Top News:
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Source: Cubs to acquire Heilman — The Chicago Cubs have acquired pitcher Aaron Heilman from the Seattle Mariners for infielder Ronny Cedeno and pitcher Garrett Olson, a baseball source told ESPN.com. — Heilman and Olson have already been involved in trades this offseason.
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Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Cubs Acquire Aaron Heilman For Cedeno, Olson — By Tim Dierkes [January 28 at 11:39am CST] — 11:39am: ESPN's Jerry Crasnick says the Mariners acquired Cedeno and Garrett Olson from the Cubs for Heilman. Essentially, the Cubs moved two out of options players in Cedeno and Felix Pie …
ESPN:
Cubs closing in on trade — The Chicago Cubs are close to pulling off a deal that would bring them right-handed reliever/starter Aaron Heilman. In exchange for Heilman, the Seattle Mariners are looking for Ronny Cedeno and a young pitcher. Heilman came to Seattle from the New York Mets …
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
D'Backs Agree To Terms With Jon Garland — By Tim Dierkes [January 28 at 2:52pm CST] — 2:52pm: More details from ESPN's Jerry Crasnick: Garland gets $6.25MM in '09 and the 2010 option for $10MM has a $2.5MM buyout if the D'Backs reject it. If Garland rejects it it's a $1MM buyout.
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ESPN.com:
Source: D-backs to add Garland to rotation — Jon Garland, who won 14 games for the Los Angeles Angels last season, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, a source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. — Garland agreed to a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2010.
John Harper / NY Daily News:
Joe Torre's poison pen in ‘The Yankee Years’ could be blot on career — It turns out that Alex Rodriguez wasn't the only player Joe Torre slammed in his book, “The Yankee Years.” It is clear, the Daily News found after obtaining a copy of the book, that the ex-Yankee manager didn't hold …
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NY Daily News:
Cone spills juice on Torre's clubhouse — Joe Torre claims in the new book he wrote with Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci that he didn't know his Yankee teams were fueled by steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. — But in “The Yankee Years,” David Cone said the players had a good idea about who was juicing.
Discussion:
New York Post, YanksBlog.com, WEEI Blogs, New Jersey Online, Sliding Into Home and New York Times
Mike Lupica / NY Daily News:Lupica: Torre has to stand up and stay true to his word
Discussion:
New Jersey Online
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
2 Pitchers Warm Up on Stage, Not Mound — FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Joba Chamberlain pitches with his right hand and writes with his left. Jon Lester does the opposite. Chamberlain is the Yankees' prized young arm, and Lester fills that role for the Boston Red Sox.
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Dylan Hernandez / LA Times Sports Blog:
Agent: Manny Ramirez should be signed by the start of spring training — Manny Ramirez should be signed by the start of spring training, his agent said Tuesday night. — “I can't put a timetable on this, but I know that spring training is a long time away,” Scott Boras said.
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Arthur Staple / Newsday:
Mets' Manuel would welcome Manny with open arms — Jerry Manuel would have no problems with Manny Ramirez joining the Mets. In fact, the Mets manager sounded as if Manny would be a Met if it were up to Manuel. — “But that's [general manager] Omar [Minaya], that's the Wilpons, their thing …
Discussion:
Kranepool Society
Dave van Dyck / Chicago Tribune:
Chicago Cubs' Alfonso Soriano OK with not being leading man — Left fielder also says he wants to play all 162 games — Just into the third year of an eight-year, $136 million contract, it is becoming clear Alfonso Soriano has no leg to stand on—so to speak—in insisting he bat leadoff.
Discussion:
RosenBlog, MLB FanHouse, GoatRiders of the Apocalypse, Bleed Cubbie Blue and Wrigleyville23
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
The latest on the best remaining free agents (cont.) — 9. Joe Crede. He's said to have a clean bill of health, though past back trouble obviously is worrisome to some. The Giants, Twins and Rangers have shown interest. — 10. Randy Wolf. Depending on reports, Wolf rejected either $22 million …
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily
Reuters:
New York Times puts Red Sox stake on the block — CHICAGO (Reuters) - The New York Times Co said on Wednesday it hired banking firm Goldman Sachs to help it sell its stake in the Boston Red Sox baseball team. — The 17.75 percent stake is in New England Sports Ventures (NESV) …
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Tyler Hissey / Dugout Central:
Jim Bowden is MLB's Worst General Manager — Once Bill Bavasi was finally fired by the Seattle Mariners, Jim Bowden officially took over the title of worst general manager in baseball. — Bowden was a terrible hire for a rebuilding franchise like the Washington Nationals.
Chris Haft / MLB.com:
Giants to add Clark to front-office post — ‘The Thrill’ played in San Francisco for eight seasons — SAN FRANCISCO — “The Thrill” is back with the Giants. — Will Clark, who remains one of the club's most popular players since the franchise moved to San Francisco in 1958 …
