Top News:
George A. King III / New York Post:
Yankees behind Blue Jays in race for rights to Darvish — Having made a posting bid above $40 million and possibly close to $50 million, the Blue Jays are the favorites to land the negotiating rights to Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish. — There is a belief the Cubs also made a large bid …
RELATED:
Bob Elliott / Toronto Sun:
SPORTS BASEBALL — Jays frontrunners for Darvish? — The bidding is in for the right to negotiate for Yu Darvish and several industry sources believe the Jays have outbid the Yankees and Rangers. (US Presswire, files) TORONTO - — Where will free agent Yu Darvish land?
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter
Gerry Fraley / Rangers Blog:
Signs point toward Toronto as winner of rights to Darvish — The growing consensus among officials with several major-league clubs is Toronto will surpass the Texas Rangers and win the negotiating rights to Japanese righthander Yu Darvish. — Without having direct knowledge of the offers …
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and baseballmusings.com
Bruce Levine / ESPN:
Source: Cubs bid on Yu Darvish
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter and LA Times Sports Blog
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
Notebook: Rangers might grab Fielder with kick at the finish
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues, Pinstripe Alley and MLB Rumors
Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Cuddyer agrees to three-year deal with Rockies — DENVER — The Rockies are putting the final touches on a three-year, $31.5 million contract with outfielder Michael Cuddyer, a Major League source confirmed to MLB.com on Friday morning. — Colorado general manager Dan O'Dowd declined to comment.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and The LoHud Yankees Blog
RELATED:
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Rockies To Sign Michael Cuddyer — Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd continued a busy offseason today by making his biggest move yet. The Rockies have agreed to sign Michael Cuddyer to a three-year, $31.5MM deal. — Cuddyer, 32, hit 20 homers and posted a .284/.346/.459 line in 584 plate appearances for the Twins this past season.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Baseball Nation and 1500 ESPN SportsWire
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies favorite to land Cuddyer, their primary target
Discussion:
Purple Row
Fox Sports:
Fielder should be Cubs' player to lose — Based on what we know — and admittedly, we know only so much — the Cubs are the front-runners to sign Prince Fielder. — No one should schedule a news conference at Wrigley Field. These negotiations might only be in their early stages.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, MLB Daily Dish, Baseball Nation and HardballTalk
Fox Sports:
Orioles reassign 6 in scouting shakeup — Dan Duquette is taking the Orioles in a dramatic new direction, one that will renew the debate over the value of scouting vs. statistical analysis in baseball. — Duquette, the team's new general manager, essentially dissolved …
Discussion:
Baseball Nation, Camden Chat and School of Roch
ESPN:
Chris Bosio is Cubs pitching coach — The Chicago Cubs completed their coaching shuffle on Friday, announcing new manager Dale Sveum's staff. — As expected Chris Bosio follows Sveum down from Milwaukee to take over as pitching coach. The former big league pitcher was named Brewers …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Josh Kosman / New York Post:
Mets asked MLB to stop ownership deal: book — Mets owner Fred Wilpon asked baseball commissioner Bud Selig to “play the bad cop” and help him scuttle a deal that could have resulted in him losing majority control of the team, a new bombshell book reports. — Earlier this year …
Discussion:
The LoHud Mets Blog, Amazin' Avenue and FanGraphs Baseball
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
La Russa: Pujols pained by decision — Image — Despite keeping his distance during the final volley of talks between the Cardinals and free agent icon Albert Pujols, former Redbirds manager Tony La Russa believes the divorce of the defending World Series champions from their three …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
Pirates Top 11 — System in 20 Words or Less: The team continues to add high-ceiling pitching talent, but they're still lacking in depth. — Five-Star Prospects — 1. Gerrit Cole, RHP — 2. Jameson Taillon, RHP — 3. Luis Heredia, RHP — 4. Josh Bell, OF — Four-Star Prospects
Discussion:
Where Have You Gone …
Ben Badler / Baseball America:
MLB, Union Form International Talent Committee, Move Toward International Draft — Major League Baseball has taken another step toward its goal of implementing an international draft. — MLB and the MLB Players' Association today announced they have formed an International Talent Committee …
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues
RELATED:
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
MLB, MLBPA To Talk International Acquisitions
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
