Top News:
Tom Withers / Associated Press:
Indians get Barfield from Padres — CLEVELAND (AP) — Just like his dad, Josh Barfield made it to the big leagues. Now, he's following his father to the American League. — Barfield, who as a rookie second baseman helped San Diego win a division title, was acquired Wednesday by the Cleveland Indians …
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
RELATED ITEMS:
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Padres trade Barfield for Cleveland prospects — The Padres have ignited the hot-stove season Wednesday, trading second baseman Josh Barfield to the Indians for highly regarded Triple-A third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff and Triple-A pitcher Andrew Brown. — Barfield, 23, gave the Padres …
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Padres choose Black as manager — The Padres have decided on Bud Black as their manager, according to major league sources. — Black, 49, is expected to attend the team's award banquet in downtown San Diego on Thursday. Black, a former San Diego State pitcher who lives in Rancho Santa Fe …
Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Indians grab Barfield from Padres — Tribe gives up Kouzmanoff, Brown to get second baseman — CLEVELAND — Mere days into the Hot Stove season, the Indians have addressed one of their most glaring holes. — The Tribe acquired 23-year-old second baseman Josh Barfield from the Padres …
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Zito contacts new Rangers skipper — Washington says the lefty is considering Texas this offseason — ARLINGTON — New Rangers manager Ron Washington has been hearing from many old friends since being hired on Sunday. — Among those who called was free-agent pitcher Barry Zito.
RELATED ITEMS:
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Pettis joins Rangers staff — Former outfielder latest coach to follow Washington to Texas — The Rangers could lose Gary Matthews Jr. to free agency, but they picked up a Gold Glove center fielder Wednesday. — Only problem: He last won the award in 1990.
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:Hitting coach for A's expected to join Cubs
Discussion:
Athletics Nation
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
New hitting coach wants Cubs in a zone — Another Lou Piniella protégé was brought into the organization on Wednesday when the Cubs named Gerald Perry to replace Gene Clines as hitting coach. — Perry, who started out as a hitting coach under Piniella in Seattle from 2000-02 …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
RELATED ITEMS:
Vincent M. Mallozzi / New York Times:
Business or Personal? Sheffield Says It's Both — Gary Sheffield played only 39 games for the Yankees in the 2006 season because of wrist surgery. He said last night that the wrist was "healthy now," and that he was ready to resume his baseball career in, or most likely out, of pinstripes.
RELATED ITEMS:
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Verlander receives rookie honor — Pitcher recognized by peers with MLB Players Choice Award — DETROIT — The second of what will likely be a triple crown of rookie honors for Justin Verlander came Wednesday, when he was honored as the American League's Outstanding Rookie as part of the MLB Players Choice Awards.
RELATED ITEMS:
Ken Mandel / MLB.com:
Howard dual Players Choice winner — Slugger voted Player of the Year, NL Outstanding Player — PHILADELPHIA — Just like the home runs he bashed over the past week in Japan, the postseason accolades keep coming for Phillies slugger Ryan Howard. — After tantalizing the Far East …
Discussion:
Liberty Ball
Jim Street / MLB.com:
Bids are in, wait on Matsuzaka begins — Seibu has four days to accept or reject best offer for star — Now they wait. — Wednesday's 5 p.m. ET deadline to submit a bid for negotiating rights to Daisuke Matsuzaka has passed, and the Major League teams that placed bids must now wait …
RELATED ITEMS:
MLB.com:
D-backs shed their skin after unveiling new uniforms, colors on runway — Team embraces "D-backs" nickname on home, alternate jerseys — (SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) — The Arizona Diamondbacks tonight unveiled their new uniforms and logos featuring new colors — Sedona Red, Sonoran Sand and black …
Tim Lemke / Washington Times:
Paciorek bothered by firing — Former Washington Nationals broadcaster Tom Paciorek, whose contract was not renewed by the team this week, expressed dismay and frustration at his dismissal and had sharp words for members of the team's front office. — "Nothing really surprises me in this business …
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Phillies hamstrung by Burrell's no-trade clause … PHILADELPHIA — Phillies general manager Pat Gillick is quite nimble for a 69-year-old. Just think of all the hoops he jumped through before dealing Jim Thome and Bobby Abreu, high-profile players with big salaries and complete no-trade clauses.
Associated Press:
Pirates looking to sign Cuban defector — PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Pittsburgh Pirates are interested in signing former Cuban Olympic right-hander Yuslan Herrera to a three-year contract, but any deal looks to be at least several weeks away. — The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Herrera defected …
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
USA Today:
Young staff buoys Pirates' hopes — Things have gotten so bad for the Pittsburgh Pirates that even Batman took a few swings at the organization this year. — Actor Michael Keaton, a suburban Pittsburgh native who played the Caped Crusader in the 1989 movie Batman, criticized the team's owners …
Discussion:
Bucco Blog
Joe Sheehan / Baseball Prospectus:
Prospectus Today — The Decline of the Fall — Here's a travel tip: if you're going away for five days, and you wear both contacts and glasses, remember to pack the latter. Especially if you're going to watch a lot of bad baseball. — As you read what follows, remember the golden rule around here: I Am Not A Scout.
