Rumor Mill: 12/10/2012

• A few big names signed this week, the Cincinnati Reds re-signed OF Ryan Ludwick to a 2 yr/$15MM contract. Jon Heyman Twitter
• The Los Angeles Dodgers signed SP Zack Grienke to a 6 yr/$147MM contract with an opt-out clause after the 3rd year. Jim Bowden Twitter (Man are the Dodgers rich or what? Their team is absolutely stacked already and now they add Grienke? Games aren't played on paper but this is a team that looks like they could win 110 games)
• The Dodgers also signed SP Hyun-Jin Ryu to a 6 yr/$36MM contract Included in the contract are clauses that he can't be sent to the minors without his consent, that the Dodgers will pay for an interpreter, that he can opt out after the 5th year, and that he'll wear #99. Dylan Hernandez Twitter (towards the middle currently) (The Dodgers however could pay dearly for this one...yea its only $6MM a year for them but all i can think about is that minors consent clause. Does Oliver Perez ring a bell? This wont hurt them in terms of payroll but it could by not having that 25th spot on the roster available in case he flops.)
•  The Cleveland Indians have signed 3B Mark Reynolds to a 1 yr/$6MM contract with performance bonuses that could push it to $7.5MM Brittany Ghiroli Twitter
• There was also two VERY significant trades this weekend. First off the Philadelphia Phillies traded minor leaguers Josh Lindblom and Lisalverto Bonilla to the Texas Rangers for IF Michael Young. The Rangers will assume $10MM of Young's salary while the Phillies will be responsible for the remaining $6MM plus pay the difference in state and city taxes which will amount to an estimated $1.2MM. T.R. Sullivan MLB.com (The Phillies gave up a lot of talent in Lisalverto Bonilla for this move so it better pay off. It seems like Young was very reluctant to go to Philly and that the coverage of additional taxes is the only reason he moved. $7.2MM for a 1 yr rental that will probably crank out average 3B stats. Great move Amaro :-) )
• In the other trade, the Kansas City Royals acquired SP Wade Davis and SP James Shields from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor leaguers OF Wil Myers, SP Jake Odorizzi, SP Mike Montgomery and 3B Patrick Leonard. Mark Topkin Twitter (Yikes...this one hurts. The team really could've used Wil Myers badly, HOWEVER, the offer the Rays made was a better one. The Rays easily win in this trade. The Rays have a ton of pitching depth so trading Shields and Davis wont hurt them while adding 6 years of Myers and Odorizzi will help them continue competing in the AL East. )
• Ok now on to the rumors...I really dont have any from this weekend. 
• 2B Robinson Cano is scheduled to be a free agent at the end of next season and will not give the New York Yankees a hometown discount. Cano is said to be looking for Alex Rodriguez type money in any extension. Mark Feinsand NY Daily News
• (This is personal opinion here.....but the Zack Grienke signing and the James Shields AND Wade Davis trade now puts a lot of pressure on the Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays, or any other team that is interested in R.A. Dickey, to meet the New York Mets demands for 2 top prospects especially since the Royals paid that price plus 2 mid level prospects for a #2 and a #5. I still prefer Toronto since they have D'Arnaud but if Alderson can flip Texas 3B prospect to another team in a three way trade then I'd be happy with that too.)