Top News:
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Lowe's talks with Braves heating up … Free-agent right-hander Derek Lowe is in serious discussions with the Atlanta Braves, SI.com has learned. — The Braves are trying hard to finalize a deal that would solidify their rotation. The deal for Lowe is believed to be for close to $60 million over four years.
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Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Source: Braves make 4-year, $60M offer — Free-agent pitcher Derek Lowe has received a four-year, contract offer worth about $60 million from the Braves, and indications are that he's leaning strongly toward signing with Atlanta, a baseball source told ESPN.com.
Discussion:
Hardball Times
Mike Puma / New York Post:
MINAYA'S 50-50 ON PEDRO'S RETURN — Heads, it's Derek Lowe, Oliver Perez or Randy Wolf. Tails, it's Pedro Martinez or some other option for the Mets' rotation. — GM Omar Minaya yesterday made it a coin flip when asked about his confidence in landing one of the Big 3 starters he has pursued in recent weeks.
Discussion:
New Jersey Online
Sporting News:
Braves reportedly have $60M deal on table to Derek Lowe — Derek Lowe has received a four-year, $60 million contract offer from the Atlanta Braves, according to an online report. — SI.com reported Monday the Braves are in serious discussions with Lowe, who is one of the top pitchers left on the free-agent market.
Discussion:
BOSTON IRISH
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Mets Increasingly View Martínez as Backup Plan — Pedro Martínez wants to pitch next season, and he wants to pitch for the Mets. But the chances of his returning diminished Monday when General Manager Omar Minaya all but ruled out re-signing Martínez.
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Enter smiling — Long wait ends as Sox slugger Rice, never one to court the media, wins writers' votes for Hall of Fame in last time on ballot — He crushed baseballs for 16 Boston summers, rarely pausing to take a bow, shake a hand, or play the fool for the 6 o'clock standup.
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MLB.com:
MLB.com voters share Hall thoughts — Baseball writers sound off on who they voted for and why — A dozen MLB.com writers voted in the Hall of Fame balloting this year, and this is how they voted: — MICHAEL BAUMAN: Rickey Henderson, Bert Blyleven, Andre Dawson, Jim Rice, Lee Smith
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Henderson, Rice given Hall passes — Rickey Henderson, widely considered the greatest leadoff hitter in the history of baseball, was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Monday on his first ballot with 94.8 percent of the votes cast by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Discussion:
National Baseball Hall …, Talking Chop, CBSSports.com Sports News …, ESPN, The Cub Reporter (TCR), TigerBlog, U.S.S. Mariner, Ducksnorts, Camden Chat, Halos Heaven, Beyond the Box Score, AZ Snakepit, Hardball Times, Angels blog, Walkoff Walk, MY BASEBALL BIAS, Baseball Analysts, Redleg Nation, sox1fan.com, Athletics Nation, Boston Globe, seattlepi.com Mariners blog, Home Run Derby, Batter's Box Interactive …, Center Field, Out Of Left Field, The Griddle, 6-4-2, The Mighty Quinn Media Machine, Baseball & The Boogie Down, Twinkie Town and BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Associated Press:
Henderson, Rice in Hall of Fame … NEW YORK — Rickey Henderson sped his way into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot Monday, and Jim Rice made it in on his 15th and final try. — Henderson, baseball's career leader in runs scored and stolen bases, received 94.8 percent of the vote …
Discussion:
Statistically Speaking, Chicago Tribune, Mariners Blog, Jorge Says No! and U.S.S. Mariner
Joe Posnanski:
The Hall of Fame Roundup — Here it is ... your 2009 overly long, absurdly obsessive, Hall of Fame recap. — Rickey Henderson (511 out of 539 votes, 94.8%): So, in the end, there were 28 people who did not vote for the all-time leader in runs, unintentional walks and stolen bases ...
Joe Sheehan / Unfiltered:Decision Day — At 2 p.m., it will be announced that Rickey Henderson …
Discussion:
Baseball Insider
Jay Jaffe / Sports Illustrated:Unconventional Wisdom: Who deserves to be in the Hall of Fame?
Discussion:
Cursed To First
Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
Source: Angels express interest in Dye — Life “under, under the radar,” is the way White Sox general manager Ken Williams is now choosing to conduct business this off-season. — That means rumors are mere whispers from dark corners, while actual news that is uncovered is met with a standard …
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Duk / Yahoo! Sports:
Mets' pizza patch the laughingstock of baseball uniform world — If you're the type of person who doesn't spend much time thinking about sleeve patches on uniforms, don't worry. — Neither do the Mets. — The team recently unveiled the logo to celebrate their upcoming first season …
New York Post:
KNICK SLAPPED WITH SEX-HARASS SUIT — GUY DRIVER: EDDY CURRY PUT MOVES ON ME — Knicks center Eddy Curry was slapped with a shocking sex-harassment suit Monday by his former driver, who claims the 6-foot-11 hoopster tried to solicit gay sex from him. — The stunning court papers claim Curry …
Discussion:
Deadspin, FanHouse, SPORTSbyBROOKS, Talk Hoops, With Leather, National Basketball …, The Big Lead and The Yankee Scrolls
Peter Schmuck / The Schmuck Stops Here:
Minor matters — The Orioles have signed a couple more players to minor league contracts. Jolbert Cabrera, who is the brother of shortstop Orlando Cabrera, will compete with Donnie Murphy and Chris Gomez for a utility role and probably end up as Triple-A depth.
Discussion:
Marlins Today
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Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:Orioles ink J. Cabrera, Hammock to minor league deals
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MLB Rumors
Doug Miller / MLB.com:
Mets' pursuit of Perez heating up — NEW YORK — The Mets might be closer to filling another slot in their starting rotation with a familiar face. — Speaking on MLB Network's Hot Stove show, SI.com's Jon Heyman reported on Monday that the Mets have offered left-hander Oliver Perez …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
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Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:Starting Pitcher: Mets offer 3-yr Deal to Perez
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
First-rounders earn non-roster invites — Beckham, Poreda among 18 players who will join Sox in spring — CHICAGO — Two potential on-field standouts of the not-too-distant future for the White Sox officially will be on display during the team's first Spring Training in Glendale, Ariz. …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
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Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com:
Mientkiewicz thinks return is unlikely — Veteran has not been contacted by Pirates this offseason — PITTSBURGH — After months of waiting for the Pirates to make him an offer, veteran Doug Mientkiewicz said on Monday that he believes the door is just about closed on a return to Pittsburgh in 2009.
Kansas City Star:
Baseball to open restaurant in Tokyo — You're in Tokyo, and you can't do without New England clam chowder. — Stop in at the MLB Café Tokyo, serving up specialty dishes particular to the cuisines of major-league teams — like clam chowder where Japanese stars Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideko Okajimi pitch.
Discussion:
The Griddle
NY Daily News:
Grand jury to consider Clemens perjury evidence — A federal grand jury will begin hearing evidence as soon as Tuesday in Washington to determine whether to indict Roger Clemens for lying under oath before Congress when he vehemently denied using anabolic steroids and human growth hormone during his illustrious career.
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Chico Harlan / Nationals Journal:
A Few Rumors, A Few FAs, A Few Yanks — Just a few drops of oil on the hot stove... * The Nats will not be among the players for Texas Rangers shortstop Michael Young. The two teams have had some basic discussions, but it figures to end at that. Young is due $62 million over the next five seasons.
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