Top News:
Jim Street / MLB.com:
For 12th time, Pudge honored for his 'D' — American League Gold Glove winners include seven repeats — A battery that helped power the Detroit Tigers into the American League playoffs for the first time in 19 years came equipped with a golden touch. — Left-handed starter Kenny Rogers …
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ESPN:
Dirty dozen for Pudge; sixth for Chavez, Hunter, Ichiro — Detroit Tigers catcher Ivan Rodriguez captured his record 12th Rawlings Gold Glove Award, highlighting the list of American League winners announced Thursday. — Rodriguez, who won for the first time since 2004 …
Mark Feinsand / MLB.com:
Jeter wins third straight Gold Glove — Yankees shortstop receives 57th such honor in club history — NEW YORK — Derek Jeter added another piece of hardware to his trophy case on Thursday, capturing his third consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove Award. — "The Gold Glove Award means a great deal to me," Jeter said in a statement.
Dick Kaegel / MLB.com:
Grudzielanek snags Gold Glove — Second baseman wins defensive honor for first time — KANSAS CITY — For the last few years, second baseman Mark Grudzielanek wondered why a Rawlings Gold Glove Award never had come his way. — Now, for the first time, it has, and he finds the award has some extra meaning.
Discussion:
Royals Review
Tom Singer / MLB.com:
Let the bidding for Matsuzaka begin — Japanese pitcher's negotiating rights formally posted by Lions — The clock has begun ticking on Daisuke Matsuzaka, the pitching sensation who was formally "posted" by his Japan League club on Thursday afternoon. — The Seibu Lions' move officially …
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Corey Brock / MLB.com:
Mariners won't bid for Matsuzaka — Team instead expected to pursue Schmidt and/or Eaton — SEATTLE — There figures to be a handful of Major League teams who will be involved in the posting process for the right to sign Japanese starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. — But the Seattle Mariners won't be one of them.
David Lennon / Newsday:
Let the bidding begin — Seattle backs off Matsuzaka battle; Yanks, Mets in race — TOKYO — Shortly after the Seibu Lions announced here on Wednesday their intention to post Daisuke Matsuzaka, the competitive landscape for the bidding war was beginning to take shape half a world away.
Associated Press:
Reports: Tribune Willing to Sell Parts — Reports: Tribune Co. Willing to Sell Itself Off in Pieces — CHICAGO (AP) — With bids for the mammoth Tribune Co. coming in far lower than expected, the media giant is telling prospective bidders that individual pieces are now available for sale, according to published reports.
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Lyle Spencer / MLB.com:
Padres to interview Baker on Monday — Former longtime Giants manager candidate for skipper job — A new but familiar name — Dusty Baker — has been added to the list of candidates for the Padres' managerial vacancy. — A three-time National League Manager of the Year …
MLB.com:
Rockies exercise club option on Byung-Hyun Kim — DENVER — The Colorado Rockies announced today that they have exercised the club option on right-handed pitcher Byung-Hyun Kim for the 2007 season. — Kim, 27, was 8-12 with a 5.57 ERA (155.0 ip, 96 er) with 61 walks and 129 strikeouts in 27 games/starts for Colorado in 2006.
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David Lennon / Newsday:
Wright's HR gives MLB stars tie with Yomiuri — What a day for David Wright. A few hours after joking with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe in his downtown office, the Mets third baseman crushed a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning Thursday night as the MLB All-Stars finished …
Discussion:
the metropolitans
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Mike Carminati / Baseball Prospectus:
Is the Best of Five the Worst of Series? — I can't write five words but that I change seven. —Dorothy "Don't Call Me Dave" Parker — Even though they comprise just a quarter of the playoff teams each year, we have not had a World Series without a wild card since 2001.
Associated Press:
Reliever Guillermo Mota suspended 50 games — Reliever Guillermo Mota was suspended for 50 games Wednesday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, becoming the third player penalized this year for violating Major League Baseball's toughened drug policy.
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MLB.com:
Braves announce minor league coaching staffs for 2007 — ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves announced their 2007 minor league coaching staffs today, including four new hires. — Dave Brundage, who spent the last 19 years as a player, coach and manager in the Seattle Mariners organization, takes over as the Richmond (AAA) manager.
Discussion:
Cincinnati Reds
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Tigers extend Dombrowski's contract — Four-year deal keeps executive in Detroit through 2011 season — DETROIT — The Tigers' comeback from 119 losses to the World Series in three years will mean a long stay for Dave Dombrowski, who agreed on Thursday to a four-year contract extension to remain with the Tigers through 2011.
Discussion:
TigerBlog
Jim Baumbach / Newsday:
No decision by Glavine — If Tom Glavine's agent, Gregg Clifton, were to place odds on his client's future, the Mets would be the favorites over the Braves to land his signature on a new contract. — But Clifton bases that sense only on "an evaluative point of view," …
Discussion:
Mike's Mets
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Wells leaning to retirement, but will file … David Wells will spend much of this month in Africa hunting lions, leopards and water buffalo on safari with a bow and arrow. — He still maintains that he's finished as a professional baseball player. But in the event he changes his mind …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
