Rogers On: Konerko, Greinke, Pirates Manager Search, Jeter

Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune compiled a list of Hot Stove notes around the league that cover various teams:

• Rogers believed that when the Diamondbacks decided to part ways with first baseman Adam LaRoche, their full intentions are to sign free agent Paul Konerko away from the White Sox.  Konerko, 34, hopes to return to the White Sox in 2011, but may be swayed to sign with Arizona as he resides in Scottsdale.
• If Cliff Lee decides to sign with another team, Rogers believes that Rangers will try and either sign free agent closer Rafael Soriano, and convert Neftali Feliz into a starter, or trade for Royals pitcher Zack Greinke.  With a deep farm system, the Rangers would be one of the few teams that could satisfy what the Royals want in a possible Greinke trade.
• The Pirates manager search has apparently come down to Rangers hitting coach and former Colorado Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, and bench coach Jeff Banister.  Banister appears to have the upper hand as he has been with the organization for 25 years.  However, Hurdle has experience in turning around bad teams.
• Rogers believes there is "about a 95 percent chance" that Derek Jeter will re-sign with the Yankees.  However he warns caution not to underestimate when Yankees owner and chairman Hal Steinbrenner said that a deal for Jeter has to be able to work where "both sides are happy".