Top News:
Steve Silva / Extra Bases:
Schilling: I'll play in '08 — Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling said this morning on Boston sports radio station WEEI that he will not retire from baseball at the end of this season, as he previously had planned, and that he is in discussions with the Red Sox on a contract extension for 2008.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Tracy Ringolsby / Rocky Mountain News:
Helton to Red Sox is far from a done deal — Renewed talks about a trade in which the Rockies would send first baseman Todd Helton to the Boston Red Sox hit another snag Sunday as the Rockies remained firm in their demand that one of the elite prospects in the Boston system be included if a deal is made.
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Proposed trade of Helton huge part of work week — Rockies manager Clint Hurdle arrives back at his office today from the team's fantasy camp in Tucson. General manager Dan O'Dowd, weather permitting, should return today from a family matter, allowing Rockies officials to huddle …
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Is moving Helton right for the Rockies? — The Rockies must think Todd Helton is done. — Otherwise, it makes little sense for them to trade Helton at this late stage of the off-season. — If, as owner Charlie Monfort says, the Rockies are trying to win the N.L. West, how would trading Helton to the Red Sox help?
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
A trade with possibilities — Helton would be intriguing acquisition — Maybe his home run production has diminished. Maybe he's amassed impressive numbers in a great hitter's park, Coors Field. But I must admit, I am utterly fascinated by the prospect of Todd Helton in the Red Sox lineup.
Sal Baxamusa / Hardball Times:
The Curious Case of Captain Kirk — Last week, the Cincinnati Reds acquired Kirk Saarloos from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for a Double-A relief prospect. There's nothing all that interesting about the trade; the A's freed up some salary while easing the crunch in their bullpen …
Discussion:
The Cutting Edge
Todd Jacobson / Free Lance-Star:
A little less uncertainty for Nats' O'Connor — A little less uncertainty for Nats' O'Connor — Mike O'Connor hasn't picked up a baseball all winter, and thanks to elbow surgery in November, he won't be able to compete for a spot in the Washington Nationals' rotation this spring, but the left-hander can't complain too much.
Kevin Baxter / Miami Herald:
Umpires finding their calling — Learning to be an umpire is a labor of love for hundreds of hopefuls each year. `If you haven't actually stepped out there on the field, you really don't have an appreciation for what actually goes into it.' — kbaxter@MiamiHerald.com
Discussion:
FishStripes
Bob Herzog / Newsday:
Reggie, Hough feted at dinner — Baseball's past, spiced with Yankees flavoring, and its present, served with a heaping portion of Mets, was on the menu at last night's 84th New York Chapter Baseball Writers Association of American dinner at the New York Hilton.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Jack Curry / New York Times:
3 Weeks to Pitchers and Molinas — The energetic, young children scampered along a bumpy dirt infield, chased baseballs around an outfield that was missing almost as much grass as it contained and sidestepped a leaning light tower that was a miniature Tower of Pisa.
Chris Jenkins / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Hot prospect at hot corner — Padres hope Kouzmanoff will be a hit right off the bat like he was for Indians — One pitch into his major league career, Kevin Kouzmanoff already had done as much as a man can possibly do with a swing of the bat. One very dizzying, mind-numbing, discombobulating swing of the bat.
Discussion:
Ducksnorts
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Chris Jenkins / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Parallels to the past — Barfield's trade to Cleveland brings back memories of Alomar deal — Were it any team involved except the Padres, and if he played any other position but second base, it probably would've been just another case of a younger guy turning over his number to a veteran with more seniority.
Todd Helton / Boston Globe:
Rockies, Sox talk Helton — The Colorado Rockies have expressed interest in dealing first baseman Todd Helton to the Red Sox, major league sources told the Globe's Nick Cafardo Saturday. The teams spoke about a Manny Ramirez-for-Helton swap at the GM meetings in November …
Bill Ladson / washington.nationals.mlb.com:
Patterson is 100 percent ready — Washington right-hander says his arm 'feels great' — WASHINGTON — Nationals pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training on Feb. 13, and right-hander John Patterson said on Sunday night his right forearm is 100 percent and he is ready for the 2007 season.
Discussion:
District of Baseball
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Fields' dreams are now in play — Sox's plans hinge on Podsednik's health, youngster's growth — The only certainty in Josh Fields' off-season occurred Dec. 17 when he got married. — That was before third baseman Joe Crede signed a one-year, $4.94 million contract …
Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
Feeling like a marked man — Life was much easier for Mark Buehrle when he was the reigning Wheaties cover boy last winter. The popular left-hander was the cereal-box symbol of the White Sox' World Series-winning season of 2005. — These days, Buehrle is the poster boy of all that went wrong for the Sox in 2006.
RELATED:
John Harper / NY Daily News:
Bernie torn on future — Bernie Williams is all too aware that the Yankees seem to be close to closing the door on his career in pinstripes, and he said he's not taking it personally. But as he spoke about his baseball future last night, he said nothing definitively to answer the question of whether he is ready to call it a career.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
