Top News:
Mark Polishuk / MLB Rumors:
Rays Agree To Terms With Johnny Damon, Manny Ramirez — The Rays have agreed to terms with both Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated. The deals are pending physicals. Damon's deal is worth $5.25MM plus a potential $750K in bonus money based on attendance.
Discussion:
SOX & Dawgs, HardballTalk, USA Today, Halos Heaven and YFSF
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Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Source: Rays talking to Johnny Damon — The Tampa Bay Rays are in discussions with free agent Johnny Damon to fill their vacant designated hitter spot and play some left field. But a source familiar with the negotations said a report that Damon is close to agreement on a deal with the club is “very premature.”
Discussion:
ESPN, MLB Rumors, mlbbuzz, Joe Posnanski, MLB and HardballTalk
Sports Illustrated:
Notes from an arbitration scorecard — • Prince Fielder's deal for $15.5 million, a record, was praised as a good one for the player. “Very high,” one competing exec called the number. Even so, it was nice to see the Brewers complete a wonderful winter by getting …
Discussion:
SOX & Dawgs and NESN.com
Joe Smith / St. Petersburg Times:
Rays reportedly closing in on deal with Damon
Rays reportedly closing in on deal with Damon
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, MLB Daily Dish and DRaysBay
Trsullivan / Postcards from Elysian Fields:
Rangers going after Ramirez - Angels and Rays Also In the Mix
Rangers going after Ramirez - Angels and Rays Also In the Mix
Discussion:
HardballTalk, MLB Rumors and Texas Rangers
Joey Matschulat / Baseball Time in Arlington:
Report: Rangers “Aggressively Pursuing” Manny Ramirez
Report: Rangers “Aggressively Pursuing” Manny Ramirez
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Lone Star Ball, MLB Rumors, baseballmusings.com and The Process Report
Fox Sports:
Sources: Angels to trade Napoli to Jays — FOX Sports — The Angels, largely dormant for much of the off-season, are set to trade catcher Mike Napoli to the Blue Jays, major-league sources say. — The deal will become official once the players involved pass physicals.
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Jays, Angels Swap Vernon Wells For Napoli, Rivera — So much for the Angels' quiet offseason. The Angels and Blue Jays have announced a blockbuster trade that sends center fielder Vernon Wells to Los Angeles in exchange for catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, FanGraphs Baseball, Drunk Jays Fans, River Avenue Blues and Athletics Nation
Mark Saxon / ESPN:
Angels trade for Vernon Wells … The Los Angeles Angels, shut out in several bids to acquire free-agent hitters this winter, have acquired three-time All-Star Vernon Wells from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for catcher Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera.
Discussion:
Chicago Breaking Sports
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Prospect Watch: Top 10 right-handed pitchers — Hellickson, Teheran, Drabek head list of potential future aces … The adage about never having enough pitching has some truth to it, and there appears to be plenty of pitching coming up through Minor League systems.
Discussion:
Mariners blog
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Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Prospect Watch: Top 10 left-handed pitchers
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Most underrated players in the game — The list includes Ryan Zimmerman, Andrew McCutchen and Carlos Ruiz, among others — The closer on my All-Underrated team, Trevor Hoffman, retired last week. You probably caught wind of that someplace. — So what better excuse is there to kick off a bunch of spirited saloon debates?
Discussion:
Around the Majors and Where Have You Gone …
Associated Press:
Judge: Former players must testify — SAN FRANCISCO — Some of Barry Bonds' former teammates, along with other retired Major League Baseball players and perhaps current player Jason Giambi, will have to testify at the slugger's upcoming perjury trial, a federal judge said Friday.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com and Yahoo! Sports
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Howard Mintz / Mercury News:
Bonds case: Judge rules former pro athletes can testify in upcoming trial
Bonds case: Judge rules former pro athletes can testify in upcoming trial
Discussion:
Fanhouse MLB Blog and HardballTalk
Sports Illustrated:
Here's why Mark Teixeira could be the next Jason Giambi in pinstripes … Is Mark Teixeira facing a dip in his career? The New York Yankees first baseman turns 31 in April and is coming off a season in which he hit .256 — 34 points below his lifetime average entering the year (.290).
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily, Sliding Into Home and River Avenue Blues
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Cardinals Sign Nick Punto — The Cardinals announced that they signed Nick Punto to a one-year deal, according to MLB.com's Matthew Leach (on Twitter). It's a $700K deal, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Agent Charles Schneider represents the longtime Twin.
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Yahoo! Sports and HardballTalk
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Joe Christensen / Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Twins ready to do without ‘insurance policy’ Punto
Twins ready to do without ‘insurance policy’ Punto
Discussion:
The Platoon Advantage, HardballTalk, THE BOOK and Around the Majors
Jeff Pearlman / CNN:
Tracking down my online haters — Editor's note: Jeff Pearlman is a columnist for SI.com. He blogs at jeffpearlman.com. — (CNN) — Matthew is a college student from a small suburban town in Missouri. He loves the Kansas City Chiefs and spending Sundays in front of the TV watching football.
Discussion:
Better Off Red, Patrick Flood and HardballTalk
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Brewers Sign Jeremy Reed — The Brewers announced that they signed Jeremy Reed to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. — The 29-year-old appeared in 14 games for the Blue Jays last year, but spent most of the season at Triple-A. He hit .279/.342/.412 in 358 plate appearances …
Mark Polishuk / MLB Rumors:
Brewers Agree To Terms With Kameron Loe — The Brewers have avoided arbitration with Kameron Loe, agreeing to a one-year contract worth $1.25MM, reports MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Loe can earn $115K in bonuses based on appearances. This was Loe's second time in the arbitration process, and he is represented by Page Odle.
Discussion:
Brew Beat