-P- Jason Schmidt has agreed to terms with the Dodgers, FOX Sports reports. It's a three-year, $47 million deal, which, while not cheap, at least doesn't cripple the Dodgers for years if it doesn't work out. As a good flyball pitcher, Schmidt is an ideal fit for Chavez Ravine. Nice move by the Dodgers.
-P- The Dave-Littlefield-won't-trade-Mike-Gonzalez reports may have been premature, the Post-Gazette reports:
Schuerholz might have supported the latter notion when he described the day as having a pause feel.
Well, okay. Here's hoping this one works out for the best. The Post-Gazette also reports that the Pirates are talking with Jeff Suppan's agent, but that the price for Suppan will probably exceed $10 million a year. Given that even Vicente Padilla got more than $10 million and Adam Eaton got $8 million, that sounds about right. The Pirates should stay away here.
-P- Here are ESPN's running daily updates. No Pirates news yet today.
-P- The Mets dealt young starter Brian Bannister for young reliever Ambiorix Burgos. I've always been a fan of Burgos, but I like this move for both teams. The Mets need front-line starters but Bannister isn't one, and they have a number of back-end candidates already. The Royals, meanwhile, just need a decent starter, period - all their starters were dreadful last year.
-P- The Indians signed Joe Borowski to a one-year, $4.25 million deal. This looks like a bargain, but the Phillies backed out of a deal with Borowski a few days ago after their doctors saw something about his shoulder they didn't like. Who knows how well he'll pitch next year.