Takahashi made just three relief appearances for the Cubs this season and spent most of the year with Triple-A Iowa.  In the minors, the 38-year-old posted an impressive 1.99 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9.

• The Cubs have outrighted reliever Hisanori Takahashi to Triple-A Iowa, the Chicago Sun-Times' Gordon Wittenmyer reports (on Twitter). The Cubs designated Takahashi for assignment in a series of moves earlier this week. Takahashi, 38, has a career 3.99 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in parts of four Major League seasons with the Mets, Angels, Pirates and Cubs.

Ransom had been designated for assignment by the Padres on Friday.  The 37-year-old had the most exposure of his big league career last year, racking up a .220/.312/.411 line in 282 plate appearances for the Brewers and Diamondbacks.  If Ransom somehow sticks on the Cubs' roster, he'll be arbitration eligible after the season.

Takahashi, 38, was scored upon in two of his three appearances for the Cubs this year.  The lefty posted a 5.54 ERA, 9.3 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, 1.43 HR/9, and 37.1% groundball rate in 50 1/3 innings for the Angels and Pirates in 2012.  The Cubs' bullpen is already being retooled, with a 5.82 ERA in the early going.

Lillibridge, 29, had one hit in 24 plate appearances for the Cubs this year.  He played second and third base.  Lillibridge hit .195/.250/.274 in 209 plate appearances for the White Sox, Red Sox, and Indians last year.  He was part of a "numbers crunch," Hoyer told reporters including Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.  With the recent additions of Ransom, Gregg, and Loe, the Cubs' 40-man roster remains full.

Takahashi, 37, pitched to a 5.54 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 50 1/3 relief innings for the Angels and Pirates last season. He owns a 3.97 ERA in 240 1/3 MLB innings, making 12 starts and 153 relief appearances. Takahashi has held big league lefties to a .238/.283/.381 batting line with a 4.14 K/BB.

Alvarez will earn $700K next season and would have remained under team control as a pre-arbitration eligible player had Pittsburgh declined the option. Barajas, 37, hit .206/.283/.343 with 11 homers this year and will receive no buyout rather than a $3.5MM salary. Takahashi, 37, was due to hit free agency so his release is just procedural. He pitched to a 5.54 ERA in 50 1/3 innings split between the Angels and Pirates in 2012.

Takahashi appeared in 42 games for the Angels this year, posting a 4.93 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in 42 innings. He signed a two-year, $8MM contract with Los Angeles after the 2010 campaign.

The 37-year-old has held left-handed hitters to a .244/.287/.384 batting line with 9.2 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in three MLB seasons. Takahashi joins fellow southpaw Tony Watson and right-handers Joel Hanrahan, Jason Grilli, Jared Hughes, Chris Resop and Chad Qualls in the Pirates' bullpen.

• The Giants likely can't get much for Barry Zito and therefore a deal involving him is unlikely, writes MLB.com's Chris Haft.
• Ryan Theriot enjoyed his brief stint with the Dodgers last season, writes Quinn Roberts for MLB.com.  After playing 54 games for the club last season, he was shipped to the Cardinals for reliever Blake Hawksworth.
• Despite all of the uncertainty about their rotation heading into this season, it seems like the Rangers pitching is just fine, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.
• After bouncing around from the Pirates to the Nationals to the Brewers, Nyjer Morgan seems to be carving out a niche for himself in Milwaukee, writes George Von Benko for MLB.com.  The Brewers acquired Morgan in exchange for Cutter Dykstra in late March.
• Major League Baseball announced the selection order for the draft (June 6-8) and the Padres own five of the first 58 overall selections, writes Corey Brock of MLB.com.  In addition to their own first-rounder, the club has the ninth pick for failing to sign their 2010 first-round pick, pitcher Karsten Whitson.  They also have three compensatory picks for Jon Garland (Dodgers), Yorvit Torrealba (Rangers) and Kevin Correia (Pirates).
• The Angels are grateful to have picked up left-handed relievers Hisanori Takahashi and Scott Downs this offseason, writes Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.

THURSDAY: The Angels got started with what will likely be a busy offseason, signing versatile left-hander Hisanori Takahashi to a two-year deal. The terms of the deal are unknown.

Takahashi, 36 in April, posted a 3.61 ERA, 8.4 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, 1.0 HR/9, and 38.4% groundball rate in 122 innings this year for the Mets.  Takahashi was especially strong as a reliever in his MLB debut season, posting a 2.04 ERA, 9.4 K/9, and 3.5 BB/9 in 57 1/3 innings out of the pen.  He even picked up eight saves in as many tries.  Takahashi is tough on lefties and should take on a late-inning role for the Halos.    

The Mets had until October 31st to re-sign Takahashi per the terms of his contract, which was later extended until November 5th.  The Mets were unwilling to offer multiple years.

Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times reported that the Angels announced the deal after David Waldstein of the New York Times reported that the sides were close to a multiyear contract.

• A baseball source familiar with the Nats' thinking tells Bill Ladson of MLB.com that Josh Willingham will most likely be traded before 2011.  Yesterday, we learned that the Nats are unlikely to offer the outfielder an extension this winter.  Washington controls Willingham for one more season and the slugger's agent Matt Sosnick says that his client has no animosity towards the club.
• An interesting note from the Philadelphia Inquirer's Bob Brookover: Phillies GM Ruben Amaro referred to outfielder Jayson Werth in the past tense when addressing the media today.  Most believe that the Phillies are not interested in retaining the 31-year-old, who is sure to fetch hefty offers on the open market.
• Little surprise here, but Amaro says that the club's recent signing of Dan Meyer to a minor-league deal will not preclude them from getting other left-handers, Brookover writes.  The GM has made no secret of the fact that he is after left-handed relief this winter and has begun to show interest in Hisanori Takahashi.

8:07am: The Reds claimed Hisanori Takahashi on unconditional release waivers last week, according to transactions summaries at CBS Sports and Yahoo Sports. A source confirmed to MLBTR that the Reds claimed the left-hander. Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports that the Reds claimed Takahashi to obtain an exclusive five-day negotiating window with him.

Takahashi was set to hit free agency, but the Reds' move won't prevent him from hitting the open market. Players claimed on unconditional release waivers have five days to reject the claim and elect free agency and Takahashi elected free agency, according to Rubin.

It's unclear whether the move will help the Mets, who were negotiating an extension with Takahashi earlier in the month. Because the Mets didn’t sign Takahashi in time, it appeared that he would not be able to pitch before May 15th if he re-signed in New York. Takahashi's last club was the Reds, which could allow the Mets to re-sign him.

The Mets were unable to work out a new contract with Takahashi despite numerous deadline extensions earlier this month, and they were contractually obligated to release him. The 35-year-old is reportedly seeking a three-year deal worth upwards of $15MM coming off his first season in MLB. In 122 innings with New York, he struck out 8.4 men per nine innings and walked 3.2, resulting in a 3.61 ERA. Takahashi made a dozen starts and 41 relief appearances, filling in as closer when Francisco Rodriguez was injured late in the season.

Tim Dierkes examined Takahashi's free agent stock in-depth back in September.

• Do you have experience in online ad sales, ideally for sports websites?  MLBTR is looking to bring someone aboard to sell ad inventory on commission.  Email mlbtradrep@gmail.com and explain your qualifications if you're interested.
• Edgar Renteria would prefer to return to the Giants, he told Claudia Aguilar Ramirez of El Tiempo.  Thanks to Nick Collias for the translation.
• Aubrey Huff hired Ed Hayes as his agent, reported Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports last night.
• The Tigers re-signed catcher Max St. Pierre to a minor league deal, reports Morosi.
• Sanspo has the Angels in the mix for Hisanori Takahashi, tweets Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker.  It seems likely that the Halos will add a left-handed reliever this winter; I went with Pedro Feliciano in my Top 50 list.
• Carlos Torres, released by the White Sox last month to pursue a job in Japan, has landed with the Yomiuri Giants according to this Newman tweet.
• Kevin Goldstein's top 11 Pirates prospect list is free to all over at Baseball Prospectus.  BP is definitely worth subscribing to for Goldstein's work and much more.  We also recommend ESPN Insider, which you'll need to read Keith Law's new starting pitcher buyer's guide.
• Speaking of the Pirates, SI's Jon Heyman says they seem active in early free agent calls and "are believed to be showing interest in some surprising free agent prizes such as [Adrian] Beltre."
• Dave Cameron of FanGraphs believes the Padres should trade Adrian Gonzalez now rather than in July.

11:56am: Hisanori Takahashi has until midnight to negotiate a deal with the Mets, but it doesn't look like the sides will reach a deal unless the left-hander lowers his demands. Takahashi is asking for a three-year deal worth $4-5MM per season, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com confirms Heyman's report (on Twitter).

The Mets offered Takahashi a one-year deal before current GM Sandy Alderson took over, according to the New York Times. If the Mets don't agree to a deal with Takahashi tonight, he would not be able to re-sign in New York and pitch before May 15th. That essentially means he's signing elsewhere if he doesn't reach an agreement with the team tonight.

The 35-year-old Takahashi did everything the Mets asked of him in 2010 and then some, working as both a starter and reliever, and even filling in as closer when Francisco Rodriguez was on the disqualified list. In 122 innings, Takahashi put up a 3.61 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9. Before that he spent nine years with the Yomiuri Giants.

We heard the two sides were discussing a new contract last week, and they have since agreed to push the deadline to get a new deal done back to November 5th. If no deal is reached by then, the Mets would not be able to re-sign Takahashi to a major league contract until after May 15th because of an obscure rule (Rule 8(i)(2), to be exact). 

Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reported yesterday that the two parties were considering an extension of the deadline.

SUNDAY: Even amidst their search for a general manager, the Mets have been discussing a deal that would keep Hisanori Takahashi in New York, writes David Waldstein of the New York Times. Waldstein reminds us that the Mets have just one more week to re-sign Takahashi; due to a loophole in his contract, the left-hander can become a free agent if he and the Mets don't agree on a contract by October 31st.

According to Takahashi's agent, Peter Greenberg, the two sides have had discussions about an extension, though it's not clear how far along the talks have progressed. With the Mets' GM situation still up in the air, assistant GM John Ricco has been handling the negotiations.

"We have been talking," Greenberg said. "Hisa loved his time in New York, and hopefully, something can be worked out. If not, then he will have to look elsewhere."

If the Mets don't reach an agreement with Takahashi by next Sunday, his time in New York is almost certainly over. Because of the nature of his contract, the 35-year-old wouldn't be able to sign a major league deal with the Mets until May 15th. After a successful rookie season in which he posted a 3.61 ERA in 122 IP, Takahashi likely wouldn't have any trouble securing a major league contract this winter on the open market.