Zimmerman signs with Seattle

The Mariners signed former closer Jeff Zimmerman (36) to a Minor League contract. He's not going to be competing for saves in Seattle any time soon.

It has been more than eight years since the 36-year-old reliever pitched in the big leagues, but Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said a recent tryout in Arizona was impressive and the hurler passed a physical that spanned Monday and Tuesday in Seattle.

Zimmerman will begin workouts at the Peoria Sports Complex on Wednesday, and he will be on a program that, according to Zduriencik: "Will get him ready to pitch for us this year. I can't tell you the time frame."

Relievers Chad Corder and Tyler Johnson continue their rehab work with Zimmerman in extended spring training.

Fantasy Impact: Zimmerman sounds like middle relief fodder going forward. The article says he's still capable of touching 90 mph, but current closer Brandon Morrow can go there and beyond. Morrow is the present and the future at the end of the Mariners 'pen.

Sheff and the Mets

The Mets sign Gary Sheffield and plan to use him as an outfielder. That means Sheffield will certainly take playing time away from Daniel Murphy, Ryan Church and Fernando Tatis.

"He's more than welcome," Church said. "He's a great player and he's just another piece for us.

"I can't control what they do," the right fielder added in regards to potential at-bats he'd surrender to Sheffield, who played exclusively at DH last year in Detroit. "I just have to always be ready to play every day."

Murphy, who Manuel penciled in as the starting left fielder coming out of spring training, added: "We're here to win a World Series. If the organization and Omar (Minaya) think he's going to help, let's go get him."

Both Manuel and Minaya indicated that Sheffield is more likely to play right field than left and said the righty slugger can balance the Mets' lineup, which has been dominated by lefthanded hitters in recent seasons.

Sheffield brings 499 career home runs to the Mets. He'll get every chance to prove he can still hack it at the MLB level. It's a good move for New York, which has a rather unimpressive outfield situation for a contender.

Fantasy Impact: For Sheffield owners, this is about as good as it could get. Your injury-prone bopper will get a bunch of at bats, and he'll be part of an above average lineup. For Daniel Murphy and Ryan Church owners, this drops both players into a full-time platoon.

Getting the best of Lester?

Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald writes an interesting piece on Jon Lester's five-year, $30 M signing with the Red Sox and how it miffs agent Scott Boras.

It’s quite easy to understand why the Red Sox and the players love these deals. Not only do the Sox have cost certainty with such early proactive deals, but they also bought out one to two years of free agency with Kevin Youkilis [stats], Dustin Pedroia [stats] and Lester. For example, the latter is on a career trajectory that has the potential to mirror that of CC Sabathia, who waited to reach free agency and then inked a seven-year $161 million deal with the Yankees.

There are no guarantees with anything, of course, and there is no doubting the sincerity of such eager Red Sox players and others who opt for early deals (Ryan Braun, Evan Longoria, Troy Tulowitzki) when they say they love their deals because of the financial security they grant them.

Boras, who has only had a couple of clients (Jeff Weaver, Carlos Baerga) sign such deals in recent years, believes players who don’t wait for the free agency status that comes after six years in the major leagues deprive themselves of the opportunity to maximize their earning potential, as well as the earning potential of other elite talents, by deferring that long-range freedom for an early cash grab.

“You have to ask the question, why would teams that have four years of control over a (two-year) player offer six years security?” he said. “The math doesn’t work unless there is a substantial discount.”

It's a good piece, and in what are less than stable economic times you have to wonder if more teams continue to offer these types of deals to young stars.

Not so easy Edinson

The New York Post publishes the contracts of several pre-arbitration eligible players. What's striking is Edinson Volquez's money vs. someone like Garrett Olson or Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

Among notable signings are...
Garrett Olson ($420,000), Texas' Jarrod Saltalamacchia ($410,890) and Cincinnati's Edinson Volquez ($440,000).

Certainly Volquez is hurt by his youth in this case.

Royals sign Juan Cruz

Free agent pitcher Juan Cruz landed with the Kansas City Royals, signing a two-year, $6 million contract. He'll pitch in the setup role just like he did in Arizona.

Cruz, 30, spent the last three years with Arizona. He was 4-0 last season with a 2.61 ERA in 57 appearances. He struck out 71 batters last season in 51 2/3 innings while allowing 34 hits and 31 walks.

The Royals cleared space for Cruz on their 40-man roster by designating veteran utilityman Esteban German for assignment. The move provides the club with 10 days to trade or release German.

Cruz, a right-hander, is an eight-year veteran who is 29-31 with a 4.00 ERA in 297 career games with four clubs. He has 38 career starts but spent the last two seasons pitching exclusively in relief.

Cruz's fantasy value probably drops from last year to this year. He's a power pitcher, so he'll get strikeouts, but he won't have much of a chance for saves with Joakim Soria firmly entrenched as the Royals closer. Cruz might find less of an opportunity for holds as well, as Kansas City won just 75 games last year while Arizona won 82. You can't hold leads if you don't have them.

If you can't beat 'em...

Sign away their players. Boston, out-hustled for first in the American League East by the Tampa Bay Rays and then again in the ALCS, will sign former Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli. He'll play a backup role.

The Red Sox have been looking for a right-handed hitting fourth outfielder this offseason but their interest in Baldelli was tempered by the mitochondrial disorder from which the Cumberland, R.I., product was believed to have suffered. The disease causes a person to tire more easily and recover more slowly.

A re-evaluation this offseason determined Baldelli suffers from a less serious and more treatable form of channelopathy.

Hard to call Baldelli a difference-maker for the BoSox, but if he's healthy, he's pretty good. His loss won't break the Rays, who were without his services save for a month of games last season.

Fantasy Impact: He's a sleeper. Baldelli is considered a talent, but his health issues hold him back. Don't draft him, but don't leave him off your radar, either.