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Gregg Drawing Interest, Will Turn Down Arbitration

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Kevin Gregg is drawing interest from the Angels, Orioles, Rays and Blue Jays and will turn down Toronto's offer of arbitration, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). All four of those teams could be in the market for a closer, but they aren't the only ones interested in Gregg.

Since the right-hander is a Type B free agent, teams won't have to surrender a draft choice to sign him. The Blue Jays will obtain a supplementary first rounder if Gregg signs a big league deal elsewhere. If you're wondering which ranked free agents have accepted or turned down arbitration, check out MLBTR's free agent arbitration offer tracker.

When Mike Axisa broke down Gregg's free agent stock yesterday, he explained that closing experience, a history of health and high strikeout rates should play in Gregg's favor. The 32-year-old walks lots of hitters, but he may very well get another chance to close.

Berkman Names Interested Teams

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Add the Cardinals, Pirates, and Blue Jays to the list of teams known to have at least kicked the tires on free agent Lance Berkman.  The first baseman/outfielder named those suitors in a conversation with Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle recently.  Berkman had already referenced the Athletics, Cubs, and Rockies in a November 23rd Ken Rosenthal article.  Berkman said at the time that eight teams had checked in.  The Astros don't have a spot for him, and the Rangers won't unless Vladimir Guerrero departs.

Berkman told Rosenthal he won't rule out a full-time DH job like the one the A's have open, but he'd prefer to return to the National League as a first baseman/outfielder.  Berkman plans to re-establish himself in 2011, blaming his power decline on his injured knee.

Berkman, who struggles against lefties, doesn't seem to be the ideal match for the Pirates.  Back in September, GM Neal Huntington talked about adding a right-handed first base bat who beats up on southpaws.  On the other hand, the Pirates aren't necessarily committed to Garrett Jones and that plan.  The Cardinals would be one club that could only offer an outfield corner for Berkman.  The Blue Jays have a crowded outfield but could use Berkman at first base or DH depending on where they like Adam Lind.

Nine Teams Interested In Jesse Crain

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Joaquin Benoit was the top right-handed setup man available on the free agent market, but with him off the board teams now appear to be turning their attention to Jesse Crain. MLB.com's Peter Gammons tweets that a total of nine teams – the Rays, Rockies, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Mariners, Orioles, Cubs, Nationals, and Blue Jays – are "already in" on the former Twin.

Crain, 29, has returned from a 2007 shoulder surgery to post a 3.70 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 182.1 innings over the last three seasons. In 68 innings this year, he posted a career-high 8.2 K/9 and a career-low .215 batting average against. Minnesota offered the Type-B free agent arbitration, so the club will receive a draft pick if he signs elsewhere even though the signing team will not have to give one up.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Konerko, Jeter, Lee, Beltre

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On this date back in 1974, Catfish Hunter met with Oakland A's owner Charles Finley and Peter Seitz of the American Arbitration Association in New York after the team failed to make a $50,000 payment into a long-term annuity fund. The right-hander claimed that his contract had been violated, and Seitz eventually ruled in his favor. Hunter became the first big name free agent in baseball history, later signing a five-year, $3.5MM contract with the Yankees that made him the highest-paid player in baseball history.

Here's a helping of links that go well with Thanksgiving leftovers…

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

Blue Jays Rumors: Frasor, Downs, Lind

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Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos says the organization can afford to be more patient than last offseason, since his team's needs are less pressing than they were a year ago. Here's the latest on the Blue Jays, from MLB.com beat reporter Gregor Chisholm:

  • Anthopoulos doesn’t know whether Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, Kevin Gregg and Miguel Olivo will accept arbitration, but he hopes to have the players back in Toronto for the 2011 season. Asked to predict the players’ decisions, Anthopoulos guessed they will decline the team’s offers.
  • The club thought Adam Lind played respectably good defense at first base, but has yet to determine the 27-year-old’s position for 2011.
  • The Blue Jays are open to acquiring a player with “baggage” under the right circumstances. "It depends, how significant is it? Would it affect other players?” Anthopoulos asked. “If it's the right player, and the right fit, the right talent, at the right price, then you have to be open to it."
  • That's good news for fans hoping to see Manny Ramirez in Toronto. ESPN.com's Buster Olney can't envision any team guaranteeing Ramirez $5MM and expects the slugger to sign an incentive-laden deal.

Odds & Ends: Upton, Blue Jays, Miner, Pirates

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A round of Thanksgiving links…

American League Free Agent Arbitration Offers

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10 American League teams have free agent arbitration offer decisions to make, and we'll group them in this post.  For a fantastic customizable chart with all 65 Type A/B free agents and their decisions in real-time, click here.

Justin Upton Rumors: Tuesday

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Only two or three teams have the players to make a Justin Upton deal work, Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers told MLB.com's Steve Gilbert.  Towers added, "We're not talking about getting A-ball prospects back. It would have to be players that could help us in 2011."  Towers expects to know whether Upton will be traded before the end of the Winter Meetings (December 9th).  Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall predicted, "I think he'll probably be here on Opening Day."

Two GMs who spoke with Towers told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that Towers is growing more pessimistic about trading Upton.  Rosenthal's sources say possible suitors like the Reds and Nationals "do not appear to match up for one reason or another."  ESPN's Buster Olney wrote today that the Marlins, Rays, and Blue Jays are thought to be in the best position to make a deal.

We learned yesterday that the Mariners, Athletics, Tigers, and Royals are on Upton's no-trade list.

21 Teams Facing Tomorrow’s Arbitration Deadline

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21 of baseball's 30 teams must make at least one decision prior to tomorrow's deadline for offering arbitration to free agents.  The Rays lead with nine eligible Type A or B free agents, six of which are relievers.  We'll have predictions and polls later today, but here's a team-by-team look.

Minor Deals: Sborz, Huber, Royals, Ruiz

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We'll keep track of all of the day's minor deals right here:

  • Righty reliever Jay Sborz, 26 in January, signed a minor league deal with the Braves with a Spring Training invite, MLBTR has learned.  Sborz was outrighted by the Tigers on November 4th after posting a 4.74 ERA, 8.7 K/9, 4.9 BB/9, and 1.6 HR/9 with 19 saves in 43 2/3 Triple-A innings this year.
  • The Twins signed Justin Huber to a minor league contract with an invite to spring training, tweets Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.  Huber last played in the majors with Minnesota in 2009, and has a .580 OPS in 175 career plate appearances.
  • The Royals announced that four players have been designated for assignment: Jordan Parraz, Victor Marte, Gaby Hernandez and former #1 overall pick Bryan Bullington.
  • The Rays released first baseman Jose Ruiz, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times (on Twitter).
  • The Tigers announced that they signed Al Alburquerque to a major league deal for 2011. GM Dave Dombrowski says the team has been impressed with the right-hander's winter ball performance and expects him to compete for a bullpen job in Spring Training. The 24-year-old has struck out 191 batters in 174 1/3 minor league innings in the Cubs and Rockies organizations.
  • The Yankees have released Jonathan Albaladejo, who signed with a Japanese team, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (on Twitter).
  • The Diamondbacks claimed right-hander Juan Jaime from the Nationals, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (on Twitter). The 23-year-old right-hander didn't pitch in 2010, but he has a 2.42 ERA with 11.8 K/9 and 5.7 BB/9 in 111 2/3 minor league innings.
  • The Blue Jays signed Mike Hinckley, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America. The lefty posted a 1.93 ERA in 28 games with the Nationals from 2008-09. Last year he posted 6.8 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 46 2/3 innings in the upper minors.
  • Josh Barfield, Ryan Feierabend and Brandon Moss all got Spring Training invitations from the Phillies according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki.
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