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Doug Mientkiewicz

Dodgers Sign Nick Green, Two Others

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WEDNESDAY, 3:48pm: Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times writes that Green will get a $550K base salary if he's on the big league roster, with another $100K in incentives.  Hernandez also has contract details for Angel Berroa, Doug Mientkiewicz, and Russ Ortiz.

MONDAY, 1:25pm: The Dodgers signed Nick Green to a minor league deal, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Rosental says Green would be Rafael Furcal's primary backup at shortstop. 

Green, 31, hit .236/.303/.366 in 309 plate appearances for the Red Sox last year, logging 644.3 innings at short.  His defense graded as a positive in that insufficient sample.  Green had back surgery in November and was outrighted by the Sox shortly thereafter.  The Rockies also showed interest this offseason.

MLB.com's Ken Gurnick notes two other Dodgers signings: pitcher Scott Dohmann and infielder Argenis Reyes.  Dohmann, 31, was released by the Hiroshima Carp in June and landed in the D'Backs organization.  Reyes, 27, hit .282/.336/.377 for the Mets' Triple A club.

Dodgers Sign Doug Mientkiewicz, Angel Berroa

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The Dodgers signed first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz and shortstop Angel Berroa to minor league deals, writes Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times.

Mientkiewicz, 35, had only 20 plate appearances with the Dodgers this year and another 64 in the minors.  He had shoulder surgery in April, missing the bulk of the season.  Aside from his defense, Mientkiewicz may be best known for catching and retaining (for a while) the ball that marked Boston's 2004 championship.

Berroa, 32 in January, totaled 55 plate appearances with the New York teams this year and 80 more in the minors.  He received significant playing time for the '08 Dodgers after coming over in a trade with the Royals.  Berroa's claim to fame is his 2003 Rookie of the Year award and subsequent four-year, $11MM contract with Kansas City.  The contract serves as a reminder that it doesn't always pay to lock up a young player through his arbitration years.

Gammons’ Latest: Iglesias, Magglio, Valentine

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In his latest blog post at ESPN, Peter Gammons writes that the NL West has quietly become very competitive thanks to three California pitcher's parks that make it such a pitching dominated division. Through the help of scouts and team executives, he points out all the great young talent in the division, highlighted by the likes of Ubaldo Jimenez, Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Tim Lincecum, Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Pablo Sandoval, Troy Tulowitzki, and Mark Reynolds.

Here's a roundup of Gammons' rumors…

  • Gammons jokes that Dodgers GM Ned Colletti "could be arrested for shoplifting," because in the last two seasons he's acquired Manny Ramirez, Casey Blake, George Sherrill, Jon Garland, Jim Thome, Doug Mientkiewicz, Ronnie Belliard, and Vicente Padilla while paying them approximately $2.7MM combined.
  • The Red Sox will get their first look at Cuban shortstop Jose Iglesias, who they signed for $8.5MM back in July, in the Arizona Fall League. Gammons spoke to an NL GM who said he would have given Iglesias $12MM if his team could afford it, because "Our scouts say he's the best defensive shortstop they've ever seen."
  • If you're interested, you can see the full Arizona Fall League rosters here.
  • Jim Leyland was never told anything about benching Magglio Ordonez so his $18MM option in 2010 wouldn't vest. "He's going to make it," Leyland says. "So anyone who said otherwise has egg on his face. Dave Dombrowski has never even mentioned the vesting option." Ordonez needs just 35 more plate appearances this season to lock in the option.
  • Bobby Valentine's name was mentioned by Nationals' ownership during every interview they hosted while searching for a permanent GM, so he might be in the mix for their managerial job.

Doug Mientkiewicz To Make Dodgers?

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Ramona Shelburne of the Los Angeles Daily News writes that Doug Mientkiewicz "seems to have played himself into contention for a spot on the Dodgers' Opening Day roster."

Just a month ago, Mientkiewicz was pondering retirement.  Now he's being viewed as an ideal left-handed pinch hitting option for a squad with legitimate playoff aspirations. 

"Doug's certainly got our attention," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said Friday.  "I told him, `If somebody else sees you and you and you get an opportunity to play someplace else that's fine.' But he just won't let up. As Yogi (Berra) would say, he's trying to make himself necessary."

Mientkiewicz is hitting .300/.371/.700 this spring with two home runs and 11 RBI in 30 at-bats.  Plus, he has one of the wildest player portraits on all of MLB.com.

Dodgers Sign Doug Mientkiewicz

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6:35pm: Jackson reports that Mientkiewicz passed his physical and signed the contract.

10:41am: According to Tony Jackson of the Los Angeles Daily News, the Dodgers have agreed to terms with Doug Mientkiewicz on a minor league contract.

Mientkiewicz will join spring training camp once he passes a physical.  He’s no Manny Ramirez, but, as Jackson writes, he "might have a good chance of making the club to fill that role that Nomar Garciaparra filled last year."  Mientkiewicz, 34, hit .277/.374/.379 last season with two home runs and 30 RBI in 285 at-bats for the Pirates.

Pirates, Eric Hinske Agree To Terms

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4:30pm: Kovacevic says Hinske and the Pirates have agreed to terms one a one-year deal with a base salary around $1.5MM.

THURSDAY, 12:20am: Dejan Kovacevic says Friday is more likely than Thursday for Hinske to sign.

WEDNESDAY, 5:23pm: Jon Heyman agrees. He says the Pirates are in serious discussions with Hinske, working towards a deal worth roughly $1.5MM.

11:22pm: Ken Rosenthal says the Pirates are closing in on a one-year contract with Hinske.  An agreement could be reached Wednesday that would pay Hinske $1-2MM plus incentives.  Dejan Kovacevic also has the story, noting that the signing would end Doug Mientkiewicz’s time in Pittsburgh.

7:35pm: Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirms that the Pirates have had contract discussions with Hinske and believes that the two sides "could be close to an agreement."

TUESDAY, 5:44pm: Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com has learned from a baseball industry source that the Pirates are targeting free agent outfielder Eric Hinske.

The Pirates could use Hinske as their fourth outfielder and primary pinch-hitting option.  According to Langosch’s report, "discussions between the two sides have increased to the point where the Pirates may be bringing Hinske to Pittsburgh before the end of the week."

Pirates Interested In Braden Looper

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Let’s gather up assorted pieces of Pirates information from Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from the past few days…

  • We already knew about Pedro Martinez; Kovacevic says the Pirates also have an eye on free agent starter Braden Looper.  The Dodgers and D’Backs are other teams in the market for the 34 year-old hurler.  Team president Frank Coonelly says free agents are "still asking for prices based on yesterday’s market."
  • Kovacevic suggests the Pirates may sign another bench player soon, someone other than fan favorite Doug Mientkiewicz.
  • GM Neal Huntington ruled out free agents Rich Aurilia, Joe Crede, and Kevin Millar.  Still, Coonelly expects the Pirates to sign more players, ones that fans "would fall in love with."
  • Huntington says there are no current trade talks for shortstop Jack Wilson.

Pirates Notes: Maholm, Mientkiewicz, Alvarez

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The latest on the Pirates, from Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

  • Extension talks with Nate McLouth are dormant, but talks with Paul Maholm are not.  Maholm is arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter, so he’s under team control through 2011.
  • Doug Mientkiewicz was overwhelmed by the support he’s getting from Pirates fans.
  • Scott Boras apparently told the Pirates Pedro Alvarez was working very hard to stay in shape while their negotiations dragged, but team president Frank Coonelly says Alvarez "was not in good condition" when he showed up for the Florida Instructional League in September.

Mientkiewicz Believes Return To Pirates Unlikely

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WEDNESDAY: Dejan Kovacevic talked to Huntington, who "blamed Mientkiewicz’s lingering frustration with the team’s lack of communication on Mientkiewicz’s now-former agent."  Huntington said the door remains open for Minky.

MONDAY: First baseman Doug Mientkiewicz told Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com that he doubts he’ll return to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization this season.

According to Mientkiewicz, the Pirates have not made an offer or any attempts to get in touch with him as the offseason has progressed. He has not spoken with general manager Neal Huntington or manager John Russell, a close friend of Mientkiewicz’s, since the season ended, Langosch wrote.

Mientkiewicz, 35 in June, hit .277 with 30 RBI in 125 games. As a Pirate, he played some third base for the first time in his career.

Odds And Ends: Padres, Manny, Braves

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Links for Sunday…

  • John Moores will remain majority owner of the Padres for three or four years even if he agrees to sell the team to Jeff Moorad, according to Tom Krasovic. Major league executives say Padres CEO Sandy Alderson is likely to leave if Moorad takes over.
  • In a recent poll, Giants fans were divided on the idea of signing Manny Ramirez.
  • The Pirates haven’t offered Doug Mientkiewicz a contract.
  • Thomas Stinson looks at an offseason of "mediocrity" for the Braves.
  • Bobby Cox likes the looks of Kenshin Kawakami.
  • Larry LaRue asks who’s on first for the Mariners this year.
  • Joe Posnanski sees Adam Dunn and Willie Bloomquist as opposites in a way.
  • Michael Silverman compares the pre-Bronx careers of Mark Teixeira and Jason Giambi.
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