Top News:
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Source: M's leading contender to land Weaver — In a blow to the World Series champion Cardinals, the Mariners have emerged as the front-runners for free-agent right-hander Jeff Weaver, FOXSports.com has learned. — Weaver, 31, is deciding whether to push for a one or two-year deal, according to a source close to the negotiations.
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John Hickey / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Lefty Rhodes winds his way back to Mariners — Hoping to bolster starting pitching, Seattle also pursuing Weaver, Redman — The Mariners reached into their past Thursday by signing veteran left-handed reliever Arthur Rhodes. At the same time, the club was trying to close in on a deal with right-handed starter Jeff Weaver.
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Seattle close to deal for Weaver — Rather than return to the World Series champions, free-agent righthander Jeff Weaver was poised Thursday night to accept a deal with the Seattle Mariners and land with his third West Coast team in as many seasons. — Terms of Weaver's pending deal remain unknown …
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Drew, Red Sox finally connect — He'll officially sign deal today — After finally acquiring contract relief in case J.D. Drew's troublesome right shoulder causes him to miss significant time, the Red Sox are expected to make official the signing of a five-year, $70 million deal today …
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Gordon Edes / Extra Bases:
Drew deal done — Outfielder J.D. Drew will indeed appear in a Red Sox uniform this season. A resolution has been reached on his contract, and an announcement of his signing of a five-year, $70 million deal is expected tomorrow. — The issues that kept a final agreement from being struck …
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Mets sign Sele to deliver — The Mets added another pitcher to their spring-training rotation competition, announcing the signing of righthander Aaron Sele to a minor-league contract. Sele, 36, went 8-6 with a 4.53 ERA in 28 appearances (15 starts) for the Dodgers in 2006.
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Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Paid at a market rate — Willie, front office agree that managing in NY is worth a premium — It took Willie Randolph and the Mets nearly three months to complete a three-year extension. There were differences of opinion about both years and dollars, and the two sides finally found enough common ground late last week.
Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Marlins' Gonzalez is duty bound — For Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez, civic duty comes before baseball duty. — Instead of preparing for spring training, Gonzalez has spent the past three weeks of his off-season in a Cobb County, Ga., courtroom as a juror in a civil trial …
Discussion:
FishStripes
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Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Sanchez has MRI on shoulder — Results show inflammation, tendinitis, but no structural damage — MIAMI — After experiencing some discomfort in his throwing shoulder, Marlins right-hander Anibal Sanchez underwent a precautionary MRI on Monday, a source confirmed to MLB.com Thursday.
NY Daily News:
The good News man — Lang loved making the Hall's call — There will be an empty chair on the dais at the Baseball Writers' Association of America's annual dinner Sunday at the New York Hilton, a tribute to our intrepid leader, Jack Lang, who died at 85 of liver disease yesterday morning …
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Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:
An Embarrassment Of Pitches — This week, Ted Lerner said he thought this winter's expensive free agent signings "could take baseball out of control." His son Mark finds the current payroll explosion "shocking." They're both correct. But they should realize two things.
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Cubs part ways with Rusch — Serious blood clot in lung shortened southpaw's '06 season — CHICAGO — The Cubs announced Thursday that they have released left-handed pitcher Glendon Rusch, whose 2006 season ended early because of a life-threatening blood clot in his lung.
Discussion:
The Cub Reporter
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Farid / The Beltway Boys:
IT'S BILL LADSON'S TIME TO SHINE IN THE BLOGGER'S SPOTLIGHT — [January 24th] — (Here is the - nearly - finished interview. There may still be a few typos, but I'll fix those later. It's time to post NOW). — After getting off the phone with Bill Ladson - who graciously gave …
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Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Yankees execs to visit Asia — Group scheduled to spend seven days in China, Japan — NEW YORK — A team of Yankees executives will travel to China next week to outline possible future growth efforts for Major League Baseball overseas, the team announced Thursday.
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Buster Olney / ESPN:Yankees seek working agreement with China baseball
Discussion:
Nationals Farm Authority
JSOnline:
Brewers' promise must be kept — When the temperature is stuck on the over / under for Bucks victories for the rest of the season and there is no football this weekend, it's comforting to know that four of the sweetest words of the winter - pitchers and catchers report - are just three weeks from happening.
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Happy ending — Randolph endured years of disappointment before finding his niche — The answer is 11. — Eleven times Willie Randolph interviewed for a managerial opening and didn't get the job, earning an unwelcome, legendary status of sorts within baseball circles.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
