Heyward, Davis top shopping items

NASHVILLE • Baseball executives headed home Thursday with top free- agent sluggers still on the market and trade talk percolating that could lead to more swaps in coming weeks.

Outfielder Jason Heyward and first baseman Chris Davis figure to strike the largest deals among hitters. The top pitchers already have signed, with David Price getting a $217 million, seven- year contract with Boston and Zack Greinke a $206.5 million, six-year deal with Arizona.

“I think the market is waiting to see what happens with Jason Heyward,” said Arizona general manager Dave Stewart, who finalized Greinke’s deal and acquired Shelby Miller during the meetings.

Dan Duquette, the Baltimore Orioles’ executive vicepresident for baseball operations, thinks it is clear why pitchers were pursued first.

“There’s more teams chasing fewer players in that market. Supply and demand,” he said.

Te a ms announced 10 trades and 11 free agent signings at the meetings, and several more free agents reached agreements that have not yet been announced.

In moves Thursday as people left, reliever Jonathan Broxton stayed with the St. Louis Cardinals, agreeing to a $ 7.5 million, two- year contract, and reliever Juan Nicasio agreed to a deal with Pittsburgh, one week after he was cut by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Reliever Tony Sipp stayed with the Houston Astros for an $18 million, three-year contact and first baseman Mark Reynolds accepted a $2.6 million, one- year contract with the Colorado Rockies. Those two deals were disclosed by a person familiar with each negotiation who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.

While a ballroom at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center was set up with a dais, 105 MLB logos as a backdrop, 150 seats in front and 336 media work spaces to the side, not a single trade or signing was announced at the podium. The only active player who spoke under the lights was Ben Zobrist, a Nashville resident who appeared Wednesday, a day after he finalized a contract with the Chicago Cubs. Teams prefer to make announcements in their suites.

In the old days, clubs liked the national stage of the meetings and often tried to have the core of their rosters in place before the holiday break.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the feeling- out process in trade talk can be lengthy.