Top News:
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Timing is everything in closing — Jonathan Papelbon will be missed in Boston, but not as badly as you might think … BOSTON — No word yet from the Dropkick Murphys on updated lyrics, now that Jonathan Papelbon has elected to ship out to Philly. — Papelbon always imagined himself in pinstripes.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, HardballTalk, ESPN.com and MLB
RELATED:
csnphilly.com:
SOURCES: PHILS REACH DEAL WITH PAPELBON — Ruben Amaro Jr. said he wanted a top closer. — He got one. — The Phillies have reached agreement on a four-year contract with free-agent Jonathan Papelbon, multiple sources told CSNPhilly.com on Friday. — The deal, which won't become …
Discussion:
Bleacher Report, Full Count, Surviving Grady, Amazin' Avenue and Yahoo! Sports
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Phillies To Sign Jonathan Papelbon
Phillies To Sign Jonathan Papelbon
Discussion:
Boston Globe, WEEI, CloserNews, Getting Blanked and Baseball Nation
D.J. Short / HardballTalk:
Phillies, Jonathan Papelbon agree to four-year contract
Phillies, Jonathan Papelbon agree to four-year contract
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball, Baseball Nation and baseballmusings.com
Michael Hurley / NESN.com:
Report: Jonathan Papelbon Agrees to Deal With Phillies, Ending Seven-Year Career With Red Sox
Report: Jonathan Papelbon Agrees to Deal With Phillies, Ending Seven-Year Career With Red Sox
Discussion:
The Platoon Advantage, Crashburn Alley, Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports and WasWatching.com
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Papelbon back in play for the Phillies
Papelbon back in play for the Phillies
Discussion:
Surviving Grady, Phillies Nation, Lone Star Ball and Over the Monster
Phil Stukenborg / The Commercial Appeal:
Charlie Lea, former major league pitcher, found dead at Collierville home — Former major league pitcher Charlie Lea, a star at Kingsbury High and then-Memphis State University before embarking on a successful pro career, was found dead in his Collierville home Friday. He was 54.
Discussion:
Baseball Nation and HardballTalk
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Former MLB pitcher Charlie Lea dies in Tennessee at age 54 — MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Charlie Lea, who was the first French-born pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the major leagues, has died. He was 54. — Collierville Police Lt. Doug Marshall confirmed Friday night that Lea was found dead …
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter
David Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Charlie Lea dies; Expos pitcher born in France, pitched no-hitter — This past May, the Memphis Redbirds honored broadcaster Charlie Lea on the 30th anniversary of the no-hitter he pitched for the Montreal Expos. Six months and a day after that celebration, Lea was gone.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Juan C. Rodriguez / Florida Marlins:
Miami Marlins on free agent offers: Loria says yes, Samson says no comment — You know what Marlins president David Samson needed Friday night? One of those memory erasing thingamabobs from Men In Black. Unfortunately for Samson, owner Jeffrey Loria revealed the existence of the aliens …
RELATED:
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Rebranded Marlins make offers to Pujols, Reyes
Rebranded Marlins make offers to Pujols, Reyes
Discussion:
Fox Sports, Florida Marlins and Associated Press
Mark Newman / MLB.com:
Countdown to Marlins' relaunch under way
Craig Calcaterra / HardballTalk:
Report: Jose Reyes “almost a done deal” for the Marlins
Report: Jose Reyes “almost a done deal” for the Marlins
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and Bleacher Report
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies show an interest in Sizemore — The Rockies continue to cast a wide net as they attempt to ramp up their offense, expressing interest in free-agent outfielder Grady Sizemore. — Sizemore, who has spent his entire career with the Indians, is one of the most intriguing names on the market …
Discussion:
Purple Row, HardballTalk, MetsBlog.com, MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
New Baltimore Orioles GM Dan Duquette among group headed to GM meetings in Milwaukee — New Twins GM Terry Ryan makes his return to GM meetings — Baseball's movers and shakers converge in Bud Selig's Milwaukee this week where the stalled collective bargaining agreement negotiations …
Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs cap final four with Sandy Alomar Jr. — And on the ninth day, Theo rested. — Well, maybe not completely. But he and the rest of the Cubs' top front-office staff appear finished with the heavy work in their efforts to hire a new manager. On Friday, Sandy Alomar Jr. became the fourth …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Adam Kilgore / Washington Post:
Wilson Ramos rescued, safe in Venezuela — Wilson Ramos has been rescued in Venezuela and is with the police on his way back home, his agent, Gustavo Mercano, said in a phone conversation. The Interior Minster called to tell the family at roughly 10 minutes before 10 p.m. East Coast time.
Discussion:
Angels blog
RELATED:
Sports Illustrated:
Dodgers ready to play Moneyball … The Dodgers and general manager Ned Colletti, with his three decades in baseball, have gone sabermetric. In September the Dodgers hired Alex Tamin, a graduate of Johns Hopkins and UCLA School of Law, as Director of Baseball Contracts, Research and Operations.
Jon Paul Morosi / mlbbuzz:
Sources: Pirates like Santiago at shortstop — The Pittsburgh Pirates have interest in free-agent Ramon Santiago as a potential everyday shortstop in 2012, major-league sources told FOXSports.com. — Santiago maintained a .685 OPS for the Detroit Tigers over the past three seasons while averaging roughly 100 games played per year.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Bucs Dugout, Pirates Prospects and MLB Rumors