Top News:
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies trade Smith to Oakland for two pitchers; offer deal to Jamie Moyer — Seth Smith spent the winter in wonderland. On Monday, the questions and uncertainty ended. — With the outfielder viewed as a luxury item after the signing of free agent Michael Cuddyer, Smith was traded …
Discussion:
Old Time Family Baseball, MLB Rumors, Baseball Nation, MLB Daily Dish, baseballmusings.com and Purple Row
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Associated Press:
Rockies trade Seth Smith to Oakland
Rockies trade Seth Smith to Oakland
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Philly.com, MLB Rumors and Cincinnati Reds
Troy Renck / On the Rox:
Rockies' Smith avoids arbitration with one-year deal
Rockies' Smith avoids arbitration with one-year deal
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Sideline Scholars, MLB Daily Dish and Purple Row
Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Rox trade Smith to A's for Moscoso, Outman
Rox trade Smith to A's for Moscoso, Outman
Discussion:
Baseball America, MLB Daily Dish, Purple Row, HardballTalk and Yahoo! Sports
Rob Bradford / Full Count:
Source: Red Sox would have to move payroll in order to sign Roy Oswalt — Despite a FoxSports.com report that the Red Sox have “maintained active dialogue” with Roy Oswalt's agent, Bob Garber, the likelihood of the team signing the 34-year-old remains in doubt.
Discussion:
BoSox Injection, HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
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Fox Sports:
BoSox need to face reality, fix rotation — The Yankees had to upgrade their starting rotation. They knew it. Their fans knew it. The competition knew it, too. — The New York starters were mediocre last year — 14th among 30 big league teams in ERA — and couldn't beat …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Talkin Sox with Dan and MLB Rumors
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox To Sign Vicente Padilla — 1:44pm: Padilla received a minor league deal that pays $1.5MM in the Majors, reports the Boston Herald. — 11:34am: The Red Sox reached an agreement with righty Vicente Padilla, tweets Peter Gammons of MLB Network. Boston's interest in Padilla …
Discussion:
Clubhouse Insider, NESN.com, Boston Globe and SI Tracking Blog
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Tigers Avoid Arbitration With Rick Porcello — The Tigers avoided arbitration with starter Rick Porcello, MLBTR has learned, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $3.1MM. Porcello recently made the easy decision to take arbitration over a $1.344MM option in the Major League deal he signed when drafted.
Discussion:
Beck's Blog, MLB Daily Dish, Bless You Boys and Yahoo! Sports
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Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Zumaya agrees to deal with Twins
Zumaya agrees to deal with Twins
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, SI Tracking Blog, Puckett's Pond and Around the Majors
Dan Martin / New York Post:
Yankees eye Damon as DH — With the Yankees in the market for a designated hitter now that Jesus Montero is heading to Seattle, they are looking at a number of options and reportedly already reached out to Johnny Damon and Carlos Pena. — Since they already added $10 million to the payroll …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley, Full Count and Sliding Into Home
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Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
Yankees may bring back free agent Johnny Damon to play him as designated hitter
Yankees may bring back free agent Johnny Damon to play him as designated hitter
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, FanGraphs Baseball, Royals Review and HardballTalk
Associated Press:
Report: Angel Pagan, Giants agree — SAN FRANCSICO — The San Francisco Giants and outfielder Angel Pagan agreed to a $4.85 million, one-year contract that avoided arbitration, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said. — The person spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because the club hadn't formally announced the deal.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Yahoo! Sports, MLB Daily Dish and SI Tracking Blog
Jorge Castillo / New York Times:
Puerto Rico Traces Decline in Prospects to Baseball Draft — Ivan Rodriguez at bat. Mr. Rodriguez, 41, is currently a free agent and playing for one of the Puerto Rican Winter League's four teams. He is the last active Puerto Rican major leaguer to avoid the draft. More Photos »
Discussion:
HardballTalk and IT IS HIGH!
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Reds To Sign Ryan Ludwick — The Reds have agreed to sign free agent outfielder Ryan Ludwick to a one-year deal that includes a mutual option for 2013, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Beverly Hills Sports Council represents Ludwick, who played for Cincinnati GM Walt Jocketty in St. Louis.
Discussion:
Redleg Nation
Marc Topkin / The Heater Feed:
Howell deal set for $1.35M, 4 still arbitration eligible — LHP J.P. Howell and the Rays [are finalizing] have completed a one-year deal for $1.35-million to avoid arbitration. — Howell also gets incentive bonuses for 45 and 60 innings pitched, which can push the total value to $1.4-million.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish
Brian McTaggart / MLB.com:
Hanrahan, Morton get deals to avoid arbitration — The Pirates reached deals with closer Joel Hanrahan and starter Charlie Morton on Monday, avoiding arbitration with both players. Hanrahan's deal is worth $4.1 million, and Morton will receive $2.445 million next season.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Yahoo! Sports and MLB Rumors
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Prospect Watch: Top 10 right-handed pitchers — Pair of Pirates, D-backs among game's up-and-coming aces … On the 2011 list of Top 10 right-handed pitchers, there was the American League Rookie of the Year and the hurler who finished fifth in that voting. Seven of the 10 pitched in the big leagues.
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
Dan Connolly / Baltimore Sun:
Orioles have some interest in Francisco Cordero — The Orioles have expressed some interest in the lone viable free-agent closer, Francisco Cordero, according to an industry source. — Although discussions are not considered far along, the Orioles have inquired about the 36-year-old right-hander …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and HardballTalk