Top News:
Mike DiGiovanna / LA Times Sports Blog:
If Adrian Beltre goes to Rangers, Vladimir Guerrero could return to Angels — Adrian Beltre, according to numerous media reports, is closing in on a deal with the Texas Rangers, a move that would be a considerable blow to the Angels' playoff hopes and would greatly increase the chances of slugger Vladimir Guerrero returning to Anaheim.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Halos Heaven and Texas Rangers
RELATED:
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Rangers close to deal with Beltre — Two-time Gold Glove third baseman had stellar 2010 for Boston — ARLINGTON — The Rangers' big free-agent purchase of the offseason is close to being completed. Get ready for Adrian Beltre to take over for Michael Young as the Rangers' third baseman.
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog and Lone Star Ball
Evan Grant / Texas Rangers:
Rangers, Adrian Beltre on verge of deal that could be worth $96 million
Rangers, Adrian Beltre on verge of deal that could be worth $96 million
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball and Baseball Time in Arlington
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Texas Rangers' Young willing to move to DH
Texas Rangers' Young willing to move to DH
Discussion:
Baseball Time in Arlington and ESPN
Mark Saxon / ESPN:
Source: Los Angeles Angels' Plan B doesn't include Vladimir Guerrero
Source: Los Angeles Angels' Plan B doesn't include Vladimir Guerrero
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Hall of Fame needs to deal with steroids era — Powers in Cooperstown need to fix the process instead of making votes so hard to cast — There's a Cooperstown crisis coming. Nobody seems to want to acknowledge it. Nobody seems to want to deal with it. But it's coming, all right, whether the Hall of Fame is ready or not.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
RELATED:
Matthew Leach / MLB.com:
Run-producing Raines deserves Hall nod — Tim Raines had Hall of Fame talent. He had a Hall of Fame peak. He had Hall of Fame longevity. Yet somehow, he remains far from Hall of Fame enshrinement. — The man known as “Rock” may or may not be the best eligible player who's not in Cooperstown …
Adam Kilgore / Nationals Journal:
Nationals agree to terms with Adam LaRoche — The Nationals found their replacement for first baseman Adam Dunn tonight, finalizing a two-year deal with an option for a third year with Adam LaRoche. LaRoche, the best remaining free agent remaining at the position, is a defensive upgrade over Dunn …
Discussion:
The Goessling Game
RELATED:
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats agree to two-year contract with LaRoche
Nats agree to two-year contract with LaRoche
Discussion:
NATIONALS NEWS NETWORK, NATS INSIDER and The Nationals Enquirer
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Nationals Agree To Sign Adam LaRoche
Nationals Agree To Sign Adam LaRoche
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Fanhouse MLB Blog and Federal Baseball
Jeff Zrebiec / Orioles Insider:
O's agree to terms with Gregg on two-year, $10 million deal with club option for 2013 — The Orioles added another important piece to the back of their bullpen today, agreeing to terms with veteran right-hander Kevin Gregg on a two-year, $10 million deal, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.
Discussion:
MASNsports.com, Mariners blog, Oriole Post and Fanhouse MLB Blog
RELATED:
Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
Braves Agree To Deal With Dan Uggla — The Braves and Dan Uggla have agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $62MM, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets that the salary in the first year of the deal is believed to be low, under $10MM.
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings
RELATED:
Fox Sports:
Uggla becomes highest paid 2B ever — Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since August 2005. He appears weekly on MLB on FOX. Follow him on Twitter. — Dan Uggla got his wish. — The second baseman has reached agreement with the Braves on a five-year …
Discussion:
Fanhouse MLB Blog
Ken Davidoff / Boston Herald:
Yankees: Andy Pettitte situation not affecting moves — NEW YORK — Even as Andy Pettitte stays silent on his future, two of the lefthander's friends believe that he'll come back for a 17th season. But the Yankees continue to act as though Pettitte will retire, and general manager Brian …
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily and MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Ken Davidoff's baseball insider
Ken Davidoff's baseball insider
Discussion:
Joe Blogs, HardballTalk, New York Times, Fanhouse MLB Blog and The Captain's Blog
Roberto Alomar / ESPN:
ESPN: Hall passes for Alomar, Blyleven — ESPN.com asked 18 of ESPN's Hall of Fame voters to submit their ballots for the Class of 2011, which will be announced Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET. — To be elected, players must receive at least 75 percent of the Baseball Writers' Association of America vote.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Hardball Times, Baseball Analysts and Yahoo! Sports
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Bill Buckner to manage Brockton Rox — BOSTON — Bill Buckner is coming back here, and in uniform, too. — The former Red Sox first baseman has been hired to manage the Brockton (Mass.) Rox, a team in the independent Can-Am League, Rox co-owner Van Schley confirmed Tuesday.
Discussion:
Over the Monster, Boston Globe, Yahoo! Sports, Surviving Grady and The Mighty Quinn Media Machine
JonPaulMorosi / mlbbuzz:
Yankees showing interest in free agent Bonderman — The New York Yankees have shown interest in free-agent starter Jeremy Bonderman, a major-league source told FOXSports.com. — Bonderman went 8-10 with a 5.53 ERA in 30 games (29 starts) for the Detroit Tigers last year.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, NESN.com, Sliding Into Home and SNY
Greg Johns / MLB.com:
Veteran catcher Bard re-signs with Mariners — SEATTLE — Catcher Josh Bard, who played 39 games last year for the Mariners, has signed a Minor League deal with Seattle and will receive an invitation to Spring Training and a chance to compete for a backup spot, the veteran told MLB.com on Tuesday.
Discussion:
U.S.S. Mariner
St. Petersburg Times:
David Price to accept Warren Spahn Award — Rays lefthander David Price may not have won the American League Cy Young, but he'll pick up a special award this offseason. — Price will accept the Warren Spahn Award as the best left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball in a gala Jan 20th …
Barry Jackson / MiamiHerald.com:
Miami Heat's Udonis Haslem eyes return in late March, April — CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Forward Udonis Haslem, sidelined since sustaining a foot injury Nov. 20, said Tuesday that doctors have told him he should be able to return by late March or April “if everything goes as planned.”
Discussion:
ProBasketballTalk, Back Porch FanHouse, USA Today and NESN.com
J-Doug / Beyond the Box Score:
Stadium Boom Amounts to Fountain of Youth for MLB Parks — When conducting baseball research, my thoughts often turn to the state of the baseball economy and the effect of new ballparks on the game. However, I've personally never seen the new stadium boom quantified—let alone visualized—so I decided to take a swing at it.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com