Top News:
Associated Press:
Red Sox's winning bid for Matsuzaka — $51.1 million — NAPLES, Fla. — The Boston Red Sox emerged Tuesday night as winners of the bidding for Daisuke Matsuzaka with a $51.1 million offer and have 30 days to sign the Japanese pitcher to a contract. — The Seibu Lions of Japan's Pacific League announced …
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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Green light — For $51m, Sox get go-ahead on Matsuzaka — NAPLES, Fla. — What did the Red Sox accomplish in outbidding the Yankees and Mets, among others, for the rights to negotiate with Japanese ace Daisuke Matsuzaka? — "If they can sign him, they've got the best pitcher in the market …
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
Baseball's mad new world — NAPLES, Fla. - To neatly summarize baseball's new era: The Boston Red Sox are willing to pay $51.1 million merely for the right to negotiate with Scott Boras. — Such talks have, in the past, made fools of rich men, turned dark hair gray and sent systolic and diastolic pressures to unhealthy levels.
Discussion:
Where have you gone …
Sports Illustrated:
Red Sox win battle for Matsuzaka with $51 million bid — NARITA, Japan (AP) -Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka was "relieved'' to hear the Boston Red Sox had won the bidding battle to negotiate a $51.1 million offer for him to play in the major leagues. — "I was very surprised when I heard …
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Fact plus fiction, it's a great story — First of all, let's drop all talk of the "gyroball," the wonder pitch Daisuke Matsuzaka is said to throw. — He doesn't. No pro, here or in Japan, has been documented as throwing one. It's appeared only in anime, Japanese animation.
NY Daily News:
Mets appear bit gun-shy — Slow to overpay — NAPLES, Fla. - Although by virtue of their $38 million posting bid the Mets clearly viewed Daisuke Matsuzaka as a No. 1-type starter, they now appear prepared to go to Plan B for their rotation next year and that is "strength in numbers."
Discussion:
Tales Of A Transplanted …
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Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Mets Retain Father Figure and Ignore Father Time — The Mets are investing $12 million through 2008 in a pitcher many believe to be 41 years old. But for them, 40 is the new 30. With Tom Glavine still expected to be re-signed, the Mets locked up Orlando Hernández on Tuesday in a deal teetering between risky and creative.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Cubs bracing for busy off-season — NAPLES, Fla. - The Cubs, the most aggressive club at the general managers' meetings, are just getting started. — The team's ideal blueprint, according to new manager Lou Piniella, includes the addition of two more hitters and two starting pitchers.
Associated Press:
Mets keep El Duque with two-year, $12M deal — NEW YORK — The New York Mets have so much confidence in 41-year-old Orlando Hernandez, they're ready to keep him for two more seasons. — Hernandez and the Mets agreed Tuesday to a $12 million, two-year contract, filling a spot in an aging …
Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs want to put Soriano front and center — Had the Cubs failed to step up Sunday and meet Aramis Ramirez's demands, the Los Angeles Angels likely would have held a news conference today to introduce their new power-hitting third baseman with a seven-year, $100 million-plus contract.
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ESPN:
DeRosa cashes in on career year, to sign with Cubs — Mark DeRosa is poised to cash in on his career year. — The Chicago Cubs have reached an agreement on a three-year contract with DeRosa worth approximately $13 million, a team official familiar with the deal told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
Discussion:
MLB.com, CubsNet.com, St. Louis Cardinals Blog, Talking Chop, 1060west, GROTA, Chicago Cubs Blog and Cub Town
Kevin Baxter / Miami Herald:
MLB's `highest priority' — With most stadium issues resolved, baseball president Bob DuPuy said: `We want to keep baseball in South Florida.' — NAPLES - With the Oakland Athletics having resolved their stadium situation by announcing plans Tuesday for a new ballpark in Northern California …
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nationals turn to Acta, naturally — One-time coach with franchise returns as manager — WASHINGTON — The Nationals formally named Manny Acta their manager during a news conference at the Washington Square Building on Tuesday afternoon. He will wear No. 14, the same number he wore …
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Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:Incoming Acta Has Outgoing Style
Discussion:
MLB.com, Washington Times, Capitol Punishment, District of Baseball and William F. Yurasko
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Jennings plays waiting game — Naples, Fla. - Jason Jennings has reached a critical juncture in his Rockies career. He's a free agent at season's end, and the team has offered him a two-year deal with a club option averaging approximately $7 million per season.
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Bill Plaschke / Los Angeles Times:
Contrite Beimel wants to mend shattered hearts — Any day now, the tattoo will be carefully needled into his upper right arm. — Don't tell Joe Beimel he's crazy, because he's not changing his mind. Of all the strange things that have happened to him in the last couple of months, nothing makes more sense.
Ed Sherman / Chicago Tribune:
Hall? Yeeesss! Well, maybe — Harrelson among those eligible for Frick consideration — Ken Harrelson isn't going to the Hall of Fame as a player, not with a .239 career batting average. But Harrelson could merit inclusion in Cooperstown as an announcer with a little help from his fans.
ESPN:
Giants pursuing NL hits leader Pierre … Here's the latest news from Jerry Crasnick at the GM meetings: — • The Phillies, looking to sign a pitcher from the second tier of free-agent starters, spoke with representatives for Adam Eaton on Tuesday in Naples.
