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AL East Notes: Orioles, Red Sox, Crawford, Jays, Rays

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AL East updates:

  • Orioles GM Dan Duquette expects to make a deal or two tomorrow, according to Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com. The moves would likely be trades to obtain pitching, Ghiroli adds (Twitter links).
  • The Red Sox have no plans to try to trade Carl Crawford, writes WEEI's Alex Speier.
  • GM Ben Cherington and the Red Sox seem content to wait out the pitching market for bargains, says Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.
  • The Red Sox didn't have "substantive conversations" with Erik Bedard before the lefty signed with the Pirates, tweets Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.
  • Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos says there's a "very select group" of players the team will consider in the Rule 5 draft tomorrow, according to Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com. The Jays will only clear a spot on their 40-man roster if they think they have a shot to acquire one of those players (all Twitter links).
  • Anthopoulos also said yesterday that he thinks the Blue Jays' ability to boost payroll has been "grossly exaggerated," writes Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca. Team president Paul Beeston said the Jays could increase payroll to around $120MM eventually, but that they'd need to start drawing more fans first.
  • The Rays are still talking to free agents, but nothing is imminent, tweets Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. There may be mutual interest between Johnny Damon and the Rays for a reunion, tweets Newsday's Ken Davidoff.

Prince Fielder Rumors: Tuesday

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The market for Prince Fielder is developing slowly. Yesterday we heard of varying degrees of interest from the Orioles and Mariners, while the Brewers and Dodgers admitted they likely can't afford the big man. Today's Fielder rumors are below:

  • Zduriencik told Brock and Salk of 710ESPN there has been ongoing dialogue about Fielder, but there will be a point where they can't be involved. Zduriencik says a time will come, be it this year or sometime in the next 2-3 years, where ownership "will step up and give us the resources that we absolutely need to get us over the top and I think we are all excited about that." (Hat tip: Shannon Drayer of MyNorthwest.com)
  • The Mariners are planning to meet with Fielder tonight, says Heyman (on Twitter). He's unsure of their chances to sign him, but says they "love" the slugger.
  • The Cubs' interest in Fielder appears to be "sincere," tweets Heyman.
  • Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik believes calling the Mariners the frontrunner for Fielder is "misleading," writes MLB.com's Greg Johns. "On any free agent," said the GM. "I have no clue how many clubs are in on any free agent that we’re talking to. To say anybody is a front runner, I don’t know how that would have come out." Zduriencik's comments at least indicate that the M's are talking to Prince.
  • For what it's worth, agent Scott Boras talked to Bowden (Twitter link) about Fielder, saying he has "many suitors and the coffee isn't even hot yet."
  • The Cubs aren't in any kind of a process with Fielder, Cubs manager Dale Sveum told reporters.
  • The Mariners are the frontrunner for Fielder, tweets Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio and ESPN.
  • Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos told Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio he's unlikely to sign Fielder because he's not going past a five-year commitment.
  • The Cubs are eyeing Fielder more than Albert Pujols, tweets Jon Heyman of MLB Network.  The Cubs won't do nine or ten years for Pujols, and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that they prefer high dollars and a shorter term for Fielder as well.

Cold Market For David Ortiz

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3:37pm: The Red Sox offered Ortiz a two-year deal worth $18MM, tweets Joe McDonald of ESPNBoston, but he seeks $7MM more.  He's undecided on whether to accept arbitration tomorrow.

2:46pm: The draft pick cost associated with signing free agent designated hitter David Ortiz killed his market, tweets Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.  The Blue Jays and Mariners are seen as unlikely, so Big Papi might have to reconsider Boston's reported two-year offer or else accept arbitration tomorrow night.

Blue Jays Acquire Sergio Santos

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The Blue Jays acquired reliever Sergio Santos from the White Sox for righty prospect Nestor Molina, announced the team.

Santos

In Santos, 28, Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos found his closer on the trade market.  The converted infielder posted a 3.55 ERA, 13.1 K/9, 4.1 BB/9, 0.85 HR/9, and 43% groundball rate in 63 1/3 innings for the White Sox this year, saving 30 games in 36 tries.  He was formerly a shortstop in Toronto's minor league system from 2006-08.  It was surprising to see Santos (pictured) dealt, as there had been no rumors and he signed a three-year, $8.25MM deal with the Sox in September.  The contract includes three club options, so the Blue Jays have cost certainty on Santos potentially through 2017.  For fantasy analysis of Toronto's Santos acquisition, check out Bryan Grosnick's post at CloserNews.    

Molina, 22, posted a 2.21 ERA, 10.2 K/9, 1.1 BB/9, and 0.6 HR/9 in 130 1/3 innings across High and Double-A this year.  Molina is a converted infielder himself, and appears close to MLB-ready.  Though Molina was not among the Blue Jays' top 30 prospects in Baseball America's handbook before the season, his stock presumably rose with his excellent 2011.  Molina is a good prospect who doesn't offer much projection, writes ESPN's Keith Law.  Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus agrees, saying "his stuff falls well below his statistics," and he projects as a #4 starter with a shot at becoming a #3.

"This is the start of a rebuilding," White Sox GM Kenny Williams told reporters today, noting that it is not "the start of falling domino rebuilding."  Santos himself was affordable, but perhaps Williams preferred a future rotation candidate in Molina.  A lot is riding on Molina after this surprising one-for-one swap.  Given Williams' rebuilding comment, look for plenty of rumors regarding John Danks, Gavin Floyd, Carlos Quentin, and others in the coming weeks, although the offers have disappointed Williams to date.  

Anthopoulos and Williams matched up once before, on the July deal that sent Jason Frasor and Zach Stewart to Chicago for Edwin Jackson and Mark Teahen.  

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

Tigers, Blue Jays, Padres Inquired On Daniel Murphy

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TUESDAY, 11:19am: In reference to Murphy, a Mets official told ESPNNewYork's Adam Rubin, "Some players are more valuable to us than other clubs."

MONDAY, 2:19pm: The Tigers, Blue Jays, and Padres inquired on Mets infielder Daniel Murphy, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  Sherman adds that the Mets like the Tigers' Andy Dirks as a potential center field alternative to Angel Pagan.

Murphy, 26, hit .320/.362/.448 in 423 plate appearances while playing first base, second base, and third base this year.

Marlins Offer Ten-Year Deal To Albert Pujols

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The latest on free agent first baseman Albert Pujols, with the newest updates on top…

  • The Marlins' new offer to Pujols is for ten years, tweets MLB Network's Jon Heyman.
  • Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio tweets that the newest Marlins offer is the one Lozano needed to bring to the Cardinals in order to push St. Louis to up their own bid.
  • The Marlins met with Pujols twice on Monday night, writes Scott Miller of CBS Sports, and boosted their nine-year offer to Pujols in the process. No decision was imminent as midnight approached, according to Miller.
  • MLB.com's Joe Frisaro tweets that the Marlins are set to meet with Lozano on Tuesday as well.
  • ESPN.com's Jayson Stark talked to a source who described Pujols' meeting with the Marlins today as "very positive, very upbeat." The club hopes to meet with Pujols again tonight to determine one way or the other if the slugger is seriously considering the Fish.
  • The Cardinals view the Marlins as "a real threat" for Pujols, tweets Newsday's Ken Davidoff. Davidoff says the Cards will meet with Lozano tonight, while Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that the Marlins may meet with Pujols' reps again tonight as well.
  • The meeting between Pujols' agent Dan Lozano and the Marlins lasted 30 minutes, tweets Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.  MLB.com's Joe Frisaro says the Marlins have strong interest in Pujols.
  • The Cubs met with Lozano today, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • The Cardinals have yet to modify their January proposal to Pujols, writes Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  That was a nine-year offer worth about $22MM per year, so only eight years remain if the offer is still valid.  Strauss believes the offer included significant deferred money, as does the Marlins' current nine-year proposal.  The Cubs' interest in Pujols is viewed skeptically, while the Blue Jays are "believed a potential player."  The Marlins and Cardinals are expected to meet with Lozano today, writes Strauss.

Braves Rumors: Jurrjens, Prado

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The latest on the Braves…

Steve Adams also contributed to this post.

Blue Jays Rumors: Johnson, Callaspo, Anthopoulos

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Let's round up the newest Blue Jays notes from the Winter Meetings….

  • The Blue Jays are unlikely to make a move for a second baseman until they learn whether Kelly Johnson will accept their arbitration offer on Wednesday, tweets MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm.  Chisholm says the Jays remain open to the idea of a multiyear deal should Johnson accept.  Since Johnson won't cost another team a draft pick to sign, he'll probably turn down arbitration.
  • The Jays really like Angels infielder Alberto Callaspo, tweets Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times.
  • GM Alex Anthopoulos reiterated that his club isn't interested in seven- or eight-year contracts and that if any free agents require that sort of committment, the Jays "probably won't be a factor" for them (Chisholm Twitter links).
  • Anthopoulos said he'd love to make some moves at this week's meetings, but expects it may not be until afterward that things get done, tweets Chisholm. The GM added that this year's meetings are moving much slower than last year's, tweets Mike Wilner of Sportsnet 590.

Morosi’s Winter Meetings Preview

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Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports covers some of the major headlines that we'll be seeing over the next four days during baseball's Winter Meetings. Here's a late night look at the highlights:

  • Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder are still the headliners, and Morosi thinks that Pujols will sign first (although not necessarily this week). Once Pujols signs — Morosi predicts he'll remain in St. Louis — it's possible that his the increased number of suitors for Fielder will land him more money than Pujols. Fielder, of course, is also four years younger than Pujols.
  • Fielder prefers teams east of the Mississippi River and teams that can win the World Series in the near future. The list of known interested parties includes the Brewers, Mariners, Cubs, Rangers, Blue Jays, and Nationals. Seattle's rebuilding status and geographic location may remove them from the mix, while the uncertainty around how much Chicago's new front office is willing to spend may remove them as well.
  • Morosi doesn't think Angels GM Jerry Dipoto would've moved Tyler Chatwood without knowing the acquisition of another starting pitcher was close at hand.
  • The Twins remain interested in Edwin Jackson, according to Morosi's sources, but the Scott Boras client isn't likely to sign before fellow free agents C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrle.
  • The availability of Andrew Bailey, Huston Street, and Brandon League slows down the market for free agent closers, and Morosi speculates that a few wise teams in search of closers will be able to wait out veteran bargains as potential closing gigs dwindle.
  • The Yankees, Tigers, Marlins, and Nationals have been the most active in scouting Yoenis Cespedes. While he's not a free agent yet, his market will be dictated by whether or not teams like Miami and Washington land their other targets at the Winter Meetings and in the coming weeks. Detroit would be most interested if they decide that Cespedes can bat leadoff for them right away.
  • Robert Whiting, an expert on Japanese baseball, told Morosi over the weekend that there's still no word on whether or not Yu Darvish will be posted.
  • Whiting told Morosi that Darvish became disillusioned with the posting process, partly because of the failure of Hisashi Iwakuma and the A's to work out a deal last year. He is also wary of the struggles and ridicule that other NPB stars have incurred in their transition to MLB, Whiting told Morosi.

Prince Fielder Rumors: Sunday

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At just 27 years of age, Prince Fielder owns 230 career home runs and three consecutive seasons of an OBP north of .400. He hasn't played in fewer than 157 games in a full season, despite his hulking frame. All of that will contribute to what's likely to be plenty of Prince Fielder rumors at this week's Winter Meetings. Let's run down today's:

  • There is some growing optimism that Fielder could remain with the Brewers, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. Knobler cites the slowly developing market for Fielder and the aggressiveness of owner Mark Attanasio as the reasons, noting that Attanasio seems to be indicating he wants to make a real effort to re-sign Prince.
  • Fielder is not a target for the Nationals, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (via Twitter).  The Nats already have Adam LaRoche and Michael Morse at first base.
  • The Blue Jays have plenty of spending money and appear to be in the mix for Fielder, writes SI.com's Jon Heyman (via Twitter).
  • Heyman also tweets that he's received some conflicting reports on the Mariners' involvement in Fielder. Two executives say they "badly want" Fielder, while two Mariners sources say they have little money to spend. 
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