Baseball winter meetings: Dodgers aren’t interested in trading Loney; Angels say Werth’s deal won’t hamper Crawford’s negotiations

Well, that was fun while it lasted.

Less than an hour after a story was posted on the internet about how the Dodgers were talking to the Brewers about swapping James Loney and Jonathan Broxton for Prince Fielder, a high-ranking Dodgers official shot down the report.

What’s becoming clear is that the Dodgers aren’t looking to shop any of their core group of players – a group that includes Loney, Broxton, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp.

The routine is the same every year: Rumors surface that the Dodgers are about to deal one of their key players who broke into the majors with them. The Dodgers deny the rumors. The Dodgers leave the winter meetings without trading any of them.

“I think it’s a good core,” General Manager Ned Colletti said.

Colletti said other teams still inquire about some of the players, but speculated it’s nothing more than due diligence.

Russell Martin is no longer part of that core, as the two-time All-Star contract wasn’t tendered a contract for next season and is a free agent. Martin’s agent hasn’t spoken to the Dodgers since the tender deadline last week.

Martin’s agent, Matt Colleran, said he has meetings scheduled with four or five teams over the next couple of days. He said he would circle back to the Dodgers after gauging the interest level of the other clubs.

Some other notes from the winter meetings:

Matt Diaz and Scott Podsednik are among the players the Dodgers are looking at to fill their vacancy in left field.

The Dodgers are not pursuing free-agent closer Hiroyuki Kobayashi, who has been linked to them in Japanese news reports.

Hiroki Kuroda’s trilingual translator, Kenji Nimura, has been re-signed.

-- Dylan Hernandez, Los Angeles Times

Tony Reagins’ reaction to the seven-year, $126-million contract free-agent Jayson Werth signed with the Washington Nationals on Sunday was typical for the Angels general manager, who is reluctant to talk about anything pertaining to potential trades or free-agent negotiations.

“I don’t have a reaction,” Reagins said upon arriving at the winter meetings at about 8 p.m. EST Monday, after mechanical difficulties delayed his connecting flight to Orlando from Dallas.

But doesn’t the Werth deal change the market landscape for the Angels? The team was hoping to sign free-agent outfielder Carl Crawford for something in the five-year, $100-million range, but many believe the Werth signing could push Crawford’s price tag to the eight-year, $150-million range.

“We still have to conduct business with any free agent, but this is part of the process,” Reagins said. “That happens this time of the year. ... We’re still conducting business. What oher clubs do doesn’t affect how we operate.”

Reagins is expected to meet with Greg Genske, the agent for Crawford, either late Monday night or Tuesday. The Angels are also reportedly interested in free-agent closer Rafael Soriano and free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre.

“I feel positive about all of the free agents we’re engaged with,” Reagins said.

--Mike DiGiovanna, Los Angeles Times

Phillies interested in Juan Rivera

The Philadelphia Phillies, in the market for a right-handed hitting right fielder to platoon with Domonic Brown, have expressed an interest in Angels outfielder Juan Rivera, according to a major league source.

Rivera’s playing time dropped dramatically in early August after the Angels called up center fielder Peter Bourjos and moved Torii Hunter from center to right, and he would become even more of an odd man out if the Angels acquire free-agent outfielder Carl Crawford or another outfielder through a trade.

Any deal involving Rivera, who is entering the final year of a three-year contract, would probably require the Angels to pay a significant portion of his $5.25-million salary for 2011.

Rivera had a superb 2009 season, batting .287 with 25 home runs and 88 runs batted in, but he struggled in 2010, hitting .252 with 15 homers and 52 RBIs in 124 games.

Rivera is a career .276 hitter with 67 homers and 278 RBIs in 1,794 at-bats against right-handed pitchers. He has hit .288 with 45 homers and 140 RBIs in 899 career at-bats against left-handers. He is better defensively in right field than left.

Brown, who is expected to replace the departed Jayson Werth in right field for the Phillies, hit .210 with two homers and 13 RBIs in 35 games last season, including a .077 mark (one for 13) against lefties.

--Mike DiGiovanna, Los Angeles Times

Diamondbacks sign Melvin Mora

The Diamondbacks signed infielder Melvin Mora to a one-year, $2-million deal and will probably ask him to replace Mark Reynolds at third base. Mora’s career hit .285 with the Colorado Rockies last season.

Padres sign Aaron Harang

Right-hander Aaron Harang and the San Diego Padres have finalized a $4-million, one-year contract that includes a mutual option for 2012 with a buyout.

The 6-foot-7 Harang spent the last 7 1/2 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, winning 16 games in 2006 and 2007. But he has struggled the last three years, going 6-7 with a 5.32 ERA last season when he was bothered by back spasms.

Jayson Werth’s deal could put Angels out of Carl Crawford derby

Free-agent left fielder Carl Crawford is on top of the Angels’ winter shopping list, but the seven-year, $126-million contract that outfielder Jayson Werth signed with the Washington Nationals on Sunday night could push the bidding for Crawford up to the eight-year, $150-million range, a stratosphere the Angels probably aren’t comfortable with.

Crawford’s price tag could push the Angels toward free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre, who won’t come cheap -- he’s another Scott Boras client coming off a very good year, and he is believed to be seeking a five-year deal in the $70-million to $85-million range -- but won’t be nearly as expensive as Crawford.

The Oakland Athletics have reportedly withdrawn their five-year, $64-million offer to Beltre, and the Red Sox might not be so motivated to retain him after acquiring first baseman Adrian Gonzalez from the San Diego Padres on Sunday night, a move that will push first baseman Kevin Youkilis to third base.

Angels General Manager Tony Reagins is also expected to pursue bullpen help at the winter meetings, and the team is believed to be targeting free-agent closer Rafael Soriano. Other possibilities are Bobby Jenks, the former Angels prospect who was not tendered a contract by the Chicago White Sox and is a free agent, and set-up men J.J. Putz, Matt Guerrier and Jesse Crain.

-- Mike DiGiovanna, Los Angeles Times

Brewers acquire Marcum from Blue Jays

The Milwaukee Brewers boosted their rotation, getting right-hander Shaun Marcum from the Toronto Blue Jays for infield prospect Brett Lawrie.

Marcum went 13-8 with a 3.64 ERA for the Blue Jays last season. Marcum made $850,000 last season and isn’t eligible for free agency for two more years.

The Blue Jays have been stockpiling young talent in recent years, and there was talk they might try to put together a trade package to go after former AL Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke of Kansas City.

Dusty Baker talks about Cubs, Ron Santo

Former Cubs manager Dusty Baker left Chicago a beaten man, much like his successor, Lou Piniella.

Baker revived his career by winning the National League Central with Cincinnati last year, and the Reds are likely to go into 2011 as the favorites.

Asked about the Cubs managerial merry-go-round on Monday, Baker said: “Things change. They’ve got to get some continuity sooner or later, because you can’t keep changing and expect to [win]. You’ve got to stick with something and somebody, because it makes it easier for people to get to know each other and work together and all kinds of stuff.

“I know patience isn’t one of the key words there, so we’ll see.”

Baker said agreed with those that say the experts will make Cincinnati the Central Division favorite, but he added that didn’t want that role.

“In my mind, the Cardinals should still be the favorite,” he said with a grin.

Notice that Baker didn’t mention the Cubs in that conversation.

Baker also said life at Wrigley Field will be different without the late Ron Santo, a longtime friend of his even before Baker came to manage the Cubs in 2003.

“He was a good friend to me, and he was as fair to me as anybody the whole time I was in Chicago,” he said. “I always talked to him once or twice over the winter to see how he was doing. It’s going to be strange next year. Not yet, because you’re always apart during the winter. But it’s going to be strange once you get to spring training and once the season starts, not to see him. ... It’ll probably be even more strange for [Cubs broadcaster] Pat [Hughes] because he was with him every day. It’s like losing a family member.”

Baker said he enjoyed it when Santo called him “the fine manager of the Chicago Cubs” during their pre-game interviews.

“We could’ve lost 10 in a row, and I was still the ‘fine manager,’” he said, laughing.

-- Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune

Orioles acquire Mark Reynolds from Diamondbacks

The Baltimore Orioles have attempted to solve their corner-infield and power-void troubles by sending two young relievers to the Arizona Diamondbacks for third baseman Mark Reynolds.

To acquire Reynolds, who has had at least 28 homers in each of the last three seasons, the Orioles gave up right-handed relievers David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio.

The deal is pending physicals, but it has been confirmed, according to a source.

Hernandez, 25, was viewed as a potential future closer for the Orioles after a strong conversion from the starting rotation last season. Mickolio, 26, was in the minors for all but three games last year.

Reynolds, 27, hit 32 homers last year in his fourth season with the Diamondbacks.

Reynolds has hit 121 homers in 563 big-league games, including a career-high 44 in 2009. He’s also has led the National League in strikeouts in each of his three full seasons, totaling 211 last year in 494 at-bats.

He batted just .198 on the season with a .320 on-base percentage. Considered an average defensive third baseman and a gritty, hard-nosed player, Reynolds appeared in 145 games last season, despite dealing with an early-season quad injury and a late-season wrist injury. Last season, he was hit in the head by a pitch and played the next day.

Reynolds is signed through the 2012 season with a option for 2013.

Hernandez was 12-18 with a 4.93 ERA in 61 games with the Orioles, including 27 starts. He was the club’s 16th-round draft pick in 2005.

Mickolio pitched in three games for the Orioles last year and, in three seasons, was 0-3 with a 4.32 ERA in 23 games. He was part of the Seattle trade for Erik Bedard in 2008.

Mickolio spent just three games in the majors last year, and his status within the organization had rapidly declined since he was acquired in the trade with Seattle. But Hernandez was tabbed by some as the Orioles’ future closer after switching from the rotation to the bullpen last season. He was 7-3 with two saves and a 3.16 ERA in 33 relief appearances.

“I’ll have a chance to play closer to home, but I always thought I’d be in Baltimore for years to come,” said Hernandez, a California resident. “It just didn’t work out that way. I’ll miss all the friends I made there, the guys in the clubhouse. The organization did some good things for me. I thought I was part of the future there, but somebody has to go to make improvements. You can’t keep everybody.

“I’m not bitter at all. I appreciate the organization and the city, and there’s always a chance I can go back,” he added.

-- Jeff Zrebiec, Baltimore Sun

Braves interested in Lorenzo Cain

According to MLB.com, the Braves have expressed interested in Brewers outfield prospect Lorenzo Cain, and the Brewers have made it known Cain is available. Cain, 24, is a .291 career hitter in the minors. He made his major-league debut in July and batted .306 with a homer, 13 RBIs and seven steals in 43 games (147 at-bats).

-- Juan C. Rodriguez, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

Terry Collins discusses Mets

During his formal media session at the Winter Meetings, new Mets Manager Terry Collins said the club is interviewing Andy Van Slyke for the hitting coach job. He’s thought to be on a list of about four or five candidates, all of whom have major-league coaching experience.

Collins said he has both internal and external options for bench coach. He also mentioned having had a 40-minute phone conversation with Carlos Beltran, and said that Beltran told him that “he is on board with whatever we decide to do.”

Beltran and the club will determine whether he’s best suited to continue in center field or move to right this spring, but Collins said he does not anticipate him bouncing back and forth.

Regarding Oliver Perez, Collins said he’s open to using him in the rotation or out of the bullpen.

-- Juan C. Rodriguez, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

Union reacts to Marvin Miller’s Hall snub

The players union issued a series of statements expressing frustration and disappointment about the 16-man Hall of Fame expansion era committee’s vote, with former union chief Marvin Miller falling one vote short of induction.

Among the statements was one from Miller, which read: “Many years ago those who control the Hall decided to rewrite history instead of recording it.”

Later in the statement, Miller wrote: “A long time ago, it became apparent that the Hall sought to bury me long before my time, as a metaphor for burying the union and eradicating its real influence. Its failure is exemplified by the fact that I and the union of players have received far more support, publicity, and appreciation from countless fans, former players, writers, scholars, experts in labor management relations, than if the Hall had not embarked on its futile and fraudulent attempt to rewrite history. It is an amusing anomaly that the Hall of Fame has made me famous by keeping me out.”

Current union chief Michael Weiner wrote: “Every person who has benefited in the past half century from baseball’s prosperity -- player, owner, executive, manager, coach, or member of the media -- owes a debt to Marvin.”

Former union chief Donald Fehr expressed similar sentiments, writing: “This is a sad day for anyone who is or has been a Major League Player.”

With Miller as its executive director from 1966 to 1982, the players union became one of the strongest unions in the country. Collective bargaining, arbitration and free agency were introduced to baseball during Miller’s tenure.

-- Dylan Hernandez, Los Angeles Times

Padres say they won’t trade Heath Bell

San Diego Padres General Manager Jed Hoyer told reporters that the trade of Adrian Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox does not represent a fire sale and that Heath Bell will be the team’s closer in 2011.

-- Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times

Phillies interested in Jeff Francoeur

Jeff Francoeur already has played for two National League East teams: the Braves and Mets. He might be an option for a third this offseason.

The Phillies are believed to be among the teams kicking the tires on Francoeur as insurance for prospect Domonic Brown, who is expected to take over right-field duties with Jayson Werth headed to Washington.

Brown opened last season as the Phillies’ top prospect according to Baseball America. He made his major-league debut on July 28 and batted .210 with three doubles, two homers and 13 RBIs in 62 at-bats. He is a career .296 hitter with an .836 on-base plus slugging percentage over five minor-league seasons.

-- Juan C. Rodriguez, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

Pat Gillick elected to Hall of Fame; Marvin Miller, George Steinbrenner fall short

The results of the Veterans Committee voting for the baseball Hall of Fame have been announced, and the only person making it from this year’s ballot was Pat Gillick, whose teams won three World Series titles in his 27 years as a general manager.

Former players association head Marvin Miller fell one vote short of the 12 needed for election, and Dave Concepcion, a nine-time All-Star shortstop with the Cincinnati Reds, was third, with eight votes from the 16-man committee that considered candidates from 1973 on.

George Steinbrenner, the New York Yankees owner from 1973 until his death in July, was among the candidates who received fewer than eight votes.

Gillick was general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies, winning World Series titles with the Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993, and with the Phillies in 2008. He will be inducted into Cooperstown during ceremonies on July 24, along with any players chosen next month by the Baseball Writers Assn. of America.

Speaking at a news conference at the winter meetings, Gillick thanked all the people he’s worked with over the years.

“They all share in this award,” he said. “You can’t do this job alone. You’ve got to have help.”

Under changes adopted by the Hall of Fame last summer, managers, umpires, executives and long-retired players from the expansion era were considered this year. The golden era (1947-72) will be voted on in 2011, and the pre-integration era (1871-1946) will be judged in 2012.

Also receiving fewer than eight votes were players Ted Simmons, Vida Blue, Steve Garvey, Ron Guidry, Tommy John, Billy Martin, Al Oliver and Rusty Staub.

--Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times

Nationals still shopping

The Washington Nationals just committed $126 million over seven years to Jayson Werth, but they’re far from done. They still need a first baseman to replace Adam Dunn, who departed via free agency to the White Sox, and at least one more starting pitcher.

Left-handed sluggers Carlos Pena and Adam LaRoche are among the Nationals’ targets at first base, and they are believed to have made a run at right-hander Javier Vazquez before he agreed to a one-year deal with the Marlins. Though the team possesses the financial wherewithal to make compelling offers, it’s unlikely Cliff Lee or Carl Pavano -- the best two starters remaining on the market -- will end up in Washington.

-- Juan C. Rodriguez, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

Six teams interested in Koji Uehara

A Japanese reporter who spent a little time covering Koji Uehara in the U.S. said the six teams that apparently have shown interest in Koji, the Orioles’ closer at the end of the season and a current free agent, have been detailed to the Japanese media.

Apparently the six are the Orioles, the Seattle Mariners, the Minnesota Twins, the Boston Red Sox, the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Of that list, you have to expect the Orioles are the only team absolutely set on Uehara being the closer.

The word in Japan is the word we hear here: That Koji wants to return to Baltimore but that he would go elsewhere for a two-year deal -- and that it’s highly unlikely the Orioles would offer him a multi-year contract.

Like everything else here this week, it will be a wait-and-see situation.

-- Dan Connolly, Baltimore Sun

White Sox will talk to Paul Konerko

White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said he would talk with the agent for Paul Konerko on Monday morning, but only informally, and that assistant general manager Rick Hahn would take over negotiations.

Hahn and agent Craig Landis are expected to get into serious discussions about what it would take to re-sign Konerko, who became a free agent after the end of last season. Among his other suitors, to various degrees, are Baltimore, Texas and Arizona.

Konerko made $12 million last season but finished fifth in American League MVP voting, which would likely get him a raise. Rumors have him ultimately settling for about $13 million for each of two or three years.

Hahn is the chief negotiator when it comes to contracts for the Sox. In fact, a last-minute phone call kept A. J. Pierzynski from signing last week, presumably with the Dodgers. A creative deal was quickly worked out to bring back Pierzynski, one paying him $2 million next season and $6 million in 2012. That could help free up the money to sign Konerko, something that could happen this week at the winter meetings.

--Dave van Dyck, Chicago Tribune

Konerko, Diamondbacks talking

Fox Sports is reporting that Arizona Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers “had extended talks” with free-agent first baseman Paul Konerko, who hit .312 with 39 homers and 111 RBIs for the Chicago White Sox last season.

Konerko lives in the Phoenix area during the off-season.

We will have all of today’s winter meetings happenings and rumors right here throughout the day, so bookmark this page and keep track of where the big names are going.

-- Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times