Top News:
Dan Connolly / Baltimore Sun:
Orioles set to trade Guthrie to Rockies — Team would receive right-handers Hammel, Lindstrom in return for top starter — The Orioles are near an agreement on a trade that would send the club's most accomplished starter, right-hander Jeremy Guthrie, to the Colorado Rockies for two players …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, MLB Rumors, MASNsports.com, Purple Row, Baseball Nation, FanGraphs Baseball and Oriole Post
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Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com:
O's swap Guthrie to Rox for Hammel, Lindstrom — The Orioles dealt their top starter on Monday morning, sending veteran right-hander Jeremy Guthrie to the Colorado Rockies in a trade in which Baltimore is believed to be receiving pitchers Jason Hammel and Matt Lindstrom.
Discussion:
Britt's Bird Watch
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Rockies Close To Acquiring Jeremy Guthrie — The Rockies and Orioles are nearing an agreement that would send starter Jeremy Guthrie to Colorado, most likely for pitchers Jason Hammel and Matt Lindstrom, reports Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. Connolly believes a third piece for the Orioles …
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Toughest call of his career is on Varitek's plate — Jason Varitek is trying to make a very tough decision. — “He's deliberating what he wants to do,” said his agent, Scott Boras. — And that deliberation has to include the very difficult reality of possible retirement.
Discussion:
Baseball Nation, Federal Baseball, HardballTalk and joy of sox
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JonPaulMorosi / mlbbuzz:
Could Red Sox, Reds or Phillies land Oswalt? — Roy Oswalt is without a contract two weeks before the start of spring workouts. — And he is scrambling. — Oswalt is known to prefer a team close to his Mississippi home, but his top choices - the Texas Rangers or St. Louis Cardinals …
Discussion:
Cincinnati Reds, Over the Monster, Unsportsmanlike Conduct, Pinstripe Alley, Phillies Nation, HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
Zach Links / MLB Rumors:
Cafardo On Lannan, Bourjos, Cespedes, Vazquez — Jason Varitek is facing a very difficult decision, and the catcher has been considering the very difficult reality of retirement, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Varitek, who turns 40 in April, would seem to be a good fit in Minnesota.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
If Frank McCourt's L.A. Dodgers go for $2 billion, Fred Wilpon's NY Mets could be worth more — Franchise values in baseball are about to take a quantum leap — Frank McCourt seen here in happier times as the L.A. Dodgers introduce Joe Torre as skipper in 2007.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, HardballTalk, Los Angeles Times, Dodgers Blog, Mets Merized Online and baseballmusings.com
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Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com:
Cora nearing Minors deal with Cardinals — Veteran infielder Alex Cora is close to agreeing on a Minor League deal with the Cardinals, according to an industry source. — The Cardinals did not confirm the report. — Cora, 36, saw action at first base, second base …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, MLB Daily Dish, MLB Rumors and HardballTalk
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Chris Jaffe / Hardball Times:
10 things I didn't know about one-hitters — My last column here at THT was on the men least likely to break up a full-length (nine innings pitched or more) no-hitter by getting their team's sole hit of the day. In all, I looked up nearly 1,000 games from 1919 onward to produce that list.
Michael Baron / MetsBlog.com:
Nationals sign Rick Ankiel to minors deal — The Nationals have signed free-agent OF Rick Ankiel to a minor league contract, according to Amanda Comak of the Washington Times. — Last weekend, Andy Martino of the Daily News said the Mets were looking at Ankiel, Kosuke Fukudome, Raul Ibanez …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Braves unveil new logo, alternate jerseys — ATLANTA — The Braves will begin wearing an alternate jersey that looks much like the ones Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews wore when they helped introduce Major League Baseball to Atlanta. — There will be a nostalgic feeling in the air this year …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Talking Chop and Baseball Nation