ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Baseball’s annual gathering of general managers began Monday when $14.1 million qualifying offers were turned down by all 13 free agents who received them from their former teams, a group that included Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Napoli and Stephen Drew of the World Series champion Boston Red Sox.
Three New York Yankees also said no thanks: Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Hiroki Kuroda.
The others turning down the offers were Atlanta’s Brian McCann, Cincinnati’s Shin-Soo Choo, Cleveland’s Ubaldo Jimenez, Kansas City’s Ervin Santana, St. Louis’ Carlos Beltran, Seattle’; s Kendrys Morales and Texas’ Nelson Cruz.
“’I don’t think it’s that particularly surprising that all the offers were turned down across baseball,” Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said.
If a player who turned down the offer signs with a new team, his former club would receive an extra amateur draft pick at the end of the first round next June. All 22 players given qualifying offers have said no during two offseasons under the new system.
Also, a baseball official familiar with the deliberations said management probably would approve the additional video review by umpires in phases.
For expanded replay to start next season, agreements with the World Umpires Association and Major League Baseball Players Association would have to be reached.
“These meetings will probably be mostly about just getting information,” Cherington said.
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