Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus cashed in a big way by agreeing to an eight-year, $120 million contract extension. The deal hasn’t been finalized, but should be made official on Thursday. There is a clause that would allow Andrus to opt out after the fourth year if he chooses, but since the extension doesn’t kick in till after his current contract expires after 2014, that means he’s signed at least through 2018, which would be [...]

According to a report, the Cubs are willing to eat $26 million of the remaining $36 million owed left fielder Alfonso Soriano over the next two seasons, the last of the eight-year, $136 million deal he signed before the 2007 season. The contract includes a full no-trade clause, which Soriano invoked last season when he rejected a trade to the San Francisco Giants, using the negative effect the cold weather would have on his knees. [...]

Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reports that free agent reliever Rafael Soriano has agreed to a two-year, $28 million contract with the Washington Nationals. As a result of the signing, the Nationals will have to surrender the team’s first round pick in the 2013 amateur draft, while the Yankees will receive a compensatory pick sandwiched between the first and second rounds. Soriano was one of three remaining free agents with draft pick compensation attached. All three of them (Soriano, Kyle [...]

While the Mets may in fact be done for the winter, they are still open to the possibility of adding to the major league roster, although on minor league deals. So now that we’ve got that straight… The list of FAs we’ve seen recently has done nothing to excite Mets fans, but someone has just entered the fray that really piques my interest. After a Chris Schwinden-like off season, Russ Canzler has landed with the Yankees, [...]

The Los Angeles Angels have acquired starting pitcher Tommy Hanson from the Atlanta Braves for reliever Jordan Walden, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Here are two summaries from MLBTR: Hanson, 26, pitched to a 4.48 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 174 2/3 innings this year. The right-hander missed time with shoulder tendinitis last season, and his fastball velocity has been trending in the wrong direction as well. Hanson is arbitration-eligible [...]

Lisa Pernice asks: Now that Toronto got Buck, you think that we should try to get either d’Arnaud or Arencibia? If they didn’t have a logjam before, it looks like they have one now. What would the cost be? Ramon asks: Now that the Blue Jays acquired John Buck from the Marlins, do you think that the Mets have a good shot at attaining J.P. Arencibia? Though Travis d’Arnaud is a better option, it would [...]

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Mets will not be trading Ike Davis, despite the original plan of possibly moving him to capitalize on his value and allow Lucas Duda to play first. Sandy Alderson has a track record of putting high value on the ability to hit for power, and if R.A. Dickey were to be traded, Alderson would be looking for a power hitter, preferably in the outfield. Even [...]

A few days back, a group of friends and myself spent Labor Day weekend having fun and talking sports, as per the usual. The topic of the Mets came up with the normal insults being thrown around by the Yankee fans and us few Met fans valiantly trying to defend what little the team has, mostly David Wright. Then the topic of what the team will do with Wright reared it’s ugly head, and the [...]

Despite all the speculation that Cole Hamels would bolt for free agency, or that the Philadelphia Phillies would not be able to afford him, the two sides agreed to a six-year contract extension for $144 million, according to what major-league sources have reported to Ken Rosenthal. The Phillies are expected to make the official announcement later today. Rosenthal adds that the deal is the second largest ever awarded to a starting pitcher, trailing only the seven-year, $161 [...]

The Houston Astros traded closer Brett Myers to the Chicago White Sox on Saturday according to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal via Twitter. Houston announced that they will receive right-hander Matt Heidenreich, left-hander Blair Walters, and a player to be named later for the pitcher.  The Astros will also send cash to Chicago, according to the White Sox. The 31-year-old Myers is 0-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 35 appearances this season. He has converted 19 of 21 save [...]

The Astros and Blue Jays completed a 10-player trade on Friday, with Houston getting seven players and sending three pitchers including Brandon Lyon to Toronto. The Blue Jays received left-hander J.A. Happ and right-handers Brandon Lyon and David Carpenter. The Astros acquired two Major League players — reliever Francisco Cordero and outfielder Ben Francisco — as well as four Minor Leaguers: right-handers Asher Wojciechowski and Joe Musgrove, left-hander David Rollins and catcher Carlos Perez. The [...]