Top News:
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
The Yankees offer ... nobody — That's right, nobody. So forget those draft picks. — More to come ... UPDATE, 5:27 p.m.: It came down to economics. The Yankees did not want to risk going to arbitration with any of their players given the salaries they made last season. To refresh your memories:
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, YanksBlog.com, River Avenue Blues, YFSF, Bottom9 Baseball and Zell's Pinstripe Blog
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Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
BASEBALL: Arbitration: Abreu, Ollie? — The Yankees intend to offer arbitration to their own free agent, Bobby Abreu, by tonight's midnight deadline, and the Mets likely will do the same with their own free agent, Oliver Perez. — The rest of the local teams' free agents …
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:Fuentes plans to visit Mets
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, MLB Rumors, Purple Row, Hot Foot, The New York Mets Report, Mets Fever, The 'Ropolitans and Mets Merized Online
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Hampton returning to Astros — Deal is pending physical; lefty won 22 games for Houston in '99 — HOUSTON — The Astros have a deal in place with left-hander Mike Hampton, pending a physical, MLB.com has learned. — General manager Ed Wade declined to comment.
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Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Sources: Hampton agrees to contract with Astros … Pitcher Mike Hampton has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Houston Astros pending a physical exam, two baseball sources told ESPN.com. — The contract will pay Hampton a base salary of about $2 million plus incentives, a source said.
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues
myfoxhouston.com:
Astros Reach Agreement with Hampton — Major League Baseball sources told FOX 26 Sports on Monday that the Houston Astros have reached a contract agreement with free agent pitcher Mike Hampton. — The agreement is pending Hampton successfully completing a team physical.
Jon Paul Morosi / Detroit Free Press:
Tigers decline to offer arbitration to Edgar Renteria — The Tigers have declined to offer salary arbitration to any of their free agents, the team announced today. — Shortstop Edgar Renteria, a Type A free agent, was the only player whose status appeared to be in question over the past week.
RELATED:
Andrew Baggarly / Extra Baggs:Giants could be moving closer to agreement with Renteria
Discussion:
El Lefty Malo
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Rice hopes final try equals immortality — Will Sox slugger be worthy of Hall in last regular attempt? — Down to his 15th and final at-bat for election into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Jim Rice hopes the vote will at last swing him right into Cooperstown, N.Y.
Discussion:
Fox Sports, Boston Globe, Hardball Times, Bluebird Banter, The Griddle and THE FANTASY BASEBALL GENERALS
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ESPN.com:
Career steals leader Henderson on HOF ballot — NEW YORK — Career steals leader Rickey Henderson heads 10 first-time candidates on this year's Hall of Fame ballot, joining holdovers Mark McGwire and Jim Rice — eligible for the final time. — Other newcomers are Jay Bell, David Cone …
Larry LaRue / Mariners Insider:
Mariners hire two coaches, offer Ibanez arbitration — The Seattle Mariners have hired Ty Van Burkleo as bench coach, Lee Tinsley has first base coach and offered outfielder Raul Ibanez arbitration. — Van Burkleo worked as Oakland's hitting coach last year on a coaching staff that included new Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu.
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Mariners offer Ibanez arbitration … SEATTLE (AP) — Raul Ibanez was offered salary arbitration Monday by the Mariners, a move that means Seattle would receive an extra pair of draft picks next year if the free-agent outfielder signs with another team. — Seattle did not offer arbitration …
Discussion:
seattlepi.com Mariners blog
JSOnline:
Sabathia, Sheets, Shouse offered arbitration — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — The Brewers have decided to offer salary arbitration to three of their free agents — CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets and Brian Shouse. They will not offer arbitration to Eric Gagne.
Richard Justice / Sporting News:
Yanks sure could use their other closer in Sabathia derby — Maybe Joe Torre could have closed the deal with CC Sabathia. After all, he has a great reputation with players. — Perhaps he could have convinced Sabathia that pitching for the Yankees would be a wonderful experience.
Bob Klapisch / ESPN:
Mets didn't get their money's worth with Pedro — It was four years ago that Pedro Martinez was lured to New York by the Mets, a $53 million check stuffed in his pocket. Pedro wasn't just a free-agent prize; to the Mets he was The One. — Now, 32 wins and no world championships later …
Discussion:
24 Hours From Suicide
Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:
Tazawa agrees to 3-year Red Sox contract — In the absence of big offseason news, the Red Sox are continuing to put smaller pieces in place. This week, they likely will confirm one of the worst-kept secrets in baseball. — Junichi Tazawa is coming to Boston.
Discussion:
Mariners Blog, Fenway West, Keep Your Sox On, Projo Sox Blog, Center Field, The Bottom Line, YFSF, PBC Blog and U.S.S. Mariner
Ameet Sachdev / Chicago Tribune:
At least 3 bidders for Cubs in new round — At least three prospective buyers have submitted a new round of bids to Tribune Co. for the Chicago Cubs, one of professional sports' trophy franchises. — Chicago real estate investor Hersch Klaff; the Ricketts family, founder …
