Monday Link Exchange

* Jorge Posada will keep his contract issues in the background and focus solely on baseball. What were Posada's feelings on his contractual status?

"I [couldn't] care less," Posada said.

There are players who say they are not going to worry about their contracts and there are players who really mean it. Jorge Posada insists he's part of the latter group.

I guess it's a little easier to project such bold disinterest when - barring anything unforseen - he has more leverage than Scott Boras fantasizes about. As one of the top-five offensive catchers in the majors last year behind guys like Mauer, McCann and Victor Martinez, Jorge can take advantage of New York's lack of upcoming catcher talent.



*Todd Helton is beginning to regain the strength he lost last year due to illness. The illness-related shedding of weight had the 6'3 Rockie first baseman around 200 lbs. Helton will apparently enter Spring training much closer to his playing weight of approximately 230lbs. This should help the slugger return to form, and may help the Red Sox reopen trade talks.


* Bill Conlin says Aaron Rowand and Scott Linebrink appear too valuable to their teams to create a trade-match. From the piece:

[Also] the stubborn and puzzling rumor that has centerfielder Aaron Rowand being shipped to the Padres for top setup man Scott Linebrink. The Padres can't afford to give up Linebrink, a model of consistency despite a spike in his numbers last season. The Phillies can't afford to give up Rowand. Their outfield depth is thinner than jailhouse clam chowder.

With Victorino - speedy and underrated but low on power for a corner outfielder - the Phillies may have a lot of trouble replacing Rowand's bat, which is not a very strong one to begin with. The Padres continue to entertain offers, even though Trevor Hoffman is on the brink of retirement. Interesting and puzzling at the same time.