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Dodgers Nearing Deal With Marcus Thames

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The Dodgers are on the verge of signing free agent outfielder Marcus Thames, baseball sources tell MLB.com's Ken Gurnick.  However, the club declined to confirm that a signing of the 33-year-old is close.  Thames would provide the Dodgers with right-handed power and could platoon with Jay Gibbons in left field.

Sources say that the Dodgers are also looking at veterans Eric Chavez and Gabe Kapler as they search for a power bat.  The front office also is thinking about moving Matt Kemp from center field to right, Andre Ethier right field to left, and Tony Gwynn starting in center field.  That alignment would help fortify the Dodgers' defense but Gwynn must perform well at the plate in Spring Training in order to make that a possibility.

 

Cafardo’s Latest: Papelbon, Beltre, Pavano, Kapler

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After a morning of headlines involving Zack Greinke, let's not forget that there are still plenty of trade targets and free agents remaining on the market. Nick Cafardo has the latest updates on a few of them in his newest piece for the Boston Globe….

  • The Red Sox have been listening to offers for Jonathan Papelbon. When the team made a three-year, $51MM offer to Mariano Rivera, the assumption was that, on the off chance Rivera accepted, Papelbon wouldn't be back next season.
  • Even if Papelbon remains a Red Sox through 2011, there's an understanding that he'll explore the free agent market. Boston only expects to re-sign him if he agrees to a team-friendly deal like those signed by Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, and Jon Lester.
  • The article names the Rangers and Angels as a couple teams who could have interest in trading for Papelbon, though it appears to be mostly speculation on Cafardo's part.
  • While the Rangers and Halos also appear to be the two leading suitors for Adrian Beltre, Cafardo wonders if a mystery team could be involved, given the silence surrounding the third baseman lately. As we learned during the Cliff Lee derby, you can never entirely rule out those ever-looming mystery teams.
  • Cafardo writes that Carl Pavano likely won't sign until at least later this week, unless a team ponies up and makes him an offer in the ballpark of $36MM over three years. Of course, at the time Cafardo's column was published, the Brewers' acquisition of Greinke wasn't confirmed. With Greinke off the table, teams who missed out on the Royals' ace may feel a greater sense of urgency to get something done with Pavano. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports suggests that a reunion with the Twins appears likely for Pavano, following the Greinke trade.
  • The Red Sox have tried to re-acquire Justin Masterson from the Indians, but have been denied so far.
  • Gabe Kapler would like to keep playing, and is "waiting for the right situation."

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Royals, Rays, Burrell

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On this date 41 years ago, Major League owners unanimously elected Bowie Kuhn to a seven-year term as commissioner. It was under Kuhn that the reserve clause was eliminated, paving the way for free agency as we know it.

We've got a lot of links to get to, so let's dive right in…

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Rays Re-Sign Gabe Kapler

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The Rays re-signed outfielder Gabe Kapler to a one-year, $1.05MM deal, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.  Kapler, 34, hit .239/.329/.439 in 238 plate appearances while playing all three outfield positions (primarily right field). 

Kapler originally signed with the Rays for $1MM back in January.  The Rays seemingly got their money's worth, as Kapler's strong defense led FanGraphs to value him at $5.2MM this year.

Rays Rumors: Zobrist, Iwamura, Kapler

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MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez provides the latest on a few Tampa Bay Rays:

  • If Ben Zobrist becomes the team's everyday second baseman, the club may decide to bring free agent-to-be Gabe Kapler back as a backup outfielder. Kapler made $1MM this year and hit .239/.329/.439 in 245 trips to the plate.
  • If the club keeps Zobrist at second, it appears highly unlikely that the Rays would pick up Akinori Iwamura's $4.25MM option.
  • Other club options to watch: Carl Crawford at $10MM, Gregg Zaun at $2MM and Brian Shouse at $1.9MM.
  • It's likely that the team will look for affordable late-inning relief help. 

Rays Sign Gabe Kapler

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According to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times, the Rays signed outfielder Gabe Kapler to a one-year, $1MM deal.  An hour earlier, Tommy Rancel of DRays Bay wrote that the two sides could be close to a deal.

Hard not to like the signing.  Kapler, 33, hit .301/.340/.498 while playing all three outfield positions in his comeback season (he spent ’07 managing in the minors).  ESPN’s Keith Law suggested Kapler showed enough to merit an everyday job in center field.

Phillies Interested In Garciaparra

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Ken Rosenthal and Jim Salisbury have both heard from major league sources that the Phillies are interested in Nomar Garciaparra as a bench player.

Salisbury writes that the Phillies haven’t yet made an offer, but could if Nomar seems interested.

Both Rosenthal and Salisbury hear that the Phillies have some interest in Gabe Kapler.

Mariners’ Priorities

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Larry Stone talked to Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik, who listed the team’s needs:

"I’d love to have an outfield bat, and I’d love to have another infielder.  And everyone is looking for pitching."

Stone also learned that the Ms have an offer out to one free agent and Zduriencik is very optimistic he will be signed.

Stone says Adam Dunn "has a strong preference to remain in the NL," and there’s no indication the Mariners are interested in Manny Ramirez.  Ken Griffey Jr. seems to be a backburner issue.  Stone says we should "tuck away" Gabe Kapler as a possibility.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Swisher, Nady, Kapler, Zaun

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The latest from Ken Rosenthal.

  • A recent Ned Colletti-Scott Boras conversation about Manny Ramirez didn’t result in progress.  Boras still has his sights on at least $100MM over four years.  Rosenthal adds that Manny is "cool to the idea of playing in San Francisco."
  • Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady are drawing "significant interest."  Rosenthal speculates that the Giants, Braves, or Pirates would make sense.
  • The door is not closed with the Yankees and Andy Pettitte.  Pettitte recently rejected the Yanks’ one-year, $10MM offer.
  • Some Mets people prefer Oliver Perez to Derek Lowe.  The Braves have yet to speak to Boras about Lowe, while the Brewers and Phillies have financial concerns about fitting him in.
  • Trevor Hoffman has a West Coast preference (the Dodgers or maybe a Padres reconciliation) but interest with the Brewers is mutual.  Other relievers on the Dodgers’ radar: Juan Cruz, Guillermo Mota, and Dennys Reyes.
  • Brian Fuentes’ agent had serious talks with the Yankees, but no offer was made.  Fuentes would’ve been Mariano Rivera’s set-up man and perhaps taken over upon his retirement.
  • Rosenthal notes that MLB kicked in a small part of the $10MM owed to Sidney Ponson from their luxury tax pool, which is not uncommon.
  • If they can afford it, the Rays would like to sign Gabe Kapler.
  • The Orioles, Red Sox, and A’s are interested in Gregg Zaun.
  • Perhaps because of the cool market for his services, Orlando Cabrera is willing to play second base.  The Yankees did not have interest.
  • That Gavin Floyd for Brian Roberts rumor "seemingly arose from internal discussions among Orioles officials."

Odds and Ends: Napoli, Schilling, Bradley

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Links for Monday, to be updated as more come in.

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