Top News:
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.
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Pat Lackey / Fanhouse MLB Blog:
Report: Cubs Trade Tom Gorzelanny to Nationals for Prospects — The dominoes set in play by the Matt Garza trade are still falling. The Cubs have reportedly dealt Tom Gorzelanny to the Washington Nationals for three prospects, according to ESPNChicago.com.
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
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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:
MLB Rumors, HardballTalk and baseballmusings.com
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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
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:
HardballTalk, Amazin' Avenue, Mets Merized Online, MLB Rumors and MetsBlog.com
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Adam Rubin / ESPN:
Young, Mets agree, pending physical
Young, Mets agree, pending physical
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online and MLB Rumors
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Discussion:
joy of sox and It's About The Money