Top News:
Wallace Matthews / ESPN:
Source: New York Yankees less confident Andy Pettitte will return next season — NEW YORK — The New York Yankees' optimism about the return of Andy Pettitte has waned somewhat over the past week, a team source told ESPNNewYork.com on Monday. — “Last week I thought the chances were 60-40.
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NESN.com
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NY Daily News:
Madden: Yanks could be Sori about new reliever — As a mostly unremarkable baseball winter (at least in New York) winds down to the one-dimensional DH market, last week was a transient one for premier closers with Trevor Hoffman, the all-time saves leader, moving out, and Rafael Soriano …
Discussion:
Rays Index, The LoHud Yankees Blog, LADY AT THE BAT, It's About The Money and DRaysBay
Wallace Matthews / ESPN:
Yanks suddenly AL East favorites again
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YFSF, NESN.com, Mets Merized Online and Over the Monster
Marksheldon / Mark My Word:
Votto agrees to three-year deal — This just in — the Reds and Joey Votto have agreed to terms Sunday on a three-year, $38 million contract with 1B Joey Votto, baseball sources told MLB.com. This is pending a physical, which is scheduled for Monday. — This would cover all three …
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Cincinnati.com, Red Reporter, Redleg Nation, MLB Daily Dish, HardballTalk, MLB Rumors and NESN.com
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MLB:
Sources: Joey Votto gets $38M deal — The Cincinnati Reds have agreed to a three-year, $38 million deal with first baseman Joey Votto, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney on Sunday. — The deal is pending a physical, which is scheduled for Monday, the sources said.
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Yahoo! Sports, baseballmusings.com and Chicago Breaking Sports
Associated Press:
Report: A's, reliever Brian Fuentes agree on 2-year deal — OAKLAND, Calif. — A person with knowledge of the deal says the Oakland Athletics and free-agent lefty reliever Brian Fuentes have agreed to terms on a two-year contract. — Fuentes — The person spoke on condition of anonymity …
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Projo Sox Blog, MLB Rumors, Amazin' Avenue, Athletics Nation, Rays Index, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Mets Merized Online and MLB
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Jane Lee / MLB.com:
Oakland close to finalizing deal with Fuentes
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Where Have You Gone … and Gonzo and ‘The Show’
John Lott / National Post:
Martin says'distractions' led to drop-off in play — Russell Martin says he knows why he has skidded from stardom to mediocrity in the prime of his career. — But beyond vague allusions to “frustrations” and “distractions,” he politely declines to explain. — “There's some things that you keep for yourself,” Martin said.
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New York Post, baseballmusings.com and Fanhouse MLB Blog
Rex Snider / Rex Snider's Blog:
Great news on a Monday? Angelos could be priming Orioles for sale ..... It's pretty fitting that Baltimore is blanketed by a grey, dingy skyline to begin the first Monday of the Ravens offseason, huh? If nothing else, it kinda sums up how most of us are feeling .....
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baseballmusings.com, HardballTalk and Inside Charm City
Chris Jaffe / Hardball Times:
15 worst endings ever to regular-season games — Last month I saw the most enjoyable sports column I've read in some time. Naturally, Joe Posnanski wrote it. Titled “The Agony of Defeat,” it presented admittedly-subjective picks for the worst endings ever to any sports games.
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joy of sox
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Ramos, Norris among top catching prospects — Yanks, Nats, Jays dominate list of up-and-coming backstops … Finding good catching isn't the easiest thing to do. Growing your own seems to be an even harder task. Some can hit, but either can't handle the defensive rigors of the position …
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats in talks with Cora for backup infield spot — WASHINGTON — The Nationals are in serious talks with veteran infielder Alex Cora, according to a baseball source. — Washington has been looking for a backup infielder since the club decided that Willie Harris was no longer part of its plans.
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MLB Rumors and HardballTalk
