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Billy Butler told MLB.com's Dick Kaegel that he and the Royals have agreed to a four-year, $30 million contract extension.

The deal buys out all three of his arbitration-eligible years plus one year of free agency. Butler is represented by Greg Genske of Legacy Sports.

Butler filed for $4.3 million in arbitration earlier this week while the Royals countered with $3.4 million. Kansas City recently picked up an extra $12.4 million when Gil Meche unexpectedly retired.

Toronto Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos pulled off the seemingly impossible tonight when he managed to trade Vernon Wells to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for Mike Napoli and Juan Rivera.

On Friday the Los Angeles Angels landed former All-Star center fielder, Vernon Wells, in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays will receive catcher Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera, both of whom have only one year left on their current deals.

Wells will be waiving his no-trade clause with Toronto as the Angels will be forced to pay him an owed $86 million over the course of the next four seasons.

The baseball world seems to have gone crazy to end the week. The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired both Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon. What’s truly amazing is the size of the deals: for one year of each, the Rays spent a mere $7.25 million. Both played well enough last year, and look to provide value in 2011.

Attention all national pundits:  Please put all talk of the Rays shrinking back into the bottom of the AL East.  Tampa Bay Rays General Manager Andrew Friedman has a different memo for you to report:

A Third AL East Division Crown in four years.

Don't think it can happen?  The Rays lost Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, Rafael Soriano and pretty much their entire bullpen, you say?  They traded away Jason Bartlett and Matt Garza, you say?

The St. Louis Cardinals made what might likely be their last addition of the offseason on Friday, signing infielder Nick Punto to a one-year deal. It will be worth $750K.

Punto is a switch-hitter, who had strong seasons in 2006 and 2008, but has been disappointing since. He batted .238 with a .313 on-base percentage and a .302 slugging percentage in 2010.

In a move that will almost certainly be dissected, panned and universally mocked by writers more intelligent than I, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have sent Mike Napoli and Juan Rivera to the Toronto Blue Jays for Vernon Wells. 

Wells—who is owed $86 million through 2014—has already waived his no-trade clause and passed a physical in Anaheim. 

Fox Sports is reporting that the Toronto Blue Jays have sent Vernon Wells and his $17 million per year contract to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for infielder Mike Napoli; pending a physical. The Angels acquire cash with the 32-year-old Wells who has waived his no-trade clause after having his most productive season since 2006 with 31 home runs and 88 RBIs.

Mets manager Terry Collins has given us a glimpse into how he plans to use his players in 2011.

The Mets are looking forward to finally having a lineup that includes a healthy Jose Reyes, who says he expects to put up MVP-like numbers, Jason Bay and Carlos Beltran. All three are looking to come back from injuries that kept them out for parts of the 2010 season.

Jan. 20, 2011—Who remembers Joe Crede? Well, Crede is finally back in professional baseball. In his last year, Crede helped the 2009 Minnesota Twins to the AL Central title.

But after being out of baseball for a season due to chronic back pain, Crede signed a one-year deal with the Colorado Rockies, pending a physical.