Top News:
ESPN:
Sources: New York Yankees lead chase for OF Andruw Jones — Looking for some outfield depth, the New York Yankees are the leading candidate to land free agent Andruw Jones, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney on Monday. — Their AL East rival, the Tampa Bay Rays …
Discussion:
The Captain's Blog
RELATED:
Wallace Matthews / ESPN:
New York Yankees exec: Rafael Soriano issue not bad for Brian Cashman — NEW YORK — The Yankees have “full confidence” in general manager Brian Cashman, according to a senior team executive who acknowledged a division in the ranks over the signing last week of reliever Rafael Soriano …
Discussion:
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre …, NESN.com and Yankees Daily
Wallace Matthews / ESPN:
New York Yankees less confident Andy Pettitte will return next season, executive says — 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.
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily and NESN.com
Bruce Levine / ESPN:
Sources: Cubs trade Tom Gorzelanny — CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs have traded left-handed pitcher Tom Gorzelanny to the Washington Nationals for three minor league prospects — two pitchers and an outfielder, according to two major league sources. — The trade is pending a physical that Gorzelanny is expected to take on Tuesday.
RELATED:
Pat Lackey / Fanhouse MLB Blog:
Report: Cubs Trade Tom Gorzelanny to Nationals for Prospects
Report: Cubs Trade Tom Gorzelanny to Nationals for Prospects
Discussion:
Baseball America, baseballmusings.com and NationalsProspects.com
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Blue Jays Sign Jon Rauch — The Blue Jays announced that they signed Jon Rauch to a one-year deal that pays the reliever $3.5MM in 2011 and includes a club option for $3.75MM in 2012. There's a $250K buyout for the 2012 option, so the deal is worth a total of $3.75MM in guaranteed money …
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter and Yahoo! Sports
RELATED:
Adam Rubin / ESPN:
Source: Chris Young, Mets close — The New York Mets are closing in on a deal with free-agent right-hander Chris Young, a source within the organization told ESPNNewYork.com. — Young, 31, made three September starts for the San Diego Padres last season, after missing most of the season with a strained right shoulder.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, HardballTalk, Amazin' Avenue, Mets Merized Online, MLB Rumors and MetsBlog.com
RELATED:
Adam Rubin / ESPN:
Young, Mets agree, pending physical
Young, Mets agree, pending physical
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online and MLB Rumors
Sports Illustrated:
Why the Cardinals may not offer Pujols an A-Rod-type deal … Albert Pujols' decision, via agent Dan Lozano, to set a deadline of spring training for a new multiyear deal with the Cardinals, could be a sign things aren't going all that well in the negotiations. But it could also be an attempt to force a deal.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, MLB Rumors and baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
Fox Sports:
Losing Pujols would devastate Cards — 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. — Here's the bottom line, the only thing you need to know before the rhetoric intensifies:
Discussion:
Confessions of a She-Fan
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Nolasco will be ready to go when camp opens — Marlins righty ahead of schedule in recovery from knee surgery — MIAMI — Right-hander Ricky Nolasco will be fully ready to go when Marlins pitchers and catchers begin Spring Training workouts on Feb. 18. — Returning from surgery …
Discussion:
FishStripes
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Thames nearing deal with Dodgers — LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers' search for a power bat has them on the verge of signing free-agent outfielder Marcus Thames, but veterans Eric Chavez and Gabe Kapler are also in the mix, according to baseball sources. — The club declined to confirm that a signing of Thames was close.
Discussion:
Dodgers Blog, MLB Rumors and True Blue LA
Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:
Marlins sign closer Nunez, Mujica to one-year deals — South Florida Sun Sentinel — The Marlins on Monday night agreed to terms on one-year contracts with right-handers Leo Nunez and Edward Mujica, two of their four arbitration-eligible players. — Expected to reprise his role as closer …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
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.
Discussion:
Dodgers Blog, New York Post, baseballmusings.com and Fanhouse MLB Blog