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Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
MLB hands Yankees' Mitre 50-game suspension — New York Yankees pitcher Sergio Mitre has received a 50-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's drug policy. Like Philadelphia Phillies reliever J.C. Romero, Mitre claims he had no desire to break baseball rules and that he took …
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Will Carroll / Unfiltered:
Romero's Chemist — J.C. Romero was suspended for fifty games under terms of MLB's drug policy. Just before it was handed down, Romero made his case public, the same one that the arbitrator rejected. With the NFL's drug policy currently under attack in the Starcaps case …
Peter Gammons / ESPN:Romero questions suspension
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Manny in L.A. still makes sense — Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005. He appears weekly on the FSN Baseball Report and MLB on FOX.
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Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Andy Pettitte Rejects Yankees' Offer, Making Return Uncertain — In some ways, Andy Pettitte is no different from the dozens of other free agents to start the new year without a team. Players all over baseball are waiting for better offers, and teams are searching for bargains.
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John Harper / NY Daily News:
Andy rejects offer, but could still return — Although Andy Pettitte has frustrated Yankee brass by declining to accept the Bombers' one-year offer of $10 million, the Yankees haven't closed the door on a deal for the veteran lefthander. — According to a person close to the situation …
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Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:Pettitte rejects Yankees' contract offer
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This Purist Bleeds Pinstripes
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Sources: Tribe interested in Pavano — The Cleveland Indians have emerged as a strong candidate to sign free-agent pitcher Carl Pavano, several baseball sources told ESPN.com. — Pavano, 32, is looking to rehabilitate his career after suffering numerous injuries in four seasons with the Yankees.
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ESPN.com:
Sources: A's, Giambi on verge of one-year deal — The Oakland Athletics and free agent DH Jason Giambi are on the verge of agreeing on a one-year deal with an option for 2010, Sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. — The deal would pay Giambi, who started his major league career in Oakland …
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Mike Puma / New York Post:
GIAMBI AGREES TO ONE-YEAR DEAL WITH ATHLETICS — RETURNS TO OAKLAND AFTER FAILED STINT IN THE BRONX — On the day the Yankees are introducing Mark Teixeira as their new first baseman, the man he is replacing has found a new home. — Jason Giambi has agreed to one-year deal with Athletics worth $4.5 million.
Larry Stone / Seattle Times:
Mariners waiting out slow-moving market — By the end of the... Jack Zduriencik was chatting with a fellow general manager on Monday morning about the slow-moving free-agent market. By the end of the day, it wasn't so slow moving. — Pat Burrell signed a two-year, $16 million deal with Tampa Bay.
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MLB Rumors
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Markcuban / blog maverick:
The Cubs — With all the support and encouragement I got to buy the team, I think its appropriate to share the decision making process behind what happened and why. Buying the Cubs was a unique opportunity to own one of the most storied franchises in sports.
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Bradley joins Cubs; Rangers turn to Cruz — FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS — News that Milton Bradley has agreed to terms with the Chicago Cubs didn't send shockwaves through the Texas Rangers' offices on a chilly Monday. — Bradley, who became an All-Star for the first time last year with the Rangers …
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Tom Verducci / Sports Illustrated:
Old guard squeezed in new market … The baseball actuarial tables have been rewritten. As clubs continue to place greater value on young players under control (witness the new religion about not losing compensatory draft picks), the older free agent is being severely devalued.
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers ‘not in’ on Lowe sweepstakes — GM Melvin sets to rest rumors that club is chasing 35-year-old righty — MILWAUKEE — The Derek Lowe-to-the-Brewers rumblings can be put to rest. — “We're not in on him,” general manager Doug Melvin said of the free-agent right-hander.
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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Yankees sign Jason Johnson — Some more news from the Bronx via Sam Borden: — The Yankees have signed RHP Jason Johnson to a minor-league deal. Joe Girardi said Johnson would compete to be the fifth starter.
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Chad Cordero To Audition This Week — By Tim Dierkes [January 6 at 1:37pm CST] — 1:37pm: Nick Piecoro says the D'Backs will be one of the teams in attendance at Cordero's audition. — 8:38am: According to a baseball source, free agent reliever Chad Cordero is ahead of schedule and teams will watch him throw this week.
Fred Mitchell / Chicago Tribune:
Ex-Cub Lee Smith doesn't understand lack of Hall love — Retired Cubs closer fuming over lack of Hall of Fame votes — Jim Murray, the late Pulitzer Prize-winning sports columnist, once referred to Lee Smith as the active player most likely to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Teixeira: ‘I have yet to tap my potential’ — Yanks formally bring slugger into fold, announcing $180M, 8-year deal — NEW YORK - Mark Teixeira and the New York Yankees completed their $180 million, eight-year contract Tuesday, announcing the deal in perhaps the final event at the old Yankee Stadium.
