Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reports that fee agent outfielder Johnny Damon has not moved off his demand of a two-year contract.
And look where that has got him and agent Scott Boras. The Tigers, Rays and Braves appear to be in the mix for Damon, but obviously none of the three have met Damon's lofty demands yet. "We continue to monitor everything," Tigers club president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said. "I am not sure if we are close on anything."
The Mets are close to an agreement with free agent first baseman Mike Jacobs on a minor league contract, reports ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.
He would get an invite to spring training as a non-roster invitee. Jacobs hit just .228/.297/.401 and struck out 132 times in 434 at-bats last year for the Royals, but he has a career .830 OPS against righties and boasts a decent amount of power. As far as no-risk fliers go, this is a decent one -- it wouldn't be shocking to see Jacobs enter into a platoon in New York.
A source tells Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com that free agent right-hander Chien-Ming Wang will decide on a new team in the next 7 to 10 days.
While the Mets and the Dodgers are lagging behind, Wang has received offers from a pair of unnamed clubs, according to Rosenthal. Various teams, including the Orioles, have expressed interest in the 29-year-old, although he is expected to miss the early part of the season as he rehabs from shoulder surgery.
Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd said that the club has "no interest" in free agent right-hander Todd Wellemeyer, reports Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com.
The Rockies were floated as a possibility in recent weeks, but he'll have to find employment elsewhere. Wellemeyer, 31, struggled with shoulder problems last season, posting a 5.89 ERA and 1.77 ERA in 122 1/3 innings for the Cardinals. Anything more than a minor league contract with a Spring Training invite would be a surprise.
Mets claimed OF Jason Pridie off waivers from the Twins.
The maneuver clears room on Minnesota's 40-man roster for Orlando Hudson. Pridie, a former second-round pick of the Rays in 2002, has a .276/.319/.425 batting line over eight minor league seasons. The 26-year-old speedster has had a couple brief stints with the Twins, but has yet to record his first major league hit. He'll function as insurance for the Mets' center field situation.
Twins signed OF Jacque Jones to a minor league contract.
He'll also receives an invitation to Spring Training. Jones, who turns 35 in April, hasn't appeared in the major leagues since 2008 with the Marlins, but played well with the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League. A former second-round pick, Jones spent the first seven years of big league career in Minnesota. The .277/.326/.448 lifetime hitter will hope to catch on as an extra outfielder.
Brandon Webb successfully threw off a mound on Tuesday for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery last August.
"[It] went good," Webb said. "[The] ball came out well, but I was just thinking about arm slot on every throw. That's to be expected, not having thrown on the mound in so long." Expect the Diamondbacks to handle Webb with restraint during spring training, but the 30-year-old right-hander doesn't see any reason why he shouldn't be ready for the beginning of the season.
Sponsored links
