Top News:
ESPN:
Howard beats out Pujols to win NL MVP award — Ryan Howard won the NL Rookie of the Year Award in his first season. He topped that in his second season by winning the MVP award. — After being named the top rookie in 2005, Howard elevated his performance to a new level in 2006.
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Ken Mandel / MLB.com:
Howard's huge year nets him NL MVP — Phils slugger led Majors in homers, RBIs in first full season — PHILADELPHIA — The sheer force of Ryan Howard's gargantuan home runs cannot accurately be measured in speed or total distance, only by the gasps from those watching such a spectacle.
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos, Amazin' Avenue, Go Crazy, Folks!, Can't Stop The Bleeding, WELCOME TO and Baseball Musings
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Howard wins NL MVP award — NEW YORK (AP) — Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies was voted the National League's Most Valuable Player on Monday after leading the majors in home runs and RBIs, beating out the St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols for the honor.
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Source: Dodgers, CF Pierre agree to five-year deal … Free agent center fielder Juan Pierre has agreed to a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a source told ESPN.com on Monday. The deal is believed to be worth $44-45 million. — The deal will become complete when Pierre passes a physical exam, the source said.
Discussion:
Dodger Thoughts, Bucs Dugout, Pinstripe Alley, 6-4-2, MLB Trade Rumors, McCovey Chronicles, Lone Star Ball, Hot Foot and True Blue LA
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Dodgers closing in on Pierre; Roberts on move? — The Dodgers are close to signing free-agent center fielder Juan Pierre, possibly paving the way for free-agent outfielder Dave Roberts to sign with the Giants, Brewers or Rangers, FOXSports.com has learned. — The Orioles are on the fringes …
Sports Illustrated:
Garciaparra and Dodgers agree to $18.5 million, two-year deal — LOS ANGELES (AP) -Six-time All-Star Nomar Garciaparra and the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed Monday to an $18.5 million, two-year contract. — The 33-year-old Garciaparra, the NL comeback player of the year …
Discussion:
True Blue LA
Toni Ginnetti / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs coup, Cubs coup — Hendry lands top free agent as Soriano agrees in principle to 8-year, $136M deal — Cubs general manager Jim Hendry has reeled in the biggest fish in baseball's free-agent pond at an unprecedented total price tag for the franchise.
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ESPN:
The missing piece? Mets ink Alou to one-year deal — The New York Mets have signed free agent outfielder Moises Alou to a one-year, $7.5 million contract with a club option for 2008, the team announced Monday. — The son of former San Francisco manager Felipe Alou …
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Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Marlins bolster 'pen with pair of trades — Fish acquire Lindstrom, Owens from Mets; Gregg from Angels — MIAMI — By pulling off a pair of trades on Monday afternoon, the Marlins better positioned themselves in their quest to reconstruct their bullpen. — In two separate deals …
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
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MLB.com:
Mets acquire left-handed pitchers Jason Vargas and Adam Bostick from Florida — The New York Mets today acquired two, 23-year-old lefthanded pitchers, Jason Vargas and Adam Bostick from the Florida Marlins in exchange for a pair of righthanded pitchers, Henry Owens and Matt Lindstrom.
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Mailbag: Free agent comings and goings — Bagwell, Nixon, Pujols, Jennings even Ryan, on fans' minds … We could have re-signed Mark DeRosa for similar money that we are paying Frank Catalanotto. Why? What is the logic here and does it signal the end of Gary Matthews Jr.'s stay with Texas?
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Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:Angels land Speier in $18-million deal
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Mets decline Glavine's option — Veteran free agent will pitch for Braves or Mets in 2007 — NEW YORK — The spirit of competition would change the normally placid demeanor of Tom Glavine whenever he considered the possibility of the Mets unseating the Braves in 2006.
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David Leonhardt / New York Times:
He's a Star, a Free Agent and, Rarer Yet, Only 26 — EARLY last week, the Boston Red Sox bid $51.1 million for nothing more than the right to negotiate a contract with an ace pitcher from Japan, Daisuke Matsuzaka. — The Red Sox now have a month to agree to a deal with Matsuzaka, whose agent is the notoriously tough Scott Boras.
Discussion:
The Feeding the Monster Blog
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MLB.com:
White Sox add five players to roster — CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox have purchased the contracts of left-handed pitchers Heath Phillips and Carlos Vasquez and infielder Andy Gonzalez from Class AAA Charlotte, right-handed pitcher Oneli Perez from Class AA Birmingham and right-hander Dewon Day from Class A Winston-Salem.
MLB.com:
Royals acquire catcher Jason LaRue from Reds — Kansas City sends Minor League player to be named to Cincinnati — KANSAS CITY - - The Kansas City Royals have acquired catcher Jason LaRue from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for a minor league player to be named, Royals Senior Vice President …
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
MLB.com:
Cubs add two to the 40-man roster — The Chicago Cubs have announced that the club has added right-handed pitcher Rocky Cherry and left-handed pitcher Clayton Rapada to their 40-man roster. The Cubs' 40-man roster now stands at 40 players. — Cherry, 27, spent the majority of the 2006 season …
Discussion:
The Cub Reporter
