Top News:
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Yankee mates back A-Rod … Yankees have supported Alex Rodriguez through thick and thin during his first five years in pinstripes. Despite Saturday's revelation that the three-time MVP reportedly flunked a steroids test in 2003, it doesn't appear that will change any time soon.
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Mike Puma / New York Post:
RODRIGUEZ DEBACLE MEANS BRONX ZOO BACK IN BUSINESS — Move over, Jason Giambi, Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, there's a new potential inductee to the Yankees' Hall of Shame. — This member simply could have “A-Roid” inscribed on his plaque. — According to a Sports Illustrated report …
Mike Lupica / NY Daily News:
Give us the juice, A-Rod — Alex Rodriguez needs to come clean now, about what Sports Illustrated says is a dirty drug test out of his past. — He needs to come clean in a way that Barry Bonds never really has and Roger Clemens probably never will, in a way that Mark McGwire did not come clean …
Harvey Araton / New York Times:
Nine More Years of a Marriage Not Made in Heaven
Nine More Years of a Marriage Not Made in Heaven
Discussion:
NY Daily News, WasWatching.com, Bugs & Cranks, Hardball Times, Bats, Heartland Pinstripes, BASEBALL HOT CORNER and New York Post
Keeli Garza / Foul Territory:
Jones is coming — General manager Jon Daniels confirmed a New York Post report that says the Rangers will announce this week that they have signed free-agent center fielder Andruw Jones to a minor-league contract. The value of the contract would be $500,000 if Jones makes the big-league roster …
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MLB:
Andruw Jones OKs Rangers' minor league deal — Released by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Andruw Jones will have the opportunity to try to resurrect his career with the Texas Rangers. — Several media outlets reported Sunday that Texas will sign Jones to a minor league deal that will pay him $500,000 if he makes the major league team.
Joel Sherman / Hardball:
RANGERS TO SIGN ANDRUW JONES — The Rangers will announce in the next few days that they have signed center fielder Andruw Jones to a minor league contract that will pay him a base salary of $500,000 if he makes the majors, the Post has learned. — Jones will also have an opportunity …
ESPN.com:
Phillies, 1B Howard agree to 3-year, $54M deal — The Philadelphia Phillies and first baseman Ryan Howard agreed Sunday to a three-year, $54 million contract to avoid an arbitration hearing. — Howard — “I'm happy to have this done and to know that I'll be in Philadelphia …
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
A tough pitch to let go by — LA offering may be best Ramírez will see — Give Dodgers owner Frank McCourt credit. He made a heck of an attempt to sign Manny Ramírez with an offer that made sense for both sides: one year, $25 million. — It was a page from the book …
Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
More Questions and Even Less Time — You may have noticed that today's column is titled “On The Beat.” That change will keep the name consistent with the columns that I write on Wednesdays, as well as on other days when I end up covering the postseason and the Winter Meetings.
Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
Sabathia, Burnett give Yankees confidence — The Yankees made no secret of their primary objective during the offseason: upgrading their starting rotation. — They met that goal as well as anyone could have hoped, landing 2007 American League Cy Young Award winner CC Sabathia and the dominant if erratic A.J. Burnett.
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
MLB:
Royals, Teahen agree to 1-year deal for $3.58M — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mark Teahen and the Kansas City Royals agreed on Sunday to a one-year contract worth $3,575,000 and avoided salary arbitration. — Teahen played in a career-best 149 games last season, hitting .255 with 31 doubles, 15 home runs and 59 RBIs.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings