Mets make Cedeno Signing Official

The Mets have officially agreed to terms with SS Ronny Cedeno on a one-year, $1 million deal.  Cedeno batted .249 with a .297 OBP last season in 413 at-bats with Pittsburgh.  The Mets expect to announce the signing of OF/2B Scott Hairston later this week, who has yet to pass a physical.

Cedeno's best season came in 2010, when he batted .256 with eight homers in 468 at-bats with Pittsburgh.  GM Sandy Alderson plans to sign more pitchers to provide both rotation and bullpen depth at Buffalo.

Cedeno has been signed to serve as a utility man behind SS Ruben Tejada and the second baseman (whoever that person is), but LeRoy believes he is a dark horse candidate to win the starting shortstop position over Tejada, who will more likely serve as a utility player.

Yankees sign Preston Mattingly as Minor League free Agent

The Yankees have signed OF Preston Mattingly to a Minor League contract.  Mattingly batted .232 with five home runs and 29 runs batted in last season in the Minor Leagues in the Dodgers organization.  He has not been invited to Spring Training.

He is the son of former Yankees player and coach and current Dodgers manager Don Mattingly.  His brother, Taylor Mattingly, also played for the Yankees in 2003 after being drafted in the 42nd round that year.

Mets Designate Herrera, Martinez for Assignment, sign Three to Minors Deals

The Mets have designated LHP Daniel Ray Herrera and OF Fernando Martinez for assignment.  The moves were completed to make room on the 40-man roster for the recently re-signed OF Scott Hairston and newly-acquired IF Ronny Cedeno.  The Mets have ten days to trade the two players, but they have opted to expose both of them to waivers in an effort to retain them at Buffalo.  If Martinez clears waivers he will be sent to Buffalo.  Herrera would have to be outrighted if he clears waivers and would have the option of becoming a free agent.  Last season Herrera went 0-1 with a 4.66 ERA and five strikeouts in 18 appearances out of the bullpen.  Martinez batted .227 with one home run and two runs batted in.

The Mets have also agreed to terms with RHP Miguel Batista and RHP Miguel Cabrera to minor league contracts and have invited them to Spring Training.  Neither one of them really has any orthodox chance of making the team but will be on call at Buffalo if an injury occurs to one of the five starters in New York's rotation, and depth is a good thing in that regard.  LHP Johan Santana is continuing to recover from left anterior capsule surgery.  RHP R. A. Dickey is spending his off-season mountain climbing and there is a fear that he may be injured there and he is also coming off a leg-muscle injury last season.  LHP Jon Niese ended last season on the disabled.

Dodgers give Kemp Contract Extension

In the first major signing of the off-season this year in baseball, the Dodgers have brought back CF Matt Kemp.  The Dodgers re-signed him to an eight-year, $160 million contract.  Kemp is 27.

This moves comes as a sign that the Dodgers are prepared to move on after the messy divorce and pending sale of the club by Frank McCourt plunged them into baseball bankruptcy.  In addition to signing Kemp, the Dodgers also signed free agent 2B Mark Ellis to a two-year, $8.75 million contract.  Rumors are rampant that the Dodgers will offer a long-term contract extension to LHP Clayton Kershaw sometime in 2012.

Also, the Dodgers re-signed LF Juan Rivera to a one-year, $4.5 million contract.  The Dodgers have been criticized somewhat for overpaying this off-season, with Ellis getting a two-year contract worth a tidy sum and Rivera getting almost five million dollars.  Add that onto Kemp's deal - the seventh biggest contract in baseball history - and you might be able to formulate a solid argument.

But the Kemp deal cannot be denied.  This is a win-win for the dodgers.