Top News:
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
Yankees may give up on Johan Santana — Brian Cashman has remained protective of the Yankees' assembled prospects, while Hal Steinbrenner has been equally shielding of the team's finances. — Hank Steinbrenner? That's been another story for much of the winter.
Discussion:
Bronx Banter, My Pinstripes, Scott Proctor's Arm, Sliding Into Home, MetsBlog.com and The LoHud Yankees Blog
RELATED:
Mike Puma / New York Post:
LANE MIGHT JOIN YANKS AT 1ST BASE — Just in case Jason Giambi, Shelley Duncan and Wilson Betemit aren't enough at first base heading to spring training, the Yankees have interest in adding free agent Jason Lane, according to a source. — Lane, 31, was not tendered a contract by the Padres …
Joe / Around the Majors:
Santana's asking price hasn't changed — Last month, I wrote that the New York Mets were not to be taken seriously in the Johan Santana sweepstakes. A person with knowledge of the negotiations told me that Mets owner Fred Wilpon was against the idea of signing any pitcher to the kind of contract extension Santana is seeking.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, Blastings! Thrilledge, MLB Trade Rumors, Bronx Liaison, River Ave. Blues, NJ.com, Newsday and SOX & Dawgs
Joe Christensen / Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Yankees ... Red Sox ... or maybe the Mets — The less talked-about team from New York might be a better match for the Twins in Johan Santana trade talks. — After weeks of speculation that the Yankees and Red Sox were the two favorites to land Johan Santana, the Twins could wind up shipping him to the Mets.
Discussion:
Hot Stove New York, On the Mets beat, Depressed Fan, The LoHud Yankees Blog, NJ.com, Philliesflow.com, FanHouse, Bugs & Cranks, Sox and Pinstripes, Mets Prospectus, Twinkie Town, the metropolitans, Mets Fever, Kranepool Society, MetsBlog.com, Mets Merized Online, NorthJersey.com, Ya Gotta Believe, MetsMole.com, Lone Star Mets, River Ave. Blues, Seven Train to Shea Mets Blog, Bronx Liaison, Hot Foot and The Ropolitans
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Report: Yanks may be out for Santana — Steinbrenner says money, prospects may kill deal for Twins ace — NEW YORK — The Yankees have spent most of their offseason batting around a deal for Johan Santana, internally debating the merits of swapping young talent for the established Twins ace.
Tony Massarotti / Clubhouse Insider:
Mirabelli to return — The Red Sox have done relatively little to address their bench so far this offseason, but the team is on the verge of addressing its catching situation by bringing back Doug Mirabelli. — According to sources, Mirabelli has agreed in principle a one-year deal …
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Basegirl, MLB Trade Rumors, SOX & Dawgs, Rotoworld.com, The Joy of Sox, The House That Dewey Built and Over the Monster
MLB.com:
USOC, USADA, MLB and NFL announce partnership for anti-doping research — COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The United States Olympic Committee (USOC), United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Football League (NFL) announced today the formation …
Discussion:
Bronx Liaison
Brian McTaggart / Houston Chronicle:
Astros ink 5 to minor league deals — Team announces spring training set to kick off Feb. 14 — Infielder Lance Niekro, the son of Astros all-time wins leader Joe Niekro, was among five players signed by the Astros to minor league contracts and given invitations to spring training Wednesday.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Eric SanInocencio / Rays Anatomy:
Car Jumping Translates Into Baseball Skills.....Right? — As a newcomer to the Rays family, I admit that my past history concerning Tampa Bay's franchise consists on what I watched on television or anecdotes that were mentioned in the news. While I follow them exclusively now …
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Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates minicamp: Huntington says roster mostly set — GM's hope for major trade fizzled, prompted retrenchment — BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pirates' roster, despite precious few changes this offseason, is pretty much set for 2008. — “From a substantial additions standpoint, yeah …
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates approach LaRoche about long-term deal — BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pirates have approached first baseman Adam LaRoche to discuss a contract that could span three or four years, a signing that would be the franchise's most significant since shortstop Jack Wilson's four-year extension in 2006.
Joshua Robinson / New York Times:
Study Suggests That Amputee Holds an Unfair Advantage — The Olympic aspirations of Oscar Pistorius, a double-amputee sprinter from South Africa, may end soon. Track and field's world governing body is expected to announce that he is ineligible to race against able-bodied athletes …
Discussion:
THE BOOK
John Sickels / Minor League Ball:
Tampa Bay Devil Rays Top 20 Prospects for 2008 — Tampa Bay Devil Rays Top 20 Prospects for 2008 — All grades are extremely preliminary and subject to change. — Evan Longoria, 3B, Grade A — David Price, LHP, Grade A — Jacob McGee, LHP, Grade A — Wade Davis, RHP, Grade B+
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
New hire completes front-office overhaul — With his lieutenants now in place, new Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak's front office is done taking shape and is moving on to establishing its identity. — The Cardinals announced Wednesday the hiring of Gary LaRocque, a longtime executive with the New York Mets.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com