Rockies show interest in Indians free agent OF Grady Sizemore

The Rockies have expressed interest in free agent OF
Grady Sizemore, reports Troy Renck of The Denver Post.
The team is casting a wide net as they look for offensive
help, but Renck says they are not expected to aggressively
pursue Sizemore until they exhaust all trade options with
the Braves for Martin Prado.

The Red Sox and Phillies have checked in on Sizemore,
but the Mets are unlikely to get involved. The 29-year
old OF is looking for a 1 year contract in order to rebuild
his value, similar to Adrian Beltre's stint with the Red Sox.

The Rockies need help in LF, and Coors Field is a pretty
good place to hit. Obviously the key for Sizemore at this
point is staying healthy.

_________________
Sailin' on a BW midnight boat, their were no questions asked.
Waters so green and the air was so clean Matt stuck right to
his task.

Oh I'm just dreamin'... my life Away

Dodgers & OF Matt Kemp close to big contract Extension

The Dodgers and CF Matt Kemp are in serious discussions
on an 8 yr, $160MM contract, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX
Sports. Such a contract would be the largest in Dodgers history
by a long shot, and tied with Manny Ramirez for 7th all-time.

Kemp, 27, is coming off an MVP-caliber season and would be
eligible for free agency after the 2012 season. He projects
to earn over $15MM through arbitration, so if Rosenthal's
figure proves final Kemp will receive more than $20MM per
each of seven free agent seasons. The Dodgers would
essentially be getting Kemp's free agent years for Carl
Crawford money.

_________________
Sailin' on a BW midnight boat, their were no questions asked.
Waters so green and the air was so clean Matt stuck right to
his task.

Oh I'm just dreamin'... my life Away

MLB GM Meetings coming up this week

GM's will be headed to Milwaukee to possibly wheel and deal,
here are a couple things to watch for ..........

1.) Owners meet on Thursday, at which point the sale
of the Astros to Jim Crane is expected to be approved.

2). With significant progress last week, a new collective
bargaining agreement could be announced at the meetings.
The Astros are expected to move to the AL in 2013, creating
two 15-team leagues each with 3 five-team divisions. 2 more
playoff teams are expected to be added. Changes are also
expected in free agent draft pick compensation and perhaps
draft spending.

- love this hot stove shiz-nit

_________________
Sailin' on a BW midnight boat, their were no questions asked.
Waters so green and the air was so clean Matt stuck right to
his task.

Oh I'm just dreamin'... my life Away

Dodgers near deal with free agent INF Mark Ellis

The Dodgers are on the verge of a 2 year deal with 2B Mark Ellis,
tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets
that the deal is worth $8.75MM.

With Dee Gordon penciled in at SS and Juan Uribe at 3B,
2B was considered one of the Dodgers' offseason needs.
Ellis, 34, hit .248/.288/.346 in 519 plate appearances for the
Athletics and Rockies this year. He's best known for his strong
2B defense. Assuming the current free agent compensation
system remains in place for this offseason, the Rockies will
receive a supplemental draft pick for losing the Type B free
agent.

_________________
Sailin' on a BW midnight boat, their were no questions asked.
Waters so green and the air was so clean Matt stuck right to
his task.

Oh I'm just dreamin'... my life Away

Tigers have interest in Braves free agent Martin Prado

The Tigers are interested in Braves INF/LF Martin Prado,
reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The free agent market
for potential 2B has moved quickly, Morosi adds that the Tigers
are willing to trade LF Delmon Young for the right 2B, but it's not
known whether the Braves are interested.

Prado has also drawn interest from the Rockies and other teams.
The 28-year-old had a disappointing offensive year in 2011, spending
most of his time in LF for the Braves after they acquired 2B Dan Uggla.
MLBTR projects Prado to earn about $4.4MM in arbitration in 2012.
He'll continue to be under team control for the 2013 season.

_________________
Sailin' on a BW midnight boat, their were no questions asked.
Waters so green and the air was so clean Matt stuck right to
his task.

Oh I'm just dreamin'... my life Away

_________________
Please come to Boston in the Springtime.....

Padres to bring back OF Mark Kotsay

The Padres reached an agreement with Mark Kotsay on
a 1 yr, $1.25MM deal, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
Kotsay previously played for the Padres from 2001-03; he
was one of their best players during that time.

Kotsay, 35, hit .270/.329/.373 in 255 plate appearances for
the Brewers this year, spending time at all three OF positions
and 1B. Kotsay resides 35 minutes from Petco Park.
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P Francisco Cordero is drawing heavy Interest

At least 7 teams have expressed interest in free agent righty
Francisco Cordero, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
Morosi names many clubs who have interest in Cordero: the
Red Sox, Reds, Blue Jays, Marlins, Dodgers, Angels, and Mets.

Although Jonathan Papelbon off the market, Cordero is one
of many closers still available, along with Ryan Madson,
Heath Bell, and Francisco Rodriguez, among others. The
Reds declined their option on the 36-year-old Cordero at
season's end, despite a successful 2011 campaign in which
he posted a 2.45 ERA and reduced his BB/9 to 2.8.

_________________
Sailin' on a BW midnight boat, their were no questions asked.
Waters so green and the air was so clean Matt stuck right to
his task.

Oh I'm just dreamin'... my life Away

Twins show interest in C Ryan Doumit & OF Josh Willingham

The Twins spoke to agent Matt Sosnick today and expressed
interest in Ryan Doumit and Josh Willingham, two of his clients,
says Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune. Doumit and Willingham
are players the Twins could end up aggressively pursuing,
particularly if Michael Cuddyer signs elsewhere.

Doumit is reportedly weighing a few contract offers and
may make a decision as soon as this week. Christensen
indicates that the Twins haven't extended a formal offer,
however, meaning they probably weren't among the clubs
Doumit was considering over the weekend.

As for Willingham, we heard earlier in the month that
at least ten teams had already expressed interest in
the OF. Given the lack of power-hitting outfielders on
the market, Willingham appears poised to do quite well
for himself this winter.
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Dodgers reach agreement with C Matt Treanor

The Dodgers have reached an agreement on a 1 yr deal with
Matt Treanor, says Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).

Ken Gurnick of MLB.com 1st reported that the Dodgers
were eyeing Treanor, while Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports
indicated that the 2 sides were making progress toward a
deal worth just under $1MM.
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Braves & Tigers talk Martin Prado for Delmon Young

"There is a trade brewing between the Braves and Tigers
centering around Prado for Young," reports ESPN's Jim Bowden.
However, MLB.com's Mark Bowman says there won't be a
Young-Prado deal, as the majority of the Braves' front office
isn't interested in Young.

Prado has also drawn interest from the Rockies and other teams.
The 28-year-old had a disappointing offensive year in 2011,
spending most of his time in LF for the Braves after they acquired
2B Dan Uggla. MLBTR projects Prado to earn about $4.4MM in
arbitration in 2012, and freeing up that salary would add to the
Braves' flexibility. Prado will continue to be under team control
for the 2013 season.

_________________
Sailin' on a BW midnight boat, their were no questions asked.
Waters so green and the air was so clean Matt stuck right to
his task.

Oh I'm just dreamin'... my life Away

Angels have interest in C.J. Wilson

The Rangers could end up losing free agent lefty C.J.
Wilson to their AL West foe in the LA Angels.

While at the GM meetings in Milwaukee, new Angels GM
Jerry Dipoto had an extended meeting with the agent for
Wilson to express the team's interest in him.

"Obviously we have interest, and we're hoping C.J. feels
the same way," Dipoto told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick on
Monday.

On Friday, Dipoto said he had touched base with
the Wilson's agent and that his team was "intrigued"
by the possibility of adding their rival's ace.

Wilson, who went 16-7 with a 2.94 ERA for the AL
champion Rangers last season, is from Fountain Valley,
Calif., just south of Anaheim.

Dipoto said then he hadn't gotten a sense of whether
Wilson prefers to pitch close to where he grew up.

Since making the transition from the bullpen, Wilson has
gone 31-15 with a 3.14 ERA over 67 starts the past 2
regular seasons. But he was winless this postseason while
becoming the 1st pitcher ever in the same season to have
a loss in the division series, championship series and
World Series after also being the loser in the All-Star Game.

_________________
Sailin' on a BW midnight boat, their were no questions asked.
Waters so green and the air was so clean Matt stuck right to
his task.

Oh I'm just dreamin'... my life Away

Breaking News : Cubs name Brewers coach Sveum new Manager

The Cubs announced that Brews coach Dale Sveum will be
their next manager. The sides agreed to a 3 yr deal that
includes an option for 2015, according to Paul Sullivan of
the Chicago Tribune.

_________________
Sailin' on a BW midnight boat, their were no questions asked.
Waters so green and the air was so clean Matt stuck right to
his task.

Oh I'm just dreamin'... my life Away

Tigers bring back C Gerald Laird

The Tigers and Gerald Laird have agreed to a 1 yr contract,
reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The deal is still pending
a physical.

Laird, 32, spent the 2009-2010 seasons in Detroit after coming
over in a trade with the Rangers. He hit just .232/.302/.358 in
108 plate appearances with the World Series Champion Cardinals
this post season, throwing out just 4 of 20 attempted base
stealers. The move allows the Tigers to use Victor Martinez
as a full-time DH.

_________________
Sailin' on a BW midnight boat, their were no questions asked.
Waters so green and the air was so clean Matt stuck right to
his task.

Oh I'm just dreamin'... my life Away

Twins to sign C Ryan Doumit

The Twins agreed to sign Ryan Doumit to a 1 yr deal, according
to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick and Doumit's agency, Sosnick/Cobbe
Sports. The deal, which is pending a physical, is worth $3MM and
includes performance bonuses, according to Crasnick.

The 30-year-old posted a .303/.353/.477 line in 236 plate
appearances for the Pirates in 2011. His role with the Twins
figures to depend on the health of Joe Mauer and Justin
Morneau. He can catch, play 1B or, if both Mauer and Morneau
are healthy, contribute as a DH or RF.

Doumit, a Type B free agent, may lead to a compensatory
draft pick for the Pirates in 2012. Pittsburgh would have
obtained a supplementary first round pick under the previous
set of rules, but it's unclear how the new CBA will affect draft
pick compensation.

_________________
Sailin' on a BW midnight boat, their were no questions asked.
Waters so green and the air was so clean Matt stuck right to
his task.

Oh I'm just dreamin'... my life Away

Indians in ''serious discussions'' with Grady Sizemore

The Indians and Grady Sizemore are having "serious discussions"
about a 1 yr contract, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
One of Rosenthal's sources says a deal is "very likely," while
another source is only slightly less optimistic, pegging the
chances of an agreement at "70-30."

"The Indians came at us with an aggressive offer,'' Sizemore's
agent Joe Urbon tells ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. "Grady has
always maintained that he would be interested in returning
to Cleveland. We've exchanged proposals, but there's nothing
more I can say at this point.'' Crasnick's ESPN colleague Buster
Olney hears from a source that the deal "will be done" between
the 2 sides.

Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer says the
1 yr deal would include a low base salary and incentives
that could push the total value to $9MM, the same amount
as the option the Indians declined after the season. Hoynes
also mentions that the two sides discussed a deal like this
before the option decision was made.

_________________
Sailin' on a BW midnight boat, their were no questions asked.
Waters so green and the air was so clean Matt stuck right to
his task.

Oh I'm just dreamin'... my life Away

Pirates have a lead on free agent Clint Barmes

The Pirates appear to be in the lead for Clint Barmes,
reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Giants and
Brewers have also been involved, and the free agent
SS is likely to get a 2 yr contract.

Barmes, 33 in March, hit just .244/.312/.386 with a
dozen homers for the Astros last season, but his
primary value comes from his defensive skills.
The various advanced metrics have rated his glovework
at SS as well above-average in recent years.

The Pirates are in the market for a new SS
after declining Ronny Cedeno's $3MM option
for next season.

_________________
Sailin' on a BW midnight boat, their were no questions asked.
Waters so green and the air was so clean Matt stuck right to
his task.

Oh I'm just dreamin'... my life Away

Yankees & Red Sox lookin' into P Roy Oswalt

The Red Sox and Yanks have weighed in on the veteran,
who would be a welcome addition to either staff. The Sox
could use some leadership in the rotation and Oswalt would
be a good choice if the price wasn't prohibitive.

Oswalt's agent, Bob Garber, spoke to Ben Cherington last Wednesday.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillies acquire Ty Wigginton from Rockies

The Phillies have acquired utility man Ty Wigginton from
the Rox in exchange for a player to be named or cash,
Colorado announced on it's official Twitter feed.

The teams will split Wigginton's $4MM 2012 salary,
according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, and the
Rox can recoup another player or $100K in cash if the
Phils exercise Wigginton's $4MM 2013 option. If Philly
declines Wigginton's 2013 option, the Rockies will pay a
portion of the $500K buyout, Renck adds. The player to
be named or cash will switch hands within six months,
tweets Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com.

Wigginton, who turned 34 last month, owns a .265/.325/.443
career line in 10 seasons with the Mets, Pirates, Rays, Astros,
Orioles and Rockies, though he's been better against lefties
(.274/.353/.461) than righties (.261/.313/.437) by a healthy
margin. Wigginton has primarily played third base but has
seen action at 1B and even logged time at 2B and in LF.

The Phils had reportedly been pursuing free agent utility
man Michael Cuddyer, so it's fair to infer that the acquisition
of Wigginton means they're out of the Cuddyer bidding.
Cuddyer and Wigginton are roughly comparable players
in terms of their positional profiles and age, although
Cuddyer, 33 in March, has posted a better offensive line
in his career: .272/.343./.451. Wigginton, though, should
prove a significantly cheaper addition.

_________________
Sailin' on a BW midnight boat, their were no questions asked.
Waters so green and the air was so clean Matt stuck right to
his task.

Oh I'm just dreamin'... my life Away