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Odds & Ends: Braun, Reds, Marlins, Washburn

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A few more Friday links for your browsing pleasure…

Tigers Shopping Nate Robertson

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The Detroit Tigers are looking for a suitor for Nate Robertson, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Morosi tweets that three different sources have told him the Tigers are shopping the left-hander.

Robertson is entering the last year of a three-year $21.25MM contract, and will earn $10MM this season. While the 32-year-old has struggled over the last few seasons, he posted a 3.84 ERA over 208.2 IP in 2006. It's possible that there are teams out there willing to roll the dice that Robertson could regain that form, but as Morosi suggests, the Tigers would have to take on a significant chunk of his 2010 salary.

In a second tweet, Morosi adds that the Tigers' willingness to move Robertson could be a good sign for Dontrelle Willis' big league prospects.

What Would A Matt Cain Extension Cost?

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Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle speculated today, via Twitter, that an extension for Matt Cain might be in the works. Considering that the Giants have yet to officially announce extensions for Jeremy Affeldt and Brian Wilson, Schulman wonders (Twitter link) if a deal for Cain could come "sooner rather than later."

While we wait to see if there's any merit to this speculation, let's examine a pair of comparable contract extensions: Felix Hernandez's $78MM deal with Seattle and Justin Verlander's $80MM pact with the Tigers. Both pitchers, like Cain, were poised to hit free agency after the 2011 season, before their teams locked them up.

Cain's career resume to date is impressive, matching up reasonably well with the Mariners' and Tigers' aces. He has been durable, making at least 31 starts in each of the last four seasons, and his career 1.25 WHIP bests both Felix's (1.27) and Verlander's (1.28). Still, Cain has yet to post a truly elite season like the 2009 campaigns that earned Hernandez and Verlander Cy Young and MVP votes.

The Tigers will pay Verlander $20MM annually in what would have been his first three free agent years, while the Mariners will pay Hernandez $19.3MM per year over the same period. If the Giants were to sign Cain long-term, you'd have to think it could cost them up to $15MM annually for those free agency seasons.

The 25-year-old Cain has a $6.25MM club option for 2011 (his final arbitration season) that should vest if he stays healthy. If the Giants were to extend the right-hander today, they would likely re-do that year, perhaps guaranteeing him $7MM or so. All told, San Francisco could be looking at a price tag in excess of $50MM to retain their #2 starter from 2011 through 2014.

Red Sox To Sign Scott Schoeneweis

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5:45pm: Schoeneweis will earn $500K if he makes the Red Sox' big league roster, according to Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). Benjamin notes that the deal is similar to the one Alan Embree signed with Boston last week.

3:38pm: The Red Sox agreed to sign lefty reliever Scott Schoeneweis to a minor league deal, according to a team press release. The Brewers released Schoeneweis Tuesday after signing him to a minor league deal last month. Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports that Schoeneweis can opt out of the deal on April 15th if he isn't on the 25-man roster (Twitter link).

Schoeneweis, 36, pitched 24 innings for the D'Backs last year, posting a 7.12 ERA with 5.3 K/9 and 4.9 BB/9. His rate stats were markedly better against lefties in 2009 (7.1 K/9, 3.2 BB/9), though the sample size is small. The Red Sox expect him in camp tomorrow.

It's been a productive day for the Red Sox, who released Brian Shouse this morning and traded for Kevin Frandsen and signed Schoeneweis almost immediately after Nick Cafardo reported the team was looking at infielders and relievers.

Odds & Ends: Giants, Harper, Heyward, Padres

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Some links as the weekend draws closer…

Red Sox Acquire Kevin Frandsen

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The Red Sox acquired Kevin Frandsen from the Giants for a player to be named later or cash, according to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News (via Twitter). The 27-year-old infielder has a .240/.304/.341 line in 453 major league plate appearances, all of which have come in a Giants uniform. Frandsen, who has an option remaining, hit .295/.352/.438 in Triple A last year.

He played second and short for the Giants in 2009 and has major league experience at third and at both corner outfield positions. He has played all four infield positions in the minors, so he's clearly versatile. Other than that it's hard to draw conclusions about his defense because of his limited time in the majors.

Earlier in the week, when it became apparent that Frandsen was available, Dave Cameron of U.S.S. Mariner thought he would be a great fit for the Mariners. The acquisition of Frandsen presumably means Boston's search for backup infield help is now less urgent.

Red Sox Looking At Relievers & Infielders

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The Red Sox are interested in relievers and infielders and have been scouting players around the league, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. The club would like to add shortstop depth behind free agent acquisition Marco Scutaro and add options out of the bullpen.

We heard earlier in the week that the Red Sox had communicated their interest in adding shortstop depth to other teams. They may need Mike Lowell's roster spot to add a backup shortstop, but the club isn't close to dealing him.

It's been a busy week for the Red Sox, who signed Alan Embree and released Brian Shouse, and they are still looking at other relievers. Cafardo says the club doesn't want to rush Embree, who may not make the team's Opening Day roster.

Discussion: Chad Gaudin’s Next Team

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Chad Gaudin is young and talented enough to find a major league job, even though the Yankees didn't have room for him and released him. Gaudin, 27, pitched to a 4.64 ERA in 147.1 innings last year with 8.5 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9. That's solid production (1.5 WAR) and there's no reason to expect him to decline.

Yesterday, we heard that the Mets and Dodgers are interested in the righty, though the D'Backs are not. The Phillies are looking for rotation depth, but they wouldn't be able to guarantee Gaudin a rotation spot, so he might prefer to sign elsewhere. 

The Tigers could contend, but they have limited rotation depth. Jeremy Bonderman is competing with Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis for Detroit's last two rotation spots. Tigers manager Jim Leyland told MLB.com's Jason Beck that they've all been "OK," but it wouldn't be surprising to see the Tigers pursue Gaudin.

The Mariners could use some depth, since Cliff Lee will miss the beginning of the season. Unlike Jarrod Washburn, Gaudin has been training and could start contributing immediately.

Jaime Garcia has a good chance of beating Kyle McClellan and Rich Hill for the Cardinals' final rotation spot, so the Cards' rotation appears set for now. Even if no one offers Gaudin a rotation spot, there's a long list of clubs that could use a long reliever or swingman.

So where do you think Chad Gaudin will end up?

Latin Links: Liriano, Ruiz, Ramirez, Garcia

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News from sources that use subjunctive tenses. Links are in Spanish…

  • Francisco Liriano tells Hoy's Dionisio Soldevila he seriously considered retirement eight months after his elbow ligament replacement surgery in 2006. He also gives perhaps his clearest rejection yet of the idea that he take the John Smoltz route and step into Joe Nathan's slot as closer. "I don't want to be a closer," Liriano says. "I don't know if I'm ready to roll out there three or four times a week." After a dominant winter in the Dominican and a reportedly resurgent fastball this spring, Liriano is currently manager Ron Gardenhire's pick for the fifth spot in the Twins rotation.
  • Two weeks after his acrimonious split from agent Jorge Luis Toca, Cuban prospect Jose Julio Ruiz has surfaced again. Representatives from 22 teams recently watched Ruiz and fellow new Legacy Sports client Yadil Mujica at a staged tryout in the Dominican Republic, writes Jorge Ebro at the Nuevo Herald. The Blue Jays, Red Sox, Rangers, and Rays have all reportedly made offers to the left-handed first baseman this winter, all at around $2MM. The Rays at minimum can likely be crossed off the list of Ruiz's potential suitors after the team signed Leslie Anderson.
  • Rangers prospect Max Ramirez is getting more serious about moving to first, just like Mike Lowell, the player for whom Ramirez was almost traded earlier this winter. "I played a fair amount of first (base) in Venezuela," Ramirez tells Lider en Deportes' Carlos Rodriguez. "I didn't do it as much in the minors, but I've improved and I feel good." Ramirez, who is currently blocked at catcher by Taylor Teagarden and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, has been mentioned as a possible solution to the Rangers' seeming shortage of reserve corner infielders. He played 23 innings at first during a brief 2008 call-up.
  • White Sox fifth starter Freddy Garcia tells Lider's Rodriguez that retirement never crossed his mind after he was released by the Mets last spring after just two starts at Triple A. "They told me one thing and did another," Garcia says. "I came to fight for a spot and they never gave me a chance."
  • Former Twins outfielder Lew Ford has signed with the Oaxaca Warriors of the Mexican League, reports Eduardo Gonzalez Garcia at Noticias Sureste. After a one-year sojourn in Japan, Ford signed with the Reds last August and played for their Triple A Louisville affiliate. He last appeared in the majors in 2007.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Mauer, McCutchen, Guzman

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On this date back in 1974, the Red Sox released Orlando Cepeda and Luis Aparicio, both future Hall of Famers. Cepeda, then 36, signed with Kansas City and retired after the season as a .297/.350/.499 career hitter with 379 home runs. Aparicio, 39 at the time, never played again following his release, and finished his career as a .262/.311/.343 hitter and with a reputation as one of the best defensive shortstops in baseball history.

Here are some links from around the baseball blogosphere…

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

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