Holliday talking to multiple teams; Olivo to COL?

• According to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated, Matt Holliday rejected a proposal from the Cardinals that was believed to be six years and over $100 million sometime during the past couple of weeks. Heyman also states that Holliday is in conversations with "multiple teams." Who could these mystery teams be? Being that the Mets just signed Jason Bay, you can count them out. The Yankees have been adamant in saying that they are not pursuing the 29-year old outfielder, although the Yanks have been known to throw up smokescreens. The Giants are another possibility, although whether or not they want to offer up a big contract is in question. Maybe the Red Sox or the Angels have jumped in? Despite everything, St. Louis is optimistic that it will re-sign Holliday. We'll soon find out.
• Miguel Olivo is very close to signing with the Rockies, which squelches any chance of Yorvit Torrealba returning to Colorado in 2010. The deal for Olivo would be for one year with a club option.
  
• Seattle is still in the market for a power hitter, presumably a first baseman. Adam LaRoche is a possibility, as is Mike Jacobs, who was recently non-tendered by Kansas City.
  
• The Diamondbacks have signed Braves' castoff Kelly Johnson to a one-year, $2.35 million deal. Johnson, who was non-tendered by Atlanta, is a natural second baseman, but can also play left field. Injuries derailed the 28-year old in 2009, as he lost his starting job to Martin Prado and posted a paltry .224/.303/.692 line as he dealt with wrist tendinits. Johnson has been a productive hitter in the past, however, particularly in 2007 when he put up a .276/.375/.832 line.
• Reds' assistant GM Bob Miller says that Jonny Gomes, whom Cincinnati non-tendered, will explore the free agent market. Gomes had a solid season at the plate in '09, compiling a line of .267/.338/.879, but his defense leaves much to be desired, as the 29-year old outfielder posted a -10.2 UZR.
• Oakland has re-signed Justin Duchscherer to a one-year deal worth a base salary of $2 million (there is also $3.5 million in incentives for games started and innings pitched). The 32-year old right-hander missed the entire 2009 season due to elbow surgery and depression, but he was fantastic in 2008, posting a 2.54 ERA and .210 BAA over 141.2 innings.
• One day after the Giants hauled in Mark DeRosa, they re-signed Juan Uribe. The versatile Uribe, 30, will likely serve as a super-utility man for San Francisco. In '09, he played second base, shortstop, and third base.
• The Dodgers are going after Joel Pineiro, as are the Angels and Mets. Los Angeles could certainly use another starting pitcher, as their rotation after Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley is full of question marks.
• The Marlins and Athletics are both in the thick of the Aroldis Chapman sweepstakes. Florida made Chapman an offer a couple of weeks ago. The Red Sox also tendered the 20-year old Cuban phenom an offer.
• Boston remains very interested in Adrian Beltre. Oakland is another potential suitor for the slick-fielding third baseman.

Yankees ask about Zambrano; Mets frustrated

• In the latest bit of news about the Yankees' search for a starting pitcher, Mike Puma of the New York Post states that New York asked the Cubs about Carlos Zambrano, but balked at the asking price. The hot-tempered Zambrano is due to make $17.875 million in 2010, and $53.75 million total over the final three years of his contract. The 28-year old right-hander also has a $19.25 million vesting player option in 2013. One would assume that Chicago asked the Yankees for one of Philip Hughes or Joba Chamberlain plus top catching prospect Jesus Montero, as Geovany Soto, the 2008 NL Rookie of the Year, struggled mightily in 2009.
  
• Should nothing develop on the Zambrano front, the Yankees have numerous other options to turn to, although none of them are too appealing. As stated yesterday, Joel Pineiro and Jason Marquis are potential targets in free agency, but Pineiro is looking for a four-year deal and Marquis probably would not be much of an upgrade over Chad Gaudin. The Braves are rumored to be shopping Derek Lowe, but being that he has $45 million due over the final three years of his contract, it seems unlikely that New York would pursue him. Another possibility is Aaron Harang, who is due $25.25 million over the next two years but comes with a $2 million buyout option in 2011.
  
• The Mets are getting tired of waiting for Jason Bay and Bengie Molina to make their decisions, according to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post. New York recently offered Bay a four-year deal worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $65 million, but Bay is said to be looking for five years. The Mets offered Molina two years and $10 million, which is a far cry from the three-year, $20 million contract he is searching for. Should neither player come down on their demands relatively soon, New York will have to look elsewhere. As far as catchers go, the Mets have also been linked to Yorvit Torrealba.
  
• Texas has signed reliever Darren Oliver to a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $3.5 million. The contract comes with a 2011 vesting option, however, that could push the total amount to $6.5 million.
  
• The Marlins made a small signing today, inking infielder Danny Richar to a minor-league contract. Florida may view the left-handed hitting Richar as a potential replacement for pinch-hitting extraordinaire Ross Gload, who recently departed for Philadelphia via free agency.
  

Marlins make offer to Chapman; Bay limited

• In what might be one of the bigger surprises of the off-season thus far, the Marlins have made 21-year old Cuban phenom Aroldis Chapman a five-year, $13 million offer. However, the Red Sox have already offered the young hurler a multi-year deal worth $15.5 million, so unless Chapman strongly desires to play in a Cuban market like Miami, the Marlins' chances of actually landing him appear slim at this point.
• Jason Bay only has one option right now, and much to his chagrin, it is the Mets. Clearly, Bay would prefer not to sign with New York, as he and his agent Joe Urbon turned around and asked Boston to revisit negotiations. Unfortunately for Bay, due to the fact that the Red Sox have already inked Mike Cameron, their interest level in the left-fielder is minimal. Bill Madden of the New York Daily News suggests that Bay sees the Mets as "no better than a third-place club," even with him in the lineup. Unless a team like Seattle, or perhaps even the Yankees, throws its hat into the bidding at the last second, Bay appears destined to ink a contract with the Mets.
  
• Now that the Mike Lowell-to-Texas trade is off, the Rangers will have to look elsewhere for a bat. Texas is reportedly interested in the likes of Vladimir Guerrero and Jermaine Dye, and Jim Thome remains another possibility. Based on that, it seems like the Rangers are scouring the market for a DH.
• Coco Crisp is close to signing a one-year, $5 million deal with Oakland. The 30-year old outfielder posted a .228/.336/.714 line over 180 at-bats with Kansas City in '09.
• Much like Bay, Johnny Damon's options are very, very limited. As a matter of fact, he may not even have the luxury of having a single potential suitor at this point. Ken Davidoff of Newsday names the Braves, Rays, Cubs, and Mets as possibilities, but notes that each of those squads remain long shots. Taking everything into consideration, Damon's most realistic suitor may still be the Yankees if he is willing to come down significantly on his price-tag. Before the Yanks reached an agreement with Nick Johnson, Damon lowered his demands to two years, $20 million. That still wasn't low enough for the Bronx Bombers, who are thinking more along the lines of a two-year, $14 million contract. At this point, that might be Damon's best, and only, bet.
• The Yankees also have interest in Mark DeRosa, but, like Damon, his asking price is far too high for their liking. I actually think there is more of a chance that New York brings Damon back than it signs DeRosa.
• Even though rumors abound about a possible Adrian Gonzalez-to-Boston deal, it doesn't appear likely, according to ESPN's Jayson Stark. The Padres really do not have to deal Gonzalez, considering he is only owed $4.5 million this season and has a $5.5 million club buyout option in 2011. He is, without a doubt, one of the biggest bargains in baseball. That said, you would have to think that San Diego would at least contemplate the idea of trading A-Gon should the Red Sox come up with the right package (Jacoby Ellsbury, Casey Kelly, and Jake Westmoreland would be immediate targets for the Padres).
• The Cubs are looking for an outfielder, and they are rumored to have strong interest in Marlon Byrd, with Scott Podsednik representing another possibility. Chicago could also look to swing a deal with the Yankees for one of Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner now that New York does not have a need for both of them due to the fact that it landed Curtis Granderson. The Cubs have also had talks with free agent reliever Matt Capps, as Chicago is in serious need of bullpen help.
  
• If you're wondering why the catching market seems a bit slow at the moment, look no further than Bengie Molina and his demand for a three-year, $20 million contract, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com, who spoke to a "person in the industry" with knowledge of the situation. The Mets have been rumored to be Molina's top potential suitor, but they have balked at his high price-tag (wouldn't you?). Not that the list of free agent catchers, which, outside of Molina, includes his brother Jose, Yorvit Torrealba, and Rod Barajas, is all that impressive, but there are still plenty of teams in need of second-string backstops.