Top News:
George A. King III / New York Post:
YANKEES PREPARE A.J. OFFER — Who says George Steinbrenner has stepped away from the table? — The Yankees, for the second time inside a week, are on the verge of making an eye-popping offer to a free-agent pitcher and behaving like the days when The Boss threw money at free agents with both hands.
RELATED:
Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
Yankees gunning for Derek Lowe, A.J. Burnett, sources say — The Yankees have expressed strong interest in righthanded pitchers Derek Lowe and A.J. Burnett in the past couple of days, according to sources familiar with the talks, after offering ace lefty CC Sabathia a contract in the ballpark of six years and $140 million.
Toronto Star:
Burnett a wait-and-see for Ricciardi — Yankees rumoured to be preparing large offer for prized free agent — If it's true we tend to pursue that which retreats, the Blue Jays are playing things perfectly with A.J. Burnett as their main target. — Asked yesterday what he thought …
Phil Sheridan / Philly.com:
MVP voting is out of whack — Ryan Howard was the most valuable player in the National League in 2008. That he was not voted MVP by the Baseball Writers' Association of America says more about the association than about Howard, Albert Pujols or America. — Pujols was not an embarrassing selection …
Discussion:
ShysterBall, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, crashburnalley.com, Baseball Musings and FanGraphs Baseball
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ESPN:
Why so few NL MVP votes for Hanley Ramirez? — It's not as if the Marlins existed in another universe; their 84-77 record was a half-game better than the Dodgers', and they did it in the best division in the National League — the division with the world champions. — Albert Pujols deserved the Most Valuable Player Award.
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
K-Rod crossed up on medical data — The Angels don't intend to re-sign Francisco Rodriguez, but they are playing an early role in the bidding for the record-setting free agent. — Paul Kinzer, who represents K-Rod, said he has yet to receive medical reports from the closer's former club …
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Christian Red / NY Daily News:
Pedro trying to extend Met life — Pedro Martinez still has “a lot of baseball left in him” and would like to finish his sure-fire Hall of Fame career in Flushing, according to his agent. — Fernando Cuza told the Daily News yesterday that Martinez would “like to stay in New York.”
David Lennon / Newsday:Mets' offer to Francisco Rodriguez not in place just yet
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Fred Mitchell / Chicago Tribune:
Rick Sutcliffe still pitching for the Cubs; urges Jake Peavy to consider playing in Chicago — ESPN analyst talks up team to Padres' Peavy — Rick Sutcliffe, who won the 1984 National League Cy Young Award with the Cubs, has been working, on his own, to convince Padres pitcher Jake Peavy to approve a possible trade to the Cubs.
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Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:Kouzmanoff undergoes surgery to resolve pain in right shoulder
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Giants add Affeldt; Cards look at options — As the market for lefthanded relievers revved up with the Giants' signing of Jeremy Affeldt on Monday, the Cardinals apparently have focused their courtship on two lefties to add to their bullpen while keeping tabs on other options.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
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Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:Giants Sign Jeremy Affeldt
Discussion:
AaronGleeman.com, San Francisco Chronicle, River Avenue Blues, Red Reporter, Hot Stove Blog, El Lefty Malo, Hardball Times, MVN and Cubs f/x
Tampabaycom / The Heater:
Tampa Bay Rays' fired mascot speaks out — Performer Kelly Frank, the woman who perfected Raymond's trademark butt shimmy, said she does not know why she was fired Monday after five seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays. — “I'm just as confused as everyone else,” she said. “I really didn't get an explanation.”
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Associated Press:
Ripken susp. Nicaraguan clinics after shootings … MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) — Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. is suspending his baseball clinics for Nicaraguan youth because the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning for the country. — The U.S. Embassy says Ripken suspended …
Tracy Ringolsby / Rocky Mountain News:
Sources: Rockies add former manager Tracy to coaching staff — Former major league manager Jim Tracy has accepted the bench coach job with the Rockies, who have filled three of the four openings on their staff. Club officials declined to comment, saying they would announce all the hirings at the same time.
