Top News:
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
Williams hits dour note — Might pick guitar over Yanks — NEW MILFORD, Conn. - One of the most revered Yankees of this generation acknowledged last night that it finally looks like "Bye-bye, Bernie." — Longtime outfielder Bernie Williams admitted that he is not inclined to take the Yankees …
RELATED:
Jim Baumbach / Newsday:
With end in sight, he's got the blues — Saddened Bernie isn't inclined to accept non-roster invitation — NEW MILFORD, Conn. - Bernie Williams couldn't bring himself to say his Yankees career is over, but the sad look on his face and his somber tone provided enough proof.
Fox Sports:
Williams won't accept Yankees offer — Bernie Williams will not accept a minor-league contract offer from the New York Yankees, according to a report in the New York Times. — Williams, speaking with reporters before a concert in Connecticut, said he would prefer to stay at home …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
ESPN:
Report: Bernie says no to Yanks' spring training invite — Five-time All-Star Bernie Williams has rejected the New York Yankees' offer of a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training, according to newspaper reports. — Instead, Williams on Friday revealed his preference to stay at home …
George King / New York Post:ONE MORE TIME — BERNIE EXPECTED TO TAKE ANOTHER SWING AT MAKING YANKEES ROSTER
Discussion:
Babes Love Baseball
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:Williams Spurns Longshot Chance at Making Yanks' Roster
Discussion:
Off the Facade, WasWatching.com, Bronx Banter, Peter's Red Sox Forever and MLB Trade Rumors
C.J. Nitkowski / Ap/sports/baseball …:
Nitkowski's Japanese Journey Begins — MIYAZAKI, Japan - After 12 spring trainings in major league baseball with seven different teams, I would have felt confident saying that I have seen all spring training could possibly have to offer. That was, of course, before I began my 13th spring training …
Evan Grant / NBCSports.com:
Bargain shopping — Looking at the best deals of the offseason — DALLAS — According to Chinese astrology, 2007 is the Year of the Pig. According to baseball's zodiac, it has been the Year of the Sheep. Or the Lemming. One-by-one owners seem to have mindlessly followed one another off …
Associated Press:
Rays C Paul gets $150,000 raise after losing in arbitration — CBS SportsLine.com wire reports — PHOENIX — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays won the first arbitration decision of the year Saturday — against backup catcher Josh Paul. — Paul sought a raise from $475,000 to $940,000 at Friday's hearing.
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Associated Press:
Arbitrators decide on Dodgers' offer in case vs. Beimel — CBS SportsLine.com wire reports — PHOENIX — The Los Angeles Dodgers won their arbitration case against reliever Joe Beimel on Saturday, setting his salary at $912,500 this year. — Beimel asked for a raise from $425,000 to $1.25 million at Friday's hearing.
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Baseball: Splendor in the grass — Rockies ownership has lost its patience. It wants, at minimum, a .500 record this season. It wants a competitive team from April's first pitch to September's last out. The manager and general manager are on notice. — The clock is ticking …
Discussion:
Purple Row
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
3. how is the starting lineup coming along? — The Cardinals are remarkably set within their lineup. Of the 14 players who received at least 100 at-bats and were with them at the end of last season, only second baseman Ronnie Belliard is gone. — Signing Adam Kennedy to a three-year …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Insult of Parque leads to comeback — Former Sox pitcher gets chance with Mariners — During the six-day trip to Africa, he both learned of the neck surgery that would take left-hander Dave Williams out of the running for a fifth starter's job and arranged for a replacement.
New York Times:
Hank Bauer, 84, World Series Star, Dies — Hank Bauer, a bruising pipe fitter and decorated combat veteran who became an All-Star outfielder for the Yankees, playing in nine World Series, and who later managed the Baltimore Orioles to a stunning Series victory, died yesterday in Shawnee Mission, Kan. He was 84.
Dom Amore / Hartford Courant:
Exit Door Hardest To Open — Birth Of His Son Helped Cone Refocus — MONTVILLE — There comes a point when athletes have to let go, but putting off that day has become fashionable. — "It's tough," said former Mets and Yankees pitcher David Cone, who finally retired after a brief comeback in 2003.
Kat O'Brien / Dallas Star-Telegram:
Rangers have a plan to increase fan base — A zip-code-by-zip-code analysis of the fans attending Rangers games last year revealed that the team isn't drawing nearly as well from Dallas and the north Dallas suburbs as their counterparts — the Cowboys, Mavericks and Stars.
