Top News:
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs get stronger as division gets weaker — Central Division rivals doing little this winter to challenge North Siders — Ryan Doumit lies. — The Pittsburgh Pirates' catcher says he signed a three-year, $11.5 million contract extension because he's “excited about what the future holds for the Pittsburgh Pirates.”
Discussion:
PBC Blog
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JSOnline:
Don't expect big-bucks pitching move — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — As a preview of my baseball notes in the JS on Sunday, here are the first few paragraphs: — The logical assumption among many in Brewer Nation is that general manager Doug Melvin will follow the signing …
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Hoffman: ‘It was time to move on’ — All-time saves leader says Milwaukee was best fit for him — Trevor Hoffman, who agreed to sign with the Brewers on Thursday, told MLB.com in a telephone interview on Thursday that it was time to move on from San Diego and that Milwaukee seemed to be a better fit than Los Angeles.
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nationals interested in Nady, Swisher — Washington continues offseason search to add pop to lineup — WASHINGTON — The Nationals have interest in acquiring Yankees outfielder Xavier Nady and first baseman Nick Swisher. The two clubs are currently in trade discussions, according to a baseball source.
Discussion:
Just A Nats Fan, MLB Rumors, Zell's Pinstripe Blog, River Avenue Blues, Federal Baseball and Sliding Into Home
Enrique Rojas / ESPN:
Source: Martinez talking to Marlins — SANTO DOMINGO, Domican Republic — Pedro Martinez and the Florida Marlins are believed to be in the beginning stages of negotiating a contract and could meet next week, a source told ESPNdeportes.com Saturday night. — The Marlins have spoken with Martínez's agent.
Discussion:
Mets Fever
Bob Klapisch / NorthJersey.com:
Andy's strategy a costly wrong move — Andy Pettitte must have an ego the size of Texas, or else he's getting bad advice from his handlers. Either way, the left-hander has run face first into a Yankee reality: negotiating with the Bombers is like talking to Tony Soprano. It's just business, nothing personal.
Discussion:
iYankees
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Tampa Bay Rays getting left behind in AL East spending spree — Pitchers A.J. Burnett, left, and CC Sabathia are introduced Dec. 18, part of a busy and expensive Yankees offseason. — The price of last season's success for the Rays is fast approaching $500-million.
Los Angeles Times:
A team run (into ground?) like nobody's business — You can imagine Page 2's reaction to the news that the Los Angeles Business Journal recently selected the McCourts the city's “Power Couple of the Year.” — Time forJerry Bussto lock onto one of those 18-year-olds for keeps to become eligible for Power Couple of the Year.
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Busy Red Sox add reliever Saito — Ex-LA closer joins Penny, Smoltz, Baldelli as Boston signees — The Red Sox continue to stay busy this offseason. On Saturday, they officially announced they have signed reliever Takashi Saito to a one-year contract with a club option for 2010.
Jack Curry / New York Times:
For Henderson, the Hall of Fame Is on Line 1 — The voice-mail message on Rickey Henderson's cellphone is unusually wordy and quirky. He says hello and pauses, presumably to confuse callers into thinking he has actually answered, that it is not a recording.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Pavano's final hurt: feelings — Carl Pavano admitted, “I failed for four years in New York,” but he also suggested Friday that more support during his terrible tenure as a Yankee would have helped. — While Pavano said he didn't hold “any grudges,” he also noted, “When you're down …
Hot Stove Blog:
Braves nearing Kawakami deal and preparing Lowe offer — By the time the Braves make their first formal offer to Derek Lowe early next week, they may have already lured Kenshin Kawakami to Atlanta to strengthen the middle of their rotation. Multiple Major League sources confirmed Friday night …
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