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Open season for Major League Baseball free agents kicks in at midnight, with the World Series champion Boston Red Sox among teams with key players poised to test the market. |
Teams had until Monday afternoon to make one-year, $14.1mn qualifying offers to their prospective free agents in order to be entitled to draft pick compensation should those players sign with other teams.
The clubs have exclusive rights until midnight to sign their own players to a contract of any value before they are free to sign with other teams.
Among players receiving qualifying offers but expected to test free agent waters are a trio of Red Sox players fresh off their Fall Classic triumph - outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, first baseman Mike Napoli and shortstop Stephen Drew.
The National League champion St Louis Cardinals may be losing outfielder Carlos Beltran.
Other top members of the free agent class receiving qualifying offers include second baseman Robinson Cano, outfielder Curtis Granderson and pitcher Hiroki Kuroda of the Yankees and outfielder Shin-Soo Choo of the Reds.
Braves catcher Brian McCann, Mariners designated hitter Kendrys Morales, outfielder Nelson Cruz of the Rangers and starting pitchers Ubaldo Jimenez of the Indians and Royals right-hander Ervin Santana are also available.
Players can also, of course, decide to re-sign with their old clubs in the end.
The $14.1mn figure was set as the average of the 125 most lucrative contracts, as detailed by the Basic Agreement between MLB and the Players’ Association.
The wheeling-dealing often heats up at the Winter Meetings, which will be held in Florida from Dec. 9-12.
Meanwhile, New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez tested positive for stimulants in 2006, according to the New York Times.
Rodriguez was not publicly identified for failing the test because players face suspensions for banned substances only if they test positive more than once.
Rodriguez is appealing a 211-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy.
Lanny J Davis, a representative of Rodriguez’s legal defense, denied that Rodriguez failed a drug test seven years ago.
Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox headline the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, which was released Monday.
They will be voted on by the 16-member Expansion Era Veterans Committee Dec. 9 during the annual Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla.
The New York Yankees made $14.1mn qualifying offers to second baseman Robinson Cano, outfielder Curtis Granderson and right-hander Hiroki Kuroda. All three were in the last years of their contracts.
If they decline the offers and sign with other teams, the Yankees receive draft picks as compensation next year. They have until 5 p.m. on Nov. 11 to accept or decline the offers.
General manager Ben Cherington said that the Boston Red Sox extended qualifying offers of $14.1mn to outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, first baseman Mike Napoli and shortstop Stephen Drew.
Cherington said right-hander reliever Joel Hanrahan and catcher Jared Saltalamacchia were not extended the one-year offer to prevent them from leaving in free agency without netting the Red Sox draft pick compensation.