Top News:
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Red Sox, Yankees fighting it out again — The Red Sox didn't make the playoffs. The Yankees didn't escape the first round. — Not to worry. — Another manic off-season is underway, and the game's fiercest rivalry is returning to its usual frenzied state.
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Tony Massarotti / Boston Herald:
Foulke has it his way — Theo Epstein must have hung up the phone and done a backflip, maybe a handspring, maybe even a cartwheel, too. He probably put on a tutu and did pirouettes down Boylston Street to share the news with Johnny from Burger King. — Keith Foulke is gone. — Whoppers for everyone.
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Conflicting Reports on Matsuzaka Bids Put Yankees Out — The mystery about which team will win the right to negotiate a contract with Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Japanese pitcher, continued yesterday. The Seibu Lions know the amount of the highest bid, but, as of last night …
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs bid for Matsuzaka, may settle for lefty — Though the Cubs entered a bid for Japanese ace Daisuke Matsuzaka, there's a better chance they will wind up with 27-year-old left-hander Kei Igawa, whom the Hanshin Tigers made available Friday. — Igawa, who was 14-9 this season …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
NY Daily News:
Yanks doubt report of Daisuke to Sox — The last time the Yankees and Red Sox clashed for an international superstar pitcher, the Yanks signed Jose Contreras, leaving Boston executives so frustrated they smashed furniture in their Nicaragua hotel room - depending on who you believe, anyway.
Discussion:
Pride of the Yankees
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:Report: Red Sox No. 1 bid for Matsuzaka
Discussion:
Tales Of A Transplanted …
Chicago Tribune:
Dye, Crede win Silver Slugger awards — White Sox third baseman Joe Crede and right fielder Jermaine Dye were among 13 first-time winners of the Silver Slugger award. — The award honors the best offensive performers at every position in each league as voted on by managers and coaches.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Mark Feinsand / MLB.com:
Jeter, Cano nab Silver Slugger Awards — Middle infielders recognized for their hitting excellence in '06 — NEW YORK — Derek Jeter's romp through postseason awards continued on Friday, as the Yankees' shortstop earned the first Silver Slugger Award of his career.
Newsday:
Mets stadium: CitiField? — Citigroup is the likely winner for the naming rights of a new Mets stadium. — Shea what? — The Mets have struck a naming-rights deal with Citigroup for their new stadium, according to a person familiar with the situation, and the new ballpark — set to open in 2009 — will be called CitiField.
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Hasani Gittens / New York Post:
METS BANK ON CITI — $20M STADIUM RIGHTS — Shea goodbye. — Citigroup Inc. will put its name on the Mets' new stadium in a deal reportedly worth $20 million a year, sources close to the negotiations said yesterday. — "CitiField" - as the new ballpark will be called …
Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
Clock ticking for Ramirez, Cubs — After a relatively dormant stretch in negotiations, talks between Cubs general manager Jim Hendry and the representative for free-agent third baseman Aramis Ramirez moved into overdrive the last 36 hours, with agent Paul Kinzer insisting Friday night the club …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:Midnight express — Deadline draws near for Ramirez, Wood
Discussion:
GROTA
Tom Haudricourt / JSOnline:
Hall might get new diamond setting — GM considers moving infielder to outfield — thaudricourt@journalsentinel.com — The likelihood of Bill Hall starting in the outfield for the Milwaukee Brewers on opening day 2007 increased over the past week. And in Japan of all places.
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Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
Benson won't seek trade … The Orioles have had talks with the New York Yankees about acquiring 30-year-old pitcher Jaret Wright, according to an industry source. The Orioles likely would have to part with a reliever in return for Wright, who has fallen out of favor in New York after two inconsistent seasons.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Edmonds, Cards agree on two-year extension — The Cardinals took a first step toward retaining the core of their world championship team Friday by finalizing a two-year, $19 million contract extension with center fielder Jim Edmonds, the team's longest-tenured player as well as its RBI leader the past postseason.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats cut prices on many 2007 tickets — Over 13,000 seats at RFK will be priced at $10 or less — The Nationals announced the 2007 prices for season tickets and single-game tickets, which include some significant price reductions from the 2006 season. Over 13,000 seats will be priced at $10 or less in 2007.
Discussion:
The Curly W
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Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Tigers acquire Sheffield for prospects — Veteran outfielder agrees to two-year extension through 2009 — DETROIT — The Tigers' Hot Stove season search for a big-name slugger ended before the stove was really warm. But it didn't come cheap. — Detroit made the first headline move …
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Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Wakamatsu returning to Rangers' staff — The Rangers' coaching staff is all but completed. — Don Wakamatsu, the bench coach for the last four seasons, has agreed to return to Ron Washington's staff as third base coach for 2007, general manager Jon Daniels said Friday.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
