Uncategorized

We covered the National League earlier, now it’s time to go over the American League’s activity at the winter meetings..

Angels:

• The Angels are prepared to move on from Zack Greinke and have cast a wide net in their search for another starter.  Edwin Jackson and Anibal Sanchez were among some of the names connected to the Halos, who also saw Dan Haren sign elsewhere.
• The Angels agreed to terms with righty Joe Blanton on a two-year, $15MM deal.
• Lefty Sean Burnett signed a two-year, $8MM deal with an option for a third year.

Astros:

• The Astros landed starter Alex White and minor leaguer Alex Gillingham in exchange for Wilton Lopez.
• Teams called the Astros on Bud Norris.
• Houston has been in touch with Lance Berkman.
  

Athletics:

• The A’s had discussions about Yunel Escobar before he was traded to Tampa Bay.
• They’re considering two free agent shortstops in Stephen Drew and Hiroyuki Nakajima.

Blue Jays:

• Toronto is speaking with the Mets about R.A. Dickey.
• The club could make Emilio Bonifacio available.
• The Blue Jays claimed catcher Eli Whiteside off waivers from the Yankees.

Indians:

• The Indians discussed a multi-team trade that would send Justin Upton to the Rangers.
• Stephen Drew is a possibility if they deal Asdrubal Cabrera.  They want four prospects in exchange for the shortstop.
• The Tribe met with Mark Reynolds and are in pursuit of Kevin Youkilis.

Mariners:

• The M’s are making a serious run at Josh Hamilton and are discussing a three-year deal with an average annual value of $20-$25MM.
• Jason Bay agreed to a one-year, $1MM deal.  He can earn another $2MM in incentives.
• Seattle is very interested in Dee Gordon of the Dodgers.
• The Mariners were linked to a number of free agents including third baseman Kevin Youkilis and outfielder Raul Ibanez.
• An extension for Felix Hernandez is unlikely.

Orioles:

• The O’s found their leftfielder in Nate McLouth.  They offered Nate Schierholtz before inking McLouth to a one-year pact.
• Baltimore signed Adam Russell to a minor league deal.
• The O’s would like to retain Mark Reynolds but there’s tons of competition for him.

Rangers:

• The Rangers are pursuing Zack Greinke and Josh Hamilton but they’re not going to sign both.  It would appear that Greinke is their priority at the moment.
• The Rangers signed Joakim Soria to be their set-up man behind Joe Nathan.  Soria gets a two-year, $8MM deal with a club option for 2015.
• The Phillies and Rangers are getting closer to a deal involving Michael Young and are waiting on Young to waive his no-trade clause.
• The Rangers worked hard on a multi-team deal that would have them landing Justin Upton, but it hasn’t gone down yet.
• Teams are contacting the Rangers about Derek Holland.
• Texas signed reliever Evan Meek, starter Randy Wells, first baseman Brandon Allen, and starter Jake Brigham to minor league deals.

Rays:

• The Rays got themselves a shortstop when they traded infield prospect Derek Dietrich to the Marlins for Yunel Escobar.
• The Rays signed first baseman James Loney to a one-year deal.
• They avoided arb with Sean Rodriguez.
• The Rays still have a surplus of starting pitching and a trade is increasingly likely.  The Nats are among the teams that like James Shields. 
• They discussed Danny Espinosa and Mike Morse with Washington as well, but those talks didn’t amount to a trade.
• Tampa Bay has interest in the Braves’ Juan Francisco.

Red Sox:

• Boston made the first big splash at the meetings when they inked Mike Napoli to a three-year, $39MM pact.
• Shane Victorino signed a three-year, $39MM deal with Boston.  Victorino had a .255/.321/.383 line for the Dodgers and Phillies last year.
• The Red Sox agreed to a one-year deal with reliever Koji Uehara.

Royals:

• The Royals want a frontline starter but are looking at Jair Jurrjens and other backup options if they miss out.  KC made a two-year, $26MM offer to Ryan Dempster but he turned them down.
• Kansas City is open to moving Billy Butler or Wil Myers for the right deal.

Tigers:

• The Tigers got catcher Ramon Cabrera from the Pirates for lefty Andrew Oliver.

Twins:

• Minnesota got quite a haul for Ben Revere: starter Vance Worley and prospect Trevor May.
• The Twins called the O’s about Justin Morneau.
• Jared Burton got a two-year, $5.5MM extension with a club option for 2015.

White Sox:

• The White Sox gave Jeff Keppinger a three-year, $12MM deal.
• Phil Humber was claimed by the Astros.
  

Yankees:

• Kevin Youkilis got a one-year, $12MM offer from the Bombers.
• The Yanks are listening to offers on Curtis Granderson, Phil Hughes, and Ivan Nova.
• They’re insured for most of Alex Rodriguez’s contract.

Here’s a look back at what went down during the Winter Meetings in the National League..

Braves:

• If the Braves add an outfielder and move Martin Prado to third base, they could trade Juan Francisco.
• The Braves have interest in Emilio Bonifacio and have learned that he could be available.
• The Braves signed Reed Johnson to a one-year deal.
• Atlanta exercised their option on manager Fredi Gonzalez.

Brewers:

• The Brewers have considered the idea of trading Corey Hart. 
• Milwaukee likes Ryan Dempster but won’t go to three years for him. 
• They’ve been in contact with the Rangers about Derek Holland.
• The Brewers were one of several teams to be in on Jason Grilli.

Cardinals:

• The Cards signed lefty reliever Randy Choate to a three-year, $7.5MM deal.
• St. Louis was rumored to be in on Marco Scutaro before he signed with the Giants but their interest may have been overstated.
• The Cardinals and infielder Skip Schumaker are open to a trade.
  

Cubs:

• Chicago entered the Jason Grilli sweepstakes and are interested in Mark Reynolds.
• The Cubs were in on Jeff Keppinger and Eric Chavez before they signed with the White Sox and Diamondbacks, respectively.
• A reunion with Ryan Dempster appears unlikely.
• On Wednesday, the Cubs agreed to a one-year deal with Nate Schierholtz.
• The Cubs re-signed Ian Stewart to a non-guaranteed deal.

Diamondbacks:

• The Diamondbacks’ are discussing blockbuster deals with several teams involving Justin Upton.  Several three- and four-team possibilities have been talked about with the Rangers, Indians, and Rays in the mix.
• The D’Backs are also talking about trading Jason Kubel.  The Red Sox, Yankees, Orioles, Rangers, Rays and Mariners could all be in on Kubel.
• Arizona checked in with the Mets on R.A. Dickey.
• Arizona inked Eric Chavez and catcher Wil Nieves.

Dodgers:

• The Dodgers were long considered the frontrunners for Zack Greinke but are considering pulling out and moving on to other pursuits.
• The Indians and Mariners like Dee Gordon.
• Ned Colletti & Co. are still working to hammer out a deal with Ryu Hyun-Jin.
• There were no takers for Juan Uribe.

Giants:

• Second baseman Marco Scutaro agreed to a three-year, $20MM deal.
• The Giants inked Angel Pagan to a four-year, $40MM contract.  The center fielder ranked 11th on MLBTR’s list of this winter’s top 50 free agents.
• The Giants exercised options on Bruce Bochy and Brian Sabean.

Marlins:

• Yunel Escobar was shipped to the Rays for middle infield prospect Derek Dietrich.
• The Marlins are interested in the Braves’ Francisco.
• The Marlins told teams that Ricky Nolasco is staying put.
• Miami is one of five clubs with genuine interest in Jack Hannahan.

Mets:

• The Mets finalized their extension with third baseman David Wright, their only major action of the week.  The deal gives him seven years and $122MM in new money, which can be considered an eight-year, $138MM deal if the value of Wright’s previously-exercised 2013 club option is included.
• The Mets are trying to hammer out a contract extension with R.A. Dickey while also listening to offers from interested clubs.  The sticking point appears to be dollars rather than years between the two sides.  
• Miguel Olivo will be at the top of their list if they pursue a catcher.
• The Mets and Scott Hairston are optimistic that a deal can be worked out.

Nationals:

• Dan Haren agreed to a one-year, $13MM deal.  The signing likely took them out of the mix for  Greinke.
• The Nats remain confident on Adam LaRoche.  The club is pushing for a two-year deal while LaRoche wants three.
• Mike Morse could be moved if they re-sign LaRoche.
• The Nats were in contact with the Rays about their starters prior to signing Haren.
• On Monday they re-signed Zach Duke and signed Bill Bray.
  

Phillies:

• The Phillies acquired outfielder Ben Revere from the Twins in exchange for starting pitcher Vance Worley and pitching prospect Trevor May.  Revere, 24, hit .294/.333/.342 in 553 plate appearances for the Twins this year.
• The Phillies are also working on a deal for the Rangers’ Michael Young.  Young has a no-trade clause and is currently weighing his options.
• The Phillies are interested in Raul Ibanez along with two other teams and are still in the mix for Scott Hairston.

Pirates:

• The Pirates acquired lefty Andrew Oliver from the Tigers for catcher Ramon Cabrera.
  

Reds:

• The Reds have a two-year offer out to Ryan Ludwick and are waiting on an answer.
• The Reds have spoken with Homer Bailey about a contract extension, and they plan to do the same with Mat Latos.

Rockies:

• Colorado agreed to a one-year deal with Jeff Francis.
• The Rockies acquired Wilton Lopez and a player to be named later or cash from the Astros for starter Alex White and minor leaguer Alex Gillingham.
• The Rockies are likely to get additional pitching via trade.
  

Padres:

• The Pads aren’t likely to work out an extension with Chase Headley.
• Jason Marquis agreed to a one-year, $3MM deal.
• The Padres called the Indians regarding both Justin Masterson and Ubaldo Jimenez.
  

Here at MLB Trade Rumors, we've designed a tracker for just about everything.  Here are some key links you may want to utilize during the Winter Meetings madness.

• 2013 MLB Free Agent Tracker.  This is the go-to when you want to see which free agents are available at each position, or which have signed already and for how much.
• Agency Database.  If you're wondering who represents a specific player, this is the place.  Or, you can see lists of players by agency.
• Arbitration Tracker.  Which players are eligible for arbitration, and which have signed already?  This tracker also lets you filter by team, service time, and Super Two status.
• Transaction Tracker.  Want to see everything the Cubs have done since October 1st?  All the deals made between Doug Melvin and Brian Cashman?  All the trades made during last year's Winter Meetings?  This tracker has endless possibilities.
• Extension Tracker.  Want to see recent extensions given to catchers with between three and four years of Major League service?  All the extensions done by ACES?  All starting pitchers locked up by the Rays?  The extension tracker lets you dig in.  
• iPhone/iPad and Android apps.  Both apps allow you to receive custom notifications for any combination of players and teams.  You can also read all MLBTR posts in a mobile-friendly, ad-free format.
• Top Stories.  Just looking to catch up on the latest major transactions?  Check out the Top Stories section on the righthand sidebar, below the Facebook Like box.

On Friday I had the privilege of speaking via phone with legendary baseball journalist Peter Gammons.  Peter will be part of MLB Network's more than 25 hours of live on-site Winter Meetings coverage from Nashville starting Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.  Hot Stove, Intentional Talk and MLB Tonight will air live on-site starting at 9 a.m. ET and local channel listings can be found here.

Click below to read Gammons' thoughts regarding Twitter, Rafael Soriano, Zack Greinke, the Dodgers, and much more.

Read more

Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball are discussing "significant changes" to the posting system according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports. The posting system has been in place since 1998 and is a vehicle for Japanese players to come to MLB before qualifying for international free agency.

Passan says MLB is pushing NPB to replace the current blind bidding process with a traditional open auction, which would likely result in lower posting fees and therefore less money for the Japanese clubs. Both MLB and the players' union want to see higher percentage of the total cost (posting fee plus contract) go to the player.

Kyuji Fujikawa is the most prominent Japanese player expected to come over to MLB this offseason, but he is a true free agent. No players from Japan — left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu is from South Korea and is still negotiating with the Dodgers — are expected to be posted this winter. Passan says MLB hopes to have a new policy implemented following the 2013 season.

MLBTR is increasing efforts to enforce our commenting policy.  The goal is to raise the level of discourse in the comments, part of which involves eliminating inappropriate language and insults.

Comments of this nature are not allowed:

• Attacks or insults towards other commenters, the post author, journalists, teams, players, or agents
• Inappropriate language, including swearing and related censor bypass attempts, lewdness, insults, and crude terms for body parts, bodily functions, and physical acts.  Overall, we don’t want any language that a parent would not want their kid to see.
• Juvenile comments or extensive use of text message-type spelling
• Writing comments in all or mostly caps
• Spam-type links or self-promotion.  Please submit to our weekly Baseball Blogs Weigh In feature if you have a website or blog.  Currently, permissible links in the comments are limited to MLB.com, Cot’s Baseball Contracts, FanGraphs, Baseball Prospectus, Baseball-Reference, and (of course) MLB Trade Rumors.  Comments linking to other sites will be deleted.
• Comments about how you're sick of this topic or it's not newsworthy
• No inappropriate avatars or images are allowed
• Anything else we deem bad for business

If you see comments that fit the above criteria, please flag them and/or contact us.  Those who repeatedly violate the policy can be banned at any time.  Bans may be handed out liberally by our moderators, without second chances.  Remaining civil is not that difficult, though, and most commenters have no problems doing so as well as helping rein each other in.  We at MLBTR are grateful for long-time commenters and readers, though this policy applies equally regardless of tenure.  This policy is always available at the bottom of the site, and will be re-posted monthly.

Later today, the free agent class will expand to accommodate this year’s non-tenders. Dozens of players will join the free agent market at the 10:59pm CDT deadline for teams to tender contracts to arbitration eligible players. It can be a confusing kind of transaction, so here’s an explanation of what exactly a non-tender is.

To tender a player a contract is to offer a contract, but non-tenders refer to a specific kind of offer: offers of arbitration. Rules and precedent shape the kind of salary a player can expect through arbitration, and players under team control usually get raises through the process. 

For example, Mark Reynolds isn’t eligible for free agency yet, but he and agent Beverly Hills Sports Council have some say in his future earnings. Reynolds projects to earn $8.9MM through the arbitration process, and if the Orioles believe that’s too much, they can let Reynolds leave instead. Arbitration can be expensive for teams, since a player’s salary depends in part on his previous earnings and comparable players. Players like Reynolds who have accumulated considerable service time and playing time have substantial leverage.

Players usually remain relatively affordable for their first time or two as an arbitration eligible player. Once players enter their second, third or (for super twos) fourth arbitration seasons, the stakes increase (a few players do see their salaries drop or stay the same). 

If an arbitration eligible player hasn’t performed well, but projects to earn a considerable amount, his team will likely consider a non-tender. That means the club has turned down the option to negotiate a contract with that player through arbitration, though it doesn’t mean the player’s going to sign elsewhere. After a player is non-tendered he hits free agency and can sign anywhere, including with his former team.

Sometimes it’s not about the money. Teams might choose to non-tender a player if they don’t have 40-man roster spots to spare or they view players as injury risks.

Every year some non-tendered players exceed expectations on the field, often with new teams. Joe Saunders, Jeff Keppinger and Jose Mijares were all non-tendered last offseason before producing in 2012.

It’s complicated, but here’s what you need to know: teams non-tender players when they would rather risk losing the players to another team than go through the potentially expensive arbitration process.

MLBTR has you covered with a Non-Tender Tracker, a list of non-tender candidates and specific pieces on certain players who could be cut loose. Plus MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker has up to date information on the players who are tendered contracts.

Our 2013 arbitration tracker is now available!  The tracker displays all arbitration eligible players, with fields for team, service time, player and team submissions, the midpoint, and the settlement amount.  You can filter by team, signing status, service time, Super Two status, and whether a hearing occurred.  So far only five arbitration eligible players have signed, as figures do not need to be exchanged until January 18th.

In the more immediate future, a host of players will be removed from the arbitration eligible list upon being non-tendered.  The non-tender deadline is Friday, and we have a separate non-tender tracker that will allow you to follow along. 

Marvin Miller, the first executive director of the MLB Players Association, died this morning at the age of 95, Yahoo's Jeff Passan reports. Condolences to Miller's family and the MLBPA.

“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of Marvin Miller,” current MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner said in a public statement. “All players -– past, present and future -– owe a debt of gratitude to Marvin, and his influence transcends baseball. Marvin, without question, is largely responsible for ushering in the modern era of sports, which has resulted in tremendous benefits to players, owners and fans of all sports."

Miller led the MLBPA from its inception in 1966 until 1982. Under Miller the MLBPA worked to overturn baseball's reserve clause in a decision that led to free agency. The association also obtained many other rights for players, including the right to salary arbitration.

Our Baseball Trade Rumors iPhone app is in the process of being updated to fill the larger screen of the iPhone 5.  If you own an iPhone 5 and would like to help us test the new version of the app, please email mlbtriphoneapp@gmail.com and include your UDID in the email.  We'll take the first 20 or so people.  Thanks for your consideration.

Our current iPhone/iPad app can be purchased here.