Top News:
Chad Finn / Boston Globe:
Varitek, Sox agree to deal — The prolonged negotiations between Jason Varitek and the Red Sox have been resolved, with the catcher agreeing to a contract that will keep him with the club for a 13th season — and perhaps beyond. — Varitek, the popular Red Sox captain who is often praised …
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Jayson Stark / ESPN.com:
Sources: Varitek, Red Sox reach one-year deal — It took nearly three months, but the Boston Red Sox have reached agreement to bring back catcher Jason Varitek on a one-year, $5 million contract, pending a physical and the execution of final details, two major league sources said Friday.
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
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Yankees sign Bruney — There will be no arbitration cases as Brian Bruney agreed to a one-year contract.
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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 …
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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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Yankees have not reached FA quota — Fear not, greedy Yankee fans, the Yankees can sign all the Type A free agents if they want. — A story on MLB.com today said the Yankees had reached the quota on Type A free agents. — This led to — seriously — a dozen e-mails from fans who want Juan Cruz, Adam Dunn and/or Manny Ramirez.
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.
Discussion:
iYankees
Ben Jones / MLB Rumors:
Free Agent Quota: 8 Type A/Bs — By Ben Jones [January 30 at 12:30pm CST] — 12:30pm: In an email, Bloom told me it is a combination of eight Type A and Bs (not eight of each) and whether or not the team offered arbitration has nothing to do with the quota.
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Torre to appear on ‘Larry King Live’ — Dodgers skipper to give first long-form interview on new book — NEW YORK — He doesn't have the answers yet, only an inkling of what they may be. But Larry King does have plenty of questions, and, regarding his next interview subject, a curiosity perhaps keener than most.
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Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:Joe Torre puts Dodgers in an awkward situation
Discussion:
ESPN, LA Times Sports Blog, steinbrennerblog.infozed.com, Associated Press and bronxbanterblog.com
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:David Wells calls Joe Torre a ‘punk’ for telling all in ‘The Yankee Years’
Discussion:
New Jersey Online
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:
Yahoo! Sports, Mets Blog, Mets Merized Online, umpbump.com, Hot Foot, New Jersey Online, Watchdog and The 'Ropolitans
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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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MLB.com:
Cubs, catcher Paul Bako agree to terms on 2009 contract — CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs and catcher Paul Bako have agreed to terms on a 2009 contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. — Bako, 36, last season set career highs with 30 runs scored, 35 RBI and six home runs in 99 games with the Cincinnati Reds.
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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MLB:
FBI questioned Nitkowski in Clemens probe — NEW YORK — Former Yankees pitcher C.J. Nitkowski was interviewed nearly two weeks ago by federal agents as part of their investigation into whether Roger Clemens committed perjury when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
