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Padres Close To Signing Jason Marquis

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The Padres are closing in on a deal with Jason Marquis, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark, as passed along by his colleague Buster Olney on Twitter. Stark confirms in a tweet of his own that the two sides are working toward a one-year contract.

Marquis, 34, spent most of the 2012 season with the Padres after being designated for assignment by the Twins early in the year. Although he struggled in Minnesota, the right-hander bounced back nicely in San Diego, posting a 4.04 ERA over the course of 15 starts.

Coming off a 2011 season in which he recorded a 4.43 ERA in 132 innings (22 starts) for the Nationals and Padres, Marquis inked a $3MM deal with the Twins last winter. Though many of his overall numbers weren't as strong in 2012, Marquis' stint with the Padres was successful enough that I'd expect a one-year contract in approximately the same range this time around.

Originally published on December 3rd at 8:15am.

Gonzalez, Nationals Agree To Five-Year Extension

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3:01pm: Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes reports (on Twitter) that the deal is worth $42MM, and the two option years could raise the value to $65MM.

12:49pm: The Nationals and Gio Gonzalez have agreed to terms on a five-year contract extension, the team announced. The deal runs through 2016, with club options for 2017 and 2018, and comes less than a month after the Nationals sent four prospects to the Athletics to acquire Gonzalez. The southpaw is an ACES client.

Icon_6734553Gonzalez, 26, was eligible for arbitration for the first time as a Super Two this winter. Our projections pegged him for a $4.2MM salary in 2012. The extension will cover all four of Gonzalez's arbitration years plus one free agent year. With the two club options, the Nationals have potentially bought out three of the southpaw's free agent years.

Despite owning the rare distinction of being traded three times before making his big league debut, Gonzalez has emerged as one of the game's best young hurlers in recent years. He's coming off his strongest season to date, having recorded a 3.12 ERA and 8.8 K/9 in 32 starts. Despite leading the league in walks, the lefty earned his first All-Star berth and set a career high with 202 innings pitched. 

When we looked at Gonzalez as an extension candidate last April, we mentioned that similar pitchers like Jon Lester, Ricky Romero, and Yovani Gallardo had signed five-year contracts worth approximately $30MM in recent years. Those deals also covered the pitchers' last four years of team control plus one free agent year, however none qualified as a Super Two. Gonzalez figures to command a slightly higher guaranteed salary, and MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith believes $38MM or so is fair (Twitter link).

With Jordan Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg under team control through 2015 and 2016, respectively, the top of the Nationals' rotation is set for the next half-decade. The club still has six unsigned arbitration-eligible players as our Arbitration Tracker shows: Tyler Clippard, Jesus Flores, Tom Gorzelanny, John Lannan, Mike Morse, and Zimmermann.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

AL East Notes: Yankees, Pineda, Red Sox, Rays

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We've already rounded up some Orioles and Red Sox items this morning, but those aren't the only updates out of the AL East. Here are a few more:

Orioles Notes: Doi, Damon, Hoiles

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Let's check out a few Sunday morning Orioles links….

  • The Orioles have signed Japanese lefty Yoshihiro Doi to a minor league contract, according to NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman, who passes along a report from Nikkan Sports. Doi, 35, became eligible for international free agency a year ago, but ended up sitting out the 2011 season due to visa issues.
  • You can hear admiration in Dan Duquette's voice when the O's GM discusses Johnny Damon, says Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. While Duquette didn't confirm to Cafardo that he's interested in signing Damon, a Friday report suggested Baltimore is eyeing the well-traveled veteran.
  • Former Orioles backstop Chris Hoiles tells Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com that he'd like a chance to get back into the organization in some capacity. Hoiles says he has reached out to team officials in the past and will continue to do so: "I feel like I have a lot to offer and I feel like I can help out these young kids with my knowledge and experience."

Cafardo’s Latest: Zumaya, Carlos Lee, Oswalt

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At least three teams are "pushing hard" for Joel Zumaya, says Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. According to Cafardo, 50 scouts from 20 teams were in attendance for Zumaya's December workout, and the Red Sox and Padres are among the clubs who are very interested in the right-hander. Here are a few more items of interest from Cafardo's Sunday Baseball Notes:

  • An Astros source confirmed to Cafardo that the club has received a few inquires on Carlos Lee, as we heard earlier this week. The Rays briefly discussed a deal, but even half of Lee's $18.5MM salary figures to be too pricey for Tampa Bay.
  • A long-term extension doesn't look likely for Jacoby Ellsbury this week, but he and the Red Sox should avoid arbitration on a one-year deal before Tuesday's deadline.
  • Based on Hiroki Kuroda's deal with the Yankees, an NL GM thinks Roy Oswalt could be had for about $9MM for one year. There were rumblings this week suggesting Oswalt's current asking price may be even lower.
  • An NL scout on Edwin Jackson and his likely cost: "For that kind of money, you need more consistency out of him. I guess there's a lack of trust in that consistency. He's a great athlete, but he doesn't have a great feel for pitching. To me, he's still a complementary piece."
  • Ryan Spilborghs and Chad Qualls are two free agents to keep in mind for the Red Sox, says Cafardo. The Sox have "always liked" Spilborghs, who was non-tendered by the Rockies last month, and Qualls "has been on Boston's radar all offseason."

Brewers Sign Cesar Izturis

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JAN. 14: MLB.com's Adam McCalvy has a breakdown of the contract, reporting that Izturis can earn $875K in the big leagues with another $375K in incentives. He'll get $25K for appearing in 90 games, $50K for appearing in 100 and 115 games, $50K for 75 starts, and $100K for 90 and 115 starts. The contract also allows Izturis to request his release if he's not added to the 40-man roster by March 30th.

DEC. 21: The Brewers have signed Cesar Izturis to a minor league contract, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. In a team release, the Brewers announced they've also signed left-hander Juan Perez to a minor league deal. Both players will receive invitations to Spring Training.

Izturis spent the last three seasons in Baltimore, hitting .240/.283/.292 in 958 plate appearances for the Orioles. Although the 31-year-old didn't provide much pop at the plate, his defense continues to be rated favorably by advanced metrics — Fangraphs puts his career UZR/150 at +7.6 or better at shortstop, third base, and second base. If he makes the Brewers' big league club, Izturis figures to provide depth behind Rickie Weeks, Alex Gonzalez, and Aramis Ramirez.

The 33-year-old Perez, meanwhile, has seen limited Major League action with the Pirates and Phillies. With the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate at Lehigh Valley in 2011, Perez recorded a 5.70 ERA with 13.1 K/9 and 6.2 BB/9 in 36 1/3 innings.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Giants Agree To Two-Year Deal With Vogelsong

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THURSDAY: Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com has the breakdown (on Twitter). Vogelsong will earn $3MM in 2012, $5MM in 2013, and then a $6.5MM club option with a $300K buyout for 2014 comes into play. The total guarantee is $8.3MM.

WEDNESDAY: The Giants and Ryan Vogelsong have agreed to a two-year contract with an option for 2014, reports Mychael Urban of 95.7 FM The Game (via Twitter). The deal is worth a total of $8MM, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets. The Associated Press reports that the deal is worth $8.3MM (via ESPN). The team announced the agreement in a press release, noting that the club holds the third-year option.

Vogelsong, 34, was entering his final season of arbitration eligibility, so the contract will delay free agency by at least a year. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected a $2.5MM salary for the right-hander for 2012, though we heard during the Winter Meetings that the Giants intended to work out a multiyear deal.

Vogelsong pitched in the bigs last season for the first time in five years, enjoying a remarkable comeback. His 2.71 ERA in 30 appearances (28 starts) earned him an All-Star berth and even a Cy Young vote. The righty was originally drafted by the Giants, and was traded to the Pirates in 2001 in a deadline deal that sent Jason Schmidt to San Francisco. Over the next decade, Vogelsong underwent Tommy John surgery, pitched in Japan, and signed multiple minor league deals before finding success last year with the Giants.

Dodgers Notes: Fielder, Barrack, Franchise Sale

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With no clear frontrunner in the Prince Fielder sweepstakes, ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider link) says the Dodgers should step in and make a play for the slugger. Olney concedes current owner Frank McCourt "probably flinches reflexively at the idea of spending money these days," but argues that spending on Fielder would be a smart investment since it would increase the bids for the team over the next few months. Here's the latest on the sale of one of baseball's most storied franchises:

  • Tom Barrack, the head of a Santa Monica firm that controls $34 billion in assets, plans to pursue the Dodgers, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross approved the Dodgers' settlements with MLB and Fox today, writes Shaikin in a separate piece. "We have a relatively short time left for the sale process," Gross said. "The settlement will allow the process to proceed without distraction."

NL West Notes: Dodgers, Hamels, Lidge

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When MLBTR's Tim Dierkes listed the most surprising trades of the offseason last week, NL West clubs showed up in four of the six. The West, which has seen all five teams earn playoff spots since 2006, is once again difficult to figure out heading into the spring, writes Tracy Ringolsby of FOX Sports. As the division's residents continue to make moves in hopes of contending, here are the latest NL West updates:

  • The Disney family has partnered with Stanley Gold and will make a bid for the Dodgers, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. With a handful of deep-pocketed bidders already in contention for the franchise, Shaikin says current owner Frank McCourt believes the sale could exceed $1.6 billion.
  • Within his ESPN.com Insider blog, Buster Olney says the competition is good news for Dodgers fans, since no one who commits that type of money to purchase the franchise will "let it rot with a modest payroll." Cole Hamels should also be excited, Olney adds, implying the Dodgers could be in position to make the southpaw a significant offer if he becomes a free agent next winter.
  • The Rockies, who we know have talked to Brad Lidge this offseason, are still interested in the Denver-area native, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. However, due to Lidge's injuries last year, Colorado only has interest "at minimal risk." Presumbly a deal heavy on incentives would be the Rockies' preference.

AL East Notes: Smith, Hanigan, Yankees, Orioles

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Exactly one year ago, the Rays and Cubs finalized an eight-player deal that sent Matt Garza to Chicago. 365 days later, Garza is on the block again, though so far teams have balked at the Cubs' asking price. Could Garza be back in the AL East before Opening Day? While we wait to find out, here are a few links from the division:

  • Although we heard in recent weeks that Tampa Bay was interested in Rockies' outfielder Seth Smith, the Rays may not have held onto Smith had they acquired him. According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider link), one deal discussed earlier in the winter involved the Rays trading for Smith and flipping him to the Reds in exchange for catcher Ryan Hanigan.
  • Newsday's Ken Davidoff explains why the Yankees haven't made a move for one of the top starting pitchers (including Garza) available via free agency or trade.
  • Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com looks into the Orioles' search for a designated hitter.
  • Check out this morning's Red Sox notes here and last night's AL East notes here.

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