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Fox Sports:
Rays, Jays and Angels go gambling — 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. — January 21 figured to be a quiet day in baseball, a day for teams to work on arbitration cases and point toward spring training.
Discussion:
St. Petersburg Times, FanGraphs Baseball, HardballTalk, ESPN, Sports Illustrated and Lone Star Ball
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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.
Defenderdog / rallymonkeys:
A very big deal — Here's what I like about the Angels' big deal with Toronto: everything. — It's an old-fashioned baseball trade, two for one - a pair of sluggers in exchange for one slugger with a glove of gold. Mike Napoli and Juan Rivera should flourish in Toronto …
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
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:
ESPN, Sons of Steve Garvey and Chicago Breaking Sports
Mark Polishuk / MLB Rumors:
Reaction To The Vernon Wells Trade — Pundits are already chiming in on the huge Vernon Wells-for Mike Napoli/Juan Rivera trade between the Angels and Blue Jays this evening. A sampling... - Lyle Spencer of MLB.com likes the trade for both teams, noting that the addition of Wells gives the Angels “the makings of a dream outfield.”
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Batter's Box Interactive …, Al's Ramblings and BronxBanterBlog.com
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:
FanGraphs Baseball, SULLY BASEBALL, Yankeeist, HardballTalk and River Avenue Blues
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:
NESN.com, Yahoo! Sports, The Process Report, DRaysBay, Getting Blanked, Sox #1 Fan dot com and YFSF
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Rays strike deals with Manny, Damon
Discussion:
Over the Monster and The Big Lead
Sports Illustrated:
Notes from an arbitration scorecard
Discussion:
SOX & Dawgs, Over the Monster, NESN.com and ESPN
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers, Loe avoid hearing, agree to deal — Reliever gets $1.25 million for 2011 after asking for $1.65M — MILWAUKEE — The Brewers and reliever Kameron Loe avoided a potential arbitration hearing by agreeing Friday to a one-year, $1.25 million contract.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
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Associated Press:
CF Andres Torres, Giants Agree on 1-Year Deal — SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco Giants have their roster ready for the start of spring training next month. — Center fielder Andres Torres and the World Series champions agreed to terms Saturday on a $2.2 million, one-year contract to avoid arbitration.
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Howard Mintz / Mercury News:
Bonds case: Judge rules former pro athletes can testify in upcoming trial
Discussion:
Fanhouse MLB Blog and HardballTalk
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Sparky's No. 11 to be retired by Tigers — DETROIT — The Tigers will honor Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson from a patch on their right sleeves to the retirement of his No. 11 on the brick wall at Comerica Park. — Team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski made the announcement …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
Galarraga Trade Talks Progressing, Deal Is “Likely” — Talks with clubs about a trade involving Armando Galarraga are progressing, tweets MLB.com's Jason Beck. Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski is quoted as saying a deal “is likely.” — Galarraga was designated for assignment earlier this week …
Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
Billy Butler Agrees To Extension With Royals — The Royals and Billy Butler have agreed to a four-year, $30MM contract extension according to MLB.com's Dick Kaegel. The deal buys out all three of Butler's arbitration-eligible years and one year of free agency. Butler is represented by Greg Genske of Legacy Sports.
Discussion:
Royals Review, MLB Daily Dish and Royals Beat
Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Buehrle leaving all options open following 2011 — Veteran southpaw not thinking ahead to contract talks, retirement — CHICAGO — The “R” word once again came up when Mark Buehrle discussed his baseball future prior to Friday's start of SoxFest '11 at the downtown Palmer House Hilton.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Prospect Watch: Top 10 left-handed pitchers — Electrifying Chapman tops list of southpaws with big-time stuff … Once upon a time, left-handed pitchers seemed to fit a certain mold. They were soft-tossers, finesse types, guys with a keen sense about pitching. The top 10 southpaw prospects break that mold in a big way.
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