Top News:
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Milton Bradley Signs With Cubs — By Tim Dierkes [January 5 at 3:10pm CST] — According to ESPN Radio's Bruce Levine, the Cubs signed Milton Bradley to a three-year, $30MM contract “with some options in the deal.” Ken Rosenthal has a similar story, noting that the two sides have to “work through language issues.”
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ESPN:
Sources: Cubs, Bradley agree to deal — The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a three-year, $30 million contract with free-agent outfielder Milton Bradley, sources told ESPN on Monday. — The deal is pending a physical. — Bradley led the American League in on-base percentage last season …
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Rays, Burrell Agree To Two-Year Deal — By Tim Dierkes [January 5 at 1:51pm CST] — 1:51pm: Buster Olney agrees with Rosenthal. He writes that Burrell has agreed in principle to a two-year $16MM deal with the Rays pending a physical. — 12:51pm: According to Ken Rosenthal …
Jayson Stark / ESPN.com:
Burrell, Rays sign 2-year deal; DH role likely … Pat Burrell's last swing of the bat in 2008 was a double against Tampa Bay in Game 5 of the World Series. Now, his first swing of the bat in 2009 will be as a member of those very same Rays. — Tampa Bay has signed Burrell to a two-year contract worth $16 million.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing, El Lefty Malo, Deadspin, The700Level.com, Bluebird Banter, Lone Star Ball and Sliding Into Home
Marc Topkin / The Heater:
Tampa Bay Rays sign free-agent Pat Burrell — UDPATE, 5:45 Executive VP Andrew Friedman said Burrell, who will primarily be the DH, adds power and balance and gives the Rays a better lineup than they had last season: “Any time you add a hitter like that to the middle of your lineup you're a much improved team.”
Discussion:
LA Times Sports Blog
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Teixeira introduction set for Tuesday — News conference scheduled at Yankee Stadium for slugger — NEW YORK — Yankee Stadium is set to host what may be its final gala on Tuesday, as the Yankees prepare to introduce another winter prize in first baseman Mark Teixeira.
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
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Tim Kurkjian / ESPN:
Yankees will be must-see TV — The home clubhouse at the new Yankee Stadium is enormous, significantly bigger than the one at the old Yankee Stadium. That's good. It needs to be as large as possible to accommodate all the talent, the egos, the money and the pressure that will be in that room.
Mychael Urban / MLB.com:
Source: A's closing in on Giambi — Free-agent first baseman could sign one-year deal this week — OAKLAND — The Rays agreed to terms with free-agent outfielder Pat Burrell on Monday, dramatically increasing the likelihood of free-agent first baseman Jason Giambi returning to the A's.
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Brockforbroglio / Fantasy Baseball:
Follow Up: Spring Training '08 Cliches (1 of 2) — Last season, Tim chronicled various reports out of Spring Training about players claiming to have lost weight, get eye surgery, flirt with Yoga, Ballet, etc. (a personal fav. feature of mine—if for nothing else than the entertainment value, alone).
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Neal St. Anthony / Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Longtime Twins owner Carl Pohlad, 93, dies — Carl Pohlad, a working-poor son of the Great Depression who became one of America's wealthiest dealmakers, has died. He was 93. — A financier who came to be best known through his 1984 acquisition of the Minnesota Twins …
AOL Sports:
Sunnier Times in New Mainstream Media — Sports Commentary — We all have our career flashpoints. Mine came in China, perhaps triggered by a near-death experience while climbing the Great Wall. Or the horror of Bill Plaschke, my TV sparring partner, trying the local delicacy …
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Marquis deal may be finalized Tuesday — Cubs would send right-hander to Rockies for reliever Vizcaino — CHICAGO — The Cubs are expected Tuesday to finalize the deal with Colorado and send pitcher Jason Marquis to the Rockies in exchange for reliever Luis Vizcaino.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Tyler Kepner / Bats:
Thoughts on Teixeira, Joba and the Free-Agent Market — Back from vacation, just in time for what should be the official unveiling of Mark Teixeira this week. Signing Teixeira seemed like an obvious move all along, but the Yankees threw us off-track with comments like this from General Manager Brian Cashman …
Discussion:
ESPN
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Kat O'Brien / Newsday:Mets' talks with Lowe to heat up
Discussion:
Ken Davidoff's baseball …, MLB FanHouse, Mets Merized Online, MetsBlog.com, MLB Rumors and MLB.com
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Sox get Green — The Red Sox have agreed to terms with infielder Nick Green on a minor league deal and will invite him to major league camp in spring training to compete for the utility infielder job. — Green, 30, is righthanded hitter (.240 career), has been with four teams including Atlanta …
Discussion:
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre …
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals sign lefthanded reliever Royce Ring — The Cardinals are expected to announce later today that they've signed lefthanded reliever Royce Ring to a one-year deal. — The 28-year-old Ring, who has been used almost exclusively in his career against lefties, most recently pitched …
