Christian Garcia told reporters Friday that he still hasn’t heard what his role will be with the Nationals in 2013.
The Nationals have talked about converting Garcia into a starter, but haven’t ruled out keeping him on the Opening Day roster as a reliever. “I have no idea. Wherever they want to put me I am okay with it,” Garcia said. “I am going to go in there and compete for a job, and do the best I can.” A former third-round pick of the Yankees, Garcia posted a 2.13 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 15/2 K/BB ratio in 13 late-season appearances with the Nationals in 2012.
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ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin reports that free agent Brandon Lyon is currently talking to several teams, though no signing is imminent.
It had been reported a few weeks ago that Lyon was in deep discussions to join the Giants, but their interest seems to have cooled some. Lyon posted a solid 3.10 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 63/20 K/BB ratio in 61 innings for the Astros in Blue Jays in 2012, and is one of the top relievers remaining on the free agent market.
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Reds GM Walt Jocketty said Friday that Scott Rolen’s status is still “up in the air”, but that he hopes to resolve the situation before the weekend is through.
Rolen has decided to come back for another season, but the Reds aren’t quite sure they have a role available for him. Todd Frazier is slated to be the everyday third baseman, and Jack Hannahan was brought in to serve as his backup. The 37-year-old has also drawn interest from the Dodgers.
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Joakim Soria (elbow) will not pitch in Cactus League games during spring training.
Soria has recently progressed to throwing from a distance of 120 feet as he recovers from his second Tommy John surgery. Colby Lewis, Matt West and Neftali Feliz also aren’t expected to pitch in spring training games. Soria is still expected to serve as the primary setup man for Joe Nathan once he’s ready to do so.
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Pirates GM Neal Huntington was non-committal on Friday when asked if he expected to reach a contract agreement with Francisco Liriano before spring training begins.
The Pirates remain interested in signing Liriano, but are interested in restructuring the proposed deal. Liriano injured his non-throwing arm in December and is unlikely to be ready to go when pitchers and catchers report on February 11. With strong mutual interest, this deal should get finished in the coming weeks.
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The Orioles are not expected to sign free agent infielder Fernando Tatis.
The 38-year-old worked out for the O’s last week in the Dominican Republic. He hasn’t played in the majors since the 2010 season, where he suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder that ended his season. It’s unlikely that he’ll land a minor league deal.
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Despite throwing for the team at Camden Yards on Thursday, the Orioles are not expected to offer a contract to Arthur Rhodes.
Rhodes is hoping to secure a minor league deal with a spring training invite after sitting out the entire 2012 season. He posted a 4.64 ERA and 21/11 K/BB ratio over 33 innings in 2011. Given the demand for quality left-handed relievers, it’s likely he’ll find at least one team willing to give him a shot.
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Orioles signed Zane Chavez to a minor league contract.
The 26-year-old catcher has spent four seasons playing in the independent leagues, most recently hitting .339/.373/.498 in 70 games between two different teams in 2012. He’ll report to minor league spring training and serve as organizational depth.
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Fernando Rodney expressed confidence on Friday that he’ll finalize a contract extension with the Rays in the near future.
Rodney added that he’s already had discussions with management, and that he expects a deal to be finalized this month. The 35-year-old closer is coming off one of the most surprising and utterly dominant seasons in major league history, posting a 0.60 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 76/15 K/BB ratio while converting 48 saves. Fantasy owners seem to have bought in as well, as he’s being selected as a top-five closer in early drafts.
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Mets signed OF Marlon Byrd to a minor league contract.
The deal includes an invitation to spring training. The 35-year-old outfielder hit an abysmal .210/.243/.245 with one home run and nine RBI in 153 at-bats between the Cubs and Red Sox in 2012 before being released by the Red Sox. He then had to serve a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. The Mets could certainly use additional depth in their outfield, but Byrd is unlikely to be a major contributor.
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