Beyond the decision not to retain Alston, La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that bullpen coach Eddie Guardado, third base coach Gene Glynn, first base coach Jeff Smith and Major League coach Jeff Pickler won’t return to the staff in 2019. Neal adds that Shelton is interviewing for the Rangers’ managerial vacancy — specifically, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Shelton interviewed today — but the organization is hopeful Shelton will stay if he is not named the manager in Texas. Both chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and GM Thad Levine were emphatic following the hiring of Baldelli that they hoped Shelton would remain on as the bench coach.

Alston had previously served as the Athletics’ bullpen coach and was hired to work as the pitching coach under former manager Paul Molitor last season. He brought a lengthy background as a minor league pitching rehab coordinator to the Twins, having previously served in that role with both Oakland and San Diego. He had a year remaining on his contract, according to Hayes.

It’s a substantial overhaul for the Twins organization, although this type of turnover isn’t uncommon when a new manager takes over a team. Guardado, remembered fondly by many Twins fans for his time as the team’s closer, had been Minnesota’s bullpen coach since being appointed in 2014. He enjoyed a successful career as a big league reliever and brought plenty of experience and a bilingual presence to the coaching staff.

However, it wasn’t the best look for the Twins’ bullpen coach or pitching coach when in an interview with the Washington Post’s Dave Sheinen, Ryan Pressly attributed his dominance with the Astros to the manner in which the Houston organization presented him with data and the manner in which it could improve what were already solid results. Pressly’s comments and improvements alone surely didn’t lead to the decision to make changes, but they do perhaps shed some light on areas in which the Twins hope to improve their coaching staff.

Glynn, 62, has been with the Twins organization since 2012 when he was hired as the team’s Triple-A manager. He moved up to the big league staff in 2015 and spent four years as the team’s third base coach. Prior to his time in Minnesota, he served as either a third base coach or first base coach with the Rockies, Expos, Cubs and Giants in addition to working as a pro scout with the Rays and spending another couple of seasons as a minor league manager and minor league field coordinator with the Rockies.

Pickler, 42, spent two years on the Twins’ staff as a coach and coordinator of Major League development after previously serving as a player development special assistant with the Dodgers in 2015-16 and, prior to that, a pro scout with the Padres organization. Neal adds that Glynn, Guardado and Pickler were all on expiring contracts.

Smith, meanwhile, had the longest tenure in the organization. A 20th-round pick by Minnesota all the way back in 1995, he joined the Twins’ minor league coaching ranks back in 2005 and managed at three different minor league levels before joining the big league staff as a first base coach in 2017. While he won’t be on the big league staff in 2019, Hayes does report that Smith could end up in a player development role with the organization.

• The Cardinals are considering Adam Ottavino, their 2006 first-round pick, as an option for the bullpen, writes Derrick Goold. The 24-year-old has improved his delivery and hurled 8.1 innings so far this spring, allowing just one run with five strikeouts, though he also has five walks to go along with them.
• The Brewers will have some decisions to make this week on players such as Jim Edmonds, Matt Treanor, and Scott Schoeneweis, writes MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Each signed a minor league deal with an out clause. McCalvy opines that "it would be a surprise" if Edmonds didn't factor into the Crew's 2010 Major League plans.
• Lynn Henning of the Detroit News thinks that the Tigers will release Dontrelle Willis in the near future.
• Eddie Guardado hasn't officially announced his retirement, but he tells Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas "I think I'm done." Durrett reports that, even if Guardado doesn't pitch again, the lefty would like to stay in baseball in some capacity.
• The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo has a few interesting notes in his latest column. He names Jake Westbrook as an intriguing trade-deadline pitching option, and says that Mark Mulder could still work toward a comeback this season.
• The Rangers may try to trade for a utility infielder, according to Anthony Andro of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Joel Sherman of the New York Post doesn't think it's a foregone conclusion that Adrian Gonzalez will be playing in Fenway Park by August.
• Heath Bell, another Padre who has been the subject of trade rumors, is staying in San Diego for the time being, according to Dan Hayes of the North County Times. The Bell-to-Minnesota rumors have been swirling lately, following the news of Joe Nathan's season-ending injury.
• For the latest updates on Bell, and the rest of the closing situations around baseball, be sure to follow our @closernews account on Twitter.

The Nats had signed Estes, 37, to a $600K minor league deal on February 6th.  Estes tossed one spring inning for the Nats.  In June, Estes said he'd retired from Triple A but not from baseball.  He posted a 3.07 ERA, 4.9 K/9, and 3.3 BB/9 in 73.3 minor league innings for the Dodgers' affiliate.

The Nationals added Guardado in late December.  The 39-year-old had considered retirement, but decided his knee could handle the rigors of another season.  Guardado had this to say to Ladson after he signed: "The Nationals came at me like they really wanted me."  Instead, Everyday Eddie was given only two innings to prove his worth (during which he allowed seven hits).  Last year for the Rangers he posted a 4.46 ERA, 4.7 K/9, and 3.5 BB/9 in 38.3 innings.  Guardado rejoins a list of free agent lefty relievers that includes Joe Beimel, Alan Embree, Ron Mahay, Glendon Rusch, and Jamie Walker.

• John Tomase of the Boston Herald reports that the Red Sox kept in touch with Jason Bay's representation right up until the outfielder agreed to terms with the Mets. Boston was a longshot destination for Bay though, with the Angels and Mariners also involved.
• Like Brian Bruney, Eddie Guardado hopes to close for the Nationals in 2010, writes Bill Ladson of MLB.com. Doesn't seem too likely, with Bruney and Matt Capps on board, but Guardado could earn a setup role for the Nats.
• Dave Cameron of Fangraphs argues that even if they have the money to sign Matt Holliday, the Yankees don't need him. ESPN.com's Rob Neyer and Joseph Pawlikowski of River Ave. Blues respond to Cameron's piece.
• The Florida Marlins haven't been aggressively signing their arbitration-eligible players so far this winter, but they should take care of it soon, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro (via Twitter).
• Frisaro also tweets that the Marlins remain "firmly" entrenched in the Aroldis Chapman sweepstakes.

Guardado, 39, posted a 4.46 ERA, 4.7 K/9, and 3.5 BB/9 for the Rangers in 38.3 innings this year after signing a minor league deal in February. He battled shoulder and knee injuries and mulled retirement after the season. Guardado had a preference for the West Coast, but presumably the opportunity wasn't there.

The Nats, who also signed Matt Capps this week, add an option for tough NL East lefties like Chase Utley and Ryan Howard; Guardado has allowed just a .228/.273/.372 line against left-handed hitters in his 17-year career.

Ben Nicholson-Smith also contributed to this post.

Guardado, 39, posted a 4.46 ERA in 38.3 innings this year, with fairly ugly peripheral stats.  He hasn't shown much of a platoon split over the last three seasons, with lefties hitting .265/.329/.449 against him.

• A right-handed bat is at the top of the Texas wish list for the off-season, with Sullivan singling out Jermaine Dye as perhaps the best fit for the Rangers amongst the veteran hitters on the free agent market.
• There is a good chance that veteran shortstop Omar Vizquel will re-sign with Texas before the club's exclusive negotiating period for free agents ends on November 19.  Sullivan reports that "there appears to be genuine interest on both sides" to bring the 11-time Gold Glover back for his 22nd big-league season in 2010.
• Texas GM Jon Daniels says that the team would like to bring back free-agent outfielder Marlon Byrd, but since Byrd wants to test the market, "it's just not going to happen in the exclusive window period, if it's going to happen at all."
• The Rangers want to see how Jarrod Saltalamacchia rebounds from shoulder surgery before looking at re-signing veteran catcher and franchise legend Ivan Rodriguez.
• In regards to the other four Texas free agents, Sullivan said that Andruw Jones and Hank Blalock won't be pursued by the club, Eddie Guardado may retire and Joaquin Benoit is "in limbo" following shoulder surgery that sidelined him for all of 2009.
• If Ben Sheets is able to pitch in 2010, the Rangers still have interest in the right-hander who they thought they had signed last January.
• Relief pitching will become a priority if Neftali Feliz and C.J. Wilson are moved to the rotation.  Sullivan lists several bullpen options for the Rangers, many of whom have pitched in Texas before.

If he retires, Everyday Eddie will finish with a 4.32 ERA in 942.6 innings for the Twins, Mariners, Reds, and Rangers.  He also has 187 saves, 86 in 2002-03.  He's earned approximately $29MM in his career.

• Stark looks at all the factors influencing this year’s slow-moving free agent market, talking to all sorts of anonymous execs.  It’s a good read.
• Among all the teams, the Phillies have added the most to their payroll this winter ($30MM+).  Only ten teams raised payroll this year.  The Phils are still looking at the same cast of righthanded bench bats, and are also looking to sign a reliever for one year.  Names of interest: Joe Borowski, Rudy Seanez, Will Ohman, Joe Beimel, Dennys Reyes, and Randy Flores.  Stark notes that Flores is out until June due to shoulder surgery.
• Andruw Jones is looking for a team that will give him playing time.  One of Stark’s sources says Braves manager Bobby Cox is "lobbying harder for Jones than the rest of the baseball operation."
• The Braves are the top suitor for Nick Swisher, but their suggestion that the Yankees eat some of Swisher’s contract was shot down.
• Stark has heard that Angels owner Arte Moreno is ticked at Scott Boras and Mark Teixeira for the way they handled negotiations.
• Stark received conflicting answers on whether the Elias formulas "can be changed without a special negotiation."  It figures that the players union would push to eliminate the Jason Varitek/Juan Cruz/Orlando Cabrera situations we saw this winter.  The D’Backs may have interest in re-signing Cruz, but don’t look for a Cabrera-White Sox reunion.
• The Yankees and Mets have not pursued Orlando Hudson, despite Hudson’s statements of their interest.  Stark sees a one-year deal with the Nationals or Dodgers in his future. 
• One assistant GM doesn’t think the WBC will be a good gauge for Pedro Martinez’s abilities, since he’ll be doing short stints.
• Stark has details on Eddie Guardado’s contract, which has interesting provisions if he is to be traded.

TUESDAY, 7:48am: Wilson says Guardado "has agreed to return to the Rangers on a non-roster deal."  Final details remain, and the deal could be worth up to $3MM.

MONDAY, 5:21pm: Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram spoke with Rangers GM Jon Daniels, who confirmed that a deal could be finalized for Guardado "within the next few days."

2:05pm: According to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan, the Rangers are close to a deal to bring lefty reliever Eddie Guardado back to Texas.  It may be completed in the next few days.  Adding Guardado could help soften the blow of losing Joaquin Benoit to rotator cuff surgery.

Sullivan adds that the Rangers continue to look for pitching help beyond Guardado, with names like Jason Jennings, Kris Benson, and Chad Cordero in the mix.

• Heyman says the Rangers "are considering a pursuit" of Manny Ramirez, noting that Jon Daniels isn’t currently pursuing him but didn’t rule it out.  Heyman still considers the Dodgers and Giants the top suitors.  El Lefty Malo doesn’t seem him landing with San Francisco.
• The Rangers maintain interest in Ben Sheets and are also considering bringing Eric Gagne back.  T.R. Sullivan also mentions Tim Redding, Chad Cordero, Jason Isringhausen, and Eddie Guardado.
• The Rangers have received inquiries on Vicente Padilla (Braves) and Michael Young.  Young has been loosely linked to the Twins, Mets, Angels, Dodgers, and Royals.  Sullivan names Hank Blalock and Kevin Millwood as other trade candidates.

• Boston’s deal for catcher Josh Bard is official.  Bard had offers from the Cubs and Nationals as well.
• SI.com’s Jon Heyman ranks the top 20 remaining free agents.
• RotoAuthority asks readers to name their #1 sleeper for 2009.
• The Marlins reportedly have interest in reliever Jesus Colome.
• MLB.com’s Barry Bloom explains that the arbitration filing period begins Monday.  He gives a nice primer on the arbitration system for those that need to brush up.  Ryan Howard is due for another big raise.
• Buster Olney does not like the Cubs’ recent moves, particularly the Mark DeRosa trade.
• Jeff Wilson says the Rangers remain in contact with free agent reliever Eddie Guardado.

9:05pm: Ken Rosenthal spoke to a Rangers official who expects Milton Bradley to move on (at least they’ll snag a supplemental pick).  This official believes the Rays and, surprisingly, the Royals are the leading suitors for Bradley.  The Rays came away impressed after their lunch date with Bradley, who was in town for Eddie Guardado’s poker tournament.