Top News:
Joey Nowak / MLB.com:
La Russa announces his retirement as skipper — Steps down after three titles in 33 seasons, 16 with Cardinals — Tony La Russa, the third-winningest manager in Major League history and most assuredly a future Hall of Famer, announced his retirement as a manager on Monday …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Mark My Word and Baseball Nation
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Sports Illustrated:
La Russa retiring as Cardinals manager — NEW YORK (SI.com) — Tony La Russa is retiring as manager of the Cardinals, just two days after guiding St. Louis to its 11th World Series championship in franchise history, according to a tweet from Major League Baseball.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Yahoo! Sports, Viva El Birdos and Minor League Ball
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals manager La Russa retires — ST. LOUIS — The Cardinals announced this morning that manager Tony La Russa has retired after 16 seasons with the Cardinals. — “Tony leaves behind a legacy of success that will always be rememered as one of the most successful eras in Cardinals history …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Adam Kilgore / Washington Post:
Nationals name Davey Johnson manager for 2012 — The Nationals this morning formally announced Davey Johnson as their manager for the 2012 season, exercising an option in his contract and continuing a tenure that began last season amidst upheaval and concluded with one of the most promising …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com and HardballTalk
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MLB.com:
Nationals exercise option on Johnson — The Washington Nationals announced on Monday they have exercised Davey Johnson's managerial option for the 2012 season. Nationals executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and Federal Baseball
Wallace Matthews / ESPN:
Source says Yankees extend offer to Sabathia — According to a New York Yankees executive, the terms of a renegotiated deal for pitcher CC Sabathia were transmitted to his representatives over the weekend, but the team has yet to receive a response. — “We believe it is a very fair offer,” the executive said.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and Full Count
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Sabathia to opt out of Yankees contract, become free agent … Left-hander CC Sabathia plans to opt out of his long-term contract with the Yankees by the Monday night deadline and become a free agent, SI.com has learned. — Sabathia, 31, has four years worth $92 million left on his current seven-year …
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus, Plain Dealer, WasWatching.com, Sporting News Feed RSS, NESN.com and Pinstripe Alley
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Red Sox exercise 2012 option on Scutaro — Talk about a nice birthday present. The Red Sox today picked up their $6 million team option on Marco Scutaro. — The shortstop, who turned 36 today, hit .299 with a .358 on-base percentage in 2011 over 113 games. He hit .387/.438/.581 in September.
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Joe McDonald / ESPN:
Red Sox will talk to Mackanin, Sveum this week
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Phillies Nation, MLB Daily Dish, MLB Rumors and Yahoo! Sports
Rob Bradford / WEEI:
MACKANIN, SVEUM TO BE INTERVIEWED THIS WEEK
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Phillies Nation, Over the Monster, HardballTalk and Al's Ramblings
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Aramis may be headed for free agency — CHICAGO — Aramis Ramirez appears headed for free agency. — The Cubs announced Sunday night that they will exercise their side of the $16 million option for 2012, and the third baseman has two days to declare his interests.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue and Yahoo! Sports
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Bruce Levine / ESPN:
Agent says Chicago Cubs picked up option, but Aramis Ramirez will opt out
Discussion:
True Blue LA
Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
Shortstop Jose Reyes one of seven NY Mets heading for free agency — Alderson & Co. hoping to bring back Chris Capuano — The Mets are content to let other MLB clubs set the market for start shortstop Jose Reyes. — Seven Mets were among the 148 major leaguers listed by the Players' Association …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com and Mets Merized Online
Bill Ballew / Baseball America:
Scouting reports for the Top 10 Prospects (How to subscribe) — The Braves have promoted an impressive group of prospects to Atlanta during the past two seasons, resulting in a subtle youth movement that came together earlier than expected. Jason Heyward and Jonny Venters made significant impacts …
Discussion:
Capitol Avenue Club
Rob Biertempfel / PittsburghLIVE.com:
Pirates part ways with Maholm, Snyder, Doumit, Cedeno — The Pirates today severed ties with four of their most veteran players — pitcher Paul Maholm, shortstop Ronny Cedeno and catchers Ryan Doumit and Chris Snyder. The team declined to exercise the players' contract options for 2012, making them free agents.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Yahoo! Sports and Bucs Dugout
Steven Goldman / Baseball Prospectus:
Tony LaRussa and the Hall of Fame Screw — Tony LaRussa's retirement points out a real problem with the Hall of Fame's current procedures on voting in managers. Current managers fall under the jurisdiction of the Expansion Era Committee, an appointed 16-member group.
Discussion:
THE BOOK
Associated Press:
Hundreds of Thousands at Cardinals Parade, Rally — ST. LOUIS (AP) — A red sea of fans jammed downtown St. Louis Sunday to honor the World Series champion Cardinals and send a clear message to Albert Pujols: Please stay. — An official crowd estimate was not immediately available …
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos, Baseball Nation and Yahoo! Sports
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Jane Lee / MLB.com:
Lopez, Giants agree to two-year contract — The Giants have agreed to a two-year, $8.5 million contract with reliever Javier Lopez, who will receive $4.25 million per in 2012 and '13. — The deal, first reported by The Associated Press on Sunday afternoon, has yet to be officially announced by the team.
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