Top News:
Jeff Blair / Globe and Mail:
Blue Jays brass talks playoffs — TORONTO— From Tuesday's Globe and Mail — You think Paul Beeston was dreaming when he talked Monday about getting grass to grow at a baseball-specific Rogers Centre? — That's nothing. It turns out he envisions the Toronto Blue Jays in the playoffs two or three times in the next five years.
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus, Seattle Times, MLB Rumors, Baseball Nation, HardballTalk, MLB Daily Dish, Lookout Landing and FanGraphs Baseball
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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Is Edwin Jackson about to make a decision? — Lots of buzz out there about the possibility that free-agent righty Edwin Jackson may accept a one-year deal with a contender to improve his value and go back into the free-agent market next season. — Right now it doesn't look like Boston,
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, HardballTalk, Over the Monster and Baseball Nation
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Dan Connolly / Baltimore Sun:
Edwin Jackson likely to land one-year deal; hurts Orioles chances in sweepstakes — Right-handed pitcher Edwin Jackson, the best free agent remaining on the market, is much more likely to accept a one-year deal and test free agency again after the 2012 season than to ink a multi-year contract, according to an industry source.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Tribe acquires Canzler from Tampa Bay — Youngster offers right-handed bat, alternative at first base — CLEVELAND — The Indians have added an intriguing bat to the Spring Training mix. — On Tuesday, Cleveland acquired first baseman Russ Canzler from Tampa Bay in exchange for cash considerations.
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe and Yahoo! Sports
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Indians Acquire Russ Canzler
Jayson Stark / MLB:
Stark: NL Central suddenly has an identity crisis — Prince, Pujols and La Russa are gone, and Brewers could lose Braun for first 50 games — It isn't exactly true that every time Prince Fielder moves, the entire earth wobbles. But it's 100 percent true that when Fielder signed his monstrous nine-year …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Bruce Levine / ESPN:
Source: Yankees hire Jim Hendry — Former Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry has been hired by the New York Yankees as a special assistant to GM Brian Cashman, according to a major league source. — Hendry, who was the Cubs GM from 2002 to 2011, was let go by chairman Tom Ricketts after two straight fifth-place finishes.
Discussion:
It's About The Money, Bronx Baseball Daily, HardballTalk and The LoHud Yankees Blog
Rob Biertempfel / PittsburghLIVE.com:
Pirates catching prospect Sanchez injured in offseason scuffle — Tony Sanchez, the Pirates' top catcher prospect, again got into hot water with the team when he sustained a broken jaw in a bar brawl earlier this offseason. — Sources told the Tribune-Review the fight happened …
Discussion:
Where Have You Gone …, HardballTalk, Pirates Prospects and Bucs Dugout
mdn.mainichi.jp:
Baseball: Matsuzaka throws 1st bullpen session since injury — FORT MYERS, Florida (Kyodo) — Boston Red Sox right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka on Monday threw his first bullpen session since undergoing season-ending elbow surgery last June. — In the team's spring training complex in Florida …
Discussion:
Boston Globe, WEEI, Over the Monster, joy of sox and HardballTalk
Steven Marcus / Newsday:
Source: Mets to sell 10 shares of team — The Mets expect to sell 10 minority shares of the team by the end of February, a person familiar with the process said Monday. The units, priced at $20 million each, would raise $200 million for the cash-strapped franchise and be used to pay existing loans and operating expenses for 2012.
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online, MetsBlog.com and WasWatching.com
Todd Zolecki / MLB.com:
Phils bolster bullpen with veteran righty Qualls — PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies wanted more bullpen depth, so on Tuesday they signed right-hander Chad Qualls to a one-year, $1.15 million contract. — Qualls is expected to join a bullpen that could include Jonathan Papelbon, Jose Contreras …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and Phillies Nation
Alan M. Nathan / Baseball Prospectus:
The Knuckleball Mystique: Using PITCHf/x to Distinguish Perception from Reality — Believe it or not, most of our writers didn't enter the world sporting an @baseballprospectus.com address; with a few exceptions, they started out somewhere else. In an effort to up your reading pleasure …
Discussion:
THE BOOK
Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
Yankees considering bringing in Bill Hall as super utility man, righthanded bat off bench — Bombers eye ex-Astro, Giant as infielder — Bill Hall (l.) could slide into a Yankee uniform this offseason. — The Yankees have engaged in discussions with free agent Bill Hall about a possible utility role …
Chris Haft / MLB.com:
Giants ready for huge crowds at FanFest — SAN FRANCISCO — Like an accomplished hitter, the Giants will strive to use the whole field to facilitate crowd control at Saturday's FanFest. — Last year's event frustrated thousands of fans who spent their day at AT&T Park waiting in lines to see the then-reigning World Series champions.
Fox Sports:
Hamels deserves big money from Phillies — Virtually all contracts are defensible, even ones that don't turn out so well. — Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. had his reasons for awarding a monster extension to first baseman Ryan Howard and massive free-agent deals …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Baseball Nation