Top News:
Fox Sports:
Sources: Red Sox agree with Cook — The Red Sox, taking a step toward upgrading their rotation, have reached agreement with free-agent right-hander Aaron Cook on a minor league contract, according to major league sources. — The deal, which will become official when Cook passes a physical …
Discussion:
Over the Monster, Red Sox Monster, MLB Daily Dish and NESN.com
RELATED:
Peter Gammons / MLB.com:
Big markets remain silent during strange winter — Here it is, approximately six weeks from Spring Training, and Prince Fielder is still on hold, like Rick Ankiel or Aaron Cook. So are Ryan Madson and Roy Oswalt and Edwin Jackson. — When the Cubs traded for Anthony Rizzo Friday, it sent several clear messages.
Discussion:
Over the Monster and Baseball Time in Arlington
Rob Bradford / WEEI:
SOURCE: AARON COOK, RED SOX AGREE TO DEAL — According to multiple industry sources, the Red Sox have agreed to terms with free agent starting pitcher Aaron Cook on a minor league deal, pending a physical. The 32-year-old right-hander is expected to compete for one of the final spots in the Sox' rotation in 2012.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Bleacher Report, Baseball Nation and FenwayNation
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Good starting point for Sox is 200 innings — The Red Sox were one of seven teams that didn't have a pitcher log 200 innings last year. They were joined by the Royals, Nationals, Reds, Pirates, Rockies, and Padres. None of them made the playoffs, and only the Red Sox finished over .500.
Discussion:
Red Sox Post, Call to the Pen, NESN.com, Getting Blanked, HardballTalk, MetsBlog.com and MLB Rumors
Dan Mennella / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox Agree To Sign Aaron Cook — 11:39: The deal is worth $1.5MM prorated if Cook is called up to the Major Leagues, according to Rob Bradford and Alex Speier of WEEI.com. — 9:43pm: The Red Sox have agreed to terms with right-hander Aaron Cook on a minor league contract, pending a physical …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, SOX & Dawgs and Bucs Dugout
Jayson Stark / MLB:
Revealing my Hall of Fame ballot — Barry Larkin, of course, plus nine others, but not Alan Trammell or Bernie Williams — Off in the distance, the Steroid Era apocalypse is approaching, only a year away now. Woo-hoo. I can hardly wait. — Yes, way out there, just beyond the horizon …
RELATED:
John Schlegel / MLB.com:
MLB.com writers cast their HOF ballots — Each year, lifetime members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, i.e. those who spent 10 or more consecutive years with the organization, are bestowed a unique honor: Together, they comprise the electorate for the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Discussion:
Mark My Word
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Larry Walker is more Rockies royalty than Hall of Famer
Discussion:
Purple Row and baseballmusings.com
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Kevin Millwood not a primary option for Rockies' rotation — The Rockies' chances of re-signing right-hander Kevin Millwood nosedived last month with the acquisition of Kevin Slowey, leaving little room in the budget for the veteran. — Before the trade for Slowey at the winter meetings …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, MLB Rumors and FenwayNation
Sports Illustrated:
Howard struggles, but Magic squeeze past Kings … Dwight Howard was in foul trouble the whole game and scored just five points, but the Magic still managed to earn a 104-97 victory over the Kings. — SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Dwight Howard was back on the bench again, taking a seat …
Discussion:
The Point Forward and ProBasketballTalk
RELATED:
Fox Sports:
Source: Orioles to add Taiwanese pitcher — The Orioles, continuing their newfound foray into the Asian market, are close to signing Taiwanese left-hander Wei-Yin Chen to a three-year contract, according to a major-league source. — Chen, 26, will be the second starting pitcher signed …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and MLB Daily Dish
Baseball Insider:
Rangers' Darvish bid is about $52M; work to do — The Texas Rangers are offering about “Dice K money” to star Japanese righthander Yu Darvish, sources told CBSSports.com, and there's no evidence a deal is at hand. — The expression “Dice K money” would mean the offer is someone in the range …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, MLB Daily Dish and HardballTalk
Dick Kaegel / MLB.com:
Giavotella expects to be 100% by spring — Infielder set to accept George Brett Hitter of the Year Award — KANSAS CITY — Second baseman Johnny Giavotella will be arriving for the Royals Awards Luncheon on Wednesday with some good news about his surgically-repaired right hip.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Chris Jaffe / Hardball Times:
Jorge Posada career highlights — On Saturday, news surfaced that Jorge Posada intends to retire after 17 years in baseball. In that time, he combined two things that rarely go together. He was a longtime New York Yankee, and he was constantly underrated.
Discussion:
USA Today
RELATED:
Howie Rumberg / Associated Press:
AP Source: Yankees Posada set to retire
Discussion:
Batter's Box Interactive … and ESPN
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Bud Selig's contract as MLB commissioner may be expiring, but don't expect him to go anywhere — Selig has $20 million reasons to remain in baseball's highest posistion when deal ends — As one former MLB executive says, anyone who thinks Bud Selig is willing to walk away from a $20 million …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Baseball Prospectus
