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AL East Notes: Drew, Orioles, Blue Jays, Rays

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On this date 21 years ago, the Blue Jays signed free agent starter Jack Morris to a two-year contract. The right-hander had recently led the Twins to a memorable World Series win over the Braves, out-pitching John Smoltz with ten shutout innings in the deciding seventh game. Morris won 21 games for the 1992 Blue Jays, and Toronto captured its first World Series title. Though Morris struggled in 1993, the Blue Jays successfully defended their title. Now 57, Morris is a candidate for Hall of Fame induction. Here are today's AL East links…

  • Stephen Drew will obtain $500K if he reaches 500 plate appearances in 2013, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). Drew agreed to terms with the Red Sox on a one-year, $9.5MM deal yesterday.
  • The Orioles have spoken with at least six teams about possible trades, Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com reports. The Orioles are seeking a middle of the order bat, but aren't willing to trade their best prospects to obtain one. While there's some interest in pitchers such as Brian Matusz, Jake Arrieta, Chris Tillman and Zach Britton, there are indications the Orioles wouldn't want to trade more than one of them. Plus, their trade value isn't particularly high.
  • The Blue Jays are prioritizing present gains over future potential, Shi Davidi writes at Sportsnet.ca. But it's not about a one-year gamble for GM Alex Anthopoulos. "This allows us to really put what we feel is a contending team together for an extended run, for a three-to-five year period," Anthopoulos said. An interesting note from Davidi's piece: Zack Greinke will out-earn Dickey's $30MM contract about a month into the 2014 season. The two contracts were signed under different circumstances, of course, but it’s still noteworthy.
  • Curtis Granderson expects to hit free agency after the 2013 season, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports. The Yankees have a team policy of waiting until players hit free agency before negotiating extensions, and Granderson doesn’t expect GM Brian Cashman to make an exception for him. “I’m just excited to play this year, and then, once we get to the end, we’ll take it at that point,” he said.
  • In a separate piece, Davidoff suggests that the best-run teams — he cites the Rays as one example — look to contend every year instead of targeting specific windows.

Reactions To R.A. Dickey Proposed Trade

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Earlier today, the Mets agreed to trade R.A. Dickey to the Blue Jays pending Toronto and the NL Cy Young award winner coming to terms on a contract extension by a Tuesday 1 p.m CST deadline. The negotiations have already begun, as have the reactions to the proposed trade.

  • Mets GM Sandy Alderson received the maximum possible return for Dickey, tweets Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio.
  • Bowden adds (via Twitter) the Blue Jays have gone from non-contenders to division favorites with their second blockbuster trade in a month, which netted them Dickey, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, and Jose Reyes.
  • The Mets are gambling Travis d'Arnaud becomes a perennial All-Star more than Dickey falls off, tweets MLB.com's Anthony DiComo.
  • The timing is perfect for the Blue Jays to go all in and deal prospects, but it will take three years to see if it pans out for the Mets, tweets Andy Martino of the New York Daily News.
  • In a separate tweet, Martino quotes an AL executive who says d'Arnaud is "an offensive catcher. He's OK back there. He's always been a baseball rat. Good kid."
  • A talent evaluator echoed those sentiments about d'Arnaud praising his mental toughness to Andy McCullough of The Star-Ledger (Twitter link).
  • A rival executive tells Newsday's Marc Carig "both sides win" with this trade adding Noah Syndergaard has an advanced feel for his three main pitches (fastball, curve, and changeup).
  • Carig also tweets the trade looks good in the long view, but he can understand why Mets fans are upset for seeing more of the same in the immediate future.
  • Dickey did himself no favors with the pointed remarks he made regarding his contract situation at the Mets' recent holiday party, writes ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin. This wasn't the first time Dickey has irked management with his outspoken views, according to Rubin citing Dickey's comments about Citi Field and its effect on David Wright before its reconfiguration.
  • While some might dismiss the Dickey acquisition, it could very well be one of the most important moves made in what has become a fascinating AL East division race because the true separator will be starting pitching, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. Bradford also analyzes the starting rotation for each AL East team.
  • For teams like the Blue Jays, this is the time to strike with blockbuster trades and free agent signings because of the weakness of the Yankees, Red Sox, and Mets, opines Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports.

Cafardo On Bourn, Yankees, Tigers, Soriano

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While the Dodgers and Angels scooped up the two impact free agents of this year's class, the Rangers have had a much more dull offseason, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  Texas lost Hamilton to the rival Angels and failed to sign Zack Greinke and Torii Hunter.  Beyond that, they also lost Mike Napoli, Ryan Dempster, and Koji Uehara to the Red Sox.  Landing Justin Upton would help bring energy back to the Rangers' lineup, but so far they haven't been able to get a deal done as they look to hold on to Elvis Andrus.  Here's more from today's column..

  • Some believe the Yankees are quietly interested in free agent outfielder Michael Bourn and will pounce if the price comes down.  Bourn would give the Bombers the leadoff hitter they have wanted for some time.  Meanwhile, the Rangers remain a possibility.
  • While the Tigers are keeping their distance from right-hander Rafael Soriano, it's not impossible for him to wind up in Detroit.  The Red Sox may also be interested and the Rangers could be a fit given all of the talent that they've lost.
  • If the Red Sox can’t finalize their deal with Mike Napoli, they could give Adam LaRoche the three-year, $39MM contract. Otherwise, LaRoche may stay with the Nationals or look to the Orioles, where Dan Duquette has coveted him.
  • Edwin Jackson may be the next pitcher to strike a deal.  The Padres have serious interest in Jackson, especially after losing Andrew Cashner for a while after his hunting accident.

Troy Glaus Contacted Yankees About Comeback

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Soon after the announcement of Alex Rodriguez's left hip injury, Troy Glaus contacted the Yankees and expressed an interest in returning to baseball according to WFAN's Sweeny Murti. Cody Ransom, who filled in at third base during A-Rod's first hip surgery in 2009, also contacted the team.

Glaus, 36, has been retired since 2010. He hit .240/.344/.400 with 16 homers in 483 plate appearances for the Braves that year, though he played first base almost exclusively. Glaus was hampered by knee and shoulder injuries late in his career, and he's supposedly 100% healthy after taking the last two years off. The Yankees have since signed Kevin Youkilis to plug their third base hole.

Yankees, Angels Discussed Vernon Wells

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The Angels have a few too many outfielders after signing Josh Hamilton, though they prefer to trade Kendrys Morales or Vernon Wells rather than Peter Bourjos or Mark Trumbo according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Yankees discussed Wells with Anaheim at the Winter Meetings.

Wells, 34, has hit .222/.258/.409 in 791 plate appearances with the Angels over the last two seasons. He's owed $21MM in each of the next two seasons, and the Halos know they'll have to eat most of that to facilitate a trade. The Yankees are seeking a right-handed bat to complement their all-lefty outfield, though they still have interest in free agent Scott Hairston. Wells has hit .266/.312/.481 against southpaws these last two years.

Rosenthal says the Phillies and Rays are also possible fits for Wells, though the former is ramping up their pursuit of Cody Ross. Wells has a full no-trade clause but would likely waive it for a team offering more playing time.

East Notes: Braves, Trumbo, Yankees, Orioles

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The Braves made an “aggressive” offer for Shin-Soo Choo, but ultimately it was the Reds that snagged him in a three-team deal.  Could Atlanta be in the mix for another slugger?  Here's more on that and other notes out of the Eastern divisions..

  • The Braves have Angels outfielder/first baseman Mark Trumbo on their radar, according to David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (on Twitter).  Earlier today, it was reported that the Halos are very likely to trade either Trumbo or Peter Bourjos for a pitcher.  However, Trumbo appears to be less available than Bourjos.
  • The Yankees luxury tax penalty for 2012 will come in at $18.9MM, according to the Associated Press.  The Bombers have run up a luxury tax bill of $224.2MM over the past ten years, with the fee increasing from $13.9MM last year.  
  • It's possible that the Orioles' relative quiet in the free agent market will become the new norm in the AL East, writes Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com.  Of course, the rival Rays and Blue Jays made major splashes this offseason via trade.

Yankees Designate Josh Spence For Assignment

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The Yankees announced that they designated left-hander Josh Spence for assignment. The move creates 40-man roster space for recently-signed infielder Kevin Youkilis.

The Yankees acquired Spence last month when they claimed him off of waivers from the Padres. The 24-year-old appeared in 11 games for San Diego this past season, posting a 4.35 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 10 1/3 innings. In 40 career innings at the MLB level, Spence has a 3.15 ERA with 9.2 K/9 and 5.4 BB/9. The Padres originally selected him in the ninth round of the 2010 draft.

Yankees Sign Kevin Youkilis

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The Yankees announced that they have signed infielder Kevin Youkilis on a one-year contract.  The Pro Star Management, Inc. client obtains $12MM, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, who first reported the agreement (via Twitter).  Youkilis drew interest from a number of clubs this offseason, including the Indians and newly-minted skipper Terry Francona. 

Youkilis struggled offensively as a member of the embattled 2012 Red Sox, hitting just .233/.315/.377 with four homers across 165 plate appearances.  However, he bounced back after being traded to the White Sox and boosted his slash line to .236/.346/.425 with 15 home runs in 344 plate appearances.

The 33-year-old is expected to see significant time at third base as Alex Rodriguez recovers from surgery on his left hip.  A-Rod will be out until at least May and could even be sidelined until July.  When Rodriguez returns to action, Youkilis could help support him at third while also seeing time at first base and DH.

Cleveland bowed out of the Youkilis chase on Sunday when they inked Mark Reynolds to a one-year contract worth $6MM.  Prior to that, the Tribe reportedly offered Youkilis a two-year deal worth approximately $18MM.  Some also saw the free-spending Dodgers as a possible suitor for Youkilis, but it doesn't appear that they ever jumped into the mix.

Rosenthal notes (via Twitter) that this is another sign that the Yankees appear to be serious about tightening their belt before 2014.  The Bombers are looking to get under $189MM limit by that point and they have inked Youkilis, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Hiroki Kuroda to one-year deals to help accomplish that.

Minor Moves: Slaten, Manzella, Acosta, Gaudin

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Here are the latest minor transactions from around the league…

  • SK Wyverns of the Korean Baseball Organization announced the signing of left-handed reliever Doug Slaten.  Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net (Twitter link) first reported the deal earlier this week.  Slaten has a 3.52 ERA in 216 games for the Diamondbacks, Nationals and Pirates since 2006, including a 2.16 ERA in 10 games with the Bucs in 2012.
  • The Rockies have signed shortstop Tommy Manzella to a minor league deal with a Spring Training invitation, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Manzella last appeared in the majors in 2010 with the Astros and has bounced around the minors with four different organizations over the last two seasons.
  • Right-hander Manny Acosta has signed a one-year, $1.65MM contract with the Yomiuri Giants, according to Gene Mato, Acosta's agent (Twitter link).  The deal could be worth another $500K in bonuses.  Acosta, 31, was non-tendered by the Mets following a season that saw him post a 6.46 ERA over relief appearances.
  • The Giants have agreed to a minor league deal with right-hander Chad Gaudin, reports Janie McCauley of the Associated Press (via Twitter).  Gaudin posted a 4.54 ERA in 46 relief appearances for the Marlins last season.
  • The Yankees have signed catcher Bobby Wilson to a minor league deal that contains a Spring Training invite, reports ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter link).  Wilson hit .211/.277/.292 batting line in 201 plate appearances with the Angels last season and was both claimed on waivers and non-tendered by the Blue Jays earlier this offseason.
  • The Yankees have also signed infielder Gil Velazquez to a minor league deal, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter).  The 33-year-old Velazquez received 57 PAs with the Marlins last year and also has Major League exerperience with the Angels and Red Sox.
  • The Cardinals have signed 18-year-old Dominican right-hander Alex Reyes to a contract worth $950K, reports MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez (via Twitter).
  • The Nationals signed 16-year-old Dominican third baseman Neivy Pilier to a $225K deal, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America.
  • The Nationals signed infielder Brian Bocock to a minor league contract, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson (Twitter link).  Bocock last played in the majors in 2010 and has spent the last two seasons playing in the Phillies, Pirates and Blue Jays organizations.
  • The Padres acquired left-hander Chris Rearick from the Rays in exchange for infielder Vince Belnome, reports MLB.com's Corey Brock (via Twitter).
  • The Phillies have announced the signings of Andres Blanco, Josh Fields, Cesar Jimenez, Steven Lerud, Michael Martinez, Zach Miner, Jermaine Mitchell, Pete Orr and Humberto Quintero to minor league contracts with invitations to Spring Training.

Quick Hits: Rangers, Youkilis, Swisher

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The latest links from around MLB on a day Josh Hamilton obtained a $125MM deal from the Angels…

  • The Rangers haven’t pushed hard for free agent first baseman Adam LaRoche, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports (on Twitter). It appears that they’ll look at other options following the departure of Hamilton. However, Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com reports that LaRoche's name came up today and that Texas might be willing to offer three years (Twitter link).
  • The Rangers would like to add a pitcher, and are looking at mid-rotation starters, including Edwin Jackson, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports.
  • Managers Robin Ventura and Bobby Valentine reflected on Kevin Youkilis' 2012 season with Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Also within the piece, Sherman shows that the Giants won the 2012 World Series without spending more than $1.25MM on a free agent during the winter of 2011-12. Yes, Ryan Theriot was San Francisco's most expensive free agent signing a year ago.
  • Multiple teams continue pursuing Nick Swisher, but the free agent outfielder is “not even close” to making a decision, Scott Miller of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). At least three clubs are in the mix and a fourth may be involved. The Indians appear to be pursuing Swisher aggressively, and the Red Sox, Phillies, Mariners, Rangers, and Orioles have also been linked to him.
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