Hot Stove: - Michael Cuddyer, Aaron Cunningham, New York Mets, Norichika Aoki, Travis d'Arnaud

Michael Cuddyer to a three-year deal worth $31.5 million.  Meet the Twins’ new left fielder, almost the same as the Twins’ old right fielder. Willingham is eerily similar to Michael Cuddyer; both players are defensively-challenged corner outfielders and right-handed hitters who’ll turn 33 shortly before Opening Day. Cuddyer has the more winning smile, but it’s hard to quantify the effect of that on the kind of winning teams ultimately care about. Aside from the smiling, Willingham does everything Cuddyer does, but a little more. He walks a little more often, strikes out a little more often, and hits for a little more power. He doesn't play a little more than Cuddyer—he's averaged only 121 games over the past four seasons thanks to an array of nagging injuries—but like Rafael Furcal (see below), he makes more of the time he does spend on the field. That makes him both the better player and—since rumor had it the Twins were talking to Cuddyer about a $24 million package before deciding to make a change—the better deal, though his medical history might make Twins fans skittish after the team's injury-plagued 2011. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15693

The Indians believe they got a little deeper in the outfield on Friday. Only time will tell if they're any better. Needing to add depth to an outfield ravaged by injuries in 2011, the club acquired Aaron Cunningham from San Diego in a trade and signed free agent Felix Pie . The club also signed versatile free agent infielder Jose Lopez. Following a season in which starting outfielders Grady Sizemore, Shin-Soo Choo and Michael Brantley missed significant time with injuries, the Indians wanted to make sure they had more protection in the event it happens again. And while the trade and signings won't send Cleveland fans scurrying toward the box office to buy tickets for next season, general manager Chris Antonetti is confident the moves will make a difference. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/baseball/mlb/12/16/indians.padres.trade.ap/index.html#ixzz1gmCUbJvG

I don’t see the Mets going after Theriot or Gonzalez at this point.  Daniel Murphy is likely to be moved, although I don’t see a big return.  The Mets biggest needs right now are another bat in the outfield, catcher and starting pitcher.  I can see them going after a Jason Varitek or Jesus Flores behind the plate.  As far as an outfielder, the Mets will scrape by with a Rick Ankiel or J.D. Drew signing.  Someone to hopefully hold down the fort at a reasonable salary.  Joel Pineiro or Bartolo Colon could be potential targets.  2012 won’t be pretty…sorry my man.  It will be a rebuild year for the Mets.  http://mlbreports.com/2011/12/17/ask-reports-dec-17

•A Japanese posting bid has been accepted.  Not Yu Darvish, but rather Norichika Aoki.  For $2.5 million, the Brewers now have exclusive negotiating rights with the Japanese outfielder.  For a solid hitter with a proven track record in Japan, the Brewers may need all the offensive help they can get with the possible losses of Fielder and Braun from their lineup.  We will find out in the next 30-days if player and team can come to an agreement. http://mlbreports.com/free-agents-updates

While Mesoraco had his breakout season in 2010, Travis d'Arnaud had his breakout season in 2011. Playing in more than 100 games for the first time since 2009, d'Arnaud showed improvement across the board as he triple slashed .311-.371-.542 with 21 HRs and 78 RBI in 424 at bats at AA New Hampshire. He strikes out a bit more than Mesoraco and walked in just over 7% of his at bats in 2011. He benefitted from an unsustainable BABIP of .365, so it will be interesting to see how he fares in AAA in 2012.

Hot Stove: - Norichika Aoki, Cuba and Cubans, Brandon Wood, Yoenis Cespedes, Jose Molina

Norichika Aoki - Posting Fee: Yet to be determined due to the lack of known demand; likely in very low 8 figures though.  Salary Command: He will see an entry level deal similar to an average everyday centerfielder, minus the open market power.  Hypothetical Deal: 4 years; $18-22 million - Plus: He shows speed that plays well, with good range that could play in center field.  He’s a polished contact hitter that shows a similar approach to Ichiro, but has a bit more control in his weight transfer that goes more towards the mound rather than Ichiro’s drag towards first base.  This slightly different approach allows him to get more pop out of the stick and gives him gap power potential.  He displays excellent plate coverage and routinely will take a ball in the opposite direction. He’s a sound hitter with runners on the base, and has little wasted outs with contact. Very good in all the small ball offensive categories.http://orioles-nation.com/2011/11/14/2012-potential-fa-outfielders

The Cubs are certainly not alone in sending representatives to get a closer look at power Yoennis Cespedes. But the Cuban defector the Cubs are targeting with greater interest, according to sources, is another athletic, hard-hitting outfielder -- a seven-years-younger version of the flavor-of-the-month Cespedes: Jorge Soler, 19. Soler, who defected this year and is expected to become a free agent within weeks, is exactly the kind of player the Cubs' new regime is looking for as it restocks the farm system and tries to build a long-term home-core contender. The Washington Nationals and New York Yankees are among the teams said to also be interested in the 6-3 Soler.  http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/318219-cubs-eye-a-pair-of-cuban-defectors#ixzz1dsqKte88

A source has indicated to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal that the Rockies signed Brandon Wood. --- Wood is just 26 years old and has been a good hitter throughout his minor league career, but for one reason or another has never been able to put it together at the major league level. He has a career batting line of .282/.352/.536 in the minors but has hit just .186/.225/.289 in 272 major league games. He spent several years with the Angels going back and forth between the minors and majors prior to spending 2011 in Pittsburgh. His season with the Pirates was the best major-league season of his career  http://denver.sbnation.com/colorado-rockies/2011/11/17/2569954/mlb-hot-stove-2011-colorado-rockies-brandon-wood

Peter Gammons of MLB.com was told by scouts in the Dominican Republic that the parameters for Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes' deal will be between $35-50 million. That's quite a chunk of change. The feeling has been that Cespedes would seek a deal similar to the one that Aroldis Chapman signed in 2010 ($30.25 million), but evidently there are some that feel he could net much more. Cespedes has had a few private workouts for teams and has drawn interest from at least a half dozen clubs.

Most definitely in the twilight of his career, Jose Molina is reportedly joining the Tampa Bay Rays for the 2012 season. Suckers. Despite his age, the 36-year old catcher posted a career-best .281 batting average last season with the Toronto Blue Jays, but still did next to nothing with runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay backstop Kelly Shoppach struggled offensively, to say the least. Actually he sucked ass, batting .176 with 11 homers and 22 RBI. Shoppach did step it up a bit in the playoffs, however, crushing two longballs and batting .400 over four ALDS games against the Texas Rangers before going home a loser with the rest of his team. Wonder why the team didn't exercise his 2012 option... http://www.babeslovebaseball.com/2011/11/jose-molina-may-be-joining-tampa-bay.html