According to Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse, the Mets are having in-depth talks with right hander Joel Pineiro about a contract that is worth around 2 years and $15 million. Pineiro reportedly received a much similar offer from the Washington Nationals earlier this off-season, but he may be leaning toward signing with a contender like the Mets. Last year the 31 year old right hander was 15-12 with an ERA of 3.49 in 32 starts. [...]

According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, Cuban LHP Aroldis Chapman has agreed to a deal with the Cincinnati Reds. Cuban left-handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman, whose defection sparked a bidding war among major league teams that coveted his 100-mph fastball, agreed Sunday morning to sign for $30 million with the Cincinnati Reds, sources close the negotiations told Yahoo! Sports. By now I’m sure you all know the whole story about how Chapman defected, and how he once [...]

Djean Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette believes that the Pirates are interested in signing right fielder Ryan Church. Church, 31, hit .273 with four home runs and 40 RBI’s while splitting time as a member of both the Mets and Braves last season. This news is somewhat surprising as it was rumored for weeks that the Pirates were looking to sign another free agent outfielder by the name of Rick Ankiel. However, as Kovacevic notes [...]

On Wednesday, the venerable Marty Noble posted his usual weekly mailbag, and in a question regarding the potential availability of John Smoltz he replied, Few personnel moves the Mets could make would please me, personally, as much as the addition of Smoltz. He’s a class act and a joy to cover. I’d like watching his slider, too. But, to me, adding Smoltz would be akin to signing Ben Sheets. Incentive-laden contract or not, he’d come [...]

According to Yahoo! Sports Troy Glaus and the Atlanta Braves have both agreed to a $1.75 million, one year contract Tuesday that will allow Glaus to earn an additional $2.25 million in roster bonuses and performance. After missing most of the 2009 season with the St. Louis Cardinals following right shoulder surgery, Glaus says that he is now ready to return to the field and move from third base to first for Atlanta. “I have no concerns about being able to [...]

The dominoes are all starting to fall now… Jon Heyman of SI.com,is now reporting that free agent outfielder, Matt Holliday has agreed to a seven-year, $120 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. The deal includes a full no trade clause as most Scott Boras contracts do. Holliday batted .353 with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs in 63 games with the Cardinals after being acquired in a July trade from the Oakland Athletics. The [...]

Jerry Crasnick of ESPN reports that according to one of his sources, the Mets and Red Sox are considering a swap of Mike Lowell and Luis Castillo, but that it’s not known how far along the discussion has gone. Mike Lowell is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $12 million next season, while Castillo is owed the same amount, but over two seasons, not one. I like Lowell who batted [...]

According to Mike Puma of the NY Post, the Mets may now be shifting gears and are turning their attention to obtaining a starting pitcher. Minaya is still trying to strike a deal with free-agent catcher Bengie Molina and has turned attention in recent days to a starting pitching pool that includes Ben Sheets, Joel Pineiro and Jon Garland. Based on many of the reports that are circulating, Pineiro is looking for a three-year deal worth [...]

The Philadelphia Phillies have added another pitcher to their staff, signing Danys Baez to a two-year contract pending a physical. The 32 year old Baez missed all of the 2008 season due to tightness in the elbow which required Tommy John surgery, yet he returned in 2009 and went 4-6 with a 4.02 ERA in 59 appearances last season with the Baltimore Orioles. Baez has 114 career saves including a career-high 41 saves for the Tampa Bay Rays in [...]