“The Reds have reached preliminary agreement with the Orioles on a trade that will send C Ramon Hernandez to Cincinnati for OF Ryan Freel and two prospects,” reports Ken Rosenthal at FoxSports.com.
Re-signing Rafael Furcal is now the Dodgers top priority, according to Tom Verducci of SI.com.  That said, MLB.com reports that the Blue Jays met with Furcal’s [...]

n a recent on-air report for ESPN News, Peter Gammons says representatives for Mark Teixeira will meet again with the Angels this week, while hoping the Yankees and Red Sox get in to the bidding.
By the way, ESPN 2 will feature a Baseball Tonight Hot Stove Special today at 5 pm EDT.
…the talk from Vegas [...]

In the Rocky Mountain News, Tracy Ringolsby writes that the Giants are ‘looking to move’ C Bengie Molina, who is due $6 million in each of the next two seasons, after which will be a free agent.
Last season, in 134 games for the Giants, the 33–year-old Molina hit .276 with 19 HR and 81 RBI, while [...]

Various sources, including Tom Haudricort of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, are reporting that the Brewers are making a strong push to sign C Jason Kendall to be their starting catcher.
Haudricort also writes that…
“The Brewers probably would deal Estrada, and not ask for much in return, to another club if they sign Kendall.”
…i like the [...]

On Saturday, Newsday was first to report that talks between the Mets and free-agent C Yorvit Torrealba ‘collapsed,’ concluding, ‘the talks are dead and Torrealba is not coming to the Mets.’
Today in Newsday, Ken Davidoff writes that the Mets are ‘not currently considering’ a return of free-agent C Paul Lo Duca.
…as i have written before, [...]

Last night, Newsday was first to report that talks between the Mets and free-agent C Yorvit Torrealba ‘collapsed,’ concluding, ‘the talks are dead and Torrealba is not coming to the Mets.’
Shortly after, the Mets announced that a deal was not reached with Torrealba, and that there are no current negotiations with him or his [...]

According to the Baltimore Sun, citing a ‘club source,’ in addition to having interest in acquiring LHP Erik Bedard, the Mets have also expressed interest in C Ramon Hernandez, who will cost ‘a high-end prospect.’
…which is obviously why we are being inundated with Yorvit Torrealba rumors, and why it makes zero sense to trade for [...]

The Mets and free-agent C Yorvit Torrealba are close to a deal, and could reach an agreement as early as this week, reports David Lennon and Ken Davidoff in Newsday.
…from what i can gather, the offer is likely to be a three-year, $15 million deal, which is one year and $9 million more than was offered [...]

In a post to his blog for ESPN.com, Buster Olney writes that the Mets seem to prefer to land a catcher who is not Paul Lo Duca.
According to Olney, ‘the guy who makes the most sense’ is Orioles C Ramon Hernandez, ‘who is coming off a lousy year but could be revitalized playing for [...]

In the New York Post, Mark Hale pens a fascinating and detailed column about how the Mets may approach this off season. 
According to Hale, the agent for Paul Lo Duca has said that while he and the Mets continue to talk, “I think there’s a lot of work to do to get a deal done.”
Hale [...]

At the always-informative MLB Trade Rumors, Tim Dierkes takes a closer look at the Mets luxuries and needs.
Regarding catcher, Dierkes suggests that Rangers C Gerald Laird, Indians C Kelly Shoppach, Giants C Bengie Molina and O’s C Ramon Hernandez could all be available in a trade.
The 30–year-old Hernandez hit .290 during 2005, .275 during 2006, [...]