Top News:
Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
Rowand out of picture — Crisp a more likely target for Sox; Taveras a possibility — It's an easy assumption to make. — The White Sox watched the Los Angeles Angels nab Torii Hunter from their grasp for 90 million reasons last week, and they're still in the market for a center fielder.
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David Lennon / Newsday:
Mets turn attention toward A's Haren and Blanton — Oakland's Dan Haren is one of two A's pitchers the Mets are strongly pursuing this offseason. (Newsday / Audrey C. Tiernan) — As the Yankees trumpet their trade talks for Johan Santana, the Mets, in typical fashion, aren't saying much when it comes to their rotation needs.
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Wanted: Santana — Sox in aggressive pursuit … The Red Sox [team stats] are actively engaged in trade talks with the Minnesota Twins about Johan Santana and plan to aggressively pursue the two-time Cy Young Award winner, a baseball source said yesterday.
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Top Prospects Merely a Down Payment on Santana — When Johan Santana of the Minnesota Twins thinks about the seven-year, $126 million contract that Barry Zito signed with the San Francisco Giants 11 months ago, it would be natural for him to smile. And when general managers ponder that bloated contract …
TwinCities.com:
Minnesota Twins should trade stars for Boston Red Sox's cheap youth — If I'm the Twins' general manager, here's what I do. (And I'd do it under duress because I'd be working for a cheapskate owner.) I get on the horn with Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein and say, "You want Johan Santana, right?"
Kat O'Brien / Newsday:Yankees putting package together to get Santana from Twins
Discussion:
River Ave. Blues
New Jersey Online:Yanks talk to Twins about Santana
Discussion:
New York Post, NY Daily News, River Ave. Blues, MY BASEBALL BIAS, New York Times and The LoHud Yankees Blog
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Wagner lays out challenges ahead — Veteran closer tackles offseason issues facing club — NEW YORK — Part of the Mets' introduction to Billy Wagner two years ago was a warning. "I'm blunt," he told them. And he suggested if candor were upsetting, the club might be better off looking elsewhere for a relief pitcher.
Discussion:
New York Post, Brooklyn Met Fan, Hot Foot, the metropolitans, Can't Stop The Bleeding and MetsBlog.com
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
No worries as Rowand waits — Unlike Paul Konerko two years ago and Torii Hunter last week, Gold Glove center fielder Aaron Rowand isn't stressing over his free-agent status. — "I'm actually enjoying it," Rowand said Tuesday via phone from his home near Las Vegas. "We'll know when the time is right.
Discussion:
South Side Sox
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Twins still looking to ship Nathan, Santana — LIKE THIS STORY? — Johan Santana might not be the only big-name Twins pitcher who gets traded before Opening Day. Joe Nathan also looks like a goner, especially now that the Reds are on the verge of inflating the closer market …
Discussion:
Hot Foot
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Marlins heading back to school — Team employees to take part in Junior Achievement Day — MIAMI — Marlins employees will head back to school on Friday to take part in a Junior Achievement Day. — The event is taking place at Parkway Elementary School in Miami. In all, 26 team employees will be teaching 20 classes.
Discussion:
FishStripes
Various Authors / The Biz of Baseball:
Voices on Barry Bonds — There may be no larger lightning rod in Major League Baseball than Barry Lamar Bonds. He is arguably baseball's poster child for performance-enhancing drugs. Nevertheless, he has never tested positive for the use of PED. — In 2003, Bonds testified …
Discussion:
The Progenitor …
MLB.com:
Tom McCarthy rejoins Phillies broadcast team — Tom McCarthy, who spent the last two seasons as a play-by-play announcer for the New York Mets on WFAN, is returning to his roots as a member of the Phillies broadcasting team, Rob Brooks, Manager, Broadcasting announced today.
Discussion:
Faith and Fear in Flushing, Zisk Online, Beerleaguer, Can't Stop The Bleeding and Hot Foot
Vince Gennaro / Yahoo! Sports:
A-Rod's dollars make sense for Yankees — Despite the posturing, bruised egos and serpentine route of the courtship, Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees are a money-making marriage unparalleled in professional sports. — We know the details of Rodriguez's contract: $275 million for 10 years …
Discussion:
Blogging Baseball
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Mailbag: Granderson and the MVP — Beat reporter Jason Beck answers Tigers fans' questions — I just don't get it. Jimmy Rollins had a great season for the Phillies, all-around great numbers and won the MVP. But, Curtis Granderson posted very similar numbers, and the same type of glove …
