Week In Review

Things will really be picking up around here over the next couple of weeks, and we already saw some fireworks fly this week. Let's take a look back:

• The Brewers acquired Francisco Rodriguez and nearly $6MM cash for a pair of players to be named later. Oddly, Milwaukee was on K-Rod's no-trade list, but the Mets never received the list from his former agent Paul Kinzer. K-Rod restructured his contract to waive the $17.5MM vesting option in favor of additional compensation, so the Brewers can feel comfortable using him or John Axford to close out games. Here's some links related to the K-Rod trade.
• The Cardinals locked up one of their best young arms, signing Jaime Garcia to a four-year deal worth $27.5MM guaranteed and a pair of club options.
• Likewise, the Orioles agreed to an extension with shortstop J.J. Hardy.
• Garcia wasn't the only way the Cards made headlines this week though, as rumors that they may be willing to trade Colby Rasmus resurfaced. We heard that the Rays had serious discussions with St. Louis regarding Rasmus in 2010, but it's not likely that he'll be moved this summer.
• The Dodgers, Rockies, and Braves replaced the Tigers, Cubs, and Cardinals on the no-trade list for Royals' closer Joakim Soria. Soria's list also includes the Phillies, Yankees, and Red Sox, though the asking price for him is said to be "exorbitant."
• The Braves signed their first-round draft pick, Sean Gilmartin, and the Giants signed supplemental-round pick Kyle Crick.
• The Astros signed 16-year-old Panamanian Harold Arauz.
• The Giants have money to spend, and are looking to add an impact hitter, so it's no surprise to hear that they're one of the most serious suitors for Carlos Beltran.
• Rockies righty Ubaldo Jimenez surfaced in trade rumors that persisted throughout the week, although a deal seems unlikely.
• An extension for Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury appears unlikely to be completed during the season.
• Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder, a free-agent-to-be, said he'd be open to being a DH for an AL club, should he sign with one this offseason.
• ESPN's Keith Law released his midseason Top 50 prospects list (ESPN Insider required), headlined by Bryce Harper.
• The Pirates and Angels discussed a trade of Garrett Jones for Jeff Mathis.
• Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria said he's seeking a third baseman and starting pitching, though not necessariy before the deadline.
• The Cubs won't trade Jeff Baker.
• The Cardinals checked in on the Blue Jays' surplus of right-handed relievers.
• The Tigers expressed interest in Braves righty Derek Lowe, and the Red Sox expressed interest in Dodgers righty Hiroki Kuroda.
• The Brewers and Royals discussed a swap involving third baseman Wilson Betemit.
• The Pirates and Rockies checked in with the Twins on Kevin Slowey.
• The Royals want pitching for Jeff Francoeur, who wants to stay in Kansas City.
• The Reds are seeking bullpen help, and their Ohio rivals, the Indians, are looking for offensive help.
• The Dodgers acquired Juan Rivera for a player to be named later, and designated Marcus Thames for assignment in order to make room for him. Rivera had been DFA'ed himself a week prior.
• There were several minor league deals: The Mets signed Gustavo Chacin. The White Sox signed Doug Davis. The Cubs signed Dave Bush. The Yankees signed J.C. Romero
• And several players were cut loose: The Mariners released Charlie Haeger. The Diamondbacks designated Wily Mo Pena for assignment. The Rangers designated Zach Phillips for assignment. Texas also released Manny Delcarmen and Seth McClung. The Athletics released Bobby Cramer.
• Bengie Molina announced that he does not intend to play in 2011.

We're three weeks away from the trade deadline, but this week's biggest news may have been the promotion of top prospect Mike Trout. Let's take a look back at the past seven days…

• The Marlins acquired Mike Cameron for a player to be named later or cash considerations after the veteran was designated for assignment by the Red Sox.
• Even though there won't be any extension talks for Jose Reyes in the near future, the Mets are almost certain to hang onto their superstar this July and could make him a big offer in free agency. They will, however, listen to offers for the resurgent Carlos Beltran.
• Raise your hand if you predicted the Pirates would be buyers prior to the season. The third-place Buccos are just a game behind the Cards and Brewers, and will consider making additions this offseason.
• The White Sox signed supplemental rounder Keenyn Walker, their first pick in this year's draft, for $795K.
• Jon Garland's season may be over as a result of the shoulder injury that's kept him on the disabled list for over a month already.
• Fellow Dodgers right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, meanwhile, has drawn interest from the Tigers.
• The Giants will consider rental players this month, and Ramon Hernandez is on their radar.
• The Red Sox are prioritizing position players over pitching, even with John Lackey's tremendous struggles in 2011.
• Bullpen rumors this week included the Yankees showing interest in Sean Burnett, the Brewers looking at the Padres' relievers, and the Diamondbacks looking to add an established reliever.
• The Indians will attempt to add some offense prior to the deadline, with a likely spot being right field to replace the injured Shin-Soo Choo.
• Regardless of their record the Rockies aren't likely to sell at the deadline, though they may still move Aaron Cook and Ian Stewart if their struggles persist.
• The Rangers officially signed Dominican prospects Nomar Mazara and Ronald Guzman this week. Mazara's bonus will break the previous record of $4.25MM, while Guzman will earn $3.45MM.
• The Blue Jays signed Dominican shortstop Dawel Lugo for a bonus of $1.3MM.
• The Indians officially signed Dominican prospect Dorssys Paulino for a bonus of $1.1MM.
• The Red Sox signed several Dominican prospects: right-hander Deoscar Romero received a $600K bonus, which was $300K less than shortstop Raymel Flores' bonus of $900K, while outfielder Manuel Marcos' bonus was $800K.
• The Yankees signed Dominican third baseman Miguel Andujar for a bonus of $700K.
• The Astros signed Dominican shortstop Luis Reynoso for a $700K bonus of his own.
• Meanwhile the Indians, Royals, Cubs, and Blue Jays all inked Venezuelan prospects this week.
• Francisco Rodriguez is now represented by Scott Boras, which will make his offseason negotiations all the more interesting.
• Baseball America released its midseason Top 50 prospects list, headlined by Bryce Harper at #1 and Trout at #2.
• The Blue Jays designated Juan Rivera for assignment this week to recall outfielder Travis Snider. Follow along with all of the week's minor transactions and moves with our Transactions tag, MLBTR's Transaction Tracker, or on Twitter @mlbtrtrans.

We're officially into July, and the trade deadline is less than a month away, so things will really start to pick up around here in the coming weeks. Let's take a look back at the last seven days:

• Summer dealing kicked off this week with the Athletics trading Mark Ellis to the Rockies for minor leaguer Bruce Billings and a player to be named. Ellis had become expendable to the A's with the strong play by Jemile Weeks. Billings has impressive minor league strikeout numbers.
• The two biggest July 2 International signings were both made by the Rangers. They signed Dominican outfielder Ronald Guzman for $3.5MM and dished out a record amount of over $5MM to Dominican outfielder Nomar Mazara. Here's a link to the roundup of all the signings from yesterday.
• The Nationals named Davey Johnson their new manager.
• Lots of familiar faces got the boot. The Indians released Adam Everett, the Yankees released Carlos Silva, the Cardinals released Ryan Franklin, the Cubs released Doug Davis, and the Diamondbacks released Melvin Mora. Jose Lopez was designated for assignment by the Marlins, David Bush was designated for assignment by the Rangers, Jayson Nix was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays, and Mike Cameron was designated for assignment by the Red Sox.
• In addition to those farewells, a couple notable names caught on in new places. J.C. Romero signed a minor league deal with the Nationals, and Luis Durango was claimed by the Astros.
• Angels GM Tony Reagins said he will be able to add payroll if the right deal comes along, contrary to prior reports, and the Diamondbacks are in the same boat, as are the Rays. Meanwhile, Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd said his club has little financial flexibility. The Red Sox are apparently in a similar situation as the Rox.
• The Dodgers filed for bankruptcy.
• The Mets' firesale was put on hold.
• Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda cropped up in trade rumors, but the Dodgers haven't had serious talks yet about dealing the righty. Kuroda requires compensation if he should waive his no-trade clause.
• Free agent lefty Scott Kazmir worked out for the Rangers. Free agent infielder David Eckstein said he'd return in the right situation.
• Cubs reliever Kerry Wood implied he probably won't waive his no-trade clause. Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran said he would waive his no-trade clause, however.
• The Rockies agreed to terms with high school shortstop Trevor Story, whom they took in the supplemental round of the Draft. They also expressed interest in acquiring Dodgers utility man Jamey Carroll.
• The Tigers were said to be targeting starters, not Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, and gauged the trade interest in lefty reliever Brad Thomas. Meanwhile, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said he doesn't expect to acquire a top starter via trade.
• Rangers president Nolan Ryan said Texas won't necessarily look to bolster its bullpen by trade. Also, he likes the idea of adding the Astros to the AL West.
• The Yankees acquired right-hander Sergio Mitre after he was designated for assignment by the Brewers.
• The Orioles commenced extension talks with shortstop J.J. Hardy.
• Prince Fielder said he won't rule out serving as a DH should he sign with an AL club this offseason.
• Chris Bootcheck was granted his release by the Rays after he was expected to exercise his July 1 opt-out clause. Brian Barden became a free agent after opting out of his minor league deal with the Rangers.
• Josh Fields, a former top prospect with the White Sox, was acquired by the Yomiuri Giants.

 

Dan Mennella contributed to this post.

The trading deadline is now just a little over a month away, but for now, here's a look back at the last seven days, which were oddly enough headlined by a slew of managerial news:

• It began with Edwin Rodriguez stepping down as the Marlins manager. He was eventually replaced by 80-year-old Jack McKeon, who managed the team in their 2003 World Series championship season.
• Shockingly, Jim Riggleman resigned from the Nationals just a few days later over a contract dispute, despite having just brought the team to above .500. We saw a wide variety of media reactions, and while John McLaren was selected to manage in the interim, it didn't take long for Davey Johnson to be appointed the new manager.
• The Blue Jays made a long-term move when they locked up Yunel Escobar to a deal that will pay him $10MM over the 2012-13 seasons and includes a pair of club options. At that price, Escobar should be a bargain for the Jays.
• Phillies' starter Roy Oswalt left his start this week after just two innings, and has said that the back problems he's experiencing could be career-threatening.
• The Cardinals will be without Albert Pujols for as many as six weeks after the game's best player fractured a bone in his wrist last weekend. Here's some media reactions to the crushing blow.
• Mets fans hoping for a last-minute contract extension for Jose Reyes shouldn't hold their breath; Reyes won't discuss contract issues in-season and will hit the open market.
• Yankees fans across town shouldn't get too excited about Reyes either though, as GM Brian Cashman said this week that the superstar won't be coming to the Bronx Bombers.
• Francisco Rodriguez, on the other hand, would consider a trade to the Yankees as well as one to the Rays.
• The Phillies, Reds, and Mariners have all inquired on Ryan Ludwick.
• It sounds like the Giants will have an active month coming up. Their top priority is catching help, and they learned that George Kottaras is available. Beyond that, they're interested in Yorvit Torrealba, and they've also inquired on Mark Ellis for help in the infield.
• The Rockies will be eyeing starting pitching at this year's deadline, but they'll have some competition on that front from several other teams, including the Reds.
• The Cardinals will be looking for bullpen help, as will the Phillies, according to GM Ruben Amaro Jr.
• The Pirates acquired Josh Rodriguez from the Indians, the same player they selected in the Rule 5 Draft only to return him just a few weeks into the season. In other Bucco-related news, GM Neal Huntington is keeping his lips sealed about extension talks for Paul Maholm.
• Rangers GM Jon Daniels is scouting Japanese phenom Yu Darvish. There have been reports that the 24-year-old wants to pitch in MLB in 2012, but it would have to happen via the posting system, as he's not a free agent until 2014.
• Major League Baseball rejected Frank McCourt's deal with FOX.
• I was going to do a quick rundown of picks to sign, but the Rays have so many that they need their own bullet. The club signed both supplemental rounder Brandon Martin (bonus unknown) and second rounder Lenny Linsky (approximately $392K). They also inked first rounder Jake Hager ($963K), as well as supplemental rounders Jeff Ames ($605K) and James Harris ($490K).
• Believe it or not, other teams did indeed have early picks (I swear!) and some signed this week. The Cardinals inked first rounder Kolten Wong for $1.3MM, the Angels signed first rounder C.J. Cron for $1.467MM, and the Mets agreed to sign supplemental rounder Michael Fulmer.
• Several familiar names were released this week: The Phillies released J.C. Romero, the Indians released Jensen Lewis, the Cardinals released Miguel Batista, and the Padres requested release waivers for Jorge Cantu. To follow all of the week's transactions, use the Transactions tag, follow @mlbtrtrans on Twitter, or use MLBTR's Transaction Tracker.

A look back at the week that was at MLBTR:

• Nats righty Jason Marquis said he wants to stay in Washington.
• The Phillies are seeking a right-handed hitter.
• Cubs GM Jim Hendry says the North Siders will be able to spend.
• Pirates lefty Paul Maholm said he'd be open to signing an extension with the Bucs.
• Felipe Lopez cleared waivers after being DFA'd by the Rays and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Durham.
• Brian Gordon opted out of his contract with the Phillies and signed with the Yankees. The Yanks also signed Greg Smith and Corey Wade to minor league deals.
• Ronnie Belliard called it a career. Claudio Vargas hung 'em up, too.
• The Marlins signed outfielder Dewayne Wise.
• Red Sox DH David Ortiz said the team has not approached him about an extension.
• The Mariners called up top prospect Dustin Ackley.
• The Angels released lefty Scott Kazmir. Owner Arte Moreno also said he won't spend any more money in 2011.
• The Rays inked a pair of supplemental-round draft picks.
• The Phillies designated lefty reliever J.C. Romero for assignment. The Cardinals are rumored to be interested.
• The McCourts announced a divorce settlement, though the deal is contingent upon MLB's approval of a deal with FOX.
• The Rangers agreed to terms with their top two draft picks, Kevin Matthews and Zach Cone.
• Michael Cuddyer of the Twins said he'd waive his limited no-trade clause.
• Red Sox lefty Andrew Miller chose not to opt out of his deal with Boston. And we heard that some teams may have tampered with him.
• The Astros are looking to trade Brett Myers and Jeff Keppinger.
• Several players were designated for assignment: The Orioles DFA'd Jeremy Accardo. The Brewers DFA'd Danny Rey Herrera. The Marlins DFA'd Dustin Richardson and catcher Brad Davis. The Padres DFA'd Jorge Cantu and pitcher Aaron Poreda. The Pirates DFA'd Wyatt Toregas.
• The Pirates released Blaine Boyer.
• The Athletics signed Doug Mathis to a minor league deal.
• Mets shortstop Jose Reyes said he will not be changing agents.
• Cubs righty Carlos Zambrano said he'd waive his no-trade clause. The Yankees said they're not interested in him.
• The Reds and Brandon Phillips are not progressing in extension talks.
• It looks like the Yankees will be active on the trade market. They also signed draft pick Dante Bichette Jr.

This year's draft has come and gone, and it led to plenty of news. Let's recap the past week:

• The Pirates selected Gerrit Cole with the first overall pick in the draft. Cole and GM Neal Huntington discussed the move in a conference call, with Cole stating that his 2011 season wasn't up to his standards and Huntington saying they selected the player they feel will help the team most in the long haul.
• The results of the first round and supplemental round were also tracked here on MLBTR.
• Several draft picks have already signed. The Giants agreed to terms with first rounder Joe Panik, the Blue Jays signed supplemental first rounder Joe Musgrove for $500K, and the Padres signed their first pick, Cory Spangenberg, for a $1.86MM bonus and inked supplemental rounder Jace Peterson for $624,600.
• The Athletics fired manager Bob Geren this week, replacing him with former Mariners and D'Backs skipper Bob Melvin. General manager Billy Beane explained his difficult decision later that day.
• Commissioner Bud Selig voiced his continued support for the slotting system and a worldwide draft.
• The Nationals have long been searching for a center fielder, and that search has led to their interest in B.J. Upton, whose some believe would benefit from a change of scenery.
• Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said this week that the addition of a bat to their lineup before the trade deadline is unlikely. Amaro feels the team has plenty of power, and simply hasn't hit up to its capabilities yet.
• Another move you shouldn't expect to see is a trade of Aramis Ramirez. The long-time Cubs third baseman said this week that he won't waive his no-trade clause for a deal this summer, and that he hopes to remain in Chicago beyond 2011.
• The Giants continue to look for catching options following Buster Posey's injury, but we heard definitively this week that Ivan Rodriguez is not the answer they're looking for.
• The reigning world champions also signed Bill Hall to a minor league deal this week after the utility man was cut loose by Houston last week.
• Another offseason addition who was released by his team was Jose Lopez, who received his walking papers from the Rockies on Tuesday after being designated for assignment in late May. Lopez latched on with the Marlins on a minor league deal later in the week.
• It's officially Mike Moustakas time for the Royals in Kansas City. The top prospect was called up to the big leagues this week with Kevin Pucetas being designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. Moose hit his first big league homer last night.
• To keep up with all of the minor moves throughout the week, such as Felipe Lopez being designated for assignment by the Rays, be sure to use our Transactions tag, follow @mlbtrtrans on Twitter, and/or use MLBTR's Transaction Tracker.

We're just one day away from the MLB Draft! Let's take a look back at the week that led up to it:

• The Astros released their biggest offseason signing, Bill Hall, after he produced just a .224/.272/.240 line. Houston inked Hall to a one-year deal worth $3MM with a $4MM mutual option last winter.
• It was announced this week that Daisuke Matsuzaka will require Tommy John surgery, meaning his days with the Red Sox could be done.
• In other Tommy John news, the Royals announced that top prospect John Lamb will require the procedure. That move comes as a big blow to Kansas City; Lamb ranked 18th on Baseball America's list of Top 100 prospects entering the season.
• A handful of minor trades this week: the Twins acquired Jeremy Reed for future considerations, the Padres acquired Steve Tolleson for a player to be named later, and the Diamondbacks acquired Lucas May for minor leaguer Andrea Pizziconi.
• The Yankees will explore trades to improve their rotation and perhaps add a left-handed reliever this summer, while the Diamondbacks will be on the lookout for bullpen help.
• One popular name on the bullpen front will likely be Heath Bell, and he's already drawing interest from the Cardinals.
• The Nationals are looking for center fielders and leadoff hitters and have inquired on Michael Bourn, though the talks didn't go anywhere.
• There have been trade rumors swirling around Jose Reyes' name for months, but the Mets could potentially trade David Wright instead of Reyes. If that were to occur, Wright's 2013 club option would become invalid, as it only applies if he's playing for the Mets.
• It's never too early to think about the offseason, and we heard this week that the Orioles are poised to be big spenders this winter, with Prince Fielder being a potential top target.
• Hideki Okajima, who has been pitching well since being demoted to Triple-A, is hoping that the Red Sox will trade him.
• Curious about your team's plans for the draft? We presented seven different roundups of draft notes this week, so be sure to check them out and brush up before the big day.
• Nothing about the draft is set in stone until it happens, but there was a report this week that the Pirates have decided to draft UCLA right-hander Gerrit Cole first overall.
• Plenty of minor moves this week: the Mariners released Manny Delcarmen (the Rangers signed him days later), the Orioles designated Jake Fox for assignment, and the White Sox did the same with Dallas McPherson. To see all of the week's minor moves and keep up in the future, click our Transactions tag, follow @mlbtrtrans on Twitter, or use MLBTR's Transaction Tracker.
• Lastly, a look at the latest update to the Elias Rankings.

We're already just two months shy of the trade deadline, so make sure you tell all your friends where they can find the latest and greatest rumors involving their favorite team, right here at MLBTR. Here's a recap of the big stories from the last seven days…

• Mets owner Fred Wilpon tore into Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, and David Wright in an interview with The New Yorker, making statements that seemed to come from a frustrated fan and not the owner. The Mets also agreed to sell a minority share of the team to David Einhorn for $200MM. Reports indicated that he received a 30-35% ownership stake with an option to purchase more down the road, but the club is denying those terms. Either way, the Mets get a much needed infusion of cash.
• The Giants lost Buster Posey to a leg injury that ended his season, but they have not yet called other teams to inquire about catching help. Bengie Molina would be open to returning to the Bay Area.
• Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez said that he's willing to work as a setup man if traded, but only if he gets a contract extension and returns to the closer's role in 2012. The Rangers and other teams have inquired about Heath Bell and Joel Hanrahan.
• The Blue Jays and Giants both contacted the Mets about Reyes, but there haven't been any serious talks yet. The Twins are open to dealing Kevin Slowey, but an abdominal injury has landed him on the disabled list in the meantime.
• The Rockies are looking to shake up their bench, and did so by designating Alfredo Amezaga and Jose Lopez for assignment. They also traded Felipe Paulino to the Royals for cash.
• The Tigers and Athletics swapped Scott Sizemore and David Purcey while the Cubs acquired Rodrigo Lopez from the Braves for Ryan Buchter. Russell Branyan caught on with the Angels.
• Players that were designated for assignment last week: Pat Misch of the Mets, Robert Coello of the Cubs, Robinson Tejeda of the Royals, Rob Delaney of the Rays, Lance Cormier of the Dodgers, Jay Buente of the Marlins, Robbie Weinhardt of the Tigers, Samuel Deduno of the Padres, Josh Wilson of the D'Backs, Travis Schlichting of the Dodgers, and both Ryan Rohlinger and Henry Sosa of the Giants.
• Players claimed off waivers last week: Blake King by the Astros (from the Cardinals), Danny Ray Herrera by the Brewers (from the Reds), Kanekoa Texeira by the Yankees (from the Royals), plus Wilson by the Brewers and Buente by the Rays. Justin Germano (Indians), Hideki Okajima (Red Sox), and Dan Johnson (Rays) all cleared waivers.
• Players signed to minor league deals last week: Ian Snell by the Dodgers, Julio Lugo by the Braves, and Scott Podsednik by the Phillies. Alex Cintron called it a career and the Astros released Joe Inglett. The Nationals returned Rule 5 Draft pick Brian Broderick to the Cardinals and Steve Tolleson went to the Padres (from the A's) in a minor swap.
• And finally, Frank McCourt is expected to meet the Dodgers' end of the month payroll.

Let's take a look back at the past week here on MLBTR:

• It was a busy week out in Boston; the Red Sox acquired Franklin Morales from the Rockies for a player to be named later and designated Hideki Okajima for assignment. They also signed Kevin Millwood and designated Daniel Nava for assignment.
• The Diamondbacks cut a pair of their offseason acquisitions, releasing Russell Branyan and designating Armando Galarraga for assignment. Galarraga will remain with the organization though, after clearing waivers and accepting a Triple-A assignment.
• It came as no surprise when the Mariners released problematic outfielder Milton Bradley. He hit just .208/.298/.351 as a Mariner.
• The Phillies could face luxury taxes with some midseason additions. Their payroll currently sits at $175MM, and anything beyond $178MM would incur taxes of 22.5%  – no small sum, even for an MLB team.
• Ken Rosenthal's Full Count video told us that the Phillies have inquired on Hunter Pence and that the Angels are looking for a corner infielder with some power to add to their lineup.
• The Orioles have explored a long-term deal with Adam Jones, but discussions didn't get very far. Jones likely wants to establish himself more before agreeing to any kind of long-term commitment.
• The Tigers will consider trading for offense this summer, but names like David Wright and Carlos Beltran are likely out of their price range.
• Fans looking for their team to acquire starting pitching can likely cross Derek Lowe off their wish lists; the Braves have no interest in dealing the veteran right-hander.
• For those who are anxiously anticipating the 2011 draft, ESPN's Keith Law released his first mock draft earlier this week.
• Lots of minor moves this week, as usual, but here's a few of the highlights: the Mets removed Chin-lung Hu from their 40-man roster when they outrighted him to Triple-A, the Rockies designated Felipe Paulino for assignment, the Rays designated Dan Johnson for assignment, the Royals DFA'ed Kanekoa Texeira, and Jess Todd's career has come full circle as he's now back with the Cardinals, who claimed him on waivers from the Yankees this week.
• To keep up with the rest of the minor moves from the week, check our Transactions tag, follow @mlbtrtrans on Twitter, or use MLBTR's Transaction Tracker.

A look back at the week that was here at MLBTR …

• The Red Sox mulled alternatives to the struggling catching duo of Jason Varitek and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, although nothing is imminent.
• The Nationals acquired speedy outfielder Gregor Blanco from the Royals for a player to be named, although Washington's outfield picture remains muddled. The Nats also designated reliever Brian Broderick for assignment.
• The Mariners designated outfielder Ryan Langerhans for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Mike Wilson. The M's also DFA'd the perpetually embattled Milton Bradley, and the Padres aren't interested in bringing back Bradley.
• Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has a new agent in Dan Lozano.
• The Yankees said they won't discuss CC Sabathia's opt-out clause during the season.
• The Astros' sale to Jim Crane is nearly complete. Houston also designated right-hander Nelson Figueroa for assignment and signed catcher Max Ramirez to a minor league deal. Figueroa accepted his assignment to Triple-A Round Rock.
• The Pirates continued extension negotiations with star center fielder Andrew McCutchen. The Bucs also released lefty Scott Olsen.
• The Orioles designated righty Josh Rupe for assignment.
• Mets GM Sandy Alderson said it's unlikely that he'd trade Jose Reyes this season and then try to re-sign the shortstop in the offseason. Meanwhile, Reyes trade rumors persisted. As well, Carlos Beltran has been playing well, and whispers about his trade value kicked up.
• The Athletics' young starters are basically untouchable, we learned.
• Willy Aybar signed with the Edmonton Capitals of the independent North American League. Likewise, Pedro Feliz signed with the Camden RiverSharks of the Atlantic League, an independent league.
• Frank McCourt continued his legal action against MLB following the league taking control of the Dodgers.
• The White Sox designated righty Jeff Gray for assignment. Gray was then claimed by the Mariners.
• The Blue Jays released outfielder Scott Podsednik.
• MLB and the MLBPA made progress in talks regarding a new collective bargaining agreement.
• Angels first baseman Kendry Morales was lost for the season to ankle surgery.
• The D'Backs said they're open to acquiring pitching and moving their reserves. Arizona also released lefty Ron Mahay.
• The Yankees designated right-hander Jess Todd for assignment.
• Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer continued to impress upon being called up to the bigs, but his agent, Scott Boras, said he's not much interested in discussing a long-term deal with Kansas City.
• Draft news and a few mocks were published as we draw closer to June.
• Rockies third baseman Ian Stewart, demoted again to Triple-A, discussed a potential trade from the Colorado organization.
• The Cubs outrighted righty Thomas Diamond from their 40-man roster.