Top News:
Wallace Matthews / ESPN:
Mariano Rivera saved the Yanks ... again — Sales job on management may have given Bombers some valuable peace of mind — Mariano Rivera ended the 2010 baseball season with 559 career saves. — As he prepares to begins the 2011 season, his total now stands at 560.
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily, MLB Rumors, Sliding Into Home and River Avenue Blues
RELATED:
Mike Axisa / River Avenue Blues:
What's the excuse now? — In the unlikely event that you missed …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, HardballTalk, lenNY's Yankees, baseballmusings.com, Yankeeist and The LoHud Yankees Blog
Buster Olney / ESPN:
For Yankees, a potent arm, a puzzling deal
Discussion:
TYU, HardballTalk and Zell's Pinstripe Blog
Craig Calcaterra / HardballTalk:
Nice work by Scott Boras on the Rafael Soriano deal
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated, Boston Globe, Baseball Crank, Subway Squawkers, Bats, baseballmusings.com and Babes Love Baseball
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Yankees agree to terms with Soriano
Discussion:
SOX & Dawgs, Pinstripe Alley, Amazin' Avenue, Rays Index and FenwayNationWorld
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Rizzo confident in Nats' stable of pitchers — WASHINGTON — Published reports have indicated that the Nationals are trying to acquire free-agent right-hander Chris Young. Not true, according to a baseball source, who declined to say why the club doesn't have interest.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, Mets Fever and MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Third annual NatsFest set for March 30 — WASHINGTON — The Nationals will host the annual NatsFest at Nationals Park on March 30 so that more fans can celebrate the beginning of baseball alongside players, coaches and team personnel. This move will offer fans access to a fun-filled festival featuring …
Associated Press:
AP Source: A's Agree to Terms With RHP Balfour — OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics have agreed to terms with free agent right-handed reliever Grant Balfour on an $8.1 million, two-year deal. — A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the deal to The Associated Press …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
Jayson Stark / MLB:
Oakland Athletics add Grant Balfour to bullpen, sources say
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and ESPN
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
A's To Sign Grant Balfour
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog and River Avenue Blues
Aaron Gleeman / HardballTalk:
Twins re-sign Jim Thome to one-year, $3 million contract — After flirting with the Rangers while searching for a multi-year deal, Jim Thome has returned to the Twins on a one-year contract. — According to Kelly Thesier of MLB.com he'll get $3 million in guaranteed money …
RELATED:
Fox Sports:
Thome wanted to play near Chicago home — 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. — Jim Thome said the Rangers offered him more money than the Twins.
Discussion:
ESPN
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Source: Jeff Francis, Royals agree — Free-agent pitcher Jeff Francis has reached agreement on a one-year, guaranteed deal with the Kansas City Royals, a baseball source told ESPN.com. — The contract is pending completion of a physical exam, the source said. — Terms weren't immediately available.
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Fox advances Frank McCourt money to help cover Dodgers' operating expenses — An individual close to the situation declined to say how much money had been advanced. It is unclear whether the cash advance indicates the Dodgers are in immediate financial trouble.
Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
New York Mets lefty Johan Santana OK'd to throw after surgery — NEW YORK — Johan Santana has been given the green light to begin a throwing program as he continues rehabilitation from shoulder surgery. — The team has not set a timetable for his return, but manager Terry Collins …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Yahoo! Sports
Sports Illustrated:
The most overpaid and underpaid players of the offseason … This has been the winter of the overpay, not to be confused with Overbay, the new Pirates first baseman who was himself overpaid. These monster deals or very good players and pretty big deals for OK players really shouldn't have shocked anyone.
Discussion:
The Process Report and Rays Index
Adam Rubin / ESPN:
Source: Mets to ink Willie Harris — Longtime Mets nemesis Willie Harris is likely bringing his glove to New York. — Harris, 32, intends to sign a one-year, minor league contract with an invitation to Mets spring training, a baseball source told ESPNNewYork.com.
Discussion:
Kranepool Society
