Daily Hot Stove Wrap Up 12/3 - Winter Meetings Edition

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  No, guys, not Christmas or the Holidays but....

If that takes up your entire monitor, it should.  

• The Tampa Bay Rays have signed free agent 1B James Loney to a one-year, $2 million contract.  Loney had a godawful year last season(.249, six home runs), but to his credit, he's only 28 and is a superb defender.  This could be a decent cheap signing if Loney has a rebound year.  

• Jason Marquis, who I had totally forgot still plays has signed a one-year deal worth $3 million.  Marquis struggled mightily with the Twins to start last year and then faded from my memory while he actually posted decent second half numbers with San Diego.  Petco Park heals all struggling-pitching. All hail Petco Park! 

• Geovany Soto has signed a one-year, $3million contract with the Rangers.  Soto has yet to recapture the magic of his rookie campaign with the Cubs but remains a dependable backstop if anything, especially since...

• Mike Napoli has agreed to a $39 million, three-year contract with the "other Evil Empire," the Boston Red Sox.  The Red Sox expect the 31-year-old to play first base and occasionally catch.  I still hate the Red Sox.  

• The only other team I may hate worse than the Red Sox is the Yankees.  And they may be without A-Rod for a while.  Alex Rodriguez will undergo left hip surgery.  I'm not a doctor so I won't pretend to know the exact procedure but the expected recovery time is three to six months so A-Rod will probably miss part of the 2013 season, but at least he can't get booed in a cast, can he? 

• The Tigers are still talking to RP Anibal Sanchez with lots of reports that the initial offer the Tigers made (four years, $48 million) was insultingly low to Sanchez.  But it ended up that those reports are inaccurate and the two sides are "still talking."  I still doubt that Sanchez will stay with the Tigers, but owner Mike Ilitch has been known to open his wallet so we'll see. 

•  Jason Isringhausen wants to come back and play.  He may have interest from several teams.  He's also 40.  Buyer beware.  

• Speaking of old guys, Jason Giambi would like to continue his playing career as part-time pinch-hitter, part-time bench coach and part-time motivational clubhouse speaker.  I guess several teams are interested.  Whatever, Jason Giambi, as long as it isn't with my team. 

• Finally, Dee Gordon, Justin Upton, Sean Burnett, Michael Morse, Danny Espinosa, Chase Headley, Asdrubal Cabrera.  This is a bunch of guys who could be on the move this week as WINTER MEETINGS START!

That's it for this early Hot Stove Update.  Stay tuned as Day 1 of Winter Meetings begins and follow us on Twitter at @fullcountblog for real time updates to everything MLB.  

You've been great guys, hopefully lots of updates tomorrow.