Top News:
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
If Texas signs Darvish, adding Fielder unlikely — Rangers fully expect to ink Japanese hurler before deadline — ARLINGTON — The Rangers expect to sign Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish before Wednesday's 4 p.m. CT deadline. — Club sources said Texas doesn't have a deal done yet, and it could go down to the last day.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball and FanGraphs Baseball
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Richard Justice / MLB.com:
Sorry, Josh, Prince too good for Texas to pass — Deal for Fielder could hamstring Rangers' ability to keep Hamilton — One of the things we learned about Rangers general manager Jon Daniels last winter is that he has no problem making the tough call. His one and only concern appears …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Graham Womack / Past and Present:
An interview with Robert Creamer — He was born when Babe Ruth was in just his third season as a Yankee slugger. He went to his first baseball game when John McGraw and Wilbert Robinson were still managing. His tenure at Sports Illustrated began months before the first issue of the magazine printed in 1954.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, Old Time Family Baseball, HardballTalk and joy of sox
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Josh Lewin leading candidate to replace Wayne Hagin — According to Newsday's Neil Best, “Josh Lewin has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Wayne Hagin alongside Howie Rose in the Mets' radio booth.” — Last month, Mike Puma of the New York Post said WFAN recently auditioned Jim Duquette …
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online and Kranepool Society
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies trade Smith to Oakland for two pitchers; offer deal to Jamie Moyer — Seth Smith spent the winter in wonderland. On Monday, the questions and uncertainty ended. — With the outfielder viewed as a luxury item after the signing of free agent Michael Cuddyer, Smith was traded …
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Associated Press:
Rockies trade Seth Smith to Oakland
Rockies trade Seth Smith to Oakland
Discussion:
Hardball Times, HardballTalk, Philly.com, Baseball Prospectus, MLB Rumors and Cincinnati Reds
Troy Renck / On the Rox:
Rockies' Smith avoids arbitration with one-year deal
Rockies' Smith avoids arbitration with one-year deal
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Sideline Scholars, MLB Daily Dish and Purple Row
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
White Sox Still Listening On Gavin Floyd — We haven't heard a ton about righty Gavin Floyd lately, but the White Sox are still listening on the soon-to-be 29-year-old, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. White Sox GM Kenny Williams has traded Carlos Quentin, Sergio Santos …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish
Marc Topkin / The Heater Feed:
Howell deal set for $1.35M, 4 still arbitration eligible — LHP J.P. Howell and the Rays [are finalizing] have completed a one-year deal for $1.35-million to avoid arbitration. — Howell also gets incentive bonuses for 45 and 60 innings pitched, which can push the total value to $1.4-million.
Discussion:
DRaysBay, MLB Daily Dish and Yahoo! Sports
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
Mets' rebuilding efforts are upside-down — Editor's note: Yahoo! Sports will examine the offseason of every MLB team before spring training begins in mid-February. Our series continues with the New York Mets. — 2011 record: 77-85 — Finish: Fourth place, NL East — 2011 final payroll: $142.2 million
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue and Mets Merized Online
Associated Press:
Report: Angel Pagan, Giants agree — SAN FRANCSICO — The San Francisco Giants and outfielder Angel Pagan agreed to a $4.85 million, one-year contract that avoided arbitration, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said. — The person spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because the club hadn't formally announced the deal.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, MLB Daily Dish, MLB Rumors, HardballTalk and SI Tracking Blog
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Angels, Callaspo agree on one-year deal — ANAHEIM — The Angels agreed to a one-year contract with infielder Alberto Callaspo on Monday, thereby avoiding arbitration. — The deal is worth $3.15 million, according to a source, which is slightly higher than the reported figure Kendrys Morales agreed to …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
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Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Tigers Avoid Arbitration With Rick Porcello
Tigers Avoid Arbitration With Rick Porcello
Discussion:
Beck's Blog, Bless You Boys, MLB Daily Dish and Yahoo! Sports
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Tigers agree to terms with Porcello, Coke
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Reds To Sign Ryan Ludwick — The Reds have agreed to sign free agent outfielder Ryan Ludwick to a one-year deal that includes a mutual option for 2013, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Ludwick gets a $2.5MM guarantee and could earn another $500K in incentives, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets.
Discussion:
Redleg Nation, Baseball Nation and Yahoo! Sports
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Prospect Watch: Top 10 right-handed pitchers — Pair of Pirates, D-backs among game's up-and-coming aces … On the 2011 list of Top 10 right-handed pitchers, there was the American League Rookie of the Year and the hurler who finished fifth in that voting. Seven of the 10 pitched in the big leagues.
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online and Bucs Dugout
Rob Bradford / Full Count:
Source: Red Sox would have to move payroll in order to sign Roy Oswalt — Despite a FoxSports.com report that the Red Sox have “maintained active dialogue” with Roy Oswalt's agent, Bob Garber, the likelihood of the team signing the 34-year-old remains in doubt.
Discussion:
FenwayNation, BoSox Injection, HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox To Sign Vicente Padilla — 1:44pm: Padilla received a minor league deal that pays $1.5MM in the Majors, reports the Boston Herald. — 11:34am: The Red Sox reached an agreement with righty Vicente Padilla, tweets Peter Gammons of MLB Network. Boston's interest in Padilla …
Discussion:
Clubhouse Insider, NESN.com, Boston Globe and SI Tracking Blog
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