Here's a quick rundown of some of the free agent signings that you might have missed in the midst of all the Sabathia, Yankees, Mets madness lately.
The Cincinnati Reds signed reliever Arthur Rhodes to a 2 year deal worth $4 million. The veteran lefty put up impressive numbers last year, pitching in 61 games with the Mariners and Marlins and going 4-1 with a 2.06 ERA.
The Minnesota Twins re-signed infielder Nick Punto to a 2 year deal worth $8.5 million. The infielder batted .284 with 2 long balls and 28 RBI in 99 games for the Twins last year and will likely be the team's starting shortstop going forward.
The Toronto Blue Jays gave Matt Clement a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. The pitcher hasn't appeared in a major league game for two years due to injury but if healthy, could be a great cheap option for the Jays rotation.
The White Sox agreed to a 4 year deal worth $10 million with 19 year old infielder Dayan Viciedo. The former Cuban League All-Star, Viciedo, is expected to compete for the starting third base job and the White Sox project him as an impact player for years to come.
The Washington Nationals re-signed journeyman outfielder Willie Harris to a two-year, $3 million deal. Harris had a career year in terms of home runs (13) and runs driven in (43) after getting a chance to be an everyday player in the second half of the season.
The Pitsburgh Pirates inked infielder Ramon Vazquez to a two-year, $4 million deal. Vazquez will likely be a super-sub and could also act as an insurance policy should the Pirates find a taker for shortstop Jack Wilson or 2nd baseman Freddy Sanchez but the market has been pretty weak for Wilson (especially with Lopez and Punto both filling middle infielder needs).
Infielder Felipe Lopez signed on with the Arizona Diamondbacks, agreeing to terms on a one-year, $3.5 million deal. Lopez resurrected his career last year in St. Louis, batting .385 over 156 at bats after being released by the Nationals. He'll likely replace the Orlando Hudson as the D'backs every-day second baseman and could prove to be one of the most under-rated signings of the winter.
The Kansas City Royals signed reliever Kyle Farnsworth to a two year deal, reportedly worth $9.5 million. Farnsworth had a 3.65 ERA in 45 games with the Yankees but struggled after being traded to the Tigers, putting up a 6.75 ERA in 16 games.
