Week In Review: 1/1/12 – 1/7/12

Lots of transactions this week… let's run down the major ones along with the week's top rumors here:

• The Angels and Howie Kendrick agreed to terms on a four-year contract extension worth $33.5MM that will buy out his final arbitration year and three free agent seasons. The Halos also inked Jorge Cantu to a minor league deal.
• The A's signed Coco Crisp to a two-year deal that will pay the center fielder $6MM in 2012, $7MM in 2013, and carries a $7.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout for 2014.
• Jason Frasor's tenure with the White Sox didn't last long; the South Siders dealt him back to the team they acquired him from this past summer — the Blue Jays – in exchange for two minor league pitchers.
• The Padres dealt with their first base surplus this week by trading Anthony Rizzo (along with Zach Cates) to the Cubs in exchange for Andrew Cashner and Kyung-Min Na. Rizzo had previously been one of the key components to San Diego's Adrian Gonzalez trade.
• The Marlins took on one of the game's biggest loose cannons when they acquired Carlos Zambrano for Chris Volstad. The Cubs will pay all but $2.5MM of the $18MM owed to Zambrano. Miami also signed Greg Dobbs to a two-year deal worth $3MM.
• Speaking of nearly untradeable Cubs, the Orioles discussed a potential acquisition of Alfonso Soriano from Chicago earlier this week. Multiple teams have inquired on Soriano apparently, though the Cubs would need to eat an immense amount of salary.
• The Mariners signed Hisashi Iwakuma to a mere one-year, $1.5MM contract that includes $3.4MM in incentives. Iwakuma turned down signficantly more on a multiyear deal with the A's through the posting system following the 2010 season.
• Iwakuma wasn't Seattle's only Japanese signing though; the Mariners also agreed to sign infielder Munenori Kawasaki to a minor league contract. Like Iwakuma, Kawasaki was a free agent and exempt from the posting system.
• The Yankees, meanwhile, failed to reach an agreement with Japanese infielder Hiroyuki Nakajima. The Bombers wanted Nakajima in a utility role, while he was a star with the Seibu Lions.
• The Cubs agreed to extend their relationship with Reed Johnson, coming to terms on a one-year deal worth $1.15MM for the outfielder.
• The Mets made a pair of similar one-year signings (price-wise), picking up Ronny Cedeno for $1.2MM and re-signing Scott Hairston to a $1.1MM deal.
• There were several major league deals given out to relievers this week, starting with the Rays' addition of Fernando Rodney on a one-year deal worth $2MM. Rodney will earn $1.75MM this season with a $250K buyout on a $2.5MM club option for 2013.
• The Blue Jays signed Darren Oliver to a one-year deal that will pay the veteran southpaw $4MM.
• The Dodgers signed Mike MacDougal to a one-year deal that will pay the 34-year-old $1MM and contains a club option for the 2013 season.
• The Nationals, who will be receiving a tremendous increase in their TV revenues, may have emerged as the favorites to land Prince Fielder. Doing so would likely mean they'd have to find a new home for Adam LaRoche.
• Scott Boras is said to be seeking five years for his other big ticket free agent, Edwin Jackson. Early in the offseason, Boras was reportedly seeking A.J. Burnett/John Lackey money (five years, $82.5MM).
• Tigers righty Rick Porcello has opted out of his contract and become arbitration-eligible. He signed a four-year Major League deal out of the draft and exercised his opt-out clause, which will allow him to earn more via the arbitration process.
• Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan is taking a leave of absence while his wife battles with cancer. Keep he and his family in your thoughts.
• After a 17-year Major League career spent entirely with the Yankees, Jorge Posada will announce his retirement in the coming weeks. After all is said and done, Posada will finish with a career triple slash line of .273/.374/.474 to go along with 275 homers.