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On the first of May, MLBTR's Steve Adams took a look back at 2012 to see what sorts of transactions might be anticipated over the coming month. With May in the books, we'll do the same with respect to June of 2012. If last year is any indication, we could see some fairly substantial trades occur as teams look to get a boost well in advance of the non-waiver trade deadline (which is July 31 this season). As MLBTR's Transaction Tracker reflects, these were the most important moves made last June (in rough order of magnitude):

Extensions

• The Dodgers and Andre Ethier agreed to a five-year, $85MM contract extension.
• The Twins and Ryan Doumit agreed to a two-year, $7MM contract extension.
• The Diamondbacks and David Hernandez agreed to a two-year, $3.5MM contract extension.

Trades

• The White Sox acquired third baseman Kevin Youkilis from the Red Sox in exchange for pitcher Zach Stewart and utilityman Brent Lillibridge.
• The Orioles acquired DH Jim Thome from the Phillies in exchange for prospects Kyle Simon and Gabriel Lino.
• The Indians acquired righty Esmil Rogers from the Rockies for cash considerations. After Rogers finished the season strong, Cleveland flipped him to the Blue Jays over the offseason for infielder Mike Aviles and backstop Yan Gomes. With Aviles playing well on his two-year extension, and Gomes exhibiting surprising power, this series of transactions has turned out quite nicely for the Indians.
• The Orioles acquired first baseman/outfielder Steve Pearce from the Yankees for cash considerations.
• The Twins acquired minor league righty Shairon Martis from the Pirates for future considerations.
• The Blue Jays acquired minor league righty Sean O'Sullivan from the Royals for cash considerations.
• The Braves acquired minor league lefty Cole McCurry from the Orioles for cash considerations.
• The Nationals acquired minor league catcher Kris Watts from the Pirates for cash considerations.
• The Braves acquired minor league utility player Ruben Gotay from the Blue Jays for cash considerations.

Waiver Claims (in reverse chronological order)

• The Yankees claimed Chris Schwinden off of waivers from the Indians. Schwinden began the month with the Mets, but was claimed by the Blue Jays and then the Indians before ending up back in New York. The circle was not fully completed, however, until July 5, when he returned to the Mets via yet another waiver claim.
• The Brewers claimed Hector Gomez off of waivers from the Rockies.
• The Indians claimed Vinny Rottino off of waivers from the Mets.
• The Pirates claimed Oscar Tejeda off of waivers from the Red Sox.
• The Yankees claimed Danny Farquhar off of waivers from the Athletics (who earlier in the month had claimed him from the Blue Jays).
• The Padres claimed Mark Hamburger off of waivers from the Rangers.
• The Pirates claimed Drew Sutton off of waivers from the Rays.
• The Rays claimed Brooks Conrad off of waivers from the Brewers.
• The Blue Jays claimed David Pauley off of waivers from the Angels.
• The Cardinals claimed John Gaub off of waivers from the Rangers.
• The Cubs claimed Jairo Asencio off of waivers from the Indians.

International Signings

• The Dodgers signed Yasiel Puig to a seven-year, $42MM Major League deal.
• The Cubs signed Jorge Soler to a nine-year, $30MM Major League deal. 

(Of course, these high-dollar international signings were made in anticipation of a rule change that imposed significant caps on international spending. June 15 serves as the end of the 2012-13 international signing period this year, but don't expect any deals like those handed to Puig and Soler. At this point, international prospect watchers have turned their attention to July 2, the date that the 2013-14 signing period begins.) 

Major League Signings

• The Rockies signed lefty Jeff Francis to a Major League contract after he opted out of his contract with (and was released by) the Reds. Francis ended up throwing 113 innings for Colorado, posting a 5.58 ERA, and re-signed this offseason on a one-year, $1.5MM deal that also includes $1.5MM in incentives.

Notable Minor League Signings (players who ascended to big league club)

• The Orioles signed Nate McLouth to a minor league deal after he was released by the Pirates. McLouth helped the O's to win a Wild Card by slashing .268/.342/.435 and contributing seven home runs and twelve stolen bases over 236 plate appearances down the stretch. He has carried that success over to this season after signing a one-year, $2MM deal to stay in Baltimore. With a current line of .297/.376/.440 to go with four long balls and seventeen swipes, McLouth stands alongside Jacoby Ellsbury, Kendrys Morales, and Mike Napoli as baseball's 58th most valuable position player (according to Fangraphs).
• The Braves signed Ben Sheets to a minor league deal. Sheets successfully returned from a long injury layoff to end his excellent career in style. He threw 49 1/3 innings of 3.47 ERA baseball and helped Atlanta to overcome the loss of Brandon Beachy and grab a Wild Card berth.
• The Padres signed Ross Ohlendorf to a minor league deal.
• The Brewers signed Livan Hernandez to a minor league deal. 
• The Astros signed Hector Ambriz to a minor league deal.
• The Phillies signed Jason Pridie to a minor league deal.

1:09pm: Major League Baseball has officially announced that there will not be an international draft in 2014, per Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times (on Twitter).

12:35pm: Passan's sources tell him that MLB and the MLBPA are planning on tabling the discussion until after the current CBA expires in 2016. That raises the question as to whether or not baseball's next commissioner will be as adamant about implementing a worldwide draft as current commissioner Bud Selig is (Twitter links). Selig, of course, is expected to retire in January 2015 after turning down a five-year contract in lieu of a two-year deal.

11:25am: Major League Baseball is expected to announce today that it was not able to reach an agreement during negotiations with the MLBPA regarding an international draft for the 2014 season, writes Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. The two sides were working with a June 1 deadline for an agreement.

Negotiations are set to continue, and an international draft is "considered something of a certainty" at some point, according to Passan. Detractors of the draft feel that it would dry up the pipeline of international talent, as has been the case with Puerto Rico since it became included within the annual Rule 4 draft. League officials in favor of an international draft argue that the current system is rampant with identity fraud and encourages PED use among teenagers.

Talks of negotiations and the June 1 deadline were reported back in mid-March. According to those reports, there was a possibility of incorporating international players into the existing draft but also of holding a separate draft for foreign prospects. ESPN's Buster Olney added that MLB was willing to make significant concessions to make the draft happen, such as increasing the minimum salary for players and moving up the arbitration threshhold.

Even contenders have their flaws.  Defining contenders as any team Clay Davenport gives at least a five percent chance of reaching the playoffs and using weighted on-base average, let's identify the weakest offensive production by position in the NL.

• Catcher: Reds (.263), Diamondbacks (.265).  For the Reds, giving Devin Mesoraco the clear starting catcher role over Ryan Hanigan would boost their offensive production out of the position, but of course this position is about a lot more than hitting.  The D'Backs are in a tough spot.  They have a major commitment to Miguel Montero, and he's been brutal so far this season.  They probably just have to hope he pulls out of it.
• First base: Rockies (.289), Phillies (.317).  The Rockies have used Jordan Pacheco, Todd Helton, and a little bit of Michael Cuddyer at first base this year.  In theory, the Rockies could go with Cuddyer at first and someone like Tyler Colvin in right field.  The trade market is bleak at the position, as Justin Morneau and Carlos Pena would not be clear upgrades for Colorado.  Corey Hart could be an interesting option, once he comes off the DL.  The Phillies owe Ryan Howard roughly $98MM through 2016, so they'll just have to hope he can start drawing some more walks and begin to add positive value.
• Second base: Nationals (.227), Diamondbacks (.284).  Second base has been a black hole for the Nats, with Danny Espinosa and Steve Lombardozzi struggling.  Fans are calling for the return of 2011 first-round pick Anthony Rendon, but he probably needs to gain more experience at second base first.  The D'Backs have used Martin Prado at second baes a decent amount in Aaron Hill's absence.  Should Hill require surgery on his hand fracture, perhaps the D'Backs will look into an acquisition.  Maybe third base prospect Matt Davidson, hitting .311/.342/.544 at Triple-A this month, could help the situation.
• Shortstop: Dodgers (.219), Pirates (.248).  Hanley Ramirez should return from a hamstring injury next week, providing a lift to the Dodgers' abysmal offensive production at shortstop.  The Pirates signed Clint Barmes in the 2011-12 offseason for his defense, but it barely makes up for the automatic outs at the plate.  Jordy Mercer, John McDonald, and Chase D'Arnaud aren't much better, and highly regarded prospect Alen Hanson is still at High A.  Good luck finding a decent-hitting shortstop on the trade market, though.  The White Sox, should they drop out of contention, could offer up Alexei Ramirez at a premium.
• Third base: Pirates (.259), Rockies (.280), Dodgers (.288).  It's been a power-only show for the Pirates' Pedro Alvarez at the hot corner, as he's striking out a ton and owns the fifth-worst qualified OBP in the NL (.257).  Aramis Ramirez would be a fun pick-up, though intra-divisional trades can be tricky.  Chase Headley would be a huge addition, but only if the Padres are willing to listen.  The Rockies will give rookie Nolan Arenado some time to find his footing.  Less Luis Cruz should be enough to give the Dodgers a lift.
• Left field: Diamondbacks (.300), Reds (.300), Giants (.302).  The D'Backs have used six different left fielders, and figure to stick with Jason Kubel and Cody Ross.  With Ryan Ludwick and Chris Heisey on the DL, the Reds have been employing Xavier Paul of late, and he's been solid overall.  The Giants' combo of Gregor Blanco and Andres Torres was never meant to be offense-first, and Torres has heated up in May anyway.  Should one of these teams turn to the trade market, Josh Willingham, Carlos Quentin, Michael Morse, Jason Bay, Raul Ibanez, Melky Cabrera, and Alfonso Soriano are some candidates.  Several of those players don't work for the Giants, however.
• Center field: Dodgers (.278), Braves (.278), Phillies (.288).  Center field is not an offense-first position, but in general these teams just need to get more out of their incumbents.  Matt Kemp might miss some time with a hamstring strain, which could allow for Joc Pederson to get a look with the Dodgers.  It seems crazy for the Braves to push B.J. Upton into a full-blown platoon with Jordan Schafer months after committing $75.25MM over five years, but that could be an option at some point.  The Phillies were looking mostly for defense from Ben Revere, but .263/.302/.294 is still tough to stomach.  John Mayberry Jr. can pitch in a bit.  As for the trade market, Peter Bourjos, and Franklin Gutierrez could become available when healthy.  David DeJesus, Chris Coghlan, and Alejandro De Aza could also be options.
• Right field: Phillies (.294), Braves (.313).  Delmon Young hasn't done much for the Phillies in right so far.  The Braves' Jason Heyward has been terrible, and we'll see how long they can wait that slump out.  Trade options could include Giancarlo Stanton, Alex Rios, Andre Ethier, Nate Schierholtz, Chris Denorfia, Morse, and Hart.

The non-tender deadline is December 2nd this year, a mere six months away.  Let's take a look at some arbitration eligible players who might be on the chopping (or at least trading) block before then due to the combination of rising salaries and lackluster performance.

• Ike Davis, Mets.  If Davis doesn't turn things around this year, what will the Mets do in the offseason?  One thing about a player having a terrible year is that he doesn't get a big arbitration raise afterward.  So if Davis' salary for next year is to remain below $4MM, the Mets would at least be able to find a team willing to see if a change of scenery helps.
• Clayton Richard, Padres.  The pitch-to-contact thing doesn't work so well when you also walk a bunch of guys and over 30% of your flyballs leave the yard.  Richard is earning $5.24MM, and should his struggles persist, I imagine the Padres would not bring him back even at the same salary.
• James McDonald, Pirates.  McDonald's velocity is down, and walks have been a problem.  He's at $3.25MM this year and sports a 5.76 ERA.
• Luke Hochevar, Royals.  This is a tricky one.  Hochevar's move to the bullpen has gone well, but will the team want to commit $5-6MM for a reliever in 2014?
• John Axford, Brewers.  Axford quickly lost his closer job again and has a 6.33 ERA on the season.  The silver lining is that he is unscored upon in his last seven appearances.  Axford's save totals have gotten him to $5MM already, and even if he doesn't add any more this year and keeps pitching well, it will be a tough call to retain him through arbitration.
• Chris Perez, Indians.  Similarly, saves have gotten Perez up to a $7.3MM salary.  He's struggled with walks this year and is currently on the DL with shoulder soreness.  If he comes back, pitches OK, and adds some more saves, the Indians might have a hard time committing $8MM+ for 2014.  Perez would probably be more of a trade candidate than a non-tender candidate.
• Ryan Roberts, Rays.  Already earning nearly $3MM, Roberts has a .236/.288/.364 line so far.
• Jeff Niemann, Rays.  Niemann had shoulder surgery in April, and the Rays will be forced in December to decide whether his 2014 season might be worth $3MM.
• Alfredo Aceves, Red Sox.  Aceves survived last year's non-tender deadline and scored a $2.65MM salary, and the team wasn't able to trade him.  A 6.57 ERA so far in 2013 earned him a demotion today, so he might not make it to the non-tender deadline.
• A few more non-tender candidates to consider: Nolan Reimold, Emilio Bonifacio, Roger Bernadina, Chris Heisey, Chris Getz, Brennan Boesch, Sam Fuld, John Lannan, Marc Rzepczynski, and Chris Volstad.
• Plenty of other arbitration eligible players probably aren't non-tender candidates, though their teams could be reluctant to pay them higher salaries through arbitration.  A few names that come to mind in this bracket include Rick Porcello, Alex Avila, Tommy Hanson, Pedro Alvarez, Ivan Nova, Phil Coke, and Mitchell Boggs.  Some of these players could become trade candidates if their current teams prefer not to pay them next year.

Each year there are dozens of seemingly minor moves made over the course of Spring Training that generate little fanfare. A lot of Spring Training pickups generate more of a negative reaction than a positive one, but here's a look at some of the best minor (and one major) pickups that took place during Spring Training 2013…

• Vernon Wells — Acquired by the Yankees at the end of Spring Training, Wells was regarded as a desperation move by GM Brian Cashman. While that may have been the case, the results have been astounding. He's batting .287/.341/.506 with 10 homers through May 23. Most (myself included) assumed Wells was done after he hit .222/.258/.409 from 2011-12, but Wells has proved to be arguably the best Spring Training pickup of 2013.
• Kyle Lohse – Lohse would be the "major" pickup I referenced earlier, and he's been good for the Brewers through the first two months of his three-year deal. Lohse has a 3.76 ERA, 6.1 K/9, 1.6 BB/9 and 38.7 percent ground-ball rate through 55 innings. His ERA doesn't look as nice as it did in St. Louis, but in terms of FIP and xFIP he's pretty much right on par with his 2012 numbers.
• Mike Carp — The Red Sox landed Carp for a player to be named later, and he's hit very well in his limited at-bats for Boston. Carp has just 51 plate appearances, but he's triple-slashing .277/.333/.596. Nine of his 13 hits have been for extra bases (five doubles, two triples, two homers).
• Conor Gillaspie — The White Sox picked up Gillaspie in exchange for Jeff Soptic, who has a 6.48 ERA in 25 innings at High-A San Jose for the Giants. Gillaspie, on the other hand, has received regular at-bats against right-handed pitching and posted a .276/.341/.422 batting line against them. He's also been terrific defensively according to UZR/150 (+4.4) and The Fielding Bible (+3).
• Jon Garland — Garland's 5.19 ERA doesn't look like much, but he's posted a 49.2 percent ground-ball rate and been done in by a fluky homer-to-flyball ratio. Pitching at Coors Field doesn't help much, but xFIP pegs him for an ERA around 4.32, which would certainly be serviceable. He's thrown 52 innings thus far, which puts him at nearly six innings per start.
• Lyle Overbay — Overbay turned a four-day tryout with the Yankees into a roster spot and another scrap heap success story for Cashman. He's hitting .250/.286/.467, and the numbers would be a lo prettier if he was just sheltered completely from left-handed pitching. Seven homers and a .217 ISO isn't bad for a minor league signing.
• LaTroy Hawkins — Hawkins made the Mets' 25-man roster out of Spring Training after signing a minor league deal and has a 3.15 ERA, 8.6 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 in 20 innings of relief. He's 40 years old, but Hawk is showing he's still a valuable bullpen piece.
• Yuniesky Betancourt — I debated whether or not to include Betancourt because of his .232 average and .267 OBP, but he's slugged eight homers and if Overbay is on the list with his low OBP, Betancourt probably should be as well. He's playing poor defense, but Betancourt can be a decent source of pop off the bench once the team is healthy enough to stop giving him regular at-bats. He's certainly been better than detractors thought, though a Major League deal still seems like overkill.

MLBTR's Transaction Tracker was used to create this post. Feel free to point out any that you feel should have been included in the comments section.

The list of starting pitchers eligible for free agency after this season appears unimpressive, in large part due to injuries to key players.  The latest:

• The Cubs' Matt Garza makes his season debut tonight in Pittsburgh.  He last appeared on a Major League mound on July 21st of last year.  Previously a durable pitcher, Garza wasn't even expected to land on the DL after being forced out of that July start with triceps cramps.  The injury was later determined to be a stress reaction in his elbow.  There was talk of Garza being ready for Opening Day, but the supposedly mild lat strain suffered in February will limit him to fewer than 25 starts this year, even if he makes all of them moving forward.
• The Blue Jays' Josh Johnson suffered a triceps injury in late April, but made a solid minor league rehab start yesterday.  For a scouting report on the outing, check out Danny Knobler's latest from CBS Sports.  Barring a setback he should be ready in early June, and he may be auditioning for a July trade if Toronto's fortunes don't turn around.  Garza and Johnson would both benefit greatly from midseason trades, as they'd become ineligible for qualifying offers after the season.
• Rehabbing from July flexor tendon surgery, the Rangers' Colby Lewis was working at 84-86 miles per hour in a rehab start yesterday.  Lewis hopes to return before the All-Star break, but admitted yesterday's velocity "isn't going to cut it."  
• The Giants' Ryan Vogelsong fractured two bones in his right hand after being hit by a pitch yesterday, amid what MLB.com's Chris Haft called a "redemptive pitching effort."  The Giants have a $6.5MM club option on Vogelsong after the season with a $300K buyout.
• The Padres' Tim Stauffer was promoted Friday, fully recovered from flexor tendon surgery in August.  He'll begin in a relief role, but perhaps can be a rotation option down the line.  Stauffer made 31 starts with a 3.73 ERA in 2011.
• The Cardinals' Chris Carpenter, working his way back from a shoulder injury, threw an extended bullpen session on Saturday.  Carpenter's teammate Jake Westbrook is on the DL for elbow inflammation and biceps tendinitis, but according to this report from MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch, he's "hopeful that Saturday's start is the last one that he will have to miss."  Westbrook has a $9.5MM mutual option after the season with a $1MM buyout.
• The Indians' Brett Myers, on the shelf since late April with an elbow injury, is set to make what is hopefully his final rehab appearance today.  The Tribe holds a club option on him after the season. 
• After a DL stint for lower back stiffness, the Mariners' Aaron Harang will start tonight in Los Angeles.
• The Orioles' Tsuyoshi Wada will make his second minor league rehab start tonight for the Norfolk Tides, as he tries to recover from Tommy John surgery and provide some value to the O's.
• The Pirates' Jeff Karstens made his second minor league rehab start on Saturday, as he recovers from shoulder inflammation.
• The Rockies' Jeff Francis was placed on the DL last Thursday with a groin strain, but may be able to return when eligible.
• The Yankees' Andy Pettitte hit the DL last week with a strained trapezius muscle.  The 40-year-old is expected to return when eligible.
• After the 2012 season, only four free agent starters were coming off 200-inning seasons.  Currently, 13 impending free agents seem to have a shot: Dan Haren, Tim Hudson, Jon Garland, Joe Saunders, Tim Lincecum, Paul Maholm, Bartolo Colon, Jason Marquis, Ervin Santana, Jason Vargas, Hiroki Kuroda, Bronson Arroyo, and Ricky Nolasco. 

How often are top prospects traded midseason?  Using trade periods of June through August, and Baseball America's preseason top 100 prospect lists, let's take a look at the last four years:

• 2012: 7 (Jacob Turner, Arodys Vizcaino, Jean Segura, Zack Cox, Allen Webster, Nate Eovaldi, Christian Villanueva)
• 2011: 5 (Jonathan Singleton, Alex White, Zack Wheeler, Drew Pomeranz, Jarred Cosart)
• 2010: 3 (Justin Smoak, Brett Wallace, Wilson Ramos)
• 2009: 7 (Brett Wallace, Tim Alderson, Carlos Carrasco, Gorkys Hernandez, Aaron Poreda, Lou Marson, Chris Perez)

If recent history is any indication, we should expect between three and seven top 100 prospects to be traded this summer.  Out of the 22 prospects traded in the last four years, only three were top 30 guys: Smoak, Turner, and Wallace in 2010.  Wallace's 2010 trade was something of a prospect challenge trade, however, and is an exception.  It's fair to expect most traded prospects to be in the 40-100 range on the rankings.  Of those prospects on BA's 2013 list, 33 play for teams currently above .500:

• Red Sox: Matt Barnes, Allen Webster, Henry Owens
• Braves: Julio Teheran, J.R. Graham
• Athletics: Addison Russell
• Pirates: Gregory Polanco, Alen Hanson, Luis Heredia
• Rockies: Nolan Arenado, David Dahl, Trevor Story
• Reds: Robert Stephenson, Tony Cingrani, Daniel Corcino
• Yankees: Gary Sanchez, Slade Heathcott, Tyler Austin
• Rays: Taylor Guerrieri, Hak-Ju Lee, Jake Odorizzi, 
• Giants: Kyle Crick
• Nationals: Lucas Giolito, Brian Goodwin
• Diamondbacks: Adam Eaton, Didi Gregorius, Matt Davidson
• Tigers: Avisail Garcia, Bruce Rondon
• Cardinals: Michael Wacha, Kolten Wong
• Rangers: Martin Perez, Leonys Martin

Players like Teheran and Arenado seem less likely to be traded, as they're holding down full-time roles.  Also, since top 100 prospects are created prior to the season, they don't account for prospects whose stock dropped in the minor league season leading up to the trade deadline, such as Turner, Alderson or Cox, or others whose stock rose.  Vizcaino is an example of an injured prospect who was traded, but it seems unlikely in the case of the Rays' Lee, who is probably out for the season due to a knee injury.  

We also have to consider team and GM history.  Even if my brief four-year sample, the Phillies traded four of the 22 prospects in a pair of major trades, but the club may not profile as a buyer in two months.  A player like the D'Backs' Davidson seems to represent the perfect storm of a summer prospect trade: he's a bit of a forgotten prospect, he's blocked at third base, and he plays for a contender.

One other factor is the new CBA.  The inability to spend significantly over slot  in the draft may compel teams to hold onto top prospects more tightly, while the inability to recoup value on a rental in the form of draft pick compensation may limit trades of those players.

Having lost veterans Jonny Venters and Eric O'Flaherty to elbow injuries, the Braves are expected to be in the hunt for a lefty reliever, confirmed Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Rosenthal notes that Miami's Mike Dunn would be ideal; Atlanta traded him to the Marlins in the Dan Uggla deal several years ago.  Dunn, who turns 28 on Thursday, has pushed his walk rate down a bit and is getting more groundballs, which partially explains his 1.74 ERA.  He's under team control through 2016, and the Marlins should be able to command a strong return on the trade market.  Which other lefty relievers might become available this summer?

• Darren Oliver and Brett Cecil, Blue Jays.  Oliver, 42, hasn't been effective against left-handed hitters this year, allowing 14 hits out of 36 batters faced.  Cecil has dominated same-side batters, but he is under team control through 2016 and would be much harder to acquire.
• J.P. Howell, Dodgers.  Howell and his 87 mile-an-hour heater have been extremely effective against lefty hitters.  He has a $2.85MM base salary plus incentives.
• Wesley Wright and Travis Blackley, Astros.  Erik Bedard is another name to watch here, though he's currently in the Astros' rotation and might be needed there.  Wright has been ineffective against lefties, while Blackley has been OK.
• Brian Duensing, Twins.  Glen Perkins could be very popular on the trade market, but he's signed potentially through 2016 and I'm not sure the Twins would be willing to trade their closer.  Duensing has been very good against left-handed hitters and is under team control through 2015.
• James Russell, Cubs.  Russell may be the prize among left-handed relievers.  His numbers have moved in the right direction this year.  He's dominated lefty hitters and is usable against right-handed ones.  He's under team control through 2015, so the Cubs will be in no rush to move him.
• Tom Gorzelanny and Mike Gonzalez, Brewers.  Gorzelanny has a 2.30 ERA on the season, a deceptive number given his low strikeout rate, high walk rate, and proclivity toward the longball.  Signed through 2014, the Brewers would do well to clear his contract.  Gonzalez, also signed as a free agent during the offseason, needs to be kept far away from right-handed hitters.  His 4.5 K/BB ratio against left-handed batters is promising, but he has been hittable.
• Charlie Furbush and Oliver Perez, Mariners.  Walks have been a problem for Furbush, who is under team control through 2017.  Perez has at least limited free passes against lefty batters, whom the impending free agent has dominated.
• Antonio Bastardo, Phillies.  Bastardo has allowed a pair of home runs among his 25 left-handed hitters faced, which continues to be a problem for him given his inability to get groundballs.  He's under team control through 2015.
• Scott Downs, Angels.  The L.A. teams certainly aren't ready to punt on the season, but one or both may be in two months.  Downs, 37, is earning $5MM in the last year of his contract.  He's got one of the best groundball rates you'll find, and remains tough on left-handed hitters.
• Matt Thornton, White Sox.  Unlike most left-handed relievers, Thornton sits around 94 miles per hour with his fastball.  The 36-year-old earns $5.5MM this year and has a $6MM club option for 2014.  He battled elbow inflammation in February and strikeouts have eluded him so far, depressing his trade value.
• Joe Thatcher, Padres.  Thatcher has been hittable against lefties, but otherwise effective.  He's under team control through 2014.
• Marc Rzepczynski, Cardinals.  Rzepczynski had his fire questioned by GM John Mozeliak, and despite a $1.1MM salary he and his 7.88 ERA were demoted to Triple-A in late April.  Lefties have hit him well at that level too, so the Cardinals would be selling low to move him this summer.

One of baseball's rising stars recently told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he was concerned about the flurry of contract extensions in baseball and the effect it could have on all players.  Free agency, the player argued, helped to make the players union into the powerhouse that it is today.  More extensions around baseball means fewer top players reaching free agency, which leads some to believe that there won't be anyone to drive the top of the market.  However, agent Scott Boras and union chief Michael Weiner don't view the increasing number of contract extensions as a problem.

Weiner says that he only asks that players exercise their Basic Agreement rights and is fine with players taking extensions over free agency when it suits their needs.  Boras has a slightly different take on things, saying that some players don't have the right agent representing them in contract talks with their club.  

“The biggest problem the union faces is that there should be more criteria and practical experience before agents can be qualified to represent players with the decisions at hand,” Boras said. “A large number of players believe that a social relationship is the primary foundation — in other words, ‘I like the guy,’ rather than qualifications."

Rosenthal goes on to note that precautions against deals that are too team-friendly are built into the regulations.  Agents are required to consult with the union when representing arbitration-eligible players or working on a contract that will cover arbitration years.  Meanwhile, agents without arbitration experience must consult with an attorney who has gone through the process before.  That means that Anthony Rizzo's seven-year, $41MM pact – which was widely viewed as a win for the Cubs – had input from the union along the way.

While the money is still flowing in for players with extensions, its hard to entirely dismiss what the open market can do in terms of pushing the ceiling.  Justin Verlander, for example, would have given a bigger boost to David Price if he had waited to hit the open market after the 2014 season and signed for $30MM rather than $25.7MM per year in his extension with the Tigers.  For now, the union is fine with the status quo, but Rosenthal could see things changing if the union feels as though its not getting its fair share of revenue.

A couple weeks ago, Tim Dierkes and I took a look at the hardest-throwing pitchers of the 2014 free agent class and those with the highest ground-ball rates. Both of those trends are highly coveted skills to have as a free agent pitcher, as is the ability to limit walks. With an advanced mention of the small sample size caveat (these numbers could change quickly, especially for the relievers), here's a look at the free agent pitchers who have posted the lowest BB/9 marks of the season thus far…

Starters:

1. Bartolo Colon — 0.38
2. Ervin Santana — 1.12
3. Dan Haren — 1.19 
4. Bronson Arroyo — 1.37
5. Wandy Rodriguez — 1.83 ($13MM club option, $2.5MM buyout)
6. Ricky Nolasco — 2.19
7. Jon Lester — 2.26 ($13MM club option, $250K buyout)
8. Hiroki Kuroda — 2.31
9. Phil Hughes — 2.40
10. Mike Pelfrey — 2.58

Relievers:

1. Casey Janssen — 0.00 ($4MM club option, $250K buyout)
2. Edward Mujica — 0.56
3. Bruce Chen — 0.68
4. LaTroy Hawkins — 1.00
5. Matt Thornton — 1.42 ($6MM club option, $1MM club buyout)
6. Koji Uehara — 1.72
7. Joe Smith — 1.98
8. Derek Lowe — 2.19
9. Chad Qualls — 2.20
10. Brandon Lyon — 2.30

Hiroki Kuroda appears on two of the three lists, as do Mike Pelfrey and Phil Hughes. The latter two, of course, have done little to make themselves appetzing for free agent suitors. Jon Lester, at this point, would appear on all three lists, though his club option seems a sure thing to be exercised.

The same can be said of Casey Janssen, who has yet to issue a walk or blow a save on the season as the Blue Jays' closer. The relief crop listed here is mostly one of veteran hurlers (Lowe doesn't figure to generate much interest), but Mujica presents an interesting case. He's taken his game to a new level this season, posting stellar K/BB numbers and a respectable ground-ball rate after being unexpectedly thrust into the ninth inning spotlight in St. Louis. As I said, these numbers are subject to change quickly, and of course it's tough to recover from a few early bouts of poor command as a reliever. Just ask Fernando Rodney, who likely won't crack this list for the rest of the season.

None of these pitchers currently reside in the Top 10 of Tim's free agent power rankings, although I could see Santana working his way in eventually due to the relative weakness of the free agent class. Haren, too, could find himself on that list with a few solid months of work for the Nats, but he's got some catching up to do.