Baltimore is doing a heckuva job re-building that bullpen…

By BRIAN WITTE, Associated Press Writer
November 28, 2006

BALTIMORE (AP) — Adding another pair of relievers, the Baltimore Orioles reached preliminary agreements with Chad Bradford and Scott Williamson on Tuesday and also neared a deal to re-sign first baseman Kevin Millar and add backup catcher Paul Bako.

Bradford will get a $10.5 million, three-year contract and Williamson will get $900,000 for one year. The agreements were confirmed by a person familiar with the deals who spoke on condition of anonymity because they had not been finalized.�

Tony LaRussa, Mark McGwire’s former manager in both stops (Oakland and St. Louis), still backs his former player –

“It would be two in five then. I’d make it two in five,” La Russa said. “I can’t answer for anybody else, what priorities they give and how they weigh stuff. I know what my personal opinion is, and that’s the way it stays.”

“I’ve watched him for years and years and years work out and take care of himself, and if any of us do that, we get bigger and stronger,” La Russa said.

“I know people are struggling with how to put it in perspective,” he said. “I don’t know where it goes. I don’t know how people weigh. I don’t know how the public feels. To me, the issue is the player that I saw for years and years. I believe in him. And that’s where I leave it.”

For the rest (and to put some context to those quotes), jump on over to the Associated Press piece hosted on ESPN�

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and 1380 ESPN Radio reports that the Cardinals have signed four players, including 2b Adam Kennedy…

Adam Kennedy in as 2B; can’t verify money… (reportedly 3-15).
Kip Wells in the back end of the rotation…
Gary Bennett re-signed as backup catcher…
Eli Marrero signed to a minor-league deal.

All are in St. Louis, taking physicals as this is typed.

–B

***UPDATE***
KMOX reports the Kennedy deal is three-years, $10MM…

***UPDATE II***
CNNSI reports that P Kip Wells’ deal is for one-year and $4MM

***UPDATE III***
Kennedy’s contract calls for salaries of $2.5 million next year, $3.5 million in 2008 and $4 million in 2009. He made $3.38 million this year in the final season of a three-year contract.

And the hits keep on coming from the Northsiders…

By Jon Heyman, SI.com

The Cubs, anxious to steal the winter and maybe the summer, too, are now pursuing star free-agent pitcher Jason Schmidt, SI.com has learned. The Cubs already have spent $239 million on free agents (including the $10 million they used for new manager Lou Piniella), and two high-ranking baseball people said they are bidding about $45 million over three years for Schmidt in attempt to lure him away from the West Coast.�

The Kyodo News chimes in with this update regarding pitcher Kei Igawa of the Hanshin Tigers…

Baseball: Hanshin accepts bid for Igawa
OSAKA, Nov. 28 KYODO

The Hanshin Tigers have accepted an offer from a major league team for the right to negotiate with left-hander Kei Igawa, the Central League club said Tuesday.

Hanshin made the announcement hours after the Major League Baseball commissioner’s office notified the Osaka club of the amount of the highest bid without giving the name of the successful bidder. Hanshin did not disclose the bid amount.

***UPDATE***
CNNSI reports that the winning bid was $25MM…

***UPDATE***
ESPN reports that the New York Yankees won the bidding rights…

From FoxSports’ Jay Glazer…

Jay Glazer / FOXSports.com

Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck finally returned from one injury and now may have to recover from another.

FOXSports.com has learned that the Seahawks QB is scheduled to undergo an MRI today for an injury in his left hand during Monday night’s game. Hasselbeck slammed the hand against a helmet and is experiencing swelling.

It’s not known exactly what the injury is or how serious it is, but the team does not believe he’ll miss any time due to the fact the injury is on his non-throwing hand. Hasselbeck is a right-handed passer.

And Rod Barajas misses out…

TORONTO (CP) - The Toronto Blue Jays and catcher Gregg Zaun have capped a dramatic and bizarre 24 hours by agreeing on a US$7.25-million, two-year contract.

The deal, which includes an option for a third season, was hammered out Monday, after a $5.25-million, two-year deal with free agent Rod Barajas fell apart.

“We came to terms with Gregg Zaun at about midnight,” general manager J.P. Ricciardi said at a news conference to introduce Frank Thomas, the team’s new designated hitter. “Gregg Zaun is our catcher.”

From the LA Times’ Mike DiGiovanna….(registration required)

Adam Kennedy could be reunited with former double-play partner David Eckstein in St. Louis if the free-agent second baseman, who in October completed his seventh season with the Angels, accepts a three-year offer, believed to be in the $15-million range, from the Cardinals.

Eckstein, the most valuable player of the Cardinals’ World Series victory over Detroit in October, was the shortstop on the Angels’ 2002 championship team.

Though St. Louis appears to be the favorite to land Kennedy, the Toronto Blue Jays and a third team, which neither Kennedy nor agent Paul Cohen would reveal, are also in the hunt. As of Monday afternoon, only the Cardinals had extended a formal offer to Kennedy.

from the AP, via NBC Sports…

Red Sox make offer to Matsuzaka
Updated: Nov.28, 2006, 9:54 am EST
TOKYO (AP) — The Red Sox have made an offer to pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka that Boston president Larry Lucchino describes as “fair” and “comprehensive.”

Lucchino, in Tokyo on Tuesday after meeting with representatives of Matsuzaka’s Seibu Lions, said the Red Sox have taken the next step toward signing the Japanese star.

“We have sent a formal offer to Matsuzaka and his agent Scott Boras,” Lucchino said. “I believe it is fair and comprehensive, and offers a great deal of security and a substantial level of compensation.”
More after the jump »

Some tidibits from Olney’s INsider piece, excerpt-style!

The Athletics will wait until after the Dec. 1 arbitration deadline to sign Piazza, writes Susan Slusser, so that they don’t have to forfeit a draft pick. It’s highly unlikely, anyway, that the Padres will offer Piazza arbitration, because he could win an award large enough to purchase Mission Bay.

� Heard that Boston’s pursuit of Julio Lugo, as its next shortstop, has reached the 5-yard line. The last yards will be navigated in the week ahead, and so he and J.D. Drew will theoretically provide the offense with enough depth that the Red Sox would feel comfortable trading Manny Ramirez — to the Dodgers, in all likelihood. In the end, I’m guessing that the Red Sox will wind up with L.A. first baseman James Loney or third baseman Andy LaRoche within the package of players they get for Manny.

� The D-Backs are still out there looking for pitching, writes Nick Piecoro.

� The Pirates are pursuing Jeff Suppan.

� The Indians won the bidding for right fielder David Dellucci, and Casey Blake will move to first base.

� Johnny Estrada says he’s happy to be with the Brewers.