Arte Moreno has granted Jerry Dipoto complete power in Anaheim, and now it's a matter of how he wields it. [Dipoto] says not to count out the franchise as a player in the free-agent sweepstakes for Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols. "Don't assume that we have no interest in Fielder or Pujols," Dipoto said in an interview with ESPN.com. ... "We don't want to lock the door. We are a high-revenue team and I'm a big believer in acquiring impact players. However, they are not our greatest need and are not priority number one on our list." Dipoto, who took over the job on Oct. 29 after replacing Tony Reagins, said the team's top offseason priority is strengthening the bullpen, especially in terms of right-handed arms. http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/317111-angels-interested-in-fielder-and-pujols#ixzz1dP49afh2
Later tonight, the Diamondbacks officially signed Aaron Hill to a 2-year deal. With a club deadline of Monday looming, Hill took the guaranteed dollars from Arizona rather than risk waiting for what would become available on the open market. Hill had seen his numbers declining in Toronto but rejuvenanted in the stretch-in Arizona. A strong performance to end the season earned Hill this contract, which the Diamondbacks hope is a sign of things to come rather than a fluke. Even with a streaky bat, Hill has enough pop, solid defense and clubhouse leadership to make this signing a likely winner. http://mlbreports.com/free-agents-updates
Sandy Alomar, 45, has the least amount of coaching experience with four seasons under his belt. However, the former catcher has the longest playing career, lasting 20 seasons, beginning in 1988 with the Padres. He was well respected in the clubhouse. "I think I bring a lot of things to the table that maybe some of the other [candidates] don't bring in regards to being a player, going through injuries in their past, spending a lot of time in the Minor Leagues as a player," said the six-time All-Star. "I've played for winning people all my career and that gave me the opportunity to learn their values and how to take abilities from other people and incorporate that to myself." The key to handling players, Alomar said, is communication. "You've got to find time," Alomar said about talking to players. "You've got to find time to give guys [a chance] to vent and explain themselves and also give them an opportunity to hear what's going on in your mind when I'm making my decision." He lives in Chicago, and his 7-year-old daughter goes to school near Wrigley Field. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111113&content_id=25965998&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb&tcid=tw_article_25965998
Signed SS-S Jamey Carroll to a two-year deal worth near $7 million with a vesting $2 million option for 2014. [11/11] - It reads like a joke. A week that brought Terry Ryan back into the Twins’ general manager role ended with the signing of a diminutive middle infielder to a multi-year deal. Under Ryan in 2006, the Twins had a quartet of similar players batting in the leadoff, second, eighth, and ninth slots in the lineup. After they nipped at the White Sox’ heels for a series, Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen deemed them a bunch of “Little Piranhas.” The Twins, being the Twins, embraced the nickname. After all, the Little Piranhas embodied the team’s style: fundamentalism without flash, and rosters greater than the sums of their parts. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15518
The Blue Jays have some money burning a hole in their pocket after ridding themselves of the Vernon Wells contract and have been rumored to be in on the big-name free agents this offseason. They are considered a contender to land Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder and maybe David Ortiz. However, luring players to Canada hasn’t been easy in the last couple of decades and it's unlikely Anthopoulus would make a mega-deal like that, anyway. So that leaves trades as another option, and the team has a deep enough farm system to start moving some prospects if the right deal presents itself. Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/mlb/feed/2011-10/hot-stove-league/story/hot-stove-report-toronto-blue-jays#ixzz1dgePOrKR
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