Top News:
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Reports: Yankees agree to minor-league deal with reliever Hideki Okajima — The Yankees have agreed to a minor-league contract with former Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima, according to multiple reports. Okajima, who turned 36 on Christmas Day, will be invited to spring training and could compete …
Discussion:
Surviving Grady and Sliding Into Home
RELATED:
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Yankees To Sign Hideki Okajima — The Yankees agreed to a minor league deal with reliever Hideki Okajima, tweets David Waldstein of the New York Times. Earlier, Sports Hochi in Japan reported talks between the two parties were in the final stages and a deal could be reached shortly after the new year …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, New York Yankees Fan Blog, The Yankee Analysts and FenwayNation
NPB Tracker:
NPB Bullet Points: Okajima, Pinto, Aoki, Whitesell — A couple of hot stove notes for the evening... - Sanspo reports that Milwaukee started negotiations with Norichika Aoki in in the backup player range, around $1-1.5m. Additionally, since the Brewers lack a scouting presence in Japan …
Discussion:
JSOnline, Brew Crew Ball, Full Count and MLB Daily Dish
Mike Puma / New York Post:
Yankees' A-Rod saw German doctors on advice from Kobe — Kobe Bryant can be credited with an assist to Alex Rodriguez. — According to multiple sources, the Yankees third baseman recently followed a recommendation from Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers star, and traveled to Germany …
Discussion:
NY Daily News, MLB Rumors, Yahoo! Sports, New York Magazine, River Avenue Blues, Baseball Nation and FenwayNation
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Associated Press:
A-Rod has plasma-rich platelet injections in knee, shoulder — The New York Yankees say star third baseman Alex Rodriguez is totally fine after having special treatment on his right knee and left shoulder in Germany earlier this month. — The 36-year-old Rodriguez had plasma-rich platelet …
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox Acquire Andrew Bailey — The Red Sox have acquired Andrew Bailey from the Athletics in a deal that will send Josh Reddick to Oakland and Ryan Sweeney to Boston. Third base prospect Miles Head and right-handed pitching prospect Raul Alcantara are going to Oakland in the deal …
Brian Costa / Wall Street Journal:
Knuckleballs of Kilimanjaro: Dickey Plots Ascent — When he goes out for his daily run, Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey straps on a black mask covering his eyes, nose and mouth. The guise has two distinct effects. The first is to limit his oxygen intake, simulating the conditions at a high altitude.
Discussion:
NotGraphs Baseball, Amazin' Avenue, Yahoo! Sports, HardballTalk, SNY Why Guys and Deadspin
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Kuiperfan / Joe Posnanski:
HOF Story 3: The Yea Votes — People talk all the time about who “feels” like a Hall of Famer and who does not. I know exactly what they're saying, because I feel those same impulses... and yet, I don't know exactly why it's true — why some players feel like Hall of Famers while others (who might be even better players) do not.
Discussion:
THE BOOK, Beyond the Box Score, Baseball Nation and HardballTalk
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Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Four votes for the Hall of Fame — Here are the players I selected for the Hall of Fame: — Larkin, Raines and Trammell were on my ballot last year. Nothing changed as far as their merits. — Briefly, Larkin and Trammell were consistent, productive players who dominated a premium position for a long period of time.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Baseball Prospectus and Deadspin
eye-on-baseball.blogs.cbssports.com:
Gap still exists in Giants/Lincecum talks — After some more negotiating this winter, indications are that there's still a sizable gap in long-term contract talks between the San Francisco Giants and their ace pitcher Tim Lincecum. — Neither side would speak directly about the specifics …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, HardballTalk and MLB Daily Dish
Ben Badler / Baseball America:
Diamondbacks Add Cuban Lefty — Cuban lefthander Alexander Carreras, who turns 22 on Sunday, has signed with the Diamondbacks for $400,000. — At his best, Carreras has shown a solid delivery and athleticism, touched 93 mph and mixed in a hard cutter/slider, which some scouts believe is his best pitch.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Reds unable to follow up strong campaign — After 2010 division title, injuries, rotation woes led to subpar ‘11 — CINCINNATI — The Reds’ 2011 season began with high expectations and ended in disappointment. — You couldn't blame a single person in the organization for feeling that way.
