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Trsullivan / Postcards from Elysian Fields:
Beltre, Pettitte, Webb, Young — From the Rangers press conference... * Club officials are not particularly optimistic that something will get down with third baseman Adrian Beltre. That deal seems unlikely give the tenor of feeling on Monday but things could change.
Discussion:
ESPN, MLB Rumors, HardballTalk, River Avenue Blues, Halos Heaven, Angels blog and Texas Rangers
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Zach Links / MLB Rumors:
Rangers Notes: Pavano, Beltre, Young — The Rangers aren't a player for Carl Pavano, sources tell Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Texas was once believed to be interested in the right-hander who will celebrate his 35th birthday on Saturday.
Discussion:
Postcards from Elysian Fields
Enrique Rojas / ESPN:
Source: Adrian Beltre, Rangers close — ORLANDO, Fla. — The Texas Rangers and free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre are close to completing terms on a multiyear deal, a source told ESPNdeportes.com on Sunday. — “They are still talking and have not completed the details …
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USA Today, Fanhouse MLB Blog, Angels blog, HardballTalk and Mariners blog
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Young willing to DH if Rangers sign Beltre
Discussion:
Baseball Time in Arlington
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Roundup: No agreement between Texas, Beltre
Discussion:
ESPN, The Sommer Frieze, Lone Star Ball, Lookout Landing, Angels blog and Full Count
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Reports of Texas Rangers deal with Beltre called premature by source
Discussion:
Purple Row and Angels blog
Marksheldon / Mark My Word:
Reds close to signing Hermida — The Reds appear to be close to signing outfielder Jeremy Hermida to a Minor League contract, a baseball source told MLB.com on Monday evening. — The deal has not been finalized and the club has made no formal announcement.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and Redleg Nation
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Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Reds close to inking Hermida to Minors deal
Discussion:
Cincinnati Reds and OMGreds
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Reds Interested In Fred Lewis
Discussion:
mlbbuzz, MetsBlog.com and Red Reporter
Troy Renck / All Things Rockies:
Rockies' CarGo contract talk persists as ad campaign revealed — Talks are continuing to sign young Rockies star Carlos Gonzalez to a long-term deal. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post) — UPDATE 12:54 p.m. | Adds confirmation from Carlos Gonzalez's publicist on projected contract values.
Discussion:
Purple Row, MLB Rumors and Fanhouse MLB Blog
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Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Source: Colorado Rockies, Carlos Gonzalez close to $80M deal — The Colorado Rockies and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez are moving closer to a 7-year, $80 million extension, a baseball source said Monday. — Gonzalez's publicist in Venezuela told the Denver Post that the outfielder had already agreed to the contract.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Mets sign Taylor Buchholz and Chris Capuano — According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, Taylor Buchholz will earn a $600,000 base salary, and Chris Capuano will earn a $1.5 million base salary with the opportunity to earn more with incentives. — Rubin also says the signing of both Capuano …
Discussion:
ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Boston Globe, Mack's Mets and OnTheBlack.com
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Adam Rubin / ESPN:
Mets ink Capuano, Buchholz, assign Ryota — The Mets announced the signings of a pair of pitchers trying to rebound from Tommy John surgeries: Chris Capuano (left) and Taylor Buchholz (right). — The Mets have signed left-hander Chris Capuano and right-hander Taylor Buchholz to one-year contracts …
Discussion:
Faith and Fear in Flushing and Mets Merized Online
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
The Case for Morris: Big Moments Count — Most Baseball Hall of Fame voters believe Jack Morris deserves a plaque in Cooperstown. That is not enough to get Morris into the Hall of Fame — he had 52 percent of the vote last year, and candidates need 75 — but it is significant.
Discussion:
Bats, Beyond the Box Score, The Captain's Blog, ESPN, baseballmusings.com and BBTF's Baseball Primer …
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Ed Price / Fanhouse MLB Blog:
For This Voter, Hall Calls Are Now Private — As a reporter, I am naturally in favor of openness. — However, from now on, I will no longer reveal my ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. And that is because journalistic principles of fairness trump the desire for openness.
Discussion:
The Biz of Baseball, Mets Merized Online and HardballTalk
Wallace Matthews / ESPN:
Aloha, Andy? Pettitte decision expected this week — Now that the holidays are over and Andy Pettitte has had more than enough time to mull over his future, the Yankees expect to hear from him this week on whether or not he will return to pitch in 2011. According to a team official …
Sports Illustrated:
New Year's resolutions for fifty of the biggest names in baseball … Here are 50 New Year's resolutions I'd like to see. — 1. Bud Selig. I will not to push for expanded replay, certainly not beyond the foul lines, because of baseball's beauties is that it is played at its own pace …
Discussion:
South Side Sox, Bronx Baseball Daily and HardballTalk
CNN:
Orioles pitcher: Shooting death was an accident — Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (CNN) — Baltimore Orioles pitcher Alfredo Simon said Monday the shooting death of a 25-year-old man over the weekend was an accident. — “In truth that young man was my friend, like a brother,” he said of Michael Esteban Castillo.
Discussion:
Orioles Insider, HardballTalk, Camden Chat, MASNsports.com and The Big Lead
Espn Com / MLB:
Looking ahead to the 2011 season — We'll go with Texas Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz, who hit 33 homers in 462 at-bats two years ago before injuries limited him to 22 long balls in 2010. — Jerry Crasnick — Cruz needs to show he can stay healthy for 150 games.
Discussion:
Splashing Pumpkins
