Top News:
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Yankees win rights to Igawa for $26,000,194 — NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees got a chance to sign a Japanese pitcher on their second try this offseason, winning the rights Tuesday to Kei Igawa after losing out to the Boston Red Sox two weeks ago for Daisuke Matsuzaka.
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Jimmy Golen / Associated Press:
Red Sox can't reduce bid for Matsuzaka — BOSTON - The Boston Red Sox cannot reduce their $51.1 million bid for Daisuke Matsuzaka in order to sign him, even if his Japanese team agrees to take less, baseball officials said Tuesday. — "There are no side deals in the situation," …
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Yankees win rights to Japan's Igawa — NEW YORK - The New York Yankees won the bidding for Japanese pitcher Kei Igawa when the Hanshin Tigers accepted their offer of about $25 million Tuesday. — The identity of the winning team was disclosed by a baseball official who spoke on condition …
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog
Sports Illustrated:
Hanshin accepts $25M bid for Igawa — The Hanshin Tigers have accepted the top bid — believed to be about $25 million — for left-handed pitcher Kei Igawa, SI.com has learned. — Major League Baseball is expected to announce Tuesday night which team won the bidding.
Discussion:
On the Yankees beat, Mets Today, YanksBlog.com, Always Amazin', Hot Foot and MetsBlog.com
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Cardinals close to bringing back Kennedy — The Cardinals, bringing back one of their former prospects, are on the verge of signing free-agent second baseman Adam Kennedy to a three-year, $10 million contract, FOXSports.com has learned. — Kennedy, 30, will replace free agent Ron Belliard …
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R.B. Fallstrom / Associated Press:
Kennedy, Kip Wells agree to deals with Cardinals — ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Cardinals made their first big moves since winning the World Series, agreeing Tuesday to a $10 million, three-year contract with second baseman Adam Kennedy and a $4 million, one-year deal with right-hander Kip Wells.
Discussion:
Where have you gone …
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Kennedy returns to Cardinals with three-year deal … Free agent second baseman Adam Kennedy has reached agreement on a three-year, $10 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals. The team is expected to announce the contract Tuesday afternoon. — Kennedy was St. Louis' first-round pick …
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
What are the Orioles thinking? — There are two ways to view the Orioles' investment of nearly $42 million in relievers Jamie Walker, Danys Baez and Chad Bradford. — A. The Orioles, coming off nine consecutive losing seasons, needed to overpay each reliever in a three-year contract to attract him to Baltimore, or,
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Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
O's add 4; 2 pitchers for 'pen … Six days before the start of baseball's winter meetings, the Orioles' offseason wish list grew smaller Tuesday, thanks to a flurry of activity that landed the club three new faces and welcomed back a familiar one. — Continuing a thorough overhaul of their bull pen …
Spencer Fordin / MLB.com:
Reports: O's sign pair of righty relievers — Bradford to ink three-year deal; Williamson to get one-year deal — According to two published reports, the Orioles might be close to adding two more relievers to their overhauled bullpen. The Baltimore Sun is reporting that the O's …
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Blue Jays, Zaun agree on $7.25M deal — In a stunning turn of events, the Blue Jays have reached agreement with free-agent catcher Gregg Zaun on a two-year, $7.25 million contract, FOXSports.com has learned. — The Jays had a two-year, $5.25 million deal in place with free-agent catcher Rod Barajas …
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Larry Dobrow / CBS SportsLine.com:
Throw clueless GM Littlefield off Pirates' sinking ship — The Pittsburgh Pirates might be one of baseball's two or three franchises truly beyond resuscitation, and I can tell you why in three words: Dave Motherbleepin' Littlefield. — In his five tragic years as the team's executive zookeeper …
tigerscentral.com:
Guillen Named DIBS Player of the Year — Rogers and Verlander also garner hardware — DETROIT, Mich. — The Detroit Independent Baseball Scribes announced Tuesday (Nov. 28) the winners of the 2006 DIBS Awards. Shortstop Carlos Guillen was named the DIBS Player of the Year as voted on by DIBS members.
Discussion:
Mack Avenue Tigers
RELATED:
Ian C. / Sweaty Men Endeavors:Carlos Guillen - you have DIBS
Discussion:
The Wayne Fontes Experience
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Brewers closing in on Counsell — The Milwaukee Brewers are getting closer to a deal with free-agent infielder Craig Counsell, FOXSports.com has learned. — If the Brewers are able to land the former Diamonbacks shortstop, it could result in the Padres making a move to obtain Tony Graffanino as their every day second baseman.
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Leaving Tucson will be tricky — Sox need replacement before Glendale move — Moving their spring-training home from Tucson to Glendale, Ariz., might seem easy for the White Sox. — Their toughest task will be finding a team to replace them at the facility they share with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Discussion:
South Side Sox
Jeffrey Flanagan / Kansas City Star:
Sabes says he would decline Hall honor — Bret Saberhagen doesn't hold any illusions about his chances of making it into the Baseball Hall of Fame now that he's entered his first year on the ballot. — But Saberhagen had some startling words for Hall voters about what he'd do if he got in.
