| Newsbreakers |
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| Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports believes Raul Ibanez may be out of the Braves' price range. Rosenthal also does not believe the club is interested in Adam Dunn. |
Our View: The Braves could opt to trade infielder Kelly Johnson to fill a void in their outfield. Ibanez was offered arbitration by Seattle, so Atlanta would have to part with draft picks to sign him. |
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| The Mariners have made J.J. Putz available and the club is open to trade discussions for the former elite closer, according to the NY Post. |
Our View: The Mets and Indians are among the teams interested in Putz, who is due $5 million next season with an $8.6 million option in 2010 or a $1 million buyout. Putz could regain his magic and once again rank among the top closers in the majors, if he proves to be healthy. |
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| The Seattle Mariners have signed Russell Branyan to a one-year contract, according to the Tacoma News Tribune. |
Our View: Branyan is a spare part and has little to no fantasy relevance. He's known for his power, but that comes with a price - strikeouts, and a ton of them. In 2,000 career at-bats, he's struck out 797 times - or 40 percent of his ABs. |
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| Mike Morse is an option for left field in the event the Mariners don’t bring back free agent Raul Ibanez, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Morse missed almost the entire 2008 season due to a severe left shoulder injury but will look to make an impact in 2009. |
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| The Mariners have been pleased with Erik Bedard's progress in his recovery from shoulder surgery, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. |
Our View: Barring a setback, Bedard could be ready for spring training. |
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| As expected, the Mariners have offered Raul Ibanez salary arbitration, according to the News Tribune. |
Our View: Ibanez now has a week to accept or decline the offer of arbitration. Close to a dozen teams are interested in the Type-A free agent, and the Mariners will receive two draft picks if he declines their arbitration offer and inks with a new club. |
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| The Rays have garnered interest in free agent outfielder Raul Ibanez, according to the St. Petersburg Times. |
Our View: Ibanez will have a high price tag, but would be a solid fit to fill a void in the Rays' outfield. His power numbers would likely improve while leaving Safeco for the more hitter-friendly Tropicana Field. His RBI totals would remain steady as well in an efficient Rays' lineup. |
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