Top News:
Joe Hamrahi / Baseball Digest Daily:
Swisher Dealt to the White Sox (Updated)! — The Oakland A's today traded outfielder Nick Swisher to the Chicago White Sox for left-handed pitcher Gio Gonzalez, right-handed pitcher Fautino De Los Santos and outfielder Ryan Sweeney. — Notes from Conference Call (3:30 PM ET)
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South Side Sox, Athletics Nation, Knuckle Curve, Over the Monster, Big League Futures and Baseball Musings
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Toni Ginnetti / Chicago Sun Times:
Sox deal for A's Swisher — Unable to land a center fielder in the free-agent market, White Sox general manager Ken Williams shook up the trade market Thursday to find an alternative. — Williams acquired outfielder Nick Swisher, 27, from the Oakland Athletics, who parted …
Discussion:
El Guapo's Ghost Rambles …
ESPN.com:
ChiSox get Swisher for 3 minor leaguers — OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics made their second major trade in three weeks, sending outfielder and fan favorite Nick Swisher to the Chicago White Sox for three minor-leaguers on Thursday. — The A's — who dealt ace Dan Haren …
CBS News:
Clemens: Trainer Only Injected Legal Drug — Roger Clemens Talks To 60 Minutes In Wake Of Mitchell Report — (CBS/AP) Baseball superstar Roger Clemens denies he cheated by using banned substances and says his accuser, former trainer Brian McNamee, only injected him with the painkiller lidocaine and the vitamin B-12.
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ESPN.com:
Clemens: Injections were ‘Lidocaine and B-12’ — Roger Clemens says he was injected with “Lidocaine and B-12” and not steroids or human growth hormone by former trainer Brian McNamee, according to a portion of an interview with CBS' “60 Minutes” released Thursday. — “Lidocaine and B-12.
Peter_Gammons / Boston Globe:
Peter Gammons Red Sox chat transcript — Hi Peter, do you think Julio Lugo is the long-term answer at shortstop for the Sox ? — Hello everyone... RE: Lugo: The way he played defensively the last 5 weeks, indicates he should be all right. He never recovered offensively from being sick before spring training.
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:Roger Clemens won't be Yankee in 2008
Discussion:
New York Post, FanHouse, MLB.com, My Pinstripes, Scott Proctor's Arm, MLB Trade Rumors, MY BASEBALL BIAS and New York Times
Associated Press:
Cardinals sign pitcher Matt Clement to one-year deal — ST. LOUIS (AP) — Matt Clement and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a $1.5 million, one-year contract on Thursday with a club option for 2009. — Clement missed last season while recovering from shoulder surgery. He last pitched for the Boston Red Sox in 2006.
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St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards sign Clement to one-year deal — The Cardinals added a starting pitcher today who sat out all of 2007 as he recovered from shoulder surgery. — Matt Clement, who last pitched for the Boston Red Sox in 2006, signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals today. The deal includes a club option for 2009.
Steve Silva / Boston Globe:
Clement to Cardinals — The Matt Clement era is officially over in Boston. — The St. Louis Cardinals today announced they have signed the former Red Sox righthanded pitcher to a one-year contract for 2008 with a club option for 2009. — “Matt is a very talented pitcher who has been beset …
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Payroll Is at Heart of Santana Debate — Perhaps the most significant story in a busy Yankees off-season has been the emergence of Hank Steinbrenner at the top of the team's hierarchy. Steinbrenner, the senior vice president, has been outspoken on potential player moves, but he cannot and has not acted unilaterally.
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Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:Yanks: We have shot at Johan Santana
Discussion:
Rivera's Cutter, Yanksfan vs Soxfan, Yahoo! Sports, MY BASEBALL BIAS, MetsNetwork.com, Twins Territory, Inspired Numbers, NJ.com, Twins Insider, The Bronx Block, FakeTeams, My Pinstripes, The Sports Hernia Blog, The Sommer Frieze, Pinstripe Alley, Pinstripes PA, Bombers Beat, Scott Proctor's Arm, River Ave. Blues, WasWatching.com and Sliding Into Home
Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Rockies close to signing Towers — Right-hander could compete for spot in starting rotation — DENVER — The Rockies are close to signing right-handed pitcher Josh Towers to a one-year contract that could pay him $1.8 million plus incentives. — Two sources close to the situation say the deal isn't finalized.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Gonzalez isn't ready to call it a career … Seeking employment: Veteran left fielder, age 40, with a 2001 World Series ring, 2,502 hits and more career doubles than Tony Gwynn, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Willie Mays and Babe Ruth. Former Branch Rickey Award winner, Roberto Clemente Award nominee …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
