Top News:
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Cubs, Japanese OF Fukudome reach deal — FOXSports.com, Updated 40 minutes ago — LIKE THIS STORY? — The Cubs, landing their biggest off-season target, have signed Japanese free-agent outfielder Kosuke Fukudome to a four-year contract, major-league sources confirmed to FOXSports.com.
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Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Cubs win Fukudome sweepstakes — Japanese outfielder agrees to four-year, $48 million deal — CHICAGO — The Cubs' patience paid off. Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome has agreed to terms on a four-year deal with the team, pending his passing a physical.
ESPN:
Japanese star Fukudome coming to Chicago to play for Cubs — The agent for Kosuke Fukudome said that the player would make up his mind on a major league team quickly after deciding to come to the United States. He was true to his word. — After deciding to play in the U.S. early Tuesday morning …
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Padres lose out on Fukudome — The Padres found out tonight that they lost out in their bid for Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, who accepted a four-year deal from the Cubs worth nearly $50 million. — The Padres were able to come to terms with Japanese second baseman Tadahito Iguchi, who accepted a one-year deal.
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs land Fukudome — The Cubs signed Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome to a four-year deal late Tuesday, outbidding San Diego and the White Sox to gain the services of their primary off-season target. — Terms of the deal were not immediately known, though it's believed to be worth …
NY Daily News:
MLB receives Mitchell Report — Major League Baseball officials are reviewing George Mitchell's long-anticipated steroid report at the former Senate majority leader's law offices, 21 months after commissioner Bud Selig asked Mitchell to investigate the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.
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Mike Fish / ESPN:
Congressional members anticipate details in Mitchell investigation … Christopher Shays describes himself as a casual baseball fan. He's the kind of guy who tracks the Red Sox and Yankees hardball rivalry from a distance but would never be caught dissecting box scores in the morning's Washington Post.
Howard Bryant / ESPN.com:
Bryant: Conflicts and missteps undermine Mitchell report — With the highly anticipated Mitchell report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball expected to be released within the coming days, scores of baseball employees who were interviewed by former Senator George Mitchell's investigators …
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Texas Rangers not talking about Mitchell Report — Club not getting into details about league's steroids investigation — egrant@dallasnews.com — All of Major League Baseball is bracing for the 20-month, drug-sniffing expedition known as the Mitchell Report, which is expected …
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
Mitchell Report Expected to Name About 50 Major Leaguers — The headquarters for George J. Mitchell's investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball has been the DLA Piper law offices in Midtown Manhattan, right next to Rockefeller Center and just blocks from the Park Avenue offices of Major League Baseball.
John Hickey / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Reports: Kuroda chooses Dodgers over Mariners — The Mariners could get the news as early as Wednesday that free agent right-handed pitcher Hiroki Kuroda has spurned them to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. — The Mariners made a strong pitch for Kuroda.
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Kelly Thesier / MLB.com:
Twins ink Monroe to one-year deal — Veteran joins outfield mix for $3.82 million plus incentives — MINNEAPOLIS — The questions surrounding Craig Monroe's future with the Twins were answered on Tuesday when the club signed the outfielder to a one-year contract worth $3.82 million plus incentives based on plate appearances.
Discussion:
Twinkie Town
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Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:Twins, Monroe agree on 1-year, $3.82 million deal
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Around the Majors
Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Rockies, Cook agree on new deal — Right-hander's contract worth $34.5 million through 2011 — DENVER — The Rockies and right-handed pitcher Aaron Cook on Tuesday signed a new contract that will pay him $34.5 million and will keep him with the club through 2011, with a mutual option for 2012.
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Milledge: I love the game, I play to win — Young center fielder introduced to media in Washington — WASHINGTON — Anthony Milledge Sr. wants everybody to know that his son, Lastings, is a good man, not the bad guy that was portrayed the last two seasons with the Mets.
Toronto Star:
Lo Duca spurns Toronto for Nats; Giants mulling Rios-for-Lincecum offer — Paul Lo Duca, the veteran catcher the Blue Jays had hoped to acquire to share duties with incumbent Gregg Zaun, has chosen instead to sign with the Washington Nationals. — The issue appears to have been one of money.
Dom Amore / Hartford Courant:
Pavano Weighing His Options — Carl Pavano is still mulling a Yankees proposal to release him and then re-sign him to a minor league contract. He said Monday he is not close to a decision. — "I'd be giving up a lot of options if I signed a minor league deal," Pavano said.
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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:Yankees offer Pavano a parachute
Discussion:
MY BASEBALL BIAS
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates, Tigers talk about pitcher Durbin — Other possibilities could open with arbitration non-tenders — The Pirates are engaged in trade talks with Detroit in an attempt to acquire right-handed starter Chad Durbin. — Durbin, 30, was 8-7 with a 4.32 ERA last season …
East Bay Newspapers:
Local family finds 1914 Babe Ruth rookie card — Family and sports — likely in that order. Those were John Jay Barry's greatest loves. Though he passed away some 20 years ago, the den of his home on Main Street still personifies the nostalgic renaissance man who used to occupy it.
Discussion:
Sports Memorabilia News
