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

Originally Posted by FRANCHISE 55

According to Buster Olney, Juan Uribe is close to a 3-year deal with the Dodgers.
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The story from last week that Scott Boras gave $70,000 in loans to client Edward Salcedo, now playing in Atlanta's farm system, sounded like impropriety. Given the recent stories about Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and former football agent Jeffrey Luchs, it seemed like another bad week for the idea of amateurism.

mlb_g_boras01_200.jpg

Getty ImagesBaseball operates on a different set of rules regarding amateurism.

But Major League Baseball isn't like the NFL or college football, and there is a very significant difference between an unsigned baseball player in the United States or Canada and one in the Dominican Republic or elsewhere outside of the reach of the Rule 4 Draft.

I spoke to Boras about the allegations, and again, he asserted that he did not give money to any player before said player's 16th birthday. He also says he did not give money to any player to induce him to become or remain a Boras client. All money given to the Salcedo family was in the form of loans, totalling $70,000, a total the family should be able to repay easily given Salcedo's ultimate signing bonus of $1.6 million from Atlanta. He also said that his agency reported every payment to the union, even though at the time there was no strict reporting requirement for agents who loaned money to professional clients.

Given that account, and my understanding of the union's rules on loans to players both before and after their recent changes, I see no evidence of malfeasance here, regardless of how it sounds on its face. Here's why:

• It violates MLBPA rules for an agent to lend (or give) money to a player to induce that player to switch his representation to that agent, and it is also against their rules to lend money to a player to try to retain him as a client when he threatens to leave for another agency. Beyond those restrictions, however, an agent may lend money to a professional client of his as long as he reports any such money to the MLBPA and expects the client to pay the money back at some point in the future, per a rule change enacted by the union about six months ago. At the time of the loans to Edward Salcedo's family, agents were simply expected to file an annual statement with the union detailing any loans or gifts they gave to players worth over $500.

• There are separate rules prohibiting lending or giving money to amateur players in the United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico, but those rules come from scholastic governing authorities (such as the NCAA) and do not apply to players outside of their jurisdiction. There is, in fact, no governing authority overseeing agents' relationships with unsigned baseball players in the Dominican Republic so long as those players are at least sixteen years of age, and thus eligible to sign with a professional team. The concept of an "amateur" player in the Dominican Republic is inappropriate, as it applies a distinction based on the existence of high school and collegiate baseball programs to a culture where such programs do not exist and where players are often able to sign professional contracts on or shortly after their 16th birthdays.

Amateur status there isn't based around eligibility for a college scholarship, as it is here. And if we apply the NCAA's argument that using representation makes you a professional player, then any international free agent in the Dominican Republic or Colombia or Panama becomes a professional the day he agrees to engage any player agent as his representative.

Before he left the Commissioner's Office to helm the New York Mets, Sandy Alderson had been working to clean up the world of free agents in the Dominican Republic, creating more transparency and allowing teams to scout elite Dominican prospects more efficiently. With nothing implemented, however, the absence of rules remains intact.

What agent behavior might warrant an investigation?

For one, payments to steal clients from other agents, or to prevent clients from leaving for other agents, both of which are forbidden under MLBPA rules. As well, payments to underaged players outside the draft area, loans made at exorbitant rates of interest, designed to provide the agent with profits rather than provide a bridge for a player about to receive a six- or seven-figure bonus, or payments to high school or college players in the U.S., Canada, or Puerto Rico, which would violate NCAA rules.

Forgiving loans to present or former clients who can repay them or turning those loans into gifts, could also be considered violations. But as much as it makes for a good story, it does not appear that Boras or his employees did any of these things, meaning there would be no rules violation.

 

UPDATE: Dunn, according to Jon Morosi, is expected to sign with the club that offers the most years and dollars, rather than the club that offers the most time at first base.

This opens the market for Dunn, since more teams have a need at DH than at first base, and if Dunn is willing to be flexible in that manner, it opens up more contending clubs, including the White Sox, Rangers, Rays and Angels.

----

With the addition of part-time DH Victor Martinez, Adam Dunn no longer appears to fit in Detroit, shrinking his market down to even fewer clubs, and may not include the Washington Nationals anymore, writes FoxSports.com's Jon Morosi.

Dunn has been connected to both Chicago clubs and the White Sox's interest could be pinned to their pursuit of their own free agent, Paul Konerko. The Sox could conceivably retain Konerko and still add Dunn, but salary cost is likely to be an issue with such a scenario.

The Sox could instead look to Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui or Lance Berkman as a backup plan.

The Cubs, without a first baseman, may be the club most motivated to pay Dunn, who was seeking a four-year contract from the Nationals this past summer.

Buster Olney suggests Thursday that the Rangers might find interest in Dunn at some point, especially if they lose Cliff Lee, which would leave them with tons of payroll flexibility.

If the season started today, the San Francisco Giants starting shortstop and third baseman would likely be Emmanuel Burriss and Pablo Sandoval, as it sounds like Juan Uribe's days in the Bay Area are over, according to ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.

The Giants do have options at both positions, however, including Edgar Renteria, whom the club declined to offer arbitration this month, but may choose the trade route instead.

Potential trade targets could include Minnesota's J.J. Hardy, Tampa's Jason Bartlett and Boston's Marco Scutaro, and free agent Miguel Tejada is another option.

If GM Brian Sabean prefers not to rely on Sandoval to play third base, the club could check the market on Bill Hall and Melvin Mora, or play Burriss -- or another free agent -- at second base and slide Freddy Sanchez to third.

Cesar Izturis may be an option at short, too, though he's generally viewed as an all-defense, zero-bat type of player.

 
The New York Yankees and Derek Jeter have chosen to do a chunk of their contract negotiations via the media. That's great for us at Rumor Central, but it sometimes allows equally important matters to fly under the radar.

In case you forgot, closer Mariano Rivera, who like Jeter is a Yankee icon, is eligible for free agency, too.

Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com writes Monday that the negotiations between the two sides have gone well, suggesting Rivera and the Yankees aren't far apart.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports Rivera is seeking a two-year deal at $18 million per season, but the Yankees are currently inclined, at least at last check, to offer him only one year at a raise from the $15 million he made this season.

The negotiations with Rivera could take some time. While Rivera turns 41 later this week, he is still competing at levels by comparable to his prime. Jeter saw his production fall this past season, complicating his contract talks.
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The story from last week that Scott Boras gave $70,000 in loans to client Edward Salcedo, now playing in Atlanta's farm system, sounded like impropriety. Given the recent stories about Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and former football agent Jeffrey Luchs, it seemed like another bad week for the idea of amateurism.

mlb_g_boras01_200.jpg

Getty ImagesBaseball operates on a different set of rules regarding amateurism.

But Major League Baseball isn't like the NFL or college football, and there is a very significant difference between an unsigned baseball player in the United States or Canada and one in the Dominican Republic or elsewhere outside of the reach of the Rule 4 Draft.

I spoke to Boras about the allegations, and again, he asserted that he did not give money to any player before said player's 16th birthday. He also says he did not give money to any player to induce him to become or remain a Boras client. All money given to the Salcedo family was in the form of loans, totalling $70,000, a total the family should be able to repay easily given Salcedo's ultimate signing bonus of $1.6 million from Atlanta. He also said that his agency reported every payment to the union, even though at the time there was no strict reporting requirement for agents who loaned money to professional clients.

Given that account, and my understanding of the union's rules on loans to players both before and after their recent changes, I see no evidence of malfeasance here, regardless of how it sounds on its face. Here's why:

• It violates MLBPA rules for an agent to lend (or give) money to a player to induce that player to switch his representation to that agent, and it is also against their rules to lend money to a player to try to retain him as a client when he threatens to leave for another agency. Beyond those restrictions, however, an agent may lend money to a professional client of his as long as he reports any such money to the MLBPA and expects the client to pay the money back at some point in the future, per a rule change enacted by the union about six months ago. At the time of the loans to Edward Salcedo's family, agents were simply expected to file an annual statement with the union detailing any loans or gifts they gave to players worth over $500.

• There are separate rules prohibiting lending or giving money to amateur players in the United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico, but those rules come from scholastic governing authorities (such as the NCAA) and do not apply to players outside of their jurisdiction. There is, in fact, no governing authority overseeing agents' relationships with unsigned baseball players in the Dominican Republic so long as those players are at least sixteen years of age, and thus eligible to sign with a professional team. The concept of an "amateur" player in the Dominican Republic is inappropriate, as it applies a distinction based on the existence of high school and collegiate baseball programs to a culture where such programs do not exist and where players are often able to sign professional contracts on or shortly after their 16th birthdays.

Amateur status there isn't based around eligibility for a college scholarship, as it is here. And if we apply the NCAA's argument that using representation makes you a professional player, then any international free agent in the Dominican Republic or Colombia or Panama becomes a professional the day he agrees to engage any player agent as his representative.

Before he left the Commissioner's Office to helm the New York Mets, Sandy Alderson had been working to clean up the world of free agents in the Dominican Republic, creating more transparency and allowing teams to scout elite Dominican prospects more efficiently. With nothing implemented, however, the absence of rules remains intact.

What agent behavior might warrant an investigation?

For one, payments to steal clients from other agents, or to prevent clients from leaving for other agents, both of which are forbidden under MLBPA rules. As well, payments to underaged players outside the draft area, loans made at exorbitant rates of interest, designed to provide the agent with profits rather than provide a bridge for a player about to receive a six- or seven-figure bonus, or payments to high school or college players in the U.S., Canada, or Puerto Rico, which would violate NCAA rules.

Forgiving loans to present or former clients who can repay them or turning those loans into gifts, could also be considered violations. But as much as it makes for a good story, it does not appear that Boras or his employees did any of these things, meaning there would be no rules violation.

 

UPDATE: Dunn, according to Jon Morosi, is expected to sign with the club that offers the most years and dollars, rather than the club that offers the most time at first base.

This opens the market for Dunn, since more teams have a need at DH than at first base, and if Dunn is willing to be flexible in that manner, it opens up more contending clubs, including the White Sox, Rangers, Rays and Angels.

----

With the addition of part-time DH Victor Martinez, Adam Dunn no longer appears to fit in Detroit, shrinking his market down to even fewer clubs, and may not include the Washington Nationals anymore, writes FoxSports.com's Jon Morosi.

Dunn has been connected to both Chicago clubs and the White Sox's interest could be pinned to their pursuit of their own free agent, Paul Konerko. The Sox could conceivably retain Konerko and still add Dunn, but salary cost is likely to be an issue with such a scenario.

The Sox could instead look to Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui or Lance Berkman as a backup plan.

The Cubs, without a first baseman, may be the club most motivated to pay Dunn, who was seeking a four-year contract from the Nationals this past summer.

Buster Olney suggests Thursday that the Rangers might find interest in Dunn at some point, especially if they lose Cliff Lee, which would leave them with tons of payroll flexibility.

If the season started today, the San Francisco Giants starting shortstop and third baseman would likely be Emmanuel Burriss and Pablo Sandoval, as it sounds like Juan Uribe's days in the Bay Area are over, according to ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.

The Giants do have options at both positions, however, including Edgar Renteria, whom the club declined to offer arbitration this month, but may choose the trade route instead.

Potential trade targets could include Minnesota's J.J. Hardy, Tampa's Jason Bartlett and Boston's Marco Scutaro, and free agent Miguel Tejada is another option.

If GM Brian Sabean prefers not to rely on Sandoval to play third base, the club could check the market on Bill Hall and Melvin Mora, or play Burriss -- or another free agent -- at second base and slide Freddy Sanchez to third.

Cesar Izturis may be an option at short, too, though he's generally viewed as an all-defense, zero-bat type of player.

 
The New York Yankees and Derek Jeter have chosen to do a chunk of their contract negotiations via the media. That's great for us at Rumor Central, but it sometimes allows equally important matters to fly under the radar.

In case you forgot, closer Mariano Rivera, who like Jeter is a Yankee icon, is eligible for free agency, too.

Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com writes Monday that the negotiations between the two sides have gone well, suggesting Rivera and the Yankees aren't far apart.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports Rivera is seeking a two-year deal at $18 million per season, but the Yankees are currently inclined, at least at last check, to offer him only one year at a raise from the $15 million he made this season.

The negotiations with Rivera could take some time. While Rivera turns 41 later this week, he is still competing at levels by comparable to his prime. Jeter saw his production fall this past season, complicating his contract talks.
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NEW YORK -- Negotiations between the Yankees and Derek Jeter are at a standstill until Jeter and his agent, Casey Close, "drink the reality potion," according to a source close to the negotiations.

According to the source, a baseball industry executive who has knowledge of both sides' position, the Yankees are not budging from the three-year, $45 million offer they made to Jeter earlier this month, nor has Jeter moved off his demand for a longer contract believed to be in the area of $23-$25 million per season.



No talks took place over the holiday weekend and none are currently scheduled. Neither Yankees general manager Brian Cashman nor Close immediately returned messages seeking comment early Monday.

Last week, Cashman told ESPN New York: "We understand his contributions to the franchise and our offer has taken them into account. We've encouraged him to test the market and see if there's something he would prefer other than this. If he can, fine. That's the way it works."

A team source said Cashman's statement was not intended to be an ultimatum, but an invitation to comparison-shop around the league, with the belief that no other team would match or exceed the Yankees' offer.

The baseball industry source said the Yankees have provided Jeter and Close with detailed statistical and market analysis to support their contract offer, including comparisons between Jeter and other shortstops and middle infielders throughout baseball.

That is the way Jeter's last contract, the 10-year, $189 million deal that expired with the end of the 2010 World Series, was negotiated, based on Jeter's contention and the Yankees concurrence that Jeter was the second-best shortstop in the game, behind Alex Rodriguez, who had just signed a 10-year, $252 million deal with the Texas Rangers.

This time, the Jeter side is said to not want Jeter's value to be judged against that of other shortstops, preferring to base his worth on his legacy as an all-time great Yankee. The next highest-paid shortstop, Florida's Hanley Ramirez, is nearly 10 years younger than the 36-year-old Jeter, hits for more power (21 HRs last year) and in 2010, hit 30 points higher, .300 to .270. He will be paid $11 million in 2011.

"They've changed the rules this time around," the source said of the Jeter camp.

Other industry sources have mentioned the Los Angeles Dodgers as a possible Plan B for Jeter and Close, considering Jeter's warm relationship with Don Mattingly, who will succeed Joe Torre as manager for 2011, and his increasingly chilly relationship with the Yankees front office.

However, the Dodgers financial situation has changed due to the ongoing divorce battle between owner Frank McCourt and his estranged wife Jamie. In March 2009, the Dodgers gave Manny Ramirez a two-year, $45 million contract, but placed him on waivers last August, where he was claimed by the Chicago White Sox.

The uncertain financial future of the Dodgers pending the divorce settlement makes a possible Jeter-to-L.A. scenario a long shot at best.

Said the source: "There just doesn't seem to be much out there for him besides the Yankees."

http://sports.espn.go.com...lb/news/story?id=5862839
By Buster Olney
ESPN The Magazine
Archive
All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is close to concluding a new mega-deal that may, in the end, last as long as 10 years, according to sources.

Tulowitzkiis already signed through the 2013 season, with an option for 2014. Butgiven his importance to the Rockies' franchise, Colorado has worked tolock him up.

The extension would encompass the remaining years on his current contract, and add more years.

Buster Olney is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine. ESPN Insider Keith Law contributed to this article.
Had to be done. Tulo on the open market 
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Sox/Yanks would give him 200 mil without blinking.
 
NEW YORK -- Negotiations between the Yankees and Derek Jeter are at a standstill until Jeter and his agent, Casey Close, "drink the reality potion," according to a source close to the negotiations.

According to the source, a baseball industry executive who has knowledge of both sides' position, the Yankees are not budging from the three-year, $45 million offer they made to Jeter earlier this month, nor has Jeter moved off his demand for a longer contract believed to be in the area of $23-$25 million per season.



No talks took place over the holiday weekend and none are currently scheduled. Neither Yankees general manager Brian Cashman nor Close immediately returned messages seeking comment early Monday.

Last week, Cashman told ESPN New York: "We understand his contributions to the franchise and our offer has taken them into account. We've encouraged him to test the market and see if there's something he would prefer other than this. If he can, fine. That's the way it works."

A team source said Cashman's statement was not intended to be an ultimatum, but an invitation to comparison-shop around the league, with the belief that no other team would match or exceed the Yankees' offer.

The baseball industry source said the Yankees have provided Jeter and Close with detailed statistical and market analysis to support their contract offer, including comparisons between Jeter and other shortstops and middle infielders throughout baseball.

That is the way Jeter's last contract, the 10-year, $189 million deal that expired with the end of the 2010 World Series, was negotiated, based on Jeter's contention and the Yankees concurrence that Jeter was the second-best shortstop in the game, behind Alex Rodriguez, who had just signed a 10-year, $252 million deal with the Texas Rangers.

This time, the Jeter side is said to not want Jeter's value to be judged against that of other shortstops, preferring to base his worth on his legacy as an all-time great Yankee. The next highest-paid shortstop, Florida's Hanley Ramirez, is nearly 10 years younger than the 36-year-old Jeter, hits for more power (21 HRs last year) and in 2010, hit 30 points higher, .300 to .270. He will be paid $11 million in 2011.

"They've changed the rules this time around," the source said of the Jeter camp.

Other industry sources have mentioned the Los Angeles Dodgers as a possible Plan B for Jeter and Close, considering Jeter's warm relationship with Don Mattingly, who will succeed Joe Torre as manager for 2011, and his increasingly chilly relationship with the Yankees front office.

However, the Dodgers financial situation has changed due to the ongoing divorce battle between owner Frank McCourt and his estranged wife Jamie. In March 2009, the Dodgers gave Manny Ramirez a two-year, $45 million contract, but placed him on waivers last August, where he was claimed by the Chicago White Sox.

The uncertain financial future of the Dodgers pending the divorce settlement makes a possible Jeter-to-L.A. scenario a long shot at best.

Said the source: "There just doesn't seem to be much out there for him besides the Yankees."

http://sports.espn.go.com...lb/news/story?id=5862839
By Buster Olney
ESPN The Magazine
Archive
All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is close to concluding a new mega-deal that may, in the end, last as long as 10 years, according to sources.

Tulowitzkiis already signed through the 2013 season, with an option for 2014. Butgiven his importance to the Rockies' franchise, Colorado has worked tolock him up.

The extension would encompass the remaining years on his current contract, and add more years.

Buster Olney is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine. ESPN Insider Keith Law contributed to this article.
Had to be done. Tulo on the open market 
sick.gif
Sox/Yanks would give him 200 mil without blinking.
 
The full expectation within the Yankees' organization is that a deal will be worked out with Derek Jeter and that the future Hall of Famer will open the 2011 season as the club's shortstop.

mlb_g_enunts_200.jpg

Getty ImagesNunez isn't prolific offensively but is gifted at shortstop.

But the Yankees' talent evaluators have talked about a fallback position if Jeter winds up signing elsewhere -- and their Plan B has a name: Eduardo Nunez.

The 23-year-old infielder has just 30 games in the big leagues, with 50 at-bats, but he is considered to be a superlative defensive player. If Jeter were to stun the baseball world and walk away from the Yankees, New York would install Nunez at shortstop at the outset of spring training rather than sign a veteran shortstop like Orlando Cabrera, and use the money that would have been allocated for Jeter in other ways -- to augment the team's pitching, or perhaps through the acquisition of a free agent.

The Yankees are also involved in other high-priced negotiations, with closer Mariano Rivera and starting pitcher Cliff Lee, which would require a lot of money.

Nunez would get a shot to win the job at shortstop, and at the same time, the Yankees would probably remain flexible about acquiring a more established player at the position.

As for the current situation with Jeter, the Yankees have reportedly offered him a three-year, $45 million deal, and the gap between the Yankees' offer and what Jeter has been looking for has been enormous. Brian Cashman, the Yankees' general manager, has stated publicly that he has encouraged Jeter to test the market and determine if he can get better offers from other teams.

With the winter meetings looming, it would stand to reason that the conversations between Jeter's agent, Casey Close, and the team will resume this week.
[h3]Stark: Dodgers eye pen arms[/h3]
6:39PM ET

[h5]Los Angeles Dodgers[/h5]


They've already signed three starting pitchers this winter (Ted Lilly, Jon Garland, Hiroki Kuroda). Now the Dodgers are turning their attention to their bullpen.

Sources in the industry have indicated to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that the Dodgers are attempting to sign at least one, and possibly two, setup relievers. Among the names known to be high on their shopping list: Jesse Crain, Jason Frasor and Matt Guerrier.

If the Dodgers can get Jonathan Broxton straightened out and back in the closer's role, they would like to have at least one righthanded complement to lefthander Hong-Chih Kuo to divide up the late-inning set-up work.

http://[h3]New deal for Ubaldo?[/h3]
5:24PM ET

[h5]Ubaldo Jimenez | Rockies[/h5]


A day after the Colorado Rockies extend Troy Tulowitzki for $134 million and re-sign left-hander Jorge De La Rosa for what could turn out to be worth more than $40 million, Troy Renck of the Denver Post tweets that the club is willing to discuss a new deal for ace right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez this time next year.

Jimenez signed an extension two winters ago that takes him through the 2012 season, with more-than affordable club options for both 2013 and 2014 at $5.75 million and $8 million.

The right-hander was a Cy Young contender this past season and won 19 games to go with a sparkling 2.88 ERA. He still battles with control problems, but every other part of his game has been improved over the past three seasons, and he's just 26.

On the surface, it didn't seem necessary to hand Tulowitzki all that money now and tearing up Jimenez's deal appears to be a similar scenario in the making.

At least the Rockies are going to make Jimenez repeat his 2010 performance before they do so, however.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Lopez to reject arbitration[/h3]
4:15PM ET

[h5]Felipe Lopez | Red Sox[/h5]


Free agent infielder Felipe Lopez will decline arbitration, tweets Rob Bradford, a move that was expected -- and planned out -- by the Boston Red Sox.

The Red Sox picked up Lope last September for a fraction of the league's salary minimum, and will receive a sandwich round draft pick when Lopez signs with another club this winter.

That pick is likely to sit somewhere between 32 and the mid-50s in next June's draft, which is considered to be the deepest draft since 2008.

The Red Sox will also get the Detroit Tigers' first-round pick for Victor Martinez unless the Tigers signs a higher-ranked free agent before the winter is over, and could net another first-round pick if Adrian Beltre leaves town.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]What the Theriot trade means[/h3]
4:06PM ET

[h5]Ryan Theriot | Dodgers[/h5]


The Los Angels Dodgers traded infielder Ryan Theriot to the St. Louis Cardinals Tuesday, tweets Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com, giving the Cards a capable second baseman with which to move forward.

It remains to be seen whether this removes the club from contention for shortstops J.J. Hardy and Jason Bartlett, or even free agent Miguel Tejada, or whether free agent Orlando Hudson is a possibility.

Theriot is arbitration eligible after making $2.6 million last season, and could earn as much as $4 million next season. If the Cards are committing that kind of money to Theriot, it's likely he'll be playing regularly, at least to start the season.

it's believed that Theriot's best defensive position is second base, which in theory would send Skip Schumaker into a utility role of sorts, but keeps open the possibility of adding a shortstop via trade or free agency.

The Dodgers' signing of Juan Uribe to a three-year deal earlier this week gave the club the flexibility to deal Theriot, who was perceived as a backup plan.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Correia to test the market[/h3]
3:56PM ET

[h5]Kevin Correia | Padres[/h5]


Right-hander Kevin Correia will decline the offer of arbitration by the San Diego Padres, tweets Dan Hayes of the North County Times, and instead will test a thin market for starting pitching.

Correia is not likely to be viewed as a backup plan for clubs that miss out on the likes of Cliff Lee or even Jorge De La Rosa or Carl Pavano, but there's some reliability with Correia that certain rotations may value ahead of the upside provided by injury-marred arms such as Chris Young, Jeff Francis or Erik Bedard.

Correia's direct competition may be right-handers Aaron Harang and Jeremy Bonderman, as well as lefty Bruce Chen, but clubs that play their home games small ballpark may prefer not to test Correia's ability to pitch outside Petco park. He's a fly ball pitcher, fairly severely, and could see a spike in home run rates going forward.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Pirates eyeing Webb, too?[/h3]
3:30PM ET

[h5]Brandon Webb | Diamondbacks[/h5]


UPDATE: Webb's agent, tweets Dejan Kovacevic, says the right-hander would welcome the idea of pitching in Pittsburgh, and Kovacevic wrote earlier in the day that the Bucs have interest in the former all-star.

...

Brandon Webb, despite having missed almost all of the past two seasons, has a handful of clubs interested and that list could grow, tweets ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.

Crasnick notes that the Dodgers, Pirates, Twins and Rangers have some level of interest in the right-hander and reminds that others could express interest at some point, including the Nationals, Reds and Cardinals.

Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse tweeted Saturday that the Cubs have had talks with Webb's agent, according to sources, and MLB.com reports that the Nationals have had similar negotiations.

The Rockies, tweets Troy Renck, also have interest.

Crasnick added in a second tweet that Webb could become a possibility in Minnesota if the Twins lose Carl Pavano.

The Diamondbacks basically ruled out a return for Webb earlier this month.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Hudson declining arby?[/h3]
3:16PM ET

[h5]Orlando Hudson | Twins[/h5]


UPDATE: SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets Tuesday that Hudson will decline arbitration, which makes things a bit easier for the Twins as they try to decide whether or not tender an offer to J.J. Hardy.

The club has already said Tsuyoshi Nishioka will play second base, but that could change unless they keep Hardy or add another shortstop via trade or free agency.

...

The Minnesota Twins won the rights to middle infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka this past week, and plan to play him at second base. But what if Orlando Hudson, the club's starter at the position last season, accepts arbitration, a possibility according to Phil Rogers.

The Twins would have several options if Hudson does accept, such as trading or non-tendered shortstop J.J. Hardy and playing Nishioka at shortstop. Hudson could also become trade bait.

The Twins could also check in with Hardy about a move to third base, but it appears Danny Valencia is the favorite to get that job and will be significantly cheaper for the Twins in 2011.

Hudson could draw enough interest on the open market to pass on arbitration, however, including potential matches in San Diego, in L.A. with the Dodgers and even the St. Louis Cardinals.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Dodgers have more targets[/h3]
3:11PM ET

[h5]Los Angeles Dodgers[/h5]


The Dodgers have already retained Hiroki Kuroda and Ted Lilly and added infielder Juan Uribe. But they aren't finished, writes Ken Rosenthal, with the club showing interest in the catching and outfield markets.

Rosenthal mentions that L.A. has made calls on free agent backstops Jason Varitek, Miguel Olivo and A.J. Pierzynski, since they aren't sure what the next move is concerning Russell Martin.

Johnny Damon is also on GM Ned Colletti's radar and the club is trying to work something out with Martin prior to Thursday's tender deadline, according to Rosenthal.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Perez finding velocity?[/h3]
2:54PM ET

[h5]Oliver Perez | Mets[/h5]


The New York Mets, who are in talks with right-hander Chris Young, formerly of the San Diego Padres, may have to lean on left-hander Oliver Perez this season, both of which should explain how desperate the organization is for starting pitching.

Perez, however, is showing signs of potential usefulness, reports Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. Perez, Rubin notes, has a fastball average throughout his career of about 91 mph, but that dipped to 88 in recent seasons with the Mets.

Rubin cites one source that states Perez's velocity has been up a bit during his time in the Mexican Winter League. "Starting velocities have the consistent 88, but spikes are higher and more common -- 91s and occasional 92s."

Perez often touched the mid-90s when at his best, however, which may mean he'll have to find a way to throw more quality pitches in terms of location if he's to be effective in the NL East. But control has never been the southpaw's strong suit.

The Mets will be without Johan Santana to start the 2011 schedule, and John Maine, who has struggled to stay off the DL, could be non-tendered this week, opening up a number of spots on the club's pitching staff.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]The Twins and J.J. Hardy[/h3]
2:09PM ET

[h5]J.J. Hardy | Twins[/h5]


UPDATE: Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com tweets Tuesday that the Twins officials are being "very coy" about their plans for Hardy, leaving open the possibilities of the shortstop being traded, non-tendered or tendered a contract to return for 2011.

----

The Minnesota Twins, having won the rights to Japanese infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka, have a decision to make regarding J.J. Hardy. Hardy made $5.1 million this past season and could earn more than $7 million in 2011, which makes the choice a difficult one, especially since Hardy didn't exactly light the world on fire at the plate in 2010 and missed a third of the year to injury.

The Twins, however, plan to play Nishioka at second base, writes Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com, which may mean th club plans to retain Hardy's services.

The Twins' reportedly have the flexibility to increase payroll next season, thanks to the new ballpark and its revenue stream, but a good portion of the available funds could be earmarked for pitching, with Carl Pavano still the preferred choice. If Hardy becomes trade bait, pitching could be the target.

Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune reports that the Twins are determined to find a way to retain Hardy and will likely tender the shortstop before next week's deadline.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Blue Jays like Crain[/h3]
2:03PM ET

[h5]Jesse Crain | Twins[/h5]


Jesse Crain could be one of the relievers on the free agent market most impacted by the deal the Detroit Tigers handed to Joaquin Benoit earlier this month. Crain, tweets MLB.com's Peter Gammons, is drawing interest from as many as nine teams, including a few clubs that don't seem like good fits if it's going to take a three-year deal.

Crain, a Type B free agent, has been connected to the Rays, Rockies, Mariners, Orioles, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Nationals and Cubs, says Gammons, and the market could grow to include another half-dozen teams.

FoxSports.com reports Tuesday that the interest between Crain and the Jays is mutual, though the right-hander's Canadian heritage may not be a factor since he spent all but six months of his life in the United States.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports Tuesday the Rockies could concentrate on landing Cain now that they have reached deals with Troy Tulowitzki and Jorge De La Rosa.

Jason Frasor is another similar arm and could command two or three years, but he's a Type A free agent, which could limit the interest level.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Terms of Tulo deal[/h3]
1:54PM ET

[h5]Troy Tulowitzki | Rockies[/h5]


UPDATE: ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reports that Tulowitzki's previous contract remains in tact, paying him $5.5 million in 2011, 8.25 million in 2012, and 10 million in 2013. But he'll make $16 million in 2014 and $20 million per season from 2015-2019.

----

Troy Tulowitzki talked in October about wanting to remain a Colorado Rockie for the rest of his career.

The Rockies are making a strong push to make that happen, agreeing to a seven-year $134 million extension that will put him under contract through the 2020 season, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Tulowitzki was in the middle of a 6-year, $31 million contract he signed prior to the 2008 season.

ESPN Insider's Keith Law reported Monday night that Tulowitzki and the Rockies were closing in on a megadeal.

According to Renck, Tulowitzki was eager to reach a deal after witnessing how contract uncertainty caused the departure of teammates Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe. Tulowitzki is just 26, the same age as Derek Jeter when the shortstop agreed to a 10-year deal with the Yankees.

Tulowitzki won his first Gold Glove and NL Silver Slugger awards this year, despite missing 33 games with a broken wrist.

Tulowitzki hit .315/.381/.568 with 27 home runs, and posted an .862 OPS away from hitter-friendly Coors Field. On top of that, the former first-round draft pick posted a UZR/150 of 8.1, a well above-average mark -- among the best in the game -- for shortstop defense.

- Doug Mittler

law_keith_30.jpg
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Rockies goo too far with Tulo
"I think he's among the ten most valuable position players in baseball, and likely to hold his value for most of the decade -- and even I think this deal is excessive and risky. But the risk is greatest in the final few years of the deal, by which point he'll probably have moved off shortstop or will present the club with a Jeteresque obstacle at the position, and his offensive production will have declined to the point where he'll be hard-pressed to earn his salary unless there is major inflation in player salaries between now and then."
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http://[h3]Pierzynski's preference[/h3]
1:43PM ET

[h5]A.J. Pierzynski | White Sox[/h5]


UPDATE: Pierzynski says the White Sox are his first choice, reports ESPNChicago.com, but not his only option.

The market is shrinking, however, and Yorvit Torrealba's two-year deal in Texas removes yet another potential landing spot for Pierzynski.

----

Last Tuesday was an eventful day for the catching market; the Detroit Tigers signed Victor Martinez to a four-year deal and two potentially key free agent backstops were not offered arbitration, releasing them from the grasp of free-agent compensation.

The Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers declined to offer arbitration to A.J. Pierzynski and Bengie Molina, both Type-A free agents. Each player can now be inked without the signing club giving up a draft pick, which certainly improves their market as a whole.

The Boston Red Sox, who lost out on Martinez, and the Texas Rangers could have interest in Pierzynski, and Molina could show up on the Red Sox radar just as easy he could return to Arlington.

If the Los Angeles Dodgers end up trading or non-tendering Russell Martin, Pierzynski or Molina could be an option.

The White Sox are reportedly interested in retaining Pierzynski's services, likely on a short-term deal.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Ryan denies recruiting Pettitte[/h3]
1:39PM ET

[h5]Andy Pettitte | Yankees[/h5]


Nolan Ryan was known for his fastball, but he has thrown a curve into the offseason battle between the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees.

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports that Ryan, now the president of the Rangers, recently reached out to Pettitte's camp to see if he could convince the free-agent lefthander to pitch in his home state in 2011.

Ryan and the Rangers, however, deny the report saying the phone conversation between Ryan and Pettitte was about Pettitte wishing the Rangers well in the World Series, and little more. "He said if he played it would be with the Yankees because he wanted to retire with the Yankees," Ryan said. "It wasn't like I was asking him if he wanted to come play for us."

An offseason ritual for Yankees fans in recent years is the mulling of retirement by Pettitte, but several reports over the last few weeks suggest he is leaning toward another year.

Meanwhile, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com cites Rangers sources who say the only contact between Pettitte and the club was when the lefty called Ryan after the ALCS to congratulate him.

The Yankees already are in a heated battle with the Rangers for the services of Cliff Lee and likely had Pettitte penciled in for a spot in their rotation. Pettitte, however, has made no secret of his desire to pitch near his Texas home. John Harper of the Daily News writes that Ryan's pursuit of Pettitte may have beensomething of a shock to the Yankees.

Pettitte went 11-3 with a 3.28 ERA in 21 starts this season. He missed two months with a left groin strain and pitched well in two postseason starts despite back problems. He made $11.5 million last season, a relatively low figure for a pitcher who emerged as the de facto No. 2 starter.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Yankees have a Plan B at SS[/h3]
1:24PM ET

[h5]Derek Jeter | Yankees[/h5]


The New York Yankees have a backup plan to veteran icon Derek Jeter, and his name is Eduardo Nunez, writes ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. Nunez, a 23-year-old prospect with 30 games of big-league experience, has a reputation as a defense-first talent but hit .289 with a respectable .340 on-base percentage in Triple-A in 2010.

Olney adds that the Yankees would likely remain flexible with their plans at the position, so if a player such as Orlando Cabrera fell into their lap at the right price, Nunez may not be handed the gig heading into spring training -- he'd have to earn it.

General manager Brian Cashman clearly has grown frustrated with the Derek Jeter contract talks, daring the 36-year-old free agent shortstop to see what he can get on the open market.

Could one of the offers come from the Yankees' bitter rival? The mere thought of Jeter in a Red Sox uniform would have fans of the Bronx bombers shaking their head in disgust.

Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe writes Tuesday that "there is simply no downside to making Jeter a massive offer. In the worst-case scenario he calls your bluff and you get the Yankees captain ... At worst this would just mean the Sox would jack up the final price the Yankees must pay. It could be sort of like Mark Teixeira-in-reverse ... And if Jeter actually signed with Boston, the damage to the Yankees? psyche would be inestimable."

While talks between Jeter's agent, Casey Close, and the Yankees are expected to resume at some point, a deal is not likely in the next week or so. George King of the New York Post reports the more pressing priority is signing Cliff Lee and "Lee could be in pinstripes before Jeter returns."

The Yankees are firm about a three-year, $45 million contract offer they made to Jeter, who is seeking a four- or five-year pact worth $23 million per.

With the negotiations growing testier than anyone imagined, other teams still remain skeptical that Jeter would seriously consider leaving the Bronx. The first step in that process would be to find an interested party, and Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal questions if any are out there.

ESPNNewYork.com's Andrew Marchand wrote Monday that negotiations are at an impasse and will likely remain that way until Camp Jeter, as one source tells Marchand, "drinks the reality potion."

Costa reports the San Francisco Giants, who have an opening at shortstop, have been in contact with Close, who also represents their catcher, Buster Posey. But they are not seriously pursuing him at the moment and are wary about being used as leverage against the Yankees.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Checking in on Damon's options[/h3]
1:02PM ET

[h5]Johnny Damon | Tigers[/h5]


The Boston Globe wrote earlier this month that while Johnny Damon wants to stay in the east, the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres may be among the veteran's best options, although his days playing the field appear nearing an end.

The Oakland A's and Los Angeles Angels may be a fit, too, depending on what kind of offers Damon receives elswhere, and SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that Damon prefers an AL East team, but that the cash-strapped Rays are more likely destinations than the Yankees and Red Sox at this stage.

----

The word is, Johnny Damon wouldn't mind such a return to the AL East. He told George King of the NY Post last month that "I would love to have that as an option," when asked about a possible return to the New York Yankees.

Problem for Damon: the Yankees outfield appears a little full at the time. Regardless, the 36-year old whose agent believes to be completely impervious to the effects of aging, is coming off a pretty solid season for the Tigers, though, as many assumed, his move to Comerica Park drastically reduced his power totals. Damon clubbed just eight home runs this year after hitting 24 in 2009 with New York.

The Tigers may be open to bringing Damon back, but the likely winner of his services will be the team willing to offer more than a one-year deal. That was the hang-up last year. Scott Boras pushed for weeks to get a two-year deal, but ultimately settled for a one-year pact in Detroit.

Clubs needing left-handed production include the Los Angeles Angeles, Chicago White Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays, but Damon may be far down on the list of targets for each club, with names such as Jim Thome, Adam Dunn and Carlos Pena on the open market.

Another potential fit is the Oakland Athletics, who may find themselves in the market for a veteran hitter once the smoke clears this winter.

http://[h3]Hawpe saying no to arbitration[/h3]
12:29PM ET

[h5]Brad Hawpe | Rays[/h5]


Brad Hawpe, a former all-star outfield for the Colorado Rockies, will turn down the arbitration offer from the Tampa Bay Rays, tweets SI.com's Jon Heyman.

Hawpe's market could improve later this winter when the bigger names, such as Adam Dunn, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez and Vladimir Guerrero have already signed, but may be viewed solely as a DH option with his declining defense.

He's also coming off a poor season at the plate, and showed reverse splits in 2010 after a career of blended, yet positive results, even versus left-handed pitching.

Clubs that believe Hawpe, 31, can hit left-handed pitching may have a full-time role for him, but he could also be targeted as a platoon bat.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Heilman to decline arbitration[/h3]
12:22PM ET

[h5]Aaron Heilman | Diamondbacks[/h5]


Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Aaron Heilman will decline arbitration and may receive offers as a rotation candidate, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com.

Heilman has made 25 starts in the big leagues -- none since 2005 -- but could get a one-year deal as an alternative to the injury-riddled options such as Rich Harden, Jeff Francis, Erik Bedard and Chris Young.

Arizona, in the market for starting pitching themselves, could be an option for Heilman, who, as a Type-B free agent is sure to receive interest as a reliever as well. He may have to choose between a multi-year deal for less annual salary as a reliever versus a little more money on a shorter contract.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Giants and Cards eyeing Bartlett?[/h3]
12:14PM ET

[h5]Jason Bartlett | Rays[/h5]


Jason Bartlett could become one of a number of potential casualties on the Tampa Bay Rays roster this winter, and possible destinations include Baltimore and even the champion San Francisco Giants, according to the Boston Globe.

SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets Tuesday that the Cardinals and Giants have interest in Bartlett, too, and infers that a deal that lands the Rays a reliever could be in the offing and that the Giants may be a good match in that light. Heyman also adds that he's not hearing of any deal being imminent.

ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney tweeted Monday night that the Rays are likely to find a trade fit for Bartlett, based on the club's early conversations with other teams.

The Orioles are interested in Bartlett, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, and adds that J.J. Hardy of the Twins are also on the club's radar. The O's have already began talks with both the Rays and the Twins.

Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com wrote Monday that Bartlett is drawing interest from the Cardinals and Padres as well, and that his ultimate destination could depend on who wins the bidding for Japanese import Tsuyoshi Nishioka.

Morosi tweeted Tuesday that the Giants do not plan on bidding for the infielder, however, which puts Bartlett right at or near the top of their list of candidates.
ESPN.com's Jerry Casnick tweeted earlier this month that the Rays are fielding calls on the shortstop.
The Rays could go with Reid Brignac in 2011 and have Ben Zobrist and Sean Rodriguez to use at the position in a pinch. Bartlett will be a free agent following 2011 and is set to receive a raise via arbitration this winter after making $4 million in 2010.

There are several clubs with a need for a shortstop, including the St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, and perhaps the Cincinnati Reds if they decide against Paul Janish taking over on a full-time basis.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Olney: Feliciano declining arby[/h3]
12:08PM ET

[h5]Pedro Feliciano | Mets[/h5]


UPDATE: ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reports Tuesday that Feliciano will turn down the Mets' offer of arbitration. The left-hander clearly believes he will receive multi-year offers on the open market, and we've heard several clubs, including the Tigers, Yankees and Phillies, connected to left-handed relievers this winter.

----

Despite some interest from contending clubs, including the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, Pedro Feliciano may accept arbitration and stay with the New York Mets, tweets Ken Davidoff of Newsday, citing the lefty's agent.

The agent, Melvin Roman, says Feliciano is seriously considering such a decision, but the pair have until Tuesday's deadline to figure things out.

Feliciano is considered one of the top few left-handed relievers on the market along with Brian Fuentes and Scott Downs, though a few clubs are concerned that his workload the past few seasons could become a problem at some point soon, preventing them from feeling comfortable offering more than a one-year deal.

The 34-year-old made $2.9 million in 2010 and could earn a salary in the $5 million range through the arbitration process.

The Philadelphia Phillies are another club that could show interest, but it appears they are not in on the pricey relief options at this stage.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Wandy, Astros talk multi-year deal[/h3]
11:40AM ET

[h5]Wandy Rodriguez | Astros[/h5]


The Houston Astros and left-hander Wandy Rodriguez are discussing a multi-year contract, reports Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle.

Rodriguez has one year left before free agency and is expected to garner a raise from the $5 million he made last season. He went 11-12 with a 3.60 ERA in 2010, and was at his best during the Astros' second half resurgence (2.11 ERA.)

GM Ed Wade told Levine the Astros were less likely to land multi-year deals outfielders with Michael Bourn and Hunter Pence, who are not set to become free agents until 2013 and 2014, respectively.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Angels have budget for Soriano[/h3]
11:23AM ET

[h5]Rafael Soriano | Rays | Interested: Rangers?[/h5]


The Rays' Rafael Soriano saw his market value take a quantum leap when he led the American League with 45 saves in his first season as a full-time closer.

Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times writes Tuesday that the Angels could be interested, even if Soriano commands a deal of at least four years and $55 million. Outfielder Carl Crawford remains the Halo's top priority, but a source tells DiGiovanna that the Angels feel they have enough in their budget for both Crawford and Soriano.

ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney ,a href="http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=5" target=new>told 710 ESPN in Seattle that Soriano could command more than $30 million dollars over three years.

Soriano's destination could be influenced by where free agent starter Cliff Lee ends up. Nick Cafardo wrote in Sunday's Boston Globe that if the Rangers fall short on Lee, one of their options might be to put Neftali Feliz back in the rotation and then sign a closer like Soriano.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Dodgers passing on Martin?[/h3]
10:51AM ET

[h5]Russell Martin | Dodgers[/h5]


The Los Angeles Dodgers have been the most active club in baseball since the World Series ended, re-signing left-hander Ted Lilly and right-hander Hiroki Kuroda before adding infielder Juan Uribe.

The attention now switches to catcher, and Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times says the Dodgers may not tender a contract to Russell Martin by Thursday's deadline.

Martin made $5.05 million last season and could earn more than $6 million in the arbitration process if he is tendered a contract. Martin's agent, Matt Colleran said he has talked with the Dodgers, but the club hasn't presented his client with a formal offer.

An option for the Dodgers is to re-sign 35-year-old Rod Barajas and again have him split duties with A.J. Ellis. That scenario would be far less expensive than bringing back Martin at the market rate.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Rivera talks going well[/h3]
10:36AM ET

[h5]Mariano Rivera | Yankees[/h5]


The New York Yankees and Derek Jeter have chosen to do a chunk of their contract negotiations via the media. That's great for us at Rumor Central, but it sometimes allows equally important matters to fly under the radar.

In case you forgot, closer Mariano Rivera, who like Jeter is a Yankee icon, is eligible for free agency, too.

Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com writes Monday that the negotiations between the two sides have gone well, suggesting Rivera and the Yankees aren't far apart.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports Rivera is seeking a two-year deal at $18 million per season, but the Yankees are currently inclined, at least at last check, to offer him only one year at a raise from the $15 million he made this season.

Marchand says Rivera likely will get a slight bump to $16 million or $17 million and a one-year deal with a vesting option could be a way to bridge the gap.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Lee leaning toward the Bronx?[/h3]
10:18AM ET

[h5]Cliff Lee | Rangers[/h5]


The winter meetings are less than a week away, and there are signs Cliff Lee will land with the Yankees once the baseball world gathers in Orlando, reports George King of the New York Post.

There have been conflicting reports whether the Yankees have offered Lee a six-year deal worth $140 million. If that is true, one AL executive said it will be enough to get it done."At that money (the Rangers) are out of it. That leaves the Yankees," the executive tells King.

The Rangers reportedly want to know where they stand with Lee soon, because if he isn't returning to Texas, the AL champions may make a run at Zack Greinke.The industry views the Rangers? contingency plans as a sign Lee is headed to the Bronx.

ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reported over the weekend thattalks regarding Lee are expected to heat up this coming week.

Neither the Yankees nor the Rangers can afford to wait too long on Lee, because they'll need time to put Plan B in motion before it's too late.

Nick Cafardo wrote in Sunday's Boston Globe that if the Rangers fall short on Lee, one of their options might be to put Neftali Feliz back in the rotation and then sign a closer like Rafael Soriano.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Melvin mulls options on Fielder[/h3]
9:54AM ET

[h5]Prince Fielder | Brewers[/h5]


Prince Fielder is eligible for free agency after 2011 and speculation on the first baseman's future has ranged from the Brewers actively shopping the slugger to keeping him on the roster for the entire season.

It's all conjecture at this point, insists GM Doug Melvin. "I don't know what I'm going to do yet," Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel. "You can't say one or the other. I haven't decided yet. You always want to keep your options open."

Haudricourt says no progress has been made in attempts to get Fielder?s signature on an extension. At the same time, no real trade market has developed, in part because no team believes it could re-sign the Scott Boras client before he hits free agency.

USA Today's Paul White took a look at the market for Fielder and, like Haudricourt, sees Boras as a major roadblock. Boras is almost a lock to take Fielder to free agency after next season. "That's a chilling effect on the offers, especially at this point with so many free agent first baseman in play," White writes.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Moyer finally done?[/h3]
9:19AM ET

[h5]Jamie Moyer | Phillies[/h5]


Jamie Moyer will undergo surgery Tommy John surgery Wednesday and could be sidelined up to a year, but the 48-year-old left-hander isn't ready to call it quits.

David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News says Moyerposted a note on his charitable foundation's Facebook page expressing hope for a comeback. That may be wishful thinking, but Moyer has been counted out in the past before landing a job in the major leagues.

Moyer injured his elbow earlier this month pitching in the Dominican Republic.

The Phillies placed Moyer on waivers this week to clear a spot on the 40-man roster and the lefthander filed for free agency.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Olney: Berkman to meet with A's[/h3]
8:54AM ET

[h5]Lance Berkman | Yankees | Interested: Rockies?[/h5]


Lance Berkman would have loved to return to the Houston Astros, the team that drafted him, but any chance of a return to Space City ended when his agent dialed up GM Ed Wade.

"It wasn't a long conversation," Berkman told Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle.

The Astros will go with younger players next season, but that doesn't mean that the 34-year-old Berkman, who finished the year with the New York Yankees, will be out of work.

Berkman is being pursued by at last two clubs right now, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reported last week with the Cubs and A's at the forefront.

Our Buster Olney tweeted Monday night that Berkman will meet with representatives of the A's on Tuesday.

The Cardinals, Pirates and Blue Jays also are believed to have kicked the tires on Berkman.

- Doug Mittler

olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Could Berkman head west?
"I don't know if Berkman will choose some other destination, but Oakland is probably going to be the most aggressive team, because he really fits them -- he'd be a DH, he'd add some punch to the middle of their order, and they need some veterans."
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http://[h3]Non-tender candidates[/h3]
8:48AM ET

[h5]Non-tender candidates[/h5]


Not only do clubs have to consider which of their free agents may or may not accept arbitration by Tuesday's deadline, they also have to consider which arbitration-eligible players to which they wish to tender a contract offer. Declining to do so allows the player in question to become a free agent. Offering arbitration, however, can be costly to the club.

Among those that may be candidates to traded away or non-tendered due to their arbitration status includes outfielder Matt Diaz of the Atlanta Braves, closer Bobby Jenks of the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers reliever Joel Zumaya.

Diaz made $2.55 million in 2010 and could earn more than $3 million next season, while Jenks' $7.5 million salary in 2010 suggests he could be awarded more than $10 million if the club takes him to arbitration.

Zumaya, however, made just $915,000 in 2010 and spent much of the year injured. The Tigers may be able to keep the right-hander without committing $3-4 million on him, despite this being his third trip down the arbitration lane.

The Dodgers' Russell Martin is viewed by some as a declining catcher and his $5.05 million salary from last season and projected raise -- which could reach $7 million or more this winter -- could force the club to trade him or non-tender him this week.

It's worth noting that by league rules, club's cannot offer arbitration-eligible players a pay cut of more than 20 percent, which means even if Martin was amenable to it, the Dodgers are not allowed to tender an offer of less than $4 million and change.

Dodgers lefty George Sherrill and infielder Ryan Theriot could also be on the trade or non-tender block, as could the Twins' J.J. Hardy, Jason Bartlett of the Rays and Mike Napoli of the Los Angeles Angels.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Rangers could trade for Greinke[/h3]
8:31AM ET

[h5]Zack Greinke | Royals[/h5]


It's evident that the Kansas City Royals will listen to offers for Zack Greinke, but is the team serious about making a deal?

In last Tuesday's blog, our Buster Olney hears some rival general managers are convinced the Royals are intent on moving Greinke this winter, and if they are the Rangers could be a bidder.

In that light, ESPNDallas.com's Richard Durrett asks his readers what they would give up for Greinke, and discusses his ideas that include perhaps both Tanner Scheppers and Martin Perez, two of the Rangers' top pitching prospects.

Meanwhile, George King of the New York Post writes Tuesday that theRangers want to know where they stand with Cliff Lee soon. If Lee isn't returning to Texas, the Rangers are contemplating taking a run at Greinke.

Meanwhile, one AL executive gives Joel Sherman of the New York Post two reasons why he thinks Greinke will be dealt.

John Schlegel of MLB.com wrote earlier this month that it would take a blockbuster offer to land Greinke.

- Doug Mittler

law_keith_30.jpg
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Greinke a prime trade target
"It sounds like the Royals will at least listen to offers this winter, although with Greinke signed to a very reasonable deal through 2012, they have no urgency to make a move right away. But given how much talent they have coming, trading Greinke in the right deal could easily set them up for a couple of playoff berths in the 2013-2016 range. Greinke was off-the-charts valuable in 2009 -- more valuable than Cliff Lee was in either of the last two seasons, for example -- but his command wasn't quite as sharp in 2010, and he didn't have the same consistency on his curveball. His velocity was fine, his slider remained sharp, and he still has excellent control and a great feel for pitching. As for the depression issues that briefly derailed his career in 2006, I think it's an overblown concern for fans given the past three years of performance, durability, and zero hint of any problem that would affect him on the field."
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http://[h3]Catching market update[/h3]
8:11AM ET

[h5]Yorvit Torrealba | Padres[/h5]


Now that the Texas Rangers have signed Yorvit Torrealba to a two-year deal worth more than $6 million, according to Jeff Wilson, the catching market gets even thinner. John Buck started off the run by signing a three-year deal with Florida last week and Victor Martinez followed suit with a four-year pact in Detroit. Who's left?

Veterans A.J. Pierzynski and Miguel Olivo lead the charge, but Bengie Molina, if he decides to stave off retirement, could be among the more sought after options. Rod Barajas and Gerald Laird come next and then veteran backup types Jason Varitek and Gregg Zaun round out the class.

The Boston Red Sox have been named in connection with Olivo and Barajas while Pierzynski's best bets continue to find other answers -- Florida with Buck and now the Rangers with Torrealba.

Molina's decision could be impacted by Torealba's multi-year deal. If Molina can secure the same, he may lean toward returning.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]De La Rosa stays in Denver[/h3]
7:45AM ET

[h5]Jorge De La Rosa | Rockies | Interested: Rockies, Yankees?, Pirates?[/h5]


Jorge De La Rosa hinted all along that he wanted to remain with the Colorado Rockies. In the end, it was more than a negotiating ploy.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that De La Rosa, who appeared to be on his way out of Colorado as late as last week, has agreed in principle on a deal that secures the southpaw?s return, pending a physical. It is a two-year, $21.5 million contract with a player option that, if exercised, guarantees De La Rosa $32 million. If the left-hander forgoes free agency and exercises the option, the Rockies receive a fourth-year club option for $11 million.

Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post reported last week the Rockies were adamant about sticking to a three-year deal for De La Rosa. The Orioles, Nationals, Pirates, Yankees and Rangers were believed to be among the teams interested in De La Rosa.

Renck reports that the trump card for the Rockies was the pitcher?s desire to return to Colorado. With De La Rosa off the market, that will only increase the demand for remaining free agent starters such as Carl Pavano.

- Doug Mittler

law_keith_30.jpg
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
The Book on De La Rosa
"De La Rosa walks too many guys and he's only thrown more than 140 innings in a professional season once. He's injury-prone (non-arm; he lost two months to a finger in 2010), but his changeup is plus, and his slider is above-average. If you want a power arm with some potential development remaining, he's a good pickup."
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http://[h3]Mets closing in on Chris Young?[/h3]
7:25AM ET

[h5]Chris Young | Padres[/h5]

The New York Mets, in need of starting pitching to fill the gaps left by the injury-absence of Johan Santana and the failures of Oliver Perez, are having serious discussions with free agent right-hander Chris Young, reports Buster Olney via Twitter.

The Padres said they were open to bringing back Young, but not at the cost of an $8.5 million option that was declined earlier this month.

The 31-year-old Young missed most of the last two seasons while battling shoulder issues that required surgery. He did enhance his market value with a solid performance in three starts down the stretch (1.29 ERA).

Andy Martino of the Daily News suggested last week that the Mets, who are looking for a lower-tier starter, are a possibility. Young, an All-Star in 2007, played under new Mets GM Sandy Alderson and top assistant Paul DePodesta in San Diego.
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The full expectation within the Yankees' organization is that a deal will be worked out with Derek Jeter and that the future Hall of Famer will open the 2011 season as the club's shortstop.

mlb_g_enunts_200.jpg

Getty ImagesNunez isn't prolific offensively but is gifted at shortstop.

But the Yankees' talent evaluators have talked about a fallback position if Jeter winds up signing elsewhere -- and their Plan B has a name: Eduardo Nunez.

The 23-year-old infielder has just 30 games in the big leagues, with 50 at-bats, but he is considered to be a superlative defensive player. If Jeter were to stun the baseball world and walk away from the Yankees, New York would install Nunez at shortstop at the outset of spring training rather than sign a veteran shortstop like Orlando Cabrera, and use the money that would have been allocated for Jeter in other ways -- to augment the team's pitching, or perhaps through the acquisition of a free agent.

The Yankees are also involved in other high-priced negotiations, with closer Mariano Rivera and starting pitcher Cliff Lee, which would require a lot of money.

Nunez would get a shot to win the job at shortstop, and at the same time, the Yankees would probably remain flexible about acquiring a more established player at the position.

As for the current situation with Jeter, the Yankees have reportedly offered him a three-year, $45 million deal, and the gap between the Yankees' offer and what Jeter has been looking for has been enormous. Brian Cashman, the Yankees' general manager, has stated publicly that he has encouraged Jeter to test the market and determine if he can get better offers from other teams.

With the winter meetings looming, it would stand to reason that the conversations between Jeter's agent, Casey Close, and the team will resume this week.
[h3]Stark: Dodgers eye pen arms[/h3]
6:39PM ET

[h5]Los Angeles Dodgers[/h5]


They've already signed three starting pitchers this winter (Ted Lilly, Jon Garland, Hiroki Kuroda). Now the Dodgers are turning their attention to their bullpen.

Sources in the industry have indicated to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that the Dodgers are attempting to sign at least one, and possibly two, setup relievers. Among the names known to be high on their shopping list: Jesse Crain, Jason Frasor and Matt Guerrier.

If the Dodgers can get Jonathan Broxton straightened out and back in the closer's role, they would like to have at least one righthanded complement to lefthander Hong-Chih Kuo to divide up the late-inning set-up work.

http://[h3]New deal for Ubaldo?[/h3]
5:24PM ET

[h5]Ubaldo Jimenez | Rockies[/h5]


A day after the Colorado Rockies extend Troy Tulowitzki for $134 million and re-sign left-hander Jorge De La Rosa for what could turn out to be worth more than $40 million, Troy Renck of the Denver Post tweets that the club is willing to discuss a new deal for ace right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez this time next year.

Jimenez signed an extension two winters ago that takes him through the 2012 season, with more-than affordable club options for both 2013 and 2014 at $5.75 million and $8 million.

The right-hander was a Cy Young contender this past season and won 19 games to go with a sparkling 2.88 ERA. He still battles with control problems, but every other part of his game has been improved over the past three seasons, and he's just 26.

On the surface, it didn't seem necessary to hand Tulowitzki all that money now and tearing up Jimenez's deal appears to be a similar scenario in the making.

At least the Rockies are going to make Jimenez repeat his 2010 performance before they do so, however.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Lopez to reject arbitration[/h3]
4:15PM ET

[h5]Felipe Lopez | Red Sox[/h5]


Free agent infielder Felipe Lopez will decline arbitration, tweets Rob Bradford, a move that was expected -- and planned out -- by the Boston Red Sox.

The Red Sox picked up Lope last September for a fraction of the league's salary minimum, and will receive a sandwich round draft pick when Lopez signs with another club this winter.

That pick is likely to sit somewhere between 32 and the mid-50s in next June's draft, which is considered to be the deepest draft since 2008.

The Red Sox will also get the Detroit Tigers' first-round pick for Victor Martinez unless the Tigers signs a higher-ranked free agent before the winter is over, and could net another first-round pick if Adrian Beltre leaves town.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]What the Theriot trade means[/h3]
4:06PM ET

[h5]Ryan Theriot | Dodgers[/h5]


The Los Angels Dodgers traded infielder Ryan Theriot to the St. Louis Cardinals Tuesday, tweets Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com, giving the Cards a capable second baseman with which to move forward.

It remains to be seen whether this removes the club from contention for shortstops J.J. Hardy and Jason Bartlett, or even free agent Miguel Tejada, or whether free agent Orlando Hudson is a possibility.

Theriot is arbitration eligible after making $2.6 million last season, and could earn as much as $4 million next season. If the Cards are committing that kind of money to Theriot, it's likely he'll be playing regularly, at least to start the season.

it's believed that Theriot's best defensive position is second base, which in theory would send Skip Schumaker into a utility role of sorts, but keeps open the possibility of adding a shortstop via trade or free agency.

The Dodgers' signing of Juan Uribe to a three-year deal earlier this week gave the club the flexibility to deal Theriot, who was perceived as a backup plan.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Correia to test the market[/h3]
3:56PM ET

[h5]Kevin Correia | Padres[/h5]


Right-hander Kevin Correia will decline the offer of arbitration by the San Diego Padres, tweets Dan Hayes of the North County Times, and instead will test a thin market for starting pitching.

Correia is not likely to be viewed as a backup plan for clubs that miss out on the likes of Cliff Lee or even Jorge De La Rosa or Carl Pavano, but there's some reliability with Correia that certain rotations may value ahead of the upside provided by injury-marred arms such as Chris Young, Jeff Francis or Erik Bedard.

Correia's direct competition may be right-handers Aaron Harang and Jeremy Bonderman, as well as lefty Bruce Chen, but clubs that play their home games small ballpark may prefer not to test Correia's ability to pitch outside Petco park. He's a fly ball pitcher, fairly severely, and could see a spike in home run rates going forward.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Pirates eyeing Webb, too?[/h3]
3:30PM ET

[h5]Brandon Webb | Diamondbacks[/h5]


UPDATE: Webb's agent, tweets Dejan Kovacevic, says the right-hander would welcome the idea of pitching in Pittsburgh, and Kovacevic wrote earlier in the day that the Bucs have interest in the former all-star.

...

Brandon Webb, despite having missed almost all of the past two seasons, has a handful of clubs interested and that list could grow, tweets ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.

Crasnick notes that the Dodgers, Pirates, Twins and Rangers have some level of interest in the right-hander and reminds that others could express interest at some point, including the Nationals, Reds and Cardinals.

Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse tweeted Saturday that the Cubs have had talks with Webb's agent, according to sources, and MLB.com reports that the Nationals have had similar negotiations.

The Rockies, tweets Troy Renck, also have interest.

Crasnick added in a second tweet that Webb could become a possibility in Minnesota if the Twins lose Carl Pavano.

The Diamondbacks basically ruled out a return for Webb earlier this month.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Hudson declining arby?[/h3]
3:16PM ET

[h5]Orlando Hudson | Twins[/h5]


UPDATE: SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets Tuesday that Hudson will decline arbitration, which makes things a bit easier for the Twins as they try to decide whether or not tender an offer to J.J. Hardy.

The club has already said Tsuyoshi Nishioka will play second base, but that could change unless they keep Hardy or add another shortstop via trade or free agency.

...

The Minnesota Twins won the rights to middle infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka this past week, and plan to play him at second base. But what if Orlando Hudson, the club's starter at the position last season, accepts arbitration, a possibility according to Phil Rogers.

The Twins would have several options if Hudson does accept, such as trading or non-tendered shortstop J.J. Hardy and playing Nishioka at shortstop. Hudson could also become trade bait.

The Twins could also check in with Hardy about a move to third base, but it appears Danny Valencia is the favorite to get that job and will be significantly cheaper for the Twins in 2011.

Hudson could draw enough interest on the open market to pass on arbitration, however, including potential matches in San Diego, in L.A. with the Dodgers and even the St. Louis Cardinals.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Dodgers have more targets[/h3]
3:11PM ET

[h5]Los Angeles Dodgers[/h5]


The Dodgers have already retained Hiroki Kuroda and Ted Lilly and added infielder Juan Uribe. But they aren't finished, writes Ken Rosenthal, with the club showing interest in the catching and outfield markets.

Rosenthal mentions that L.A. has made calls on free agent backstops Jason Varitek, Miguel Olivo and A.J. Pierzynski, since they aren't sure what the next move is concerning Russell Martin.

Johnny Damon is also on GM Ned Colletti's radar and the club is trying to work something out with Martin prior to Thursday's tender deadline, according to Rosenthal.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Perez finding velocity?[/h3]
2:54PM ET

[h5]Oliver Perez | Mets[/h5]


The New York Mets, who are in talks with right-hander Chris Young, formerly of the San Diego Padres, may have to lean on left-hander Oliver Perez this season, both of which should explain how desperate the organization is for starting pitching.

Perez, however, is showing signs of potential usefulness, reports Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. Perez, Rubin notes, has a fastball average throughout his career of about 91 mph, but that dipped to 88 in recent seasons with the Mets.

Rubin cites one source that states Perez's velocity has been up a bit during his time in the Mexican Winter League. "Starting velocities have the consistent 88, but spikes are higher and more common -- 91s and occasional 92s."

Perez often touched the mid-90s when at his best, however, which may mean he'll have to find a way to throw more quality pitches in terms of location if he's to be effective in the NL East. But control has never been the southpaw's strong suit.

The Mets will be without Johan Santana to start the 2011 schedule, and John Maine, who has struggled to stay off the DL, could be non-tendered this week, opening up a number of spots on the club's pitching staff.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]The Twins and J.J. Hardy[/h3]
2:09PM ET

[h5]J.J. Hardy | Twins[/h5]


UPDATE: Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com tweets Tuesday that the Twins officials are being "very coy" about their plans for Hardy, leaving open the possibilities of the shortstop being traded, non-tendered or tendered a contract to return for 2011.

----

The Minnesota Twins, having won the rights to Japanese infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka, have a decision to make regarding J.J. Hardy. Hardy made $5.1 million this past season and could earn more than $7 million in 2011, which makes the choice a difficult one, especially since Hardy didn't exactly light the world on fire at the plate in 2010 and missed a third of the year to injury.

The Twins, however, plan to play Nishioka at second base, writes Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com, which may mean th club plans to retain Hardy's services.

The Twins' reportedly have the flexibility to increase payroll next season, thanks to the new ballpark and its revenue stream, but a good portion of the available funds could be earmarked for pitching, with Carl Pavano still the preferred choice. If Hardy becomes trade bait, pitching could be the target.

Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune reports that the Twins are determined to find a way to retain Hardy and will likely tender the shortstop before next week's deadline.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Blue Jays like Crain[/h3]
2:03PM ET

[h5]Jesse Crain | Twins[/h5]


Jesse Crain could be one of the relievers on the free agent market most impacted by the deal the Detroit Tigers handed to Joaquin Benoit earlier this month. Crain, tweets MLB.com's Peter Gammons, is drawing interest from as many as nine teams, including a few clubs that don't seem like good fits if it's going to take a three-year deal.

Crain, a Type B free agent, has been connected to the Rays, Rockies, Mariners, Orioles, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Nationals and Cubs, says Gammons, and the market could grow to include another half-dozen teams.

FoxSports.com reports Tuesday that the interest between Crain and the Jays is mutual, though the right-hander's Canadian heritage may not be a factor since he spent all but six months of his life in the United States.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports Tuesday the Rockies could concentrate on landing Cain now that they have reached deals with Troy Tulowitzki and Jorge De La Rosa.

Jason Frasor is another similar arm and could command two or three years, but he's a Type A free agent, which could limit the interest level.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Terms of Tulo deal[/h3]
1:54PM ET

[h5]Troy Tulowitzki | Rockies[/h5]


UPDATE: ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reports that Tulowitzki's previous contract remains in tact, paying him $5.5 million in 2011, 8.25 million in 2012, and 10 million in 2013. But he'll make $16 million in 2014 and $20 million per season from 2015-2019.

----

Troy Tulowitzki talked in October about wanting to remain a Colorado Rockie for the rest of his career.

The Rockies are making a strong push to make that happen, agreeing to a seven-year $134 million extension that will put him under contract through the 2020 season, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Tulowitzki was in the middle of a 6-year, $31 million contract he signed prior to the 2008 season.

ESPN Insider's Keith Law reported Monday night that Tulowitzki and the Rockies were closing in on a megadeal.

According to Renck, Tulowitzki was eager to reach a deal after witnessing how contract uncertainty caused the departure of teammates Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe. Tulowitzki is just 26, the same age as Derek Jeter when the shortstop agreed to a 10-year deal with the Yankees.

Tulowitzki won his first Gold Glove and NL Silver Slugger awards this year, despite missing 33 games with a broken wrist.

Tulowitzki hit .315/.381/.568 with 27 home runs, and posted an .862 OPS away from hitter-friendly Coors Field. On top of that, the former first-round draft pick posted a UZR/150 of 8.1, a well above-average mark -- among the best in the game -- for shortstop defense.

- Doug Mittler

law_keith_30.jpg
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Rockies goo too far with Tulo
"I think he's among the ten most valuable position players in baseball, and likely to hold his value for most of the decade -- and even I think this deal is excessive and risky. But the risk is greatest in the final few years of the deal, by which point he'll probably have moved off shortstop or will present the club with a Jeteresque obstacle at the position, and his offensive production will have declined to the point where he'll be hard-pressed to earn his salary unless there is major inflation in player salaries between now and then."
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http://[h3]Pierzynski's preference[/h3]
1:43PM ET

[h5]A.J. Pierzynski | White Sox[/h5]


UPDATE: Pierzynski says the White Sox are his first choice, reports ESPNChicago.com, but not his only option.

The market is shrinking, however, and Yorvit Torrealba's two-year deal in Texas removes yet another potential landing spot for Pierzynski.

----

Last Tuesday was an eventful day for the catching market; the Detroit Tigers signed Victor Martinez to a four-year deal and two potentially key free agent backstops were not offered arbitration, releasing them from the grasp of free-agent compensation.

The Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers declined to offer arbitration to A.J. Pierzynski and Bengie Molina, both Type-A free agents. Each player can now be inked without the signing club giving up a draft pick, which certainly improves their market as a whole.

The Boston Red Sox, who lost out on Martinez, and the Texas Rangers could have interest in Pierzynski, and Molina could show up on the Red Sox radar just as easy he could return to Arlington.

If the Los Angeles Dodgers end up trading or non-tendering Russell Martin, Pierzynski or Molina could be an option.

The White Sox are reportedly interested in retaining Pierzynski's services, likely on a short-term deal.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Ryan denies recruiting Pettitte[/h3]
1:39PM ET

[h5]Andy Pettitte | Yankees[/h5]


Nolan Ryan was known for his fastball, but he has thrown a curve into the offseason battle between the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees.

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports that Ryan, now the president of the Rangers, recently reached out to Pettitte's camp to see if he could convince the free-agent lefthander to pitch in his home state in 2011.

Ryan and the Rangers, however, deny the report saying the phone conversation between Ryan and Pettitte was about Pettitte wishing the Rangers well in the World Series, and little more. "He said if he played it would be with the Yankees because he wanted to retire with the Yankees," Ryan said. "It wasn't like I was asking him if he wanted to come play for us."

An offseason ritual for Yankees fans in recent years is the mulling of retirement by Pettitte, but several reports over the last few weeks suggest he is leaning toward another year.

Meanwhile, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com cites Rangers sources who say the only contact between Pettitte and the club was when the lefty called Ryan after the ALCS to congratulate him.

The Yankees already are in a heated battle with the Rangers for the services of Cliff Lee and likely had Pettitte penciled in for a spot in their rotation. Pettitte, however, has made no secret of his desire to pitch near his Texas home. John Harper of the Daily News writes that Ryan's pursuit of Pettitte may have beensomething of a shock to the Yankees.

Pettitte went 11-3 with a 3.28 ERA in 21 starts this season. He missed two months with a left groin strain and pitched well in two postseason starts despite back problems. He made $11.5 million last season, a relatively low figure for a pitcher who emerged as the de facto No. 2 starter.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Yankees have a Plan B at SS[/h3]
1:24PM ET

[h5]Derek Jeter | Yankees[/h5]


The New York Yankees have a backup plan to veteran icon Derek Jeter, and his name is Eduardo Nunez, writes ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. Nunez, a 23-year-old prospect with 30 games of big-league experience, has a reputation as a defense-first talent but hit .289 with a respectable .340 on-base percentage in Triple-A in 2010.

Olney adds that the Yankees would likely remain flexible with their plans at the position, so if a player such as Orlando Cabrera fell into their lap at the right price, Nunez may not be handed the gig heading into spring training -- he'd have to earn it.

General manager Brian Cashman clearly has grown frustrated with the Derek Jeter contract talks, daring the 36-year-old free agent shortstop to see what he can get on the open market.

Could one of the offers come from the Yankees' bitter rival? The mere thought of Jeter in a Red Sox uniform would have fans of the Bronx bombers shaking their head in disgust.

Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe writes Tuesday that "there is simply no downside to making Jeter a massive offer. In the worst-case scenario he calls your bluff and you get the Yankees captain ... At worst this would just mean the Sox would jack up the final price the Yankees must pay. It could be sort of like Mark Teixeira-in-reverse ... And if Jeter actually signed with Boston, the damage to the Yankees? psyche would be inestimable."

While talks between Jeter's agent, Casey Close, and the Yankees are expected to resume at some point, a deal is not likely in the next week or so. George King of the New York Post reports the more pressing priority is signing Cliff Lee and "Lee could be in pinstripes before Jeter returns."

The Yankees are firm about a three-year, $45 million contract offer they made to Jeter, who is seeking a four- or five-year pact worth $23 million per.

With the negotiations growing testier than anyone imagined, other teams still remain skeptical that Jeter would seriously consider leaving the Bronx. The first step in that process would be to find an interested party, and Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal questions if any are out there.

ESPNNewYork.com's Andrew Marchand wrote Monday that negotiations are at an impasse and will likely remain that way until Camp Jeter, as one source tells Marchand, "drinks the reality potion."

Costa reports the San Francisco Giants, who have an opening at shortstop, have been in contact with Close, who also represents their catcher, Buster Posey. But they are not seriously pursuing him at the moment and are wary about being used as leverage against the Yankees.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Checking in on Damon's options[/h3]
1:02PM ET

[h5]Johnny Damon | Tigers[/h5]


The Boston Globe wrote earlier this month that while Johnny Damon wants to stay in the east, the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres may be among the veteran's best options, although his days playing the field appear nearing an end.

The Oakland A's and Los Angeles Angels may be a fit, too, depending on what kind of offers Damon receives elswhere, and SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that Damon prefers an AL East team, but that the cash-strapped Rays are more likely destinations than the Yankees and Red Sox at this stage.

----

The word is, Johnny Damon wouldn't mind such a return to the AL East. He told George King of the NY Post last month that "I would love to have that as an option," when asked about a possible return to the New York Yankees.

Problem for Damon: the Yankees outfield appears a little full at the time. Regardless, the 36-year old whose agent believes to be completely impervious to the effects of aging, is coming off a pretty solid season for the Tigers, though, as many assumed, his move to Comerica Park drastically reduced his power totals. Damon clubbed just eight home runs this year after hitting 24 in 2009 with New York.

The Tigers may be open to bringing Damon back, but the likely winner of his services will be the team willing to offer more than a one-year deal. That was the hang-up last year. Scott Boras pushed for weeks to get a two-year deal, but ultimately settled for a one-year pact in Detroit.

Clubs needing left-handed production include the Los Angeles Angeles, Chicago White Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays, but Damon may be far down on the list of targets for each club, with names such as Jim Thome, Adam Dunn and Carlos Pena on the open market.

Another potential fit is the Oakland Athletics, who may find themselves in the market for a veteran hitter once the smoke clears this winter.

http://[h3]Hawpe saying no to arbitration[/h3]
12:29PM ET

[h5]Brad Hawpe | Rays[/h5]


Brad Hawpe, a former all-star outfield for the Colorado Rockies, will turn down the arbitration offer from the Tampa Bay Rays, tweets SI.com's Jon Heyman.

Hawpe's market could improve later this winter when the bigger names, such as Adam Dunn, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez and Vladimir Guerrero have already signed, but may be viewed solely as a DH option with his declining defense.

He's also coming off a poor season at the plate, and showed reverse splits in 2010 after a career of blended, yet positive results, even versus left-handed pitching.

Clubs that believe Hawpe, 31, can hit left-handed pitching may have a full-time role for him, but he could also be targeted as a platoon bat.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Heilman to decline arbitration[/h3]
12:22PM ET

[h5]Aaron Heilman | Diamondbacks[/h5]


Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Aaron Heilman will decline arbitration and may receive offers as a rotation candidate, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com.

Heilman has made 25 starts in the big leagues -- none since 2005 -- but could get a one-year deal as an alternative to the injury-riddled options such as Rich Harden, Jeff Francis, Erik Bedard and Chris Young.

Arizona, in the market for starting pitching themselves, could be an option for Heilman, who, as a Type-B free agent is sure to receive interest as a reliever as well. He may have to choose between a multi-year deal for less annual salary as a reliever versus a little more money on a shorter contract.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Giants and Cards eyeing Bartlett?[/h3]
12:14PM ET

[h5]Jason Bartlett | Rays[/h5]


Jason Bartlett could become one of a number of potential casualties on the Tampa Bay Rays roster this winter, and possible destinations include Baltimore and even the champion San Francisco Giants, according to the Boston Globe.

SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets Tuesday that the Cardinals and Giants have interest in Bartlett, too, and infers that a deal that lands the Rays a reliever could be in the offing and that the Giants may be a good match in that light. Heyman also adds that he's not hearing of any deal being imminent.

ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney tweeted Monday night that the Rays are likely to find a trade fit for Bartlett, based on the club's early conversations with other teams.

The Orioles are interested in Bartlett, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, and adds that J.J. Hardy of the Twins are also on the club's radar. The O's have already began talks with both the Rays and the Twins.

Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com wrote Monday that Bartlett is drawing interest from the Cardinals and Padres as well, and that his ultimate destination could depend on who wins the bidding for Japanese import Tsuyoshi Nishioka.

Morosi tweeted Tuesday that the Giants do not plan on bidding for the infielder, however, which puts Bartlett right at or near the top of their list of candidates.
ESPN.com's Jerry Casnick tweeted earlier this month that the Rays are fielding calls on the shortstop.
The Rays could go with Reid Brignac in 2011 and have Ben Zobrist and Sean Rodriguez to use at the position in a pinch. Bartlett will be a free agent following 2011 and is set to receive a raise via arbitration this winter after making $4 million in 2010.

There are several clubs with a need for a shortstop, including the St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, and perhaps the Cincinnati Reds if they decide against Paul Janish taking over on a full-time basis.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Olney: Feliciano declining arby[/h3]
12:08PM ET

[h5]Pedro Feliciano | Mets[/h5]


UPDATE: ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reports Tuesday that Feliciano will turn down the Mets' offer of arbitration. The left-hander clearly believes he will receive multi-year offers on the open market, and we've heard several clubs, including the Tigers, Yankees and Phillies, connected to left-handed relievers this winter.

----

Despite some interest from contending clubs, including the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, Pedro Feliciano may accept arbitration and stay with the New York Mets, tweets Ken Davidoff of Newsday, citing the lefty's agent.

The agent, Melvin Roman, says Feliciano is seriously considering such a decision, but the pair have until Tuesday's deadline to figure things out.

Feliciano is considered one of the top few left-handed relievers on the market along with Brian Fuentes and Scott Downs, though a few clubs are concerned that his workload the past few seasons could become a problem at some point soon, preventing them from feeling comfortable offering more than a one-year deal.

The 34-year-old made $2.9 million in 2010 and could earn a salary in the $5 million range through the arbitration process.

The Philadelphia Phillies are another club that could show interest, but it appears they are not in on the pricey relief options at this stage.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Wandy, Astros talk multi-year deal[/h3]
11:40AM ET

[h5]Wandy Rodriguez | Astros[/h5]


The Houston Astros and left-hander Wandy Rodriguez are discussing a multi-year contract, reports Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle.

Rodriguez has one year left before free agency and is expected to garner a raise from the $5 million he made last season. He went 11-12 with a 3.60 ERA in 2010, and was at his best during the Astros' second half resurgence (2.11 ERA.)

GM Ed Wade told Levine the Astros were less likely to land multi-year deals outfielders with Michael Bourn and Hunter Pence, who are not set to become free agents until 2013 and 2014, respectively.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Angels have budget for Soriano[/h3]
11:23AM ET

[h5]Rafael Soriano | Rays | Interested: Rangers?[/h5]


The Rays' Rafael Soriano saw his market value take a quantum leap when he led the American League with 45 saves in his first season as a full-time closer.

Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times writes Tuesday that the Angels could be interested, even if Soriano commands a deal of at least four years and $55 million. Outfielder Carl Crawford remains the Halo's top priority, but a source tells DiGiovanna that the Angels feel they have enough in their budget for both Crawford and Soriano.

ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney ,a href="http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=5" target=new>told 710 ESPN in Seattle that Soriano could command more than $30 million dollars over three years.

Soriano's destination could be influenced by where free agent starter Cliff Lee ends up. Nick Cafardo wrote in Sunday's Boston Globe that if the Rangers fall short on Lee, one of their options might be to put Neftali Feliz back in the rotation and then sign a closer like Soriano.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Dodgers passing on Martin?[/h3]
10:51AM ET

[h5]Russell Martin | Dodgers[/h5]


The Los Angeles Dodgers have been the most active club in baseball since the World Series ended, re-signing left-hander Ted Lilly and right-hander Hiroki Kuroda before adding infielder Juan Uribe.

The attention now switches to catcher, and Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times says the Dodgers may not tender a contract to Russell Martin by Thursday's deadline.

Martin made $5.05 million last season and could earn more than $6 million in the arbitration process if he is tendered a contract. Martin's agent, Matt Colleran said he has talked with the Dodgers, but the club hasn't presented his client with a formal offer.

An option for the Dodgers is to re-sign 35-year-old Rod Barajas and again have him split duties with A.J. Ellis. That scenario would be far less expensive than bringing back Martin at the market rate.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Rivera talks going well[/h3]
10:36AM ET

[h5]Mariano Rivera | Yankees[/h5]


The New York Yankees and Derek Jeter have chosen to do a chunk of their contract negotiations via the media. That's great for us at Rumor Central, but it sometimes allows equally important matters to fly under the radar.

In case you forgot, closer Mariano Rivera, who like Jeter is a Yankee icon, is eligible for free agency, too.

Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com writes Monday that the negotiations between the two sides have gone well, suggesting Rivera and the Yankees aren't far apart.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports Rivera is seeking a two-year deal at $18 million per season, but the Yankees are currently inclined, at least at last check, to offer him only one year at a raise from the $15 million he made this season.

Marchand says Rivera likely will get a slight bump to $16 million or $17 million and a one-year deal with a vesting option could be a way to bridge the gap.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Lee leaning toward the Bronx?[/h3]
10:18AM ET

[h5]Cliff Lee | Rangers[/h5]


The winter meetings are less than a week away, and there are signs Cliff Lee will land with the Yankees once the baseball world gathers in Orlando, reports George King of the New York Post.

There have been conflicting reports whether the Yankees have offered Lee a six-year deal worth $140 million. If that is true, one AL executive said it will be enough to get it done."At that money (the Rangers) are out of it. That leaves the Yankees," the executive tells King.

The Rangers reportedly want to know where they stand with Lee soon, because if he isn't returning to Texas, the AL champions may make a run at Zack Greinke.The industry views the Rangers? contingency plans as a sign Lee is headed to the Bronx.

ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reported over the weekend thattalks regarding Lee are expected to heat up this coming week.

Neither the Yankees nor the Rangers can afford to wait too long on Lee, because they'll need time to put Plan B in motion before it's too late.

Nick Cafardo wrote in Sunday's Boston Globe that if the Rangers fall short on Lee, one of their options might be to put Neftali Feliz back in the rotation and then sign a closer like Rafael Soriano.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Melvin mulls options on Fielder[/h3]
9:54AM ET

[h5]Prince Fielder | Brewers[/h5]


Prince Fielder is eligible for free agency after 2011 and speculation on the first baseman's future has ranged from the Brewers actively shopping the slugger to keeping him on the roster for the entire season.

It's all conjecture at this point, insists GM Doug Melvin. "I don't know what I'm going to do yet," Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel. "You can't say one or the other. I haven't decided yet. You always want to keep your options open."

Haudricourt says no progress has been made in attempts to get Fielder?s signature on an extension. At the same time, no real trade market has developed, in part because no team believes it could re-sign the Scott Boras client before he hits free agency.

USA Today's Paul White took a look at the market for Fielder and, like Haudricourt, sees Boras as a major roadblock. Boras is almost a lock to take Fielder to free agency after next season. "That's a chilling effect on the offers, especially at this point with so many free agent first baseman in play," White writes.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Moyer finally done?[/h3]
9:19AM ET

[h5]Jamie Moyer | Phillies[/h5]


Jamie Moyer will undergo surgery Tommy John surgery Wednesday and could be sidelined up to a year, but the 48-year-old left-hander isn't ready to call it quits.

David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News says Moyerposted a note on his charitable foundation's Facebook page expressing hope for a comeback. That may be wishful thinking, but Moyer has been counted out in the past before landing a job in the major leagues.

Moyer injured his elbow earlier this month pitching in the Dominican Republic.

The Phillies placed Moyer on waivers this week to clear a spot on the 40-man roster and the lefthander filed for free agency.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Olney: Berkman to meet with A's[/h3]
8:54AM ET

[h5]Lance Berkman | Yankees | Interested: Rockies?[/h5]


Lance Berkman would have loved to return to the Houston Astros, the team that drafted him, but any chance of a return to Space City ended when his agent dialed up GM Ed Wade.

"It wasn't a long conversation," Berkman told Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle.

The Astros will go with younger players next season, but that doesn't mean that the 34-year-old Berkman, who finished the year with the New York Yankees, will be out of work.

Berkman is being pursued by at last two clubs right now, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reported last week with the Cubs and A's at the forefront.

Our Buster Olney tweeted Monday night that Berkman will meet with representatives of the A's on Tuesday.

The Cardinals, Pirates and Blue Jays also are believed to have kicked the tires on Berkman.

- Doug Mittler

olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Could Berkman head west?
"I don't know if Berkman will choose some other destination, but Oakland is probably going to be the most aggressive team, because he really fits them -- he'd be a DH, he'd add some punch to the middle of their order, and they need some veterans."
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http://[h3]Non-tender candidates[/h3]
8:48AM ET

[h5]Non-tender candidates[/h5]


Not only do clubs have to consider which of their free agents may or may not accept arbitration by Tuesday's deadline, they also have to consider which arbitration-eligible players to which they wish to tender a contract offer. Declining to do so allows the player in question to become a free agent. Offering arbitration, however, can be costly to the club.

Among those that may be candidates to traded away or non-tendered due to their arbitration status includes outfielder Matt Diaz of the Atlanta Braves, closer Bobby Jenks of the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers reliever Joel Zumaya.

Diaz made $2.55 million in 2010 and could earn more than $3 million next season, while Jenks' $7.5 million salary in 2010 suggests he could be awarded more than $10 million if the club takes him to arbitration.

Zumaya, however, made just $915,000 in 2010 and spent much of the year injured. The Tigers may be able to keep the right-hander without committing $3-4 million on him, despite this being his third trip down the arbitration lane.

The Dodgers' Russell Martin is viewed by some as a declining catcher and his $5.05 million salary from last season and projected raise -- which could reach $7 million or more this winter -- could force the club to trade him or non-tender him this week.

It's worth noting that by league rules, club's cannot offer arbitration-eligible players a pay cut of more than 20 percent, which means even if Martin was amenable to it, the Dodgers are not allowed to tender an offer of less than $4 million and change.

Dodgers lefty George Sherrill and infielder Ryan Theriot could also be on the trade or non-tender block, as could the Twins' J.J. Hardy, Jason Bartlett of the Rays and Mike Napoli of the Los Angeles Angels.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Rangers could trade for Greinke[/h3]
8:31AM ET

[h5]Zack Greinke | Royals[/h5]


It's evident that the Kansas City Royals will listen to offers for Zack Greinke, but is the team serious about making a deal?

In last Tuesday's blog, our Buster Olney hears some rival general managers are convinced the Royals are intent on moving Greinke this winter, and if they are the Rangers could be a bidder.

In that light, ESPNDallas.com's Richard Durrett asks his readers what they would give up for Greinke, and discusses his ideas that include perhaps both Tanner Scheppers and Martin Perez, two of the Rangers' top pitching prospects.

Meanwhile, George King of the New York Post writes Tuesday that theRangers want to know where they stand with Cliff Lee soon. If Lee isn't returning to Texas, the Rangers are contemplating taking a run at Greinke.

Meanwhile, one AL executive gives Joel Sherman of the New York Post two reasons why he thinks Greinke will be dealt.

John Schlegel of MLB.com wrote earlier this month that it would take a blockbuster offer to land Greinke.

- Doug Mittler

law_keith_30.jpg
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Greinke a prime trade target
"It sounds like the Royals will at least listen to offers this winter, although with Greinke signed to a very reasonable deal through 2012, they have no urgency to make a move right away. But given how much talent they have coming, trading Greinke in the right deal could easily set them up for a couple of playoff berths in the 2013-2016 range. Greinke was off-the-charts valuable in 2009 -- more valuable than Cliff Lee was in either of the last two seasons, for example -- but his command wasn't quite as sharp in 2010, and he didn't have the same consistency on his curveball. His velocity was fine, his slider remained sharp, and he still has excellent control and a great feel for pitching. As for the depression issues that briefly derailed his career in 2006, I think it's an overblown concern for fans given the past three years of performance, durability, and zero hint of any problem that would affect him on the field."
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http://[h3]Catching market update[/h3]
8:11AM ET

[h5]Yorvit Torrealba | Padres[/h5]


Now that the Texas Rangers have signed Yorvit Torrealba to a two-year deal worth more than $6 million, according to Jeff Wilson, the catching market gets even thinner. John Buck started off the run by signing a three-year deal with Florida last week and Victor Martinez followed suit with a four-year pact in Detroit. Who's left?

Veterans A.J. Pierzynski and Miguel Olivo lead the charge, but Bengie Molina, if he decides to stave off retirement, could be among the more sought after options. Rod Barajas and Gerald Laird come next and then veteran backup types Jason Varitek and Gregg Zaun round out the class.

The Boston Red Sox have been named in connection with Olivo and Barajas while Pierzynski's best bets continue to find other answers -- Florida with Buck and now the Rangers with Torrealba.

Molina's decision could be impacted by Torealba's multi-year deal. If Molina can secure the same, he may lean toward returning.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]De La Rosa stays in Denver[/h3]
7:45AM ET

[h5]Jorge De La Rosa | Rockies | Interested: Rockies, Yankees?, Pirates?[/h5]


Jorge De La Rosa hinted all along that he wanted to remain with the Colorado Rockies. In the end, it was more than a negotiating ploy.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that De La Rosa, who appeared to be on his way out of Colorado as late as last week, has agreed in principle on a deal that secures the southpaw?s return, pending a physical. It is a two-year, $21.5 million contract with a player option that, if exercised, guarantees De La Rosa $32 million. If the left-hander forgoes free agency and exercises the option, the Rockies receive a fourth-year club option for $11 million.

Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post reported last week the Rockies were adamant about sticking to a three-year deal for De La Rosa. The Orioles, Nationals, Pirates, Yankees and Rangers were believed to be among the teams interested in De La Rosa.

Renck reports that the trump card for the Rockies was the pitcher?s desire to return to Colorado. With De La Rosa off the market, that will only increase the demand for remaining free agent starters such as Carl Pavano.

- Doug Mittler

law_keith_30.jpg
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
The Book on De La Rosa
"De La Rosa walks too many guys and he's only thrown more than 140 innings in a professional season once. He's injury-prone (non-arm; he lost two months to a finger in 2010), but his changeup is plus, and his slider is above-average. If you want a power arm with some potential development remaining, he's a good pickup."
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http://[h3]Mets closing in on Chris Young?[/h3]
7:25AM ET

[h5]Chris Young | Padres[/h5]

The New York Mets, in need of starting pitching to fill the gaps left by the injury-absence of Johan Santana and the failures of Oliver Perez, are having serious discussions with free agent right-hander Chris Young, reports Buster Olney via Twitter.

The Padres said they were open to bringing back Young, but not at the cost of an $8.5 million option that was declined earlier this month.

The 31-year-old Young missed most of the last two seasons while battling shoulder issues that required surgery. He did enhance his market value with a solid performance in three starts down the stretch (1.29 ERA).

Andy Martino of the Daily News suggested last week that the Mets, who are looking for a lower-tier starter, are a possibility. Young, an All-Star in 2007, played under new Mets GM Sandy Alderson and top assistant Paul DePodesta in San Diego.
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The Giants agreed to sign Miguel Tejada to a one-year deal worth $6.5MM, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes (on Twitter). The infielder obtains a $500K bonus from the Giants, according to Rojas.
 
The Giants agreed to sign Miguel Tejada to a one-year deal worth $6.5MM, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes (on Twitter). The infielder obtains a $500K bonus from the Giants, according to Rojas.
 
http://[h3]
[h3]Ramirez staying long term?[/h3]
1:38PM ET

[h5]Alexei Ramirez | White Sox [/h5]


UPDATE: Ramirez indeed opted out of his contract and will likely earn $2.5 million in 2011 via his contract option, but that's more than affordable for the White Sox, and it's not out of the realm of possibility that the club discusses a long-term extension with the shortstop.

...

The Chicago White Sox could see value in trading Alexei Ramirez this winter since his contract is up after 2011 and he'll likely become quite pricey just as he hits the wrong side of 30. It's probably a long shot, as shortstops are extremely difficult to come by, but Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune has a idea.

Rogers proposes a trade between the Sox and the Yankees that would send Ramirez to the Yankees with a veteran or two such as Mark Teahen or Scott Linebrink, as well as catching prospect Tyler Flowers, for centerfielder Curtis Granderson and of the Yankees' catching prospects.

There are parts of such a trade that make zero sense -- the swap of catching prospects, for one, and the inclusion of Teahen and/or Linebrink -- but there is some logic to the Ramirez for Granderson portion.

The Yankees will need a shortstop some time soon, even though Derek Jeter is expected to re-sign. Granderson makes quite a bit more than Ramirez and would free up more coin for the Yankees to pursue pitching and perhaps Carl Crawford this winter. Such a move, Rogers adds, would push along the possibility of a Carlos Quentin deal that would bring Raul Ibanez back from Philadelphia.

The White Sox, however, would have to have another shortstop in place, and though 2008 first-round pick Gordon Beckham is capable by most accounts, the club has been unwilling to use him there to this point.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Tigers still thinking big?[/h3]
1:34PM ET

[h5]Detroit Tigers [/h5]


The Detroit Tigers could still be considering big-name free agents if the guestimates of the clubs' available payroll is correct, as SI.com's Jon Heyman writes Wednesday.

Adam Dunn isn't likely to be considered any longer since Victor Martinez signed and is in the club's plans as the designated hitter, and Miguel Cabrera is manning first base. But the club's outfield needs some help and both Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth -- on the Tigers radar since the season ended -- are both still available.

However, with a lineup that already looks solid -- V-Mart and Cabrera will be supported by Brandon Inge, Jhonny Peralta, Austin Jackson and perhaps Brennan Boesch, as well as a healthy Carlos Guillen -- GM Dave Dombrowski may prefer to look for improvements to the pitching staff.

The Tigers could still add a left-hander reliever such as Scott Downs or Pedro Feliciano, and starters such as Aaron Harang or even Carl Pavano may be fits in Motown.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Three years for Crain, Guerrier?[/h3]
1:28PM ET

[h5]Jesse Crain | Twins [/h5]


UPDATE: Peter Gammons of MLB.com tweets that Crain and Matt Guerrier are requesting three-year deals, a market price set by Joaquin Benoit's contract with the Detroit Tigers.

Neither player require draft-pick compensation from the signing club, however, which broadens the market for each right-hander.

...

Jesse Crain could be one of the relievers on the free agent market most impacted by the deal the Detroit Tigers handed to Joaquin Benoit earlier this month. Crain, tweets MLB.com's Peter Gammons, is drawing interest from as many as nine teams, including a few clubs that don't seem like good fits if it's going to take a three-year deal.

Crain, a Type B free agent, has been connected to the Rays, Rockies, Mariners, Orioles, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Nationals and Cubs, says Gammons, and the market could grow to include another half-dozen teams.

FoxSports.com reports Tuesday that the interest between Crain and the Jays is mutual, though the right-hander's Canadian heritage may not be a factor since he spent all but six months of his life in the United States.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports Tuesday the Rockies could concentrate on landing Cain now that they have reached deals with Troy Tulowitzki and Jorge De La Rosa.

Jason Frasor is another similar arm and could command two or three years, but he's a Type A free agent, which could limit the interest level.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Options for the Red Sox[/h3]
1:19PM ET

[h5]Boston Red Sox [/h5]


If Adrian Beltre bolts Beantown, the Boston Red Sox are expected to move Kevin Youkilis to third base and add a first baseman, likely via free agency. There are several options, but SI.com's Jon Heyman mentions Derrek Lee as a possibility.

The Sox could consider Carlos Pena, too, but it seems clubs such as Washington and the Chicago Cubs may beat Boston to the punch. Adam Dunn has not been connected to Boston, but that could change, and the club is also believed to be the favorite for outfielder Jayson Werth, and a contender for Carl Crawford.

If Werth is added, GM Theo Epstein may prefer a left-handed hitting first baseman in the scenario where Beltre signs elsewhere. Adam LaRoche is another lefty stick, but the Sox may want to stick to 1-year options, which may limit their market to the likes of Lyle Overbay.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Phils seek lefty[/h3]
12:55PM ET

[h5]Philadelphia Phillies [/h5]


UPDATE: ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney tweets Wednesday that the Phillies are more likely to limit their search for a lefty reliever to those that will not require draft-pick compensation.

Pedro Feliciano is a name Olney notes, and the preference likely eliminates Scott Downs from the club's radar.

...

The Philadelphia Phillies declined the 2011 option on left-hander J.C. Romero, and are now in the market for his replacement, reports FoxSports.com's Jon Morosi.

The club has interest in Dennys Reyes, Morosi notes, and if George Sherrill is non-tendered by the Dodgers the Phillies could get involved as the scout that discovered the left-hander in the independent leagues early last decade is a special assistant in Philadelphia.

It doesn't appear that some of the pricier lefties on the free market interest Philly at this stage, as one executive tells Rumor Central that the Phillies are also looking for left-hander in the Rule 5 Draft that will be held at the winter meetings in two weeks.

Such frugality may eliminate the possibility that the Phillies are a suitor for Pedro Feliciano, Brian Fuenetes and Scott Downs, but could be fits for Ron Mahay, Randy Choate, Randy Flores or Bobby Seay.

The club expressed interest in right-hander Joaquin Benoit earlier this month, so they could still add a right-hander as well, but have since re-signed Jose Contreras and declined to offer arbitration to right-hander Chad Durbin.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Backup plans for Rangers[/h3]
12:39PM ET

[h5]Texas Rangers [/h5]


Should the Texas Rangers lose Cliff Lee to the New York Yankees this offseason, their secondary options include dipping into the bullpen for starting pitching. Kansas City Royals right-hander Zack Greinke may be an option as well, but Alexi Ogando and Neftaliz Feliz have both been mentioned as potential transition candidates -- Ogando was noted by Evan Grant Wednesday morning.



If the Rangers moved Feliz to the rotation they'd have to find a replacement closer, but Ogando, primarily a setup man, would be a bit easier to replace.

The Rangers may look to add a bullpen arm whether they have to move either right-hander out of their relief role or not, and could consider other trades for starters. The club did sign Japanese right-hander Yoshinori Tateyama and will retain Frank Francisco after he accepted arbitration Tuesday.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Rockies consider Glaus[/h3]
12:32PM ET

[h5]Troy Glaus | Braves [/h5]


Troy Glaus' free agency may not take shape until the smoke clears, tweets ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney Monday but the slugger could become a cheaper option than the group including Pauk Konerko, Adam Dunn, Derrek Lee and Carlos Pena, all of whom are likely to receive multi-year offers.

Glaus, who hit .240 with 16 home runs last season in 128 games for the Atlanta Braves, could become Plan B right along with veterans Jim Thome, Hideki Matsui, Adam LaRoche and Russell Branyan. Glaus, however, is a bit unique compared to the latter veteran group -- he bats right-handed, an aspect matched only by switch hitter Lance Berkman, who has been significantly better as a left-handed hitter in recent years.

As a result, Glaus could be an ideal fit for the Colorado Rockies, who would like to add right-handed power to share time with the lefty-hitting Todd Helton. Glaus isn't likely to command more than a one-year contract and his fly ball tendencies could bode well in Denver. Troy Renck of the Denver Post confirms our speculation via Twitter.

Renck tweeted Monday, that the Rockies are also interested in veteran Bill Hall, who could serve in a similar role. Avoiding the pricey options could allow GM Dan O'Dowd to focus on starting pitching.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Cards to eye Hudson?[/h3]
12:29PM ET

[h5]St. Louis Cardinals [/h5]


The St. Louis Cardinals plan to play the newly-acquired Ryan Theriot at shortstop, according to a tweet by FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, suggesting that perhaps the club is still in the market for a second base option such as Orlando Hudson.

Hudson, who turned down arbitration from the Minnesota Twins Tuesday, is a Type-B free agent which means clubs do not have to give up a draft pick to sign him.

The Cards could change their minds on where to play Theriot if a shortstop fell into their laps, and Edgar Renteria says he wants to end his career with either the Marlins or Cardinals.

Cesar Izturis is also a free agent and Jason Bartlett and J.J. Hardy are still potential trade targets.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Dodgers passing on Martin?[/h3]
12:10PM ET

[h5]Russell Martin | Dodgers [/h5]


The http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/lad/los-angeles-dodgersLos Angeles Dodgers have been the most active club in baseball since the World Series ended, re-signing left-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4062Ted Lilly and right-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28950Hiroki Kuroda before adding infielder http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4657Juan Uribe.

The attention now switches to catcher, and Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times says the Dodgers may not tender a contract to Russell Martin by Thursday's deadline.

Martin made $5.05 million last season and could earn more than $6 million in the arbitration process if he is tendered a contract. Martin's agent, Matt Colleran said he has talked with the Dodgers, but the club hasn't presented his client with a formal offer.

An option for the Dodgers is to re-sign 35-year-old http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4207http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4207Rod Barajas and again have him split duties with http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=29258http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=29258A.J. Ellis. That scenario would be far less expensive than bringing back Martin at the market rate.

Ken Rosenthal reports the Dodgers are interested in Jason Varitek, another sign that Martin could be on the way out.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Webb open to Pittsburgh[/h3]
11:52AM ET

[h5]Brandon Webb | Diamondbacks [/h5]


There appears to be no shortage of teams looking to kick the tires on Brandon Webb, the former D-backs right-hander who hasn't pitched since Opening Day 2009.

Dejan Kovacevic of the Post-Gazette reports that the Pirates are one of a half-dozen teams interested in the free agent. Webb's agent, Jonathan Maurer, said his client would welcome a chance to play in Steel City, which makes sense since there is no point of eliminating suitors at this point.

The Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals and Minnesota Twins are believed to be among the other suitors for the former Cy Young Award winner who is coming off shoulder surgery.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post tweeted Monday that the Rockies were among the teams looking at Webb, but it remains to be seen if that interest is still there now that Jorge De La Rosa is staying in Denver.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Royals may shop Tejeda[/h3]
11:30AM ET

[h5]Robinson Tejeda | Royals [/h5]


Robinson Tejeda became a more valuable commodity thanks to http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4588Joaquin Benoit's stunning deal with the Tigers, and that could prompt the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/kc/kansas-city-royalsKansas City Royals to shop the middle reliever.

Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star talked to an AL executive who says Benoit's three-year, $16.5 million deal "put the squeeze" on teams looking for bullpen help.

The Royals have been willing to deal setup relievers in the past (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6503Ramon Ramirez, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6272Leo Nunez), and might be willing to see if Tejeda could land some valuable talent in return. Dutton says the Royals are confident that they have enough prospects in the system to replace Tejeda, who did just find as the bridge to http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28688Joakim Soria.

Tejeda is in line for a notable raise from his 2010 salary of $950,000, but he will still be a relative bargain compared to Benoit.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Perez to the bullpen?[/h3]
11:07AM ET

[h5]Oliver Perez | Mets [/h5]

The New York Mets have this $12 million in excess baggage. That is what Oliver Perez will earn in 2011, a contract that new general manager Sandy Alderson would love to unload somewhere.

The Mets need to make the most of the situation and Andy Martino of the New York Daily News suggests that Perez, who endured a brutal 2010 season, could be used in the bullpen now that Pedro Feliciano has turned down an arbitration offer.

The Mets also are desperate for starting pitching, which explains their recent interest in former Padre Chris Young.

Perez is regarded by many as a lost cause, but he is showing signs of potential usefulness, reports Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. Perez, Rubin notes, has a fastball average throughout his career of about 91 mph, but that dipped to 88 in recent seasons with the Mets.

Rubin cites one source that states Perez's velocity has been up a bit during his time in the Mexican Winter League. "Starting velocities have the consistent 88, but spikes are higher and more common -- 91s and occasional 92s."

Perez often touched the mid-90s when at his best, however, which may mean he'll have to find a way to throw more quality pitches in terms of location if he's to be effective in the NL East.

Our Buster Olney is not thrilled with the bullpen idea:

- Doug Mittler

olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Bullpen won't work for Ollie
"That sounds like something that might look good on paper in the winter but never translates when they actually start playing games. The problem with Perez coming out of the bullpen is that he gets into streaks of wildness, which will drive a manager (and teammates) absolutely crazy if it repeatedly happens in the seventh and eighth innings."
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[/h3]

http://[h3]Balfour turns down arbitration[/h3]
10:44AM ET

[h5]Grant Balfour | Rays [/h5]


The Tampa Bay Rays saw all seven players who were offered arbitration reject the offer Tuesday.

There was speculation that Grant Balfour, who made $2.05 million last season, might have considered the offer. Balfour is a Type A free agent, a designation that could hurt his market value.

Our Buster Olney says one signing by the Detroit Tigers has drastically changed the market:

- Doug Mittler

olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Balfour hits the open market
"Once Joaquin Benoit signed his three-year, $16.5 million deal with Detroit, the market prices for relievers shifted, and guys like Balfour became more attractive. This will make it easier for him to find a multiyear deal someplace -- but more much difficult for the Rays to rebuild their bullpen in a winter in which they're cutting payroll."
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http://[h3]Thaw in Jeter talks?[/h3]
10:34AM ET

[h5]Derek Jeter | Yankees [/h5]


http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3246Derek Jeter has enjoyed a pristine image during his http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/nyy/new-york-yankeesNew York Yankees tenure, but the shortstop has received at least some negative publicity in recent weeks over his stalled contract talks.

Coincidence or not, the two sides reportedly met Tuesday with Jeter's agent, Casey Close, reaching out to the Yankees in an effort to move the contentious negotiations forward. The New York Daily News reports Close and general manager Brian Cashman met in Tampa, the first sitdown between the two camps since November 8.

Yankee management also appears to be extending the olive branch. "I feel confident that Derek will remain with the Yankees, and my brother does, as well," New York's co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner said Tuesday night in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

Cashman had grown frustrated with the Jeter contract talks, daring the 36-year-old free agent shortstop to see what he can get on the open market.

If the Jeter talks were to collapse completely, the Yankees have a backup plan in http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=30290Eduardo Nunez, writes ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. Nunez, a 23-year-old prospect with 30 games of big-league experience, has a reputation as a defense-first talent but hit .289 with a respectable .340 on-base percentage in Triple-A in 2010.

The Yankees appeared firm in their three-year, $45 million contract offer to Jeter, who is believed to be seeking a four- or five-year pact worth $23 million per.

- Doug Mittler

olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Closing the Jeter deal
"If Jeter feels anger toward the team or the media for how this has played out, he needs to put that behind him and imagine how he would've felt if, as an 18-year-old, he had been offered a three-year, $45 million deal to be the shortstop of the Yankees. Even if he doesn't get what he wants in this negotiation, he is still in an incredible situation. The Yankees need to do all they can to reach across the aisle and make sure Jeter knows that they view him as an important part of a championship contender. If that means Joe Girardi flying down to meet with Jeter, so be it. If it means doing something like picking up the tab for Jeter's Super Bowl party -- a nice gesture -- so be it. If it means putting on all the bells and whistles to announce Jeter's new deal, they should do that."
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http://[h3]Is Tulo worth the 10-year risk?[/h3]
10:21AM ET

[h5]Troy Tulowitzki | Rockies [/h5]


Troy Tulowitzki talked in October about wanting to remain a Colorado Rockie for the rest of his career.

The Rockies made a strong push to make that happen, agreeing to an extension that will put him under contract through the 2020 season, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reported Tuesday. Tulowitzki was in the middle of a 6-year, $31 million contract he signed prior to the 2008 season.

ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reports that Tulowitzki's previous contract remains in tact, paying him $5.5 million in 2011, 8.25 million in 2012, and 10 million in 2013. But he'll make $16 million in 2014 and $20 million per season from 2015-2019.

According to Renck, Tulowitzki was eager to reach a deal after witnessing how contract uncertainty caused the departure of teammates Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe. Tulowitzki is just 26, the same age as Derek Jeter when the shortstop agreed to a 10-year deal with the Yankees.

We checked in with our Keith Law, who thinks the Rockies may have gone too far. Olney counters that the Rox were more than willing to take the risk.

- Doug Mittler

law_keith_30.jpg
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Rockies go too far with Tulo
"I think he's among the ten most valuable position players in baseball, and likely to hold his value for most of the decade -- and even I think this deal is excessive and risky. But the risk is greatest in the final few years of the deal, by which point he'll probably have moved off shortstop or will present the club with a Jeteresque obstacle at the position, and his offensive production will have declined to the point where he'll be hard-pressed to earn his salary unless there is major inflation in player salaries between now and then."
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olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Why the Rockies went deep
"Tulowitzki's status as the best shortstop in the big leagues is the major reason the Rockies have committed $157.75 million over the next 10 years to him. GM Dan O'Dowd knows that there will be industry criticism of Colorado's decision to do this now, but he and owner Charlie Monfort are convinced that everything is right about this deal -- the player, the timing, the motives on both sides. 'When you do things for the right reasons,' said O'Dowd, 'it usually works out OK.'"
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http://[h3]Rangers making 5-year offer to Lee?[/h3]
10:08AM ET

[h5]Cliff Lee | Rangers [/h5]


It may finally be time for the Texas Rangers to show Cliff Lee the money.

George King of the New York Post reports Wednesday the Rangers are on the verge of making an official offer to retain the left-handed free-agent hurler.

The Rangers, aware the New York Yankees are willing to pay $23 million a year for Lee, will not be gun shy about making the prized free agent a five-year offer. The Yankees are believed to have made a five- or six-year offer.

Our Buster Olney chimes in with us, emailing: "We've known the Rangers would compete with the Yankees. I don't think the question is about the fifth year guarantee; the question is whether either team goes to a sixth year, at $23-25 million a year."

If it comes down strictly to contract dollars, the belief among industry exexutives is that Lee is headed to The Bronx because the money difference will be too big to ignore.

King writes that the Rangers are hoping the absence of a state tax in Texas and the proximity of Lee's Arkansas home to Dallas will be strong enough selling points to keep Lee in Arlington.

There have been conflicting reports whether the Yankees have offered Lee a six-year deal worth $140 million. If that is true, it might be enough to get it done.

The Rangers reportedly want to know where they stand with Lee soon, because if he isn't returning to Texas, the AL champions may make a run at http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5883Zack Greinke. The industry views the Rangers' contingency plans as a sign Lee is headed to New York.

ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reported over the weekend that talks regarding Lee are expected to heat up this coming week.

Nick Cafardo wrote in Sunday's Boston Globe that if the Rangers fall short on Lee, one of their options might be to put http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=30149http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=30149http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=30149Neftali Feliz back in the rotation and then sign a closer like http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4600http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4600Rafael Soriano.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]The market for Pavano[/h3]
9:56AM ET

[h5]Carl Pavano | Twins | Interested: Pirates? [/h5]


The Minnesota Twins assured themselves of draft pick compensation once right-hander Carl Pavano, a Type-A free agent, turned down an arbitration offer Tuesday.

Pavano has made it known he would like to remain in Minnesota, but Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune says it's uncertain if the Twins will meet his three-year asking price.

Pavano is the top starting pitcher on the market behind Cliff Lee, especially now that Jorge De La Rosa is expected to re-sign with the Rockies for $32 million over three years. Colorado was believed to be one of the teams on Pavano's radar, but that option may be gone for now.

Pavano is getting hits in Miami -- discussed here -- and in Washington, as reported by the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore.

Don't rule out the Rangers if they lose out on Lee. As the Tribune's Nick Nelson points out, the Rangers' No. 26 pick in the 2011 draft is unprotected, but the departure of Lee -- a Type A -- would garner them two additional top picks and perhaps make that loss palatable.

- Doug Mittler

law_keith_30.jpg
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
The market for Pavano
"Some people throw him under the bus for his stint with the New York Yankees, but he's remade himself as a sinker-changeup artist and is coming off two of the best seasons of his career. He's not a good option if you play in a small park, though; he has a below-average fastball and that can make him homer-prone."
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http://[h3]Varitek's options[/h3]
9:37AM ET

[h5]Jason Varitek | Red Sox [/h5]


The http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/bos/boston-red-soxBoston Red Sox allowed last week's deadline to pass without offering arbitration to http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3760Jason Varitek, even if the veteran catcher saw his leverage rise with the departure of http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5007Victor Martinez to the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/det/detroit-tigersDetroit Tigers.

Varitek may have accepted an offer, in which case he would've been signed next season at a modest raise from his $3 million salary.

At this stage, the Red Sox appear ready to move forward with http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28663Jarrod Saltalamacchia as their starter, but his relative lack of experience will make Varitek more valuable, even if he will turn 39 in April and is coming off a season in which he broke a bone in his right foot.

Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com reports that Varitek is on the radar of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who appear to be willing to part ways with Russell Martin.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Dodgers looking at Damon?[/h3]
9:29AM ET

[h5]Johnny Damon | Tigers [/h5]


The Los Angeles Dodgers, already the busiest team in baseball this offseason, have veteran outfielder Johnny Damon on their radar, reports Ken Rosenthal.

Damon seemingly would be a better fit in the American League where he could spend at least some time as a designated hitter. But with the Dodgers, Rosenthal says Damon could replace free agent Scott Podsednik and hit second behind Rafael Furcal.

The Boston Globe wrote earlier this month that while Damon wants to stay in the east, the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres may be among the veteran's best options, although his days playing the field appear to be nearing an end.

The Oakland A's and Los Angeles Angels may be a fit, too, depending on what kind of offers Damon receives elsewhere, and SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that Damon prefers an AL East team, but that the cash-strapped Rays are more likely destinations than the Yankees and Red Sox at this stage.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Rivera seeks two-year deal[/h3]
9:18AM ET

[h5]Mariano Rivera | Yankees [/h5]


The New York Yankees and Derek Jeter have chosen to do a chunk of their contract negotiations via the media.

In case you forgot, 41-year-old closer Mariano Rivera, who like Jeter is a Yankee icon, is eligible for free agency, too.

Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com wrote Monday that the negotiations between the two sides have gone well, suggesting Rivera and the Yankees aren't far apart.

Could the talks hit a bump in the road?

Pete Caldera of The Record reports Wednesday the Yankees made an initial one-year offer to Rivera that is somewhat below the $15 million he earned last season. Rivera wants a two-year deal, perhaps in the $30 million range.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Reaching out to Gonzalez[/h3]
8:24AM ET

[h5]Carlos Gonzalez | Rockies [/h5]


The baseball world spent plenty of time of Tuesday analyzing just why the Colorado Rockies gave Troy Tulowitzki a $134 million megadeal even though the shortstop was already under contract through 2013.

One reason is the mere presence of super agent Scott Boras, who lists Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez on his client list.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd recently talked about a long-term contract for CarGo with Boras, but the talks didn't get far.

Gonzalez is contractually bound to the Rockies for at least four more years before Boras would likely put him on the free agent market. By locking up Tulowitzki, the Rockies avoid the doomsday scenario of losing their two most potent bats, Tulowitzki and Gonzalez, in back-to-back seasons.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]New deal for Ubaldo?[/h3]
8:02AM ET

[h5]Ubaldo Jimenez | Rockies [/h5]


A day after the Colorado Rockies extend Troy Tulowitzki for $134 million and re-sign left-hander Jorge De La Rosa for what could turn out to be worth more than $40 million, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that the club is willing to discuss a new deal for ace right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez this time next year.

Jimenez signed an extension two winters ago that takes him through the 2012 season, with more-than affordable club options for both 2013 and 2014 at $5.75 million and $8 million.

The right-hander was a Cy Young contender this past season and won 19 games to go with a sparkling 2.88 ERA. He still battles with control problems, but every other part of his game has been improved over the past three seasons, and he's just 26.

On the surface, it didn't seem necessary to hand Tulowitzki all that money now and tearing up Jimenez's deal appears to be a similar scenario in the making.

At least the Rockies are going to make Jimenez repeat his 2010 performance before they do so, however.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Uribe deal will help Beltre[/h3]
7:37AM ET

[h5]Adrian Beltre | Red Sox [/h5]


The price for Adrian Beltre may have gone up thanks to the three-year, $21 million deal the Los Angeles Dodgers gave to Juan Uribe.

Agent Scott Boras has floated the idea of a five-year, $90 million deal for Beltre, a figure that no longer looks so extreme when you compare Beltre's production to that of Uribe.

"Scott doesn't deal in the market," and executive told Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. "He deals in what his players are worth. If Juan Uribe is worth $7 million a year, should Adrian Beltre not be worth $18 million a year?"

The Red Sox have put a high priority on Beltre, but they won't be offering a blank check to the third baseman, which opens the door for other clubs to jump into the chase. Beltre declined arbitration from the Red Sox, but has not closed the door on a return from Boston.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe cites one source who says the Bosox will go no more than four years, $52 million for Beltre, and the A's have reportedly bettered that offer, going to five years and more than $60 million.

The http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-piratesPittsburgh Pirates, reports Dejan Kovacevic, have contacted Beltre's agent Scott Boras to express their interest but it's unclear how far the Bucs can go.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Tejada signs, thins SS market[/h3]
7:23AM ET

[h5]Shortstops [/h5]

[img]http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/leagues/lrg/trans/mlb.gif[/img]
With Juan Uribe signing to play second base for the Dodgers and Ryan Theriot moving from L.A. to St. Louis -- perhaps to play second base -- the market for shortstops is thinning out, and word comes in Tuesday evening, via ESPNDeportes.com's Enrique Rojas via Twitter, that the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a deal with Miguel Tejada.

Tejada's deal, Rojas's tweet says, is for one year at rate of $6.5 million. Tejada could end up playing either shortstop or second base for the Giants.

Clubs still in the market for a shortstop include the Baltimore Orioles, who have been eyeing J.J. Hardy and Jason Bartlett, but Dan Connelly writes that the O's and Rays have not progressed on a deal for the veteran shortstop.

Other clubs that could seek shortstop help include the San Diego Padres and the Cardinals, with Cesar Izturis, a free agent, and Marco Scutaro, a potential trade target, also still available.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Stark: Dodgers eye pen arms[/h3]
7:23AM ET

[h5]Los Angeles Dodgers [/h5]


They've already signed three starting pitchers this winter (Ted Lilly, Jon Garland, Hiroki Kuroda). Now the Dodgers are turning their attention to their bullpen.

Sources in the industry have indicated to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that the Dodgers are attempting to sign at least one, and possibly two, setup relievers. Among the names known to be high on their shopping list: Jesse Crain, Jason Frasor and Matt Guerrier.

If the Dodgers can get Jonathan Broxton straightened out and back in the closer's role, they would like to have at least one righthanded complement to lefthander Hong-Chih Kuo to divide up the late-inning set-up work.

http://[h3]Greinke open to Yankee deal?[/h3]
7:22AM ET

[h5]Zack Greinke | Royals [/h5]


We have been hearing for weeks that Zack Greinke would use his limited no-trade clause to block any trade to the New York Yankees.

Greinke may have a fondness for the Big Apple after all, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. A source tells Passan that the Kansas City right-hander would happily pitch anywhere that would provide a winning team.

The Yankees could make a play for Greinke if they are unable to land Cliff Lee.

In last Tuesday's blog, our Buster Olney hears some rival general managers are convinced the Royals are intent on moving Greinke this winter, and if they are the Rangers could be a bidder.

In that light, ESPNDallas.com's Richard Durrett asks his readers what they would give up for Greinke, and discusses his ideas that include perhaps both Tanner Scheppers and Martin Perez, two of the Rangers' top pitching prospects.

Meanwhile, George King of the New York Post wrote Tuesday that the Rangers want to know where they stand with Lee soon. If Lee isn't returning to Texas, the Rangers also are contemplating taking a run at Greinke.

- Doug Mittler

law_keith_30.jpg
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Greinke a prime trade target
"It sounds like the Royals will at least listen to offers this winter, although with Greinke signed to a very reasonable deal through 2012, they have no urgency to make a move right away. But given how much talent they have coming, trading Greinke in the right deal could easily set them up for a couple of playoff berths in the 2013-2016 range. Greinke was off-the-charts valuable in 2009 -- more valuable than Cliff Lee was in either of the last two seasons, for example -- but his command wasn't quite as sharp in 2010, and he didn't have the same consistency on his curveball. His velocity was fine, his slider remained sharp, and he still has excellent control and a great feel for pitching. As for the depression issues that briefly derailed his career in 2006, I think it's an overblown concern for fans given the past three years of performance, durability, and zero hint of any problem that would affect him on the field."
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http://[h3]Dunn wants $60 million[/h3]
7:00AM ET

[h5]Adam Dunn | Nationals [/h5]


With the addition of part-time DH Victor Martinez, Adam Dunn no longer appears to fit in Detroit, shrinking his market down to even fewer clubs, and may not include the Washington Nationals anymore, writes FoxSports.com's Jon Morosi.

Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan reports that Dunn is asking clubs for a 4-year deal worth about $60 million. While we wish Dunn good luck, we probably aren't alone when we suggest to Dunn that he show a willingness to DH or think about being more flexible in his demands this winter.

Dunn has sought a four-year deal for three years now and not one team has offered such a contract.

Dunn, according to Morosi, is expected to sign with the club that offers the most years and dollars, rather than the club that offers the most time at first base.

This opens the market for Dunn, since more teams have a need at DH than at first base, and if Dunn is willing to be flexible in that manner, it opens up more contending clubs, including the White Sox, Rangers, Rays and Angels.

Dunn has been connected to both Chicago clubs and the White Sox's interest could be pinned to their pursuit of their own free agent, Paul Konerko. The Sox could conceivably retain Konerko and still add Dunn, but salary cost is likely to be an issue with such a scenario.

The Sox could instead look to Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui or Lance Berkman as a backup plan.

The Cubs, without a first baseman, may be the club most motivated to pay Dunn, who was seeking a four-year contract from the Nationals this past summer.

Buster Olney suggests Thursday that the Rangers might find interest in Dunn at some point, especially if they lose Cliff Lee, which would leave them with tons of payroll flexibility.

- Jason A. Churchill

olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Rangers could target Dunn
"The Rangers may or may not decide to re-sign Vladimir Guerrero, but another option is to bring on board the best pure power hitter available, a Texan who has hit 38 or more homers in seven consecutive seasons: Adam Dunn. The market price for Dunn was probably set the other day when Victor Martinez agreed to a four-year, $50 million deal. Like Martinez, Dunn is regarded as defensively challenged, and if an AL team like the Rangers were to sign him, it would envision his primary responsibility to be that of a DH, which appears to be the Tigers' plan for Martinez."
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The conversation that Troy Tulowitzki had with Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd, in the GM's office in the first days of October, was about baseball, but it really wasn't.

It was about Tulowitzki's ambition. It was about what Tulowitzki wanted to do with his life, how he wanted to raise children, where he wanted to live, what he wanted to accomplish.

mlb_u_tulo_300.jpg

Getty ImagesTroy Tulowitzki wears No. 2, a nod to Derek Jeter. He'd like a similar run in Colorado.

O'Dowd walked away from those conversations thinking that Rockies owner Charlie Monfort needed to hear what Tulowitzki felt and what he was thinking. And so he asked Tulowitzki to come back to his office to meet with Monfort, with whom the shortstop has a good relationship.

No money was discussed. No contract was discussed. This was about Tulowitzki's ambitions. He spoke about how he wanted what Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken had been able to do -- play careers that could be measured in decades for one team in one city. He wanted what Derek Jeter -- Tulowitzki's inspiration for wearing No. 2 -- appears to have. "He cited those guys and said, 'This is what I want my career to represent,'" recalled O'Dowd.

Monfort and O'Dowd came out of that meeting believing they wanted to invest in Tulowitzki and his dream. "I saw a maturity in him that I've been noticing the last couple of years," O'Dowd said over the phone Tuesday evening.

Tulowitzki's status as the best shortstop in the big leagues is the major reason the Rockies have committed $157.75 million over the next 10 years to him. O'Dowd knows that there will be industry criticism of Colorado's decision to do this now, but he and Monfort are convinced that everything is right about this deal -- the player, the timing, the motives on both sides. "When you do things for the right reasons," said O'Dowd, "it usually works out OK."

O'Dowd and Tulowitzki talked through all that could happen during the tenure of the shortstop's contract. The Rockies, with their mid-level payroll, might struggle. There might be a day when Tulowitzki might have to change positions. There could be a lot of ups and downs.

And at the end of those conversations and about six weeks of negotiations, O'Dowd and Tulowitzki and agent Paul Cohen had worked out a mutual future.

---

Kenton Wong of ESPN Stats & Information has this take on the Tulowitzki signing:

"The Troy Tulowitzki extension is reminiscent of the deals signed by Alex Rodriguez with the Rangers and by Derek Jeter with the Yankees following the 2000 season. All three of the deals locked up the player for 10 years and were signed with the shortstop in his mid-20s. Rodriguez was 25 at the time he signed with Texas; Jeter and Tulowitzki 26.

"The extension brings his current deal to 10 years and just under $158 million. That is the third-richest contract given to a shortstop behind the aforementioned Rodriguez and Jeter deals."

Here are those deals (and ages):

Alex Rodriguez, 10 years/$252M (25)
Derek Jeter, 10 years/$189M (26)
Troy Tulowitzki, 10 years/$157.75M (26)

"The $157.75 million the Rockies have committed to Tulowitzki seems like a lot, but if the Rockies shortstop can continue to produce like he did last season, Colorado may have themselves a bargain. Last season Tulowitzki was worth 6.4 more wins than a replacement level player. No other shortstop was worth more than 5.1 wins in 2010. Those 6.4 wins are valued at just under $26 million."

The most wins above replacement among shortstops last season:

Troy Tulowitzki: 6.4
Stephen Drew: 5.1
Hanley Ramirez: 4.4
Alexei Ramirez: 3.8

Tulowitzki's deal is all about trust, writes Troy Renck. The Rockies have reached out to a couple of other young stars to talk about long-term deals.
[h3]Around the league[/h3]

• Jamie McCourt rejected a divorce settlement proposal, and the ownership of the Dodgers might be in a state of flux for months to come, as Bill Shaikin writes.

At least the Dodgers are able to go about the business of making the team better, in a way they did not a year ago. The Dodgers announced the Juan Uribe deal.

• The Yankees and Derek Jeter are talking again, Hank Steinbrenner is confident the shortstop will re-sign, and presumably they're making progress toward reaching a deal, and moving forward, two things need to happen:

No. 1: Jeter needs to make sure he doesn't take any of what's happened over the last few weeks to heart. It's business, not personal; he has been trying to negotiate to get as much money as possible, and the Yankees have been angling to pay him according to what they believe his market value is.

When I covered the Orioles for the Baltimore Sun in 1995 and 1996, there was always a thick tension between Cal Ripken and the team -- which seemed to be rooted in the club's decision to fire Cal Ripken Sr. as manager in 1988. Never mind that the people who had made that decision had long since moved on -- there was always a tug and pull between the team's decision-makers (including the managers) and Ripken, and it was not a good thing for an organization that was going about the business of trying to win championships.

If Jeter feels anger toward the team or the media for how this has played out, he needs to put that behind him and imagine how he would've felt if, as an 18-year-old, he had been offered a three-year, $45 million deal to be the shortstop of the Yankees. Even if he doesn't get what he wants in this negotiation, he is still in an incredible situation.

No. 2: The Yankees need to do all they can to reach across the aisle and make sure Jeter knows that they view him as an important part of a championship contender. If that means Joe Girardi flying down to meet with Jeter, so be it. If it means doing something like picking up the tab for Jeter's Super Bowl party -- a nice gesture -- so be it. If it means putting on all the bells and whistles to announce Jeter's new deal, they should do that.

Brian Cashman is channeling George Weiss, writes Filip Bondy. Jeter will have a big moment next summer.

Meanwhile, Cashman is going to rappel 22 stories. Which is crazy.

• Middle infielders are dominating the news in the NL West, and as our colleague Enrique Rojas reports, Miguel Tejada agreed to terms with the Giants. He is returning to the Bay Area, writes Henry Schulman. Tejada once energized the Athletics, as Andrew Baggarly notes.

The Giants really, really like shortstop prospect Brandon Crawford, but they think he's still a year away.

• Carl Pavano is the best available starting pitcher on the free agent market not named Cliff Lee, and his situation will play out over the next 10 days, into the winter meetings. Pavano went 17-11 with a 3.75 ERA last season, and the Twins remain solidly in the mix in the right-hander's contract talks; the Twins have shed a lot of money with the departures of Nick Punto, Orlando Hudson and others, so they do have some flexibility in negotiating with Pavano. Remember, too, that Pavano has loved his time with the Twins.

mlb_u_balfour_200.jpg

Getty ImagesThe likely departure of Grant Balfour means a total reset for the Rays' bullpen.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. The Rays are going to get a ton of draft picks next summer, but their bullpen reconstruction will have to be almost from the ground up, now that Grant Balfour has turned down their offer of arbitration. Once Joaquin Benoit signed his three-year, $16.5 million deal, the market prices for relievers shifted, and guys like Balfour became more attractive. This will make it easier for him to find a multiyear deal someplace -- but more much difficult for the Rays to rebuild their bullpen in a winter in which they're cutting payroll.
2. If the Rangers don't land Cliff Lee or Zack Greinke, they're likely to give Alexi Ogando a chance to be part of the rotation, writes Evan Grant. The Rangers are set to make an offer on Lee.

3. The Braves are waiting to hear from Eric Hinske.

4. The Rangers signed a pitcher from Japan.

5. With Pedro Feliciano departing, the Mets might look at Oliver Perez as a left-handed specialist. That sounds like something that might look good on paper in the winter but never translates when they actually start playing games. The problem with Perez coming out of the bullpen is that he gets into streaks of wildness, which will drive a manager (and teammates) absolutely crazy if it repeatedly happens in the seventh and eighth innings.

6. Brandon Webb likes the Pirates, as Dejan Kovacevic writes.

7. It would be worth it for the Phillies to make an offer to Jayson Werth, writes Bill Conlin, in light of Domonic Brown's struggles in winter ball. Ruben Amaro understands what it means for Brown to struggle, writes Bob Brookover.

8. Three Twins turned down arbitration offers.

9. Tsuyoshi Nishioka is excited to join the Twins.

10. The Cardinals traded for a shortstop.

11. The Royals are prepared to trade Robinson Tejeda.

[h4]Buster's New Book[/h4]
busterbook2.jpg
Buster Olney is the author of the book "recipient[/color] of the Jimmy V Award at the ESPYS.

"Surprising and unforgettable." - Mike Krzyzewski

"Olney knows the beating heart of life and the pulse of humanity that makes sports matter." - George F. Will

"A true inspiration." - Pat Summitt

12. Hal McCoy thinks the Reds should take a run at Jorge Cantu.

13. Manny Acta plans to have Grady Sizemore as his center fielder.

14. The Brewers don't know what they're going to do with Prince Fielder.

15. Paul Konerko and J.J. Putz turned down arbitration.

16. Jason Frasor accepted an arbitration offer from the Blue Jays. The Jays' pitching picture is becoming more clear, writes Ken Fidlin.

17. A couple of D-Backs declined arbitration, writes Nick Piecoro.

18. Kevin Correia was offered arbitration, but declined.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Jamie Moyer is having Tommy John surgery but isn't ready to retire.
2. A couple of Mets are banged up, as mentioned in this Dan Martin notebook.
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• Tino Martinez is part of the Hall of Fame ballot this year. Guys accused of using steroids are on the ballot.
• The Red Sox announced their spring training schedule, as Daniel Barbarisi writes.

• The Tigers' opener will be moved back to 3:05.

• Some nice words in Sports Illustrated about the book.

And today will be better than yesterday.
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http://[h3]
[h3]Ramirez staying long term?[/h3]
1:38PM ET

[h5]Alexei Ramirez | White Sox [/h5]


UPDATE: Ramirez indeed opted out of his contract and will likely earn $2.5 million in 2011 via his contract option, but that's more than affordable for the White Sox, and it's not out of the realm of possibility that the club discusses a long-term extension with the shortstop.

...

The Chicago White Sox could see value in trading Alexei Ramirez this winter since his contract is up after 2011 and he'll likely become quite pricey just as he hits the wrong side of 30. It's probably a long shot, as shortstops are extremely difficult to come by, but Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune has a idea.

Rogers proposes a trade between the Sox and the Yankees that would send Ramirez to the Yankees with a veteran or two such as Mark Teahen or Scott Linebrink, as well as catching prospect Tyler Flowers, for centerfielder Curtis Granderson and of the Yankees' catching prospects.

There are parts of such a trade that make zero sense -- the swap of catching prospects, for one, and the inclusion of Teahen and/or Linebrink -- but there is some logic to the Ramirez for Granderson portion.

The Yankees will need a shortstop some time soon, even though Derek Jeter is expected to re-sign. Granderson makes quite a bit more than Ramirez and would free up more coin for the Yankees to pursue pitching and perhaps Carl Crawford this winter. Such a move, Rogers adds, would push along the possibility of a Carlos Quentin deal that would bring Raul Ibanez back from Philadelphia.

The White Sox, however, would have to have another shortstop in place, and though 2008 first-round pick Gordon Beckham is capable by most accounts, the club has been unwilling to use him there to this point.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Tigers still thinking big?[/h3]
1:34PM ET

[h5]Detroit Tigers [/h5]


The Detroit Tigers could still be considering big-name free agents if the guestimates of the clubs' available payroll is correct, as SI.com's Jon Heyman writes Wednesday.

Adam Dunn isn't likely to be considered any longer since Victor Martinez signed and is in the club's plans as the designated hitter, and Miguel Cabrera is manning first base. But the club's outfield needs some help and both Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth -- on the Tigers radar since the season ended -- are both still available.

However, with a lineup that already looks solid -- V-Mart and Cabrera will be supported by Brandon Inge, Jhonny Peralta, Austin Jackson and perhaps Brennan Boesch, as well as a healthy Carlos Guillen -- GM Dave Dombrowski may prefer to look for improvements to the pitching staff.

The Tigers could still add a left-hander reliever such as Scott Downs or Pedro Feliciano, and starters such as Aaron Harang or even Carl Pavano may be fits in Motown.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Three years for Crain, Guerrier?[/h3]
1:28PM ET

[h5]Jesse Crain | Twins [/h5]


UPDATE: Peter Gammons of MLB.com tweets that Crain and Matt Guerrier are requesting three-year deals, a market price set by Joaquin Benoit's contract with the Detroit Tigers.

Neither player require draft-pick compensation from the signing club, however, which broadens the market for each right-hander.

...

Jesse Crain could be one of the relievers on the free agent market most impacted by the deal the Detroit Tigers handed to Joaquin Benoit earlier this month. Crain, tweets MLB.com's Peter Gammons, is drawing interest from as many as nine teams, including a few clubs that don't seem like good fits if it's going to take a three-year deal.

Crain, a Type B free agent, has been connected to the Rays, Rockies, Mariners, Orioles, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Nationals and Cubs, says Gammons, and the market could grow to include another half-dozen teams.

FoxSports.com reports Tuesday that the interest between Crain and the Jays is mutual, though the right-hander's Canadian heritage may not be a factor since he spent all but six months of his life in the United States.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports Tuesday the Rockies could concentrate on landing Cain now that they have reached deals with Troy Tulowitzki and Jorge De La Rosa.

Jason Frasor is another similar arm and could command two or three years, but he's a Type A free agent, which could limit the interest level.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Options for the Red Sox[/h3]
1:19PM ET

[h5]Boston Red Sox [/h5]


If Adrian Beltre bolts Beantown, the Boston Red Sox are expected to move Kevin Youkilis to third base and add a first baseman, likely via free agency. There are several options, but SI.com's Jon Heyman mentions Derrek Lee as a possibility.

The Sox could consider Carlos Pena, too, but it seems clubs such as Washington and the Chicago Cubs may beat Boston to the punch. Adam Dunn has not been connected to Boston, but that could change, and the club is also believed to be the favorite for outfielder Jayson Werth, and a contender for Carl Crawford.

If Werth is added, GM Theo Epstein may prefer a left-handed hitting first baseman in the scenario where Beltre signs elsewhere. Adam LaRoche is another lefty stick, but the Sox may want to stick to 1-year options, which may limit their market to the likes of Lyle Overbay.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Phils seek lefty[/h3]
12:55PM ET

[h5]Philadelphia Phillies [/h5]


UPDATE: ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney tweets Wednesday that the Phillies are more likely to limit their search for a lefty reliever to those that will not require draft-pick compensation.

Pedro Feliciano is a name Olney notes, and the preference likely eliminates Scott Downs from the club's radar.

...

The Philadelphia Phillies declined the 2011 option on left-hander J.C. Romero, and are now in the market for his replacement, reports FoxSports.com's Jon Morosi.

The club has interest in Dennys Reyes, Morosi notes, and if George Sherrill is non-tendered by the Dodgers the Phillies could get involved as the scout that discovered the left-hander in the independent leagues early last decade is a special assistant in Philadelphia.

It doesn't appear that some of the pricier lefties on the free market interest Philly at this stage, as one executive tells Rumor Central that the Phillies are also looking for left-hander in the Rule 5 Draft that will be held at the winter meetings in two weeks.

Such frugality may eliminate the possibility that the Phillies are a suitor for Pedro Feliciano, Brian Fuenetes and Scott Downs, but could be fits for Ron Mahay, Randy Choate, Randy Flores or Bobby Seay.

The club expressed interest in right-hander Joaquin Benoit earlier this month, so they could still add a right-hander as well, but have since re-signed Jose Contreras and declined to offer arbitration to right-hander Chad Durbin.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Backup plans for Rangers[/h3]
12:39PM ET

[h5]Texas Rangers [/h5]


Should the Texas Rangers lose Cliff Lee to the New York Yankees this offseason, their secondary options include dipping into the bullpen for starting pitching. Kansas City Royals right-hander Zack Greinke may be an option as well, but Alexi Ogando and Neftaliz Feliz have both been mentioned as potential transition candidates -- Ogando was noted by Evan Grant Wednesday morning.



If the Rangers moved Feliz to the rotation they'd have to find a replacement closer, but Ogando, primarily a setup man, would be a bit easier to replace.

The Rangers may look to add a bullpen arm whether they have to move either right-hander out of their relief role or not, and could consider other trades for starters. The club did sign Japanese right-hander Yoshinori Tateyama and will retain Frank Francisco after he accepted arbitration Tuesday.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Rockies consider Glaus[/h3]
12:32PM ET

[h5]Troy Glaus | Braves [/h5]


Troy Glaus' free agency may not take shape until the smoke clears, tweets ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney Monday but the slugger could become a cheaper option than the group including Pauk Konerko, Adam Dunn, Derrek Lee and Carlos Pena, all of whom are likely to receive multi-year offers.

Glaus, who hit .240 with 16 home runs last season in 128 games for the Atlanta Braves, could become Plan B right along with veterans Jim Thome, Hideki Matsui, Adam LaRoche and Russell Branyan. Glaus, however, is a bit unique compared to the latter veteran group -- he bats right-handed, an aspect matched only by switch hitter Lance Berkman, who has been significantly better as a left-handed hitter in recent years.

As a result, Glaus could be an ideal fit for the Colorado Rockies, who would like to add right-handed power to share time with the lefty-hitting Todd Helton. Glaus isn't likely to command more than a one-year contract and his fly ball tendencies could bode well in Denver. Troy Renck of the Denver Post confirms our speculation via Twitter.

Renck tweeted Monday, that the Rockies are also interested in veteran Bill Hall, who could serve in a similar role. Avoiding the pricey options could allow GM Dan O'Dowd to focus on starting pitching.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Cards to eye Hudson?[/h3]
12:29PM ET

[h5]St. Louis Cardinals [/h5]


The St. Louis Cardinals plan to play the newly-acquired Ryan Theriot at shortstop, according to a tweet by FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, suggesting that perhaps the club is still in the market for a second base option such as Orlando Hudson.

Hudson, who turned down arbitration from the Minnesota Twins Tuesday, is a Type-B free agent which means clubs do not have to give up a draft pick to sign him.

The Cards could change their minds on where to play Theriot if a shortstop fell into their laps, and Edgar Renteria says he wants to end his career with either the Marlins or Cardinals.

Cesar Izturis is also a free agent and Jason Bartlett and J.J. Hardy are still potential trade targets.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Dodgers passing on Martin?[/h3]
12:10PM ET

[h5]Russell Martin | Dodgers [/h5]


The http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/lad/los-angeles-dodgersLos Angeles Dodgers have been the most active club in baseball since the World Series ended, re-signing left-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4062Ted Lilly and right-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28950Hiroki Kuroda before adding infielder http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4657Juan Uribe.

The attention now switches to catcher, and Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times says the Dodgers may not tender a contract to Russell Martin by Thursday's deadline.

Martin made $5.05 million last season and could earn more than $6 million in the arbitration process if he is tendered a contract. Martin's agent, Matt Colleran said he has talked with the Dodgers, but the club hasn't presented his client with a formal offer.

An option for the Dodgers is to re-sign 35-year-old http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4207http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4207Rod Barajas and again have him split duties with http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=29258http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=29258A.J. Ellis. That scenario would be far less expensive than bringing back Martin at the market rate.

Ken Rosenthal reports the Dodgers are interested in Jason Varitek, another sign that Martin could be on the way out.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Webb open to Pittsburgh[/h3]
11:52AM ET

[h5]Brandon Webb | Diamondbacks [/h5]


There appears to be no shortage of teams looking to kick the tires on Brandon Webb, the former D-backs right-hander who hasn't pitched since Opening Day 2009.

Dejan Kovacevic of the Post-Gazette reports that the Pirates are one of a half-dozen teams interested in the free agent. Webb's agent, Jonathan Maurer, said his client would welcome a chance to play in Steel City, which makes sense since there is no point of eliminating suitors at this point.

The Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals and Minnesota Twins are believed to be among the other suitors for the former Cy Young Award winner who is coming off shoulder surgery.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post tweeted Monday that the Rockies were among the teams looking at Webb, but it remains to be seen if that interest is still there now that Jorge De La Rosa is staying in Denver.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Royals may shop Tejeda[/h3]
11:30AM ET

[h5]Robinson Tejeda | Royals [/h5]


Robinson Tejeda became a more valuable commodity thanks to http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4588Joaquin Benoit's stunning deal with the Tigers, and that could prompt the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/kc/kansas-city-royalsKansas City Royals to shop the middle reliever.

Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star talked to an AL executive who says Benoit's three-year, $16.5 million deal "put the squeeze" on teams looking for bullpen help.

The Royals have been willing to deal setup relievers in the past (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6503Ramon Ramirez, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6272Leo Nunez), and might be willing to see if Tejeda could land some valuable talent in return. Dutton says the Royals are confident that they have enough prospects in the system to replace Tejeda, who did just find as the bridge to http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28688Joakim Soria.

Tejeda is in line for a notable raise from his 2010 salary of $950,000, but he will still be a relative bargain compared to Benoit.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Perez to the bullpen?[/h3]
11:07AM ET

[h5]Oliver Perez | Mets [/h5]

The New York Mets have this $12 million in excess baggage. That is what Oliver Perez will earn in 2011, a contract that new general manager Sandy Alderson would love to unload somewhere.

The Mets need to make the most of the situation and Andy Martino of the New York Daily News suggests that Perez, who endured a brutal 2010 season, could be used in the bullpen now that Pedro Feliciano has turned down an arbitration offer.

The Mets also are desperate for starting pitching, which explains their recent interest in former Padre Chris Young.

Perez is regarded by many as a lost cause, but he is showing signs of potential usefulness, reports Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. Perez, Rubin notes, has a fastball average throughout his career of about 91 mph, but that dipped to 88 in recent seasons with the Mets.

Rubin cites one source that states Perez's velocity has been up a bit during his time in the Mexican Winter League. "Starting velocities have the consistent 88, but spikes are higher and more common -- 91s and occasional 92s."

Perez often touched the mid-90s when at his best, however, which may mean he'll have to find a way to throw more quality pitches in terms of location if he's to be effective in the NL East.

Our Buster Olney is not thrilled with the bullpen idea:

- Doug Mittler

olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Bullpen won't work for Ollie
"That sounds like something that might look good on paper in the winter but never translates when they actually start playing games. The problem with Perez coming out of the bullpen is that he gets into streaks of wildness, which will drive a manager (and teammates) absolutely crazy if it repeatedly happens in the seventh and eighth innings."
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[/h3]

http://[h3]Balfour turns down arbitration[/h3]
10:44AM ET

[h5]Grant Balfour | Rays [/h5]


The Tampa Bay Rays saw all seven players who were offered arbitration reject the offer Tuesday.

There was speculation that Grant Balfour, who made $2.05 million last season, might have considered the offer. Balfour is a Type A free agent, a designation that could hurt his market value.

Our Buster Olney says one signing by the Detroit Tigers has drastically changed the market:

- Doug Mittler

olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Balfour hits the open market
"Once Joaquin Benoit signed his three-year, $16.5 million deal with Detroit, the market prices for relievers shifted, and guys like Balfour became more attractive. This will make it easier for him to find a multiyear deal someplace -- but more much difficult for the Rays to rebuild their bullpen in a winter in which they're cutting payroll."
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http://[h3]Thaw in Jeter talks?[/h3]
10:34AM ET

[h5]Derek Jeter | Yankees [/h5]


http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3246Derek Jeter has enjoyed a pristine image during his http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/nyy/new-york-yankeesNew York Yankees tenure, but the shortstop has received at least some negative publicity in recent weeks over his stalled contract talks.

Coincidence or not, the two sides reportedly met Tuesday with Jeter's agent, Casey Close, reaching out to the Yankees in an effort to move the contentious negotiations forward. The New York Daily News reports Close and general manager Brian Cashman met in Tampa, the first sitdown between the two camps since November 8.

Yankee management also appears to be extending the olive branch. "I feel confident that Derek will remain with the Yankees, and my brother does, as well," New York's co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner said Tuesday night in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

Cashman had grown frustrated with the Jeter contract talks, daring the 36-year-old free agent shortstop to see what he can get on the open market.

If the Jeter talks were to collapse completely, the Yankees have a backup plan in http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=30290Eduardo Nunez, writes ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. Nunez, a 23-year-old prospect with 30 games of big-league experience, has a reputation as a defense-first talent but hit .289 with a respectable .340 on-base percentage in Triple-A in 2010.

The Yankees appeared firm in their three-year, $45 million contract offer to Jeter, who is believed to be seeking a four- or five-year pact worth $23 million per.

- Doug Mittler

olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Closing the Jeter deal
"If Jeter feels anger toward the team or the media for how this has played out, he needs to put that behind him and imagine how he would've felt if, as an 18-year-old, he had been offered a three-year, $45 million deal to be the shortstop of the Yankees. Even if he doesn't get what he wants in this negotiation, he is still in an incredible situation. The Yankees need to do all they can to reach across the aisle and make sure Jeter knows that they view him as an important part of a championship contender. If that means Joe Girardi flying down to meet with Jeter, so be it. If it means doing something like picking up the tab for Jeter's Super Bowl party -- a nice gesture -- so be it. If it means putting on all the bells and whistles to announce Jeter's new deal, they should do that."
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http://[h3]Is Tulo worth the 10-year risk?[/h3]
10:21AM ET

[h5]Troy Tulowitzki | Rockies [/h5]


Troy Tulowitzki talked in October about wanting to remain a Colorado Rockie for the rest of his career.

The Rockies made a strong push to make that happen, agreeing to an extension that will put him under contract through the 2020 season, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reported Tuesday. Tulowitzki was in the middle of a 6-year, $31 million contract he signed prior to the 2008 season.

ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reports that Tulowitzki's previous contract remains in tact, paying him $5.5 million in 2011, 8.25 million in 2012, and 10 million in 2013. But he'll make $16 million in 2014 and $20 million per season from 2015-2019.

According to Renck, Tulowitzki was eager to reach a deal after witnessing how contract uncertainty caused the departure of teammates Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe. Tulowitzki is just 26, the same age as Derek Jeter when the shortstop agreed to a 10-year deal with the Yankees.

We checked in with our Keith Law, who thinks the Rockies may have gone too far. Olney counters that the Rox were more than willing to take the risk.

- Doug Mittler

law_keith_30.jpg
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Rockies go too far with Tulo
"I think he's among the ten most valuable position players in baseball, and likely to hold his value for most of the decade -- and even I think this deal is excessive and risky. But the risk is greatest in the final few years of the deal, by which point he'll probably have moved off shortstop or will present the club with a Jeteresque obstacle at the position, and his offensive production will have declined to the point where he'll be hard-pressed to earn his salary unless there is major inflation in player salaries between now and then."
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olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Why the Rockies went deep
"Tulowitzki's status as the best shortstop in the big leagues is the major reason the Rockies have committed $157.75 million over the next 10 years to him. GM Dan O'Dowd knows that there will be industry criticism of Colorado's decision to do this now, but he and owner Charlie Monfort are convinced that everything is right about this deal -- the player, the timing, the motives on both sides. 'When you do things for the right reasons,' said O'Dowd, 'it usually works out OK.'"
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http://[h3]Rangers making 5-year offer to Lee?[/h3]
10:08AM ET

[h5]Cliff Lee | Rangers [/h5]


It may finally be time for the Texas Rangers to show Cliff Lee the money.

George King of the New York Post reports Wednesday the Rangers are on the verge of making an official offer to retain the left-handed free-agent hurler.

The Rangers, aware the New York Yankees are willing to pay $23 million a year for Lee, will not be gun shy about making the prized free agent a five-year offer. The Yankees are believed to have made a five- or six-year offer.

Our Buster Olney chimes in with us, emailing: "We've known the Rangers would compete with the Yankees. I don't think the question is about the fifth year guarantee; the question is whether either team goes to a sixth year, at $23-25 million a year."

If it comes down strictly to contract dollars, the belief among industry exexutives is that Lee is headed to The Bronx because the money difference will be too big to ignore.

King writes that the Rangers are hoping the absence of a state tax in Texas and the proximity of Lee's Arkansas home to Dallas will be strong enough selling points to keep Lee in Arlington.

There have been conflicting reports whether the Yankees have offered Lee a six-year deal worth $140 million. If that is true, it might be enough to get it done.

The Rangers reportedly want to know where they stand with Lee soon, because if he isn't returning to Texas, the AL champions may make a run at http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5883Zack Greinke. The industry views the Rangers' contingency plans as a sign Lee is headed to New York.

ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reported over the weekend that talks regarding Lee are expected to heat up this coming week.

Nick Cafardo wrote in Sunday's Boston Globe that if the Rangers fall short on Lee, one of their options might be to put http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=30149http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=30149http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=30149Neftali Feliz back in the rotation and then sign a closer like http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4600http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4600Rafael Soriano.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]The market for Pavano[/h3]
9:56AM ET

[h5]Carl Pavano | Twins | Interested: Pirates? [/h5]


The Minnesota Twins assured themselves of draft pick compensation once right-hander Carl Pavano, a Type-A free agent, turned down an arbitration offer Tuesday.

Pavano has made it known he would like to remain in Minnesota, but Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune says it's uncertain if the Twins will meet his three-year asking price.

Pavano is the top starting pitcher on the market behind Cliff Lee, especially now that Jorge De La Rosa is expected to re-sign with the Rockies for $32 million over three years. Colorado was believed to be one of the teams on Pavano's radar, but that option may be gone for now.

Pavano is getting hits in Miami -- discussed here -- and in Washington, as reported by the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore.

Don't rule out the Rangers if they lose out on Lee. As the Tribune's Nick Nelson points out, the Rangers' No. 26 pick in the 2011 draft is unprotected, but the departure of Lee -- a Type A -- would garner them two additional top picks and perhaps make that loss palatable.

- Doug Mittler

law_keith_30.jpg
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
The market for Pavano
"Some people throw him under the bus for his stint with the New York Yankees, but he's remade himself as a sinker-changeup artist and is coming off two of the best seasons of his career. He's not a good option if you play in a small park, though; he has a below-average fastball and that can make him homer-prone."
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http://[h3]Varitek's options[/h3]
9:37AM ET

[h5]Jason Varitek | Red Sox [/h5]


The http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/bos/boston-red-soxBoston Red Sox allowed last week's deadline to pass without offering arbitration to http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3760Jason Varitek, even if the veteran catcher saw his leverage rise with the departure of http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5007Victor Martinez to the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/det/detroit-tigersDetroit Tigers.

Varitek may have accepted an offer, in which case he would've been signed next season at a modest raise from his $3 million salary.

At this stage, the Red Sox appear ready to move forward with http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28663Jarrod Saltalamacchia as their starter, but his relative lack of experience will make Varitek more valuable, even if he will turn 39 in April and is coming off a season in which he broke a bone in his right foot.

Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com reports that Varitek is on the radar of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who appear to be willing to part ways with Russell Martin.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Dodgers looking at Damon?[/h3]
9:29AM ET

[h5]Johnny Damon | Tigers [/h5]


The Los Angeles Dodgers, already the busiest team in baseball this offseason, have veteran outfielder Johnny Damon on their radar, reports Ken Rosenthal.

Damon seemingly would be a better fit in the American League where he could spend at least some time as a designated hitter. But with the Dodgers, Rosenthal says Damon could replace free agent Scott Podsednik and hit second behind Rafael Furcal.

The Boston Globe wrote earlier this month that while Damon wants to stay in the east, the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres may be among the veteran's best options, although his days playing the field appear to be nearing an end.

The Oakland A's and Los Angeles Angels may be a fit, too, depending on what kind of offers Damon receives elsewhere, and SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that Damon prefers an AL East team, but that the cash-strapped Rays are more likely destinations than the Yankees and Red Sox at this stage.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Rivera seeks two-year deal[/h3]
9:18AM ET

[h5]Mariano Rivera | Yankees [/h5]


The New York Yankees and Derek Jeter have chosen to do a chunk of their contract negotiations via the media.

In case you forgot, 41-year-old closer Mariano Rivera, who like Jeter is a Yankee icon, is eligible for free agency, too.

Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com wrote Monday that the negotiations between the two sides have gone well, suggesting Rivera and the Yankees aren't far apart.

Could the talks hit a bump in the road?

Pete Caldera of The Record reports Wednesday the Yankees made an initial one-year offer to Rivera that is somewhat below the $15 million he earned last season. Rivera wants a two-year deal, perhaps in the $30 million range.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Reaching out to Gonzalez[/h3]
8:24AM ET

[h5]Carlos Gonzalez | Rockies [/h5]


The baseball world spent plenty of time of Tuesday analyzing just why the Colorado Rockies gave Troy Tulowitzki a $134 million megadeal even though the shortstop was already under contract through 2013.

One reason is the mere presence of super agent Scott Boras, who lists Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez on his client list.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd recently talked about a long-term contract for CarGo with Boras, but the talks didn't get far.

Gonzalez is contractually bound to the Rockies for at least four more years before Boras would likely put him on the free agent market. By locking up Tulowitzki, the Rockies avoid the doomsday scenario of losing their two most potent bats, Tulowitzki and Gonzalez, in back-to-back seasons.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]New deal for Ubaldo?[/h3]
8:02AM ET

[h5]Ubaldo Jimenez | Rockies [/h5]


A day after the Colorado Rockies extend Troy Tulowitzki for $134 million and re-sign left-hander Jorge De La Rosa for what could turn out to be worth more than $40 million, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that the club is willing to discuss a new deal for ace right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez this time next year.

Jimenez signed an extension two winters ago that takes him through the 2012 season, with more-than affordable club options for both 2013 and 2014 at $5.75 million and $8 million.

The right-hander was a Cy Young contender this past season and won 19 games to go with a sparkling 2.88 ERA. He still battles with control problems, but every other part of his game has been improved over the past three seasons, and he's just 26.

On the surface, it didn't seem necessary to hand Tulowitzki all that money now and tearing up Jimenez's deal appears to be a similar scenario in the making.

At least the Rockies are going to make Jimenez repeat his 2010 performance before they do so, however.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Uribe deal will help Beltre[/h3]
7:37AM ET

[h5]Adrian Beltre | Red Sox [/h5]


The price for Adrian Beltre may have gone up thanks to the three-year, $21 million deal the Los Angeles Dodgers gave to Juan Uribe.

Agent Scott Boras has floated the idea of a five-year, $90 million deal for Beltre, a figure that no longer looks so extreme when you compare Beltre's production to that of Uribe.

"Scott doesn't deal in the market," and executive told Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. "He deals in what his players are worth. If Juan Uribe is worth $7 million a year, should Adrian Beltre not be worth $18 million a year?"

The Red Sox have put a high priority on Beltre, but they won't be offering a blank check to the third baseman, which opens the door for other clubs to jump into the chase. Beltre declined arbitration from the Red Sox, but has not closed the door on a return from Boston.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe cites one source who says the Bosox will go no more than four years, $52 million for Beltre, and the A's have reportedly bettered that offer, going to five years and more than $60 million.

The http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-piratesPittsburgh Pirates, reports Dejan Kovacevic, have contacted Beltre's agent Scott Boras to express their interest but it's unclear how far the Bucs can go.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Tejada signs, thins SS market[/h3]
7:23AM ET

[h5]Shortstops [/h5]

[img]http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/leagues/lrg/trans/mlb.gif[/img]
With Juan Uribe signing to play second base for the Dodgers and Ryan Theriot moving from L.A. to St. Louis -- perhaps to play second base -- the market for shortstops is thinning out, and word comes in Tuesday evening, via ESPNDeportes.com's Enrique Rojas via Twitter, that the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a deal with Miguel Tejada.

Tejada's deal, Rojas's tweet says, is for one year at rate of $6.5 million. Tejada could end up playing either shortstop or second base for the Giants.

Clubs still in the market for a shortstop include the Baltimore Orioles, who have been eyeing J.J. Hardy and Jason Bartlett, but Dan Connelly writes that the O's and Rays have not progressed on a deal for the veteran shortstop.

Other clubs that could seek shortstop help include the San Diego Padres and the Cardinals, with Cesar Izturis, a free agent, and Marco Scutaro, a potential trade target, also still available.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Stark: Dodgers eye pen arms[/h3]
7:23AM ET

[h5]Los Angeles Dodgers [/h5]


They've already signed three starting pitchers this winter (Ted Lilly, Jon Garland, Hiroki Kuroda). Now the Dodgers are turning their attention to their bullpen.

Sources in the industry have indicated to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that the Dodgers are attempting to sign at least one, and possibly two, setup relievers. Among the names known to be high on their shopping list: Jesse Crain, Jason Frasor and Matt Guerrier.

If the Dodgers can get Jonathan Broxton straightened out and back in the closer's role, they would like to have at least one righthanded complement to lefthander Hong-Chih Kuo to divide up the late-inning set-up work.

http://[h3]Greinke open to Yankee deal?[/h3]
7:22AM ET

[h5]Zack Greinke | Royals [/h5]


We have been hearing for weeks that Zack Greinke would use his limited no-trade clause to block any trade to the New York Yankees.

Greinke may have a fondness for the Big Apple after all, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. A source tells Passan that the Kansas City right-hander would happily pitch anywhere that would provide a winning team.

The Yankees could make a play for Greinke if they are unable to land Cliff Lee.

In last Tuesday's blog, our Buster Olney hears some rival general managers are convinced the Royals are intent on moving Greinke this winter, and if they are the Rangers could be a bidder.

In that light, ESPNDallas.com's Richard Durrett asks his readers what they would give up for Greinke, and discusses his ideas that include perhaps both Tanner Scheppers and Martin Perez, two of the Rangers' top pitching prospects.

Meanwhile, George King of the New York Post wrote Tuesday that the Rangers want to know where they stand with Lee soon. If Lee isn't returning to Texas, the Rangers also are contemplating taking a run at Greinke.

- Doug Mittler

law_keith_30.jpg
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Greinke a prime trade target
"It sounds like the Royals will at least listen to offers this winter, although with Greinke signed to a very reasonable deal through 2012, they have no urgency to make a move right away. But given how much talent they have coming, trading Greinke in the right deal could easily set them up for a couple of playoff berths in the 2013-2016 range. Greinke was off-the-charts valuable in 2009 -- more valuable than Cliff Lee was in either of the last two seasons, for example -- but his command wasn't quite as sharp in 2010, and he didn't have the same consistency on his curveball. His velocity was fine, his slider remained sharp, and he still has excellent control and a great feel for pitching. As for the depression issues that briefly derailed his career in 2006, I think it's an overblown concern for fans given the past three years of performance, durability, and zero hint of any problem that would affect him on the field."
Click to expand...

http://[h3]Dunn wants $60 million[/h3]
7:00AM ET

[h5]Adam Dunn | Nationals [/h5]


With the addition of part-time DH Victor Martinez, Adam Dunn no longer appears to fit in Detroit, shrinking his market down to even fewer clubs, and may not include the Washington Nationals anymore, writes FoxSports.com's Jon Morosi.

Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan reports that Dunn is asking clubs for a 4-year deal worth about $60 million. While we wish Dunn good luck, we probably aren't alone when we suggest to Dunn that he show a willingness to DH or think about being more flexible in his demands this winter.

Dunn has sought a four-year deal for three years now and not one team has offered such a contract.

Dunn, according to Morosi, is expected to sign with the club that offers the most years and dollars, rather than the club that offers the most time at first base.

This opens the market for Dunn, since more teams have a need at DH than at first base, and if Dunn is willing to be flexible in that manner, it opens up more contending clubs, including the White Sox, Rangers, Rays and Angels.

Dunn has been connected to both Chicago clubs and the White Sox's interest could be pinned to their pursuit of their own free agent, Paul Konerko. The Sox could conceivably retain Konerko and still add Dunn, but salary cost is likely to be an issue with such a scenario.

The Sox could instead look to Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui or Lance Berkman as a backup plan.

The Cubs, without a first baseman, may be the club most motivated to pay Dunn, who was seeking a four-year contract from the Nationals this past summer.

Buster Olney suggests Thursday that the Rangers might find interest in Dunn at some point, especially if they lose Cliff Lee, which would leave them with tons of payroll flexibility.

- Jason A. Churchill

olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Rangers could target Dunn
"The Rangers may or may not decide to re-sign Vladimir Guerrero, but another option is to bring on board the best pure power hitter available, a Texan who has hit 38 or more homers in seven consecutive seasons: Adam Dunn. The market price for Dunn was probably set the other day when Victor Martinez agreed to a four-year, $50 million deal. Like Martinez, Dunn is regarded as defensively challenged, and if an AL team like the Rangers were to sign him, it would envision his primary responsibility to be that of a DH, which appears to be the Tigers' plan for Martinez."
Click to expand...

 
The conversation that Troy Tulowitzki had with Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd, in the GM's office in the first days of October, was about baseball, but it really wasn't.

It was about Tulowitzki's ambition. It was about what Tulowitzki wanted to do with his life, how he wanted to raise children, where he wanted to live, what he wanted to accomplish.

mlb_u_tulo_300.jpg

Getty ImagesTroy Tulowitzki wears No. 2, a nod to Derek Jeter. He'd like a similar run in Colorado.

O'Dowd walked away from those conversations thinking that Rockies owner Charlie Monfort needed to hear what Tulowitzki felt and what he was thinking. And so he asked Tulowitzki to come back to his office to meet with Monfort, with whom the shortstop has a good relationship.

No money was discussed. No contract was discussed. This was about Tulowitzki's ambitions. He spoke about how he wanted what Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken had been able to do -- play careers that could be measured in decades for one team in one city. He wanted what Derek Jeter -- Tulowitzki's inspiration for wearing No. 2 -- appears to have. "He cited those guys and said, 'This is what I want my career to represent,'" recalled O'Dowd.

Monfort and O'Dowd came out of that meeting believing they wanted to invest in Tulowitzki and his dream. "I saw a maturity in him that I've been noticing the last couple of years," O'Dowd said over the phone Tuesday evening.

Tulowitzki's status as the best shortstop in the big leagues is the major reason the Rockies have committed $157.75 million over the next 10 years to him. O'Dowd knows that there will be industry criticism of Colorado's decision to do this now, but he and Monfort are convinced that everything is right about this deal -- the player, the timing, the motives on both sides. "When you do things for the right reasons," said O'Dowd, "it usually works out OK."

O'Dowd and Tulowitzki talked through all that could happen during the tenure of the shortstop's contract. The Rockies, with their mid-level payroll, might struggle. There might be a day when Tulowitzki might have to change positions. There could be a lot of ups and downs.

And at the end of those conversations and about six weeks of negotiations, O'Dowd and Tulowitzki and agent Paul Cohen had worked out a mutual future.

---

Kenton Wong of ESPN Stats & Information has this take on the Tulowitzki signing:

"The Troy Tulowitzki extension is reminiscent of the deals signed by Alex Rodriguez with the Rangers and by Derek Jeter with the Yankees following the 2000 season. All three of the deals locked up the player for 10 years and were signed with the shortstop in his mid-20s. Rodriguez was 25 at the time he signed with Texas; Jeter and Tulowitzki 26.

"The extension brings his current deal to 10 years and just under $158 million. That is the third-richest contract given to a shortstop behind the aforementioned Rodriguez and Jeter deals."

Here are those deals (and ages):

Alex Rodriguez, 10 years/$252M (25)
Derek Jeter, 10 years/$189M (26)
Troy Tulowitzki, 10 years/$157.75M (26)

"The $157.75 million the Rockies have committed to Tulowitzki seems like a lot, but if the Rockies shortstop can continue to produce like he did last season, Colorado may have themselves a bargain. Last season Tulowitzki was worth 6.4 more wins than a replacement level player. No other shortstop was worth more than 5.1 wins in 2010. Those 6.4 wins are valued at just under $26 million."

The most wins above replacement among shortstops last season:

Troy Tulowitzki: 6.4
Stephen Drew: 5.1
Hanley Ramirez: 4.4
Alexei Ramirez: 3.8

Tulowitzki's deal is all about trust, writes Troy Renck. The Rockies have reached out to a couple of other young stars to talk about long-term deals.
[h3]Around the league[/h3]

• Jamie McCourt rejected a divorce settlement proposal, and the ownership of the Dodgers might be in a state of flux for months to come, as Bill Shaikin writes.

At least the Dodgers are able to go about the business of making the team better, in a way they did not a year ago. The Dodgers announced the Juan Uribe deal.

• The Yankees and Derek Jeter are talking again, Hank Steinbrenner is confident the shortstop will re-sign, and presumably they're making progress toward reaching a deal, and moving forward, two things need to happen:

No. 1: Jeter needs to make sure he doesn't take any of what's happened over the last few weeks to heart. It's business, not personal; he has been trying to negotiate to get as much money as possible, and the Yankees have been angling to pay him according to what they believe his market value is.

When I covered the Orioles for the Baltimore Sun in 1995 and 1996, there was always a thick tension between Cal Ripken and the team -- which seemed to be rooted in the club's decision to fire Cal Ripken Sr. as manager in 1988. Never mind that the people who had made that decision had long since moved on -- there was always a tug and pull between the team's decision-makers (including the managers) and Ripken, and it was not a good thing for an organization that was going about the business of trying to win championships.

If Jeter feels anger toward the team or the media for how this has played out, he needs to put that behind him and imagine how he would've felt if, as an 18-year-old, he had been offered a three-year, $45 million deal to be the shortstop of the Yankees. Even if he doesn't get what he wants in this negotiation, he is still in an incredible situation.

No. 2: The Yankees need to do all they can to reach across the aisle and make sure Jeter knows that they view him as an important part of a championship contender. If that means Joe Girardi flying down to meet with Jeter, so be it. If it means doing something like picking up the tab for Jeter's Super Bowl party -- a nice gesture -- so be it. If it means putting on all the bells and whistles to announce Jeter's new deal, they should do that.

Brian Cashman is channeling George Weiss, writes Filip Bondy. Jeter will have a big moment next summer.

Meanwhile, Cashman is going to rappel 22 stories. Which is crazy.

• Middle infielders are dominating the news in the NL West, and as our colleague Enrique Rojas reports, Miguel Tejada agreed to terms with the Giants. He is returning to the Bay Area, writes Henry Schulman. Tejada once energized the Athletics, as Andrew Baggarly notes.

The Giants really, really like shortstop prospect Brandon Crawford, but they think he's still a year away.

• Carl Pavano is the best available starting pitcher on the free agent market not named Cliff Lee, and his situation will play out over the next 10 days, into the winter meetings. Pavano went 17-11 with a 3.75 ERA last season, and the Twins remain solidly in the mix in the right-hander's contract talks; the Twins have shed a lot of money with the departures of Nick Punto, Orlando Hudson and others, so they do have some flexibility in negotiating with Pavano. Remember, too, that Pavano has loved his time with the Twins.

mlb_u_balfour_200.jpg

Getty ImagesThe likely departure of Grant Balfour means a total reset for the Rays' bullpen.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. The Rays are going to get a ton of draft picks next summer, but their bullpen reconstruction will have to be almost from the ground up, now that Grant Balfour has turned down their offer of arbitration. Once Joaquin Benoit signed his three-year, $16.5 million deal, the market prices for relievers shifted, and guys like Balfour became more attractive. This will make it easier for him to find a multiyear deal someplace -- but more much difficult for the Rays to rebuild their bullpen in a winter in which they're cutting payroll.
2. If the Rangers don't land Cliff Lee or Zack Greinke, they're likely to give Alexi Ogando a chance to be part of the rotation, writes Evan Grant. The Rangers are set to make an offer on Lee.

3. The Braves are waiting to hear from Eric Hinske.

4. The Rangers signed a pitcher from Japan.

5. With Pedro Feliciano departing, the Mets might look at Oliver Perez as a left-handed specialist. That sounds like something that might look good on paper in the winter but never translates when they actually start playing games. The problem with Perez coming out of the bullpen is that he gets into streaks of wildness, which will drive a manager (and teammates) absolutely crazy if it repeatedly happens in the seventh and eighth innings.

6. Brandon Webb likes the Pirates, as Dejan Kovacevic writes.

7. It would be worth it for the Phillies to make an offer to Jayson Werth, writes Bill Conlin, in light of Domonic Brown's struggles in winter ball. Ruben Amaro understands what it means for Brown to struggle, writes Bob Brookover.

8. Three Twins turned down arbitration offers.

9. Tsuyoshi Nishioka is excited to join the Twins.

10. The Cardinals traded for a shortstop.

11. The Royals are prepared to trade Robinson Tejeda.

[h4]Buster's New Book[/h4]
busterbook2.jpg
Buster Olney is the author of the book "recipient[/color] of the Jimmy V Award at the ESPYS.

"Surprising and unforgettable." - Mike Krzyzewski

"Olney knows the beating heart of life and the pulse of humanity that makes sports matter." - George F. Will

"A true inspiration." - Pat Summitt

12. Hal McCoy thinks the Reds should take a run at Jorge Cantu.

13. Manny Acta plans to have Grady Sizemore as his center fielder.

14. The Brewers don't know what they're going to do with Prince Fielder.

15. Paul Konerko and J.J. Putz turned down arbitration.

16. Jason Frasor accepted an arbitration offer from the Blue Jays. The Jays' pitching picture is becoming more clear, writes Ken Fidlin.

17. A couple of D-Backs declined arbitration, writes Nick Piecoro.

18. Kevin Correia was offered arbitration, but declined.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Jamie Moyer is having Tommy John surgery but isn't ready to retire.
2. A couple of Mets are banged up, as mentioned in this Dan Martin notebook.
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• Tino Martinez is part of the Hall of Fame ballot this year. Guys accused of using steroids are on the ballot.
• The Red Sox announced their spring training schedule, as Daniel Barbarisi writes.

• The Tigers' opener will be moved back to 3:05.

• Some nice words in Sports Illustrated about the book.

And today will be better than yesterday.
Click to expand...
 
The New York Post confirmed Wednesday what everyone in baseball has long understood:

The Texas Rangers are not going to just send Cliff Lee a thanks-for-the-memories note and let him cruise into the Bronx unobstructed this winter.

No, the Rangers are going to at least make Lee think about this. And if they're willing to throw a five-year deal at him, as the Post report suggested, that ought to get those brain cells churning.

And then, after he's finished thinking, the New York Yankees will do what everyone in baseball also has long understood:

Ring the cash register -- and hand Lee his pinstripes.

[h4]Cliff Lee[/h4][h5]#33 SP
Texas Rangers[/h5]
2010 STATS
  • GM28
  • W12
  • L9
  • BB18
  • K185
  • ERA3.18

Now maybe we have this wrong, but if we do, we're not the only ones. We surveyed a couple of longtime baseball executives Wednesday morning. And they mostly got a good chuckle out of the latest Cliff Lee blockbuster.

"When it's all said and done," one said, "he's gotta go to New York."

"I think it's all [baloney]," said another.

Asked whether he thought even a five-year offer by the Rangers would keep the Yankees from getting a player they've been pretty much obsessed with for months, the same exec retorted, pithily: "Just look at history."

And by that, he doesn't mean: Go take a tour of Monument Garden.

What he means is: When the Yankees decide they have to sign any free agent, do they ever not get their man?

Excellent point. So, sometime this month, we're predicting once again, the Yankees will hand Lee his Powerball check. At that point, the free-agent starting pitcher market can officially be declared a complete disaster area.

But then, come to think of it, for all teams not known as "The Yankees," it already is.

[h4]Carl Pavano[/h4][h5]#48 SP
Minnesota Twins[/h5]
2010 STATS
  • GM32
  • W17
  • L11
  • BB37
  • K117
  • ERA3.75

There's Carl Pavano -- who seems positioned to get a three-year deal for at least the Ted Lilly-esque money (three years, $33 million) he's seeking. And then there's everyone else -- the One-Year Contract Good Luck With This Group All-Stars.

"What you've got," said an executive of one team that's still fishing in this lake, "is just a bunch of guys where you hope you strike lightning in a bottle."

Other than Pavano -- and Andy Pettitte, who could do his annual Swallow Returns to Yankee-strano thing within the next week -- all the Best of the Rest starters are gone. Lilly … Jon Garland … Jorge De La Rosa … Hiroki Kuroda … Jake Westbrook … Javier Vazquez. All signed up and off the shelves.

So what's left? A bunch of guys with, well, issues. Some of those issues, the same exec said, "are stuff-related. Some are injury-related. Some are makeup-related. But they're there. And that's why these guys are where they're at."

Of course, we should point out that some teams actually kind of like shopping in this sort of market -- because at least the deals, even if they turn into debacles, are short.

"So there are really two ways to look at it," said an official of one of those teams. "Say you have young pitching coming, but you're not sure if it's going to be ready at the start of the year. Then you go out and sign one of these guys for one year, and it makes the decision for you. And there are enough reclamation projects, rebound guys and inning-eater types left that you should be able to sign one of them to a shorter-term deal."

Ah, but which pitchers in this group should you be taking a chance on? Here are five who seem to inspire the most interest in the people we've surveyed:

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Webb

Brandon Webb -- The baggage: He has pitched just four innings in two years and never did make it back last season from his August 2009 shoulder-debridement surgery. The reason for inspiration: The three previous years, he ripped off three straight top-two finishes in the NL Cy Young voting. So there's a lot of lightning in that bottle. "There's a whole lot of medical reports you have to look at," one exec said. "But if the medicals say he's healthy, I mean, the guy won 22 games the last year he pitched. So he'd have to be near the top of anybody's list."

Chris Young -- The baggage: He has spent 276 days on the disabled list the past two years with shoulder trouble. The reason for inspiration: He came back in September and made four excellent starts (2-0, 0.90 ERA, 20 IP, 10 H, 2 ER, 15 K). "Unlike a lot of these guys," said one of the execs quoted earlier, "at least he was pitching at the end of the year." His home/road splits (2.85 career ERA at Petco Park, 4.31 everywhere else) are a concern. "But there's also some deception there," another exec said. So Young could be gobbled up by one of the half-dozen teams chasing him within a week.

3687.jpg

Millwood

Kevin Millwood -- The baggage: Coming off an ugly 4-16, 5.10 season in Baltimore, with a 1.51 WHIP that was the second worst (next to Aaron Harang) of any free-agent starter. The reason for inspiration: At least he's durable. He and Vazquez were the only starters on this market who have started at least 20 games in 13 straight seasons. "If he goes someplace as a No. 4 or 5 starter -- and not as a No. 1, which the Orioles wanted him to be -- he looks a lot better," one exec said. "And never discount the fact he was pitching last year in the AL East."

Jeremy Bonderman -- The baggage: Has never made it all the way back from his battle with thoracic outlet syndrome. Had the highest ERA (5.53) of any free-agent starter last year and, in fact, is one of only 24 starting pitchers who has had more than one season with an ERA of 5.50 or higher. The reason for inspiration: Still only 28 years old. "He's a guy with a chance to step forward because of his age," one scout said. "And he's starting to learn an appreciation of the art of pitching. I saw more velocity in the second half, and occasionally better life on his fastball." And, as one NL exec pointed out, "he's always been in the American League. I think there's a chance his stuff could play up in the National League. So you could do more dreaming on him."

[h4]TRIVIALITY[/h4]
The human trivia answer, Javy Vazquez, just ripped off his 13th straight season with more than 150 innings pitched. Only two other innings-eaters who were active in 2010 have had a streak that long (or longer) at any point in their careers. Can you name them? (Answer later.)

Kevin Correia -- The baggage: Had a 5.40 ERA as a Padre and even had a 5.36 ERA in Petco last year. The reason for inspiration: He, Lee, Pettitte and Pavano are the only remaining free agents who racked up double-figure wins in each of the past two seasons. And he had to pitch while dealing with a crushing family tragedy last season. "Obviously, he's been somewhat inconsistent for a lot of his career," one exec said. "But he did a good job there for a long stretch. And everyone is aware of what he was going through last year. So you have to factor that in."

Other names who got votes: Freddy Garcia, Vicente Padilla, Jeff Francis, Scott Olsen, David Bush, Bruce Chen, Rodrigo Lopez, Brandon McCarthy.
Names on the Let Somebody Else Take a Shot List: Harang, Rich Harden, Brad Penny, Erik Bedard, Brian Bannister. [h3]Ready to Rumble[/h3]
[h4]Carl Crawford[/h4][h5]#13 LF
Tampa Bay Rays[/h5]
2010 STATS
  • GM154
  • HR19
  • RBI90
  • R110
  • OBP.356
  • AVG.307

• The industry was buzzing early this week with rumblings that the Angels were trying to zero in and get Rafael Soriano signed before the winter meetings. But clubs and agents who have spoken with them in the past 24 hours report they've now put their closer hunt on the back burner and have made Carl Crawford their No. 1 target.
"I didn't get any indication that [signing Soriano] is about to happen right now," one source said. "That's not the priority." The Angels' M.O. under owner Arte Moreno has been to home in on players they want, try to get a deal done fast and move on. But Soriano is a Scott Boras client, so he doesn't fit the classic Angels drive-thru signing mode.
The Crawford negotiations also are expected to drag into winter meetings week. But if it becomes a circus or an auction, the Angels won't wait around for him, either. Meanwhile, indications are that they've shown very little interest in Jayson Werth -- at least so far.

[h4]Carlos Quentin[/h4][h5]#20 RF
Chicago White Sox[/h5]
2010 STATS
  • GM131
  • HR26
  • RBI87
  • R73
  • OBP.342
  • AVG.243

• The Chicago White Sox continue to say they're not "shopping" Carlos Quentin. But teams that have kicked the tires say they are listening.

With the potential departure of A.J. Pierzynski, their lineup is in danger of becoming way too right-handed. So to move Quentin, they've told other clubs they would want a young left-handed bat with similar "high-ceiling talent" -- and someone they could hang on to for more than the two years they can control Quentin.

In the case of a team such as the Philadelphia Phillies, who we hear have talked themselves out of making a run at Quentin, that would translate into a package led by left-handed thumper Domonic Brown. So you can scratch the Phillies off the White Sox list. But Quentin remains a name to keep an eye on this winter.
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• You can decide for yourself what this means about how likely the Boston Red Sox think they are to bring back Adrian Beltre or deal for Adrian Gonzalez, but we're hearing that Kevin Youkilis plans to spend his offseason working out mostly at third base.

According to one friend of Youkilis, he told the Red Sox last season that he's happy to play third or first -- but that if he's going to play third, he would want a whole offseason to gear up to do it. So "he's preparing himself if they go in that direction."

And the increasing sense we get is that even the Red Sox aren't sure yet what that direction is. Their game plan, according to one AL executive, is clearly to "keep as many balls in the air for as long as they can" -- until they get a better feel for where they are on Beltre, Gonzalez, and their usual array of Plans B, C, D and E-F-G-H-I-J-K.
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• Don't look for the Phillies to make any quick outfield strikes, either to sign or to replace Jayson Werth. They're waiting or the Werth drama to play out and for the non-tender-free-agent list to clarify their options. But in the meantime, we're hearing they're bearing down hard on left-handed relievers.

The guy who appears to top their list is Arthur Rhodes. But Rhodes just turned 41, has already spent one disastrous season in Philadelphia (0-5 in 2006, with a 5.32 ERA, followed by Tommy John surgery) and has a bunch of teams pursuing him now that the Cincinnati Reds have opted not to offer him arbitration.
Right behind him, from all indications, is Pedro Feliciano. One of Feliciano's main selling points would be simply that Ryan Howard and Chase Utley wouldn't have to face him anymore. Those two are hitting a combined .208 against him in 80 (yep, 80) plate appearances over the past five seasons.
mlb_g_nishioka_65.jpg

Nishioka

• If the Minnesota Twins can sign the much-ballyhooed Tsuyoshi Nishioka after winning his bidding rights, they still haven't committed to whether they'd play him at shortstop or second base. He has played both -- and won Japan's version of the Gold Glove award at both. So they have options. But if they're looking for advice, one international scouting director casts a decisive vote for second base. Here's his report on Nishioka: "He's a second baseman. At shortstop, his arm is a little short for me. I look at him as a little better version of Kaz Matsui. I like him as a leadoff guy. He's got a good feel for the strike zone. I actually think he can be an impact guy at the top of the order. I just don't think he's a shortstop."
hou.gif

• The Houston Astros have been quietly poking around for a low-budget left-handed-hitting outfielder. And that's an indication they're leaning toward moving Carlos Lee to first base to give Brett Wallace a chance to go back to Triple-A and get more big-league-ready. But here's the question people are asking about that scenario: Are they prepared to move Lee back to left field when Wallace gets it all together? They'd better be because Lee has $18.5 million coming in 2011 and 2012, so he isn't particularly tradable.

[h4]TRIVIA ANSWER[/h4]
Jamie Moyer (whose streak of 14 straight ended this past season) and, of course, inexhaustible Livan Hernandez (13 and counting).

• A Mets official used the word "energy" three times in a minute and a half while describing what qualities most appealed to them about their new manager, Terry Collins. And that isn't a word you'd have used to describe the Mets for much of last season, so if Collins can infuse his clubhouse with that energy, it sure can't hurt.

But Collins has major work to do to persuade his players to look past what they've already heard about him from guys who played for him in the past. Here's what one of those ex-players told Rumblings: "I hope he learned from his mistakes, from what he went through his first two times. He was very uptight, screaming F-bombs in the dugout, that sort of thing. Just a really, really high-strung guy."
[h3]Contract Clause of the Week[/h3]
As loyal reader Brian Hamilton reports, the Phillies just included a $25,000 Silver Slugger incentive clause in Jose Contreras' new contract. They can't be too nervous about having to pay off that one. Contreras' lifetime "offensive" numbers: 0-for-29, with 18 strikeouts.
[h3]Rumblings Scouting Bureau[/h3]
A scout who spent some time in the Dominican Republic this winter gives us this report on the resuscitated Bartolo Colon:

"Can he still pitch? No question? And is he still going to last about six games? No question. Somebody's going to sign him. But I'd rather have him in August and September than at the beginning of the year because he is going to break down."
[h3]Headliner of the Week[/h3]
In the wake of the Big Ten's decision to allow Northwestern and Illinois to use only one end zone in their football game at Wrigley Field last month, this just in from our favorite goofballs at theheckler.com:
CUBS TO BAN HITS TO LEFT FIELD IN 2011 [h3]Tweet of the Week[/h3]
Finally, here's this blast from the Twitter account of the late, great workhorse, @OldHossRadbourn, who hasn't let the fact that he's been deceased for 113 years deter him from tweeting away incessantly -- in this case about that football game at Wrigley:

A team from Illinois will be the victor at Wrigley Field today. This is not usually the case.
[h3]Shameless Book Plug of the Week[/h3]
In other news, if you're in the Philadelphia area Friday and you're in one of those gift-acquisition moods that folks tend to fall into this time of year, the place to be is the first stop on our fourth annual Philadelphia Sports Book Signing Extravaganza. It all starts at 7 p.m. at the Barnes & Noble Oxford Valley store in Langhorne, Pa. Among the luminaries: Ray Didinger, Glen Macnow, Merrill Reese, Chris Wheeler, Greg Cosell, Todd Zolecki, Randy Miller, Reuben Frank and yours truly. Here's more info. See ya there!

Jayson Stark is a senior writer for ESPN.com. His latest book, "Worth The Wait: Tales of the 2008 Phillies," was published by Triumph Books and is available in bookstores and online. Click here to order a copy[/color].

 
Going into the offseason, it looked as if Cliff Lee would be the biggest free-agent story of the winter; now, though, Lee's upcoming blockbuster contract is almost an afterthought, pushed from headlines by the ongoing soap opera of Derek Jeter's contract.

Every day, there's a new headline concerned with the Jeter-gotations. The Yankees offered three years and $45 million! Jeter wants $150 million! Yankees ready to part with Jeter and sign Orlando Cabrera! Jeter wants 12 islands in the South Pacific!

The reality is much simpler -- the Yankees need a shortstop, Jeter needs a lucrative contract and both sides have strong incentives to get the contract worked out quickly. In the end, the smart money is on Jeter wearing pinstripes in 2011 (and the uniform won't say Rockies or Marlins on the front).

The only question that remains is just how well the Yankees will fare with Jeter's new contract.

The Yankees are obviously not a bad contract away from going into fire sale mode, but even the coffers of the Steinbrenner boys aren't bottomless. Lest we forget, the Yankees spent less in the free-agent market last year than the Brewers, Reds, Nationals, Astros, and A's, no profligate spenders among them.

While it can be difficult to place a precise dollar figure on a player like Jeter, who has substantial off-field value, we can at least make an educated guess. The bulk of a player's job, any player's job, is to put games in the win column.

The first thing to do is to project the most likely course for Jeter over the next three to five years. I ran the ZiPS projections for Jeter over the next five years to get a reasonable baseline for what to expect from Jeter.

His WAR -- wins above replacement, a key statistical measure -- would decline from 4.5 (2011) to 3.0 (2012) all the way to -0.1 (2015).

Assuming that a win is worth roughly $4.5 million (statheads have estimated) in 2011 and that goes up 5 percent a year, from a purely playing standpoint, you start to see the framework of a fair contract. If Jeter's willing to a sign a one- or two-year deal with the Yankees, which appears unlikely, the numbers suggest a $20 million and $34 million contract, respectively. At the three years the Yankees want to set the contract at, the projected value of $44 million compares favorably to the Yanks' reported offer of $45 million.

[h4]MAG IPAD APP FREE FOR INSIDERS[/h4]
ipadInline.jpg
The new ESPN The Magazine iPad app includes daily updated content and an iPad-optimized version of each issue of ESPN The Magazine.

The trouble comes in Years 4 and 5. Jeter will turn 40 in June of 2014 and the Yankees aren't relishing the prospect of paying $20 million or more a year to a player who might not even be a decent starter by then.

Projections aren't set in stone of course, else we wouldn't need to bother playing the seasons. The downside to Jeter is obvious -- he loses what's left of his power or his defense gets worse or an injury slows him down, leaving the Yankees with the highest-paid singles hitter ever.

There is, however, hope for the Yankees; there are reasonable scenarios on the optimistic side. While most players decline in their late 30s and early 40s, not every player declines at the same rate or at the same age.

To see what a reasonable optimistic scenario would look like for Jeter and the Yankees, I asked ZiPS to provide a sunnier scenario, one that Jeter has an estimated 20 percent chance of achieving. This scenario has more cheerful performances than we should expect on average, but a 1-in-5 chance isn't exactly a long shot.

[h4]Projecting the Middle Infielders[/h4]
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How will 2B/SS fare in 2011? Dan Szymborski projects performance by key free agents, and
some -- such as Orlando Cabrera -- who could be good value grabs.

• Projecting 2B/SS







In this case, his WAR goes from 4.7 (2011) to 3.7 (2012) to 2.5 (2013) and then down to 1.0 (2015), as opposed to -0.1. His batting average hovers between .288 (2011) and .276 (2015).

For the three-year optimistic scenario, Jeter's value goes up to $52 million. When you factor in Jeter's off-the-field value, the Yankees clearly can add a few million per year to the current offer and have a decent chance at coming out on top.

Over the longer-upside scenario, Jeter's value goes up to $66 million, but the value per year declines, from just over $17 million in the three-year scenario to about $13 million a year.

What does this all mean? The Yankees have the ability to increase their offer and not have Jeter's new deal be a giant millstone and if the Yankees and Jeter meet somewhere in the middle, the team's best interests are increasing the salary per year and holding firm at three years.

One last thing: How likely is it that Jeter would be worth the five years, $120 million? To be worth that on the field, Jeter would need to be worth roughly 25 wins over the next five years, roughly equivalent to the best stretches of his career so far. ZiPS sees that as quite unlikely, roughly 700-to-1.

 
The first domino in the free agency line is Cliff Lee and he will affect all others behind him. Of course Carl Crawford could take a deal today, but it makes sense for him to wait, and it makes sense for others to wait for Crawford, and so on.

mlb_a_nryan_sy_300.jpg

Getty ImagesThe Rangers' brass have tough decisions to make. If they miss Lee, Zack Greinke could be an option.

With that in mind, here's how the dominoes could fall in the weeks ahead:

Domino 1: Cliff Lee
The left-hander is entertaining interest from about a half-dozen teams, according to his agent Darek Braunecker, but it's all but impossible to find any executive who doesn't believe this will come down to a choice between the Yankees and the Rangers -- and we know that the Yankees, with their Wall Street-sized bank account, really, really want Lee. For the Yankees, there is risk in signing a 32-year-old pitcher to a massive contract, but that concern is mitigated by their revenue streams. For the Rangers, a five- or six-year investment in Lee is an enormous risk, because they could be committing anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of their payroll to a pitcher in his early '30s; if Lee gets hurt or his performance suffers, the Rangers' payroll structure would be devastated.

Domino 2a: The Rangers
If the Yankees sign Lee, then the Rangers -- who do have some payroll flexibility, an enthusiastic new ownership and a whole lot of momentum from their World Series appearance -- will turn to their Plan B list. Maybe that means a run at the best starting pitcher on the trade market, Zack Greinke, or maybe that means a run at the best free agent position players -- maybe Crawford, maybe Adam Dunn, maybe others. If the Rangers don't get Lee, they'll move aggressively to augment their roster in other ways.

The Rangers' No. 1 question, writes Randy Galloway, is what will happen with Lee. The Rangers made their pitch to the lefty, writes Jeff Wilson. If the price tag is too much, writes Evan Grant, the Rangers need to let him go. The Rangers have the talent needed to get Greinke, writes Mr. Grant. Agree completely.

Domino 2b: The Yankees
If Texas lands Lee, then the Yankees will turn their attention and aim their wallet elsewhere. Which is why it makes sense for Crawford's camp to wait.

Domino 3: Carl Crawford
He is the best position player on the free agent market and there is no shortage of interest from big-money teams like the Angels and the Red Sox. If Lee signs with Texas, the immediate question will be whether the Yankees take a full-fledged run at Crawford, which could only increase his leverage.

Domino 4a: The Red Sox
Theo Epstein likes to keep as many balls in the air as possible, to create options and negotiating leverage for himself, and it appears as if the Red Sox are currently juggling three potential targets: they could go for Crawford, Adrian Beltre or Jayson Werth. It figures they will wind up with one of those three players, given the field of bidders, and a major question in executive circles is whether the Red Sox have the budgetary space for two of the three.

One source says no, but remember, Boston is coming off a year in which it didn't make the playoffs, and there is unrest in the Red Sox fan base over owner John Henry's purchase of the Liverpool soccer franchise, with the popular theory being that because Henry's investments are stretched, he'll do less for the Red Sox. The guess here is that nothing will change, but there is pressure on Henry to make a splash this winter, and that will only be fueled if the Yankees sign Lee.

The Red Sox have met with Crawford.

Domino 4b: The Angels
It wasn't long ago that the Angels reigned over the AL West, but now a talent gap has emerged between the Rangers and LAA; no matter who the Angels add this winter, the Rangers will go into next season as the favorites to repeat in the West. Angels owner Arte Moreno has indicated that he will aggressively spend money this winter, and Crawford is a player who fits them perfectly -- in their lineup, for their defense, in their clubhouse, in the style of play that manager Mike Scioscia favors. In recent years, agents say, the Angels have had a unique approach to negotiating: They've come in with one offer and when it hasn't been good enough, they've withdrawn from the field. That would probably be a losing approach in the Crawford sweepstakes, because the Red Sox and other teams figure to be very aggressive.

The Angels may also be major players on Rafael Soriano, the best reliever available, and if they don't get Crawford, then Beltre or Werth could be fits for them. But the X-factor in the Angels' dealings on Soriano, Beltre and Werth is the ragged relationship between the team and agent Scott Boras, who represents all three of those players. While the Angels have reportedly met with Boras this winter, it remains to be seen whether they would have the patience for the kind of extended give-and-take that Boras often engages in.

Domino 5: Jayson Werth
The 31-year-old outfielder is coming off a season in which he hit .296 with 27 homers and a .388 on-base percentage, which is all good. The primary question is: How many teams will take a serious run at him? Will the Angels, especially if they lose out on Crawford to another team? Will the Red Sox make a hard push if they lose out on Crawford? Will the Detroit Tigers, who have a lot of financial flexibility and a long history of deals with Boras clients?

Domino 6: The Phillies
There is enough doubt about the volume in the Werth market that the Phillies intend to hang around -- just in case the price tag dips into their range. Boras is said to be looking for a Matt Holliday-like seven-year, $120 million, which is probably beyond where the Phillies want to go. But Domonic Brown doesn't appear ready to contribute consistently in the big leagues, the Phillies are very much in need of a right-handed bat like Werth, and so they'll wait.

If Werth signs with Boston or the Angels, the Phillies are more likely to take an incremental approach to improving their lineup.

mlb_a_beltre_sy_200.jpg

Getty ImagesAdrian Beltre wants a big deal, but the market for third baseman isn't vast.

Domino 7: Adrian Beltre
Boras was quoted recently as saying that in his time as an agent, he has never seen a player generate as much interest as Beltre has in this offseason. In some front offices, this remark is being interpreted like the scratch of a cheek in a poker game -- a bluff. "I'd bet he doesn't have a lot of teams involved," said one GM.

Only Boras knows for sure. But here are the playoff-contending teams which don't need a third baseman: the Yankees, Mets, Rangers, Phillies, Braves, Rays, Twins, etc., etc.

This does not mean Beltre isn't going to get a good deal; it's hard to imagine him signing for anything less than four years and $52 million. The Red Sox want to keep Beltre, who had an excellent 2010 season and is renowned for his effort. He'd be a good fit for the Giants, Blue Jays and Angels, although it's unclear whether any of those teams will have the budgetary space for Beltre. And whether it's right or wrong, the fact that Beltre's best seasons have always come when he's about to become eligible for free agency has generated a lot of debate within some front offices.

The Athletics want Beltre, but last winter, Beltre didn't want them, turning down a larger offer to play with Boston. The Orioles have the money to bid on Beltre and he'd be a great fit in a lot of ways, but we don't know if Beltre is truly prepared to sign with a team that has served as a stalking horse for a lot of primary free agents in the last decade.

The dominoes will probably start tumbling at the winter meetings.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• The Red Sox are watching the Russell Martin talks closely, writes Michael Silverman.
• Pat Burrell, so crucial to the Giants' late-season drive, re-signed with San Francisco. The Giants are bringing back one of the misfits, writes Andrew Baggarly.

• I find this to be fascinating: Lance Berkman is strongly considering an offer from the Rockies, as Troy Renck writes. It's hard to imagine the Rockies would spend serious money on Berkman unless they wanted to prepare a safety net at first base, to prepare for the possibility that Todd Helton fails to bounce back.

• You may have heard by now: The Yankees are in negotiations with Derek Jeter.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. The Nationals' offseason is off to a slow start, and it's not too soon to worry, writes Thomas Boswell. In the end, the Nationals -- like the Orioles -- will probably be left to sort through a lot of leftovers. On that front, the Orioles have reportedly made an offer to Paul Konerko, among others.
2. Jeff Karstens might be on the arbitration bubble. The Pirates signed some free agents.

3. Oakland is interested in Adam Dunn, writes Susan Slusser.

4. The D-Backs have signed Wily Mo Pena.

5. The Padres cut ties with a couple of veterans, writes Bill Center.

6. Building a bullpen won't be easy for the Red Sox.

7. Terry Collins confirmed what was reported the other day: The Mets are heavy into talks with Chris Young.

[h4]Buster's New Book[/h4]
busterbook2.jpg
Buster Olney is the author of the book "recipient[/color] of the Jimmy V Award at the ESPYS.

"Surprising and unforgettable." - Mike Krzyzewski

"Olney knows the beating heart of life and the pulse of humanity that makes sports matter." - George F. Will

"A true inspiration." - Pat Summitt

8. The Twins are not going to jettison J.J. Hardy for nothing, writes Joe Christensen. Look for 14 Twins to be tendered contracts, writes Charley Walters.

9. Bobby Valentine says he was never close to becoming the Brewers' manager.

10. The Reds have had some talks with Jay Bruce and Joey Votto about a multi-year deal, and there is word within this piece that Bronson Arroyo's talks are progressing.

11. The Rays have been aggressive in looking for relief help.

12. A couple of Mariners are waiting to see if they'll get contract offers.

13. The Indians might find a third baseman among the free agents, writes Paul Hoynes.

14. The Cardinals are looking to trade Brendan Ryan, writes Derrick Goold.

15. The Jays' bullpen has come into sharper focus.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Jamie Moyer had surgery, writes Bob Brookover.
2. J.P. Howell won't be ready for spring training, writes Marc Topkin.
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• Brennan Boesch will need to improve his defense.
• The Royals announced their spring training schedule, writes Bob Dutton.

• The Rays need to go for the pennant or punt, writes John Romano.

• John Gordon may broadcast fewer Twins games.

• A Vanderbilt player is thankful.

• Since retiring, Coach Meyer has been speaking almost daily to large and small groups all over the place; on Wednesday, he was in Nebraska. He calls his artificial leg "Little Buddy," and he is fully intent on sprinting right to the finish line.

And today will be better than yesterday.

 
http://[h3]
[h3]Dear John letter for Maine[/h3]
9:08AM ET

[h5]John Maine | Mets [/h5]


John Maine fell out of favor with former Mets manager Jerry Manuel last season. He apparently won't get a chance turn things around under new field boss Terry Collins.

Andy Martino of the Daily News writes the Mets will non-tender the righthander by Thursday's deadline, making him a free agent. Maine was just 1-3 with a 6.13 ERA in an injury-plagued 2010 season.

Angel Pagan, R.A. Dickey, Mike Pelfrey and Sean Green are the other arbitration-eligible players waiting for for the Mets to tender them a contract. Martino says Pagan, Dickey and Pelfrey will certainly be retained while the status of Green is unclear.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Yankees, Jeter still far apart[/h3]
8:55AM ET

[h5]Derek Jeter | Yankees [/h5]


That get-together between Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees earlier this week may have been a cordial one, but the two sides remain far apart on any deal, reports Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden in the Daily News.

The report says Tuesday's sit-down in Tampa came about after Jeter and his agent, Casey Close, reached out to the Yankees to arrange a meeting. One source said the talks ended with the Yankees - who were represented by Hal Steinbrenner, Randy Levine and Brian Cashman - asking Close to get back to them with any thoughts on how to proceed.

The two sides apparently decided to keep things civil, but that doesn?t mean either is willing to budge. The Yankees have offered Jeter a three-year, $45 million contract, while Jeter is believed to be seeking four or five years at $22 million-$24 million per season,

The Daily News report says Troy Tulowitzki's contract with the Rockies is believed to have emboldened the Yankees in their assertion that their offer to Jeter is more than fair and reasonable. Tulowitzki is 10 years younger than Jeter and will make an average annual salary of $15.7 million.

Not all reports are as pessimistic. Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com quoted a source close to the negotiations who said Tuesday's get-together was a "good, constructive meeting? that "could eventually lead somewhere."

Cashman had grown frustrated with the Jeter contract talks, daring the 36-year-old free agent shortstop to see what he can get on the open market.

If the Jeter talks were to collapse completely, the Yankees have a backup plan in http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=30290http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=30290Eduardo Nunez, writes ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. Nunez, a 23-year-old prospect with 30 games of big-league experience, has a reputation as a defense-first talent but hit .289 with a respectable .340 on-base percentage in Triple-A in 2010.

- Doug Mittler

olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Closing the Jeter deal
"If Jeter feels anger toward the team or the media for how this has played out, he needs to put that behind him and imagine how he would've felt if, as an 18-year-old, he had been offered a three-year, $45 million deal to be the shortstop of the Yankees. Even if he doesn't get what he wants in this negotiation, he is still in an incredible situation. The Yankees need to do all they can to reach across the aisle and make sure Jeter knows that they view him as an important part of a championship contender. If that means Joe Girardi flying down to meet with Jeter, so be it. If it means doing something like picking up the tab for Jeter's Super Bowl party -- a nice gesture -- so be it. If it means putting on all the bells and whistles to announce Jeter's new deal, they should do that."
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
[/h3]

http://[h3]Rangers pay Lee a visit[/h3]
8:23AM ET

[h5]Cliff Lee | Rangers [/h5]


We mentioned Wednesday that it may finally be time for the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/tex/texas-rangersTexas Rangers to show http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5353Cliff Lee the money.

George King of the New York Post reported the Rangers are on the verge of making an official offer to retain the left-handed free-agent hurler. Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com reports that Rangers general manager Jon Daniels and club president Nolan Ryan visited with Lee in Arkansas earlier this week, but Daniels would not comment on whether the club made a formal offer.

Sources told ESPNNewYork.com that the New York Yankees, the other major player in the Lee sweepstakes, have not yet made an offer. We know a big offer is coming, and Lee appears in no rush to sign. "He's been waiting for this for years," ESPN's Tim Kurkjian said. "He wants to see how this plays out."

The Rangers, aware the Yankees are willing to pay $23 million a year for Lee, will not be gun shy about making the prized free agent a five-year offer. The Yankees are believed to have made a five- or six-year offer.

Our Buster Olney chimes in with us, emailing: "We've known the Rangers would compete with the Yankees. I don't think the question is about the fifth year guarantee; the question is whether either team goes to a sixth year, at $23-25 million a year."

There have been conflicting reports whether the Yankees have offered Lee a six-year deal worth $140 million. If that is true, it might be enough to get it done.

The Rangers reportedly want to know where they stand with Lee soon, because if he isn't returning to Texas, the AL champions may make a run at http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5883http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5883Zack Greinke. The industry views the Rangers' contingency plans as a sign Lee is headed to New York.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Dunn to A's could hinge on Berkman[/h3]
7:58AM ET

[h5]Adam Dunn | Nationals [/h5]


Adam Dunn saw one possible destination come off the board once Victor Martinez signed with the Detroit Tigers, but another serious suitor may have emerged thanks to Lance Berkman.

An industry source tells the Chronicle's Susan Slusser that Oakland is "absolutely a serious contender" for Dunn. Slusser says Berkman remains the A's top target, but the interest in Dunn could pick up now that Berkman is seriously considering a deal with Colorado.

Slusser said via Twitter that there were "plans" for the A's to meet with Dunn Wednesday but said meeting did not occur.

Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan reported this week that Dunn is asking clubs for a 4-year deal worth about $60 million.

Dunn, according to Jon Morosi, is expected to sign with the club that offers the most years and dollars, rather than the club that offers the most time at first base.

This opens the market for Dunn, since more teams have a need at DH than at first base, and if Dunn is willing to be flexible in that manner, it opens up more contending clubs, including the White Sox, Rangers, Rays and Angels.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Berkman considers Rockies deal[/h3]
7:36AM ET

[h5]Lance Berkman | Yankees | Interested: Rockies? [/h5]


http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4118Lance Berkman would have loved to return to the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/hou/houston-astrosHouston Astros, the team that drafted him, but any chance of a return to Space City ended when his agent dialed up GM Ed Wade.

"It wasn't a long conversation," Berkman told Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle last week.

The Astros will go with younger players next season, but that doesn't mean that the 34-year-old Berkman, who finished the year with the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/nyy/new-york-yankeesNew York Yankees, will be out of work.

Berkman is being pursued by several clubs and is getting a serious sales pitch from the Rockies, reports Troy Renck in Thursday's Denver Post. While no signing is imminent, Renck says the Rockies have "talked extensively" about a one-year contract and are hopeful his desire to remain in the National League will help them close the deal.

Berkman said during the playoffs that he was open to playing in Colorado and he has the same agent as Rockies first baseman Todd Helton. The Cardinals, Blue Jays and Athletics also are pursuing Berkman to some extent.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]O's offer to Konerko is significant[/h3]
7:18AM ET

[h5]Paul Konerko | White Sox [/h5]


The Baltimore Orioles showed they would be serious players in the free agent market when they made a credible offer to Victor Martinez, who ended up in Detroit.

Paul Konerko is now on the Orioles' radar, with Jim Bowden of XM and Fox Sports Radio tweeting that the Birds have made a "significant" offer to the first baseman who has spent the last 12 years with the White Sox.

With at least three clubs with serious interest -- O's, Rangers and White Sox -- Konerko may not have problems getting at least three years this winter.

Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun points out that the Orioles also have a history of courting Konerko. They were the top bidder for his services in the 2005 offseason, but he chose to remain with the White Sox and signed a five-year, $60 million deal.

Ken Rosenthal reported last week that the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/tex/texas-rangersTexas Rangers, who also made a strong pitch for Martinez, are showing interest in Konerko.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Moyer has Tommy John surgery[/h3]
7:02AM ET

[h5]Jamie Moyer | Phillies [/h5]


Jamie Moyer underwent Tommy John surgery Wednesday and could be sidelined up to a year, but the 48-year-old left-hander isn't ready to call it quits.

David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News says Moyer posted a note on his charitable foundation's Facebook page expressing hope for a comeback. That may be wishful thinking, but Moyer has been counted out in the past before landing a job in the major leagues.

Moyer injured his elbow earlier this month pitching in the Dominican Republic.

The Phillies placed Moyer on waivers this week to clear a spot on the 40-man roster and the lefthander filed for free agency.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Crawford, Red Sox talking[/h3]
6:58AM ET

[h5]Carl Crawford | Rays [/h5]


Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com reports that the Red Sox, who have been relatively quiet this offseason, are in hot pursuit of Carl Crawford and adds that Jayson Werth and Adrian Beltre are still in play, too.

One of Crawford's best offers, however, may come from a team that currently views the free agent outfielder as a Plan B.

Ken Davidoff of Newsday reported earlier this week that the Yankees' primary goal is to sign http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5353Cliff Lee. Yet if the Rangers end up landing Lee, and the Yankees bow out, GM Brian Cashman could shift his focus to Crawford, who has spent his entire career in Tampa Bay. Cashman reportedly has kept in touch with the representatives for Crawford, just in case.

In either case, the Yankees could get recruiting help from http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4553CC Sabathia, who is good friends with both Lee and Crawford.

The Angels and Tigers also are suitors for Crawford. Bill Shaikin of the LA Times wrote recently that the Angels are prepared to make Crawford the first $100 million player in franchise history.

The Nationals also are showing interest, but whether Crawford is keen on D.C. remains unclear.

http://[h3]Guerrier to Blue Jays?[/h3]
4:37PM ET

[h5]Free agent relievers [/h5]

[img]http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/leagues/lrg/trans/mlb.gif[/img]
UPDATE: Despite the Blue Jays likely retaining the services of right-hander Jason Frasor who accepted the club's arbitration offer Tuesday, they have interest in Guerrier, the former Twins reliever who was not offered arbitration and carries no required compensation.

Peter Gammons tweeted Wednesday, however, that both Guerrier and Jesse Crain and seeking three-year contracts similar to that of Joaquin Benoit, who received $16.5 million from Detroit earlier this month.

...

Amidst the arbitration offers before Tuesday's deadline, some of the most intriguing news came in the form of three relievers being informed they were not being offered arbitration. The Minnesota Twins did not tender such an offer to right-handers Jon Rauch and Matt Guerrier or southpaw Brian Fuentes, tweets Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune, nor did the Tampa Rays to Dan Wheeler or the Cincinnati Reds to Arthur Rhodes. The trio can now shop their talents to the open market without those clubs being concerned with sacrificing a high draft pick as compensation. Rhodes, however, is expected to re-up with the Reds.

Wheeler and Guerrier could find themselves in a better position than fellow free agent bullpen arms such as Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, and Grant Balfour, whose clubs did offer them arbitration.

Rauch and Fuentes, as well as a number of others, ranked as Type-B free agents, which do not require the signing club to forfeit the picks.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Pirates in on SS market[/h3]
4:32PM ET

[h5]Shortstops [/h5]

[img]http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/leagues/lrg/trans/mlb.gif[/img]
UPDATE: The Pittsburgh Pirates, who were reportedly in on left-hander Jorge De La Rosa, are interested in trade-available shortstops J.J. Hardy and Jason Bartlett, reports Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com.

The Pirates may non-tender Ronny Cedeno, the club's starter at shortstop last season, rather than pay him something in the range of $2 million.

...

With Juan Uribe signing to play second base for the Dodgers and Ryan Theriot moving from L.A. to St. Louis -- perhaps to play second base -- the market for shortstops is thinning out, and word comes in Tuesday evening, via ESPNDeportes.com's Enrique Rojas via Twitter, that the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a deal with Miguel Tejada.

Tejada's deal, Rojas's tweet says, is for one year at rate of $6.5 million. Tejada could end up playing either shortstop or second base for the Giants.

Clubs still in the market for a shortstop include the Baltimore Orioles, who have been eyeing J.J. Hardy and Jason Bartlett, but Dan Connelly writes that the O's and Rays have not progressed on a deal for the veteran shortstop.

Other clubs that could seek shortstop help include the San Diego Padres and the Cardinals, with Cesar Izturis, a free agent, and Marco Scutaro, a potential trade target, also still available.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Pitching for Willingham?[/h3]
4:06PM ET

[h5]Josh Willingham | Nationals [/h5]


The possibility that the Washington National may trade Josh Willingham remains, as the outfielder hits arbitration this offseason with a chance to earn a salary in the $6 million range, maybe more, after making $4.6 million this past season, a strong year at the plate for the 31-year-old.

The Nationals, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post want pitching in return for Willingham, which likely eliminates the Rockies.

The Rockies have interest in Kevin Kouzmannof, Jose Lopez, Mike Napoli and Troy Glaus, among others, as they seek a right-handed bat to platoon with Todd Helton at first base.

Willingham would like to remain in D.C. for the long term but there has been no indication as of yet that the club is interested in an extension.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Okajima done in Boston?[/h3]
3:06PM ET

[h5]Boston Red Sox [/h5]


MLB.com reports Wednesday that the Boston Red Sox may choose to non-tender left-handed reliever Hideki Okajima, instead of paying him an arbitration-driven salary for 2011 that could be as much as $4 million.

Boston could try and replace Okajima with a free agent such as Pedro Feliciano, Scott Downs or Brian Fuentes, though Fuentes and Downs would cost the Red Sox draft-pick compensation.

The Sox could also look into George Sherrill, who may be non-tendered by the Dodgers this week and maybe traded before then.

Boston did acquire Andrew Miller earlier this month and plan to use him in a relief role, but hasn't been great against left-handed batters in his time in the big leagues.

The Red Sox could also work out a deal with Okajima, perhaps for multiple years, and avoid arbitration altogether, the way the club did with catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Might the Padres eye Pavano?[/h3]
2:28PM ET

[h5]San Diego Padres [/h5]


The San Diego Padres reportedly had serious interest in left-hander Jorge De La Rosa before the Rockies locked him up, and as a result we have to wonder if the club will make a play for other names on the market such as Carl Pavano.

Pavano and the Twins share mutual interest in continuing their relationship, but the Chicago Cubs, Rockies and Washington Nationals could also be fits for the right-hander.

We discussed earlier Wednesday that the Detroit Tigers may still have plenty of money left to spend on improving their roster, and the Texas Rangers may have to consider Pavano to some level if they lose out on Cliff Lee.

The Padres offered arbitration to Kevin Correia and though the right-hander turned it down it shows that the club is open to bringing him back in 2011. Aaron Harang, Jeremy Bonderman and Jeff Francis could also be of interest to the Padres, who presently lack the rotation options with which most clubs prefer to start spring training, suggesting that there is work to do in that area.

- Jason A. Churchill

stark_jayson_30.jpg
[h5]Jayson Stark[/h5]
Pavano positioned for three-year deal
"There's Carl Pavano -- who seems positioned to get a three-year deal for at least the Ted Lilly-esque money (three years, $33 million) he's seeking. And then there's everyone else -- the One-Year Contract Good Luck With This Group All-Stars."
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http://[h3]"No way" Greinke plays in NY[/h3]
2:06PM ET

[h5]Zack Greinke | Royals [/h5]


UPDATE: Nick Cafardo, citing a source, tweets "there's no way" Greinke would agree to a deal that landed him in New York.

...

We have been hearing for weeks that Zack Greinke would use his limited no-trade clause to block any trade to the New York Yankees.

Greinke may have a fondness for the Big Apple after all, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. A source tells Passan that the Kansas City right-hander would happily pitch anywhere that would provide a winning team.

The Yankees could make a play for Greinke if they are unable to land Cliff Lee.

In last Tuesday's blog, our Buster Olney hears some rival general managers are convinced the Royals are intent on moving Greinke this winter, and if they are the Rangers could be a bidder.

In that light, ESPNDallas.com's Richard Durrett asks his readers what they would give up for Greinke, and discusses his ideas that include perhaps both Tanner Scheppers and Martin Perez, two of the Rangers' top pitching prospects.

Meanwhile, George King of the New York Post wrote Tuesday that the Rangers want to know where they stand with Lee soon. If Lee isn't returning to Texas, the Rangers also are contemplating taking a run at Greinke.
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