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Third baseman Juan Uribe is reportedly headed back to the Los Angeles Dodgers on a two-year deal after testing free agency.

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal was the first to break the news:

Uribe signed a $21 million contract prior to the 2011 season and was a well-documented disappointment over the first two years of the deal, hitting just .199/.262/.289 between 2011 and 2012 and seeing little playing time in the closing parts of the 2012 season.

But Uribe righted the ship in 2013 with a .278/.331/.438 line with 12 home runs and 50 RBI. Like he did for the San Francisco Giants in 2010 before cashing in with Los Angeles, Uribe helped the Dodgers in a big way via his postseason play last season.

Uribe hit two homers in the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves—including a two-strike, two-run eighth-inning homer to send the Dodgers to the National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. There, he added three more RBI.

Yet negotiations between the two parties were recently at a standstill. It hit the point where Los Angeles thought Uribe was on his way out, so the team began considering other options such as infielder Michael Young to play third base, per ESPN’s Buster Olney:

Alas, Uribe is back in the fold, and Rosenthal has a quote from a player within the organization who neatly summarizes why the Dodgers were likely content in investing in Uribe once more:

The move sorts things out for the Dodgers defensively. Hanley Ramirez can remain at shortstop, while the newly signed Alexander Guerrero can start at second base. Suffice it to say, the search for an everyday third baseman is over in Los Angeles.

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Outfield prospect Brandon Jacobs is reportedly one of the mystery names involved in a blockbuster three-team deal involving Mark Trumbo between the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Angles and Chicago White Sox.

Per Arizona’s Twitter account, the Diamondbacks acquired Trumbo and two unannounced players in the transaction:

Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com later helped to confirm Jacobs was one of the players to be named:

Jim Callis of MLB.com shared some details on the newest member of the Diamondbacks:

Profile

DOB: Dec. 8, 1990 (Age: 23)

Throws: Right

Height/Weight: 6’1″/225 lbs.

Drafted: 2009, 10th round by Boston

A 10th-round selection by the Boston Red Sox in 2009, the Auburn football recruit was signed for a $750,000 bonus because of his big bat and promising potential. Jacobs has hit .262 and 49 home runs in 428 games in the minors. Jacobs’ best year was 2011, when he had a career-best .303 average, 17 home runs and 80 RBI.

Jacobs’ 2012 season was derailed by a hamate bone injury. The Boston Red Sox subsequently shipped Jacobs to the Chicago White Sox last July in exchange for pitcher Matt Thornton. Jacobs went on to hit .244/.320/.407 in the minors overall in 2013.

Before the deal, Jacobs ranked No. 7 in Chicago’s farm system. The team’s site estimated his arrival in the majors to be 2015, citing his discipline problems at the plate as the main adversary to his advancement.

While Jacobs leaves much to be desired defensively, he has earned a look in center field as he continues to develop that area of his game. The majority of his time in the minors to this point has been spent in left field.

The 23-year-old offers plenty of potential if Arizona is willing to invest. He makes his money at the plate and through his ability to steal bases. He has nabbed 63 so far in his career, with his career-best 30 swipes also coming in 2011.

Arizona focused on the now and future as the key player in the three-team deal. Jacobs is part of the future in the outfield if he can continue to improve at the plate.

Note: All info courtesy of MLB.com.

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So much for the New York Yankees being out of cash.

Robinson Cano, Jay-Z and others are likely not amused to find out that the Yankees have reportedly agreed to a deal with center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, one of free agency’s top prizes.

The report comes from Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News:

ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick and Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe added further context to the blockbuster deal:

Ellsbury is best known for his blazing speed that allows him to be an elite defender in center field and steal a plethora of bases when healthy. The seven-year pro appeared in 134 games in 2013, won a World Series and had a .298 batting average, .355 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .426.

While 53 RBI and nine home runs are nice, Ellsbury made his money defensively and on the basepaths with 52 stolen bases.

For his efforts in 2011, when he batted .321 with 32 home runs and 105 RBI, swiping 39 bases and scoring 119 runs, Ellsbury finished second in the AL MVP voting, earned a Silver Slugger, Gold Glove and was named an All Star. He appeared in 158 games that season, his healthiest to date.

As is the case with any free-agency signing, the world of social media had something to say about this one.

While Cano and the Yankees are reportedly far apart on compensation, it appears the team has been low-balling the second baseman. Grantland’s Jonah Keri says it is time to stop playing around with the negotiations and get back to winning championships with Cano in the fold:

The Yankees themselves have reportedly said there is still room for Cano after the deal, but clearly, the Ellsbury deal places additional pressure on Cano’s camp to come to terms, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post:

There is also the sarcastic route when it comes to Cano’s situation, which Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press took brilliantly:

It appears New York is once again in the driver’s seat when it comes to throwing cash in an attempt to build a contender. Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan passes on a stunning figure sure to make Yankee-haters cringe:

As always, it appears baseball is above all other sports when it comes to spending. The Ellsbury deal does nothing more than solidfy that notion. ESPN’s Andrew Brandt contrasts how the deal stacks up to every deal in NFL history:

Bryan Fischer adds more context to some of the NFL’s top stars (hint, kids—play baseball):

Not every reaction to the deal was positive, mostly because Ellsbury has an iffy history when it comes to health. Well, that and this is the Yankees. And truckloads of cash. Peter King of Sports Illustrated and The MMQB brings up perhaps the best point:

Pair the fact Ellsbury is often injured with the fact he’s reached the scary age of 30, and it is easy to see why folks such as ESPN’s Keith Olbermann are not thrilled with the move:

Which is fine. $153 million is a ton of cash, and how it is distributed over the length of the deal is something worth bringing up:

There is another side to this coin. The Yankees are not necessarily paying for a name. Despite injury woes, Ellsbury has been one of baseball’s best on the paths, which surely drove up the price (as did the whole leaving Boston for New York thing):

Besides, can we really be mad at Ellsbury? It’s far from his fault the Yankees splurge in this excessive fashion simply because they can. Ellsbury is surely grinning ear-to-ear right now:

Sarcasm aside, and all due respect to Ellsbury, something may be wrong when his name is brought up in the same breath as Lionel Messi, LeBron James and Sidney Crosby. Cathal Kelly of the Toronto Star does so to shocking results:

Regardless, here we are once again with the Yankees. In a classic maneuver, New York has managed to outbid all other contenders on the market for a player of their liking. For better or worse, this one is set in stone.

For now, we’ll just let this one sink in a bit.

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Robinson Cano is the hottest name on the MLB rumor mill at the moment.

The former New York Yankees second baseman, represented by Roc Nation Sports and rap mogul Jay Z, is looking for a mega-deal that at one point was reported to be in the $300 million range.

Cano hits the market with quite a track record. Entering his age-31 season, Cano is a five-time All-Star with a championship under his belt, is a career .309 hitter and has four top-10 MVP finishes.

Yet, New York is reportedly balking at paying Cano in the neighborhood of his alleged price tag. As a result, other potentially serious contenders for his services are entering the picture.

Here’s the latest.

New York Yankees and Robinson Cano Are “Oceans Apart”

It is no secret the Yankees want Cano back—for the right price.

Team president Randy Levine has said as much in recent weeks, per ESPN’s Wallace Matthews:

We want Robbie back; we think Robbie is terrific. But we have no interest in doing any 10-year deals and no interest in paying $300 million to any player. Until he gets a little more realistic, we have nothing to talk about.

Negotiations have continued, but Marc Carig of Newsday reports the two sides are “oceans apart”:

Go figure. The Yankees have enough cash to play ball, but understand that other franchises may not. Hence why the two sides are about $80 million apart after New York’s most recent proposal, per ESPN’s Buster Olney:

Cano, sources said, asked for a nine-year deal at $28 million a year, with a vesting option for a 10th year at $29 million this past week. That deal, at $252 million, would match Alex Rodriguez‘s 2000 deal with the Texas Rangers in guaranteed value.

The Yankees, sources told Olney, upgraded their offer to the $170 million range, leaving a gap of about $80 million. According to published reports and information from sources who spoke to ESPNNewYork.com, the Yankees had previously offered Cano a seven-year deal worth approximately $160 million.

There is plenty of time for Cano and the Yankees to work something out that appeases both sides. But the timetable may become accelerated, especially for the Yankees, with another team potentially entering the fray for the second baseman.

Seattle Mariners Have Emerged as “Major Player” for Robinson Cano

The Seattle Mariners appear serious about landing Cano.

Per Wallace Matthews of ESPN, a source says the Mariners are “desperate for hitting and desperate to put people in the ballpark.”

The threat is real. Another source says the Yankees’ chances of keeping Cano are “less than 50-50.”

Interest from Seattle would make sense. The Mariners finished 71-91 a year ago, 25 games behind in the AL West. A major part of the issue was the team’s inept offense, which ranked No. 22 in runs scored, No. 28 in batting average and No. 26 in on-base percentage.

Conversely, Cano has averaged 28 home runs and 103 RBIs in each of his past five seasons. He is also a major name who would routinely bring fans to the park.

Now for the wild card in the Cano sweepstakes—if the Mariners have truly revealed themselves as contenders for his services, other teams may come forward as well. Teams with deep pockets and similar needs as the Mariners, paired with the understanding that the Yankees are not thrilled with Cano’s asking price, may throw their names in the hat.

For now, this appears to be a two-horse race.

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Robinson Cano is the crown jewel of MLB free agency this offseason.

The former New York Yankees slugger is now 31 years old, but that has not stopped him from reportedly asking for a 10-year, $300 million deal.

Cano has surpassed a .300 batting average, .345 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage during each of the past five seasons, but it’s hard to imagine any team will be willing to meet his asking price.

Rumors of Cano’s potential destination continue to make themselves known. Whether it’s the Yankees strategically playing the market or dark-horse contenders emerging, we’re just getting started with this saga.

Here’s a look at the latest batch of rumors surrounding the star second baseman.

Cano Taking a Trip Across the City?

Either Cano is very serious about getting as much cash as possible regardless of destination or he and representative Jay Z think they are slick.

Per a report from ESPN’s Adam Rubin, the star rapper and other representatives met with the New York Mets recently:

As Rubin notes, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson does not sound pleased with the asking price.

Then again, for a team that has not posted a winning season in five years, a superstar like Cano may be the final boost needed to an improving roster.

It’s hard to see a deal happening, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman seems to agree per Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News. Not exactly what Cano was hoping for if the intent was to stir up a reaction in order to get the Yankees to cave in to his demands. 

Yankees Targeting Other Players?

Were the Yankees so disgusted with Cano’s demands that they’re turning their attention to other players? Or maybe they are just not that concerned about the prospect of losing one of the game’s best second basemen?

Regardless of the answer, the Yankees are clearly not stressing about the situation. Instead, The Bombers are looking to upgrade other areas while they wait per Mark Feinsand and Michael O’Keeffe of the New York Daily News:

The Yankees are engaged with “five or six free agents,” team president Randy Levine said. The Bombers have serious interest in Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann, while Jhonny Peralta and Stephen Drew are also intriguing as they look to bolster the left side of the infield. And that’s not even mentioning Japanese import Masahiro Tanaka, the Yankees’ primary pitching target of the winter.

“We’re not waiting around,” Levine told the Daily News on Tuesday. “If guys start to come off the board, we’re going to sign them, which will affect the amount of money we have left for other players including (Cano).”

Is this posturing by the Yankees to get Cano back where he wants to be before the well runs dry?

Maybe. But more importantly, the Yankees simply don’t seem worried by much of anything when it comes to Cano. That’s a good move—the best teams don’t put the demands of one player on a pedestal and sacrifice other areas.

Has Cano Created a One-Team Race?

This is far from a normal free-agency bidding war.

As one American League executive told ESPN’s Jayson Stark, the entire process to this point has not made a lot of sense for anyone—except the Yankees:

It means that what he’s going to get is probably not going to be market-driven. If you had a situation where everyone remained objective and everyone played it smart and you had teams that thought they could sign Robinson Cano for $120 million, you’d probably have five or six teams in on it…

…It’s almost like you’re starting out by making the market more exclusive. So all those teams willing to spend $120 million don’t apply because they think this is headed for a different stratosphere.

What exactly was the point of demanding $300 million? Cano and Co. could not have possibly thought the Yankees would dole that out. Now we know why so little interest in Cano has been had—the financial side of things is something only the Yankees can meet.

Maybe this explains the trip to visit the Mets, which was initiated by Cano’s representatives, not the other way around per the above reports.

It sounds like it may be a while before anything gets done, but one thing is for certain—the Yankees have a firm hold on this struggle at the moment.

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The St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a deal that will send former World Series MVP David Freese and reliever Fernando Salas to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for outfielder Peter Bourjos and prospect Randal Grichuk.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports was the first to break the news:

Obviously, the news of a slumping former elite third baseman changing hands is the highlight of the deal, but an under-the-radar element to watch is the 22-year-old outfielder named Grichuk.

Grichuk hails from Rosenberg, Texas. A surprise selection at No. 24 overall by the Angles in the 2009 MLB draft, Grichuk thus far is simply known as the player taken one spot ahead of Mike Trout.

What many don’t realize is simple—Grichuk is far from a bust and has all the intangibles of a stellar pro if he can stay healthy.

Here are three things Cardinals fans must know about their shiny new prospect.

Injury History is Shaky

The comparisons to Trout for Grichuk are unfair at face value because both men went to the same team anyway.

Grichuk can’t help the fact the Angles went with Trout, but a strange rash of injuries to begin his pro career didn’t help things in the eyes of fans—especially as he could only watch from the dugout as Trout exploded in the majors.

Per Tracy Ringolsby of the Angels’ website, Grichuk played in just 117 games his first two years as a pro. First he tore a ligament after 12 games in 2010. Shortly after his return, Grichuk broke his wrist diving for a ball.

Finally, Grichuk suffered a freakish fractured kneecap after he fouled a ball off his leg that derailed his 2011 season. Other minor issues contributed to his delay in development.

Grichuk has since managed to avoid the injury bug, and the results have been fantastic.

Batting Efficiency Not so Fantastic

Grichuk spent his 2012 season with Class A Inland Empire in 2012. He managed to stay healthy and appeared in a career-high 135 games.

The numbers speak for themselves:

Grichuk wouldn’t match his appearance totals in 2013 with Double-A Arkansas, but he came close with 128 games:

Clearly the in-game power for Grichuk is there. With two full seasons of appearances under his belt to take pitches and gain experience, Grichuk is on the upswing of his career.

Remember, he’s still just 22 years old.

Untapped Potential

The above equates to one thing—a young player with a long career ahead of him as a pro should he have both a quality opportunity and a bit of luck in the health department.

The Angels knew this. It’s exactly why they added Grichuk to the 40-man roster earlier in the week to make him exempt in December’s Rule 5 Draft and dangle him as trade bait.

Not only does Grichuk tout quality power as a hitter—he’s a force defensively with a career .985 fielding percentage, and he recently won a Rawlings Gold Glove award per the Angels’ Twitter account:

Grichuk is a sound prospect all around who will have an impact on the pros sooner rather than later. Even better, he sounds more than ready to start his journey with the Cardinals:

Fans must keep a watchful eye on their promising prospect. Grichuk has the tools to make an impact upon arrival.

Note: All relevant info courtesy of baseball-reference.com unless otherwise noted.

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Detroit Tigers star Miguel Cabrera left Saturday’s game against the Chicago White Sox due to a groin injury. Cabrera has been plagued by abdominal and groin trouble all season, so this is a troubling development for the Tigers as they head towards the postseason. 

The Tigers’ official Twitter account broke the news:

Miguel Cabrera left tonight’s game with soreness in the groin area and is listed as day-to-day. #Tigers

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 22, 2013

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The Cincinnati Reds have been extremely busy this offseason. An unorthodox amount of spending by general manager Walt Jocketty and a depletion of the farm system through trades now has the Reds in “win now” mode.

While the Reds have broken the bank to compete for a championship now, the team has to be concerned about the future. Arguably the best second baseman in the league, Brandon Phillips, will be a free agent once the season is over.

First baseman Joey Votto, the 2012 National League Most Valuable Player, will hit free agency in two years after earning $9.5 million in 2012 and $17 million in 2013 along with $3.5 million of his signing bonus.

Jocketty appears to be well aware of the upcoming issues, but realizes that fans need to temper expectations when it comes to extending Phillips and Votto:

Both he and [Joey] Votto are guys that we want to try and sign long-term because they are a big part of our ballclub. Everyone has to understand that these are expensive deals and there is only so much we can do.

Expensive is right. Phillips is set to make $12 million in 2012, and retaining him would cost about that much per year. His contract isn’t as big of an issue as Votto’s, and will likely get done.

The market has been set high for elite first basemen this past offseason. Albert Pujols signed a 10-year deal worth $240 million, and Prince Fielder signed a nine-year contract worth $214 million. Votto shares the same agent as Pujols, and it’s fair to guess that he will be looking for similar numbers for Votto.

Votto is still owed $26.5 million for the remainder of his contract, and some analysts are predicting it will take an additional $161 million commitment, or $23 million per year to keep Votto in the Queen City.

A good indication of whether the Reds are going to make a strong effort at retaining Votto is the fact the team dealt his potential successor, Yonder Alonso. Alonso was part of a deal this offseason that saw the Reds land pitching ace Mat Latos.

For a small-market team like the Reds, retaining both players will be very difficult to do. The Reds were projected to bump the team payroll up to around $85 million for 2012, but beyond that is hard to predict. A team that is well under a $100-million payroll typically has major issues retaining big names.

The one thing that can ensure Phillips and Votto stay with Cincinnati for the next five years or more is simple: winning. Winning means more tickets sold, and higher revenue means a larger payroll to bring back important pieces.

While the Reds went all out to win now, they may have also ensured the return of Cincinnati’s two most important players.

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The Cincinnati Reds have suddenly been very busy upgrading the club. General manager Walt Jocketty swore to upgrade the club’s pitching, and he has done just that with the acquisitions of Mat Latos and Sean Marshall.

One lingering question about the pitching staff is the closer position. The Reds appear to have a solid starting rotation and a solidified bullpen.

Francisco Cordero was the Reds closer for the past four years, and performed admirably for the most part. Cordero notched 150 saves as a member of the Reds, but at the cost of a $46 million contract.

The problem with Cordero is he is beginning to lose his appeal. Cordero turns 37 years old in May, and last season he regressed noticeably. His K/9 rate has dropped consistently, and he doesn’t have the best save percentage when compared to the elite of his position.

There is also the issue of money. Cordero is apparently asking for a multi-year deal; a deal that made the Boston Red Sox discontinue their pursuit of Cordero. The Reds have their own financial issues with the dilemma of having to re-sign Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and now Sean Marshall.

Jocketty has said that the Reds are in talks with Cordero, but if it doesn’t work out he could see the club using Marshall as a closer. Marshall is the best left-handed reliever in baseball, with a 2.45 ERA in 150 innings.

There is also Aroldis Chapman floating around without an official position even though the club claims they are grooming him to be a starter.

The bottom line is the Reds have a lot of options and appear to be in a win-now mode. How the club handles the closer issue should be a telling sign as to how the Reds will do beyond a weak division and into the postseason.

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The Cincinnati Reds just announced that the club has acquired right-hander Mat Latos from the San Diego Padres.

In the deal, the Reds sent first baseman Yonder Alonso, pitchers Edison Volquez and Brad Boxberger along with catching prospect Yasmani Grandal.

The deal has also been confirmed by Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

Latos was a prime target for the Reds this offseason, and his arrival vastly improves the Reds pitching staff.

The loss of Yonder Alonso hurts, but he was stuck behind Joey Votto at first base. Alonso failed to capitalize on his opportunity in left field last season.

Volquez struggled heavily last season as well, mostly in the first inning. He was a weak link in what was an under-perfoming unit last year, and his consistent struggles in the first inning wore out the bullpen.

General manager Walt Jocketty promised to deliver a better pitching staff in 2012, and here it is.

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