Top News:
Elliott Almond / Mercury News:
Bonds' contract: Deal or no deal? — AGENT: HE WON'T SIGN GIANTS' REVISED PACT — Barry Bonds' done deal isn't: The newly signed one-year agreement between the Giants and their home-run star hit a snag Wednesday. — The main sticking point appears to be a ``personal-appearances'' provision …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
RELATED:
NY Daily News:
Agent: Bonds won't sign — The Barry Bonds contract saga took another mysterious turn last night when his agent said he was not signing a revised version of the one-year, $15.8 million deal after commissioner Bud Selig rejected a section having to do with personal appearances.
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
For Rangers, the line forms at the end — Competition will be fierce for last spot in rotation — egrant@dallasnews.com — ARLINGTON - Those Rangers. Real jokers. — Just consider their next scheduled prank: In two weeks, they'll see how many fifth-starter candidates they can stuff into one tiny spring training camp.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
RELATED:
Jim Reeves / Dallas Star-Telegram:
A cold day in January may mean a hot summer — ARLINGTON —You tell me what's wrong with this picture: Sleet. Thirty-five degrees. Stocking cap. Heavy sweatshirt... shorts? — Hey, what'd you expect from a Southern California surfer dude, common sense?
Kat O'Brien / Dallas Star-Telegram:
Washington tackles his off-season projects — ARLINGTON — First-year Rangers manager Ron Washington doesn't claim to be a miracle worker. He doesn't say he can create talent from thin air. — Washington does, however, believe that he can maximize the talent a player already has.
Ken Peters / Associated Press:
Dice-K adjusting quickly to life in America — NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. —Daisuke Matsuzaka is quickly putting his off-the-field worries behind him. Now, the Japanese ace is hungry for spring training with the Boston Red Sox. — "One of the things I was most worried about in coming over here was obviously the food.
Discussion:
Yanksfan vs Soxfan
RELATED:
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
LaRoche: Braves, fans were spoiled — The Braves will hold their FanFest Saturday at Turner Field, and Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, Jeff Francoeur and 15 other players are scheduled to attend and sign autographs. — Not on the list, of course, is Adam LaRoche.
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
DeWitt insists Cardinals made fair offer to Weaver — Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. insisted Wednesday night the club's unwillingness to match the Seattle Mariners' one-year, $8.325 million bid for righthander Jeff Weaver had everything to do with the value placed on the free agent …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Brian / The BM Rant:
Negadelphia Sports Writers And The Fans Who Hate Them — In case you missed it, the Philadelphia media breathlessly reported on yesterday's Donovan McNabb Chunky Soup press conference with a fervor and zeal usually reserved for coverage of assassinated heads of state. — The reason for the intense interest?
NY Daily News:
Yanks to Stot: Yer out! — For the first time time in the Joe Torre era, Mel Stottlemyre won't have a role with the Yankees this season, not even in spring training. — After retiring as pitching coach following the 2005 season, Stottlemyre helped the Yankees make the transition to Ron Guidry in spring training last year.
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Stealing home — Farm talent makes for easy pickings — As Rockies fans braced for Todd Helton's potential exit this week, there was a bit of good news. ESPN.com ranked Colorado's farm system the second best in baseball. The reality, according to owner Charlie Monfort …
Cory Humes / Pittsburgh Lumber Co.:
Pittsburgh Pirates Roundtable #11 — Question #1: — True or false: The Pirates are putting too much stock in their top four starting pitchers. — Wilbur T. Miller from Pirate Player Profiles: — True. The bullpen figures to be deep but not outstanding, especially with Gonzalez gone.
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Stadium to see Stars in finale — As first reported in the Daily News on Dec. 10, Major League Baseball officially awarded the 2008 All-Star Game to Yankee Stadium yesterday at City Hall. — Commissioner Bud Selig, Mayor Bloomberg, Yankees general partner Steve Swindal and COO Lonn Trost were on hand for the announcement.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Washington Post:
Arbitration Hearings for Nats' Cordero, Kearns, Patterson Are Set — Hearings have been set for the Washington Nationals' three remaining arbitration cases — closer Chad Cordero, outfielder Austin Kearns and right-hander John Patterson. The club and the players' representatives have until …
Discussion:
District of Baseball
Baseball Prospectus:
ATLANTA BRAVES — Signed RHP Tanyon Sturtze to one-year deal. [12/3] — Acquired RHP Rafael Soriano from the Mariners for LHP Horacio Ramirez. [12/7] — Non-tendered 2B-R Marcus Giles and RHP Chris Reitsma. [12/12] — Signed RHP Buddy Carlyle, LHP Steve Colyer, OF-L Doug Clark …
Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
O's close in on one-year deal with Roberts … While continuing to discuss a long-term contract extension with Brian Roberts, the Orioles are closing in on a one-year deal with the second baseman that, in the short term, will help the two sides avoid salary arbitration.
Jack Etkin / Rocky Mountain News:
Barmes intent on seizing opportunity — The groundwork is firmly in place, vitally important hitting changes that Clint Barmes had to make after last season. — His statistical plunge was bad enough. Ultimately, Barmes lost his job as the Rockies shortstop and spent most of September watching Troy Tulowitzki play that position.
