Top News:
Sports Illustrated:
SI's Verducci: New book about Yankees, not just Joe Torre … SI.com: Two New York newspapers are reporting that Joe Torre rips Alex Rodriguez and George Steinbrenner in the book, and that Brian Cashman was not as supportive of Torre returning as Yankees manager after the 2007 season as was previously believed.
Discussion:
WasWatching.com, Sliding Into Home, Yankees Blog, Subway Squawkers and It is about the money, stupid
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Michiko Kakutani / New York Times:
An Insider's View of What Went Wrong in the Bronx — The hallmark of the Yankees who won World Series championships in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 was gritty team play: they weren't famous for a roster of flashy superstars or power hitters; rather, they were a resolute band of brothers …
ESPN.com:
Reports: Torre book reveals bitter Yankees rifts — Joe Torre didn't need “incentives” to lead the New York Yankees, so he left. — Torre's incentives to expose the salacious side of his former team is another story. — According to two newspaper reports, Torre blasts the team he managed …
New York Post:
TORRE RIPS ‘A-FRAUD’ & BOSS' BRASS BOZOS — Scorned skipper Joe Torre is blasting the Yankees - calling many of his former players prima donnas, confessing he stopped trusting the powers that be years before he left the team and charging that general manager Brian Cashman betrayed him.
Discussion:
MLB FanHouse, The Sporting Blog, SPORTSbyBROOKS, The Mighty Quinn Media Machine, Subway Squawkers, The Crawfish Boxes, YanksBlog.com, AwfulAnnouncing, The Joy of Sox, River Avenue Blues, Deadspin, YFSF, Kranepool Society, Heartland Pinstripes, bronxbanterblog.com, WasWatching.com, Can't Stop The Bleeding, Sliding Into Home and matsuifan.com
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Torre sounds off on Yanks in new book — Former Bombers skipper especially critical of Cashman, A-Rod — NEW YORK — Joe Torre is opening up about his tumultuous managerial career in New York and messy divorce from the Yankees, striking back in a tell-all book.
Discussion:
Bombers Beat
Rob Bradford / WEEI Blogs:
Deadline for Varitek — WEEI.com has learned from a source close to the negotiations that the two-year offer made by the Red Sox to catcher Jason Varitek is for $5 million for the first year, along with a club option for $5 million or a $3 million player option for season No. 2 of the deal.
Mychael Urban / MLB.com:
A's close to deal with Springer — Oakland, veteran right-hander reportedly nearing one-year contract — OAKLAND — Three days after A's manager Bob Geren said there could be as many as five openings in his bullpen when Spring Training starts next month, a Major League source …
Discussion:
MVN
Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com:
Waiting on the young pitchers — As the days dwindle until the start of spring training, the Orioles rotation is not looking any stronger. The Orioles clearly come up a little short here and are going to need someone like Hayden Penn, Radhames Liz, David Pauley or Brian Bass to really surprise to hold this unit together.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats remain interested in Cordero — Not yet throwing off mound, recovering righty lauded by first club — WASHINGTON — Nationals general manager Jim Bowden revealed at NatsFest on Sunday that the team still has interest in bringing back right-handed reliever Chad Cordero.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Tom Ziller / The Sporting Blog:
Brother's Alleged Molestation Drags Pedroia From His Throne — Dustin Pedroia isn't just a hero in Boston; the small Sacramento suburb of Woodland from which Pedroia hails has fallen all over itself to make sure everyone knows this is Dustin's town. But fame brings attention, and life typically includes embarrassing siblings.
Jeff Fletcher / Bay Bridge Baseball:
The great Matt Holliday experiment — I had this theory about Coors Field. Everyone knows the players who play there don't do as well on the road as at home, but it's not just because of what happens in Colorado after you hit the ball. It's also because of what happens after the pitcher throws the ball.
John Perrotto / Baseball Prospectus:
Every Given Sunday — Comings and Goings — The Angels led the major leagues with 100 regular-season victories last year, but there aren't many indicators pointing to that happening again in 2009. The Angels were 15th in the major leagues in runs scored last season with 4.7 per game …
Jeff Schultz / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves prospect Schafer denies using HGH — If Jordan Schafer was concerned that his reputation in baseball would forever be tarnished by last year's 50-game suspension for using human growth hormone, the cleansing process probably started Saturday. — Schafer, the Braves' top prospect …
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