Official MLB Offseason Post: Michael Young asks for a trade.

[johnnyredstorm]

We know how to embarrass ourselves

If the Reds want to keep Arroyo long-term and move Chapman to the rotation next year, one of those pitchers might be available. I'd have to guess it'd be Volquez, who'd be a good fit for the Mets. Maybe K-Rod for Volquez straight up could be a workable trade if the Mets pick up the majority of his contract and he doesn't face any jail time.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

We know how to embarrass ourselves

If the Reds want to keep Arroyo long-term and move Chapman to the rotation next year, one of those pitchers might be available. I'd have to guess it'd be Volquez, who'd be a good fit for the Mets. Maybe K-Rod for Volquez straight up could be a workable trade if the Mets pick up the majority of his contract and he doesn't face any jail time.

 

[proshares]

Nah, they're banking on Volquez having a bounce back year.  He should be 100% from the Tommy John surgery.  Unless you blow em away with an offer.

With free agency in full swing, Keith Law has ranked his top 50 free agents. But now he takes you on a more detailed, position-by-position look through the available players. Today, it's catchers.

1. Victor Martinez: He was No. 5 on the overall list. Outside of an injury-plagued 2008, he's been a consistent offensive catcher -- but his problems behind the plate have steadily gotten worse over time. By the time a potential four-year deal is up, he'd likely be playing 1B.


2. Ramon Hernandez: He was No. 40 on the overall list -- so a fairly big drop between catcher No. 1 and catcher No. 2 here. He had a terrible 2009 (he was barely above replacement level), but a solid 2010 for the Reds, including the highest BABIP of his career. He's worth a one-year deal.

3. Miguel Olivo: He was No. 45 on the overall list. He has some pop, is a good throwing catcher, and if you can live with a couple of extra passed balls per year, he's a good option.
[h3]Players to avoid [/h3]
1. A.J. Pierzynski: I don't care about the makeup questions; I care about age, slowness, and inability to get on base.

2. Bengie Molina: Had a couple of big hits in the postseason, but was a complete nonentity in the regular season. He can't hit, has lost his power, never got on base much but is now a veritable out machine, and the lack of effort he showed late in 2009 concerns me about how he'd be on a noncontending team in 2011. Molina has talked about retirement this winter, and if so, it would be a great time and would allow him to leave on a relatively high note.

3. Rod Barajas: Jason Varitek or Gerald Laird could go here, too. The list goes on, really. There are a ton of zero-offense catchers on the market this winter, and while some do provide legitimate defensive value -- and let's face it, if you don't sign a catcher, you'll have a lot of passed balls in 2011 -- these guys aren't the answer for any team trying to contend this year.
[h3]Players to discuss [/h3]
1. John Buck: Decent stats last year -- 20 HR, 66 RBIs -- so it's possible he found himself when he got out of Kansas City. He's a dead fastball hitter and may have changed his approach north of the border, though. Toronto's ballpark is homer-friendly, so he may not be able to duplicate those 20 dingers.

2. Mike Napoli: Mike Scioscia doesn't seem to like Napoli, and so Napoli has had to fight for playing time with Jeff Mathis, who is supposedly a wonder behind the plate but couldn't hit a dollar bill if you threw him in a bank vault. Napoli caught in only 66 games of the 140 in which he played in 2010, but his 26 home runs are the second highest of any catcher in the past seven years, bested only by Joe Mauer in 2009. Napoli showed good walk rates in the minors and early in his major league career, so the skill might still be there if he was in an organization that encouraged him to take and rake instead of trying to be something he's not. There's even a possibility Napoli will be non-tendered this fall, but I have to think the wasteland of catching options out there will lead some team to convince the Angels to part with him in a trade.

3. Russell Martin: A likely non-tender, Martin's body has gone south on him in the last two years, and he's lost bat speed and strength. Some players peak early, and while Martin's probably worth a minor league contract and spring training invite, there's too much reason to think he's done to guarantee him seven figures or two years.

 

Historically, finding a big-name catcher in the free agent market has been a difficult task. With catchers generally getting full-time jobs at older ages -- and aging worse than players at other positions -- snagging a star backstop in his prime is a difficult task. When a team has one of the best catchers in the league, they've generally placed a priority on keeping their catcher. Johnny Bench was never a free agent, Mike Piazza and Gary Carter weren't up for bidding until well after their primes, and even Ivan Rodriguez and Carlton Fisk, two of the most prominent free agent catchers of the last 35 years, were available only for top dollar at risky ages. Given Minnesota's miserly ways, teams salivated for years at the prospect of getting the opportunity to land a 27-year-old Joe Mauer, but even the Twins saw what they had and gave their former No. 1 pick one of the richest contracts in history.

I've ranked the best catchers in the FA market by their three-year wins above replacement (WAR) in a neutral park as projected by ZiPS.

1. Victor Martinez (7.0 WAR)
Martinez is easily the biggest name available if you want to sign a catcher and the only one available that can have a real impact on the lineup. He's one of the most consistent hitters of any position available this winter and with the exception of a 2008 season ruined by elbow problems, he's been around an .850 OPS every year. The big problem with Martinez is that he's really not much of a defensive catcher behind the plate, which limits his value. Back before the sore elbow, Martinez had showed signs of improvement at controlling the running game, catching 32 percent of runners in 2007 and 37 percent in his abbreviated 2008. Since then, he's regressed, only throwing out 19 percent of runners the last two seasons.

The other red flag is the age. Martinez is 32 for the 2011 season and, as such, the smart money is on decline, especially if he's behind the plate. ZiPS sees him as a .290/.350/.460 hitter over the next few years. Combine this with either poor defense behind the plate or the increased offensive obligations of a 1B or a DH, and Martinez starts to look like a good, not great player who might be paid like one. Martinez is a decent buy if you can get him for a relatively rich two or three-year deal, but when terms start hitting four or five years, it becomes a good idea for teams to bow out of the bidding.

2. Miguel Olivo (3.4 WAR)
Olivo's a player who is generally thought of as being a bit of a disappointment, partially as a result of being one of the key pieces of the Freddy Garcia trade (along with Jeremy Reed). After an up-and-down rookie season, Olivo hit .270/.316/.496 for the White Sox prior to the trade, but was around the Mendoza Line for the Mariners. Olivo lost his job very quickly the next season, forcing the Mariners to play a parade of broken-down catchers (seven different players started for the Mariners behind the plate that year, all for at least nine games).

His fortunes changed in Florida and while Olivo never developed into a star, he's made his name for the last five years as an adequate offensive catcher who can control the running game. He eats more outs than Scooby-Doo eats towering deli sandwiches, but he does have power, hitting 23 home runs for the 2009 Royals and regularly slugging .450. As is the recurrent theam, he's not young, but is projected to hit in the .230/.280/.430 range the next few years, serviceable for a catcher.

The Blue Jays do get some points for cleverness, acquiring Olivo on the cheap last week simply to offer him arbitration and get the compensation pick (Olivo is a Class B free agent). He could accept arbitration and foil Toronto's plans, but there are worse fates than having an adequate catcher for a one-year deal.

3. John Buck (3.2 WAR)
Buck shares a lot of traits with Olivo -- they're both low-average, low-OBP sluggers with power. Buck's a slightly better hitter than Olivo, projected in the .250/.300/.430 range for a few more years and a couple of years younger, but is a weaker defensive catcher. The biggest risk for signing Buck is that some team is bound to overpay him based on his career-best 2010 season rather than his career.

4. Ramon Hernandez (2.5 WAR)
Hernandez quietly had the second-best offensive season of his career, putting up a 114 OPS+ for the division champ Reds in 2010. He throws out runners fairly well, has defeated the passed ball bugaboo and is probably a better player overall than either Buck or Olivo. So why's he down here? He'll be 35 for the 2011 season and time, a difficult opponent for all players, is especially tough on catchers. Hernandez should have a .700 OPS for the next couple of seasons, but any team looking to sign Hernandez has to consider sudden decline or injury to be a risk.

5. Rod Barajas (1.8 WAR)
For two months in 2010, Barajas did his best Babe Ruth impression and by the end of May, had 11 home runs and a .552 slugging percentage. Alas, spring turned into summer, reality returned and Barajas only hit 6 home runs and a .214/.277/.357 line the rest of the way. Usually an adequate arm, Barajas only threw out 15 percent of runners for the year and having just turned 35, isn't likely to merit a starting job for much longer. ZiPS has him at .239/.279/.430 in a neutral park in 2011; that's too many outs if his arm isn't earning some of those outs back.

 

[proshares]

Nah, they're banking on Volquez having a bounce back year.  He should be 100% from the Tommy John surgery.  Unless you blow em away with an offer.

With free agency in full swing, Keith Law has ranked his top 50 free agents. But now he takes you on a more detailed, position-by-position look through the available players. Today, it's catchers.

1. Victor Martinez: He was No. 5 on the overall list. Outside of an injury-plagued 2008, he's been a consistent offensive catcher -- but his problems behind the plate have steadily gotten worse over time. By the time a potential four-year deal is up, he'd likely be playing 1B.


2. Ramon Hernandez: He was No. 40 on the overall list -- so a fairly big drop between catcher No. 1 and catcher No. 2 here. He had a terrible 2009 (he was barely above replacement level), but a solid 2010 for the Reds, including the highest BABIP of his career. He's worth a one-year deal.

3. Miguel Olivo: He was No. 45 on the overall list. He has some pop, is a good throwing catcher, and if you can live with a couple of extra passed balls per year, he's a good option.
[h3]Players to avoid [/h3]
1. A.J. Pierzynski: I don't care about the makeup questions; I care about age, slowness, and inability to get on base.

2. Bengie Molina: Had a couple of big hits in the postseason, but was a complete nonentity in the regular season. He can't hit, has lost his power, never got on base much but is now a veritable out machine, and the lack of effort he showed late in 2009 concerns me about how he'd be on a noncontending team in 2011. Molina has talked about retirement this winter, and if so, it would be a great time and would allow him to leave on a relatively high note.

3. Rod Barajas: Jason Varitek or Gerald Laird could go here, too. The list goes on, really. There are a ton of zero-offense catchers on the market this winter, and while some do provide legitimate defensive value -- and let's face it, if you don't sign a catcher, you'll have a lot of passed balls in 2011 -- these guys aren't the answer for any team trying to contend this year.
[h3]Players to discuss [/h3]
1. John Buck: Decent stats last year -- 20 HR, 66 RBIs -- so it's possible he found himself when he got out of Kansas City. He's a dead fastball hitter and may have changed his approach north of the border, though. Toronto's ballpark is homer-friendly, so he may not be able to duplicate those 20 dingers.

2. Mike Napoli: Mike Scioscia doesn't seem to like Napoli, and so Napoli has had to fight for playing time with Jeff Mathis, who is supposedly a wonder behind the plate but couldn't hit a dollar bill if you threw him in a bank vault. Napoli caught in only 66 games of the 140 in which he played in 2010, but his 26 home runs are the second highest of any catcher in the past seven years, bested only by Joe Mauer in 2009. Napoli showed good walk rates in the minors and early in his major league career, so the skill might still be there if he was in an organization that encouraged him to take and rake instead of trying to be something he's not. There's even a possibility Napoli will be non-tendered this fall, but I have to think the wasteland of catching options out there will lead some team to convince the Angels to part with him in a trade.

3. Russell Martin: A likely non-tender, Martin's body has gone south on him in the last two years, and he's lost bat speed and strength. Some players peak early, and while Martin's probably worth a minor league contract and spring training invite, there's too much reason to think he's done to guarantee him seven figures or two years.

 

Historically, finding a big-name catcher in the free agent market has been a difficult task. With catchers generally getting full-time jobs at older ages -- and aging worse than players at other positions -- snagging a star backstop in his prime is a difficult task. When a team has one of the best catchers in the league, they've generally placed a priority on keeping their catcher. Johnny Bench was never a free agent, Mike Piazza and Gary Carter weren't up for bidding until well after their primes, and even Ivan Rodriguez and Carlton Fisk, two of the most prominent free agent catchers of the last 35 years, were available only for top dollar at risky ages. Given Minnesota's miserly ways, teams salivated for years at the prospect of getting the opportunity to land a 27-year-old Joe Mauer, but even the Twins saw what they had and gave their former No. 1 pick one of the richest contracts in history.

I've ranked the best catchers in the FA market by their three-year wins above replacement (WAR) in a neutral park as projected by ZiPS.

1. Victor Martinez (7.0 WAR)
Martinez is easily the biggest name available if you want to sign a catcher and the only one available that can have a real impact on the lineup. He's one of the most consistent hitters of any position available this winter and with the exception of a 2008 season ruined by elbow problems, he's been around an .850 OPS every year. The big problem with Martinez is that he's really not much of a defensive catcher behind the plate, which limits his value. Back before the sore elbow, Martinez had showed signs of improvement at controlling the running game, catching 32 percent of runners in 2007 and 37 percent in his abbreviated 2008. Since then, he's regressed, only throwing out 19 percent of runners the last two seasons.

The other red flag is the age. Martinez is 32 for the 2011 season and, as such, the smart money is on decline, especially if he's behind the plate. ZiPS sees him as a .290/.350/.460 hitter over the next few years. Combine this with either poor defense behind the plate or the increased offensive obligations of a 1B or a DH, and Martinez starts to look like a good, not great player who might be paid like one. Martinez is a decent buy if you can get him for a relatively rich two or three-year deal, but when terms start hitting four or five years, it becomes a good idea for teams to bow out of the bidding.

2. Miguel Olivo (3.4 WAR)
Olivo's a player who is generally thought of as being a bit of a disappointment, partially as a result of being one of the key pieces of the Freddy Garcia trade (along with Jeremy Reed). After an up-and-down rookie season, Olivo hit .270/.316/.496 for the White Sox prior to the trade, but was around the Mendoza Line for the Mariners. Olivo lost his job very quickly the next season, forcing the Mariners to play a parade of broken-down catchers (seven different players started for the Mariners behind the plate that year, all for at least nine games).

His fortunes changed in Florida and while Olivo never developed into a star, he's made his name for the last five years as an adequate offensive catcher who can control the running game. He eats more outs than Scooby-Doo eats towering deli sandwiches, but he does have power, hitting 23 home runs for the 2009 Royals and regularly slugging .450. As is the recurrent theam, he's not young, but is projected to hit in the .230/.280/.430 range the next few years, serviceable for a catcher.

The Blue Jays do get some points for cleverness, acquiring Olivo on the cheap last week simply to offer him arbitration and get the compensation pick (Olivo is a Class B free agent). He could accept arbitration and foil Toronto's plans, but there are worse fates than having an adequate catcher for a one-year deal.

3. John Buck (3.2 WAR)
Buck shares a lot of traits with Olivo -- they're both low-average, low-OBP sluggers with power. Buck's a slightly better hitter than Olivo, projected in the .250/.300/.430 range for a few more years and a couple of years younger, but is a weaker defensive catcher. The biggest risk for signing Buck is that some team is bound to overpay him based on his career-best 2010 season rather than his career.

4. Ramon Hernandez (2.5 WAR)
Hernandez quietly had the second-best offensive season of his career, putting up a 114 OPS+ for the division champ Reds in 2010. He throws out runners fairly well, has defeated the passed ball bugaboo and is probably a better player overall than either Buck or Olivo. So why's he down here? He'll be 35 for the 2011 season and time, a difficult opponent for all players, is especially tough on catchers. Hernandez should have a .700 OPS for the next couple of seasons, but any team looking to sign Hernandez has to consider sudden decline or injury to be a risk.

5. Rod Barajas (1.8 WAR)
For two months in 2010, Barajas did his best Babe Ruth impression and by the end of May, had 11 home runs and a .552 slugging percentage. Alas, spring turned into summer, reality returned and Barajas only hit 6 home runs and a .214/.277/.357 line the rest of the way. Usually an adequate arm, Barajas only threw out 15 percent of runners for the year and having just turned 35, isn't likely to merit a starting job for much longer. ZiPS has him at .239/.279/.430 in a neutral park in 2011; that's too many outs if his arm isn't earning some of those outs back.

 

[proshares]

If you were New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, on that plane to Arkansas to meet with Cliff Lee, how comfortable would you be with offering the ace left-hander a long-term contract?

Whatever you think your comfort level is, take it down a notch. Signing a free-agent pitcher to a lengthy deal is a risky proposition, with all sorts of causes for angst.

We say this based on precedent and come armed with the numbers to illustrate our point.

ESPN Stats & Information has compiled a list of all of the free-agent signings since the 1990-91 offseason.

In that span, there have been 52 instances in which a pitcher signed a contract of four years or more.

How many of those have been success stories? It depends on how you want to define success.

We're going to use two stats to measure it -- starts and adjusted ERA+.

Starts is self-explanatory. You figure if the pitcher is healthy and pitching well, he'll have a bunch. An injured or ineffective pitcher won't.

Adjusted ERA+ is a stat tracked by Baseball-Reference.com that measures how much better/worse a pitcher's ERA is than his peers that season, making slight tweaks for the ballpark in which he primarily pitched.

If a pitcher has an adjusted ERA+ of 120, it means he was 20 percent better than the rest of the league. That's a good rating. (For reference, CC Sabathia's 3.18 ERA matched to a 134 ERA+ in 2010; Andy Pettitte's 3.28 ERA rated a 130.)

If he has an adjusted ERA+ of 80, he's 20 percent worse (100 minus 80) than the league. Javier Vazquez (5.32 ERA) and A.J. Burnett (5.25 ERA) had ERA+ of 80 and 81, respectively.

You figure if a team gives a pitcher a four-plus year deal, it has high expectations for that pitcher's durability and skill, perhaps hoping for 30 starts a season and an adjusted ERA+ of 120 or better over the life of the contract.

How many times out of the 52 did the pitcher hit that criteria?

Five.

Two of those were pitching versions of Superman -- Greg Maddux from 1993 to 1997 and Randy Johnson from 1999 to 2002.

Now there are some flaws here. The shortened seasons of 1994 and 1995 impacted some pitchers' ability to average 30 starts (it didn't with Maddux). And perhaps our standards are too high. So let's tweak the criteria slightly.

Of those 52 contracts, how many times did the pitcher average 20 starts a season, pitching 10 percent better than the league average?

Fourteen -- about one in four.

Let's lower the standard even further. How many times did a pitcher average 20 starts a season, and pitch to a league average or better ERA+?

Twenty-two. That's 42 percent.

That means that there are a lot of bad results from a lot of formerly good pitchers.

Now in fairness, some of those contracts were a bit of a stretch to begin with. Should we judge Lee's potential against the deals signed by Jeff Suppan (4 years, $42 million in 2007), Chan Ho Park (5 for $65 million in 2001) and Jaime Navarro (4 for $20 million in 1996)? These are pitchers who were slightly above average who took advantage of favorable markets.

But there are some comparable cases.

Ex-Yankees prospect Doug Drabek was 30, two years removed from a Cy Young and coming off a three-year stretch in which he had a 124 ERA+ when he signed with the Astros for four years and $19.5 million in the 1992-93 offseason.

Over the life of that contract, Drabek averaged 30 starts a year, but the results were average -- a 4.00 ERA, which at the time converted to a 98 ERA+.

The Astros didn't do that badly when you consider some deals of more recent vintage.

Mike Hampton averaged 18 starts a year and a 96 ERA+ over his eight-year deal, which actually doesn't look as bad as it did after Hampton struggled through his initial stint in Colorado. It took trading him to the Braves and overcoming injuries to make him a formidable pitcher again.

Bartolo Colon got a four-year deal from the Angels in the 2003-04 offseason, and won 21 games and the AL Cy Young in the second year of that contract. Problem was, in the last two years, he made 28 starts with a 5.90 ERA and 77 ERA+. That's not worth $30, let alone the $30 million that Colon got.

The most recent bad-deal poster child is Giants starter Barry Zito, four seasons into a seven-year, $126 million contract with a 4.45 ERA and 97 ERA+ to show for it (on the positive side, he's averaged 33 starts per year).

But hey, the Giants managed to live that mistake down, winning a World Series title in spite of it (Zito wasn't even on the postseason roster). It just goes to show that one signing is just that -- one out of 25. It's how much value you get out of everybody else that counts just as much.

 
http://[h3]

[h3]Nats, Dodgers eye Webb[/h3]
2:44PM ET

[h5]Brandon Webb | Diamondbacks [/h5]


While the Arizona Diamondbacks are apparently not interested in retaining Brandon Webb, the Washington Nationals plan to pursue the right-handed sinkerballer, tweets the great Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, and Troy Renck of the Denver Post tweets that the Dodgers have interest in Webb, too.

Webb may have to work out for clubs this winter the way other injured hurlers did a year ago, including Ben Sheets, who signed with Oakland.

Webb was among the five Diamondbacks who officially became a free agent at the end of the World Series and it is abundantly clear that the former Cy Young Award winner has thrown his last pitch for the Diamondbacks.

A report on FoxSportsArizona.com said Diamondbacks have had no conversations with Webb about a new contract, and they do not plan to initiate talks moving forward.

The D-backs issued a statement that did not officially close the door on bringing back Webb, but it read like the odds were slim to none.

Webb pitched only once in the last two seasons due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. Webb faces a similar situation to that of Ben Sheets, who missed all of 2009 season due to injury but still managed to get a one-year, $10 million deal with the Athletics last winter.

Sheets was 4-9 barely made it past the All-Star break this season before breaking down, and that could be a lesson for teams looking at Webb.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Choo's status[/h3]
2:40PM ET

[h5]Shin-Soo Choo | Indians [/h5]


We've mentioned since last spring that Cleveland Indians right fielder and Korean National Shin-soo Choo owes his native land military service and his time is running out to alleviate the situation since he's now 28 years old.

Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealernotes via Twitter that Choo and his Korean teammates have arrived at the Asian Games in China. If Korea wins the tournament, Choo would qualify for a waiver and would no longer be required to serve in the military. If they lose, his tenure in Major League Baseball could be in jeopardy.

One other potential solution, however, is for Choo to become a U.S. Citizen, but whether the timing would work out or not remains to be seen.

Choo had a fine 2010 season and is headed for arbitration for the first time this winter where he's assured of a significant raise. The Tribe could also consider a long-term contract.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Braun on the block?[/h3]
2:29PM ET

[h5]Ryan Braun | Brewers [/h5]


MLB.com's Peter Gammons said on Red Sox Hot Stove Live Tuesday night that he's heard the Milwaukee Brewers may consider trading left fielder Ryan Braun and that the Boston Red Sox could be an ideal fit.

We're all for ideas, but we're not sure how trading Braun would make much sense for Milwaukee right now, since it appears a sure thing that Price Fielder, the club's only other legit run producer, is bound for free agency after 2011 and could be traded between now and next July's trade deadline.

Braun will earn just $13 million combined over the next two seasons, making him one of the best bargains in baseball. Perhaps this is simply posturing in the Fielder talks since GM Doug Melvin could claim he's planning on retaining Fielder and moving Braun instead, but that seems counterproductive in and of itself.

If the Brewers did move Braun, they'd most certainly have to look deeper into keeping Fielder, and that's a situation that would cost the club a lot more money than they are scheduled to pay Braun, and it still may not retrieve the pitching the club so desperately needs to compete.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Rangers' options after Lee[/h3]
2:16PM ET

[h5]Texas Rangers [/h5]


If the Texas Rangers lose Cliff Lee to the New York Yankees -- or the Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox or Washington Nationals -- they'll have to hit the drawing board and see what else is out there for them as far as starting pitching is concerned.

The answer could come via free agency or trade, especially if Kansas City Royals GM Dayton Moore is serious about trading Zack Greinke. But aside from that unlikely scenario, the pickings are slim.

Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com sifts through some possibilities Wednesday, noting that left-hander Jorge De La Rosa and Carl Pavano could be on the club's radar.

The Rangers could see a starter even if Lee returns, and they may have to cover their tracks in "just-in-case" mode since Lee may not make a decision until late December or even January.

on Garland is also mentioned, but it's difficult to disagree with Durrett that he very well could be a product of the National League and the spacious Petco Park.

ESPN Insider's Chris Sprow has more on Greinke.

[h5]Chris Sprow[/h5]
Greinke could replace Lee in Texas

"With the Royals' system finally ready to produce serious talent after years of premium draft picks, the thought of moving Greinke to appease him is secondary to the idea that good returns could really set this franchise up to compete within the next few years. The question is: who would be able to put together a package for the 27-year-old righty? A lot of Insiders think that a natural place to start is Texas, where Jon Daniels has built one of perhaps only a couple systems deeper than Kansas City's. If Texas were to lose Cliff Lee -- most likely to the Yankees -- Greinke would be a natural target as a new No. 1. "

[/h3]

http://[h3]Meek or Hanrahan?[/h3]
1:55PM ET

[h5]Pittsburgh Pirates [/h5]


The Pittsburgh Pirates are without Matt Capps, Octavio Dotel and just about every other stopper they have thrust into the 9th-inning role over the past few years, opening the door for one of their young right-handers to grab the job and run.

Evan Meek and Joel Hanrahan will battle it out this coming spring, writes Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com. Both pitchers flashed high-leverage potential in 2010, combining for 10 saves and 33 holds.

Hanrahan, 29, appears to have an advantage in pure stuff, considering his swing-and-miss offerings came through to the tune of 12.92 strikeouts per nine innings, the third best mark in all of baseball. Hanrahan also has an advantage in control, but opponents batted just .185 versus Meek last season.

The loser likely handles the 8th inning, barring a free agent or trade acquisition this winter, and is first in line if the other struggles.

This battle will likely be one to watch this spring for fantasy owners, since the Pirates offense is improving and could set up as many as 50 save chances for whichever right-hander wins the gig.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Dice for Fukudome?[/h3]
1:33PM ET

[h5]Daisuke Matsuzaka | Red Sox [/h5]


The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs may be discussing a deal that would send right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka to the Chicago Cubs for outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, according to a tweet by Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune, who states "the Cubs are kicking around (the) idea of a Daisuke/Kosuke Fukudome swap as part of a multi-player package."

The Red Sox were connected to Fukudome last spring when they began experiencing the injury bug with their outfielders, and the Cubs would love to unload his contract.

Fukudome is owed $13.5 million in 2011, the final year of his contract, and Matsuzaka is owed $22 million over the next two seasons. One has to wonder if the Red Sox don't have the desire to chase Cliff Lee if they are able to shed Matsuzaka's contract, or at least test the waters of free agent Carl Pavano, and trade target Zack Greinke.

The Cubs outfield is full without Fukudome with Marlon Byrd in center, Alfonso Soriano in left and Tyler Colvin in right. Prospect Brett Jackson is also within a year or two of the big leagues.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Padres to lean on Hundley[/h3]
1:21PM ET

[h5]San Diego Padres [/h5]


The San Diego Padres are looking for catching help reports the North County Times, but Gm Jed Hoyer says they aren't in the market for an everyday answer nor someone to share the duties with Nick Hundley. Hoyer added that the club feels Hundley is their regular backstop.

The 27-year-old split time with veteran Yorvit Torrealba last season, but Torrealba opted for free agency after declining his player option earlier this fall.

With Hundley a right-handed hitter, a veteran backup such as Gregg Zaun, a lefty stick, may be a fit, though he's come public with his desire to play in Tampa next season. Jason Varitek, a switch hitter, may also be a good fit, and Hoyer knows Varitek well from his days in the Red Sox's front office.

Other veterans that may fit as a backup for the Padres include Matt Treanor and possibly Gerald Laird.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]A's to trade for Kemp?[/h3]
1:07PM ET

[h5]Oakland Athletics [/h5]


While nobody expects the Oakland Athletics to be big players on the free agent market, there are some hitters that could make sense for them, including a few outfielders and DH types. It's unlikely that GM Billy Beane is willing to fork over long-term deals to a veteran, but a handful of proven bats might fall into their lap.

If Vladimir Guerrero, who had his $9 million option declined by the Texas Rangers last week, is squeezed out of Arlington by a left-handed designated hitter, he could be a fit with the A's, as could Hideki Matsui who is not likely to be back with the Angels.

With what could be very limited markets for Adam Dunn and Manny Ramirez, Oakland could swoop in and make a late-winter offer and plug either of them into the middle of the order, instantly adding power and run production to a meek offensive force.

Lance Berkman may prefer to remain as close to home in Houston as he possibly can, but unless the Rangers prefer him at first base over Mitch Moreland a California club may be the veteran switch-hitter's best bet.

The A's just won the rights to negotiate a deal with Japanese right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma, who, if signed, could give Beane the pitching depth to make a trade to acquire a hitter such as the Dodgers' Matt Kemp or the Cardinals' Colby Rasmus.

http://[h3]Fielder to the South Side?[/h3]
12:57PM ET

[h5]Prince Fielder | Brewers [/h5]


The Chicago White Sox are expected to make a strong push to retain first baseman Paul Konerko, but could also look to add another 1B/DH type to bolster the offense. Mark Gonzales wrote Wednesday that Prince Fielder could be a target.

Adam Dunn was a target last summer and is a free agent that would simply cost the club money rather than talent and a new contract, but Dunn has said repeatedly he wants no part of being a designated hitter. Perhaps if Konerko leaves for another club, such as the Arizona Diamondbacks, Dunn might become a prime candidate.

Getting Fielder from the Milwaukee Brewers won't be easy, either, as Brewers GM Doug Melvin is certain to hold out for a package including two young pitchers and the White Sox aren't exactly flush with that kind of talent after sending Daniel Hudson to the D-backs last summer for right-hander Edwin Jackson.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Nats make contact, Yankees fly in[/h3]
12:45PM ET

[h5]Cliff Lee | Rangers [/h5]


UPDATE: The Washington Nationals have had talks with Cliff Lee's agent, Darek Braunecker, GM Mike Rizzo told MLB Network on Sirius/XM Radio, reported via Twitter here.

Rizzo said he understands the interest level from Lee could be limited and that he's not "putting all my eggs in the C. Lee basket".

ESPNNewYork.com's Andrew Marchand reports that the Yankees' contingent that includes GM Brian Cashman and possibly others, will fly into Arkansas Wednesday to meet with Lee and Braunecker.

----

Just because the cell phone for Cliff Lee's agent was buzzing constantly Sunday is no reason to think the free agent left-hander is close to a decision.

We talked earlier this week of how several teams, most notably the Yankees reached out to Darek Braunecker on Sunday, the first day that clubs could officially contact free agents of other teams. The other teams believed to be interested in Lee include the Rangers, Nationals, Phillies, Brewers, Cubs and Angels, and SI.com's Jon Heyman tweeted Tuesday afternoon that the Houston Astros may get in on the discussion, too.

Braunecker is listening intently, but told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News that "these deals take time.". The agent may not even attend the general manager's meetings next week in Orlando and Lee may not even make up his mind until after the winter meetings December 6-9 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

The Yankees have a history of sparing no expense and will employ a full court press in an effort to sign Lee. Lee is expected to command a contract in the neighborhood of Sabathia's seven-year, $161 million deal, and the Yankees can expect stiff competition from the Rangers, whose outspoken owner, Chuck Greenberg, last week vowed to make a strong effort to hold on to Lee.

Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News wrote Saturday that the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/laa/los-angeles-angelsLos Angeles Angels could be a wild card in the chase for Lee, since owner Arte Moreno appears to be opening the checkbook and is expected to pursue http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5035Carl Crawford this winter.

While the Rangers and Yankees are the obvious frontrunners, sources say the Nationals are a potential sleeper team. "They're going to step up and try to get a top free agent," one baseball insider told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. "They'd like to make a splash."

The folks at Baseball Prospectus say the Yankees' signing of Lee is one of the five "must moves" for this offseason.

- Doug Mittler

[h5]Baseball Prospectus[/h5]
Lee to the Bronx

"Lee had a less-than-ideal World Series, yes, but this is a Sabathia-level no-brainer as signings go. It's obvious and it's predictable, and indeed, by trading for Javier Vazquez to fit into that one-year budget slot, it was even more obvious and predictable. The Yankees have the financial muscle to add another player in the $20 million-plus price range, not just because they're shedding Vazquez's expense, but also because they can pitch the rest of the Core Four to take paycuts in their (less) golden years, just as Andy Pettitte has already done the last two."- Christina Kahrl

http://[h3]Red Sox, Pirates like Duchscherer[/h3]
12:39PM ET

[h5]Justin Duchscherer | Athletics [/h5]


The Boston Red Sox have expressed interested in free agent right-hander Justin Duchscherer, reports WEEI.com, though it's not clear in which role they envision the 33-year-old.

The Pittsburgh Pirates, who could be non-tendering or tarding left-hander Zach Duke this winter, have given indications that they are interested in Duchscherer's services.

Duchscherer had been a starter in most recent action with the Oakland Athletics, but has extensive experience pitching out of the bullpen. His versatility may be what clubs value as much as anything else, but the WEEI.com report by Rob Bradford indicates that Duchscherer has told clubs he wants to start.

The Reds Sox current starting rotation is full with Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz, John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka holding down the fort, but Beckett has had problems staying healthy and Matsuzaka is inconsistent to the point of ineffectiveness and could find himself on the trade block this winter as he enters the final year of his contract.

Duchscherer is coming off an injury so it's not likely he'll receive multi-year offers, but new Boston pitching coach Curt Young has worked well with Ducscherer in Oakland and such a connection could be a deciding factor.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Rockies interested in Vazquez[/h3]
11:20AM ET

[h5]Javier Vazquez | Yankees [/h5]


Javier Vazquez has finished with an ERA better than league average seven times in 12 seasons, but just three times since 2003 and finished this season on the down slope, which could worry some clubs as the right-hander hits free agency.

He's failed on numerous occasions in the American League and much prefers the east coast -- so much that he's turned away trades over the past few years to pitch in places such as Arizona and Texas -- that his market may be limited if he doesn't 1) back off the geographical stance and, 2) show clubs he's healthy, some how, some way.

One possible destination is nowhere near the East Coast. Troy Renck reports that the Rockies have interest in Vazquez.

Vazquez's final months in New York did not go well, and it appeared as if there were indications that he might be injured, namely a dip in velocity from the 91-94 mph range to topping out in the fringe 90-mph range.

It may have simply been fatigue, but clubs are likely to play it safe, and may not want to commit to Vazauez for more than one year, and also aren't likely to be willing to guarantee him several million dollars.

ESPN Insider's Keith Law has more:

- Jason A. Churchill

[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Vazquez risk

"I ranked Vazquez in my top 50 because of how good he was in 2009, but his performance in 2010 wasn't merely a function of pitching in New York. His velocity was down, and that's often a sign of an underlying injury, most likely something in the shoulder. If I'm a GM, I'm sniffing around on this one but signing nothing until there's a full physical and my team doctor tells me I'm just being paranoid."

http://[h3]Posada the DH[/h3]
11:11AM ET

[h5]Jorge Posada | Yankees [/h5]


UPDATE: According to the New York Post, GM Brian Cashman informed Posada in a face-to-face meeting this week that he will be the DH next season, while the New York Times reports that Posada will have surgery Wednesday to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.

--

Jorge Posada insisted at a charity bowling event earlier this week that he still hopes to be the New York Yankees' catcher in 2010. His wife apparently isn't so sure.

The consensus in the Yankees' front office is that Jesus Montero, who turns 21 this month, is ready to become the starting catcher and will likely be given a chance to win the job in spring training. If Montero wins the job, Posada would likely be shifted to the designated hitter spot, with some backup catching duties mixed in.

Posada did not seem thrilled with the idea of being a DH. "I love catching, love being behind the plate, Posada said Sunday. "If (the Yankees) want me to be DH or catch, just be honest and let me know what's up."

Meanwhile. Laura Posada posted messages on both her Facebook and Twitter accounts Tuesday that said her husband would be the Yanks' DH next season.

In a related story, the New York Times reports that Posada will undergo knee surgery Wednesday to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. While the operation is not believed to be serious, it underscores the age issues that the Yankees have to confront with the 39-year-old Posada.

Montero was nearly traded to the Mariners last July as the centerpiece of a deal for http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5353Cliff Lee before those talks fall apart. He is the jewel of the Yankees' farm system, and Posada's declining defensive skills makes it easier to consider a change.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Rasmus a fit in Atlanta?[/h3]
11:05AM ET

[h5]Colby Rasmus | Cardinals [/h5]


We know that Cardinals manager Tony La Russa does not have the best of relationships with Colby Rasmus, and that has led to plenty of speculation that the Redbirds might consider dealing the outfielder who was called out by Albert Pujols for not being a team player.

The Cardinals know that Rasmus could be a productive and affordable player for several years, so the price tag on a trade could be an expensive one.

David O'Brien of the Atlanta JC writes that a deal with the Braves, who desperately need an outfield bat, is possible, as long as the Cardinals don't insist on an elite prospect such as a Freddie Freeman.

O'Brien also mentions the possibility of a deal for Jacoby Ellsbury, who might be expendable if the Red Sox are successful in landing Jayson Werth or Carl Crawford. .

Joe Cowley of the Sun-Times wrote last month that White Sox GM Ken Williams wants to be involved in any talks for Rasmus.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]How long will the Pirates wait?[/h3]
10:39AM ET

[h5]Pittsburgh Pirates [/h5]


New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said Tuesday that he hope to have a manager in place by the winter meetings in early December.

The Pittsburgh Pirates, the only other team with a managerial vacancy, seem in no particular rush as well. But while the Mets are talking to a plethora of possible suitors, the Pirates have narrowed their list to one well-known former skipper and another who could walk into Primanti's without being recognized.

According to various reports, the field has been reduced to Clint Hurdle, who managed the Rockies to the World Series in 2007, and Jeff Banister.

Banister has been a part of the organization for the past 25 years and was the minor league field coordinator for eight years before becoming John Russell's bench coach in early August.

Hurdle is interviewing for the Mets? vacancy as well, and the Pirates' willingness to wait seems to indicate that he is their No. 1 choice. The Bucs could get antsy if Hurdle advances to the second round of Mets' interviews and the process drags on a few more weeks.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Nishioka loves LA[/h3]
10:19AM ET

[h5]Tsuyoshi Nishioka [/h5]

[img]http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/leagues/lrg/trans/mlb.gif[/img]
Tsuyoshi Nishioka, a 26-year-old middle infielder for the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Pacific League in Japan, will be posted for MLB teams this week, reports ESPN's Tim Kurkjian.

Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports that Nishioka's preferred landing spot is with the Dodgers. Nishioka wants to play on the West Coast and is also interested in playing for San Francisco, San Diego and Arizona.

Nishioka won the Pacific League batting title this year with a .346 average. He scored 121 runs, stole 22 bases and had 206 hits, the most by a player in that league since Ichiro Suzuki in 1994.

Just how good is Nishioka? We're seeing some red flags.

"If he had been a college kid four or five years ago, he would have been a first-round pick," said ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine, who managed Nishioka in Japan. "He has style issues, positive and negative: he likes to be noticed. How he develops will depend on what team signs him."

 

[proshares]

If you were New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, on that plane to Arkansas to meet with Cliff Lee, how comfortable would you be with offering the ace left-hander a long-term contract?

Whatever you think your comfort level is, take it down a notch. Signing a free-agent pitcher to a lengthy deal is a risky proposition, with all sorts of causes for angst.

We say this based on precedent and come armed with the numbers to illustrate our point.

ESPN Stats & Information has compiled a list of all of the free-agent signings since the 1990-91 offseason.

In that span, there have been 52 instances in which a pitcher signed a contract of four years or more.

How many of those have been success stories? It depends on how you want to define success.

We're going to use two stats to measure it -- starts and adjusted ERA+.

Starts is self-explanatory. You figure if the pitcher is healthy and pitching well, he'll have a bunch. An injured or ineffective pitcher won't.

Adjusted ERA+ is a stat tracked by Baseball-Reference.com that measures how much better/worse a pitcher's ERA is than his peers that season, making slight tweaks for the ballpark in which he primarily pitched.

If a pitcher has an adjusted ERA+ of 120, it means he was 20 percent better than the rest of the league. That's a good rating. (For reference, CC Sabathia's 3.18 ERA matched to a 134 ERA+ in 2010; Andy Pettitte's 3.28 ERA rated a 130.)

If he has an adjusted ERA+ of 80, he's 20 percent worse (100 minus 80) than the league. Javier Vazquez (5.32 ERA) and A.J. Burnett (5.25 ERA) had ERA+ of 80 and 81, respectively.

You figure if a team gives a pitcher a four-plus year deal, it has high expectations for that pitcher's durability and skill, perhaps hoping for 30 starts a season and an adjusted ERA+ of 120 or better over the life of the contract.

How many times out of the 52 did the pitcher hit that criteria?

Five.

Two of those were pitching versions of Superman -- Greg Maddux from 1993 to 1997 and Randy Johnson from 1999 to 2002.

Now there are some flaws here. The shortened seasons of 1994 and 1995 impacted some pitchers' ability to average 30 starts (it didn't with Maddux). And perhaps our standards are too high. So let's tweak the criteria slightly.

Of those 52 contracts, how many times did the pitcher average 20 starts a season, pitching 10 percent better than the league average?

Fourteen -- about one in four.

Let's lower the standard even further. How many times did a pitcher average 20 starts a season, and pitch to a league average or better ERA+?

Twenty-two. That's 42 percent.

That means that there are a lot of bad results from a lot of formerly good pitchers.

Now in fairness, some of those contracts were a bit of a stretch to begin with. Should we judge Lee's potential against the deals signed by Jeff Suppan (4 years, $42 million in 2007), Chan Ho Park (5 for $65 million in 2001) and Jaime Navarro (4 for $20 million in 1996)? These are pitchers who were slightly above average who took advantage of favorable markets.

But there are some comparable cases.

Ex-Yankees prospect Doug Drabek was 30, two years removed from a Cy Young and coming off a three-year stretch in which he had a 124 ERA+ when he signed with the Astros for four years and $19.5 million in the 1992-93 offseason.

Over the life of that contract, Drabek averaged 30 starts a year, but the results were average -- a 4.00 ERA, which at the time converted to a 98 ERA+.

The Astros didn't do that badly when you consider some deals of more recent vintage.

Mike Hampton averaged 18 starts a year and a 96 ERA+ over his eight-year deal, which actually doesn't look as bad as it did after Hampton struggled through his initial stint in Colorado. It took trading him to the Braves and overcoming injuries to make him a formidable pitcher again.

Bartolo Colon got a four-year deal from the Angels in the 2003-04 offseason, and won 21 games and the AL Cy Young in the second year of that contract. Problem was, in the last two years, he made 28 starts with a 5.90 ERA and 77 ERA+. That's not worth $30, let alone the $30 million that Colon got.

The most recent bad-deal poster child is Giants starter Barry Zito, four seasons into a seven-year, $126 million contract with a 4.45 ERA and 97 ERA+ to show for it (on the positive side, he's averaged 33 starts per year).

But hey, the Giants managed to live that mistake down, winning a World Series title in spite of it (Zito wasn't even on the postseason roster). It just goes to show that one signing is just that -- one out of 25. It's how much value you get out of everybody else that counts just as much.

 
http://[h3]

[h3]Nats, Dodgers eye Webb[/h3]
2:44PM ET

[h5]Brandon Webb | Diamondbacks [/h5]


While the Arizona Diamondbacks are apparently not interested in retaining Brandon Webb, the Washington Nationals plan to pursue the right-handed sinkerballer, tweets the great Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, and Troy Renck of the Denver Post tweets that the Dodgers have interest in Webb, too.

Webb may have to work out for clubs this winter the way other injured hurlers did a year ago, including Ben Sheets, who signed with Oakland.

Webb was among the five Diamondbacks who officially became a free agent at the end of the World Series and it is abundantly clear that the former Cy Young Award winner has thrown his last pitch for the Diamondbacks.

A report on FoxSportsArizona.com said Diamondbacks have had no conversations with Webb about a new contract, and they do not plan to initiate talks moving forward.

The D-backs issued a statement that did not officially close the door on bringing back Webb, but it read like the odds were slim to none.

Webb pitched only once in the last two seasons due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. Webb faces a similar situation to that of Ben Sheets, who missed all of 2009 season due to injury but still managed to get a one-year, $10 million deal with the Athletics last winter.

Sheets was 4-9 barely made it past the All-Star break this season before breaking down, and that could be a lesson for teams looking at Webb.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Choo's status[/h3]
2:40PM ET

[h5]Shin-Soo Choo | Indians [/h5]


We've mentioned since last spring that Cleveland Indians right fielder and Korean National Shin-soo Choo owes his native land military service and his time is running out to alleviate the situation since he's now 28 years old.

Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealernotes via Twitter that Choo and his Korean teammates have arrived at the Asian Games in China. If Korea wins the tournament, Choo would qualify for a waiver and would no longer be required to serve in the military. If they lose, his tenure in Major League Baseball could be in jeopardy.

One other potential solution, however, is for Choo to become a U.S. Citizen, but whether the timing would work out or not remains to be seen.

Choo had a fine 2010 season and is headed for arbitration for the first time this winter where he's assured of a significant raise. The Tribe could also consider a long-term contract.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Braun on the block?[/h3]
2:29PM ET

[h5]Ryan Braun | Brewers [/h5]


MLB.com's Peter Gammons said on Red Sox Hot Stove Live Tuesday night that he's heard the Milwaukee Brewers may consider trading left fielder Ryan Braun and that the Boston Red Sox could be an ideal fit.

We're all for ideas, but we're not sure how trading Braun would make much sense for Milwaukee right now, since it appears a sure thing that Price Fielder, the club's only other legit run producer, is bound for free agency after 2011 and could be traded between now and next July's trade deadline.

Braun will earn just $13 million combined over the next two seasons, making him one of the best bargains in baseball. Perhaps this is simply posturing in the Fielder talks since GM Doug Melvin could claim he's planning on retaining Fielder and moving Braun instead, but that seems counterproductive in and of itself.

If the Brewers did move Braun, they'd most certainly have to look deeper into keeping Fielder, and that's a situation that would cost the club a lot more money than they are scheduled to pay Braun, and it still may not retrieve the pitching the club so desperately needs to compete.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Rangers' options after Lee[/h3]
2:16PM ET

[h5]Texas Rangers [/h5]


If the Texas Rangers lose Cliff Lee to the New York Yankees -- or the Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox or Washington Nationals -- they'll have to hit the drawing board and see what else is out there for them as far as starting pitching is concerned.

The answer could come via free agency or trade, especially if Kansas City Royals GM Dayton Moore is serious about trading Zack Greinke. But aside from that unlikely scenario, the pickings are slim.

Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com sifts through some possibilities Wednesday, noting that left-hander Jorge De La Rosa and Carl Pavano could be on the club's radar.

The Rangers could see a starter even if Lee returns, and they may have to cover their tracks in "just-in-case" mode since Lee may not make a decision until late December or even January.

on Garland is also mentioned, but it's difficult to disagree with Durrett that he very well could be a product of the National League and the spacious Petco Park.

ESPN Insider's Chris Sprow has more on Greinke.

[h5]Chris Sprow[/h5]
Greinke could replace Lee in Texas

"With the Royals' system finally ready to produce serious talent after years of premium draft picks, the thought of moving Greinke to appease him is secondary to the idea that good returns could really set this franchise up to compete within the next few years. The question is: who would be able to put together a package for the 27-year-old righty? A lot of Insiders think that a natural place to start is Texas, where Jon Daniels has built one of perhaps only a couple systems deeper than Kansas City's. If Texas were to lose Cliff Lee -- most likely to the Yankees -- Greinke would be a natural target as a new No. 1. "

[/h3]

http://[h3]Meek or Hanrahan?[/h3]
1:55PM ET

[h5]Pittsburgh Pirates [/h5]


The Pittsburgh Pirates are without Matt Capps, Octavio Dotel and just about every other stopper they have thrust into the 9th-inning role over the past few years, opening the door for one of their young right-handers to grab the job and run.

Evan Meek and Joel Hanrahan will battle it out this coming spring, writes Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com. Both pitchers flashed high-leverage potential in 2010, combining for 10 saves and 33 holds.

Hanrahan, 29, appears to have an advantage in pure stuff, considering his swing-and-miss offerings came through to the tune of 12.92 strikeouts per nine innings, the third best mark in all of baseball. Hanrahan also has an advantage in control, but opponents batted just .185 versus Meek last season.

The loser likely handles the 8th inning, barring a free agent or trade acquisition this winter, and is first in line if the other struggles.

This battle will likely be one to watch this spring for fantasy owners, since the Pirates offense is improving and could set up as many as 50 save chances for whichever right-hander wins the gig.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Dice for Fukudome?[/h3]
1:33PM ET

[h5]Daisuke Matsuzaka | Red Sox [/h5]


The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs may be discussing a deal that would send right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka to the Chicago Cubs for outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, according to a tweet by Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune, who states "the Cubs are kicking around (the) idea of a Daisuke/Kosuke Fukudome swap as part of a multi-player package."

The Red Sox were connected to Fukudome last spring when they began experiencing the injury bug with their outfielders, and the Cubs would love to unload his contract.

Fukudome is owed $13.5 million in 2011, the final year of his contract, and Matsuzaka is owed $22 million over the next two seasons. One has to wonder if the Red Sox don't have the desire to chase Cliff Lee if they are able to shed Matsuzaka's contract, or at least test the waters of free agent Carl Pavano, and trade target Zack Greinke.

The Cubs outfield is full without Fukudome with Marlon Byrd in center, Alfonso Soriano in left and Tyler Colvin in right. Prospect Brett Jackson is also within a year or two of the big leagues.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Padres to lean on Hundley[/h3]
1:21PM ET

[h5]San Diego Padres [/h5]


The San Diego Padres are looking for catching help reports the North County Times, but Gm Jed Hoyer says they aren't in the market for an everyday answer nor someone to share the duties with Nick Hundley. Hoyer added that the club feels Hundley is their regular backstop.

The 27-year-old split time with veteran Yorvit Torrealba last season, but Torrealba opted for free agency after declining his player option earlier this fall.

With Hundley a right-handed hitter, a veteran backup such as Gregg Zaun, a lefty stick, may be a fit, though he's come public with his desire to play in Tampa next season. Jason Varitek, a switch hitter, may also be a good fit, and Hoyer knows Varitek well from his days in the Red Sox's front office.

Other veterans that may fit as a backup for the Padres include Matt Treanor and possibly Gerald Laird.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]A's to trade for Kemp?[/h3]
1:07PM ET

[h5]Oakland Athletics [/h5]


While nobody expects the Oakland Athletics to be big players on the free agent market, there are some hitters that could make sense for them, including a few outfielders and DH types. It's unlikely that GM Billy Beane is willing to fork over long-term deals to a veteran, but a handful of proven bats might fall into their lap.

If Vladimir Guerrero, who had his $9 million option declined by the Texas Rangers last week, is squeezed out of Arlington by a left-handed designated hitter, he could be a fit with the A's, as could Hideki Matsui who is not likely to be back with the Angels.

With what could be very limited markets for Adam Dunn and Manny Ramirez, Oakland could swoop in and make a late-winter offer and plug either of them into the middle of the order, instantly adding power and run production to a meek offensive force.

Lance Berkman may prefer to remain as close to home in Houston as he possibly can, but unless the Rangers prefer him at first base over Mitch Moreland a California club may be the veteran switch-hitter's best bet.

The A's just won the rights to negotiate a deal with Japanese right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma, who, if signed, could give Beane the pitching depth to make a trade to acquire a hitter such as the Dodgers' Matt Kemp or the Cardinals' Colby Rasmus.

http://[h3]Fielder to the South Side?[/h3]
12:57PM ET

[h5]Prince Fielder | Brewers [/h5]


The Chicago White Sox are expected to make a strong push to retain first baseman Paul Konerko, but could also look to add another 1B/DH type to bolster the offense. Mark Gonzales wrote Wednesday that Prince Fielder could be a target.

Adam Dunn was a target last summer and is a free agent that would simply cost the club money rather than talent and a new contract, but Dunn has said repeatedly he wants no part of being a designated hitter. Perhaps if Konerko leaves for another club, such as the Arizona Diamondbacks, Dunn might become a prime candidate.

Getting Fielder from the Milwaukee Brewers won't be easy, either, as Brewers GM Doug Melvin is certain to hold out for a package including two young pitchers and the White Sox aren't exactly flush with that kind of talent after sending Daniel Hudson to the D-backs last summer for right-hander Edwin Jackson.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Nats make contact, Yankees fly in[/h3]
12:45PM ET

[h5]Cliff Lee | Rangers [/h5]


UPDATE: The Washington Nationals have had talks with Cliff Lee's agent, Darek Braunecker, GM Mike Rizzo told MLB Network on Sirius/XM Radio, reported via Twitter here.

Rizzo said he understands the interest level from Lee could be limited and that he's not "putting all my eggs in the C. Lee basket".

ESPNNewYork.com's Andrew Marchand reports that the Yankees' contingent that includes GM Brian Cashman and possibly others, will fly into Arkansas Wednesday to meet with Lee and Braunecker.

----

Just because the cell phone for Cliff Lee's agent was buzzing constantly Sunday is no reason to think the free agent left-hander is close to a decision.

We talked earlier this week of how several teams, most notably the Yankees reached out to Darek Braunecker on Sunday, the first day that clubs could officially contact free agents of other teams. The other teams believed to be interested in Lee include the Rangers, Nationals, Phillies, Brewers, Cubs and Angels, and SI.com's Jon Heyman tweeted Tuesday afternoon that the Houston Astros may get in on the discussion, too.

Braunecker is listening intently, but told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News that "these deals take time.". The agent may not even attend the general manager's meetings next week in Orlando and Lee may not even make up his mind until after the winter meetings December 6-9 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

The Yankees have a history of sparing no expense and will employ a full court press in an effort to sign Lee. Lee is expected to command a contract in the neighborhood of Sabathia's seven-year, $161 million deal, and the Yankees can expect stiff competition from the Rangers, whose outspoken owner, Chuck Greenberg, last week vowed to make a strong effort to hold on to Lee.

Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News wrote Saturday that the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/laa/los-angeles-angelsLos Angeles Angels could be a wild card in the chase for Lee, since owner Arte Moreno appears to be opening the checkbook and is expected to pursue http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5035Carl Crawford this winter.

While the Rangers and Yankees are the obvious frontrunners, sources say the Nationals are a potential sleeper team. "They're going to step up and try to get a top free agent," one baseball insider told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. "They'd like to make a splash."

The folks at Baseball Prospectus say the Yankees' signing of Lee is one of the five "must moves" for this offseason.

- Doug Mittler

[h5]Baseball Prospectus[/h5]
Lee to the Bronx

"Lee had a less-than-ideal World Series, yes, but this is a Sabathia-level no-brainer as signings go. It's obvious and it's predictable, and indeed, by trading for Javier Vazquez to fit into that one-year budget slot, it was even more obvious and predictable. The Yankees have the financial muscle to add another player in the $20 million-plus price range, not just because they're shedding Vazquez's expense, but also because they can pitch the rest of the Core Four to take paycuts in their (less) golden years, just as Andy Pettitte has already done the last two."- Christina Kahrl

http://[h3]Red Sox, Pirates like Duchscherer[/h3]
12:39PM ET

[h5]Justin Duchscherer | Athletics [/h5]


The Boston Red Sox have expressed interested in free agent right-hander Justin Duchscherer, reports WEEI.com, though it's not clear in which role they envision the 33-year-old.

The Pittsburgh Pirates, who could be non-tendering or tarding left-hander Zach Duke this winter, have given indications that they are interested in Duchscherer's services.

Duchscherer had been a starter in most recent action with the Oakland Athletics, but has extensive experience pitching out of the bullpen. His versatility may be what clubs value as much as anything else, but the WEEI.com report by Rob Bradford indicates that Duchscherer has told clubs he wants to start.

The Reds Sox current starting rotation is full with Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz, John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka holding down the fort, but Beckett has had problems staying healthy and Matsuzaka is inconsistent to the point of ineffectiveness and could find himself on the trade block this winter as he enters the final year of his contract.

Duchscherer is coming off an injury so it's not likely he'll receive multi-year offers, but new Boston pitching coach Curt Young has worked well with Ducscherer in Oakland and such a connection could be a deciding factor.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Rockies interested in Vazquez[/h3]
11:20AM ET

[h5]Javier Vazquez | Yankees [/h5]


Javier Vazquez has finished with an ERA better than league average seven times in 12 seasons, but just three times since 2003 and finished this season on the down slope, which could worry some clubs as the right-hander hits free agency.

He's failed on numerous occasions in the American League and much prefers the east coast -- so much that he's turned away trades over the past few years to pitch in places such as Arizona and Texas -- that his market may be limited if he doesn't 1) back off the geographical stance and, 2) show clubs he's healthy, some how, some way.

One possible destination is nowhere near the East Coast. Troy Renck reports that the Rockies have interest in Vazquez.

Vazquez's final months in New York did not go well, and it appeared as if there were indications that he might be injured, namely a dip in velocity from the 91-94 mph range to topping out in the fringe 90-mph range.

It may have simply been fatigue, but clubs are likely to play it safe, and may not want to commit to Vazauez for more than one year, and also aren't likely to be willing to guarantee him several million dollars.

ESPN Insider's Keith Law has more:

- Jason A. Churchill

[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Vazquez risk

"I ranked Vazquez in my top 50 because of how good he was in 2009, but his performance in 2010 wasn't merely a function of pitching in New York. His velocity was down, and that's often a sign of an underlying injury, most likely something in the shoulder. If I'm a GM, I'm sniffing around on this one but signing nothing until there's a full physical and my team doctor tells me I'm just being paranoid."

http://[h3]Posada the DH[/h3]
11:11AM ET

[h5]Jorge Posada | Yankees [/h5]


UPDATE: According to the New York Post, GM Brian Cashman informed Posada in a face-to-face meeting this week that he will be the DH next season, while the New York Times reports that Posada will have surgery Wednesday to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.

--

Jorge Posada insisted at a charity bowling event earlier this week that he still hopes to be the New York Yankees' catcher in 2010. His wife apparently isn't so sure.

The consensus in the Yankees' front office is that Jesus Montero, who turns 21 this month, is ready to become the starting catcher and will likely be given a chance to win the job in spring training. If Montero wins the job, Posada would likely be shifted to the designated hitter spot, with some backup catching duties mixed in.

Posada did not seem thrilled with the idea of being a DH. "I love catching, love being behind the plate, Posada said Sunday. "If (the Yankees) want me to be DH or catch, just be honest and let me know what's up."

Meanwhile. Laura Posada posted messages on both her Facebook and Twitter accounts Tuesday that said her husband would be the Yanks' DH next season.

In a related story, the New York Times reports that Posada will undergo knee surgery Wednesday to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. While the operation is not believed to be serious, it underscores the age issues that the Yankees have to confront with the 39-year-old Posada.

Montero was nearly traded to the Mariners last July as the centerpiece of a deal for http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5353Cliff Lee before those talks fall apart. He is the jewel of the Yankees' farm system, and Posada's declining defensive skills makes it easier to consider a change.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Rasmus a fit in Atlanta?[/h3]
11:05AM ET

[h5]Colby Rasmus | Cardinals [/h5]


We know that Cardinals manager Tony La Russa does not have the best of relationships with Colby Rasmus, and that has led to plenty of speculation that the Redbirds might consider dealing the outfielder who was called out by Albert Pujols for not being a team player.

The Cardinals know that Rasmus could be a productive and affordable player for several years, so the price tag on a trade could be an expensive one.

David O'Brien of the Atlanta JC writes that a deal with the Braves, who desperately need an outfield bat, is possible, as long as the Cardinals don't insist on an elite prospect such as a Freddie Freeman.

O'Brien also mentions the possibility of a deal for Jacoby Ellsbury, who might be expendable if the Red Sox are successful in landing Jayson Werth or Carl Crawford. .

Joe Cowley of the Sun-Times wrote last month that White Sox GM Ken Williams wants to be involved in any talks for Rasmus.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]How long will the Pirates wait?[/h3]
10:39AM ET

[h5]Pittsburgh Pirates [/h5]


New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said Tuesday that he hope to have a manager in place by the winter meetings in early December.

The Pittsburgh Pirates, the only other team with a managerial vacancy, seem in no particular rush as well. But while the Mets are talking to a plethora of possible suitors, the Pirates have narrowed their list to one well-known former skipper and another who could walk into Primanti's without being recognized.

According to various reports, the field has been reduced to Clint Hurdle, who managed the Rockies to the World Series in 2007, and Jeff Banister.

Banister has been a part of the organization for the past 25 years and was the minor league field coordinator for eight years before becoming John Russell's bench coach in early August.

Hurdle is interviewing for the Mets? vacancy as well, and the Pirates' willingness to wait seems to indicate that he is their No. 1 choice. The Bucs could get antsy if Hurdle advances to the second round of Mets' interviews and the process drags on a few more weeks.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Nishioka loves LA[/h3]
10:19AM ET

[h5]Tsuyoshi Nishioka [/h5]

[img]http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/leagues/lrg/trans/mlb.gif[/img]
Tsuyoshi Nishioka, a 26-year-old middle infielder for the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Pacific League in Japan, will be posted for MLB teams this week, reports ESPN's Tim Kurkjian.

Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports that Nishioka's preferred landing spot is with the Dodgers. Nishioka wants to play on the West Coast and is also interested in playing for San Francisco, San Diego and Arizona.

Nishioka won the Pacific League batting title this year with a .346 average. He scored 121 runs, stole 22 bases and had 206 hits, the most by a player in that league since Ichiro Suzuki in 1994.

Just how good is Nishioka? We're seeing some red flags.

"If he had been a college kid four or five years ago, he would have been a first-round pick," said ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine, who managed Nishioka in Japan. "He has style issues, positive and negative: he likes to be noticed. How he develops will depend on what team signs him."

 

[jdcurt2]

[h4][/h4]

[h4]NL Gold Glove Winners[/h4][table][tr][td]C[/td][td]Yadier Molina[/td][td]Cardinals[/td][/tr][tr][td]1B[/td][td]Albert Pujols[/td][td]Cardinals[/td][/tr][tr][td]2B[/td][td]Brandon Phillips[/td][td]Reds[/td][/tr][tr][td]SS[/td][td]Troy Tulowitzki[/td][td]Rockies[/td][/tr][tr][td]3B[/td][td]Scott Rolen[/td][td]Reds[/td][/tr][tr][td]OF[/td][td]Carlos Gonzalez[/td][td]Rockies[/td][/tr][tr][td]OF[/td][td]Michael Bourn[/td][td]Astros[/td][/tr][tr][td]OF[/td][td]Shane Victorino[/td][td]Phillies[/td][/tr][tr][td]P[/td][td]Bronson Arroyo[/td][td]Reds[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td][/td][/tr][/table]

 

[jdcurt2]

[h4][/h4]

[h4]NL Gold Glove Winners[/h4][table][tr][td]C[/td][td]Yadier Molina[/td][td]Cardinals[/td][/tr][tr][td]1B[/td][td]Albert Pujols[/td][td]Cardinals[/td][/tr][tr][td]2B[/td][td]Brandon Phillips[/td][td]Reds[/td][/tr][tr][td]SS[/td][td]Troy Tulowitzki[/td][td]Rockies[/td][/tr][tr][td]3B[/td][td]Scott Rolen[/td][td]Reds[/td][/tr][tr][td]OF[/td][td]Carlos Gonzalez[/td][td]Rockies[/td][/tr][tr][td]OF[/td][td]Michael Bourn[/td][td]Astros[/td][/tr][tr][td]OF[/td][td]Shane Victorino[/td][td]Phillies[/td][/tr][tr][td]P[/td][td]Bronson Arroyo[/td][td]Reds[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td][/td][/tr][/table]

 

[kookcle]

The Angels' only need in the offseason is a new pitching coach.

 

[kookcle]

The Angels' only need in the offseason is a new pitching coach.

 

[proshares]

Phillips, Rolen, Gonzalez and Victorino should not be getting Gold Gloves.

 

[proshares]

Phillips, Rolen, Gonzalez and Victorino should not be getting Gold Gloves.

 

[jumpmanfromdabay]

Matt Kemp in Oakland would be

will it happen prolly not

 

[jumpmanfromdabay]

Matt Kemp in Oakland would be

will it happen prolly not

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Originally Posted by Proshares

Phillips, Rolen, Gonzalez and Victorino should not be getting Gold Gloves.

Neither should Jete, but we all know how this thing works.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Originally Posted by Proshares

Phillips, Rolen, Gonzalez and Victorino should not be getting Gold Gloves.

Neither should Jete, but we all know how this thing works.

 

[jdcurt2]

Originally Posted by Proshares

Phillips, Rolen, Gonzalez and Victorino should not be getting Gold Gloves.

I think Phillips definitely deserved his but I agree on the other three.

 

[jdcurt2]

Originally Posted by Proshares

Phillips, Rolen, Gonzalez and Victorino should not be getting Gold Gloves.

I think Phillips definitely deserved his but I agree on the other three.

 

[shaunhillftw49]

IF Ag isnt going to Boston, I wonder where.

 

[shaunhillftw49]

IF Ag isnt going to Boston, I wonder where.

 

[rawex5]

Vin Mazzaro and someone else to the Royals for David De Jesus.

 

[rawex5]

Vin Mazzaro and someone else to the Royals for David De Jesus.

 

[dacomeup]

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

We know how to embarrass ourselves

If the Reds want to keep Arroyo long-term and move Chapman to the rotation next year, one of those pitchers might be available. I'd have to guess it'd be Volquez, who'd be a good fit for the Mets. Maybe K-Rod for Volquez straight up could be a workable trade if the Mets pick up the majority of his contract and he doesn't face any jail time.

@!## no.

 

[dacomeup]

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

We know how to embarrass ourselves

If the Reds want to keep Arroyo long-term and move Chapman to the rotation next year, one of those pitchers might be available. I'd have to guess it'd be Volquez, who'd be a good fit for the Mets. Maybe K-Rod for Volquez straight up could be a workable trade if the Mets pick up the majority of his contract and he doesn't face any jail time.

@!## no.

 

[GreenNGold89]

LA should just give us Kemp because they robbed us of Ethier.