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 …
Discussion:
Twins Insider, MLB Rumors, El Lefty Malo, Mets Merized Online, Scott Proctor's Arm and Drunk Jays Fans
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Daily Yomiuri Online:
Kawakami close to deal with Braves — LOS ANGELES—Free agent right-hander Kenshin Kawakami is close to reaching a deal with the Atlanta Braves, it was learned Thursday. — The 33-year-old Kawakami, looking to jump to the majors after spending all 11 seasons of his pro career with the Chunichi Dragons …
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Braves taking aim at Lowe, Kawakami — Free-agent righty, Japanese star could both end up in Atlanta — ATLANTA — The Braves are expected to make an offer to Derek Lowe early next week, but by that time they may have already added Kenshin Kawakami to their starting rotation.
Troy Renck / All Things Rockies:
Redding agrees in principle with Mets on $2.25 million deal — If the Washington Nationals hadn't balked at a trade for Willy Taveras a month ago, Tim Redding might be a Rockie today. But once he was non-tendered, becoming a free agent, the chance to chase a childhood dream trumped everything else.
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Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Mets on verge of signing Tim Redding — The Mets and right-handed starter Tim Redding are on the verge of completing a one-year agreement for about 2.5 million dollars that would bring Redding aboard for the 2009 season, Newsday has learned. — One person familiar with the negotiations described the process as “in the home stretch.”
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Team USA roster taking shape — Peavy, Lackey, Oswalt lining up in rotation for '09 Classic — Team USA's roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic started last month with Derek Jeter of the Yankees as the starting shortstop and Davey Johnson as the manager.
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Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Pavano finds right fit with Indians — Right-hander has plenty of motivation after New York experience — CLEVELAND — Carl Pavano's four seasons with the Yankees were painful enough on the physical front. — But when speaking to reporters Friday about his decision to sign with the Indians …
Discussion:
The Yankee Scrolls, 3:10 to Joba, In Mo We Trust, This Purist Bleeds Pinstripes and River Avenue Blues
Associated Press:
MLB players given drug exemptions on the rise … NEW YORK (AP) — ADHD was on the rise in the baseball again last season. — A total of 106 exemptions for banned drugs were given to major leaguers claiming Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder from the end of the 2007 season until …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
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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 …
Pete Toms / The Biz of Baseball:
A Detailed Look at the Ties Between MLB, MiLB, and Independent Leagues — MLB clubs have been very active the past handful of years in expanding their interests in to the affiliated minor leagues. Several factors could be motivating this behaviour, including, steep increases in player development costs …
Associated Press:
Dodgers agree to terms with Shawn Estes — LOS ANGELES: Pitcher Shawn Estes has agreed to terms of a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers that could be worth as much as $1.55 million. — Estes would receive $550,000 if added to the Dodgers' 40-man roster …
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.
Adam Rubin / Surfing the Mets:
What's the catch? — Marc Rubin (no relation), a 26-year veteran stats professor at Southern New Hampshire University's Graduate School of Business, where he specializes in compensation analysis, writes Surfing the Mets with the assertion that the Mets' bullpen woes in 2008 were attributable to the team's catchers.
Discussion:
Mike's Mets
Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:
Busting the Myth of the Salary Cap — Small-market teams love salary caps. Or rather, they think they do. At least on paper, caps stop teams in New York, Boston, and Chicago from oligopolizing the free-agent market, and should therefore help level the economic playing field.
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.
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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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