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On Jan. 18, arbitration-eligible players had until 1:00 p.m. EST to exchange salary figures with their respective ballclubs.

Many players avoided arbitration by coming to an agreement on the days prior.

Under the collective bargaining agreement, teams can sign players for any amount before salary figures are exchanged. However, after 1:00 p.m. EST, clubs can only negotiate between the two salary figures presented by both sides.

In all, 133 players filed for salary arbitration. That number has already been whittled down significantly within the past few days.

Here are 12 of the top arbitration-eligible players.

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Friday was a big day for Major League Baseball, as players and teams tried to agree to deals in order to avoid arbitration.

Some big names agreed to terms with their respective teams, making hometown fans ecstatic in the process.

First of all, we’ll start with the defending-champion San Francisco Giants. 

Buster Posey agreed on a one-year, $8 million deal with the Giants to avoid arbitration, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. Schulman reported earlier this week that the Giants will attempt to sign Posey to a “blockbuster deal” this spring. The agreement on Friday won’t change that.

Outfielder Hunter Pence, who came to the Giants last season via trade with the Philadelphia Phillies, agreed to a one-year, $13.8 million contract for 2013, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Pence is eligible for free agency following the 2013 campaign.

The Boston Red Sox may be coming off a nightmare campaign, but they were able to lock up outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury for another year. According to Heyman, the two sides agreed on a one-year, $9 million deal for next season. Ellsbury is slated to enter free agency after the 2013 season.

The Red Sox also locked up closer Joel Hanrahan for 2013, dishing out $7.04 million, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. Hanrahan, who was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates in December, posted a 2.72 ERA while racking up 36 saves in 40 chances with Pittsburgh in 2012.

The Detroit Tigers, who made it to the World Series in 2012, were able to ink outfielder Austin Jackson to a one-year, $3.5 million deal, according to Heyman. As Detroit’s leadoff hitter last season, Jackson hit .300 with 16 home runs, 66 RBI and 103 runs. He was also productive in the playoffs.

The Baltimore Orioles, who enjoyed a resurgent campaign in 2012 under Buck Showalter, were able to agree to a one-year, $5.5 million contract with young catcher Matt Wieters, according to Heyman. Wieters doesn’t hit for a high average (.249 last season), but he has power at the plate (23 home runs and 83 RBI). The two-time All-Star is also an excellent defensive player, as noted by his Gold Glove Awards in 2011 and 2012.

The Cleveland Indians were able to re-sign closer Chris Perez to a one-year, $7.3 million deal with awards bonuses, according to the right-hander’s agency, CAA Baseball. Perez posted a relatively high ERA for a closer in 2012 (3.59), but he still managed to register 39 saves in 43 chances.

After acquiring Kendrys Morales in a trade last month, the Seattle Mariners inked him to a one-year, $5.25 million deal (including performance bonuses), according to Heyman. Morales hit .273 with 22 home runs, 73 RBI and 61 runs in 134 games with the Los Angeles Angels last season, but he’s had trouble staying on the field.

For a complete look at all the deals on Friday, check out MLBTradeRumors.com.

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Veteran left-hander Joe Saunders is increasingly becoming the source of opposing viewpoints among Baltimore Orioles fans. 

Saunders, 31, was traded by the Arizona Diamondbacks in August 2012 in exchange for reliever Matt Lindstrom.

Since joining the Orioles, Saunders has compiled a 3-3 record with a 3.63 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in seven regular-season starts.

The Virginia native also went 1-0 with an impressive 1.59 ERA in two postseason starts for the Orioles. One of these starts included a stout 5.2 inning outing in Baltimore’s 5-1 victory over the Texas Rangers in the 2012 AL Wild Card Game.

In his seven year career, Saunders is 78-65 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.34 WHIP.

Yet with just over one month left before spring training, the Orioles have yet to sign Saunders, even though Saunders has expressed interest in returning to Charm City, ­per Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun.

According to Orioles beat writer Eduardo A. Encina (also of the Baltimore Sun), a major sticking point in negotiations involves the length of contract Saunders and his agent are requesting—three years.

This issue has fostered an increasingly sharp debate between Orioles fans regarding why Birds brass is reluctant to pull the trigger on a midterm contract for Saunders.

Fans that support the Orioles signing Saunders to this length cite three reasons.

First, Saunders is a cool-headed all-star that will solidify a rotation that is unsettled beyond Jason Hammel and Wei-Yin Chen.  Second, Saunders boasts healthy playoff experience the Orioles could benefit from. Third, Saunders has a solid ability to mentor younger pitchers on the Orioles, especially the lefties.

But a second camp of fans argue signing Saunders to a three-year deal is way too long, if not risky.

Fans in this camp think the Orioles potentially have several hidden gems that will be fighting for spots in the Orioles rotation this spring.

And despite Saunders’ upside, giving this southern gent such a contract may prove too expensive in the long run, especially if Saunders does not perform to the level of the big sum of money his contract may entail.

For these fans, a one-year deal for Saunders may suffice. Should Saunders pitch well, then the Orioles may consider long-term options.

So if you were a leader in the Orioles front office, what would you do?  Would you take a gamble on Saunders, even if this gamble may not work out?  Would you sign Saunders to a one- or two-year deal, perhaps as a stepping stone to something bigger downstream?

Or would you do what a third camp proposes: let Saunders walk altogether?

These are tough questions to answer, especially when one considers the highly competitive nature of the AL East in 2013.

But if the Orioles play their cards right, and a little luck falls this team’s way, landing Saunders at the right time and price may benefit this franchise for years to come.

For more Orioles’ Features, Sign Up for B/R’s Baltimore Orioles Newsletter! 

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The Washington Nationals made news today having signed the best free agent pitcher on the market: Rafael Soriano.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports was the first to report (via Twitter) that the Nationals had reached an agreement with Soriano for two years and $28 million.

According to Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports Soriano is now the highest paid relief pitcher in all of baseball. His $14 million average annual salary is second only to Mariano Rivera’s $15 million per season from 2010 through 2012.

Now with Soriano in the fold the Nationals have arguably the deepest bullpen in all of baseball. The team already had Tyler Clippard (37 saves in 2012) and Drew Storen in line to close out games in 2013.

The addition of Soriano gives Washington a man whom had 42 saves last season for the New York Yankees and in his last full season as a closer in 2012, 45 saves with the Tampa Bay Rays.

The obvious question, therefore, is: is Rafael Soriano the Nationals final piece to win a World Series in 2013?

The immediate answer is simply this: it can’t hurt their chances.

Soriano has proven himself to be a top-tier closer and will convert most of his save opportunities. He only blew four saves with the Yankees in 2012 and three with the Rays in 2010.

As a setup man he provided 23 holds for the Yankees in 2011.

That type of efficiency is extremely valuable to any team and now the Nats have an embarrassment of riches in the pitching department.

Clearly paying that much money automatically makes Soriano the closer and moves Storen and Clippard down in the depth chart.

Storen, historically has a markedly better ERA when pitching in the seventh inning than the eighth, as he owns a 0.56 ERA in his 22 career games pitching in the seventh inning versus 48 career games pitching in the eighth inning where he owns a 4.04 ERA.

Clippard on the other hand has fairly similiar statistics when pitching in the seventh and eight innings. Lifetime he owns a 2.43 ERA in 92 games pitching in the seventh while owning a 2.94 ERA in 140 games pitching in the eighth.

Logically, the order of the bullpen should be Storen, Clippard and Soriano. 

Storen had 10 holds and one blown save in 2012 while Clippard had 13 holds and five blown saves.

According to Bill James’s projections on FanGrapshs website, Storen was projected to have 33 saves next season while Clippard would add 14.

Interestingly enough, James only projected Soriano to have two saves, likely acting more as a setup man than a closer.

Clearly that has all changed now.

The Nationals had the most wins in all of baseball last season with 98 and had the second best team ERA with a 3.33, behind only the Tampa Bay Rays.

While there is little that a team can do to truly improve upon a 98 win season, the Nationals may have just done that.

Consider this, when the Nats lost their National League Division Series to the St. Louis Cardinals the team gave up 13 runs through five games in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings combined. 

While they were outscored 32-16 in the series, imagine if the bottom third of each game could have been reeled in with a stronger bullpen?

It is obvious that the front office viewed this as a priority and acted upon it as such.

Follow @THEChrisBenvie

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The Washington Nationals have bolstered their bullpen by signing former all-star relief pitcher Rafael Soriano, 33, to a two-year, $28 million contract that includes a vesting option for a third season.

By signing Soriano, the Nationals lose their first-round pick in the forthcoming first-year player draft.

Soriano pitched in the closer role for the New York Yankees in the 2012 season, taking over the position after Mariano Rivera, the career leader in saves, suffered a torn ACL. He recorded 42 saves (third in the American League) and posted a 2.26 ERA.

For his career, the 6’1”, 230-pound right-handed pitcher has recorded 132 saves with a 2.78 ERA.

Soriano will provide the Nationals with another option for closing out games and help to replenish a bullpen that lost key contributors Sean Burnett, Tom Gorzelanny and Mike Gonzalez in free agency.

Last season the Nationals used a combination of Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard in the closer role. Storen, 25, missed a significant portion of the 2012 season and made only four saves after recording 43 in 2011. Clippard made 32 saves, but struggled to close out games late in the season.

The Nationals posted an MLB best record of 98-64 in 2012, but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in five games in the divisional round. By signing Soriano to a $14 million per year contract—the highest for a closer in baseball—and losing a first round draft pick, GM Mike Rizzo has shown that the Nationals—after posting their first winning season since moving to D.C.—are no longer focused on the future, but rather are aiming to win in the present.

In addition to getting Soriano, the Nationals signed starting pitcher Dan Haren to a one-year, $13 Million contract and resigned first baseman Adam LaRoche to a two-year, $24 million deal earlier in the offseason.

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The market for Rafael Soriano was a very slow one this winter.

After opting out of his contract to become a free agent again, teams weren’t jumping at the chance to lock up the closer, despite a strong 2012 campaign.

On Tuesday, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. the Washington Nationals have signed the former Yankees closer to a two-year deal.

Source: Rafael Soriano agrees to two-year, $28M deal with Nationals. Deal contains vesting option for third year. Story coming on Y! Sports.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 15, 2013

The deal has a vesting option for 2015 worth $14 million, so the deal could be as much as $42 million over three years.

Soriano took over for Mariano Rivera in May and was excellent in his role, posting a 2.26 ERA with 42 saves.

When Soriano originally signed his three-year, $35 million deal with the Yankees back in January of 2010, his deal included two opt-out clauses after the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

Some felt the market for Soriano would be a stronger one, however, teams didn’t want to surrender a draft pick in order to get Soriano, which is now what the Yankees will receive as compensation for his departure.

The Yankees made a one-year, $13.3 million qualifying offer to Soriano, which was immediately rejected because he felt he could get a multi-year deal in free agency.

The Nationals used former Yankee prospect Tyler Clippard as their closer in 2012, as he converted 32 saves for Washington.

Davey Johnson could either move Clippard to the setup role, or Nationals GM Mike Rizzo could look to trade Clippard or former closer Drew Storen for prospects.

It’s a solid move for the National League East Champions, who have now added an established closer 

As for the Yankees, losing Soriano isn’t as tough of a blow because David Robertson is still the setup man, a role in which he has performed well in.

Also, if former Mariners closer David Aardsma pitches to the level he once was at before injuries, then Soriano’s presence in the bullpen won’t be missed.

The Yankees might have lost a quality arm in the bullpen, but saving $14 million on what would have gone to Soriano was a smart move for the team, especially if Aardsma and Robertson perform up to expectations.

Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.

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With just about a month remaining until pitchers and catchers start reporting to spring training, one thing has become increasingly clear for Shaun Marcum and those players still without a contract for the 2013 season.

Time is running out.

Whether it’s age, injury history, personalities or draft pick compensation required to sign them, there are a handful of players still available as free agents who can step in and help a team win games in 2013 and beyond.

These players belong on major league rosters, and chances are that they all will find a new home—but it will be on a deal that doesn’t reach their true market value.

Let’s take a look at the impact, undervalued, free agents who very well could be forced to settle for a one-year deal and go through the free agency process all over again in 2014.

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The latest free-agent buzz in Major League Baseball has surrounded three clients of Scott Boras, all currently left out in the cold of winter with spring training fast approaching.

Rafael Soriano, Kyle Lohse and Michael Bourn have yet to find new homes this offseason, in large part because all three are attached to draft-pick compensation after their former employers extended them qualifying offers.

Ultimately, Boras may get his clients the paydays they are seeking. However, unless the signing teams finished in the bottom ten in the overall standings last season, it’ll cost them a first-round pick to sign any of the Boras guys.

Rather than pony up the big bucks and a first-round pick, most teams would be wise to do their remaining winter shopping in the bargain aisles.

Need another outfielder but don’t want to shell out for Bourn? Scott Hairston remains available.

Need another starting pitcher but aren’t quite sold on Lohse as a frontline guy? Jeff Karstens, Shaun Marcum or Joe Saunders can provide value in the middle of your rotation for a reasonable sum.

And, if you need another right-handed reliever, Kyle Farnsworth, Matt Lindstrom, Vicente Padilla or Brandon Lyon can pitch at the back-end of your bullpen.

Finally, in a tepid second-base market, Kelly Johnson remains available with virtually no reported interest to this point in the offseason.

(All statistics are from Baseball Reference and all contractual data is from Cot’s Baseball Contracts).

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What’s left of the free-agent market is led by starting pitcher Kyle Lohse and center fielder Michael Bourn, but for the teams not in on those two players, it is a time for bargain hunting.

As clubs look to fill out their roster with one last veteran starter, workhorse reliever or bench bat, there are a number of low-risk players out there who could turn out to be a solid value.

Here is a look at five hidden gems still up for grabs on the MLB free-agent market, as these players haven’t spent much time in the headlines but should make a positive impact for whoever signs them.

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After insisting on a three year deal but ultimately failing to land one, first baseman Adam LaRoche agreed to resign with the Washington Nationals for a two year deal with a mutual third year option.

Now that the Nats have a permanent solution at first base and a full outfield after trading for Denard Span, it appears Washington is ready to field offers for Michael Morse.

Morse enjoyed a solid 2012 season, batting .291/.321/.470 with 18 home runs. Hitting at least .289 in each of the last three seasons, Morse could certainly add a middle of the order bat to a team seeking an offensive upgrade.

For a team like the Tampa Bay Rays that struggled offensively while third baseman Evan Longoria dealt with a hamstring injury for most of the season, Morse could help in this area.

The Rays ranked just 27th in the MLB in batting average. While the Rays did acquire some decent players via trade and free agency, a combination of Yunel Escobar, James Loney and eventually Wil Myers won’t propel their offense to the top of the league this coming season, especially given the departures of B.J. Upton and Jeff Keppinger.

Tampa Bay also lacks a true power bat in their lineup. Last season, first baseman Carlos Pena and Luke Scott failed to fill this clear void, and the need still exists. While Morse’s 18 home runs last season are solid, he is only one year removed from hitting 31 homers. If he can return to form at Tropicana Field, the Rays would be a considerably improved team.

Therefore, it makes sense to add another bat. With a free agent market largely picked over at this point, Tampa Bay may look into upgrading their lineup through a trade, and Morse would certainly be on their radar.

Defensively, Morse is capable of playing several positions. While he is considered a poor defensive outfielder, he could fill in from time to time when necessary. He could also play first base, especially against left handed pitching, as Loney hit just .217 against left-handers last season and .218 for his career. Against right handers, Morse could act as a designated hitter given the fact that Loney hits a career .287 against right handers.

The Rays truly value this type of versatility. Looking at their roster, players like Ben Zobrist and Ryan Roberts who are capable of playing several positions fit well in Tampa Bay, as manager Joe Maddon routinely tweaks his lineups for each situation.

The only drawback to acquiring a talent like Morse is his contract. He makes $7 million next season, which is considered costly for a team like the Rays. Because he only has one year left on his deal, he would likely depart after the season.

Morse would be a great fit, but because he only has one year left, it is vital that the Rays don’t overpay to acquire his services. Given the fact that Tampa Bay just dealt James Shields and Wade Davis to the Kansas City Royals, the Rays have to be careful about trading too much pitching, especially with Cy Young winner David Price likely leaving sooner rather than later. The Rays would be smart to acquire Morse, but only at the right price to ensure that a strength doesn’t become a need.

General manager Andrew Friedman has already made a few trades this offseason and is always looking to improve his ball-club. At the right price, Morse would be a great short-term addition to a squad desperate for a power hitter.

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