Top News:
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Big-money James? Market for Shields is strong, unpredictable — FOX Sports — Free-agent pitcher James Shields seems on track to get a contract worth $100 million. The question is from what team. — Think the Max Scherzer market is a mystery? Try figuring out which team is getting James Shields.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Over the Monster, Royals Review, MLB Daily Dish, Cheap Seat Chronicles, MLB Trade Rumors and SI.com
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T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Club still looking to improve rotation through trade or free agency — Ken Rosenthal discusses contract expectations for James Shields, prospective deals for the Yankees and Hall of Fame voting — ARLINGTON — The Rangers met with free agent pitcher James Shields during the Winter Meetings last month …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball and HardballTalk
MLB:
Phillies, P Harang agree to 1-year, $5M deal — The Philadelphia Phillies and pitcher Aaron Harang have agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal, the team announced Monday. — The 36-year-old right-hander had a bounce-back season after signing with the Atlanta Braves before last season, finishing 12-12 with a 3.57 ERA in 33 starts.
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Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Former Phillies closer Madson joins Royals — Former Philadelphia Phillies closer Ryan Madson has agreed to a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals that includes an invitation to major league spring training camp, the team announced Sunday. — Madson, 34, is 47-30 with a 3.59 ERA …
Espn Com / MLB:
ESPN's 2015 Hall of Fame ballot — The Baseball Hall of Fame will announce the Baseball Writers' Association of America election results at 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Seventeen voters from ESPN submitted ballots this year, and their votes are listed below. — The eligible players needed …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
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Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Catcher fell short on first two ballots, but believes career speaks for itself
Catcher fell short on first two ballots, but believes career speaks for itself
Discussion:
Metsblog
Jerry Green / The Detroit News:
Hall of Fame voting is serious business
Hall of Fame voting is serious business
Discussion:
HardballTalk and baseballmusings.com
Mike Klingaman / Baltimore Sun:
Hank Peters, former Orioles GM, dies at 90 — Not one to show emotion, Orioles general manager Hank Peters whooped it up one mid-October day in 1983. That afternoon, Baltimore clinched the World Series with a 5-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. That evening, Peters learned …
Discussion:
Wahoo's on First, Plain Dealer, HardballTalk, Let's Go Tribe, Baseball America and MLB Trade Rumors
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Braves' rebuild will hinge on success of young pitchers — FOX Sports — Star outfielders Jason Heyward and Justin Upton have been replaced in Atlanta by a handful of talented but unproven young pitchers. — It has become a common refrain among rival executives this offseason:
Discussion:
Metsblog and Gaslamp Ball
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Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Loss of Heyward, J-Up will be felt, but gains strengthen club's future
Loss of Heyward, J-Up will be felt, but gains strengthen club's future
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Roch Kubatko / School of Roch:
Rasmus, Aoki and Ethier still among Orioles' outfield options — While the Orioles apparently still rate Colby Rasmus as their likeliest choice among available left-handed hitting outfielders, they haven't eliminated two others from the discussion. — They maintain a lower level of interest …
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Dan Connolly / Baltimore Sun:
Orioles notes and observations on Ryan Webb and free agent Colby Rasmus
Orioles notes and observations on Ryan Webb and free agent Colby Rasmus
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors and HardballTalk
Roch Kubatko / School of Roch:
“Mutual interest” in Tillman extension, and other notes
“Mutual interest” in Tillman extension, and other notes
Discussion:
Reviewing the Brew, Camden Chat, HardballTalk and MLB Trade Rumors
Los Angeles Times:
Owner of St. Louis Rams plans to build NFL stadium in Inglewood — The owner of the St. Louis Rams plans to build an NFL stadium in Inglewood, which could pave the way for the league's return to Los Angeles. — Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who bought 60 acres adjacent to the Forum a year ago …
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Mets Re-Sign Buddy Carlyle To Minor League Deal — The Mets announced that they have re-signed right-hander Buddy Carlyle to a minor league contract with an invite to big league Spring Training. Carlyle is a client of Octagon. — Caryle, 37, made a surprising return to he Majors at age 36 …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
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Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Beat reporter Alden Gonzalez answers fans' questions
Beat reporter Alden Gonzalez answers fans' questions
Discussion:
Halos Heaven, HardballTalk, Cheap Seat Chronicles, GammonsDaily.com and MLB Trade Rumors
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
White Sox To Sign Emilio Bonifacio — 9:00am: Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com tweets that Bonifacio will earn $3MM in 2015, and the option is valued at $4MM with a $1MM buyout. — 8:36am: Bonifacio's contract also contains a club option for the 2016 season, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (Twitter link).
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball and Cheap Seat Chronicles
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Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
White Sox prospect hopes to become GM after his playing career is done
White Sox prospect hopes to become GM after his playing career is done
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, South Side Sox, HardballTalk and MLB Trade Rumors
Jon Paul Morosi / Fox Sports:
MLB highly unlikely to adopt pitch clock in 2015 — FOX Sports — Take your time, Clayton Kershaw. MLB isn't likely to adopt a pitch clock any time soon. — Major League Baseball is highly unlikely to institute a 20-second pitch clock for the 2015 regular season, sources say, following a trial during the Arizona Fall League.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, HardballTalk, Steve Melewski, Baseball Prospectus and MLB Trade Rumors
Nick CafardoGLOBE / BostonGlobe.com:
In 2015, Red Sox' climb out of cellar among storylines to follow — While we can never be sure what major issues will evolve from year to year in major league baseball, we will attempt to recognize the ones that may develop in 2015: — 1. Alex Rodriguez returns — After serving …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, DRaysBay, Lone Star Ball, Talking Chop and Baseball Essential
Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com:
Son of former big league star a top international prospect, next in long line of swinging Guerreros — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is looking for big league success like his father, Vlad, a former All-Star. — DON GREGORIO, Dominican Republic — The lonely dirt road that leads to the famous iron door …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue and Metsblog