I figured it was time to once again call in a new Rumor/News Thread; the old one seems dead. There is some interesting news going around the MLB, like Damon's continually diminishing value.

GMZ provided M's fans with a late Xmas/New Years gift with the extension of Franklin Gutierrez, keeping the stellar defensive center fielder with the Mariners for another 4 years at a bargain price of $20.5 Million.

In the past couple of weeks, we've also seen Adrian Beltre sign with the dreaded Red Sox, and Casey Kotchman swap coasts in the process (Geoff Baker Link). While we are all sad to see Beltre go (especially Red--we all feel your loss!), it was long assumed since the Mariners offered him arbitration that he would sign with the Red Sox for a shot at a World Series title.

But alas, there is no shortage of action during the off-season. In the past three days we've seen the Reds ink star Cuban Aroldis Chapman. Dayton Moore has once again pierced through the hearts of Kansas City fans with the signing of Scott Podsednik, and Brian Sabean pulls out another veteran signing from his bag of predictable tricks by signing Aubrey Huff.

Rumor has it that the Cubs are going after Ben Sheets. So the question becomes, does Z want Sheets as well?