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According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, the Athletics are close to signing free agent outfielder Coco Crisp to a one-year contract worth between $4.5 million-5 million. The Padres also expressed interest in the 30-year-old outfielder, but Crisp elected to join Oakland’s crowded outfield, instead. I’m guessing it’s for the contract security, which also reportedly includes…

Because Steve Phillips’ mock press conferences weren’t cringe-inducing enough, ESPN will feature a series of “Santa Kruk” segments during SportsCenter next week, in which he will present gifts to some major league teams (watch them all here, if you dare). Among them, a “goat catcher” for the Cubs, a rocket scientist for the Astros and…

Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com writes that the Nationals are making a “strong push” for free agent right-hander Jon Garland. According to the report, Garland wants a three-year deal while the Nationals would prefer two years. Garland, 30, was 11-13 with a 4.01 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 33 starts this past season, earning $6.25 million.…

With the Reds hurting for payroll relief, Scott Rolen has agreed to restructure his contract with an extension that will carry him through the 2012 season, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. Rolen, who turns 35 in April, was set to earn $11 million next season, but under the terms of the new agreement, he will…

Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports that Mike Lowell will fly to Texas on Saturday to meet with the Rangers’ front office and take a physical. The Rangers have a preliminary agreement to trade catcher Max Ramirez to the Red Sox in exchange for Lowell and cash considerations, however the trade has been on hold for…

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that Matt Holliday should learn a lesson from Johnny Damon’s negotiations with the Yankees: As this drags on, we can only wonder if or when the Cardinals will withdraw from the Holliday auction and redirect their money to other players. Will Holliday lose out in St. Louis…

Here’s a surprising tidbit. Jayson Stark of ESPN.com writes that Mike Cameron, Andruw Jones and Jason Michaels are the only outfielders to sign major league contracts this winter. He doesn’t count Ken Griffey Jr. since he re-signed with the Mariners before hitting the market, nor does he include Hideki Matsui, who didn’t play a single…

He thinks the Mets should let other GMs know that Johan Santana is available: Of course, the Wilpon family will do no such thing. They invested $137.5 million in the great lefthander and aren’t about to admit failure. But the current Mets core is beginning Year 5 of a golden era that wasn’t and considering…

Adam LaRoche batted .325/.401/.557 with 12 home runs, 40 RBI and a .957 OPS in 212 at-bats after being scooped up from the Red Sox on July 31, playing a huge part in the Braves’ late playoff run. Sure, we’re all accustomed to LaRoche’s second-half surges — .909 OPS lifetime, as opposed to .773 before…

Earlier today, Craig had some thoughts on how Pirates general manager Neal Huntington treated right-hander Matt Capps, who was non-tendered on Saturday. I’m beginning to think that Huntington announced that he would tender contracts to all of his arbitration-eligible players only to attempt to drum up some late trade interest in the 26-year-old reliever. It…

The Blue Jays have signed catcher John Buck to a one-year, $2 million contract, reports Jayson Stark of ESPN.com. Buck was non-tendered by the Royals on Saturday. The 29-year-old backstop batted .247/.299/.484 with eight home runs and 36 RBI in 186 at-bats in ’09, throwing out 16% of would-be basestealers. He has a .235/.299/.484 career…

When Scott Boras talks, people listen. Take the winter meetings, for instance. He’s bombastic. He’s outrageous. And sometimes he’s very close to pushing his luck. The Yankees recently acquired the younger and more-athletic Curtis Granderson in a blockbuster three-team trade, providing general manager Brian Cashman with some flexibility in negotiations for veteran free agent outfielder…

Akinori Iwamura, who was traded from the Rays to the Pirates last month, took out a full-page ad in Sunday’s edition of the St. Petersburg Times, thanking the fans of Tampa Bay: “I hope you’ll remember me with good thoughts for my efforts on the field and even for my “Rayhawk” haircut during our run to…

Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan said Chien-Ming Wang, who was non-tendered by the Yankees on Saturday, intrigues him as a free agent, reports Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Wang likely won’t be able to contribute until next May as he recovers from shoulder surgery, and he hasn’t pitched a full season since 2007,…

According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Brewers have a tentative agreement in place to re-sign free agent infielder Craig Counsell. The 39-year-old Counsell was believed to be seeking a two-year contract this winter, but the length and terms of the new contract are not yet known. Counsell came out of nowhere…

This week’s proposed trade of Mike Lowell and cash to the Rangers for catcher Max Ramirez currently stands in transaction limbo. Why? Blame Lowell’s right thumb. The Rangers are reportedly satisfied with the status of Lowell’s right hip, but they are reviewing an injury to Lowell’s thumb that hampered him over the final weeks of…

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has been following the Adrian Gonzalez situation pretty closely this winter, but recent talks between the Red Sox and Padres are going nowhere. For now, that is. At conflict is the players San Diego will receive in return. New general manager Jed Hoyer has asked for Clay Buchholz and…

Updating a previous item, a major league source told WEEI.com that a mystery team has exceeded four years for free agent outfielder Jason Bay. The only two known offers at this point: Four-years, $60 million – Red Sox Four-years, $63 million – Mets After agent Joe Urbon’s comments earlier today and the skepticism following the…

Jonny Gomes is the latest talented player to be non-tendered as the Reds cut ties with him on Saturday. The 29-year-old Gomes was a surprise power source in ’09, hitting .267/.338/.541 with 20 home runs and 51 RBI in just 281 at-bats. Among NL outfielders with 250 at-bats or more, Gomes ranked 12th with a…

Things are about to get interesting. Rosenthal: Jason Bay’s tenure with the Red Sox appears over. The free-agent left fielder has rejected the team’s latest offer and is entertaining better proposals from other clubs, according to his agent, Joe Urbon. “We don’t agree with their evaluation of the player,” Urbon said. “Frankly, we have other…

As expected, the Yankees non-tendered Chien-Ming Wang on Saturday. The 29-year-old right-hander was 1-6 with a 9.64 ERA and 2.02 WHIP in 2009, eventually undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in June. Though Wang has already started a throwing program, he’s not expected to be ready to pitch in the majors until at least May. He’ll join…

As expected, the Braves have non-tendered second baseman Kelly Johnson and outfielder Ryan Church. Church was designated for assignment earlier this week in order to make room for newly-acquired right-hander Rafael Soriano on the 40-man roster. Johnson batted .224/.303/.389 with eight home runs and 29 RBI in 303 at-bats in ’09, while Church hit .273/.338/.384…

Ken Davidoff of New York Newsday reports that left-hander Randy Choate has avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract with the Rays. Choate, 33, posted a 3.47 ERA and 1.07 WHIP over 61 appearances with Tampa Bay in 2009. He was especially effective against left-handed hitters, holding them to a miniscule .141 batting average.…

Uh-oh. Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog informs us that Alex Cora injured his back while playing with Criollos de Caguas in the Puerto Rican Winter League last week. Cora, 34, signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Mets earlier this month. He batted .251/.320/.310 with one home run, 18 RBI and 31 runs scored in…

The Braves are holding out hope that they can find a taker for second baseman Kelly Johnson before tonight’s non-tender deadline, Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports. Johnson, 27, batted .224/.303/.389 with eight home runs and 29 RBI in 303 at-bats with the Braves in ’09, losing his starting second base job to Martin Prado (.307/.358/.464).…