Top News:
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
A-Rod has destroyed game's history … In baseball, we love our numbers. And we love our heroes. And that brings us to Alex Rodriguez, a man who has committed a crime he doesn't even understand: — A crime against the once-proud history of his sport. — A-Rod didn't commit that crime alone, of course.
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Heyman: The union is responsible for A-Rod's steroid predicament … When Alex Rodriguez was approached by Sports Illustrated writer Selena Roberts in the University of Miami gym on Thursday and presented with the bombshell that he failed baseball's 2003 steroid survey test …
ESPN.com:Schilling: Name all 104 positives not just A-Rod
Discussion:
This Purist Bleeds Pinstripes
ESPN:However it shakes out, A-Rod still a great player
Discussion:
wezen-ball, Lookout Landing, Pinstripe Alley, THE BOOK, Another Cubs Blog, The Yankee Universe, Baseball Musings, Bugs & Cranks and ESPN.com
Harvey Araton / New York Times:A Yankees Marriage Not Made in Heaven
Discussion:
Washington Post, Wrigleyville23, Bugs & Cranks, NY Daily News, WasWatching.com, Hardball Times, The Mets Police, Bats and MLB.com
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.
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Tony Jackson / Inside the Dodgers:
Clarification on Andruw — Just found out that the Dodgers get HALF of whatever he makes with the Rangers. So, if he maxes out on his incentives and receive a total salary of $1.5 million from Texas in 2009, the Dodgers will get $750,000 of that, meaning they would owe him about $2.76 million instead …
Dallas Morning News:
Texas Rangers sign Andruw Jones to minor league deal — Impressed by a Jan. 26 workout with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, the Rangers have agreed to terms with free-agent center fielder Andruw Jones on a minor league deal. — An official announcement is expected soon, general manager Jon Daniels said.
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 …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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 …
Discussion:
Bugs & Cranks, Phillies Nation, Bucs Dugout, Yahoo! Sports, Sons of Steve Garvey and The700Level.com
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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.
Discussion:
Cardinals Best News Links
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Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Nationals agree to terms with Olsen — Deal leaves Washington with two potential arbitration cases — The Nationals trimmed their arbitration list by one player on Sunday, when they agreed to terms on a one-year, $2.8 million contract with left-handed starter Scott Olsen.
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Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Inbox: What's the plan for Castillo? — Beat reporter Marty Noble answers Mets fans' questions — It is recognized that the Luis Castillo contract is not working out. Could the Mets possibly buy out Castillo's contract, the way the Dodgers bought out Andruw Jones', and then sign Orlando Hudson to play second base.
Discussion:
Mets Fever
Tracee Hamilton / Nationals Journal:
Glavine Mulls Braves' Offer — The Atlanta Braves have made an offer to Tom Glavine, but the 300-game winner hasn't decided whether to accept a significant pay cut. — With the start of spring training just a week away, general manager Frank Wren confirmed Sunday the Braves recently offered …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
D-backs near arbitration with Jackson — Club, slugger running out of time before hearing to reach deal — PHOENIX — The D-backs and Conor Jackson have a little more than a week to settle on a contract before going to a salary arbitration hearing. — Jackson's hearing …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
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.
