Around the Majors: Tigers could be close to signing Ordonez

1) According to NY Newsday, the Tigers are getting close to signing free agent RF Magglio Ordonez.

2) The Cubs re-signed 3B Aramis Ramirez ($8.95 million) and P Carlos Zambrano ($3.76 million) to 1 year contracts, to avoid salary arbitration, and signed free agent PH Dave Hansen to a minor league contract, with an invitation to spring training.

After -31 RCAA/.666 OPS and -4 RCAA/.788 OPS seasons, Ramirez hit .578 SLG, .373 OBA, .951 OPS, 24 RCAA in 145 games. He has a .791 career OPS, compared to his league average of .775, and -17 RCAA in 767 games.

After 3.66 ERA/4 RSAA and 3.11 ERA/26 RSAA seasons, Zambrano had a 2.75 ERA/42 RSAA in 31 starts. He has a 3.25 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.26, and 63 RSAA in 101 games.

Zambrano came close to ranking in the top 10 in RSAA, through the age of 23, over the past half century–

RSAA     
1    Bert Blyleven               137   
2    Don Drysdale                122   
3    Dwight Gooden               110   
4    Frank Tanana                 96   
5    Bret Saberhagen              78   
6    Gary Nolan                   74   
7    Herb Score                   72   
8    Dennis Eckersley             70   
9    Dean Chance                  68   
10   Mark Buehrle                 65   
11   Dave Rozema                  64   
12   Carlos Zambrano              63   
13   John Candelaria              61   
14   Roger Clemens                59   
15   Mark Prior                   58   

After 2 RCAA/.755 OPS and -1 RCAA/.692 OPS seasons, Hansen hit .349 SLG, .367 OBA, .716 OPS, -1 RCAA in 86 games with the Mariners and Padres. He has a .739 career OPS, compared to his league average of .756, and 21 RCAA in 1170 games.

3) The Rockies re-signed P Shawn Chacon to a 1 year, $2.35 million contract, to avoid salary arbitration.

After 5.73 ERA/-9 RSAA and 4.60 ERA/3 RSAA seasons, Chacon had a 7.11 ERA/-14 RSAA in 66 games. He has a 5.37 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.27, and -15 RSAA in 137 games.

4) The Rangers signed P Pedro Astacio to a 1 year, $800,000 contract.

Astacio has a 4.61 ERA/6 RSAA in 351 career games, including a 10.38 ERA/-5 RSAA in 5 games (1 start) with the 2004 Redsox.

5) The A’s re-signed OF Eric Byrnes to a 1 year, $2.2 million contract, to avoid salary arbitration.

6) The Brewers re-signed 2B Junior Spivey to a 1 year, $2.125 million contract, to avoid salary arbitration, and signed free agent 3B Jeff Cirillo to a minor league contract, with an invitation to spring training.

After 22 RCAA/.865 OPS and -10 RCAA/.759 OPS seasons, Spivey hit .421 SLG, .359 OBA, .780 OPS, -2 RCAA in 59 games. He has a .809 career OPS, compared to his league average of .770, and 9 RCAA in 380 games.

After -20 RCAA/.629 OPS and -19 RCAA/.555 OPS seasons, Cirillo had a .293 SLG, .259 OBA, .553 OPS, -5 RCAA in 33 games with the Padres. He has a .801 career OPS, compared to his league average of .778, and 9 RCAA in 1350 games.

7) The Yankees signed free agent P Buddy Groom to a minor league contract, with an invitation to spring training.

After 1.60 ERA/19 RSAA and 5.36 ERA/-5 RSAA seasons, Groom had a 4.78 ERA/0 RSAA in 60 games with the Orioles. He has a 4.78 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.62, and -5 RSAA in 739 games. After having a streak of 3 consecutive years with exactly 70 games, Groom has had exactly 60 in each of the past 2.

8) The BlueJays re-signed 1B Shea Hillenbrand to a 1 year, $3.87 million contract, to avoid salary arbitration.

After 5 RCAA/.789 OPS and -14 RCAA/.782 OPS seasons, Hillenbrand hit .464 SLG, .348 OBA, .812 OPS, 3 RCAA in 148 games with the Diamondbacks. He was acquired in a trade last month and has a .770 career OPS, compared to his league average of .766, and -26 RCAA in 577 games.

9) On Monday, Bill Voiselle died at the age of 86.

Voiselle had a 3.83 career ERA, compared to his league average of 3.80, and -3 RSAA in 245 games with the 1942-47 Giants, 1947-49 Braves and 1950 Cubs. As a rookie in 1944, he tied for the NL lead with 29 RSAA.

10) The Rangers claimed P Ryan Bukvich off waivers from the Padres.

Bukvich, who was acquired in a trade with the Royals earlier in the offseason, has a 6.54 ERA/-6 RSAA in 44 career games.

11) According to the St Petersburg Times, the Devil Rays are expected to sign free agent P Denny Neagle.

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