Top News:
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Decision time looming for Varitek, Sox — Captain's future should be determined by the end of Friday — BOSTON — The topic that has engulfed Red Sox Nation for more than three months is finally on the verge of closure. At some point on Friday, Jason Varitek's status …
Discussion:
Boston Globe, blogs.trb.com, Ken Davidoff's baseball …, Confessions of a She-Fan and Cursed To First
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Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:
Morning update on Varitek — If you've read the latest Jason Varitek update and are expecting an answer by 8:30 a.m., be advised: agent Scott Boras is based on the West Coast, which means an answer may not be coming until perhaps the middle of the day. — According to a source …
Jayson Stark / MLB:
Sources: Varitek's signing deadline a ‘creation’ — The Friday morning deadline for Jason Varitek to accept the Boston Red Sox's “final” contract offer doesn't actually exist, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. — The Red Sox have told Varitek's agent, Scott Boras …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Yankees reached free-agent quota — Unless limit raised, Bombers cannot sign any more Type As or Bs — The most commonly held misconception of this offseason is that the Yankees could have signed pitcher Ben Sheets or could still sign left-fielder Manny Ramirez if only there were a few …
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Ben Jones / MLB Rumors:
Free Agent Quota: 8 Type A or Bs — By Ben Jones [January 30 at 11:37am CST] — 11:37am: Bloom says that a unilateral exception was granted this offseason allowing any team to sign as many as eight Type A or B free agents. A total of 216 free agents filed, an exceptionally high number.
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Limit on free-agent signings is up — Teams can sign up to eight Type A, B players due to flooded market — Because of an exception granted, the Yankees — or any other team — can sign as many as eight Type A or Type B free agents this season, a top baseball official said on Friday.
John Harper / NY Daily News:
Harper: Reaction proves Torre right on David Wells — This is the door that Joe Torre opened by writing his book, giving license to nitwits such as David Wells to rip the former Yankee manager, even going so far as to call him a “punk” during a radio interview Thursday.
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Peter Botte / NY Daily News:David Wells calls Joe Torre a ‘punk’ for telling all in ‘The Yankee Years’
Discussion:
New Jersey Online
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Opinion: Manny-Mania hits New York City — Last night, a group of 30 die-hard Mets fans gathered outside the SNY studios, on air during the network's Mets Hot Stove show, in what they described as the Million Manny March, while chanting, “Manny, Manny,” with some carrying signs …
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Matt Gagne / NY Daily News:
Manny marchers take Manhattan — Chants of “Man-ny! Man-ny!” drowned out the sound of traffic zipping up Sixth Ave. Thursday night as rabid Mets fans gathered outside SportsNet New York's studios and mugged for the cameras, imploring the Wilpons and Omar Minaya to bring free agent Manny Ramirez to Queens.
Joel Sherman / Mets Blog:
Mets sign Maine, avoid arbitration — The Mets have reached agreement with John Maine on a $2.6 million contract, avoiding arbitration, The Post has learned. Maine also can earn $25,000 by pitching 200 innings. Maine is coming off of surgery to remove spurs from his right shoulder …
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Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Mets sign Maine, avoiding arbitration — Right-hander reportedly agrees to one-year contract — The Mets avoided arbitration with John Maine by signing him to a one-year contract worth $2.6 million, according to the New York Post. — The deal for Maine, eligible for arbitration for the first time, gives him a significant raise.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Keith Herbert / Newsday:
Pols call for Mets to scrap Citigroup naming rights deal — The Mets' new stadium, Citi Field, has drawn the ire of two members of the House of Representatives. Citigroup is going through with its $400 million stadium naming-rights deal despite its financial troubles. (Newsday / Viorel Flrescu)
Discussion:
Mets Blog, Mets Merized Online, umpbump.com, Hot Foot, New Jersey Online, MetsBlog.com, The 'Ropolitans and Watchdog
Mark Hale / New York Post:
PEDRO PLANS TO USE WBC AS LAST AUDITION — Pedro Martinez's plan is to pitch in the World Baseball Classic and reveal what he can still offer a major league team in 2009, The Post has learned. — Martinez is a free agent, but if the legendary ace doesn't have a team by spring training, the WBC will act as his audition.
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Peter Schmuck / The Schmuck Stops Here:
Orioles: Millar time is up — Talked to Kevin Millar tonight on my WBAL show and he confirmed that he has been told the Orioles definitely are going in a new direction and that he will not be coming back in a reserve role. — Not that it's a big surprise.
Canadian Press:
Ridiculed extra-inning rule to be used in World Baseball Classic — NEW YORK — The ridiculed international rule to start an extra inning with two runners on base will be used at this year's World Baseball Classic, where it will be implemented beginning in the 13th inning.
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Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
Giambis Are Likely to Testify at Bonds's Trial — Federal prosecutors plan on having Jason Giambi and his brother Jeremy testify at Barry Bonds's perjury trial in March in an effort to bolster the case against baseball's embattled career home run leader. — Specifically, the prosecutors …
Discussion:
Hardball Times
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MLB:
LHP Maholm, Pirates agree on 3 years, $14.5M — Left-hander Paul Maholm avoided an arbitration hearing by reaching a preliminary agreement on a $14.5 million, three-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who also finalized a one-year deal with free-agent utilityman Eric Hinske worth about $1.5 million.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Dan McLaughlin / Hardball Times:
The path to Cooperstown: the catchers — For my fourth annual THT column on position players and the Hall of Fame, I'm taking an in-depth look at a group not represented on this year's BBWAA ballot and with only one post-1920 representative on the Veterans' Committee ballot (Joe Torre …
