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:
Seattle Times, Baseball Prospectus, MLB Rumors, Baseball Nation, Lookout Landing, FanGraphs Baseball, HardballTalk and MLB Daily Dish
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TSN.ca:
Jays' Bautista not bothered by amount of drug tests — On the day of the Toronto Blue Jays State of the Franchise address, the team's top slugger Jose Bautista joined Cybulski and Company on TSN Radio 1050 to talk baseball and the team. — Bautista addressed his claim that he's been tested …
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter, Canadian Press and HardballTalk
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
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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
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
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:
HardballTalk, Bronx Baseball Daily, It's About The Money 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
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 …
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
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:
WEEI, Over the Monster, joy of sox and HardballTalk
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:
baseballmusings.com and 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 …
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
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.
Todd Zolecki / MLB.com:
Amaro eyes May return for Howard — Phils GM, Manuel weigh in on several pressing topics — PHILADELPHIA — Compared to recent winters in Philadelphia, this winter hasn't felt much like one at all, but Spring Training is still coming. — Phillies pitchers and catchers hold their first official workout in just 20 days.
Discussion:
Philly.com, HardballTalk, Philliesflow.com and The Zo Zone