The Braves made an “aggressive” offer for Shin-Soo Choo, but ultimately it was the Reds that snagged him in a three-team deal. Could Atlanta be in the mix for another slugger? Here's more on that and other notes out of the Eastern divisions..
- The Braves have Angels outfielder/first baseman Mark Trumbo on their radar, according to David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (on Twitter). Earlier today, it was reported that the Halos are very likely to trade either Trumbo or Peter Bourjos for a pitcher. However, Trumbo appears to be less available than Bourjos.
- The Yankees luxury tax penalty for 2012 will come in at $18.9MM, according to the Associated Press. The Bombers have run up a luxury tax bill of $224.2MM over the past ten years, with the fee increasing from $13.9MM last year.
- It's possible that the Orioles' relative quiet in the free agent market will become the new norm in the AL East, writes Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com. Of course, the rival Rays and Blue Jays made major splashes this offseason via trade.