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Olney On Soriano, LaRoche, Braves

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Baseball’s most recent collective bargaining agreement introduced new rules regarding draft pick compensation, and the changes were expected to help free agents. However, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports that some agents and general managers say certain free agents who obtained qualifying offers are now seeing reduced interest from teams. These players are talented, but general managers are hesitant to give up draft picks. Here are more notes from Olney’s column…

  • One GM pointed out that teams aren’t “wild about giving up a draft pick for a reliever," even though Rafael Soriano is a good pitcher. The Yankees almost certainly won’t consider taking him back, according to Olney.
  • The Red Sox have targeted players who aren’t linked to draft pick compensation, as Olney points out.
  • Adam LaRoche is tied to draft pick compensation and it’s “really hurting him,” Olney writes. The first baseman has been sitting on a two-year offer from the Nationals.
  • It appears that the Braves would be fairly comfortable going into the season with Martin Prado playing both left field and third base. They’d use Reed Johnson in left field against left-handers and Juan Francisco at third base against right-handers in that scenario.

New York Notes: Mets, Ibanez, Hairston

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As the Yankees take aim at a third consecutive AL East title, the Mets are working toward their first division title since 2006. Here's the latest on New York's two MLB teams…

  • While Sandy Alderson and the Mets appears to have done well to obtain top prospects Travis d'Arnaud and Noah Syndergaard for R.A. Dickey, the GM will ultimately be assessed by how those players fare at the MLB level, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. Sherman shows that the prospects traded for Cy Young winners haven’t done particularly well in the Major Leagues in recent years.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman said he’s open to talking to free agents or discussing trades with other clubs, George A. King III of the New York Post reports. The GM confirmed that he continues talking to Raul Ibanez and his agent, but declined to discuss his interest in free agent outfielder Scott Hairston. Ibanez could become the Yankees’ DH and Hairston could balance out the team’s lefty-heavy outfield.

Minor Moves: Martinez, Spence, Shirek, Blue Jays

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The latest minor moves from around MLB…

  • The Brewers have agreed to a $50K contract with Dominican outfielder Geraldy Martinez, according to the Dominican Prospect League.  Martinez, 17, hits from the right side of the plate and "hits the ball hard gap to gap with true power from [his] pull side," according to the DPL website.
  • The Yankees announced that they have outrighted left-hander Josh Spence to Triple-A after Spence cleared waivers.  Spence was claimed off waivers from San Diego earlier this month and designated for assignment by New York earlier this week to create 40-man roster space for Kevin Youkilis.
  • The White Sox announced that they have requested unconditional release waivers on Charlie Shirek so that the right-hander can pursue opportunities in Asia. The 27-year-old spent this past season at Triple-A Charlotte, where he posted a 3.65 ERA with 6.2 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9 in 170 1/3 innings as a starter. Shirek, who does not have any MLB experience, will pitch in Korea, MLB.com’s Scott Merkin reports (on Twitter). Chicago’s 40-man roster now has 38 players.
  • The Blue Jays announced that they signed right-hander Ramon Ortiz and outfielder Ryan Langerhans to minor league deals that include invitations to MLB Spring Training. The 39-year-old Ortiz spent the 2012 season with the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate, posting a 3.45 ERA in 27 starts. Langerhans, 32, spent most of this past season with the Angels' Triple-A affiliate, but he did appear in two games at the MLB level. He posted a .250/.369/.446 batting line in 401 Triple-A plate appearances.
  • The Blue Jays also signed minor league infielder Lance Zawadzki to a minor-league deal, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports (on Twitter).

Yankees Links: Bourn, Hairston, Youkilis, Granderson

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It was on this day in 1956 that Phil Rizzuto traded his glove for a microphone as the longtime Yankee shortstop agreed to become a radio and TV broadcaster.  Rizzuto called Yankees games for the next 39 years, becoming arguably even more famous as an announcer than he was for his Hall-of-Fame playing career.

Here's the latest from the Bronx…

  • There is "no chance" the Yankees will pursue Michael Bourn, a source tells ESPN New York's Wallace Matthews.  We heard over the weekend from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that the Yankees would be interested in Bourn if his price dropped, though it's hard to imagine Bourn's price dropping enough to suit a team who is trying to keep payroll under the luxury tax threshold for 2014.
  • Scott Hairston is apparently "the front-runner" amongst the right-handed hitting outfielders the Yankees are targeting, Matthews reports, though Hairston would prefer to return to the Mets in 2013.
  • In a radio interview on WAAF's Hill-Man Morning Show, Kevin Youkilis said that his ideal choice would've been to play on the west coast near his Bay Area home, but his suitors were all eastern and midwest teams.  Youkilis said his choice hinged on the Yankees having the best chance to win a World Series, not out of spite towards the Red Sox.  (Hat tip to WEEI.com's Alex Speier for the partial transcript of Youkilis' interview.)
  • Curtis Granderson's trade value is examined by Chad Jennings of the LoHud Yankees blog, who concludes that the Yankees will have a difficult time finding a trade partner who both needs and can afford Granderson, while also being able to send a good return back to the Bronx.
  • The Yankees will pay an extra $400K after Major League Baseball recalculated the team's luxury tax payments for 2012, according to The Associated Press.  New York will now pay just under $19.312MM in luxury tax for the previous season.

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.
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