Top News:
Steve Henson / Los Angeles Times:
Pierre, Dodgers close in on deal — Sources say the club and the center fielder have agreed to terms on a five-year contract believed to be worth about $44 million. — With the free-agent landscape for power hitters becoming increasingly bleak, the Dodgers moved quickly to obtain speed …
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Soriano says wanting to win led to exit — Former Nats slugger reiterates he enjoyed time in Washington — WASHINGTON — Left fielder Alfonso Soriano said on Monday that remaining with the Nationals was his top priority, but he decided to sign an eight-year, $136 million contract with the Cubs instead.
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Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Cubs complete blockbuster with Soriano — Eight-year, $136 million contract richest in team history — CHICAGO — For Alfonso Soriano, a 40-40-40 season equals $136 million. — The Cubs, who have been signing players at a dizzying pace, locked in the free-agent outfielder on Monday to an eight-year deal worth $136 million.
Ed Eagle / MLB.com:
Bucs make 40-man roster adjustments — Three make first appearance for Rule 5 Draft protection — PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates announced their 40-man roster late on Monday night, just prior to the midnight ET deadline for rosters to be submitted.
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Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Vasquez final piece of Tigers' roster — Inclusion on 40-man list protects right-hander from Rule 5 Draft — DETROIT — The Tigers finalized their 40-man roster on Monday. They just happened to do it with 39 players. — By purchasing the contract of right-hander Virgil Vasquez from Triple-A Toledo …
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
Alou in, Glavine inches out — Moises Alou officially became a member of the Mets yesterday, but Tom Glavine may have moved a step closer to leaving Flushing and returning to the Braves. — In keeping with his transaction-a-day approach over the last week, Omar Minaya finally announced …
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MetsBlog.com
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Ben Shpigel / New York Times:Alou Signs 1-Year Deal to Play Left for Mets
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Archie Bunker's Army
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:Marlins bolster 'pen with pair of trades
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
George King / New York Post:
SAY IT AIN'T CO — JETER MIGHT TIE MORNEAU FOR AL MVP — How close was the AL MVP voting that will be announced today? Throughout baseball yesterday an unsubstantiated rumor buzzed the landscape that Derek Jeter and Twins first baseman Justin Morneau had tied for the award.
Discussion:
Pride of the Yankees
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
For Wright, Alou move 'bittersweet' — After time away, star finds changes abound at Shea — NEW YORK — After a long season, a too-short postseason and barnstorming in Japan, David Wright returned home to Virginia on Monday and learned his baseball home had undergone a facelift.
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Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Market favors a Ramírez deal — The list of possible trading partners for the Red Sox in a Manny Ramírez deal shrank by another team yesterday, even as an exploding market makes the remaining $38 million on Ramírez's contract appear a relative bargain.
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards cut Bigbie, add 4 to roster — Outfielder Larry Bigbie's injury-riddled, frustrated and brief time with the Cardinals likely ended Monday as the team requested release waivers on him as part of a handful of moves. Bigbie missed all but 25 at-bats of the season because of various injuries …
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Alou signs one-year deal with Mets — Club declines Glavine's option, but hopes to re-sign him — NEW YORK — The offensive shortfall against left-handed pitching that afflicted the Mets in late summer has been addressed, so too the situation involving Tom Glavine.
Discussion:
It's Outta Here!
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Pitcher gets taste of the US — Sox brass flies out to dine with Matsuzaka — From the team that made a working dinner out of Thanksgiving (Curt Schilling) and conducted high-wire negotiations on a Dominican airport tarmac (Pedro Martínez) comes news of another potentially portentous meeting …
baseballdigestdaily.com:
The Bizarro MVP — In 1994, Jeff Bagwell hit .368, reached base forty-five percent of the time, slugged .750, and cranked thirty-nine homers in exactly 400 at-bats. He far outclassed the rest of the National League and, when the writers got around to voting on individual awards for a sport mired …
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Trade route likely for Sox — Moving starting pitcher would afford payroll flexibility — On the same day the Cubs signed free agent Alfonso Soriano to the richest contract in franchise history and the Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly agreed to a five-year deal with leadoff hitter Juan Pierre …
Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:
National Pastime Getting World Serious — On my desk, as a reminder of baseball's biggest trend, sits the hat of the team that could claim it was world champ this year. The cap does not say "St. Louis." It reads "Japan," the country that beat Cuba to win the World Baseball Classic in March.
Rick Gano / Associated Press:
Soriano, Cubs agree to $136 million, 8-year deal — CHICAGO (AP) — Serious about winning, the Chicago Cubs have become big spenders and have agreed with Alfonso Soriano on the richest contract in club history. — A blend of power and speed, and just the fourth player in major league history …
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