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bkb82

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  1.  

    Rangers send mixed messages on Young

    FOX Sports Ken Rosenthal, Tracy Ringolsby and Jon Paul Morosi

    Updated Feb 5, 2011 12:58 PM ET A little more than a week ago, Texas Rangers president Nolan Ryan said that Michael Young would be the team’s designated hitter on Opening Day.

     

    Such pronouncements are subject to change.

     

     

     

    0707-Vladimir-Guerrero-Primary_201007071

    HOT STOVE

    Follow every offseason move. Read MLB Buzz Blog. The Rangers again are discussing a trade of Young to the Rockies – and according to one source, the talks have reached an advanced stage, and a deal could be in place as soon as Monday.

     

    While the Rangers are not talking to any other club about Young, other sources paint a less optimistic picture of the discussions, saying the Rockies are confused by the Rangers’ “mixed messages.”

     

    The Rockies, those sources say, would like Young to be their second baseman, but still are not convinced that the Rangers want to move him.

     

    The Rangers, though, might be reaching a point of no return with Young, who publicly has said he does not want to be traded, but privately has told the club he is unhappy with his reduced role, sources say.

     

    At issue in the discussions: How much money the Rangers would include in the deal and the quality of the player or players they would receive in return.

     

    Earlier this winter, the Rockies offered infielder Eric Young Jr. for Young; the Rangers nixed the idea, expressing concerns about a stress fracture that Young Jr. suffered in his leg last season. The Rockies’ latest proposal, sources say, includes infielder Jose Lopez.

     

    The Rangers, if they paid a large portion of the remaining $48 million on Young’s contract, almost certainly would want better players for Young, who is a leader in their clubhouse and popular with their fans.

     

    Young, 34, ended last season as the Rangers’ third baseman. He agreed to become a part-time DH and super-utility man after the team signed free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre. But the Rangers then traded for Mike Napoli, who plays catcher, first base and DH, creating more uncertainty about Young’s playing time.

     

    The Rangers believe they can still find enough at-bats for Young at various positions. Rangers manager Ron Washington recently called Young the straw that stirs the team’s drink. But there is no guarantee that Young would adapt successfully to a super-utility role.

     

     

     

    <h2 class="sIFR-replaced" style=""> Rockies at a glance</h2> 27.png Looking for the latest on the Rockies? Get the inside slant, stats, scores, schedules and more scoops right here. Young is set to earn $16 million in each of the next three seasons. He has a limited no-trade clause, but the Rockies are among the teams that can acquire him without his permission. In May, he will gain full no-trade protection as a player with 10 years of service, five with the same team.

     

    Lopez will earn $3.6 million next season, but his contract is not guaranteed. If the Rangers acquired him and released him in spring training, they would owe him only $600,000. But if he were the only player in the deal, they would have virtually nothing to show for Young.

     

    The Rockies, even if they receive significant cash from Texas, probably would need to do more than simply move Lopez. They also might need to part with a higher-priced player — perhaps right-hander Aaron Cook, who will earn $9.25 million.

     

    The Rangers and Rockies first discussed Young at the winter meetings in December. Since then, the Rockies have signed reliever Matt Lindstrom to a two-year, $6.6 million contract and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez to a seven-year, $80 million contract. Gonzalez’s deal included a $3 million signing bonus.

     

     

  2. The Texas Rangers still are talking with Adrian Beltre but haven’t reached an agreement with him, a major-league source said Sunday.

     

    100110-MLB-Adrian-Beltre-PI_201010011955

    HOT STOVE

    Is an MVP-caliber trade in store for your team? Follow every offseason move. Read MLB Buzz Blog. PioDeportes.com, a website based in Beltre’s native Dominican Republic, reported Sunday morning that the free-agent third baseman had agreed to a six-year, $96 million deal with the Rangers.

     

    The Rangers have pursued Beltre for weeks, but he isn’t an easy fit for their roster. Michael Young, the team’s popular third baseman, would need to be traded or moved to designated hitter in order to accommodate Beltre.

     

    Beltre’s agent, Scott Boras, is seeking a contract worth at least $85 million over five years or more, rival executives say.

     

    The Los Angeles Angels, the Rangers’ rival in the American League West, still are viewed as the leading candidate to sign Beltre. The Oakland A’s, the most active AL West team this offseason, have pulled their latest offer to Beltre.

  3. ARLINGTON -- The Rangers have addressed one of their biggest needs this offseason, signing catcher Yorvit Torrealba to a two-year, $6.25 million contract on Monday.

     

    Torrealba, who has spent almost his entire 10-year Major League career in the National League West, comes to the Rangers with an excellent reputation for calling games and handling a pitching staff.

     

    He spent last season with the Padres and 4 1/2 years prior to that with the Rockies. He was Colorado's starting catcher when the club went to the World Series in 2007 and again to the playoffs in '09.

     

    "We feel like we have accomplished our goal of acquiring a catcher who is a winner and has had success with quality young pitchers in San Diego and Colorado," Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine said.

     

    "I feel like we've acquired a solid front-line catcher," manager Ron Washington said. "He certainly fills our needs. He's a strong defensive catcher. He doesn't throw as well as he has in the past, but he's good defensively and can certainly swing the bat."

     

    Torrealba will receive $3 million in 2011 and $3.25 million in 2012 while replacing Bengie Molina as the Rangers' No. 1 catcher.

     

    "I'm really excited about it," Torrealba said. "I was looking for a team that can compete and make it to the playoffs. I'm really excited with the young pitchers that they have here. I've been known for being able to call a game, and I feel like I can help this pitching staff. I try to take charge out there in the game."

     

    Torrealba started 89 games for the Padres in 2010 and had a catcher's ERA of 3.14, the lowest in franchise history (minimum 81 games) and the lowest in the Majors since Paul LoDuca had a 3.14 ERA for the Dodgers in 2003.

     

    At the plate, Torrealba hit .271 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs in 325 at-bats. He also had a .343 on-base percentage. He hit a career-high .291 with a .351 on-base percentage with the Rockies in 2009.

     

    "The last couple of years, my hitting has been getting better," Torrealba said. "But I just want to be there behind the plate, controlling the game and building confidence from the pitcher to the catcher."

     

    Torrealba has had some shoulder problems in the past that have affected his throwing. He missed over half of the 2006 season with a strained right shoulder and had surgery in September of that year. He was a free agent after the 2007 season and was close to signing with the Mets before they backed away over his concerns about his medical reports.

     

    He threw out just four of 53 attempted basestealers with the Rockies in 2009 but improved to 13-for-51 this past season with the Padres.

     

    "His shoulder isn't as strong, but he has great footwork and he gets rid of the ball quickly," Washington said. "I don't think anybody felt that people ran wild on the Padres this year."

     

    Torrealba caught 92 games for the Padres last season, the second-most in his career. He was behind the plate for 112 games with the Rockies in 2007.

     

    The Rangers are still looking for a second catcher to share time with Torrealba, and they have strong interest in re-signing Matt Treanor as a backup. Taylor Teagarden, who is currently playing in the Dominican Republic, is another possibility. Treanor has told the Rangers that he would like to return.

     

    "We really appreciate what [Treanor] brought to the team, and we're definitely staying in touch with him," Levine said. "We're still in the market looking at the free agents out there got a guy who can complement Yorvit and provide competition."

     

    But right now Torrealba has the responsibility of taking over a pitching staff that had a 3.93 ERA, fourth-lowest in the American League. Pitching is also a significant reason why the Rangers reached the World Series for the first time in club history.

     

    "That's a big challenge for me," Torrealba said. "Obviously our goal is to get back to the World Series and win the World Series. Watching these guys on TV last season, it's going to be very exciting."

     

    Torrealba was with the Giants from 2001-05. He spent the second half of the 2005 season with the Mariners and caught 41 games for them. That's been his only American League experience. He was traded to the Rockies in the offseason and spent four years in Colorado before signing with the Padres as a free agent last winter.

     

    "Obviously I have a lot to learn being mostly in the National League West," Torrealba said. "I'm already looking at tape and look forward to talking to the pitching coach. I want to learn now. I don't want to wait for Spring Training so that by Opening Day I will already have that experience."

  4. NEW YORK -- The Yankees called Cliff Lee's agent Sunday on the first day of the free-agent negotiating period to say they will be back in touch with an offer for the top pitcher on the market, a baseball official familiar with the conversation told The Associated Press.

     

    The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the team didn't announce the contact with agent Darek Braunecker.

     

    5353.jpg Lee Texas hopes to re-sign the 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner, who led the Rangers to their first World Series after he was acquired from Seattle in July. The Yankees have made signing Lee the top priority among free agents, in addition to re-signing their own players.

     

    Lee, a 32-year-old left-hander, was a combined 12-9 with a 3.18 ERA for the Mariners and Rangers, striking out 185 and walking 18 in 212 1/3 innings. He was 7-0 with a 1.26 ERA in eight career postseason starts before losing to San Francisco in Games 1 and 5 of the World Series.

     

    New York also hopes to re-sign shortstop Derek Jeter, closer Mariano Rivera and pitcher Andy Pettitte, who hasn't decided whether to play next season or retire.

     

    In the first deal among the 166 players who became free agents after the World Series, shortstop Jhonny Peralta reached an agreement with Detroit on an $11.25 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with that deal said, also on condition of anonymity because it wasn't announced.

     

    Detroit declined his $7.25 million option Tuesday, opting to pay a $250,000 buyout, but Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said then the team was optimistic about reaching a new agreement.

     

    Acquired from Cleveland in July, Peralta was shifted from third base to shortstop by Detroit and hit .253 with eight home runs in 57 games with the Tigers.

     

    ESPNdeportes.com reported earlier that the sides were approaching a deal.

     

    Other free agents include outfielders Carl Crawford, Jayson Werth and Magglio Ordonez; first basemen Carlos Pena and Paul Konerko; catcher Victor Martinez; designated hitter Hideki Matsui and closer Rafael Soriano.

     

     

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