Top News:
Jeff Sanders / U-T San Diego stories:
Hot Stove: Padres pushed for Kuroda? — Rounding up recent offseason news in the NL West — In one dizzying week, A.J. Preller overhauled the Padres' entire outfield. After a short holiday break, the Padres' rookie general manager turned his attention toward a strength …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, MLB.com and HardballTalk
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Brad Johnson / MLB Trade Rumors:
Dodgers Notes: Pitching, Arruebarrena — Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi recently spoke with reporters about the club's plans. Here's the latest out of Chavez Ravine: — Zaidi says the club has no plan to add more starting pitching prior to the season, tweets Ken Gurrick of MLB.com.
Discussion:
True Blue LA
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Sergio Santos, Dodgers Agree To Minor League Deal
Discussion:
CBSSports.com, Los Angeles Times, MLB Daily Dish and True Blue LA
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN.com:
Reds acquire ‘big bat’ in Byrd via Phils trade … The Cincinnati Reds have acquired veteran outfielder Marlon Byrd in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies, the teams announced Wednesday. — He gets $8 million next season on the final year of a two-year deal that includes an $8 million team option for 2016.
Discussion:
The Good Phight, Lone Star Ball and ESPN
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Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Cincy sending righty prospect Lively to Philadelphia — Marlon Byrd talks about his strong 2014 season and how he has learned to be a mentor to younger players as one of the team's veterans — WESTPORT, Conn. — The Reds have spent the bulk of their offseason pursuing a left fielder and trying to upgrade their offense.
Discussion:
Mark My Word
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Byrd Trade Between Phillies, Reds Fell Through
Discussion:
Red Reporter, Bucs Dugout, Amazin' Avenue, MLB Daily Dish, The Good Phight, Phillies Nation and HardballTalk
Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Colorado expects Tulowitzki, Gonzalez to return healthy in 2015 — Rockies manager Walt Weiss discusses his group of young players developing and reaching the next level in 2015 — DENVER — The Rockies are entering 2015 with a “Why not us?” attitude. — In this age of competitive balance …
Discussion:
Purple Row
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Nick Groke / Denver Post:
COLORADO ROCKIES / MLB — NICK HUNDLEY AGREES TO 2-YEAR DEAL WITH COLORADO ROCKIES, REPORT SAYS — The Denver Post — Nick Hundley broke into the major leagues with the Padres in 2008. In 560 games over seven seasons with the Padres and Orioles, Hundley has a .238 career batting average.
Discussion:
Baltimore Sun, MLB Trade Rumors and Purple Row
Richard Justice / MLB.com:
Versatile Tampa Bay veteran in high demand — 9/25/14: Ben Zobrist ties the game in the 2nd inning with an RBI single that scores Ryan Hanigan — Ben Zobrist represents the first really tough call for Tampa Bay's new administration. And it's about as tough as it gets.
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball and MLB Trade Rumors
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Charlie Wilmoth / MLB Trade Rumors:
Rays To Sign Asdrubal Cabrera — The Rays have agreed to a deal with Asdrubal Cabrera, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal tweets. The deal is for one year and around $8MM, the New York Post's Joel Sherman reports (Twitter links). Jon Heyman of CBS Sports tweeted that a deal was close.
Charlie Wilmoth / MLB Trade Rumors:
Mariners Nearing Trade For Seth Smith — 4:30pm: Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune hears from officials with both clubs that a trade is indeed close, but the Mariners are pushing to include a reliever other than Maurer, for whom the Padres are strongly pushing in talks.
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball, Friars on Base, Mariners Insider, Lone Star Ball and U.S.S. Mariner
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Corey Brock / MLB.com:
Padres add reliever Kelley in trade with Yanks
Discussion:
U.S.S. Mariner, Mariners blog, Lookout Landing, Let's Go Tribe, Friars on Base, MLB Daily Dish and Gaslamp Ball
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Padres Acquire Shawn Kelley
Discussion:
It's About The Money, Pinstripe Alley, CBSSports.com, FanGraphs Baseball and MLB Daily Dish
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
How Royals' magical roster nearly got a July shakeup — Alex Rios curiously nixed a deal to the Royals last July before joining the AL champs as a free agent this winter. — The Royals signed Alex Rios recently to a one-year, $11 million contract. But they actually first worked out a deal for him last July.
Discussion:
NESN.com, CBSSports.com, HardballTalk, Talking Chop, Gaslamp Ball, MLB Trade Rumors and Metsblog
Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
John Gibbons' 2016 salary locked in — The transition to a new year brought good news for Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons, whose 2016 salary automatically became guaranteed Thursday with the passage of midnight and the arrival of 2015. — The Blue Jays announced at the end …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Charlie Wilmoth / MLB Trade Rumors:
Cubs To Sign Chris Denorfia — The Cubs have agreed to terms with outfielder Chris Denorfia, former teammate John Baker tweets. FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal confirms the deal (via Twitter), adding that it's for one year. He will receive about $2.5MM, tweets CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.
Discussion:
U.S.S. Mariner, MLB Daily Dish and Bleed Cubbie Blue
Fox Sports:
ARE YANKEES IN ON SCHERZER? READ TEX MESSAGE FROM SIX YEARS AGO — JP Morosi — For insight into where the top free-agent pitcher will sign, let's turn to an unlikely source: the case of the top free-agent hitter six winters ago. — Max Scherzer today has two things in common with Mark Teixeira then …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley, MLB Trade Rumors and The LoHud Yankees Blog
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