Mauer's agent is in Fort Myers

By Craig CalcaterraMar 4, 2010, 9:59 AM EST
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LaVelle Neal reports that Joe Mauer’s agent, Ron Shapiro, is in Fort Myers meeting with Twins’ execs today. Everyone is saying it’s a routine visit, but Neal reports that, yes, Shapiro and the Twins will be negotiating about Mauer, which they have been doing on and off for a few weeks now.

Ominous note: Neal says “there are indications that progress has slowed recently.”  Given how mum everyone has been about it I’m not sure how you can tell, but Neal knows more than I do about it.  Whatever the case, recall that Mauer likely won’t be negotiating after spring training is over, so if there’s a deal to be done, they best get to it.

Report: White Sox acquire Yonder Alonso from Indians

Yonder Alonso
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By Ashley VarelaDec 14, 2018, 10:26 PM EST
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The White Sox have reportedly picked up first baseman Yonder Alonso from the Indians, according to Stadium. The return for Alonso is expected to be nothing more flashy than a “fringe prospect,” though the minutiae of the deal is still pending a formal announcement from both teams.

Alonso, 31, inked a two-year deal with the Indians during the 2017 offseason. His first campaign with the club yielded a modest .250/.317/.421 batting line, 23 home runs, .738 OPS and 0.7 fWAR in 574 PA. The real boon for the White Sox may not be a passable veteran bat, however, but something more intangible — like Alonso’s clout with his brother-in-law and highly-coveted free agent slugger, Manny Machado.

While Alonso’s 2018 output represented a significant decline from the career-best numbers he posted in 2017, he’s still a solid contributor at the plate and, more importantly, slated to remain under team control for the next two years with just $8 million owed in 2019 and a $9 million option in 2020. As MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince notes, the $17 million the Indians just erased from their payroll should give them enough room to accommodate the contracts for right-handers Trevor Bauer and Corey Kluber — a bonus regardless of what they happen to get in the trade.