National Baseball Report

Angels agree to terms with Joe Saunders

The Los Angeles Angels agreed to terms with pitcher Joe Saunders on a one-year contract according to Lyle Spencer of MLB.com.  Saunders was 16-7 with a 4.60 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP for the Angels in 2009.  He struggled with shoulder issues for most of 2009.  He was seven of his last eight starts.

Angels sign Maicer Izturis

The Los Angeles Angels signed infielder Maicer Izturis to a three-year, $10 million contract according to Lyle Spencer of MLB.com.  The deal buys out Izturis' final year of arbitration and his first two years of free agency.  Izturis hit .300 with 74 runs and 65 RBI in 387 at-bats for the Angels in 2009.

"Izzy's a guy who can hit anywhere in the lineup, and he's an outstanding defender at three positions," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Izturis is expected to share the leadoff spot with Aybar in Figgins' absence, and he has also been productive batting second and fifth.

Angels trade Gary Matthews Jr. to Mets

The Los Angeles Angels traded outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. to the New York Mets for relief pitcher Brian Stokes and cash according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.  Matthews hit .250 with four home runs and 50 RBI in 316 at-bats for the Angels in 2009.  He still has two years left on his contract.

"He's a very versatile player," general manager Omar Minaya said on a conference call Friday afternoon. "I felt just that with Carlos being out, it's an opportunity to get a guy that's versatile, and a guy that in our ballpark can play all outfield positions. I just feel that versatility is important, and to be able to get a guy like him on board -- with Carlos or without Carlos -- I think it just makes our team better."

The Mets acquired Matthews because of the knee surgery recently performed on Carlos Beltran.  Beltran will not be available for opening day.

Stokes was 2-4 with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP for the Mets in 2009.

Joel Pineiro signs with the Angels

The Los Angeles Angels signed pitcher Joel Pineiro to a two-year, $16 million contract according to Jon Heyman of SI.com.  The New York Mets reportedly offered tow-years and $15 million and were willing to go a little higher.  Pineiro was 15-12 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2009.

Rangers offer Guerrero a contract

6:32pm: Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News says that the Rangers have not offered Guerrero a $7 million contract.  A Rangers source tells Grant that the club has made an offer between $3 million - $5 million.

5:44pm: The Texas Rangers offered Vladimir Guerrero a one-year, $7 million contract according to the Dallas Morning News.  Guerrero hit .295 with 15 home runs and 50 RBI in 383 at-bats for the Los Angeles Angels in 2009.  The Angels signed Hideki Matsui earlier this offseason to replace Guerrero who has been stuggling with injuries in recent seasons.

Angels trying like crazy to sign Chapman

10:45pm: Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports tweets that an Angels source says that the club is not in as deep with Chapman as some are reporting.

10:43pm: The Los Angeles Angels are trying like crazy to sign Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.  Chapman is expected to sign within the next week.  The Angels and Toronto Blue Jays are considered the favorites to sign Chapman.

Chapman works out for Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays had a private workout for Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman according to Jorge Arangure Jr. of ESPN.com.  The workout was Thursday morning in Florida.  After the workout the club met with his agent.

The teams thought to be in the bidding for Chapman are the Blue Jays, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.  The Angels were preparing an offer for Chapman but were not involved in the workout on Thursday.

"If he is working out for the Angels [Thursday] it will be without me in attendance," Bane wrote in an e-mail. "I am here in soCal so I don't know anything about a workout for Chapman [on Thursday]."

Some sources are now saying that Chapman could get a contract worth $20 million to $25 million.

Mets sign Kelvim Escobar

The New York Mets signed pitcher Kelvim Escobar to a one-year, major league contract according to Brian Costa of the New Jersey Star-Ledger.  He is expected to pitch in relief for the Mets in 2010.  Shoulder problems have kept him from pitching for all of 2009 and all but one game in 2008.    In his last full season, 2007 with the Los Angeles Angels, Escobar was 18-7 with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in 195.2 innings pitched.

Angels sign Fernando Rodney

The Los Angeles Angels signed relief pitcher Fernando Rodney to a two-year, $11 million contract according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com.  Rodney was 2-5 with a 4.40 ERA, 37 saves in 38 opportunities and a 1.47 WHIP for the Detroit Tigers in 2009.  Rodney is a Type B free agent, so the Tigers will get an additional pick between the first and second round in the 2010 draft.

Rodney will server as a setup man for closer Brian Fuentes.  He is expected to get some opportunities to close as well.

Rangers close to signing Darren Oliver

The Texas Rangers are close to signing relief pitcher Darren Oliver.  The deal could be done early this week.  This would be the third time Oliver has played for the Rangers.  Boston, Seattle, the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels were also thought to be targeting Oliver.

Oliver was 5-1 with a 2.71 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP in 2009 for the Los Angeles Angels.  The Angels did not offer arbitration to Oliver, so the Rangers will not lose a draft pick for the signing.