2014 MLB Free Agency: Fact or Fiction with the Latest Rumors, Week 4

The 2014 MLB free-agency market is heating up, and no move sparked more controversy this week than Jhonny Peralta's $53 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Now, the big question is just how lucrative of a contract Nelson Cruz will land. According to the rumbling on the trade market, however, Peralta and Cruz won't be the only Biogenesis-linked players on the move this offseason.

Here are all the latest rumors from the trade block and the free-agent front with a look at which ones are fact and which ones are fiction.

Note: All statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.

Rumor: The Boston Red Sox Will 'Stand Pat at Catcher'

Rob Carr/Getty Images

The Boston Red Sox appear to be in no hurry to make a decision on the club's catching situation for 2014. General manager Ben Cherington explained the team's thought process to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald:

"

We have interest in a small handful of free agents, we've talked to teams about trades, and we also think we're in a pretty strong position long-term with the young catchers we have in the organization. So, we're in a position to be a little choosy, a little selective.

"

The Red Sox can be selective, indeed. As Lauber observes, the presence of top catching prospects Christian Vazquez and Blake Swihart means the Red Sox are unlikely to make more than a two-year commitment to a new catcher. Such a line of reasoning would rule out Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who should have no trouble matching Ruiz's three-year, $26 million pact with the Philadelphia Phillies.

The remaining free-agent catching options, like A.J. Pierzynski and Dioner Navarro, are largely underwhelming. Short of Saltalamacchia miraculously accepting a two-year deal, the best alternative is to stand pat and roll with a tandem of David Ross and Ryan Lavarnway in 2014.

Verdict: Fact

Rumor: Nelson Cruz's Next Contract Will Be Worth at Least $75 Million

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Now that Peralta has secured a four-year, $53 million deal from the Cardinals, the next question is just how much money Cruz—another Biogenesis-linked free agent—will earn this offseason. 

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports writes that "according to sources" the slugger is in the market for about a four-year, $75 million deal. That works out to a yearly salary of $18.75 million. While that's steep, it's certainly not out of the question. As Heyman observes, the Seattle Mariners, Oakland A's, New York Mets and the Texas Rangers have all expressed interest in the 33-year-old. 

The two-time All-Star should do better than Peralta, but fellow outfielders like Jacoby Ellsbury and Shin-Soo Choo serve as far more useful comparisons. Plenty of suitors will balk at the demands of Ellsbury and Choo, who are both seeking deals well north of $100 million.

In such a context, Cruz, who has hit at least 22 home runs in five straight seasons, would represent a relative bargain.

Cruz won't crack the $75 million mark on his next deal, but he could easily grab around four years and $60 million.

Verdict: Fiction

Rumor: The Arizona Diamondbacks Will Swap Prospects for Pitching

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks find themselves in prime position to leverage their considerable minor league depth to strengthen a floundering starting staff.

Matt Eddy of Baseball America ranked Arizona's farm system as the ninth-best in all of baseball. As Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports puts it, the Diamondbacks "possess enough prospect power to trade for virtually any starter they want."

As Rosenthal comments, for now, Chicago Cubs right-hander Jeff Samardzija tops the wish list. However, there are plenty of alternatives for the Diamondbacks to consider. Rosenthal lists names like Homer Bailey, John Lackey, Doug Fister and Rick Porcello, among others, as potential targets to pursue. 

Last season, Arizona's starting rotation gave up the third-most earned runs in the NL, as per ESPN. Clearly, some upgrades are in order, and dealing prospects appears to be the best solution. 

Verdict: Fact

Rumor: The Colorado Rockies Will Sign Justin Morneau to Replace Todd Helton

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

As Troy Renck of The Denver Post remarks, the Colorado Rockies are "aggressively pursuing [Justin] Morneau."

The veteran would take over Todd Helton's spot at first base in a move that makes perfect sense for both sides. The addition of Morneau would provide the Rockies with a reasonably priced upgrade for the club's lineup and also would be an ideal fit for the 32-year-old.

Since clubbing 30 home runs in 2009, Morneau has failed to hit more than 19 long balls in any of the past four seasons. However, an impressive campaign at the hitter-friendly Coors Field would allow Morneau to rebuild his value and score a major payday at the end of the 2014 season.

Verdict: Fact

Rumor: The Baltimore Orioles Will Move Jim Johnson This Offseason

Greg Fiume/Getty Images

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, Baltimore Orioles closer Jim Johnson is available on the trade block:

"

The Orioles say they are willing to listen to offers for closer Jim Johnson, who is set to make more than $10m in arbitration in '14.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 27, 2013"

As Eduardo Encina of The Baltimore Sun notes, that's a ton of money to pay a closer. However, the Orioles face a tricky task in trying to move Johnson, considering the array of closers available on the free-agent market this offseason. The list includes the likes of Brian Wilson, Joe Nathan, Grant Balfour and Joaquin Benoit, among others. 

While a trade isn't impossible, the Orioles would be better off letting Johnson pitch out his final year of club control before becoming a free agent at the end of 2014. If the Orioles are feeling particularly bold, they could even consider plugging Johnson into the starting rotation as Encina suggests.

Then again, the Orioles could simply leave him in the bullpen where he's locked down 101 saves over the past two seasons.

Verdict: Fiction

Rumor: The New York Yankees and Robinson Cano Will Ultimately Bridge the 'Gap'

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

As Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports, the New York Yankees and Robinson Cano have yet to make any headway on a new multi-year deal:

"

Yankees met Tuesday with Cano's agents, according to a source. Official familiar with talks said: "The gap is still very substantial."

— Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) November 26, 2013"

While the Yankees and Cano remain far apart in the negotiation process, it's worth considering just which other clubs could enter the bidding. ESPN's Buster Olney (subscription required) suggests that the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals and Rangers will be the leading contenders. However, none of those clubs exactly has a pressing need at second base, which underscores just how limited the market for Cano is. 

The potential of a mystery team getting involved can't be ruled out, but for now, Cano appears headed back to the Bronx. Feinsand tweets that he's "about 90 percent" certain that the two-time Gold Glover will be back with the Yankees come Opening Day 2014. That estimate doesn't sound unreasonable, but Cano will have to "substantially" lower his asking price for a new deal to become a reality.

Verdict: Fact

Rumor: The Milwaukee Brewers 'Have No Intention of Trading [Ryan] Braun'

Joe Sargent/Getty Images

According to Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog.com, the Milwaukee Brewers are ready to deal Ryan Braun. Cerrone writes, "Braun is guaranteed $113 million over the next seven seasons, and buzz from Milwaukee suggests they'll pay a good chunk of it to force a change of scenery."

However, GM Doug Melvin shot down any such notion. Melvin explained to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that there was "absolutely nothing" to the speculation. Melvin went on to say, "We have no intentions of trading Ryan. There's absolutely no truth to that. We've never contacted any team about Ryan."

However, Melvin did admit to Haudricourt that "four or five clubs" have called about Braun. The Brewers would be wise to listen to any and all offers for the five-time All-Star.

Braun will be playing with an enormous chip on his shoulder in 2014 as he attempts to prove to all his critics that he can still be an elite player without PEDs. However, if he turns in a dud of a season in 2014, any trade value he possesses will vanish. There's also the consideration that endless Biogenesis questions will prove a constant distraction.

From the perspective of a potential suitor, now is the perfect time to buy low on a massively devalued asset. There's no guarantee that a deal will happen, but the idea that there's "absolutely nothing" to the Braun trade rumors is utter nonsense.

Verdict: Fiction

If you want to talk baseball, find me on Twitter @KarlBuscheck.