Top News:
ESPN:
Utley agrees to seven-year, $85M extension — Chase Utley might be the best second baseman in the National League. Now, the Phillies are paying him as such. — Utley and the Phillies agreed to a seven-year, $85 million extension Sunday, avoiding salary arbitration.
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Ken Mandel / MLB.com:
Utley gets seven-year, $85M extension — All-Star second baseman to remain with Phillies through 2013 — PHILADELPHIA — Chase Utley exchanged marriage vows with his fiancée on Saturday afternoon in San Francisco. — A day later, the All-Star second baseman made a similar long-term commitment …
Tom G / Balls, Sticks, & Stuff:
Chase Utley and Phillies Reach 7-Year Deal — From Scott Lauber and The News Journal: … Whoa. — Just a few days ago, the Phillies and the Utley camp were exchanging arbitration figures ranging from $4.5 million to $6.5 million for the 2007 season. As it turns out, those discussions hardly qualify as sparring.
Yahoo! Sports:
Phillies sign 2B Utley to seven-year, $85 million deal — PHILADELPHIA (TICKER) — The Philadelphia Phillies clearly have built themselves around mammoth first baseman Ryan Howard and slugging second baseman Chase Utley. At least Utley will be around into the next decade.
Discussion:
The Griddle
Associated Press:
Chase banks it — All-Star Utley gets 7-year, $85M extension from Phils — PHILADELPHIA (AP) — All-Star second baseman Chase Utley signed an $85 million, seven-year contract extension with the Phillies on Sunday through the 2013 season. — Utley hit .309 last season with 40 doubles, 32 home runs, 102 RBIs and 131 runs.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Todd Zolecki / Philly.com:
7 more years for Utley — The Phillies have signed second baseman Chase Utley to a seven-year, $85 million contract extension that will keep him with the Phillies through 2013. — The Phillies and Utley had been working on an extension for some time. Utley had been eligible …
Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Ruhle passes away from cancer — Reds coach pitched 13 years in Majors with four teams — CINCINNATI — Former Reds pitching coach Vern Ruhle, who missed the 2006 season while being treated for cancer, lost his battle and died on Saturday night. — Ruhle was five days shy of his 56th birthday.
Discussion:
Blogging Baseball
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ESPN:
Ruhle dies of complications from stem cell transplant — Former Reds pitching coach Vern Ruhle died Saturday night at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston of complications from a donor stem cell transplant for the treatment of multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow. He was 55.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Rockies reach agreement with Lawrence — The Rockies, adding to their rotation depth, have reached a preliminary agreement with free-agent right-hander Brian Lawrence on a one-year contract with a club option, FOXSports.com has learned. — Lawrence, 30, likely will become the Rockies' fifth starter …
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Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies agree in principle with Lawrence — Familiarity with the region and the genuine interest from the beginning led starter Brian Lawrence to agree in principle with the Rockies on one-year deal with a club option Sunday, according to his agent. — Lawrence was born in Fort Collins and still has relatives in the area.
Dylan Hernandez / Mercury News:
Giants G.M. vague on Bonds talks — UNSPECIFIED ISSUES KEEPING DEAL FROM BEING COMPLETED — The Giants remain in contract talks with Barry Bonds, General Manager Brian Sabean said Friday. But Sabean said that those discussions are at ``the same place it's been for weeks'' because of ``numerous …
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Dick Kaegel / MLB.com:
Longtime editor of Sporting News dies — Reidenbaugh helped publication become "Bible of Baseball" — Lowell Reidenbaugh, long-time managing editor of The Sporting News, died Saturday in St. Louis. He was 87. — During Reidenbaugh's tenure, the St. Louis-based weekly publication was known as the "Bible of Baseball."
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Is there a repeat in Cards? — Carpenter confident team has strong hand — Since the Yankees strung together three championships from 1998-2000, there have been six different World Series winners, proof that repeating is so hard to do. When you consider that the Cardinals won last year's title …
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Hot Stove: Torres ready, willing to face heat — By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — Earlier in the week, before the Adam LaRoche trade rocked the Pirates' world, before Mike Gonzalez was sent off to Atlanta, Salomon Torres was choosing his words carefully when speaking …
Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs closing in on deal with Floyd — With a nod of approval from new leadoff hitter Alfonso Soriano to give center field a try, the Cubs appear poised to sign veteran outfielder Cliff Floyd to a one-year contract. — The Floyd deal, which might be completed this week …
Joe Hamrahi / baseballdigestdaily.com:
BDD GM Interview: Ned Colletti, Los Angeles Dodgers — Next up in our GM interview series is Ned Colletti of the Los Angeles Dodgers. As you all know, Ned is going through his second off-season with the Dodgers after coming over from San Francisco where he was the assistant general manager to Brian Sabean.
