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MLB Recent Player News


Date Player News
2/10/2012 Scott Linebrink, RP (Atl) Linebrink agreed to terms on a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, and will be among the non-roster invitees to spring training. The 35-year-old Linebrink was 4-4 with a 3.64 ERA in 64 games with the Atlanta Braves last season. He struck out 42 in 54 1-3 innings and held batters to a .235 batting average.

Analysis: In 607 career games, Linebrink has a 3.51 ERA - fourth-best among active pitchers with at least 600 appearances, trailing Mariano Rivera (2.21), Francisco Cordero (3.17) and Brian Fuentes (3.44). He has also pitched for San Francisco, Houston, San Diego, Milwaukee and the Chicago White Sox.
2/10/2012 Joba Chamberlain, P (NYY) Chamberlain made 15 throws in his second session on a half-mound at the team's minor league complex, part of his rehabilitation after elbow ligament replacement surgery.

Analysis: Chamberlain said he was ``happy with the progress and feeling good,'' after throwing off the 5-inch mound Friday.
2/10/2012 Asdrubal Cabrera, PH (Cle) Cabrera and the Cleveland Indians have agreed to a $4.55 million, one-year contract and avoided salary arbitration. The agreement Friday was $75,000 above the midpoint between the $5.2 million he had asked for in arbitration last month and the $3.75 million the Indians had offered. A hearing had been scheduled for next week.

Analysis: Cleveland's best player last season, Cabrera hit .273 with 25 homers, 92 RBIs and 32 doubles. He made $2,125,000. The Indians have not gone to arbitration since 1991.
2/9/2012 Guillermo Mota, P (SF) The Giants have finalized a $1 million, one-year contract with Mota to bring him back for a third season.

Analysis: The sides had agreed to terms in December. Mota has been added to the 40-man roster. Mota, a 38-year-old right-hander, has become a reliable option for manager Bruce Bochy. He went 2-2 with a 3.81 ERA in 52 outings last season for the NL West runners-up. Mota's 80 1-3 innings last season were his third highest in 13 big league seasons and most since 2004, when he pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Marlins.
2/9/2012 Alex Gordon, LF (KC) Gordon avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $4,775,000.

Analysis: Gordon could earn a $25,000 bonus for getting 700 plate appearances, 12 more than his career high set last year. Gordon is coming off a breakout season in which he hit .303 with 45 doubles, 23 homers and 87 RBIs.
2/9/2012 Nelson Cruz, PH (Tex) Cruz has agreed to a $16 million, two-year contract with the Texas Rangers.

Analysis: The deal includes $500,000 in performance bonuses over the two years. With the agreement, negotiated by agents Sam and Seth Levinson, Cruz avoids an arbitration hearing that had been scheduled for next week.
2/9/2012 Brad Bergesen, P (Bal) The Orioles have defeated Bergesen in salary arbitration.

Analysis: Bergesen will receive an $800,000 salary this year rather than his request for $1.2 million. Bergesen was 2-7 with a 5.70 ERA in 12 starts and 22 relief appearances last season, when he made $434,000.
2/9/2012 Craig Breslow, P (Ari) Breslow and the Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to a one-year contract worth $1,795,000, a deal that avoided salary arbitration.

Analysis: Breslow was acquired from Oakland with right-hander Trevor Cahill in a Dec. 9 trade. The 31-year-old was 0-2 with a 3.79 ERA in 67 appearances with Oakland last year, when he made $1.4 million. He led relievers with five pickoffs.
2/8/2012 Jed Lowrie, PH (Hou) Jed Lowrie and the Houston Astros have avoided an arbitration hearing, agreeing to a $1.15 million, one-year contract. The team announced the deal Wednesday. Lowrie asked for $1.5 million in arbitration, while the Astros offered $900,000. His hearing had been scheduled for Friday. Lowrie can earn an additional $75,000 in performance bonuses: $25,000 each for 341, 502 and 550 plate appearances. He had 341 plate appearances last year.

Analysis: The 27-year-old shortstop was acquired from Boston on Dec. 14 along with right-hander Kyle Weiland in exchange for reliever Mark Melancon. Lowrie, a switch-hitter who was eligible for arbitration for the first time, batted .252 with six homers and 36 RBIs in 88 games for the Red Sox last season. He played every infield position and made $450,000. He is expected to become Houston's starting shortstop this year.
2/8/2012 Elvis Andrus, PH (Tex) Andrus and the Texas Rangers have finalized a $14.4 million, three-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. He gets a $750,000 signing bonus and salaries of $2,375,000 this year, $4.8 million in 2013 and $6,475,000 in 2014. He then becomes eligible for free agency. A hearing had been scheduled for Thursday.

Analysis: Andrus had asked for $3.6 million and had been offered $2.65 million. The 23-year-old hit a career-best .279 with 37 stolen bases last year when the Rangers won their second consecutive American League pennant. He made $452,180.
2/8/2012 Russell Branyan, PH (NYY) Branyan has agreed to a minor league contract with the New York Yankees and will try to win a bench job as a corner infielder during spring training. The Yankees announced the deal Wednesday.

Analysis: Branyan hit .197 with five homers and 14 RBIs in 127 at-bats last season for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Angels, playing first base, third base and designated hitter. He has not played the outfield in the major leagues since 2007. The 36-year-old has a .232 career average with 194 home runs in 14 major league seasons with 10 teams.
2/8/2012 Brad Bergesen, P (Bal) Bergesen and the Baltimore Orioles have argued their cases in salary arbitration. Bergesen asked for a raise from $434,000 to $1.2 million during Wednesday's hearing, and the Orioles argued he should be paid $800,000.

Analysis: Bergesen was 2-7 with a 5.70 ERA in 12 starts and 22 relief appearances last season.
2/8/2012 Emilio Bonifacio, PH (Mia) Bonifacio became the second player to defeat the Miami Marlins in salary arbitration this year.

Analysis: Bonifacio was awarded a $2.2 million salary by a three-person panel on Wednesday rather than the Marlins' offer of $1.95 million. Arbitrators Steven Wolf, Mark Burstein and Sylvia Skratek made the decision a day after hearing arguments.
2/8/2012 Jeff Francis, P (Cin) The Reds have signed left-handed starter Jeff Francis to a minor league deal.

Analysis: The 31-year-old Francis has struggled since he missed the 2009 season because of shoulder surgery. Last season, he was 6-16 for Kansas City with a 4.82 ERA in 31 starts.
2/8/2012 Ryan Ludwick, PH (Cin) The Reds have signed outfielder Ryan Ludwick to a one-year contract.

Analysis: The 33-year-old Ludwick and the Reds have a mutual option for 2013. The outfielder batted .237 last season in 139 games with the Padres and Pirates, hitting 13 homers with 75 RBIs. Ludwick also has played for the Rangers, Indians and Cardinals.
2/8/2012 Clayton Kershaw, P (LAD) Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers avoided a salary arbitration hearing next week, agreeing to a $19 million, two-year contract.

Analysis: Tuesday's deal for the 23-year-old left-hander calls for a $500,000 signing bonus and salaries of $7.5 million this year and $11 million in 2013. It covers all but his final year of arbitration eligibility. The agreement mirrors that of San Francisco's Tim Lincecum, who in his first time eligible for arbitration two years ago agreed to a $23 million, two-year deal. Kershaw was 21-5 with a 2.28 ERA and 248 strikeouts last year, winning the NL pitching triple crown.
2/8/2012 Elvis Andrus, PH (Tex) The Rangers and shortstop Elvis Andrus have agreed to a three-year contract, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing.

Analysis: The agreement comes two days before a scheduled arbitration hearing.
2/7/2012 Emilio Bonifacio, PH (Mia) Bonifacio has completed his salary arbitration hearing against the Miami Marlins, trying to become the second player to defeat the club within a week. Bonifacio's side argued during Tuesday's hearing that he should be given a raise from $425,000 to $2.2 million, and the Marlins asked that he be paid $1.95 million.

Analysis: Bonifacio hit a team-high .296 last year with five homers, seven triples, 36 RBIs and 40 steals in 51 tries.
2/7/2012 Bill Hall, 3B (NYY) The Yankees have agreed to a minor league contract with Hall and invited him to big league spring training. Hall announced the deal on his Twitter account Tuesday, and New York confirmed the agreement.

Analysis: If Hall is added to the Yankees' 40-man roster, he would get a $600,000, one-year contract and have the chance to earn an additional $600,000 in performance bonuses. The 32-year-old played with Houston and San Francisco last season before he was designated for assignment on July 28, batting a combined .211 with 14 RBIs and two homers. He finished the season at Triple-A Fresno.
2/7/2012 Clayton Kershaw, P (LAD) NL Cy Young Award winner Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers avoided a salary arbitration hearing next week, agreeing to a $19 million, two-year contract. Tuesday's deal for the 23-year-old left-hander calls for a $500,000 signing bonus and salaries of $7.5 million this year and $11 million in 2013. It covers all but his final year of arbitration eligibility.

Analysis: Kershaw was 21-5 with a 2.28 ERA and 248 strikeouts last year, winning the NL pitching triple crown. After making $500,000, he had asked for $10 million in arbitration and had been offered $6.5 million.
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