Top News:
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Reds To Sign Ryan Madson — If any doubt remained about the Reds' intentions for the 2012 season, it has now disappeared — they're going for it. GM Walt Jocketty continued adding to his new-look pitching staff by agreeing to terms with Ryan Madson on a one-year, $8.5MM deal.
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Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Madson-Phils divorce: Boras, Amaro point fingers … Less than a day after reliever Ryan Madson agreed to a one-year, $8.5 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds, agent Scott Boras and Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. sharply disagreed on the chain of events that led …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Batter's Box Interactive … and Lone Star Ball
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN.com:
Source: Reds, Ryan Madson have deal
Source: Reds, Ryan Madson have deal
Discussion:
Baseball Nation, The Good Phight, baseballmusings.com and Bleacher Report
Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Reds, closer Madson agree on one-year deal
Matt Snyder / Eye on Baseball:
Reds to sign Madson to one-year contract
Reds to sign Madson to one-year contract
Discussion:
Baseball Insider and Yahoo! Sports
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nationals unlikely to sign Prince at current price — WASHINGTON — There is a “99 percent” chance that the Nationals will not sign free-agent first baseman Prince Fielder, according to a baseball source. — The news comes a few weeks after ownership met with Fielder and his agent, Scott Boras, in the nation's capital.
Discussion:
JSOnline and Federal Baseball
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Tom Singer / MLB.com:
Prince stretching free agency into new territory — Prized first baseman heading toward ‘latest’ big signing ever — Agent Scott Boras continues to pound the market for his prime client, Prince Fielder, and he may yet achieve his goal of a record deal for the free-agent first baseman.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Anthony Rieber / Newsday:
Mets receive good news on Ike Davis — PHOENIX — Finally, some good news for Mets fans: Ike Davis said Tuesday he is “good to go” for spring training after more than two months of hard rehab on the freakish left ankle injury that cost him most of the 2011 season.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com and FanGraphs Baseball
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Bill Shaikin / Dodgers Blog:
Dodgers settle with Fox, ending battle over TV rights sale — The Dodgers and Fox Sports ended their legal hostilities Tuesday night, with the team agreeing to abandon its proposed sale of television rights and Fox agreeing to withdraw its objection to the settlement between Major League Baseball and outgoing owner Frank McCourt.
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Randall Chase / Associated Press:
Judge OKs settlement between Dodgers, Fox Sports
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Angels, Morales agree to one-year contract — Slugger who missed past 1 1/2 seasons avoids arbitration — ANAHEIM — The Angels avoided arbitration with first baseman Kendrys Morales by agreeing on a one-year contract Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, LA Times Sports Blog, Angels blog and MLB Rumors
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Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
With pieces in place, Halos likely done shopping
With pieces in place, Halos likely done shopping
Discussion:
Orange County Register, MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors
Dan Connolly / Baltimore Sun:
Luke Scott agrees to one-year deal with Tampa Bay Rays — Luke Scott, the outspoken, energetic slugger who spent four seasons in Baltimore and was named the 2010 Most Valuable Oriole, has agreed to a one-year deal with the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays that includes a 2013 option, according to an industry source.
Discussion:
The Heater Feed, MLB Rumors and The Big Lead
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Marc Topkin / The Heater Feed:
Boras: Pena, Damon remain in play for Rays
Boras: Pena, Damon remain in play for Rays
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball, HardballTalk, DRaysBay, MLB Rumors and MLB Daily Dish
Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com:
Pirates bring lefty Slaten in on Minors contract — Veteran could vie for role of southpaw specialist this spring — PITTSBURGH — Though terms of the agreement have not all been finalized, left-hander Doug Slaten has chosen to sign a Minor League deal with the Pirates, an industry source confirmed Wednesday.
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
Terence Moore / MLB.com:
Integrity, character make future Hall votes easy — Steroid users have eliminated themselves from consideration — You heard of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” This is about how “Mr. Bonds Blew Cooperstown,” but before I get to that, I'm not saying the following proudly …
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Wendy Thurm / Baseball Nation:
A Proposal To Break The Territorial-Rights Logjam Between The A's And The Giants — Since just before Christmas, there's been a flutter of rumors suggesting that MLB owners are close to making a decision on whether to permit the Oakland Athletics to move to a new, still-unbuilt ballpark in San Jose, about 40 miles to the south.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Ben Badler / Baseball America:
White Sox Land Venezuelan Righthander Luis Martinez — The White Sox have signed Venezuelan righthander Luis Martinez for $250,000, the organization's most expensive international signing in recent years. — Martinez, who turns 17 on Jan. 29, is 6-foot-4, 195 pounds and gets good downhill angle …
Discussion:
South Side Sox
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Braun, Yount headline Brewers ‘On Deck’ slate — Over 45 players, coaches and alumni to attend Jan. 29 event — MILWAUKEE — Ryan Braun, Robin Yount and more than forty other current and former Brewers players, coaches and prospects have committed to attend the team's “On Deck” event in downtown Milwaukee later this month.
MLB.com:
BASEBALL IQ — Baseball IQ, MLB Network's first-ever game show, premieres Tuesday, January 24 at 9:00 p.m. ET. Hosted by MLB Network's Matt Vasgersian, Baseball IQ is a recall-based trivia show featuring two participants, 30 minutes and a chance to win up to $45,000 for charity.
Discussion:
WasWatching.com and Bless You Boys