Talking Baseball

It has been a busy New Year’s Eve around the world of Major League Baseball for free agent pitchers and a handful of clubs.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are close to adding free agent right handed pitcher Claudio Vargas on a one year contract that will earn him the league minimum of $400,000 but could earn $1.4 million with incentives.

Vargas made his Major League debut with the Montreal Expos in 2003 and has pitched for the Expos, Washington Nationals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets.

He will compete for a spot in the Dodgers rotation in 2009 since the team has lost free agent starter Brad Penny and looks to be out of the running for their other free agent, Derek Lowe.

Lowe is receiving increased interest from the New York Mets, who have reportedly offered the righty a three year contract.

The Boston Red Sox, one of Lowe’s former teams, and the 2008 World Series champion Phillies are also interested in the righty’s services.

The offer to Lowe from the Mets is in the area of three years for $36 million.

The deal has yet to be confirmed by team sources or Lowe’s agents. Lowe pitched for the Dodgers in 2008 and has also spent time with the Red Sox.

The Tampa Bay Rays bolstered their bullpen for 2009 to defend their American League Championship by signing free agent reliever Joe Nelson to a one year contract.

Nelson posted a 2.00 ERA in 54 appearances for the Florida Marlins in 2008 but was non-tendered a contract.

Nelson’s deal with the Rays is worth $1.3 million.

Nelson allowed right handers to hit only .189 off him in 2008 while lefties hit only .227.

The other contract announcement of the day came from the Arizona Diamondbacks, who extended catcher Chris Snyder’s contract for another three years.

The deal could be worth at least $20 million if the club picks up the fourth year option.

Snyder hit .237 in 2008 with a career high 16 homeruns and 64 RBIs.

Left handed pitcher Mark Hendrickson and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a one year contract that is pending a physical.

Hendrickson’s physical is scheduled for sometime this week and the report of the one year agreement was found in The Baltimore Sun.

Hendrickson was the opening day starter for the Florida Marlins in 2008 and would pitch behind Jeremy Guthrie in the Orioles rotation.

Hendrickson was moved to the Marlins’ bullpen in July for the remainder of the season.

Hendrickson went 7-8 with a 5.45 ERA in 2008 in 36 games, 19 of them were starts.

He is 50-63 in his career with a 5.07 ERA in 215 games, 154 of them starts.