• The Indians brought back a familiar name today by signing former top prospect Adam Miller to a minor league deal, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports (via Twitter). Miller seemed destined for a career at the front of the Cleveland rotation until a curious finger injury — and multiple resulting surgeries — derailed his progress. Now 29, Miller spent last year with the independent Sugar Land Skeeters, throwing 62 innings of 4.79 ERA ball.
• Though MLBTR's DFA Tracker shows only one player, he is an intriguing one: Javy Guerra, the Dodgers reliever.

• The Pirates announced that they signed right-hander Logan Kensing to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training.  The 29-year-old spent the 2011 campaign with the Yankees' top affiliate after recovering from elbow surgery in 2010.
• The Reds signed catchers Brian Esposito and Brian Peacock to minor league deals, tweets Matt Eddy of Baseball America.
• The Tigers signed utility player Eric Patterson to a minor league deal, tweets Eddy.
• The Mets signed right-hander Jeff Stevens and utility player Corey Wimberly to minor league deals, tweets Eddy.
• The A's signed right-handers Travis Schlichting and Merkin Valdez and left-hander Fabio Castro to minor league deals, Eddy tweets.
• The Yankees signed right-hander Adam Miller and outfielders Cole Garner and Dewayne Wise to minor league deals, Eddy tweets.
• The Diamondbacks signed first baseman Mike Jacobs to a minor league deal, tweets Eddy.  Before playing, Jacobs still must serve a 50-game suspension for positive a HGH test in August.  He was cut by the Rockies following the test.
• The Marlins picked up right-handers Chad Gaudin and Rob Delaney on minor league deals, Eddy tweets.  In nine big league seasons, Gaudin has a 4.63 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9.  Delaney spent most of 2011 with the Rays' Triple-A affiliate, posting a 1.86 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9.
• The Dodgers signed third baseman Josh Fields, according to Goldstein (via Twitter).
• The Cubs signed Joe Mather as Triple-A outfield insurance, according to Goldstein (via Twitter).  Mather spent 36 games on the Braves' major league roster in 2011.
• The Nationals have signed right-hander Dan Cortes, according to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus (via Twitter).
• Speaking of the Braves, Atlanta released former Rangers draftee Marcus Lemon, Goldstein tweets.  Lemon was acquired in a March trade for a PTBNL.
• P.J. Phillips, the younger brother of Brandon Phillips, agreed to a deal with the Reds, tweets Goldstein.  The younger Phillips' career never got going due to plate discipline issues.
• The Blue Jays signed former Angels/Braves relief prospect Stephen Marek, Goldstein tweets.  The right-hander was outrighted by Atlanta in November and underwent Tommy John surgery in May.
• The White Sox signed 2000 first-round pick Corey Smith, Goldstein tweets.  The 29-year-old has never reached the Majors.

• The Orioles designated reliever Willie Eyre for assignment to make room on the roster for Dana Eveland, announced the team.  The 33-year-old would have been arbitration eligible.  The O's also announced second baseman Greg Miclat will go the Texas as the player to be named later in the Taylor Teagarden deal.
• The Blue Jays have designated Brian Jeroloman for assignment, tweets MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm. The move clears a roster spot for the returning Kelly Johnson.
• Greg Golson has been released by the Yankees, tweets MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. Having added two players in this morning's Rule 5 draft, the Yanks needed space on their roster, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
• The Yankees are close to signing former Indians prospect Adam Miller to a minor league deal, tweets Sherman. Miller ranked among Baseball America's top 100 prospects for five straight years from 2005 to 2009.
• The Rays are open-minded about listening to trade offers, even for players like James Shields or Jeremy Hellickson, tweets Jon Heyman of MLB Network. However, they'd need a very large return for their high-end pitchers.
• Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal looks at a few Red Sox trade chips, as the team searches for pitching help.

• Carlos Quentin attributes his strong start to learning how to leave the game at the ballpark and how to cope with failure, writes Tim Kurkjian for ESPN.com.
• The Royals will look within their organization for bullpen help, as Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star reports the club doesn't want to risk losing anyone from their current 40-man roster.
• "Kansas City baseball fans have grown sick of money," writes SI's Joe Posnanski, noting that fans seem to appreciate how the Royals are spending on their minor league system rather than on stop-gap veterans.  Posnanski points out that K.C.'s league-low payroll could (or should) be even lower given the Royals are paying Kyle Davies and Jason Kendall a combined $6.95MM in 2011.
• Right-hander Alex White, the Indians' first-round pick (15th overall) in the 2009 amateur draft, will make his Major League debut on Saturday.  The Tribe will have to make room for White on the 40-man roster — Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer thinks the club could move one of their several infielders, while speculates that right-hander Jess Todd could be the odd man out.
• Also from Castrovince, right-hander Adam Miller has been cleared to pitch for the Indians' Class A affiliate.  Miller was picked 31st overall by Cleveland in the 2003 amateur draft, but hasn't pitched since 2008 due to four surgeries on his right middle finger.  Miller, 26, has a 3.51 ERA, 8.7 K/9 rate and a 3.19 K/BB ratio in 104 minor league appearances (94 of them starts).

• Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter) says that three AL teams and three NL teams have shown interest in Chien-Ming Wang.  However, the Dodgers are not one of those teams "yet."  Rosenthal notes that Wang is a favorite of Joe Torre and his staff.
• In his running blog, Rosenthal says that Kevin Youkilis' versatility gives the Red Sox a number of options this winter.  Boston could sign Adrian Beltre to play third or, for a much lower price, Nick Johnson to play first.
• Regardless of where Wang signs, we can safely assume that it will not be for a split contract.  The Yankees made the 29-year-old a minor-league offer that would become a major-league deal once his shoulder was healthy.  Wang's agent demanded guaranteed money, according to Bill Madden of the New York Daily News.
• Earlier today, Buster Olney mentioned the Yanks as a possible destination for free agent outfielder Brian Giles.  Marc Carig of the Newark Star-Ledger hears that the club is just doing its "due diligence" by checking in on the soon-to-be 39-year-old.
• The White Sox have signed Freddie Bynum and T.J. Bohn to minor league deals, according to the FutureSox twitter page.
• Kevin Correia's agent Barry Axelrod told Dan Hayes of the North County Times that the Brewers and Rays both showed interested in trading for his client.  While GM Jed Hoyer gave him no guarantees that the one-year deal won't be a sign-and-trade, Axelrod is confident that the 29-year-old will pitch for San Diego in 2010.
• Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel spoke to Mike Rivera, who was non-tendered by the Brewers yesterday.  Rivera says he was caught off guard by the decision but was told by GM Doug Melvin that the organization might reach out to him again at some point.

In 2009, Reyes turned in a 6.57 ERA in eight starts before his injured right elbow, which required surgery, shut him down for the year. 

Miller, meanwhile, did not pitch last season as he underwent surgery on his right long finger for the third time.  The 25-year-old was once one of the top prospects in the Tribe's system, having been their supplemental choice (31st overall) in the 2003 draft.

• Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that the Cardinals' payroll is down about $8MM heading into the '09 season.
• The Washington Post's Cameron Smith believes the Pudge Rodriguez signing "is a huge step for Houston."
• A bit of a shock out of Pirates camp: The club optioned left-hander Tom Gorzelanny to Triple-A Indianapolis.
• Chicago-area reporters don't expect the sale of the Cubs to the Ricketts family to be finalized before Opening Day.
• Minor league free agent Rob Flanigan has been suspended 50 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
• According to MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince, 24-year-old pitching prospect Adam Miller's career might be "in jeopardy as a result of decreased range of motion and strength in his right middle finger."
• Mark it, dude: Tim's weekly chat is going down on Thursday at 2pm CST.

• Indians top prospect Adam Miller is pretty much done for the season.
• ’09 free agent shortstop Orlando Cabrera and manager Ozzie Guillen are not getting along.
• Peter Bendix explains the savings the Reds get by waiting to promote Jay Bruce.
• Morgan Ensberg is a DFA candidate, while LaTroy Hawkins may be getting there.
• Bret Boone’s comeback attempt has ended.
• Jeff Weaver (6.69 ERA in Triple A) can ask for his release if not called up by June 15th.
• Hank Blalock may not be in the Rangers’ long-term plans.
• The Indians designated Jorge Julio for assignment.

This would make Cleveland’s rotation for 2008:

1. C.C. Sabathia
2. Dan Haren
3. Fausto Carmona
4. Jake Westbrook
5. Paul Byrd

Mentioned as A’s bait are Jeremy Sowers, Aaron Laffey, and, of course, Adam Miller. It’s unlikely that they’d be interested in players like Andy Marte and Josh Barfield, since a trade of Haren would signify the A’s beginning to rebuild. They’d likely want players with little to no service time. They could, in addition, trade Joe Blanton and Huston Street as part of this process.

–Joe

• For Miguel Cabrera, the Marlins asked for Asdrubal Cabrera, Adam Miller, and then some.  Obviously the Tribe said no thanks.
• There’s not much going on with the Indians and Jason Bay.  And rumors of their interest in Alex Rios proved false.
• Cliff Lee has been linked to the Mariners, Pirates, and Blue Jays.  However no one has given the Indians an actual offer for Lee.
• Castrovince suggests the Indians may explore a long-term deal for Fausto Carmona this spring.

• Chris Burke is definitely getting traded.  Though Burke was the 10th overall pick in 2001, he’ll be 28 in March and sports a career line of .249/.319/.377.
• Joe Nathan is in Nashville, and seemed amused by the closer vacancies in San Francisco and Milwaukee.
• The Royals have $25MM to burn, and whether or not it makes sense they’re damn well going to spend it.
• The Indians refused to trade Adam Miller for Delmon Young.  Paul Hoynes suggests the Tribe tried to push Cliff Lee for Young instead but Lee was too expensive for the Rays.  The Indians have a few extra starters and a backup catcher capable of full-time duty in Kelly Shoppach.  They’re reluctant to make a deal on both fronts.
• Lew Ford is closing in on a deal with the Hanshin Tigers.
• Johan Santana WHIFF Profile courtesy of friend of MLBTR Tom Koch-Weser.