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Archives for January 2011

Reds Sign Edgar Renteria

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The Reds have signed Edgar Renteria to a one-year deal, the team announced. The agreement guarantees him $2.1MM and allows him to earn another $900K through incentives. Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com first reported the agreement and Jon Heyman of SI.com added the terms of the deal (Twitter link). Agents Jeffrey Lane and Barry Meister represent the 2010 World Series MVP.

Earlier in the offseason, Renteria expressed interest in returning to the Marlins or Cardinals. A deal with the Reds would be a homecoming of sorts for Renteria, who played under GM Walt Jocketty from 1999-2004 while Jocketty was the St. Louis GM. 

Renteria, 34, says he intends to play for two more seasons. He batted .276/.332/.374 in 267 plate appearances last year, missing time with elbow, groin, hamstring and shoulder injuries before returning to form and leading the Giants to their first championship in San Francisco.

Renteria discussed a potential return to San Francisco, even after saying that the Giants' $1MM offer showed a "lack of respect."

Reds Sign Fred Lewis

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The Reds announced that they signed Fred Lewis to a one-year deal (Twitter link). It's a $900K major league deal, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon (on Twitter).  Scott Leventhal and Damon Lapa represent Lewis.

Until last week, Jay Bruce was the lone left-handed hitter in the Reds' outfield. Drew Stubbs, Jonny Gomes and Chris Heisey all bat from the right side, so the team signed Jeremy Hermida and Lewis, two left-handed hitters.

Lewis, 30, hit .262/.332/.414 in 480 plate appearances for the Blue Jays after they acquired him from the Giants early in the season. Though he mostly played left field, Lewis did play some center and right in 2010. He contributed 31 doubles and 17 steals, mostly as Toronto's leadoff hitter, before the Blue Jays cut ties with him at last month's non-tender deadline. 

Lewis has less than four years of big league service time, so the Reds can keep him through 2013 by offering arbitration.

The signing presumably eliminates the possibility that the Reds sign Scott Podsednik. The team also officially announced its one-year deal with Edgar Renteria.

White Sox Agree To Sign Will Ohman

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The White Sox and Will Ohman have agreed to a two-year contract, the team announced. The deal is worth $4MM total, reports SI.com's Jon Heyman (Twitter links). Ohman is represented by the Beverly Hills Sports Council.

The 33-year-old Ohman spent most of the 2010 season with Baltimore before being traded to the Marlins. The lefty reliever held same-side batters to a .229/.323/.313 last year, but .208/.298/.348 over his entire career. He's strictly a lefty specialist, because righties have tagged him for a .264/.360/.400 batting line in his career. Ohman has a 4.09 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9 in a big league career that began back in 2000.

Ohman, who earned $1.35MM in 2010, joins Pedro Feliciano, Randy Choate, Scott Downs, and Hisanori Takahashi as lefty relievers who received multiyear deals this offseason. Chicago has already added Jesse Crain to their bullpen this offseason, and the addition of Ohman gives Ozzie Guillen a lefty for the middle innings. Matt Thornton will of course handle late game situations.

We heard that the ChiSox were favored to sign him on Friday, after we learned that three AL teams were the finalists for his services.

Mariners Sign Adam Kennedy

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The Mariners signed Adam Kennedy to a minor league deal and invited him to Spring Training, the team announced. Kennedy, who turns 35 today, enters the mix for a utility infield job with Seattle.

I suggested ten days ago that Kennedy would be a good fit for the M's, who also have Josh Wilson and Matt Tuiasosopo in the mix for utility roles. The former first rounder hasn't played shortstop since 2007, but he played everywhere else on the infield for the 2010 Nationals. His .249/.327/.327 batting line wasn't as robust as it was in 2009, when he hit .289/.348/.410 for the A's. To his credit, Kennedy chipped in with 14 steals in 16 attempts and nearly as many walks (37) as strikeouts (44) in 2010.

Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik will likely consider ways of obtaining pitching between now and Spring Training. The Mariners could use relief help, especially now that David Aardsma might not be healthy to open the season. The team could also look to improve its rotation depth.

Padres, Jason Bartlett Agree To Two-Year Deal

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The Padres avoided arbitration with Jason Bartlett and agreed to sign him to a two-year deal, the team announced. The sides agreed to an $11MM deal, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock and Bernie Wilson of the AP has the details on the LSW Baseball client (Twitter links). Bartlett earns $4MM in 2011, $5.5MM in 2012 and either $5.5MM or a $1.5MM buyout in 2013.

The agreement buys out Bartlett's final season as an arbitration eligible player and one free agent year. The shortstop, who arrived in San Diego in a December trade, earned $4MM last year and was due for a raise in 2011. Orlando Hudson signed in San Diego as a free agent for comparable money; he and Bartlett will man the middle of the Padres infield for the next two seasons.

After a 2009 season in which he made the All-Star team and batted .320/.389/.490, Bartlett slumped to .254/.324/.350 last year. The 31-year-old has stolen ten bases or more for five consecutive seasons and has a .281/.345/.385 line in parts of seven campaigns with the Twins and Rays. Bartlett was originally selected by the Padres in the 13th round of the 2001 Draft and signed by current Padres amateur scout Lane Decker.

Ryan Ludwick, Heath Bell, Tim Stauffer, Mike Adams and Chase Headley are the Padres' remaining arbitration eligible players, as MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows.

Yankees Have Strong Interest In Andruw Jones

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Andruw Jones appears to be the Yankees' top choice as they continue to search for a fourth outfielder, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). The sides are still apart on money, Heyman writes. Agent Scott Boras, who represents Jones, also represents Johnny Damon, who is one of the Yankees' backup options. Former Yankee Marcus Thames is still a consideration for the Bronx Bombers.

The Yankees are looking for an outfielder who bats from the right side and can handle left and center field against tough lefties. The team wants a player that can give left-handed batters Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner some rest against select southpaws and provide the team with depth.

Jones, 33, hit 19 homers for the White Sox last year, playing all three outfield positions. He has an .863 OPS against lefties in his career, including a .931 mark in 2010.

Rangers Pursuing Jim Thome

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Though the Rangers are out on Vladimir Guerrero, they appear interested in adding another aging but productive slugger. The team is actively trying to lure Jim Thome to Texas, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter link). 

Thome posted a .283/.412/.627 line in 340 plate appearances with the Twins last year, belting 25 homers. The 20-year MLB veteran was typically productive against right-handed pitching, posting a .302/.455/.698 line against righties.

Cubs Claim Max Ramirez

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Max Ramirez has been claimed on waivers for the second time in six days. This time, the Cubs claimed him from the Red Sox, according to the teams. The Red Sox claimed Ramirez from the Rangers last week after working to acquire him for Mike Lowell last offseason. For the second consecutive winter, the Red Sox have had Ramirez within their grasp only to lose him.

Ramirez will restore some of the catching depth the Cubs lost when they sent Robinson Chirinos to the Rays in last week's Matt Garza trade. Ramirez appeared in 28 games for the Rangers last year and posted a .217/.341/.348 line in 85 plate appearances. The 26-year-old has spent most of his seven-year pro career in the minors, where he has a .298/.396/.476 line. 

Before the 2010 season, Baseball America wrote that Ramirez is "a plus hitter who works the count and drives the ball to all fields" when healthy. However, the publication described the catcher as a below-average defender with below-average arm strength and well below-average running speed.

The out-of-options catcher could compete with Welington Castillo and Koyie Hill to back up Geovany Soto.

Pirates Sign Jorge Julio

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After a strong winter in Venezuela, reliever Jorge Julio has signed a minor league contract with the Pirates and received an invitation to Spring Training, reports César Augusto Márquez at the Venezuelan newspaper Lider en Deportes (link in Spanish). However, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that the Pirates did not invite the pitcher to Spring Training (Twitter link).

Julio last pitched in the majors for the Brewers in 2009, when his longstanding control problems led to his release after just 15 appearances. Julio never stopped throwing hard or getting strikeouts, though, and his 2010 full-season campaign with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League was a success. He struck out 57 batters in 55 innings without allowing a home run, on his way to a 1.15 ERA. This winter with the Tiburones de La Guaira, Julio has again seemed to be in control, as he managed a 1.95 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 27 innings.

Red Sox Sign Okajima To One-Year Deal

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The Red Sox signed left-hander Hideki Okajima to a one-year deal worth $1.75MM, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. The deal includes $550K in incentives and allows Okajima to become a free agent at the end of the 2011 season, Crasnick reports. (all Twitter links). The Pirates, Mets, Rays, Blue Jays and A’s all showed interest in the Joe Rosen client after the Red Sox non-tendered him in December.

Okajima, 35, has seen his performance decline in his four big league seasons. He followed up his 2.22 ERA as a rookie in 2007 with a 2.61 ERA in 2008 then a 3.39 ERA in 2009 and finally a 4.50 ERA in 2010. His strikeout rate was a career low 6.5 K/9 this past season while the walk rate was a career worst 3.9 BB/9. Okajima did miss time this summer with back stiffness, so perhaps that’s to blame.

The Red Sox have been in the market for a lefty reliever, and were recently said to have interest in Brian Fuentes. Although lefties hit .284/.357/.375 off Okajima in 2010, the funky southpaw has held them to a .217/.271/.320 batting line in his career.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported the agreement (via Twitter) and Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe first reported that the two sides were close. 

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