Around the Majors: Trade falls apart

1) The Dodgers pulled out of the 3 way blockbuster trade that would have featured Randy Johnson going to the Yankees and Shawn Green to the Diamondbacks.

2) According to the Bergen Record, the Dodgers have agreed in principle to a 5 year, $55 million contract with free agent RF J.D. Drew, but an announcement might not come for a few days.

3) MLB reached a deal with Washington DC on a new stadium.

4) The Reds signed free agent 3B Joe Randa to a 1 year, $2.15 million contract.

After -10 RCAA/.768 OPS and -2 RCAA/.800 OPS seasons, Randa hit .408 SLG, .343 OBA, .751 OPS, 1 RCAA in 128 games with the Royals. It was the first time he had a positive RCAA since 1999 and Randa has a .765 career OPS, compared to his league average of .774, and -51 RCAA in 1283 games.

5) The Whitesox signed C Ben Davis to a 1 year, $1 million contract and Ps Ryan Meaux and Eduardo Villacis to minor league contracts.

Each of them had been nontendered. By nontendering a player and then trying to re-sign them, a team can get around the rule prohibiting a pay cut of more than 20%, while taking the risk that the player would leave as a free agent.

After -3 RCAA/.717 OPS and -10 RCAA/.666 OPS seasons, Davis had a .347 SLG, .256 OBA, .603 OPS, -15 RCAA in 68 games (first 14 with the Mariners). He has a .672 career OPS, compared to his league average of .777, and -60 RCAA in 486 games.

6) According to the Tampa Tribune, the Cardinals are interested in Devil Rays SS Julio Lugo.

7) The Giants signed P Wayne Franklin to a 1 year, $380,000 contract.

Franklin, who had just been nontendered, has a 5.47 ERA/-35 RSAA in 119 career games, including a 6.39 ERA/-11 RSAA in a career high 43 games in 2004.

8) The Phillies signed Ps Amaury Telemaco ($600,000) and Geoff Geary ($320,000) to 1 year contracts and OF Jorge Padilla to a minor league contract.

They had each been nontendered.

After a 3.97 ERA/0 RSAA season (just 8 G/GS), Telemaco had a 4.31 ERA/0 RSAA in 42 games. He has a 4.96 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.31, and -38 RSAA in 212 games.

Geary has a 5.33 ERA/-6 RSAA in 38 career games, including a 5.44 ERA/-6 RSAA in 33 games in 2004.

9) The Rockies signed free agent INF Greg Norton to a minor league contract.

A Hardball Times Update
Goodbye for now.

After -11 RCAA/.719 OPS and -4 RCAA/.772 OPS seasons, Norton had a .256 SLG, .276 OBA, .531 OPS, -8 RCAA in 41 games with the Tigers. He has a .745 career OPS, compared to his league average of .779, and -51 RCAA in 722 games.

10) The Brewers signed INFs Prince Fielder, Matt Erickson and Trent Durrington, OF Chris Magruder, Cs Pat Borders, Mark Johnson and Lou Palmisano and Ps Julio Santana, Chris Saenz, Rigo Beltran and Tommy Phelps to minor league contracts and invited them to spring training.

11) The Rangers signed P Jeff Zimmerman to a minor league contract.

Zimmerman had a 3.287 ERA/42 RSAA in 196 games with the 1999-2001 Rangers, before injury problems prevented him from pitching again.

12) The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles signed 1B-3B Luis Lopez.

Lopez has -14 RCAA/.590 OPS in 52 career games, including a .154 SLG, .185 OBA, .339 OPS, -3 RCAA in 11 games with the 2004 Expos.

13) The Orioles signed SS Ed Rogers, INF-OF Napoleon Calzado, C Sal Fasano and Ps Tony Fiore and Marino Salas to minor league contracts and invited them to spring training.

Correction from yesterday–The Redsox non tendered Billy Traber, not signed him to a minor league contract.


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