Top News:
Tom Verducci / Sports Illustrated:
The story behind The Yankee Years … SI.com: There has been some initial confusion over the authorship of this book. Unlike your previous collaboration with Joe Torre, Chasing the Dream, written after the 1996 season, this is not a traditional as-told-to biography.
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Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Torre Says He Is Proud of ‘The Yankee Years’ — At one point Friday on “Larry King Live,” a montage of highlights showed the Yankees clinching the World Series. Joe Torre, who managed those teams, smiled as a championship ring flashed for the CNN cameras.
Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
Bouton: No clubhouse ‘sanctity’ — Did Joe Torre's book violate the sanctity of the Yankee clubhouse, particularly with his criticism of Alex Rodriguez? The man who pioneered the candid sports memoir is amused by the question. — “What's the big deal?
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.
Chad Finn / Boston Globe:
Sox strike deal with Varitek, still seek young catcher — From the pursuit of Mark Teixeira to the retention of Jason Varitek, the Red Sox offseason effectively drew to a close today. The team's roster is all but set, the relationship with its captain ultimately preserved.
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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 an 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.
Boston Herald:
Varitek, Red Sox strike a deal — The captain's not going anywhere. — Ending a three-month saga before a team-imposed deadline, the Red Sox [team stats] and catcher Jason Varitek [stats] agreed to a one-year contract with an option that will pay Varitek between $8 million and $10 million.
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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Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Yanks sign Bruney to one-year deal — Righty reliever avoids arbitration with $1.25 million contract — NEW YORK — No more obstacles stand between now and Spring Training. The Yankees cleared the last of them on Friday, signing their final arbitration-eligible player, Brian Bruney, to a one-year deal for a reported $1.25 million.
Discussion:
Yankees Rumors
Dave van Dyck / Chicago Tribune:
Paul Bako signs to be Chicago Cubs backup catcher — Cubs also in talks to send Rich Hill to Orioles — A couple of old friends are helping the Cubs make final roster adjustments about two weeks before spring training opens in Mesa, Ariz. — Not only did the Cubs sign backup catcher Paul Bako …
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T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Byrd, Rangers avoid arbitration — Outfielder agrees to base salary of $3.06 million for 2009 — ARLINGTON — The Rangers have settled all their arbitration cases after reaching an agreement with outfielder Marlon Byrd on Friday. — Byrd agreed to a base salary of $3.06 million.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Mark Shanahan / Boston Globe:
Sox owner Henry is engaged — Red Sox owner John Henry is engaged to girlfriend Linda Pizzuti. — Henry, whose divorce from his second wife, Peggy, was finalized last year, proposed to Pizzuti in New York, and the pair is planning to get married in June.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
MLB:
White Sox's Quentin healthy for spring training — CHICAGO — Every time he's asked about his surgically repaired right wrist, Carlos Quentin holds it up in the air and has this response: “It's great,” he says. — Quentin's first season with the Chicago White Sox, one that saw him blossom …
Discussion:
Associated Press
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.
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