Top News:
Jason Beck / Beck's Blog:
Zumaya agrees to deal with Twins — The Tigers could end up seeing a lot of Joel Zumaya this year after all. It'll just be in a different uniform, albeit an awfully familiar one. — After throwing for teams in December and holding out for a roster spot and the right situation …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Baseball Nation, Boston Globe, MLB Daily Dish, MLB Rumors, HardballTalk, Eye on Baseball and FenwayNation
RELATED:
Joe Christensen / Around the Majors:
Twins agree to terms with former Tigers reliever Zumaya — The Twins have agreed to a deal with former Tigers reliever Joel Zumaya, pending a physical, a major league official confirmed today. — The agreement was first reported by MLB.com. — Zumaya, 27, is expected …
Discussion:
AaronGleeman.com, Over The Baggy and Puckett's Pond
Fox Sports:
BoSox need to face reality, fix rotation — The Yankees had to upgrade their starting rotation. They knew it. Their fans knew it. The competition knew it, too. — The New York starters were mediocre last year — 14th among 30 big league teams in ERA — and couldn't beat …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Full Count and Talkin Sox with Dan
RELATED:
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Saltalamacchia avoids arbitration — The Red Sox avoided arbitration with Jarrod Saltalamacchia, signing him to a one-year deal worth $2.5 million today. — The team still has seven unsigned players eligible for arbitration: Alfredo Aceves, Mike Aviles, Andrew Bailey, Daniel Bard, Jacoby Ellsbury, Franklin Morales and David Ortiz.
Discussion:
Over the Monster and MLB Rumors
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Lavarnway is hoping to hit it big in 2012 — Since New Year's Day, Ryan Lavarnway has been going through quickness and agility drills at Athletes' Performance in Phoenix. — “Just trying to get bigger, stronger, faster,” Lavarnway said. “Learning a lot about nutrition.”
Discussion:
Twinkie Town, Call to the Pen, HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
Sully / Red Sox Beacon:
Underdogs — Is the sun setting on the Red Sox?
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Boston Globe, Over the Monster, Yahoo! Sports, BoSox Injection and River Avenue Blues
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Source: Phillies agree with Joel Pineiro — The Phillies have agreed to a minor league contract with free-agent pitcher Joel Pineiro, according to a major league source. The deal includes an invitation to the Phillies' big league spring training camp. — The 33-year-old right-hander spent the past two seasons with the Angels.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, MLB Daily Dish, Mets Merized Online, The Good Phight, Baseball Nation, SI Tracking Blog, MLB Rumors and Philly.com
Matthew Leach / MLB.com:
DeWitt: Cards did their best to re-sign Pujols — Club's owner weighs in on negotiations at Winter Warm-Up — ST. LOUIS — Cardinals principal owner Bill DeWitt Jr. took issue Sunday with any notion that his team wasn't fully committed to its attempt to re-sign superstar Albert Pujols.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
RELATED:
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Bat will determine Flores' future position — Prospect projects as an infielder, but not as answer at shortstop — NEW YORK — Mets trainer Ray Ramirez flew down to Panama earlier this winter, with the sole intent of helping Ruben Tejada develop enough strength and endurance to survive the rigors of a 162-game schedule.
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online
Associated Press:
Oakland manager Melvin excited about Japan series — TOKYO (AP) - With or without Hideki Matsui, Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin is looking forward to opening Major League Baseball's 2012 season in Japan. — The Athletics and Seattle Mariners open the regular season with a two-game series at Tokyo Dome on March 28-29.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Tigers Avoid Arbitration With Rick Porcello — The Tigers avoided arbitration with starter Rick Porcello, MLBTR has learned, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $3.1MM. Porcello recently made the easy decision to take arbitration over a $1.344MM option in the Major League deal he signed when drafted.
Discussion:
Beck's Blog, Bless You Boys and MLB Daily Dish
Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
Yankees may bring back free agent Johnny Damon to play him as designated hitter — With Jesus Montero traded, former Bomber could fit at right price — It was only Friday that Brian Cashman drew a deep breath and executed a tornado of moves that fattened his starting rotation …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and HardballTalk
Chris Jaffe / Hardball Times:
10th anniversary: Rangers sign Chan Ho Park — Today marks the 10th anniversary of one of the worst free agent signings in baseball history. On Jan. 16, 2002, the Texas Rangers ownership opened up its pocketbooks to give a gaudy five-year, $65 million contract to starting pitcher Chan Ho Park.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nationals extend Gio's contract through 2016 — Deal with newly acquired lefty includes options for 2017, '18 — WASHINGTON — Nearly a month after acquiring his services from the Athletics, the Nationals agreed to terms Sunday with left-hander Gio Gonzalez on a reported five-year …
Discussion:
Call to the Pen
RELATED:
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats still in running to land free-agent Fielder
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and Getting Blanked
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Bean-counting GM Beane deserves a better place to work — Low-budget Athletics No. 30 in power rankings — Coco Crisp celebrates his home run against the Yankees. (Jim McIsaac, McClatchy-Tribune / August 24, 2011) — On Baseball — Loved the movie “Moneyball.”
