Hanley Ramirez knows at least one more language than the author of this post.

Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Offseason Notes.

1. Assorted Headlines
2. Final (!) SCOUT Leaderboards: Venezuelan Winter League
3. Prospecting: John Sickels’ Top-20 List for San Francisco

Assorted Headlines
Ramirez Fine with Third Base
“Jugaré donde me pongan,” Miami Marlin infielder Hanley Ramirez told the AP’s Dionisio Soldevila on Saturday — which, provided Google Translate isn’t lying, means something to the effect of “I will play where I’m put.” The difference in positional adjustment between shortstop and third base is five runs per 162 defensive games — meaning that, were Ramirez a true-talent 5.0 WAR player at short, he’d be a 4.5 WAR player at third. Of course, that also ignores defensive runs saved (UZR), which is also likely to change (for the better, one would think) with a move to the left side of the defensive spectrum. (Thanks to MLBTR’s Nick Collias for link.)

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That’s just how Ricardo Nanita rolls.

Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Offseason Notes.

1. Assorted Headlines
2. SCOUT Leaderboards: Dominican Winter League
3. Prospecting: John Sickels on Miami

Assorted Headlines
Cubs, Reds Trade Pending Physicals, Includes Minor Leaguers
Yesterday, Jim Breen provided crack analysis yesterday on developing trade talks between the Cubs and Reds that would see left-hander Sean Marshall go to Cincinnati in return for Travis Wood. Per Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago, that deal is done now, pending physicals — and includes two minor leaguers moving with Wood.

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Casey Blake is thrilled to have his name in this edition of Offseason Notes.

Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Offseason Notes.

1. Assorted Headlines
2. Prospecting: John Sickels’ Top-20 List for Boston
3. Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Miami Television

Assorted Headlines
Colorado Signs Third Baseman Blake
The Colorado Rockies have signed 38-year-old third baseman Casey Blake to a one-year, $2 million contract, reports MLB.com’s Thomas Harding. Provided he can stay healthy — and, really, even if he can’t — Blake is likely to be worth the money pretty quickly: he hasn’t been worth less than a win since 2002, in which season he tallied only 22 plate appearances. He compiled a 1.1 WAR in just 239 plate appearances last season with the Dodgers.

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Sean Burroughs and Jose Lopez are two peas in a weird, giant pod.

Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Offseason Notes.

1. Assorted Headlines
2. SCOUT Leaderboards: Venezuelan Winter League
3. Time-Wasting Quiz: Sean Burroughs vs. Jose Lopez

Assorted Headlines
Baltimore Signs Richardson
The Baltimore Orioles have signed outfielder Antoan Richardson (along with three others) to minor-league deals, reports Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. I mention it because I remember that Richardson, 28, used to have incredibly favorable fielding projections per CHONE, when that was still public. In the last available iteration of CHONE, released in August of 2010, Richardson was projected for +17 defensive runs in just 111 games/336 plate appearances.

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Tyler Greene is literally behind Rafael Furcal in St. Louis.

Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Offseason Notes.

1. Assorted Headlines
2. Projecting: ZiPS for St. Louis
3. Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Detroit Television

Assorted Headlines
Baltimore Signs Outfielder Chavez
The Baltimore Orioles have signed outfielder Endy Chavez to a one-year, $1.5 million deal, reports Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. Chavez, who turns 34 in February, had a bounceback season in 2011, posting a 1.5 WAR in 274 plate appearances without the aid of a particularly inflated BABIP (.321) or UZR (2.1).

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A shot, taken minutes ago, of Michael Cuddyer amidst his new surroundings.

Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Offseason Notes.

1. Headline: Cuddyer Signs with Rockies
2. FAN Projection Targets: Cuddyer, Ramirez, Willingham
3. Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Colorado Television

Headline: Michael Cuddyer Signs with Rockies
Outfielder Michael Cuddyer has signed a three-year, $31.5 million deal with the Rockies, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

FanGraphs readers projected Cuddyer’s contract at a considerably lower three years and $24 million.

Figuring ca. $5 million per win, 5% inflation, and a 0.5 WAR decline each season, the Rockies appear to view Cuddyer as about a 2.5-win player in 2012.

We’ll have more coverage on Cuddyer in a bit.

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Sean Burroughs familiarizes himself with local culture.

Assorted Headlines
Twins Sign Burroughs, Rivera, Walters
The Minnesota Twins have signed third baseman Sean Burroughs and right-hander P.J. Walters — and re-signed catcher Rene Rivera — reports Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune. The 31-year-old Burroughs, once a top prospect in the Padre system, made a return to affiliated baseball in 2011 after a three-year absence, netting 115 plate appearances with the Diamondbacks, although the 66 wRC+ (.305 BABIP) he posted isn’t particularly promising.

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An artist’s rendering of Luis Rodriguez, who re-signed with the Mariners.

Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Offseason Notes.

1. Assorted Headlines
2. Prospecting: John Sickels’ Top-20 List for San Diego
3. Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Cleveland Television

Assorted Headlines
Seattle Signs 11 Minor Leaguers
The Seattle Mariners have signed 11 players to minor league contracts with invites to spring training, the Associated Press reports. Among the players who might be worth something better than replacement-level are middle infielder Luis Rodriguez (currently atop the SCOUT batting leaderboard for the Venezuelan Winter League) and right-handed reliever Josh Kinney, who posted a 71 xFIP- (24.7% K, 8.6% BB, 59.6% GB) in 17.2 innings after pitching excellently at Triple-A Charlotte. Also on the list is outfielder Darren Ford. Ford’s offensive game is particularly refined, but he has crazy speed and likely offers a plus-glove in center field.

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Jeff Keppinger considers the meaning of freedom from atop a rocky mount.

Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Offseason Notes.

1. Non-Tenders: A Top-Five List
2. SCOUT Leaderboards: Venezuelan Winter League
3. Prospecting: John Sickels’ Top-20 List for Seattle

Non-Tenders: A Top-Five List
MLB Trade Rumors has complete lists of both the American and National League non-tenders. These are players with whom teams have decided not to enter aribitration, thus making said players free agents.

Here’s a list of the top-five players to become free agents (with their 2012 ages):

1. Jeff Keppinger, 2B, 32: Excellent contact skills, not-horrid glove. Is a league-average player if BABIP is above, like, .295 or .300.

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Writing a headline for this former outfield prospect is a piece of, uh, cake.

Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Offseason Notes.

1. (Less Than) Assorted Headlines
2. Projecting: ZiPS for ZiPS for Los Angeles (NL)
3. Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Cincinnati Reds Television

(Less Than) Assorted Headlines
Today’s headlines aren’t particularly assortable.

Cleveland Signs Pie
Outfielder Felix Pie Pie has agreed to terms on a minor-league deal and spring invite with the Cleveland Indians, Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports. Pie, 26, appeared on Baseball America’s top-100 prospect list for five consecutive years (2003-07) as a minor leaguer in the Cub system. His major-league career hasn’t been particularly impressive to date: 1051 PA, .249/.298/.374 (.301 BABIP), 75 wRC+, -0.1 WAR. Of course, it’s also very possible that he was mismanaged by Cubs. Pie could make $1 million in salary and performance bonuses in the majors, Connolly notes.

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