Top News:
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.
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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.
Tony Massarotti / Boston Herald:
Sox roll the Dai-ce: Appear front-runner for Japanese ace — Coming off their worst season in five years, the Red Sox emerged yesterday as a front-runner for Japanese right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka, whom many regard as the best pitcher available this offseason.
Discussion:
Yanksfan vs Soxfan
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:Cubs bid for Matsuzaka, may settle for lefty
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
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 …
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Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Mets, Citigroup strike stadium deal — NEW YORK (AP) — Goodbye, Shea Stadium; hello, CitiField. — The Mets and Citigroup Inc. have agreed on a 20-year sponsorship deal for the team's new ballpark that is worth more than an average of $20 million annually and includes stadium naming rights, a baseball official said Saturday.
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.
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 — Aramis Ramirez and Kerry Wood, two of only four players remaining from the 2003 division-winning Cubs, become free agents Sunday if they don't agree to new contracts by midnight Saturday. — Both have said they want to return …
Marc Jimenez / MLB.com:
Day trying to find his groove in Arizona — Reliever one of many Sox prospects whose season goes on — It's been tough to judge the merits of 6-foot-4 reliever Dewon Day. — On one hand, the Scottsdale Scorpions hurler has been overpowering with 13 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings.
Discussion:
South Side Sox
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Eric Justic / MLB.com:
Abreu burning it up in Arizona — First baseman coming up clutch for Mesa in AFL action — Michel Abreu already has plenty of good things to remember from his Arizona Fall League season. — The highlights include a seven-game hitting streak capped by a two-homer, five-RBI performance.
Michael Echan / MLB.com:
Morgan displaying versatility in Hawaii — Catcher Doumit hits fourth home run in Mexican Winter League — Pirates prospect Nyjer Morgan, who leads Hawaii Winter Baseball with 17 stolen bases and ranks second with a .301 average, stole four bases this week.
Bill Conlin / Philadelphia Daily News:
Just say SoriaNO — I HAVE COME to praise Alfonso Soriano, not to bury him. He is a special player with special skills. He is also a flawed player with special flaws. — In his first season in leftfield - he had to be dragged there kicking and screaming - Soriano was ranked No. 3 among …
Discussion:
Phillies Nation
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Acta to be named Nats' next manager — Former Mets coach to become second skipper in team history — WASHINGTON — The Nationals will name Mets third-base coach Manny Acta as their new manager on Tuesday, according to a high-ranking baseball official. Acta will sign a two-year contract, but terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Padres bid on Japan's Iwamura — Padres General Manager Kevin Towers said yesterday the club forwarded a bid for the negotiating rights to Japanese third baseman Akinori Iwamura, viewing the versatile 27-year-old as a candidate for second base, an outfield spot or a super-utility job.
Discussion:
DRays Bay
Ryan McConnell / MLB.com:
Bergolla stays hot in Venezuela — Infielder one of several Reds prospects in offseason leagues — William Bergolla may not look like Ted Williams, but he's hitting like him this fall. — Bergolla continued his scorching Venezuela Winter League campaign this week …
Discussion:
The Cutting Edge
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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
Sports Illustrated:
The real deal — Numbers show Matsuzaka is worth every penny — The free-agent shopping season is beginning to heat up, but before it's even really begun, we're already witnessing a frenzied pursuit of a potential Japanese Leagues import, right-handed starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, pitching ace of the Seibu Lions.
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
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