Omar the Prince Signs With Royals

Infante translates from Spanish to English as the title and rank for the son of the Kings of the Iberian Kingdom. So it was no surprise that Omar Infante agreed to terms Friday with the Kansas City Royals.

What is surprising is that KC was willing to give Infante a four-year deal, something the Yankees (reportedly offered 3-years, $24MM) and other teams refused to do. The cash is expected to be in the neighborhood of $30MM, though the exact amount is not yet known.

Infante won't give you a lot of offense - he has a .721 lifetime OPS - but he gives you the versatility of playing his primary position of second base and can fill in at shortstop and third base. He's also played in more than 100 games in the outfield. The Yankees were intrigued by that versatility, but smartly did not go beyond three years in their offer to the soon-to-be 32-year old.

The Royals will be Infante's fourth organization after he started and ended his pre-KC career in Detroit, with stops in Atlanta and Miami in between. He made his lone (controversial) All-Star appearance in 2010, a year in which he finished with a .321 batting average and a .775 OPS.

Kansas City hopes that Infante's signing can end the merry-go-round of second baseman the Royals have used over the last decade. Oddly, the front office seems to prefer second baseman whose names begin with the letter 'G'.

2013 - Chris Getz, Emilio Bonifacio, Elliot Johnson
2012 - Getz, Johnny Giavotella, Yuniesky Betancourt
2011 - Getz, Giavotella, Mike Aviles
2010 - Getz, Aviles, Alberto Callaspo
2009 - Callaspo
2008 - Callaspo, Mark Grudzielanek, Esteban German
2007 - Grudzielanek, German
2006 - Grudzielanek, German, Graffanino
2005-  Graffanino, Ruben Gotay, Joe McEwing, Denny Hocking
2004 - Graffanino, Gotay, Desi Relaford

Yankees Grab Their Johnson

In a Plan 'B' move the Yankees have come to terms with infielder/left-handed hitter Kelly Johnson on a one-year deal said to be worth between $3MM and $4MM.

In all likelihood, this ends the Yankees pursuit of free agent Omar Infante, though after the contract the Yankees gave Jacoby Ellsbury, who can really tell what the Steinbrenner clan has in mind these days.

Johnson is primarily a second baseman, though he has played over 100 games in the outfield and has minimal third base (16 games) experience. He'll be joining his fourth team in the last four years.

The former 1st round pick (38th overall) of the 2000 MLB Amateur draft, Johnson spent his first four Major League seasons with the team that drafted him, the Atlanta Braves. After back to back solid season in 2007 and 2008, Johnson's OPS plummeted below .700 in 2009 and Atlanta not-tendered him.

He signed a free agent deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks and bounced back in 2010 with 26 home runs and an .865 OPS. Johnson continued to hit home runs a year later, but otherwise struggled at the plate and was dealt to Toronto in August for fellow second baseman Aaron Hill and infielder John McDonald.

Johnson was free to walk after a poor 2012 season and signed a one year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, with whom he played third base for the first time in the Major Leagues. He continued to hit for power for the Rays, but was average or below average in other categories. Offensively, he is a step up from Jayson Nix, who the Yankees non-tendered on Monday.

Hot Stove Started to Blaze With Fielder-Kinsler Swap

@MiguelCabrera: Recordando a un buen amigo,todo el exito del Mundo en su Nuevo equipo......recordar es vivir!!! Q momentos inolvidables mi Hermano.. (Remembering a good friend, [wish you] all the success in the world [with your] new team. "To remember is to live ... What unforgettable moments, my brother." (translations courtesy of @jonmorosi)

The St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Angels completed a four player swap on Friday that sends third baseman David Freese to the west coast and outfielder Peter Bourjos to the midwest. It wasn't a huge deal, but it's got the fire roaring pretty well on the MLB Hot Stove.

By comparison the deal is overshadowed by the Prince Fielder - Ian Kinsler blockbuster that took place on Wednesday. The Tigers had signed Fielder to a 9-year, $214MM deal prior to the 2012 season and he responded with a robust .940 OPS, 30 HR, 108 RBI, and 83 runs scored in his first year in Motown.

Fielder, who is listed at 5'11", 275 lbs, saw his production slip considerably this past season. He had career lows in OPS (.819 OPS) and home runs (25) and slumped from May through July. It didn't help that Miguel Cabrera wracked up most of the RBI opportunities before Fielder could get into the batter's box. Things got even worse in the post-season when Fielder was virtually invisible.

It didn't hepl that pitchers could work around Fielder while number five hitter Victor Martinez struggled through the end of June. Though the Tigers play in pitcher friendly Comerica Park, Fielder's numbers were actually better at home than on the road. His new home, the Ballpark at Arlington, is much friendlier to hitters. Fielder has a .965 OPS in 49 at-bats against Rangers' home pitching, with 4 HR and a .592 slugging pct. He'll fill the void in the lineup created when then free agent Josh Hamilton signed with the Angels prior to the 2013 season.

Critics lambasted Fielder for his physique, but he missed just one game in the last four seasons. Perhaps his numbers would be better if they rested the big man's frame a little more often.

Kinsler, who is two years older than the 29-year old Fielder, had spent his entire seven year career with Texas. He signed a five-year contract extension in April, 2012 that will pay him at least $75MM through the 2018 season. (The contract has a $12MM option in 2018 with a $5MM buyout.) The deal made him the highest paid second baseman in baseball, a title he'll no longer hold once Robinson Cano puts some ink on the dotted line.

Kinsler's game is one of speed and power; he's got the ability to hit 25 home runs and steal 25 bases. He'll replace outgoing free agent second baseman Omar Infante in the Detroit lineup. The Tucson, AZ native had an average 2012 campaign - a .749 OPS, 19 home runs and 21 stolen bases in 30 attempts. He also knocked in 72 runs and scored 105 in a powerful Texas lineup.

Though he was an All-Star in '12, Kinsler's numbers fell off drastically from the 2011 season when he finished 11th in the AL MVP voting. Kinsler started like a house afire in the first month of 2013 with a .900+ OPS, 5 HR, 16 RBI, and 3 steals. It was all downhill from there, with a .559 OPS in 15 June games the worst of it.

The second baseman also struggled in the theft department this past season. He had previously stolen bases at a remarkable 83.5% clip, but was thrown out 11 times in 26 stolen bases attempts in 2013. An early season intercostal strain may have been partially to blame for Kinsler's year long struggles.

The trade doesn't just effect the two players involved. Barring another trade or free agent deal, phenom Jurickson Profar will start the season as the Rangers second baseman. The Rangers could also become players for Cano, which would enable them to deal Profar or shortstop Elvis Andrus with Profar than sliding over to replace Andrus.

The deal will enable Detroit to move Cabrera back to first base and may open third base up for top prospect Nick Castellanos. The Tigers may have to do something to cheer up Cabrera, however, after the slugger took to Twitter to show how sad he was about his buddy Fielder being dealt away.

Marlins Deal Uggla to Braves

The Florida Marlins said they were serious about trading 2nd baseman Dan Uggla and they weren't kidding. This afternoon Uggla was sent to division rival Atlanta for infielder Omar Infante and left-handed reliever Mike Dunn.

Uggla had recently turned down a four year, $48M contract extension and was immediately put on the trade market by the Marlins' front office. He's a three time All-Star, who averaged 30 home runs over the past five seasons and just won his first Silver Slugger award. The 30-yr old Uggla is expected to remain at 2nd base while current Braves 2nd baseman Martin Prado could move to a corner position. That is at least until the 2010 trade deadline arrives when Uggla could be dealt again.

Infante was a surprise All-Star selection this past season, in which he hit a career high .321 and played in the second highest number of games (134) in his career. Dunn just completed his first full season in the majors after being acquired from the Yankees in a deal that sent Javier Vazquez to New York in Dec. '09. He was 2-0, 1.89 with 27 strikeouts and 17 walks in 19 innings pitched.

Tigers Jacque for Position

The Tigers, who had already strengthened their infield with the acquisition of Edgar Renteria, picked up outfielder Jacques Jones from the Cubs today, for infielder Omar Infante.

Jones had signed a 3-year, $16 million contract prior to the '06 season. The Cubs are also sending along some cash to help cover the last year of the deal.

Jones will most likely platoon in left field with Marcus Thames, until prospect Cameron Maybin is ready for a full-time gig.

Tigers Jacque for Position

The Tigers, who had already strengthened their infield with the acquisition of Edgar Renteria, picked up outfielder Jacques Jones from the Cubs today, for infielder Omar Infante.

Jones had signed a 3-year, $16 million contract prior to the '06 season. The Cubs are also sending along some cash to help cover the last year of the deal.

Jones will most likely platoon in left field with Marcus Thames, until prospect Cameron Maybin is ready for a full-time gig.