Time for another round:
The Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent outfielder So Taguchi to a one-year contract. The 38-year old who led all National League pinch-hitters with a .406 average had played for the St. Louis Cardinals for five seasons and played in two World Series.
The Phils also added former Detroit pitcher Chad Durbin who signed a one-year deal and former Milwaukee outfielder Geoff Jenkins who inked a two-year pact.
The Seattle Mariners one year after not wanting to give Gil Meche $55 million over five years pony up $50 over 4 seasons for Carlos Silva. Something tells me Josh Beckett is severely underpaid.
The Texas Rangers and the Cincinnati Reds made a trade that gives the Rangers some more outfield help and the Reds much needed pitching. Cincinnati sent 2007 feel good story Josh Hamilton to Texas for one of the Rangers top pitching prospects Edinson Volquez and a secondary player pitcher Danny Herrera.
The Rangers in an effort to revamp their lineup also got first baseman Ben Broussard from Seattle for some minor leaguers.
The Rangers had been interested in Phillies starter Freddy Garcia but have back away from the deal. They remain interested in the Angels Bartolo Colon and Houston’s Jason Jennings. The New York Mets have apparently expressed some interest in Garcia.
The Reds are also supposedly in talks with the Baltimore Orioles about acquiring left handed starter Erik Bedard. The O’s have already dumped Miguel Tejada this off season and may possibly deal their best pitcher too. The Orioles reportedly have backed off on asking for Jay Bruce but do want some combo of Homer Bailey, Joey Votto and Johnny Cueto who along with Bruce make up the Reds top prospects and another prospect for Bedard. Bedard has CT connections having pitched for Norwalk Community College.
The Birds have also been shopping all-star second baseman Brian Roberts and the Chicago Cubs continue to be considered the front runner to nab him. It’s unknown whether Roberts recent admission to trying PED’s has diminished his trade value or even chased off some possible suitors.
The San Diego Padres locked up Cy Young award winner Jake Peavy through the 2012 season with a team option for 2013. They also acquired OF Jim Edmonds from St. Louis for a minor leaguer.
Former Boston prospect Lenny DiNardo re-upped for one-year with Oakland. He joined two other former Sox OF Gabe Kapler who signed a one-year $800,000 deal with Milwaukee and P Ron Mahay who signed a two-year deal with Kansas City.
After trading their on-again off-again closer to Philadelphia, and then grabbing a former MVP to play short stop the Houston Astros went out and made a trade for Arizona closer Jose Valverde to solidify their bullpen for infielder Chris Burke and pitchers Juan Gutierrez and Chad Qualls.
The Diamondbacks then went out and acquire starter Dan Haren from the Oakland A’s along with pitcher Connor Robertson for pitchers Brett Anderson, Dana Eveland and Greg Smith, outfielders Aaron Cunningham and Carlos Gonzalez and infielder Chris Carter.
The New York Yankees wanted Luis Vizcaino back but apparently he got a better offer elsewhere and signed with the Colorado Rockies for $7.5 million over two seasons. He is expected to replace reliever LaTroy Hawkins who signed a free agent deal with those same Yankees. Vizcaino also has an option for 2010 for $4 million.
Cuban exile Alexie Ramirez has reportedly agreed to a four year contract for $8 million dollars with the Chicago White Sox. The infielder/outfielder, who defected in November, worked out for several teams including the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets before deciding on joining the White Sox.
In the continued saga of Cleveland Indians reliever Juan Lara, who was injured in a motor vehicle accident in the Dominican Republic, the pitcher was moved to the Cleveland Clinic. The 26-year old suffered a fractured spine, severe brain trauma, two broken ribs and a punctured lung in the crash.
The Major League owners appear to be in full support of Commissioner Bud Selig post Mitchell Report. So instead of running this first class ass out of baseball it looks like they may end up letting him stay around as long as he wants. I find it hard to believe there are not enough intelligent dissenting voices among the group of owners. Selig has to go just for the way he has handled or mishandled the whole PED issue in the sport. He and the owners continue to have blinders on and refuse to take even one iota of blame.
Free agent center fielder Andruw Jones has a new home he will be patrolling Dodger Stadium for the next two seasons. The two-year isn’t what he would have had with a good year last season in Atlanta but it’s way better than anyone thought he’d do.
The Colorado Rockies re-signed pitcher Aaron Cook to a four-year contract.
The Washington Nationals signed free agent catcher Paul LoDuca to a one-year contract.
