The previously highest paid player in franchise history was Carmelo Martinez, who made $490,000 back in 1989.

Chase Headley said he “didn‘t know how to respond” Wednesday afternoon after learning that the Padres are planning to offer their star third baseman a multi-year contract that would make him the highest-paid player in franchise history.

“To be honest, this is not something we’ve discussed,” Headley said at Wrigley Field.

Earlier Wednesday, Ron Fowler, the executive ...

This is one part of the CBA which needs addressing next time around.

Ultimately, if amateur spending caps are deemed necessary by Major League Baseball and the players’ union, Boras would propose a hybrid solution – applying those limits only after the second round. That way, a team losing its top pick could apply its first-round budget to a second-round selection. Part of the reason to do that, Boras said, is to ensure that teams maintain or strengthen their current amateur scouting staffs. ...

NEW YORK—Baseball is set to finish its first arbitration shutout.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Homer Bailey and San Diego Padres left-hander Clayton Richard agreed to one-year contracts Saturday, making it all but certain there will be no salary arbitration hearings this year for the first time since the process began in 1974—arbitration was suspended for 1976 and 1977 while free agency was put in place.

I think I saw Shyam Das begging for change outside of Walgreens the other day.

Mr. January is a nickname bestowed on Boras by owners flabbergasted by his propensity to snag large free-agent deals after New Year’s Day. Boras, long the sport’s villain, is the protagonist in this tussle, because baseball’s new rules governing the draft have destroyed the free-agent market for Adam LaRoche, Kyle Lohse, Michael Bourn and Rafael Soriano – the latter three of whom are Boras clients…

The new draft format included fixed bonus pools for teams based on the previous year’s ...

Drafting and developing talented players already was a challenge. A team that yielded just one impact player out of each draft was doing about as well as could be expected.

But severe new spending limits restrict teams from being able to pay draftees what they once could, effectively restricting the number of elite draft picks they can sign. In addition, in contrast to previous years, while a team still must forfeit a draft pick to sign a compensation free agent, the team losing the free agent ...

Theo’s first big purchase…

NOTE: The story has been removed from USA Today. Somebody jumped the gun. Jim.9:57 PM.

Three years and no more.

All of that being the case, it’s not only Hamilton who represents a cautionary tale for a deal of more than three years at his age. It’s virtually anyone with his track record, regardless of background, who reaches the point of potentially precipitous decline in value by the time he turns 35.

The Sox in recent years have received some brutal lessons in the payroll-choking impact of having high-salaried players who were unable to stay on the field. The team was ...

In a recent discussion on the site about Josh Hamilton, there was a discussion about the length of contract he will receive. In this segment Brian Kenny provides some information about the on-going trend in MLB free agent market, shorter contracts. Teams are getting smarter.

Andruw Jones has signed a one-year contract worth roughly $3.5 million to play in Japan next season, reports Nikkan Sports (via NPBTracker.com). According to the report, the Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League have inked Jones…

The 35-year-old Jones has to his credit 434 career home runs and one of the best defensive peaks ever at his position, so he’ll one day be in the Hall-of-Fame discussion (even if he’s something of a long shot to make it)...

If nothing else, ...

I keep reading that the Red Sox would have to trade Ellsbury if they signed Hamilton. Why? With Hamilton in left, Ellsbury in center, and Victorino in right, there would still be plenty of ABs available for Gomes as a 4th outfielder/DH.

I still don’t think it’s likely Hamilton will end up in Boston. But, if he’s available at 3-4 years, it’s possible. The move would make the Sox wild card contenders while not restricting their long-term plans.

Boston signed Shane Victorino at the winter ...

ESTIMATED 2013 TOTAL COMMITMENTS: $138 MILLION (AS MEASURED FOR LUXURY TAX PURPOSES)

That still leaves more than $40 million for the Red Sox to spend without reaching the luxury tax threshold. If the team trades the arbitration-eligible Jacoby Ellsbury, then that freedom would grow to something more like $50 million.

That, in turn, means the Sox can still consider anyone on the market. In the unlikely event, for instance, that Anibal Sanchez might be open to a four-year deal, the Sox could ...

They still need a left-handed bat for left field.

The Winter Meetings continue to be a productive exercise for the Red Sox. A day after they got the slugger they coveted in Mike Napoli, Boston has agreed to a three-year, $37.5 million deal for outfielder Shane Victorino, a source confirmed to MLB.com.

Click the link to see the whole list.

In the list to follow, you’ll find a number of recognizable names, but the most notable of these is convalescing closer Brian Wilson, formerly of the Giants. Wilson is on the mend from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in April. That likely means he won’t be ready by opening day but should be able to pitch the majority of the 2013 season.

Besides having a very marketable (and ubiquitous) personality, Wilson is also a damn fine reliever when healthy. ...

Free agent B.J. Upton has agreed to a with the Atlanta Braves, according to multiple reports. USA Today reports that it is a five-year deal for at least $70 million

A different slant on signing Josh Hamilton and Zack Greinke.