Top News:
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Sox should make move on Manny — Rats. I was pretty sure Manny Ramírez was going to win the MVP award. Too bad he was topped by winner Justin Morneau, runner-up Derek Jeter, David Ortiz, and an ensemble cast of American League worthies. — Here in Red Sox Nation …
Discussion:
Surviving Grady
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Morneau's fine, but feel free to argue — I am fine with the choice of Twins first baseman Justin Morneau as American League MVP. I also would have been fine with the selection of Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter or Twins catcher Joe Mauer. The whole thing is completely subjective and debatable …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Kelly Thesier / MLB.com:
Morneau upsets field in AL MVP race — Twins first baseman tops Jeter, Ortiz and Thomas — MINNEAPOLIS — Justin Morneau had some stiff competition when it came to earning American League Most Valuable Player honors, and that was just on his team. — But while the Twins had multiple candidates …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings, It's Outta Here!, The Joy of Sox, Mack Avenue Tigers, Lookout Landing, Lone Star Ball and A Red Sox Fan …
ESPN:
Morneau edges Jeter to win AL MVP — NEW YORK — Minnesota's Justin Morneau edged the New York Yankees' Derek Jeter to win the American League's Most Valuable Player Award on Tuesday. — Morneau received 15 first-place votes, eight seconds, three thirds and two fourths for 320 points …
Aaron / AaronGleeman.com:Countdown to Complain — The American League MVP gets handed out this afternoon.
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Rangers take step to fill leadoff spot — Catalanotto signs $13.3 million deal with former club — ARLINGTON — The Rangers realize that the chances of re-signing center fielder Gary Matthews are decreasing as the offseason goes along. — They still aren't sure who will play center field …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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Dallas Morning News:
No bargains in free-agent shopping — You have undoubtedly looked at the paper or the Web site - or at least we in the newspaper industry all pray that you have - in the last couple of weeks and seen numbers that make you do spit takes. — Boston paid $51.1 million to talk, yes, just to talk, to Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
D-Rays have what other teams want — Think the Red Sox's Manny Ramirez is a bargain with only two years left on his contract? Discerning shoppers on the trade market should check out the Devil Rays' stash. — Left fielder Carl Crawford is signed for $27.5 million over the next four years, including two club options.
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Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Angels high on Matthews' list — The Angels have emerged as the favorites to land free-agent center fielder Gary Matthews Jr., whose career year with the Texas Rangers has put him in line for a four- or five-year deal that will probably net him at least $10 million a year.
Discussion:
Halos Heaven
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Acta selects his coaching staff — Surrounds himself with 'a good mix of experienced people' — WASHINGTON — Manager Manny Acta added Rick Aponte, Pat Corrales, Jerry Morales, Mitchell Page and Tim Tolman to his coaching staff on Tuesday. — Corrales will be Acta's bench coach …
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MLB.com:
Nationals manager Manny Acta names 2007 coaching staff — The Washington Nationals today completed their 2007 coaching staff by hiring six gentlemen who bring energy, experience, familiarity and diverse baseball backgrounds to the club's dugout and clubhouse.
Discussion:
District of Baseball
Michael Morrissey / New York Post:
TRUST OF BRAVE GM KEY ISSUE FOR GLAV — It's business, not personal. At least, that should be John Schuerholz's hope if he wants to bring Tom Glavine back to Atlanta in 2007. — After a season in which the two men had a serious falling out, the Atlanta GM declined to discuss the health …
David Lennon / Newsday:
Floyd has no hard feelings — Cliff Floyd's stay with the Mets ended without a phone call Monday when general manager Omar Minaya officially introduced Moises Alou as the team's new leftfielder. — As much as Floyd enjoyed the Mets' turnaround over the last two years, and hoped for a return to Flushing …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Happy days, indeed — Newest Cub loves Chicago, Piniella, leading off, outfield — When the Cubs celebrate the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field in 2014, Alfonso Soriano should be entering the final year of his $136 million contract. — After signing his megadeal Monday morning at Wrigley …
Discussion:
GROTA
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Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Rockies, Francis agree to four-year, $13.25M deal … Pitcher Jeff Francis has reached agreement on a four-year, $13.25 million contract with the Colorado Rockies, a source told ESPN.com. The contract includes a fifth-year club option that could bring the total value of the deal to more than $20 million.
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StatsGuru / Baseball Musings:
Probabilistic Model of Range, First Basemen, 2006 — Here's how PMR ranks the first basemen: — Probabilistic Model of Range, First Basemen. Model is Based on 2006 Data Only. Minimum 1000 Balls in Play. — Player In Play Actual Outs Predicted Outs DER Predicted DER Difference — Kendry Morales
RELATED ITEMS:
StatsGuru / Baseball Musings:Probabilistic Model of Range, Centerfielders, 2006
Discussion:
Chronicles of the Lads
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Q&A WITH ANGELS' JUSTIN SPEIER — Fresh off the signing of a four-year, $18-million contract with the Angels, right-handed reliever Justin Speier addressed his new deal and his role with his new team on a conference call with the Southern California media Tuesday.
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers add three to 40-man roster — Pitching prospects Hull, Hammes, Megrew protected — LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers added pitchers Eric Hull, Zach Hammes and Mike Megrew to the 40-man roster Tuesday. — Hull, who will be 27 in December, is a 5-foot-11, 185-pound right-hander.
Paul Lukas / Uni Watch:
Rear View Mirror — Got an intriguing note yesterday from reader Cliff Corcoran. Check it out: … Corcoran's question, which I'll get to in a second, raises a larger issue: We often think we know what an old uniform looked like, because of templates like this or this.
