Top News:
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Braves receptive to Kotsay deal — Veteran core thinks center fielder will fit in well in Atlanta — ATLANTA — There was plenty to celebrate this past weekend as the Braves hosted their most successful FanFest ever. The organization's celebratory mood will increase on Monday …
Discussion:
Talking Chop
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Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:
Kotsay trade hinges on physical — The A's and the Braves edged closer to completing a deal that would send center fielder Mark Kotsay to Atlanta in exchange for right-handed reliever Joey Devine. — Oakland also could receive a Class-A pitcher in the deal, according to a Braves source.
Aaron / AaronGleeman.com:
Any Questions? — Normally my annual series on the Twins' top 40 prospects would have started by now, but it seemed smart to hold off for a while when a Johan Santana trade appeared imminent. I spend way too much time as it is compiling the list, writing the profiles …
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Tim Dierkes / MLB Trade Rumors:
Neal On Johan Santana Talks — I recently named La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune as Rumor Royalty for the Twins. He answered a few questions for MLBTR, so let's kick it off. — MLBTR: Are you sick of the Johan Santana saga yet? These talks have been dragging …
Discussion:
The Ropolitans
Press Association:
Baseball fan sues team over drugs — A long-time baseball fan is suing the New York Yankees over some players' reported use of performance-enhancing drugs, saying he wants repayment for 221 US dollars (£112) in tickets and a public response from his once-beloved team.
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James Fanelli / New York Post:
JUICE GOTTA BE KIDDING! — 'ROID-OUTRAGED YANK FAN SUES — A fed-up Yankees fan is suing the team he spent his life rooting for because they fielded juiced-up players and broke the promise of an honest game. — Matthew Mitchell wants exactly $221 - the price of tickets for five games he attended between 2002 and 2007.
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Endy hurts other hammy — Endy Chavez, who played only 71 games last season because of a strained left hamstring, hurt his right hamstring and ankle in a play at the plate in December in a winter league game in his native Venezuela, but is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.
Discussion:
Mets Fever, Fox Sports, Mets Merized Online, MetsNetwork.com, Hot Foot, Ya Gotta Believe and Seven Train to Shea Mets Blog
Joe Henderson / TBO.com:
No Laughing Matter — ST. PETERSBURG - This column should come with a warning. It is about Rays baseball and it does not focus on how good things are going to be three or four years from now. We won't speculate about how bad things are going to be this season, which has been an annual rite of spring for more than a decade.
Discussion:
vorosmccracken.com
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Associated Press:
Cubans see documentary of El Duque — HAVANA (AP) — Cubans got their first glimpse of Orlando Hernandez on state television since he fled to the United States in 1997. — Authorities aired a documentary Saturday in which the New York Mets pitcher vowed he was no traitor.
Discussion:
The Ropolitans
NY Daily News:
McNamee fires fastballs — When Brian McNamee answered questions from federal investigators last year, he didn't volunteer a lot beyond what he was asked. Now, say sources close to Roger Clemens' former trainer, McNamee is providing additional information to investigators as they prepare for a congressional hearing on Feb. 13.
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Jon Paul Morosi / Detroit Free Press:
TIGERS CORNER: GM Dombrowski suggests Brandon Inge should catch — Player's future with club creates buzz at team event — Brandon Inge did not attend TigerFest on Saturday, but he nonetheless remained a popular topic of conversation at Comerica Park. — Tigers president/general manager …
Discussion:
D-Town Baseball, Detroit News, Mack Avenue Tigers, The Detroit Tiger Weblog and MLB Rumors
Steve T. Gorches / NW Indiana Post-Tribune:
Numbers, not innuendo, should keep McGwire out of hall — Sorry, but unlike some of my colleagues in this business — those who have a Hall of Fame ballot but might not use it — it's not about the inflated muscles. — I don't care. — It's not about expedited recovery from injuries by using human growth hormone.
Jeff Schultz / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Dale Murphy comes clean — That Dale Murphy has not been hosting any Hall of Fame voting viewing parties says something about both his chances for induction and his humility. In summation: “I realize I'm not knocking on the door, and it's just not my nature to campaign for it.”
Discussion:
Joe Posnanski
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN.com:
Sources: Cards set to send Rolen to Jays for Glaus — The St. Louis Cardinals have reached agreement on a trade with Toronto that will send third baseman Scott Rolen to the Blue Jays for third baseman Troy Glaus, two major league sources said. — The deal will be completed once …
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Cincinnati Enquirer:
Reds insider — Jocketty's eye for arms will be crucial — digg us! del.icio.us! — The first advice the Reds would like newly hired special adviser Walt Jocketty to give them is this: — Where can we find our Chris Carpenter? — Jocketty signed Carpenter in 2002 after he went 4-5 with a 5.28 ERA for Toronto.
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Mets to hold blood drive on Monday — Club offering vouchers for two tickets to April game — NEW YORK — The Mets are constantly looking forward: Looking forward to Spring Training, looking forward to next season. — Looking forward to saving lives. — They'll do so again when they hold …
Discussion:
MetsNetwork.com