Top News:
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Archrivals lead hunt for Manny … Well known for bold free-agent signings and boosted by a solid financial situation, the San Francisco Giants look like a major threat to steal superstar free agent slugger Manny Ramirez away from the archrival Dodgers. — While the Dodgers …
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David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Wren, Cox meet with Lowe at Turner Field — Chipper calls free-agent pitcher with sales pitch; Mets, Phillies also interested — Braves officials met Thursday with free-agent pitcher Derek Lowe at Turner Field, with the shock of John Smoltz's exit reverberating in Atlanta and an increased sense of urgency in the air.
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Braves Join Mets in Pursuit of Lowe — Once again, Scott Boras has his ideal situation: two ostensible rivals bidding for the same player. — In a discouraging development for the Mets, the Braves emerged Thursday as a serious suitor for the free-agent starter Derek Lowe …
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Starting Pitcher: Mets still Leaders for Lowe — Interestingly, during tonight's Hot Stove show on the MLB Network, SI.com's Jon Heyman said, while Omar Minaya prefers Oliver Perez to Lowe, some in the team's front-office prefer Lowe, because he is a ground-ball pitcher …
Jack Wilkinson / Sports Illustrated:Smoltz's departure from Atlanta signals end of an era
Discussion:
Red Sox Monster
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Swisher the Yanks' preferred candidate over Nady — In their current roster logjam, the Yankees would strongly prefer to trade Xavier Nady and retain Nick Swisher, a person familiar with the club's thinking said yesterday. — General manager Brian Cashman has received more requests for Swisher than for Nady.
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Henry Schulman / SFGate:On Swisher and Nady
Discussion:
Rivera's Cutter, Pinstripes, Pa., MLB.com, River Avenue Blues, iYankees, The Yankee Scrolls, Sliding Into Home and Pinstripe Alley
Boston Herald:
Mark Kotsay set to re-sign — After adding one role player yesterday by signing outfielder Rocco Baldelli to a one-year, $500,000 deal with incentives, the Red Sox [team stats] are poised to add another soon. — Mark Kotsay, whom the Sox obtained from Atlanta last August …
Discussion:
SOX & Dawgs, The Bottom Line, Fire Brand of the …, MLB Rumors, Talking Chop and Red Sox Monster
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Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
O's bring back utility infielder Gomez — Veteran agrees to minor league deal, gets invite to spring training — The Orioles have agreed to a minor league deal with utility infielder Chris Gomez, bringing the veteran back to the organization after a year's absence.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Dick Kaegel / MLB.com:
Bloomquist will compete with Callaspo — Royals give former Mariners infielder/outfielder two-year deal — KANSAS CITY — The Royals and infielder Willie Bloomquist have reached an agreement on a two-year contract, MLB.com learned on Friday. — Bloomquist is expected to compete …
Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs put their trust in Bradley — $30M outfielder insists troubles are thing of past — After two months of courting and waiting and making the finances work, the Cubs finally introduced Milton Bradley as their new right fielder Thursday. — And depending on which side of the optimism fence …
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Associated Press:
Ex-Astro Dave Roberts dies of cancer at 64 — Pitcher was with Pirates for 1979 World Series win over O's — MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — David Arthur Roberts, a lefthanded pitcher who played for eight Major League teams including the 1979 World Series champion Pittsburgh Pirates, has died of lung cancer.
Carl Steward / insideBayArea:
Voter: I made a mistake not voting for Rickey Henderson — It remains to be seen how close Rickey Henderson comes to being the first unanimous selection to the Baseball Hall of Fame, but the one sportswriter who publicly disclosed that he didn't vote for Henderson already has admitted he made a mistake.
Discussion:
Home Run Derby, Deadspin, MLB FanHouse, Bugs & Cranks, It is about the money, stupid and Baseball Musings
Steve Buckley / Boston Herald:
Jim Rice ‘Restless’ but not about Hall — Say this about Jim Rice: He was never much of a politician as a player and he has never been much of a politician as an ex-player. — This is why those members of the Baseball Writers Association of America, who each year are entrusted with determining …
Discussion:
A Red Sox Fan …
Juan Gonzalez / NY Daily News:
Gonzalez: Yanks keep on grabbin' — Less than three years after they got $942 million in tax-free bonds for a new Bronx stadium, the Yankees are at the public trough again. — With our city facing the worst financial crisis since the Depression, and more than 200,000 people expected to lose …
Chico Harlan / Nationals Journal:
Nats Draw Line With Dunn, Hudson — Though the Washington Nationals' pursuit of its top free agent targets — Adam Dunn and Orlando Hudson — has not been called off, the team is discouraged about its chances of signing either, one well-placed source said yesterday.
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Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Team USA extends invitation to Hawpe — Rockies outfielder mulling offer to play in World Baseball Classic — DENVER — Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe has been invited to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic and is mulling whether to commit to the tournament.
Discussion:
Purple Row
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Pettitte return to Houston highly unlikely — Despite report of lefty's interest, Astros remain firm on payroll — HOUSTON — The last time Andy Pettitte was unhappy with the Yankees, he phoned “home” — home being the Astros — and struck a tidy three-year deal that lasted from 2004 until '06.
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