July 2011 - Baseball Wiretap

Cubs Offer Arbitration To Ramirez, Pena
The Cubs have offered salary arbitration to Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena.

ESPN.com

Sources: Yankees Agree To Terms With Freddy Garcia
The Yankees have agreed to terms with pitcher Freddy Garcia on a one-year contract

ESPN.com

A's Offer Arbitration To Willingham, DeJesus
The A's have offered salary arbitration to free agents Josh Willingham and David DeJesus.

ESPN.com

Giants Decline Arbitration Offers To Ross, Burrell
The Giants have declined to offer salary arbitration to free agents Cody Ross and Pat Burrell.

ESPN.com

Red Sox Offer Arbitration To Ortiz, Wheeler
The Red Sox have offered salary arbitration to free agents David Ortiz and Dan Wheeler.

ESPN.com

Report: Royals, Bruce Chen Agree To Two-Year Deal
The Royals and pitcher Bruce Chen have agreed to a $9M, two-year contract on Wednesday.

ESPN.com

Braves Decline Arbitration Offer To Gonzalez
Alex Gonzalez batted .241 with 15 home runs and a .642 OPS in 149 games with the Braves last season.

MLB.com

Minnesota Offers Arbitration To Cuddyer, Kubel
The Twins planned to offer arbitration to free agents Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel before Wednesday night's deadline.

MLB.com

Braun To Rodgers: Your Turn To Win MVP Award
Ryan Braun and Aaron Rodgers have become fast friends as superstar athletes in Wisconsin.

MLB.com

Capps May Get Chance To Close For Twins
Matt Capps is a free agent and struggled in a temporary role as the closer in 2011, but he could be re-signed and given another chance.

Twin Cites

Torre Has Interest In Ownership Of Dodgers
Joe Torre has been approached by groups interested in purchasing the Dodgers.

New York Times

Twins Sign Doumit To Backup Mauer
The Twins have signed former Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit to a one-year, $3 million deal.

Associated Press

Sizemore Signs One-Year Deal With Indians
The Indians have re-signed outfielder Grady Sizemore to a one-year, $5 million contract.

ESPN.com

Mariano Rivera Hints 2012 Could Be Final Season
The long-time Yankees closer has one year left on his contract.

MLB.com

Draft Compensation Reduced For 11 Players
Only Prince Fielder, David Ortiz, Roy Oswalt, Jonathan Papelbon, Albert Pujols, Jose Reyes, Jimmy Rollins and C.J. Wilson will cost teams a first-round pick.

Associated Press

All-Star Game Attendance Now Mandatory
All Major League players elected to the All-Star Game will be required to play in the game, unless they are injured or are excused by the commissioner's office.

New York Daily News

Red Sox Name Hazen, O'Halloran Assistant GMs
Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington announced a number of changes to the team's personnel department on Tuesday.

Joe McDonald/ESPN.com

Marlins Acquire LeBlanc From Padres
In parts of four seasons with the Padres, Wade LeBlanc went 17-22 with a 4.54 ERA, starting 52 times and coming in as a reliever twice.

Associated Press

Kemp Makes Bold Prediction: 'I'm Going To Go 50-50'
Less than two hours after learning that he didn't win the National League MVP award, Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp made a bold prediction for the 2012 season.

Tony Jackson/ESPN.com

Jim Crane Formally Takes Over Astros
The sale of the Astros to Jim Crane from Drayton McLane has been completed.

Associated Press

Orioles Nearing Deal With Korean Reliever
The Orioles are closing in on signing right-handed reliever Tae-Hyon Chong out of South Korea.

MLB.com

Alomar No Longer A Candidate In Boston
Sandy Alomar Jr. is no longer in the running to be named the next manager of the Red Sox.

Brian MacPherson/Providence Journal

Red Sox Tried To Get Jays To Reconsider On Farrell
The Red Sox badly wanted John Farrell to return to Boston after a year in Toronto.

Ken Rosenthal/FOX Sports

Cubs Willing To Move Garza; Rangers Interested
The Rangers may have to replace C.J. Wilson if he signs with another club.

Ken Rosenthal/FOX Sports

C.J. Wilson To Visit Marlins After Thanksgiving
The Marlins met briefly with C.J. Wilson's agent last week.

Miami Herald

Labor Deal Stops Short Of Tobacco Ban
Baseball's new labor deal will limit the use of smokeless tobacco by players, but not ban it during games.

Associated Press

Playoff Expansion Will Begin Immediately
Major League Baseball and the MLBPA announced a new five-year labor agreement on Tuesday that included a few notable changes.

Associated Press

Ryan Braun Wins NL MVP
Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun received 20 of 32 first-place votes.

Associated Press

MLB, MLBPA Announce New Five-Year Labor Agreement
By the end of the new contract, baseball will have gone 21 years without a labor strike or lockout.

RealGM Staff Report

Angels Take C.J. Wilson To Dinner
The Angels were set to take left-hander C.J. Wilson to dinner on Monday night in an effort to woo the free agent to Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Times