Archives › 2012 › January › 25
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From Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com comes word that the Reds have reached agreement on a minor league contract with free agent lefty Jeff Francis. The deal carries an invitation to major league spring training, where Francis will presumably get a shot at landing a spot in Cincinnati’s starting rotation. Francis, 31, posted a troubling 4.82 ERA…
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Eric Wedge ‘leaning’ toward dropping Ichiro from leadoff spot
Jan 25, 2012, 10:48 PM EDT
The Seattle Mariners remain in a transition phase, attempting to undo the messes of Bill Bavasi while playing in a beefed up AL West division that includes two teams — the Rangers and Angels — that are throwing money around like they just got some magic pants. A big part of that transition will involve…
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According to MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez, the Angels have “tendered a formal offer” to free agent right-hander Luis Ayala. Whether it’s a major league or minor league contract offer is not yet known. Ayala is also drawing free agent interest from a “handful” of other teams, according to Gonzalez’s source, and is “still weighing his options.” The…
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From Marc Topkin of the newly-named Tampa Bay Times comes word that the Rays are “closing in on a major-league deal” with infielder Jeff Keppinger. An agreement could be finalized later this week. Keppinger batted just .277/.300/.377 with six home runs and 35 RBI across 399 plate appearances last season between the Astros and Giants, and…
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Marlins right-hander Josh Johnson made only nine starts last season due to shoulder issues. He’s optimistic that things will be far different in 2012. According to beat writer Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post, the 27-year-old ace felt “good” after throwing a bullpen session (29 pitches) Tuesday for the first time since September. He has…
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Marlins president David Samson told Miami’s 790 The Ticket on Wednesday that the organization is in talks with multiple companies interested in buying naming rights to the nearly-completed stadium. But no agreement has been struck yet, and that might not change before the facility opens its doors April 1 for an exhibition game against the…
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Nick Masset signs two-year deal with Reds, avoids arbitration
Jan 25, 2012, 5:48 PM EDT
Cincinnati has bought out Nick Masset‘s remaining arbitration eligibility, signing the right-hander to a two-year contract that MLB Trade Rumors reports is worth $5.5 million. Masset made $1.725 million last season and submitted a $2.9 million figure for arbitration after throwing 70 innings with a 3.71 ERA and 62/31 K/BB ratio. Cincinnati countered at $2.1…
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Daryle Ward, still alive apparently, suspended 50 games for amphetamines
Jan 25, 2012, 5:32 PM EDT
Did you know that Daryle Ward was still kicking around baseball? Me neither! But he is. And now he’s been suspended for 50 games after a positive amphetamines test. From the press release: Free agent Minor League first baseman Daryle Ward has received a 50-game suspension after testing positive for an amphetamine. The suspension of Ward is…
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Austin Kearns has bounced around a lot, playing for four teams in the past three seasons, and the 32-year-old outfielder will now try to win a spot on the Marlins’ bench after agreeing to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. Kearns briefly looked like a future star in 2002 and 2003, but…
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Brewers owner: Ryan Braun won’t attend fan event because “this is too sensitive of a time”
Jan 25, 2012, 5:02 PM EDT
Ryan Braun was scheduled to appear at the Brewers “fan fest” event this weekend, but owner Mark Attanasio just released a statement announcing that the reigning MVP won’t be there because of concerns about how his attendance could impact the 50-game suspension appeal: In working through the logistics of this weekend’s Brewers On Deck event…
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Let the bidding begin: Yoenis Cespedes is finally a free agent
Jan 25, 2012, 4:46 PM EDT
After months of reports about Yoenis Cespedes being on the verge of free agency MLB has finally announced that the 26-year-old outfielder who defected from Cuba last summer is cleared to negotiate with teams. Cespedes established residency in the Dominican Republic and then surprised many people by participating in the Dominican winter league, but stopped…
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Not so long ago Wilson Valdez got all kinds of undeserved credit for the Phillies’ success, but now they’ve traded the light-hitting utility man to the Reds for left-handed reliever Jeremy Horst. Valdez has topped 300 plate appearances in each of the past two seasons despite hitting just .254 with a .300 on-base percentage and…
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The Red Sox made an offer to Roy Oswalt? OK, but they also made one to Edwin Jackson. Here’s Jim Bowden: Red Sox have made offers for Edwin Jackson and are presently in discussions with him and prefer him over Roy Oswalt according to source Oh, I get it: it’s the old “we’ve made offers…
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Today is different than yesterday, huh? Yesterday we had Prince Fielder, Tony La Russa and Tim Lincecum news. Today: we churn Roy Oswalt rumors. Hey, it’s not all glamour and glitz. Anyway: Heyman says that the Red Sox have made an offer to Oswalt. No sense if he’ll take it or if, like an earlier…
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In the wake of Jorge Posada‘s retirement following an 1,829-game career spent entirely with the Yankees comes a story about how he was almost traded to the Mariners as a prospect way back in 1995. Larry Stone of the Seattle Times has the details: Management deemed that they couldn’t afford Tino Martinez, so he was…
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Interesting story brought to my attention from reader Troy. It’s from the Dominican newspaper Hoy. And because I forgot all that Spanish I knew 20 years ago, I’m using Google translate to read it. But the upshot: Bautista spoke at a banquet the other night and noted that in the past two years — the…
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Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports that left-hander Scott Olsen has agreed to a minor-league contract with the White Sox, who add some rotation depth in case they continue to trade more veteran pitchers. Once upon a time Olsen was a top prospect and had a strong rookie season for the Marlins as a 22-year-old in…
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Every superhero has an origin story. They were sent here from a doomed alien world. They were bit by a radioactive spider. Their parents were murdered in Crime Alley. Whatever the hell boring stuff happened to Aquaman to make him the mediocre whatever-it-is he is. Scott Boras may not be in the Justice League, but…
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Ryan Zimmerman won’t negotiate extension with Nationals after spring training begins
Jan 25, 2012, 12:44 PM EDT
Ryan Zimmerman and the Nationals have been engaged in some level of long-term contract talks for going on a year now, but yesterday the third baseman told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that he’ll cut off negotiations once spring training starts: I think it’s unfair to my teammates for that to garner any attention…
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Now that Yoenis Cespedes has established residency in the Dominican Republic his long-awaited free agency should be right around the corner and Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports that the Marlins “are expected to make a strong push” for the Cuban defector. They’ll have plenty of competition, although Cespedes’ poor showing in the Dominican winter league…
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Gammons: GMs think Oswalt signs with the Cardinals or Rangers
Jan 25, 2012, 11:37 AM EDT
Peter Gammons knows people in high places. Three of them are GMs with whom he spoke about Roy Oswalt, and two of them think Oswalt will sign with the Rangers. The third thinks it’s the Cardinals. All of those have been discussed before either due to previous interest in Oswalt or what we think we…
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Robert Andino gets $1.3 million to skip arbitration with Orioles
Jan 25, 2012, 11:19 AM EDT
Cross another name off the list of potential arbitration hearings, as Robert Andino and the Orioles have compromised on a one-year deal. Andino submitted a $1.6 million figure and the Orioles countered at $1 million, and according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun they settled at the $1.3 million midpoint. Andino came into last…
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Bill Shaikin writes of another interested bidder in the Los Angeles Dodgers: Leo Hindery. His significance? He was the founder of YES Network and his presence in the bidding suggests that a Dodgers cable network could be in the works. Which, as we know, means serious money for the team to which it is attached.…
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Texas has been shopping Koji Uehara and apparently found a palatable deal for him, but Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas reports that the 36-year-old reliever rejected a trade to Toronto. Uehara’s contract–which was signed with the Orioles–includes a limited no-trade clause consisting of six teams and unfortunately for the Rangers the Blue Jays are on…
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Florida lawmaker looking to soak teams which accepted public stadium money
Jan 25, 2012, 10:30 AM EDT
I don’t know enough about Florida politics to know if this has any chance of going anywhere, but I am heartened to see that someone in the Florida legislature is trying — either through actual legislation or just by virtue of sheer grandstanding — to illustrate just how crappy a deal it is for taxpayers…
