There have been a lot of trades and signings today around MLB, most of a minor nature. Rather than do a half-dozen separate posts, here's a post recapping all of them.
The most significant move from the Rangers' perspective is that Eric Chavez is apparently heading back to Arizona on a one year deal. The Rangers reportedly had some interest in him as a bench player who could back up the corners and DH some, but it looks like he is off the market.
The Padres have signed reliever Joaquin Benoit to a two year, $15.5 million deal. This is a rather baffling move to me, since San Diego's m.o. has been to find generic pitchers and let them build value as relievers in their spacious home park. Benoit turns 37 in the coming season, and is coming off a 3 year, $16.5 million deal with the Tigers where he had a couple of strong seasons and one middling season in the bullpen. Benoit getting almost $8 million per year seems amazing to me...he was, of course, a Doug Melvin signing, way back in 1996, and went from tantalizing pitching prospect to frustrating starting pitcher to useful reliever to injured reliever for the Rangers, before signing with Tampa after the 2009 season.
Raul Ibanez, meanwhile, went to the Angels on a one year, $2.75 million deal. I don't think Ibanez is likely to be good, and he's in his 40s, but at $2.75 million, he's someone who would have been a useful part of the Rangers' bench, and I'd have been pleased if Texas had snagged him at that price. Nice pickup for Anaheim.
The Rockies made a pair of trades, re-acquiring Franklin Morales -- who had been purchased by Boston from Colorado in 2011 -- from the BoSox, along with Chris Martin, for Jonathan Herrera.
Colorado also acquired outfielder Drew Stubbs from the Indians in exchange for pitcher Josh Outman. Stubbs is a very good defensive centerfielder who doesn't make enough contact to be a good enough hitter to play every day, while Outman is a middling lefty reliever. This is basically a spare part for spare part deal.
The Miami Marlins signed Casey McGehee to a one year deal for $1.1 million. McGehee isn't very good, but neither are the Marlins, and at that price, he's a serviceable option at the hot corner for Miami.
Baltimore acquired backup outfielder David Lough from the Royals for backup CIF/DH Danny Valencia. This is another spare part for spare part deal.
The Braves acquired Ryan Doumit -- a bad defensive catcher who can hit some -- from the Twins for soft-tossing righty Sean Gilmartin. Doumit was superfluous in Minnesota, and while the Braves now have Gerald Laird, Evan Gattis, and Doumit to catch, as well as prospect Christian Bethancourt. Bethancourt will likely start the season in the minors, with Laird starting. Doumit and Gattis can back up Laird, while also giving the Braves a pair of pinch hitting options that have some pop off the bench, and Atlanta has the flexibility to be able to use one of them while still having a catcher available on the bench.
The Padres also made a minor deal with the Astros, trading utilityman Jesus Guzman to Houston for infielder Ryan Jackson. I have no thoughts or opinions on this.