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The third day of the Winter Meetings was relatively quiet. There were no blockbuster trades made or giant contracts handed out but a few teams made some moves and a few more sparked rumors with their efforts.
News
The Mets signed 40-year-old starter Bartolo Colon to a a two-year, $20 million deal to bolster their rotation with Matt Harvey on the shelf for next season.
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The Mariners decided to corner the market on first baseman/outfielder-types on Day 3. First they added Corey Hart on a one-year deal worth $6 million with incentives that could earn him up to $13 million. Not long after that deal was complete, they swapped reliever Carter Capps for Logan Morrison of the Marlins. Now all they have to do is figure out who plays where.
The Pirates will take a chance on Edinson Volquez. Pittsburgh inked the 30-year-old righty to a one-year deal worth $5 million.he Bucs also locked up a key member of their 2013 rotation for a few more seasons, signing Charlie Morton to a three-year, $21 million deal, the largest deal the team has ever given a pitcher. Morton returned from Tommy John surgery in early June last season and posted a 3.26 ERA in 19 starts for the Pirates.
The Athletics sent left-handed reliever Jerry Blevins to the Nationals for speedy prospect Billy Burns. The deal give Washington the lefty option for the bullpen and adds an interesting young player to the Athletics system.
Rumors
The Yankees rejected a trade offer that would have solved their issues at second base. New York apparently turned down a Brandon Phillips-for-Brett Gardner trade offered by the Reds. Phillips may have been the major obstacle to the deal, as he reportedly tried to use his no-trade clause to re-open his contract. In addition, the Yankees are not looking to deal Gardner at this point, so that may also have been factor.
The Rangers and Mariners are the current favorites to land top free agent, Shin-Soo Choo. The Scott Boras-client won't come cheap either. T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports that the Ranger have a seven-year offer on the table, and Choo is giving it "serious consideration," but Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports hears that whichever team will go eight years will win the bidding.
Free agent second baseman Omar Infante is moving closer to a decision. The Royals, Yankees and at least one other mystery team are in the mix for the former-Tiger.
Another top Japanese pitcher could be posted this off-season once the new system is in place. Hiroshima Carps' starter Kenta Maeda has expressed his desire to play in the majors and it appears his team will not stand in his way. The 25-year-old projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter capable of contributing immediately thanks to a solid repertoire of pitches and plus control.
