Top News:
Associated Press:
Bonds, Giants finally complete deal — SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants completed a $15.8 million, one-year contract Monday night after the slugger spent hours at the ballpark being examined by team doctors. — A baseball official confirmed the deal …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Bonds will be lonely man in San Francisco — Sing along with Barry ... Congratulations to Akon, the Senegalese hip-hop star. His reprise of the old Bobby Vinton hit, Mr. Lonely, should be the official theme song of Bonds' countdown to 755. — What, no posse? Say it ain't so! — Those mean Giants.
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Bonds and Giants Complete a Deal Worth $15.8 Million — Almost two months after Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants agreed on the financial part of a one-year, $15.8 million contract, the two sides finally completed the remaining aspects of the deal last night.
Contra Costa Times:
Bonds is back ... whoduhthunkit? — YOU DIDN'T REALLY believe the Giants were going to back out of their deal with Barry Bonds, did you? — Giants managing general partner Peter Magowan was never going to cut ties with his living, breathing home-run-hitting ATM machine while it's still packed with cash.
Discussion:
Sports Scope
Tracy Ringolsby / Rocky Mountain News:
Rockies end talks to trade Helton — Red Sox won't give up a top prospect, ending trade talks — Todd Helton dropped by Coors Field on Monday and went through his normal winter workout with several other Rockies players. — Nothing had changed for Helton. — "Just a normal day," he said.
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Arnie Stapleton / Associated Press:
Monfort: Helton-to-Boston talks are off — DENVER (AP) — Todd Helton won't be going to the Boston Red Sox. — The Colorado Rockies announced Monday night that trade talks with the Red Sox about a possible deal that would have sent Helton to Boston have ended and "there will be no further discussions."
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Rangers move Arias to outfield — Sammy Sosa expected to sign minor league deal with Rangers today — egrant@dallasnews.com — ARLINGTON - The switch is officially on. — On the first day of the Rangers' mini-camp, prospect Joaquin Arias traded in the infield dirt for the nearly frozen tundra of center field.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Wilkerson working toward better season — Wilkerson put Rangers above all else, even his Gators, this off-season — egrant@dallasnews.com — The celebratory confetti was still fluttering from the Georgia Dome roof when Brad Wilkerson, a proud Florida Gator, sprung into action.
Clark Spencer / Miami Herald:
Pitchers Sanchez, Johnson slowed by sore arms — Two of the five members of the Marlins' starting rotation, right-handers Josh Johnson and Anibal Sanchez, are dealing with throwing arm injuries that could put a crimp in their spring training plans. — Though the injuries aren't considered serious …
Associated Press:
Weaver finalizes deal with Mariners — SEATTLE (AP) — Jeff Weaver passed his physical on Monday and finalized a one-year contract with the Seattle Mariners worth $8,325,000. — The deal with the includes $1 million in performance bonuses for the 30-year-old right-hander …
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Chris Constancio / Hardball Times:
Best Young Catchers of 2007 — Welcome to a new feature here at The Hardball Times. Over the next two months, I will contribute a position-by-position prospect list. These will differ from traditional lists in two ways. First, anyone under 25 is eligible.
Deann Smith / Kansas City Star:
County cries foul at Royals' new pitch — The team wants to use public funds to purchase a $900,000 high-tech video coaching system. — When St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols just misses launching a home run, he can dash into his clubhouse and scrutinize his at-bat before the next batter digs in.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Williams stocks Sox's pen with Cell-friendly power arms — No more gimmick pitches or attempts to trick team officials or trainers. — In a span of two years, the White Sox's bullpen has undergone a dramatic transformation that borders on an in-your-face, hard-throwing style similar …
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Zimmerman Remains Upbeat About Lineup — While Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman was on his way to driving in 110 runs as a rookie last season, there was one constant. Leadoff man Alfonso Soriano, enjoying a season in which he became just the fourth player to hit 40 homers …
Associated Press:
Yankees to help build interest in baseball in China — BEIJING — The New York Yankees agreed Tuesday to send coaches, scouts and trainers to China to help boost interest in baseball, furthering a push by the major leagues into one of the world's fastest-growing sports markets.
Bill Conlin / Centre Daily Times:
UNDERPAID SLUGGER TO GET JUST REWARDS SOON — MANY PHILLIES fans seem to be exuding a sense of dread that Ryan Howard will not be adequately rewarded for the most spectacular second-year slugging performance in baseball history. — On the face of it, there is room for fans with long memories to be concerned.
Richard Goldstein / New York Times:
Art Fowler, 84, Who Coached for Yankees Again and Again, Is Dead — Art Fowler, who became George Steinbrenner's sixth, ninth, 17th and 26th Yankees pitching coach in a turbulent baseball pairing with his often hired and fired manager and drinking buddy Billy Martin, died yesterday in Spartanburg, S.C. He was 84.
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Steve Treder / Hardball Times:
The HBP Explosion (That Almost Nobody Seems to Have Noticed) — It is a violent event. It's inherently dangerous: Always it causes pain, often it causes injury and sometimes it causes serious, career-threatening injury. It remains the only play ever to have taken the life of a major league player …
Discussion:
Sabernomics
Cory Humes / mvn.com:
Pittsburgh Pirates Roundtable #10 — Hello all, and welcome to the first PPR hosted at MVN. We're still trying to work out a few bugs, but I figured I'd post our most recent effort now for your viewing pleasure. — You can visit http://mvn.com/mlb-pirates/roundtable for the most recent roundtables.
WSB-TV:
Orioles Agree To Terms With Markakis, Claim Guthrie — Baltimore, MD — (Sports Network) - The Baltimore Orioles agreed to terms with outfielder Nick Markakis and claimed pitcher Jeremy Guthrie off waivers from the Cleveland Indians on Monday. — Markakis played in 147 games during his rookie campaign last season with the Orioles.
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe
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