trade of Justin Upton to the Braves had happened before Scott Hairston's signing with the Cubs, the club may have had a chance to grab Hairston (Twitter link).  Meanwhile, the GM says that he is still looking for ways to upgrade the outfield.

Cafardo On Mets, Bourn, Abreu, Red Sox, Mahay

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There were baseball people this winter who pleaded with their teams to go after B.J. Upton as a free agent and to trade for his younger brother, Justin Upton.  However, there also were those who said “over my dead body” would they have either, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  In fact, officials in one AL East organization were nearly unanimous in the opinion that neither Upton was a fit for them.  The Braves obviously didn't share that view and will now enter 2013 with a remarkably athletic lineup thanks to the Upton brothers.  Here's more from today's column..

  • While Cafardo hears that the Mets' interest in Michael Bourn is minimal, that might be enough for them to land him eventually.  Many baseball people are amazed that Bourn is the odd man out in free agency. The Mets, Mariners, and possibly Orioles are waiting for a bargain deal and one AL manager reasoned that if a team can get him on a one-year deal, they might juggle things around to make it happen.
  • The Red Sox were among the teams that tried out Bobby Abreu. but sources say the Red Sox are unlikely to pursue him as the backup first baseman/outfielder that they’re looking for.
  • Left-hander Ron Mahay has decided to call it a career.  The 41-year-old says that he's now looking to get into coaching or managing.  Mahay last appeared in the majors with the Twins in 2010.  For his career, the reliever posted a 3.83 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 across 14 seasons.
  • The Cubs' Alfonso Soriano is on the trading block and could still be moved before spring training, as teams like the Orioles and Rangers look to make last-minute upgrades. 
  • The Angels had some hope that Vernon Wells could be moved this winter, but those odds decreased after the Phillies signed Delmon Young.  “I think people will look back on his career and wonder, how could a guy who came into the league with so much ability let this happen?” said an American League scout who once saw Wells as one of the most talented players in baseball.

Mets Interested In Roy Oswalt

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8:15pm: Oswalt's agent Bob Garber says he's unaware of any interest the Mets may have in his client for the 2013 season, writes Marc Carig of Newsday. 

1:32pm: The Mets are interested in free-agent right-hander Roy Oswalt, and the door has not fully closed even with the addition of Shaun Marcum, a baseball source told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.  It was reported earlier this month that Oswalt was on the fence about pitching in 2013 and many teams had given up on trying to lure him back, sensing that he would choose to call it a career.

Oswalt hooked on with the Rangers on a minor league deal last summer and posted a 5.80 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 in nine starts and eight relief appearances.  The 35-year-old has dealt with his fair share of injuries over the last couple of years with issues ranging from lower back inflammation in 2011 to a forearm strain at the end of last season.

Mets Notes: Marcum, Bourn, Alderson

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Yesterday, the Mets finally made their first major free agent addition of the offseason when they inked Shaun Marcum to a one-year, $4MM deal with another $4MM in incentives.  Here's more on the right-hander and other news out of Queens..

  • Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (on Twitter) has the breakdown of Marcum's incentives package.  The hurler can earn $1.75MM in roster bonuses and $2.25MM more in bonuses for innings pitched going all the way up to 200.
  • The Mets need a center fielder, but Jay Schreiber of the New York Times highly doubts that it will be free agent Michael Bourn.  Schreiber writes that the Mets would likely be headed for another fourth-place finish in 2013, even with the addition of the 30-year-old.  He also wonders aloud if the club's flirtation with Bourn is at least partly designed to make it seem as if the Mets are trying to do something major, even though they know its a longshot.
  • Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs likes the Mets' signing of Marcum and sees it as a solid bargain for GM Sandy Alderson & Co.  Marcum missed significant time last season due to an elbow issue but posted a 3.70 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 across 21 starts.
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