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.
Billfer / The Detroit Tiger Weblog:
Tigers acquire Gary Sheffield — The Tigers have traded Humberto Sanchez, Kevin Whelan, and Anthony Claggett to the Yankees for Gary Sheffield. The Tigers and Sheffield have also agreed on a 2 year contract extension. — Humberto Sanchez was probably the 3rd best prospect …
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 …
Discussion:
GROTA
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.
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
Leo Standora / NY Daily News:
Mets' Shea goodbye — New Queens park to be named CitiField after U.S. bank - sources — The Mets' new ballpark won't be named after any baseball heroes - you can bank on that. — It'll be called CitiField for Citigroup Inc., the biggest bank in the U.S., sources familiar with negotiations said yesterday.
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
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Sports Illustrated:The real deal — Numbers show Matsuzaka is worth every penny
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:Report: Red Sox No. 1 bid for Matsuzaka
Discussion:
Tales Of A Transplanted …
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.
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Bill Conlin / Philadelphia Daily News:Just say SoriaNO — I HAVE COME to praise Alfonso Soriano, not to bury him.
Discussion:
Phillies Nation
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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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.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
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
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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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.
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
