Top News:
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Source: Red Sox bring back catcher Shoppach — The Boston Red Sox have reached agreement on a one-year major league contract with free-agent catcher Kelly Shoppach, a baseball source told ESPN.com. The deal is expected to be announced sometime Tuesday. — A source said Shoppach …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and The Heater Feed
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Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Shoppach ‘excited’ to return to Red Sox — Nick Cafardo reported yesterday that the Red Sox had an interest in catcher Kelly Shoppach. Now Jerry Crasnick of ESPN is reporting that the Sox signed Shoppach to a one-year deal worth $1.35 million. — Shoppach was drafted by the Sox in 2001 …
Discussion:
joy of sox
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox To Sign Kelly Shoppach — The Red Sox have agreed to sign Kelly Shoppach to a one-year, $1.35MM deal, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (on Twitter). The deal will be announced today, Crasnick reports. — Shoppach, 31, hit just .176/.268/.339 in 253 plate appearances for the Rays in 2011 …
Discussion:
Fenway West, HardballTalk, Over the Monster, MLB Daily Dish, The LoHud Yankees Blog and MLB.com Hot Stove Blog
New York Post:
Jeter's booty hauls — Not so classy, captain! — Yankee star Derek Jeter, one of New York's most eligible hunks since his split with longtime gal pal Minka Kelly, is bedding a bevy of beauties in his Trump World Tower bachelor pad — and then coldly sending them home alone with gift baskets of autographed memorabilia.
Joey Matschulat / Baseball Time in Arlington:
The Rangers And The Case Of The Missing “Payroll Flexibility” — “Our challenge is going to be to keep this level of talent together and we know that. We're going to step up and put some money in, ask the fans to support us and help us and see if we can't deliver something like this every year.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball and baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
Mark J. Miller / Yahoo! Sports:
Rangers focused on trade for pitcher, not signing Fielder
Rangers focused on trade for pitcher, not signing Fielder
Discussion:
Red Sox Monster
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Braun's ex-teammate empathizes with slugger — Brewers Minor Leaguer Katin failed drug test, later won appeal — It was 2007, and Brendan Katin was an outfielder on the Double-A Huntsville team. He took the mandatory drug test and didn't think anything about it. Katin knew he was clean.
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Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Source: Dontrelle Willis, Phillies agree — The Philadelphia Phillies have reached agreement on a one-year major league deal with free agent Dontrelle Willis, a baseball source said Tuesday. — The deal, pending completion of a physical, would pay Willis about $1 million and include additional money …
Discussion:
Philly.com, MLB Daily Dish, Phillies Nation, MLB Rumors, Babes Love Baseball and Yahoo! Sports
Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Crasnick: “The Book” on Fielder — “The Book,” put together by the Scott Boras Corporation, details the free-agent slugger — In conjunction with Prince Fielder's free-agent debut, his representatives at the Scott Boras Corporation produced a 73-page binder celebrating his achievements in the game.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Drunk Jays Fans and MLB Rumors
Alex Speier / Full Count:
Source: Red Sox expect to go over luxury tax threshold — According to a major league source, the Red Sox expect to exceed the $178 million payroll threshold that would trigger luxury tax payments for the 2012 season. That is, of course, subject to change, but barring a deal …
Discussion:
FenwayNation
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
MLB Teams Non-Tender 29 Players — Major League teams non-tendered multiple former All-Stars last night and it won't be surprising if some of the 29 players re-establish themselves as Major League difference makers. For now, however, they're free agents, cut loose because their former teams …
Discussion:
MLB.com Hot Stove Blog
Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Source: Twins to add Josh Willingham — Veteran outfielder Josh Willingham has reached agreement on a multiyear contract with the Minnesota Twins pending completion of a physical exam, according to a league source. — Willingham, 32, is a career .262 hitter with 132 home runs for the Marlins, Nationals and Athletics.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and Puckett's Pond
The Knobler Blog:
Tigers, Red Sox among teams in on Gio Gonzalez — When the bidding window for Yu Darvish closes at 5 p.m. ET Wednesday, one team will come away with the chance to sign one of the best remaining pitchers available on the winter shopping market. — The others can turn their attention back to Gio Gonzalez.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Bob Raissman / NY Daily News:
Former Yankees manager Lou Piniella set to return to Bombers as YES Network television analyst — Sources say Sweet Lou expected to also serve as spring training instructor — Former Yankees player and manager Lou Piniella is expected to rejoin the Bombers as a member of their YES Network broadcast team.
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog
ESPN.com:
Pujols' wife explains slugger's leaving St. Louis — Albert Pujols' wife Deidre, in an interview with a radio station with ties to the former St. Louis Cardinals slugger, said the couple was prepared to take less money to stay in St. Louis, but were greatly disappointed when the team initially offered him a five-year deal.
Discussion:
Baseball Nation, Associated Press, VFTB and Angels blog
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Associated Press:
Brewers trade 3B Casey McGehee — PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired third baseman Casey McGehee from the Milwaukee Brewers in a trade for reliever Jose Veras. — The move came hours after the Brewers agreed to terms with free-agent third baseman Aramis Ramirez on Monday.
Discussion:
ESPN and baseballmusings.com
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Brewers, Pirates Swap Veras For McGehee
Brewers, Pirates Swap Veras For McGehee
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Bucs Dugout and River Avenue Blues