Top News:
Enrique Rojas / ESPN:
Sources: Rangers offer minor league deal to Sosa … The Texas Rangers have offered Sammy Sosa a minor league contract and invited him to spring training, where the veteran slugger would have the chance to make the major league club, a source told ESPNdeportes.com Tuesday.
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Jan Hubbard / Dallas Star-Telegram:
Fans get answers on Sosa, top prospect — The Rangers had their second town hall meeting of the year Tuesday night, and fans wasted little time in getting to the most important issues of the off-season. — First question: "How much is parking this year?"
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Sosa: A happy ending where it all began? — Close to signing with Texas, and it looks like he can still hit — Wearing shorts and a T-shirt, his forearms rippling, Sammy Sosa worked up a sweat Monday in the indoor cage at the Texas Rangers' Ameriquest Field.
Dallas Morning News:
Rangers should steer clear of Sosa — Slugger, a shadow of former self, could be a clubhouse distraction — There's no need for the Rangers to sign Sammy Sosa. — They don't need him to contend in the American League West or take spring training at-bats away from young players such as Jason Botts, Victor Diaz and Nelson Cruz.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Sosa gets an offer from Rangers — The Rangers' decision to pursue outfielder Sammy Sosa wasn't based on his workout for club officials Monday in Arlington, Texas. — His actual audition occurred approximately two weeks ago, when Sosa displayed his skills to Rangers scout Don Welke in the Dominican Republic.
Discussion:
The Baseball Zealot
Jeff Seidel / MLB.com:
World champ Cards visit White House — Team has brief ceremony with President Bush to celebrate — WASHINGTON — St. Louis manager Tony La Russa, pitching coach Dave Duncan, chairman of the board/general partner William O. DeWitt and a group of players got a chance to meet President George W. Bush at the White House last August.
Discussion:
The Baseball Desert
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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates, Sanchez far apart in arbitration — Gonzalez, Nady sign, but five others exchange salary figures — By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — The Pirates avoided arbitration with closer Mike Gonzalez and first baseman/outfielder Xavier Nady by agreeing to one-year contracts yesterday …
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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Drew, Red Sox continue negotiating contract — It was Dec. 5, at about 6:45 p.m., in the lobby of The Dolphin Hotel in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., when Scott Boras announced that J.D. Drew had agreed to a five-year, $70 million deal with the Red Sox. Today is Jan. 17, 2007.
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Pitching still a major concern for most teams — Major league teams have increased their spending to outrageous new levels, and for what? — The free-agent market is nearly dry, spring training is a month away and a significant number of teams are still worried about their starting pitching.
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Phil Sheridan / Centre Daily Times:
Will it be enough to heat up the super-cool Pat Burrell? — There isn't much chance the Phillies deliberately attempted to add energy and attitude to their roster by emulating the Eagles' mid-season resurgence. — So it's mere coincidence the Phillies traded for Freddy Garcia …
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Brent Schrotenboer / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Marcus Giles detained after fight at Qualcomm — New Padres second baseman Marcus Giles was handcuffed, detained and escorted from Qualcomm Stadium during Sunday's Chargers playoff game after getting involved in a fight on the stadium's club level, according to police.
Murray Chass / New York Times:
Unsigned Bonds Awaits Further Review — Six weeks after they agreed to terms on new contracts, Barry Bonds and J. D. Drew remain unsigned. Bonds hasn't signed with the Giants; Drew hasn't signed with the Red Sox. That prompts a thought. If both contracts were to fall through …
Associated Press:
A's avoid arbitration with 1-year deals for Bradley, Scutaro, Calero — OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics agreed to one-year contracts with outfielder Milton Bradley, infielder Marco Scutaro and right-hander Kiko Calero on Tuesday, avoiding arbitration for all three regulars.
Discussion:
Athletic Supporters
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Big pay boost for LaRoche — Braves, first baseman $900K apart in arbitration offers — Adam LaRoche's career-best performance in 2006 helped earn the Braves first baseman what will amount to about a 700-percent raise for the upcoming season. — LaRoche asked for $3.7 million …
Dave Sheinin / Washington Post:
Nats, Snelling Agree; Other Deals Pending — The Washington Nationals agreed to a one-year, $450,000 contract with newly acquired outfielder Chris Snelling yesterday, thus avoiding an arbitration hearing with one of their six eligible players. However, none of the others is expected …
Jason Dearen / Associated Press:
A's owner outlines new ballpark plans in first public meeting — FREMONT, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Athletics co-owner Lew Wolff invoked visions of Boston's Fenway Park and Chicago's Wrigley Field as he outlined an ambitious development plan for a new ballpark Tuesday.
Sam Rubenstein / SLAM Online:
Eli Manning, Karaoke star in a football player's body — My hatred and disappoinment and anger and sadness and depression and rage towards Eli Manning has been well-documented. I have never met the man, and he has never met me. We are strangers. — We are also enemies.
