Top News:
George King / New York Post:
LIE NEEDLE — TRAINER RIPS CLEMENS ACCUSER, SAYS ROCKET WAS CLEAN — According to Rohan Baichu, Brian McNamee has severe problems. Baichu believes those problems led McNamee to fabricate stories about injecting Roger Clemens with performance enhancing drugs.
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Pettitte admits to trying HGH on two occasions — NEW YORK — Andy Pettitte used human growth hormone to recover from an elbow injury in 2002, the New York Yankees pitcher admitted two days after he was cited in the Mitchell Report. — Pettitte said he tried HGH on two occasions …
NY Daily News:
Andy Pettitte can spare us the crocodile tears and contrived 'regret' — A little over a year ago, it was reported in the Los Angeles Times that a former Yankee pitcher named Jason Grimsley had accused some major-league players of using performance-enhancing drugs in a federal agent's affidavit.
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Pettitte admits to HGH use — Statement of Andy Pettitte issued through Randy Hendricks — First, I would like to say that contrary to media reports, I have never used steroids. I have no idea why the media would say that I have used steroids, but they have done so repeatedly.
Stan Grossfeld / Boston Globe:
Mitchell: 'There are very, very many others'
Mitchell: 'There are very, very many others'
Discussion:
Peter's Red Sox Forever, NY Daily News, Boston Sports Media Watch, Red Sox Chick and Boston Herald
Jim Reeves / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Searching for a cure to these Hall of Fame ballot blues — Every December my Hall of Fame ballot arrives in a plain brown manila envelope. This year, that seems especially fitting. — So I'm sitting here, staring at the 25 names listed on the ballot, wondering what I'm going to do.
RELATED:
Woody Paige / Denver Post:
Help Woody cast his Hall votes — I'm sitting here, looking out the window and pondering the snow, the sun, the creek, the peak and the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. — I've got the Global Colding thing figured out, but not the ballot. — I need your help.
Discussion:
Purple Row
ESPN.com:
Dodgers, pitcher Kuroda agree to three-year deal — LOS ANGELES — Fulfilling one of their major offseason goals, the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to terms with Japanese free-agent right-hander Hiroki Kuroda on a three-year, $35.3 million contract. — Kuroda, who turns 33 in February …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings, The MLB Source, Beyond the Box Score, Lone Star Ball, Fox Sports, Los Angeles Times and MLB Trade Rumors
RELATED:
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
It's only money, as Dodgers add Kuroda
It's only money, as Dodgers add Kuroda
Discussion:
U.S.S. Mariner
Carlos Frías / Palm Beach Post:
'Select A Seat' turns lonely for Marlins — 'Twas 10 days before Christmas And the Marlins were relying On a handful of fans But no one was buying. — The Marlins may have chosen the wrong weekend to open Dolphin Stadium for their annual "Select A Seat" day.
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Hot Stove: We will ... come up with a new slogan — Anyone taking jabs at the Pirates in 2008 will have to find a fresher approach than poking fun at the marketing slogan. — In other words: — We will ... find new material. — Yes, the "We will" slogan, born in early 2006 and stamped …
George King / New York Post:
YANKEES STAND FIRM IN SANTANA TRADE TALKS — Even though the Yankees and Twins have talked about Johan Santana since Hank Steinbrenner's self-imposed Dec. 3 deadline, one thing hasn't changed: The Yankees will not give up two young pitchers to get the best pitcher in baseball.
Christian Red / NY Daily News:
For Mets' Moises Alou, race track no place to horse around — SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - The black Mercedes sedan with tinted windows weaves in and out of traffic along the main highway leading out of the Dominican capital, making its way toward the Hipodromo V Centenario race track.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates add minor-league reliever Beam — The Pirates continued to add organizational pitching depth, agreeing to a minor-league contract yesterday with right-handed reliever T.J. Beam. — Beam, 27, is 6 feet 7, 215 pounds and best known as a hard thrower, capable of reaching 97 mph with his fastball …
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nationals add roster depth — Team signs reliever King, infielder Orr to Minors deals — WASHINGTON — The Nationals added more depth by signing left-hander Ray King and infielder Pete Orr to non-guaranteed Minor League contracts with an invitation to Spring Training.
Discussion:
The Nationals Report
Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:
Baseball's Lie Comes Home to Roost — This past week, the Orioles traded Miguel Tejada for a fistful of players you never heard of. The Nationals signed free agent catcher Paul Lo Duca, an all-star four times, for the curiously low price of $5 million for one year.
Discussion:
District of Baseball