- It was recently announced that Brad Lidge would be one of the faces to grace the massive Philadelphia Phillies mural that's going up in the City of Brotherly Love to honor the team, but it still remains unclear exactly where he'll end up next season.
MLB.com reports that Lidge, who had a perfect season as a closer in 2008 when the Phils last won a World Series, is hoping to make a decision soon and could still end up playing for Philadelphia. He prefers to close but understands that most of those spots have been locked up already this offseason, the site notes.
"At this point, I probably could have taken some offers," Lidge said, MLB.com reports. "At the same time, they weren't quite right for me. It is always a little surprising when you feel like you can still close and you're still going to be a good closer and the market out there is not such [that you get a chance]. There are a lot of teams that want you to be there in case their young guys doesn't do well -- to be a setup guy. A
...Read More » - Scoop Du Jour | Thu, Jan 5, 2012 6:35 AM EST | CommentsThe Texas Rangers woud like to keep catcher Mike Napoli around for a while but MLB.com reports that "a long-term extension is not likely at this point" for him.
"We love Mike and we're not closing the door on anything, but right now we are focused on a one-year deal," Rangers GM Jon Daniels said, according to the site.
The team is discussing possible long-term deals also with outfielder Josh Hamilton, second baseman Ian Kinsler, pitcher Derek Holland, and, of course, Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish, the site notes, but Napoli is the only one of the bunch "that appears to have come to a point where a long-term deal has little chance of happening."
The 30-year-old Napoli spent his first TK seasons with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays and then the Rangers last offseason. In Texas, he batted .320 with 30 homers and 25 doubles.
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...Read More » - Scoop Du Jour | Wed, Jan 4, 2012 5:53 AM EST | CommentsPlenty of other teams have addressed their need for a closer next season, but the Cincinnati Reds are still missing an obvious arm to hold up the back end of the bullpen. The team's former closer, Francisco Cordero, is still a free agent, but the team doesn't want to offer the 37-year-old anything longer than a one-year contract, according to MLB.com.
"We're still talking with [Cincinnati] and a couple of other clubs," Cordero's agent, Bean Stringfellow, said Tuesday, according to the site. "We're making progress on a lot of fronts. Multi-year contracts are definitely involved. The Reds are involved, and are still interested in bringing him back. I am talking with them on a regular basis."
Earlier this offseason, Stringfellow had said seven or eight clubs were after Cordero, the site notes.
Reds GM Walt Jocketty told the site that his team wasn't offering Cordero more than one year: "We're looking at one year or one year with an option," he said. "That's all it could be, right now -- o
...Read More » - Scoop Du Jour | Tue, Jan 3, 2012 7:45 AM EST | CommentsIt remains unclear just where free-agent first baseman Prince Fielder will end up, but MLB.com points out that his name continues to be linked to the Washington Nationals.
If he joins the Nats, it'll make the National League East a power-packed division with the vaunted pitching rotation of the Philadelphia Phillies, the revamping of the Miami Marlins, and the new offensive force of the Nats.
However, one source tells MLB.com that Fielder's agent, Scott Boras, is "using [the Nationals] to drive up the price with interested teams." The site notes that Boras has a good relationship with the Nationals since the team employs a few of his clients, including Stephen Strasburg, Jayson Werth and Bryce Harper.
Nationals GM Mike Rizzo has indicated that the plan is to have Adam LaRoche at first in 2012. LaRoche, who will make $8 million next season, only played 43 games for the team last year after tearing a labrum and rotator cuff in spring training.
"Obviously, anything can happen. That's thei
...Read More » - The Miami Marlins have already added Heath Bell, Mark Buehrle and Jose Reyes this offseason. The word from ESPN is that the team is now considering signing free- agent lefty Joe Saunders.
The Arizona Diamondbacks non-tendered Saunders two weeks ago and made the 12-game winner a free agent. He also had a 3.69 ERA, lost 13 games, and struck out 108 in 212 innings pitched.
MLB.com, however, does not make a Saunders-Marlins matchup sound probable, reporting that the team "may eventually seek" Saunders and "is not ideally looking to have two soft tossing lefties in their rotation," referring to Buehrle.
As one National League source tells the Miami Herald, though, "Anytime you hear a pitcher's name, you can safely say the Marlins are in."
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