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Yankees Likely To Sign DePaula

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The Yankees are expected to sign Dominican right-hander Rafael DePaula for about $700K later today, according to Melissa Segura of SI.com (on Twitter). He reappeared on the market a week ago after facing age and identity fraud questions for a year. MLB suspended him in 2009 and he later confessed to using a false identity. 

If not for the suspension, DePaula would likely have signed for more, according to Segura. He turns 20 soon, so the Yankees may fast track his path through the minor leagues. (Twitter links).

Yankees To Make Jeter An Offer; How Will It Look?

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The Yankees plan to offer Derek Jeter a contract of at least three years, possibly by the end of the week, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Jon Heyman of SI.com and Sherman both suggest the Yankees' initial offer will likely be worth roughly $45MM (Twitter link). However, Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork reported yesterday that the Yankees would be happy to agree to a three-year $63MM deal.

Sherman suggests the Yankees might be willing to increase their offer to the $57-60MM range on a three-year deal and notes that the team could offer a fourth year or an option for a fourth year. According to Matthews, Jeter wants at least a four-year deal and has a preference for a five or six-year contract.

At least one person in the Yankees front office wants the team to draw a hard line with Jeter, Matthews reported. Sherman finds it "very possible" that the Yankees will make an offer and tell Jeter to beat it on the open market if he doesn't like it. The Yankees insist that they'll be offering a baseball contract. Yankees president Randy Levine told reporters that Jeter's contract "isn't a licensing deal or commercial rights deal." 

Latin Links: Tejada, Uribe, Feliz, Cuban Players

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Links from Spanish-language news sources…

  • Sources close to Miguel Tejada and Juan Uribe said the infielders will wait and see what kind of contract Derek Jeter signs before committing to anything on their own, according to ESPN Deportes' Enrique Rojas. Neither player is aspiring to Jeter-like money, Rojas writes, but they think Jeter will "establish the market value of veteran shortstops" and give their own respective values a boost. The Cardinals are supposedly interested in both players.
  • Neftali Feliz told Jose Caceres of Hoy he's heard rumors about the Rangers planning to move him to the rotation, but on the team's end, "Nobody has said anything to me." SI's Jon Heyman tweeted earlier today that the team would consider the move if they can't sign Cliff Lee.
  • Victor Mesa, a former Cuban National Team manager and one of the all-time greats of Cuban baseball, told the official government newspaper Trabajadores that the time has finally come for those in power to allow Cuban players to sign with foreign teams, conveys Diario de Cuba. "I think there could be incorporation [into foreign teams], so that they could spend eight years playing in our National Series and [sign] with our involvement, not independently," Mesa said. The most recent prominent player to flee the country is a speedy teenaged outfielder in the mold of Mesa himself: 17-year-old centerfielder Yasiel Balaguer, who arrived in Nicaragua a few days ago.

Justin Upton Rumors: Wednesday

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Today's Justin Upton rumors…

  • One AL exec told SI.com's Jon Heyman (Twitter link) that Arizona's asking price for Upton is "ridiculous."
  • The Rockies inquired on Upton, according to the Denver Post's Troy Renck. A Diamondbacks official expects the team would be willing to deal within the division, though they'd have to receive a very strong offer.
  • The Upton rumors are more than just talk, says ESPN.com's Jayson Stark, who was told the D'Backs are "genuinely open" to moving the 23-year-old. However, it might take a package of five players who could help the team in the short- and long-term (Twitter links).
  • The Red Sox discussed Upton with the D'Backs late into Tuesday night, reports CSNNE.com's Sean McAdam, but talks are now stalled over Towers' latest demands.
  • The Braves are unlikely to pursue Upton after trading for Dan Uggla, GM Frank Wren implied (via Joel Sherman on Twitter).
  • The D'Backs will seek at least four or five players in return for Upton, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.  He believes perhaps three of those players would have to be big league ready.
  • USA Today's Bob Nightengale introduced the idea of Upton as a trade candidate on Monday, and the rumors took off yesterday.  Today, Nightengale says the Yankees' offer for Upton has fallen short but the Red Sox remain engaged.  Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers described the Upton trade talks as "people kicking the tires right now." 
  • Towers told Joel Sherman of the New York Post, "[Upton] would be a tough guy to move.  But you always seek out the information on what teams will do because you never know if, to get one player, a team will grossly overpay."  Sherman added via Twitter that the D'Backs "have [a] growing belief [they] will trade Upton based on [a] ton of interest."
  • Sherman talked to one team executive who says the Marlins have had the most interest in Upton for a while.  An exec speculated that Logan Morrison and Ricky Nolasco would get it done, notes Sherman.
  • It's not known if the Rays would like to add a second Upton, but the execs Sherman spoke to consider them an early favorite along with the Marlins.

Odds & Ends: Jones, Mets, Yankees, Guerrero, Greinke

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A few more links for Wednesday night…

Jeter Wants Four-Year Deal From Yankees

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When Joel Sherman of the New York Post discussed Derek Jeter's contract negotiations with the Yankees earlier today, he suggested that the length of an extension may currently be the sticking point. Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork hears the same thing. A source tells Matthews that Jeter and the Yankees disagree about the number of years, with the Yanks willing to offer three years and Jeter hoping for more than that.

According to Matthews' source, the Yankees would "give Jeter more money than his play currently warrants" over three years, but are reluctant to go any longer. The Yankee captain would like a deal that locks him up for four seasons, and maybe more. Matthews indicates, as Sherman did, that the negotiations are unfolding like a "game of chicken."

Matthews reported earlier this month that the value for the Yanks' three-year offer to Jeter would likely fall somewhere between $45MM and $60MM.

Heyman On Weeks, Matsui, Pujols

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SI's Jon Heyman is gathering all kinds of information at the GM Meetings; here's the latest…

  • Brewers GM Doug Melvin will talk to second baseman Rickie Weeks today about a possible extension, tweets Heyman.  The arbitration eligible Weeks is one year away from free agency.
  • Heyman tweets that the White Sox are talking to free agent designated hitter Hideki Matsui, who would fit as one of two lefty bats they hope to acquire.  The Sox have already had preliminary discussions with Adam Dunn's agent.  Heyman says the Cubs have not appeared to be big suitors for Dunn so far.
  • Regarding Albert Pujols, Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt does not want to repeat Alex Rodriguez's ten-year, $275MM contract.  In fact, he believes the Yankees would retract A-Rod's deal if they could.  Heyman floated an eight-year, $240MM deal to DeWitt, who questioned the $30MM salary.
  • Expensive closers Jonathan Papelbon and Francisco Cordero are on the trade market, with the Red Sox and Reds willing to kick in money.  Still, Heyman sees the Red Sox retaining Papelbon, whose trade market is weak.
  • Heyman could see something around three years and $57MM for Derek Jeter.
  • Heyman believes the Orioles are looking at Paul Konerko and/or Adrian Beltre for their corner infield openings.

Yankees Rumors: Upton, Lee, Soriano, Jeter

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Joel Sherman of the New York Post dishes out the latest Yankees buzz in a series of articles…

  • Sherman notes that Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers has knowledge of the Yankees farm system after working for the team last year, which makes a Justin Upton match intriguing.  However, Sherman feels that the Yankees would get involved most likely if Cliff Lee signs elsewhere and they look to trade an outfielder for a starter.  Teams have inquired on Nick Swisher, Curtis Granderson, and Brett Gardner, notes Sherman.
  • Executives Sherman spoke to continue to express the opinion that the Yankees will land Lee.
  • The Yanks are also working hard to find a setup man, calling on about a dozen free agents including Pedro Feliciano.  They've checked in on Rafael Soriano "as a fallback position in the incredibly small likelihood that Mariano Rivera does not re-sign."  Sherman says to forget the idea of Soriano signing as Rivera's setup man and closer-in-waiting.  Neither side is interested in that scenario.
  • Sherman analyzes the Derek Jeter situation, which he feels could become "one of the most interesting games of contract chicken in history."  The main sticking point seems to be the number of years.

Odds & Ends: Westbrook, De La Rosa, Papelbon

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Links on a busy Tuesday as the first day of the GM Meetings wraps up…

Yankees Interested In Bill Hall

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Given all of the injuries they dealt with in 2010, the Red Sox were happy to have Bill Hall around. The former Brewer hit .247/.316/.456 with 18 homers in 382 plate appearances with Boston, his best effort since the breakout 2006 campaign that landed him a four-year, $24MM contract. Now another AL East club is looking to bring him aboard, as FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal says the Yankees have interest in Hall according to major league sources.

“We have a good utility guy in [Ramiro] Pena,” said GM Brian Cashman. “We think Eduardo Nunez will be an everyday shortstop in the big leagues, but he very well could be a utility guy for us. [Brandon] Laird plays first base, third base and outfield."

“Obviously, are there better veteran guys available in free agency or the trade market? Very probably, there are. But is that the best way to go? We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Hall, 31 next month, works with Yankees' hitting coach Kevin Long during the offseason, so there's already a relationship in place. Of course the team's first priority is re-signing Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, not to mention making a run at Cliff Lee, so any pursuit of Hall will likely wait until after those other items are addressed. 

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