Leadoff Links: November 11, 2014, Angels and MLB News and Notes

Los Angeles Angels news is starting to dwindle after General Manager Jerry Dipoto took care of business in the first week of the offseason. That hasn’t stopped the rest of Major League Baseball from stopping the hot stove news and Leadoff Links will bring that to you daily to keep you up with the rest of majors.

There is one order of news we would like to pass along and that is that Huston Street and the Angels have yet to get going on a contract extension, according to Jeff Fletcher. Street spent the second half of the 2014 season with the Halos and will be back for 2015 on a $7 million contract.

In the American League West, the Oakland Athletics are looking for a shortstop after not extending a qualifying offer to Jed Lowrie. Jon Heyman is reporting that they are looking into Asdrubal Cabrera and Stephen Drew. The shortstop free agent market isn’t very deep, so teams are looking for players that can produce just enough. Cabrera and Drew don’t necessarily bring an offensive punch to the offense, but can play good defense.

Jeremy Hellickson of the Tampa Bay Rays is being shopped to National League teams according to Joel Sherman.

Today in Baseball History

2002 – San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds wins his record fifth Most Valuable Player Award

Over in the National League the Cincinnati Reds have a plethora of pitching and according to Jeff Passan they are willing to discuss a trade for either Mike Leake or Mat Latos. The Reds are willing to due this because of the pitching prospects in their farm system. The one pitcher that is the least likely to be traded is Johnny Cueto. Cueto is back with the Reds in 2015 on a $10 million option.

Also with the Reds they are reportedly in on Nori Aoki as they look to replace Ryan Ludwick in left field. Aoki would be leaving the American League Champions if a deal is settled, but Aoki is also talking with the Royals, but he wants a three-year deal. The New York Mets made a splash in the free agent market as they inked Michael Cuddyer to two-year deal worth $21 million. This move came directly after Cuddyer declined the Colorado Rockies qualifying offer of one-year, $15.3 million.   The Los Angeles Dodgers are shopping their outfielders in a no surprise rumor. They have four outfielders for three spots and Yasiel Puig doesn’t look to be going anywhere according to an executive close to the situation. The Dodgers are going to have a hard time moving Matt Kemp, but there are plenty of teams that would love to have Carl Crawford at the top of their lineup.  Lastly, the San Diego Padres posted the highest bid for Korean LHP Kim Kwang-Hyun according to Ken Rosenthal.