Top News:
Gerry Fraley / Sporting News:
Inside Dish: Who's getting the nod on my Hall of Fame ballot — Bert Blyleven — His career record (287-250) was more a function of his teams than his performance. From 1971-89, he ranked among the league top 10 in ERA 10 times, in innings pitched 11 times and in strikeouts 15 times.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
RELATED:
ESPN:
Debate: Is Tim Raines a Hall of Famer? — Tim Raines finished his 23 seasons in the majors with a near-.300 career average, a very respectable .385 on-base percentage and 808 steals (good for fifth all time). If Raines had reached the 3,000-hit mark (he fell 395 short) …
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Rijo back on Hall of Fame ballot — Hurler received one vote in 2001 following premature retirement — CINCINNATI — Former Reds ace Jose Rijo is considered first-time eligible for the Hall of Fame, but oddly enough, this won't really be his first time on the ballot.
Discussion:
The Baseball Zealot
ESPN.com:
Reports: Canseco finalizes deal for ‘Juiced’ sequel — Jose Canseco has finalized a book deal for his sequel to “Juiced” and it is expected to hit bookstores by Opening Day of the 2008 season, two New York newspapers reported Sunday. — Robert Saunooke, Canseco's lawyer …
Discussion:
Scott Proctor's Arm
RELATED:
Peter Cox / New York Post:
CANSECO BARING MORE JUICY DETAILS IN STEROID SEQUEL — José Canseco has inked a deal to publish a sequel to his blockbuster steroid tell-all, “Juiced,” his lawyer said. — “It will be an unjaundiced view, without the rose-colored glasses that [The Mitchell Report] obviously put on,” said Robert Saunooke, Canseco's attorney.
NY Daily News:
Family of woman who died in Jim Leyritz car crash tries to cope with loss — The young son of a Florida woman who cops say was killed by ex-Yankee Jim Leyritz in a car crash went to bed with tears in his eyes after his father broke the horrible news to him.
RELATED:
Malia Rulon / USA Today:
Bill would've called for letting Rose back into baseball — WASHINGTON — What would have happened if Congress had called on Major League Baseball to allow Pete Rose back into the game? — As far flung as that scenario sounds, it was actually something that an Ohio congressman …
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Fan with a one-track mind — In study of homers, he goes the distance — Greg Rybarczyk has a day job. But most of all, he digs the long ball, and he has devoted much of his spare time to tracking home runs, creating a tool, the Hit Tracker, that he says calculates the precise trajectory of every home run hit in the big leagues.
Discussion:
SportsJustice
NY Daily News:
Stupor agent — Several weeks after Alex Rodriguez broke free from Scott Boras' influence and personally talked Hank Steinbrenner into rethinking his Yankee opt-out ultimatum, a lingering media perception suggests that it was all some clever plan contrived to get A-Rod his $300 million and repair his battered image.
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
Murray Chass / New York Times:
Whither the Game? Just Asking — Questions seeking answers in the coming months and the coming season: — Will the Twins trade Johan Santana, and if so, to whom? — Will Commissioner Bud Selig discipline any players named in the Mitchell report, and if so, who?
Tim Dierkes / MLB Trade Rumors:
Report: Juan Gonzalez Signs With Yankees? — UPDATE, 12-29-07 at 12:43pm: I'm told the article is the equivalent of an April Fool's joke. — FROM 12-29-07 at 10:38am: — El Vocero, one of the bigger newspapers in Puerto Rico, is reporting that the Yankees signed Juan Gonzalez to a two-year, $2MM deal.
Discussion:
WasWatching.com, MY BASEBALL BIAS, Pinstriped Scranton, River Ave. Blues and Scott Proctor's Arm
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Theo Epstein — Right before the final game of the World Series, Theo Epstein was asked for context on the burgeoning dynasty he seems to be creating. — “If someone wants to compare us to the Yankees based on winning and results, that's an incredible standard,” said Epstein, the general manager of the Boston Red Sox.
Discussion:
WasWatching.com
Christian Red / NY Daily News:
Pedro Martinez proud he's stayed clean — Unlike his contemporary Roger Clemens - who is in the midst of damage control after being identified as a steroid user in the Mitchell Report - Mets ace Pedro Martinez says he is most proud of having remained “clean” during baseball's steroid era.
Patrick Reusse / Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Twins GM has ‘one big issue’ still to resolve — The issue, of course, is two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana, who will demand far more than the Twins can pay. — The Twins have a tradition of closing down their offices from Christmas Eve until after New Year's.