• The Orioles announced that they have re-signed left-hander Chris Jones to a minor league deal. Jones, 25, was designated for assignment and released last week in order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Nelson Cruz. Jones has a career 3.42 ERA in the minors and limited opposing left-handed hitters to a .196/.291/.268 batting line in 128 plate appearances last season.
• Nippon Professional Baseball's Rakuten Golden Eagles have signed right-handers Loek Van Mil and Sergio Mitre, according to a report from Japanese media outlet Sanspo (Japanese link). While the Sanspo report indicates that each signed for $24K, MLBTR has learned that the $24K figure is what Van Mil will earn in the month of March. HIs total 2014 salary is $150K, and his deal contains performance bonuses. Presumably, the $24K is just one month of Mitre's salary as well, which would move him up a few brackets in the NPB payscale bracket that was recently laid out by NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman. Van Mil, a towering 7'1" righty from the Netherlands, was originally a Twins farmhand (Minnesota traded him to the Angels for Brian Fuentes in 2010). The 29-year-old has a career 3.01 ERA at Double-A but has thrown just 21 innings in Triple-A. Mitre hasn't pitched in the Majors since 2011 and has a 5.21 ERA in 454 2/3 Major League innings.
• As can be seen in MLBTR's DFA Tracker, David Cooper of the Indians is the only player currently in DFA limbo (the Rangers claimed Andy Parrino off waivers from the A's earlier today).

• Free agent reliever Michael Wuertz says his tryout will be early next week with plans to be finalized in the next day, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Minneapolis.  The Twins are expected to attend.
• Signing closer Joe Nathan allowed the Rangers to move Neftali Feliz into the rotation while keeping skipper Ron Washington comfortable by continuing to have an established closer, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.  Nathan inked a two-year, $14.75MM deal with Texas last November, though the club typically doesn't give multi-year deals to relievers.
• There were at least 40 scouts on hand to watch the Orioles today, tweets Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun.
• The Mariners reported a financial loss for a fiscal year with a $7.3MM deficit for 2011, writes Greg Johns of MLB.com.  This marks just the second time since the opening of Safeco Field that the M's find themselves in the red.
• The bidding groups for the Dodgers appear to have been whittled down to five from seven tonight, a person familiar with the meetings tells Mike Ozanian of Forbes.com.  The highest bid was $1.6 billion from Magic Johnson and former baseball exec Stan Kasten, whose purchase would be partially financed by private equity.  The lowest bid from the five groups was $1.3 billion.
• Looking at at future payroll commitments, major league assets, farm systems, ownership status, and front office strategies, ESPN.com's Keith Law (Insider sub. req'd) tries to hash out when clubs such as the Mets, Cubs, and Astros will be able to contend.
• The biggest area of uncertainty for the Nationals, outside of their surplus of starting pitchers, seems to be their bench, writes Amanda Comak of The Washington Times. 
• Free agent Sergio Mitre will work out for teams in March or April and expects to play in the majors this year, according to Tim (via Twitter).

Mitre, 30, has posted a 3.27 ERA in 33 innings since Milwaukee acquired him from the Yankees for Chris Dickerson in March. The right-hander has a 14K/10BB ratio with a typically high 50.9% ground ball rate in his return to the National League.

• Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Jack Curry of the YES Network that Ryan Braun could be the Brewers' answer to Cal Ripken Jr. or Derek Jeter (Twitter link). Braun, who is signed through 2020, has a .308/.390/.554 line with 16 homers this year. 
• Braun has been among the most productive hitters in the league, but he told Danny Knobler of CBS Sports that Prince Fielder "has probably been the MVP in the National League" so far. Fielder has a .305/.426/.611 line with 21 homers and a league-leading 68 RBI.
• Melvin told Knobler that Fielder has had a "great attitude" this year. The GM isn't going to distract Fielder, a prospective free agent, with extension discussions any time soon.
• Mat Gamel, who may take over at first base if Fielder leaves as a free agent, told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he remains focused on 2011, not Fielder's possible departure.
• The Cardinals have minimal interest in Sergio Mitre, who was designated for assignment by Milwaukee yesterday, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post Dispatch (on Twitter).
• The Brewers would like to strengthen their bench, potentially with a right-handed hitter, according to Knobler.

• The Brewers have gotten multiple calls on Sergio Mitre, the recently-designated right-hander, according to MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes (on Twitter).
• Larry Stone of the Seattle Times says the question of whether the Mariners will be buyers or sellers this summer comes down to whether or not they trade Erik Bedard. The lefty has a 2.93 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 83 innings this year after missing the entire 2010 season. He makes just $1MM in '11 and would have substantial value on the trade market.
• Top Angels draft pick C.J. Cron will start his pro career instead of undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder immediately, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times. The powerful prospect took batting practice in Angel Stadium today and hit a number of home runs. Keep track of which top picks have signed with MLBTR's list.
• Waldis Joaquin, a right-hander who pitched for the Giants in 2009-10, can opt out of his contract with San Francisco this Friday if the Giants don't put him back on their 40-man roster, MLBTR has learned. The 24-year-old has recovered from offseason back surgery to post a 2.12 ERA with 3.7 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 17 innings at Triple-A. The Giants have one of the best bullpens in baseball and a full 40-man roster, so finding room for Joaquin won't be easy.
• New Nationals manager Davey Johnson told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that he's open to staying on after 2011 (Twitter link).

Mitre, 30, has posted a 3.27 ERA in 33 innings since Milwaukee acquired him from the Yankees for Chris Dickerson in March. The right-hander has a 14K/10BB ratio with a typically high 50.9% ground ball rate in his return to the National League.

The Brewers have been considering adding pitching since they learned that Zack Greinke will miss some time to recover from a cracked rib. Their need for depth became more pronounced when Mark Rogers (shoulder) and Manny Parra (back) also encountered health issues.

It's not clear whether the Brewers will use Mitre as a long man, as the Yankees did, or insert him into the rotation over internal starting candidates such as Marco Estrada. Mitre has started games in every one of his seven major league seasons, but has only been a full-time starter once, for the 2007 Marlins. Last year, the 30-year-old right-hander posted a 3.33 ERA with 4.8 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 54 innings as a swingman. Mitre, a veteran of Tommy John surgery, missed 49 days with an oblique strain in 2010.

The Yankees appear set to open the season with a rotation of C.C. Sabathia, Phil Hughes, A.J. Burnett, Ivan Nova and Colon or Garcia. If the Yankees, who just signed Kevin Millwood, insert Colon into the rotation, they could take Garcia up on his offer to become a long reliever and use him to replace Mitre.

The Brewers acquired Dickerson last summer in the trade that sent Jim Edmonds to Cincinnati. Dickerson hit .206/.250/.268 for the Brewers and Reds last year, but he showed more pop in 2009 when he posted a .743 OPS. The 28-year-old has played all three outfield positions in the majors and will provide the Yankees with some welcome depth.

ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick first reported the move (on Twitter) and both teams have since confirmed it.

• Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos talked to Jeff Blair on the Fan 590 yesterday, and Andrew Stoeten of Drunk Jays Fans has highlights.  Anthopoulos talked about Aroldis Chapman, Frank Francisco, Brett Lawrie, and Juan Rivera among other things.
• Much has been written lately about Rays' manager Joe Maddon's attempt to handle Manny Ramirez.  Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald has quotes from the manager today.  ESPN's Jayson Stark tackled the Manny-Rays topic in depth yesterday, with one veteran big league coach and manager asserting, "I know one thing.  It will end horribly."
• Despite being knocked around yesterday, Yankees pitcher Sergio Mitre told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, "That's one thing that never even crossed my mind – whether I'm making the team or not."  Mitre seems to be battling Freddy Garcia for a long relief job.
• Yankees GM Brian Cashman talked about how Jesus Montero's defense seems to be slipping in tandem with his batting slump, in this article from Feinsand's colleague John Harper.  Montero might be best served at Triple-A for development and trade value purposes.
• Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has extensive quotes from Adrian Gonzalez's agent John Boggs, as the good vibes about an April extension continue.  WEEI's Alex Speier explains that trading for Gonzalez rather than signing him as a free agent gives Boston a more desirable slice of the first baseman's career and also saves them perhaps $25MM or more.  I think the value of the careers of the prospects given up easily surpasses that amount of savings, but that's slightly negated by the Sox not having to give up a draft pick to get Adrian.
• Orioles president Andy MacPhail admitted to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun that service time is a factor in their decision whether to have top prospect Zach Britton break camp with the team.  At least he's being upfront about it.  Britton has allowed one run in 14 innings this spring.
• Here's how the AL East stacks up in Baseball America's organizational talent rankings: the Rays are #2, the Blue Jays are #4, the Yankees are #5, the Red Sox are #17, and the Orioles are #21.

If the Yankees release Mitre prior to March 28th, he'd only be due 45 days termination pay, which on his $900K salary equals $222,527.  If they release him after that they'd owe the full $900K, less the prorated portion of the league minimum if he signs elsewhere.  So either way the bill to let Mitre go should be less than $500K.

Mitre, 30, owns a 5.03 ERA, 5.2 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, and 1.4 HR/9 in 105 2/3 big league innings across two seasons for the Yankees, tossing another 68 innings in the minors.  He's been homer-prone despite strong groundball rates.  Mitre had Tommy John surgery in July of 2008, earning a release from the Marlins a few months later.  He signed a split contract with the Yankees that November.  While rehabbing his elbow, Mitre picked up a 50-game suspension for violating MLB's drug policy.  Later in his Yankees career, he was retained for the '10 and '11 seasons as an arbitration eligible player.

Mitre appeared in 27 games for the Yanks in 2010, registering a 3.33 ERA with 4.8 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9.  While the 29-year-old didn't start many games for the Bombers last season, he does have 64 career starts to his credit, giving the Yankees an option as a spot starter.

Los Angeles already has plenty of options in camp for the back of their rotation, though many of those pitchers have unfavorable contract situations. Both Gaudin and Mitre are out of options, but there's a chance the Dodgers' brass feels more comfortable with one of them in the rotation instead of their current fifth starter hodgepodge. Last week we heard that the Yanks were "almost certain" to deal one of Gaudin or Mitre.

If a trade is made, it would allow the Yankees to stash Hoffmann in Triple-A, something they couldn't do with the Rule 5 strings attached. After dealing both Melky Cabrera and Austin Jackson earlier this offseason, the team is looking to rebuild some outfield depth.

• ESPN's Jorge Arangure tweets that Jose Julio Ruiz has changed agents, which will likely complicate any negotiations. The Red Sox were reported hot on the Cuban defector's trail.
• Tim Marchman of SI.com ranks MLB's 30 general managers, from Andrew Friedman to Dayton Moore.
• Moore tells Doug Tucker of the AP that he's confident he'll continue to build the team's farm system. The Royals have tripled their budget in Latin America under Moore.
• Stephania Bell of ESPN.com explains the injury risks that come with Billy Wagner, Troy Glaus, Takashi Saito and Tim Hudson, four players the Braves signed or extended this offseason.
• I've ranked the American League offenses over at RotoAuthority, using CHONE projections and the Baseball Musings lineup analysis tool. 
• Jack Curry tweets that no one has called the Yankees yet about Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre, and GM Brian Cashman won't deal until late spring anyway.
• Milton Bradley told Tyler Kepner of the New York Times that "obviously, it was something with Chicago, not me."  Bradley says the Cubs tried to make him a player he's not, expecting 30 home runs.
• Cubs manager Lou Piniella said on ESPN's Waddle & Silvy show that he'll determine his future after the season.

Both Gaudin and Mitre are out of options, and the Chan Ho Park signing means there's only spot left open in the bullpen for these two. Something will have to give.

Gaudin, 27 in March, will earn $2.95MM in 2010 and will become a free agent after the season. In 31 games (25 starts) for the Padres and Yankees, he posted a 4.64 ERA with an 8.5 K/9 and a 4.3 BB/9. He has experience starting and relieving, and has thrown at least 90 innings in each of the last three seasons.

Mitre, on the other hand, with earn $850K in his age-29 season in 2010, and still has another year of arbitration eligibility ahead of him. After missing the entire 2008 season with Tommy John surgery, Mitre posted a 6.79 ERA in 12 games (nine starts) last year, striking out just 5.6 men per nine innings. He should improve as he gets further away from his surgery.

Since both Gaudin and Mitre are out of options, they would need to clear waivers before they could be sent to the minors. Since the Yankees only have room for one of them on their pitching staff, the other could become trade bait. Can you think of any potential fits of either Gaudin or Mitre? Maybe the Dodgers since they need a fifth starter? 

• In an appearance on Jim Bowden's XM-175 radio show, Yankees' GM Brian Cashman said the team never made an offer to Hideki Matsui, and that their offer to Johnny Damon was conditional (link goes to Twitter).
• MLB.com's Adam McCalvy tweets that the Brewers have agreed to terms with four of their pre-arbitration eligible players. 
• Chad Jennings of The Journal News mentions that the contracts of Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin are not guaranteed. The Yanks could cut them in Spring Training and would only be required to pay them 30-45 days of termination pay.
• Luis Castillo spoke about all of the offseason trade rumors he was involved in, writes MLB.com's Marty Noble.
• A Mets' official told Adam Rubin of The New York Daily News that the team would like to sign a lefty reliever like Joe Beimel, as long as the pitcher was willing to accept a contract worth about $1MM for just one year.
• The Astros signed Felipe Paulino to a one-year deal that will pay him $415K if he makes the big league roster, according to MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez (via Twitter). Paulino is likely to be arbitration eligible for the first time as a Super Two next season.
• SI.com's Jon Heyman reports that the Diamondbacks and Mark Reynolds have agreed to negotiate a contract extension until Opening Day, though talks will cease after that. Heyman spoke to some executives who think Prince Fielder's two-year, $18MM deal could be used as a comparison. 
• ESPN's Buster Olney hears from officials involved in the Felipe Lopez bidding that they think the free agent infielder is likely to end up back in St. Louis (link goes to Twitter).
• Former Blue Jays' GM J.P. Ricciardi is joining ESPN as a television analyst, reports Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.
• Now that the Rod Barajas deal is official, the order for the 2010 draft is set. The Blue Jays, Barajas' former team, hold ten of the first 126 picks.