Top News:
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Scherzer part of Rizzo's grand plan, or Lerner's all-in play for 2015? — FOX Sports — Knowing whether it was Nats GM Mike Rizzo (left) or owner Ted Lerner who ultimately made the call on acquiring Max Scherzer could be the biggest barometer for the club's true intentions for the roster this season.
Discussion:
Washington Post and Bleacher Report
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Washington Post:
Nationals complete deal with free agent pitcher Max Scherzer — The Washington Nationals radically altered the baseball landscape Sunday night, ending a winter of relative inactivity by agreeing to a seven-year contract with free agent pitcher Max Scherzer, according to a person with direct knowledge of the talks.
Discussion:
Providence Journal, Mark Bradley blog, New Jersey Online, Viva El Birdos, Bleacher Report, Federal Baseball and Fox Sports
Fox Sports:
JP Morosi — Despair not, Wisconsin sports fans. Your favorite team remains involved in a competition certain to grip the nation's attention over the next two weeks. — Which team will trade for Jordan Zimmermann? — See? Sunday's fourth-quarter collapse in Seattle actually was for the best.
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
Max Scherzer in talks with Nationals and others on 7-year deal; deal soon — Top free agent pitcher Max Scherzer is talking to the Nationals and at least one other club about potential seven-year scenarios, sources said. — The Nats have a chance to win the services of the top free-agent pitcher after coming out of nowhere.
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
(USATSI) — Top right-handed starter Max Scherzer and the Nationals are in agreement on a seven-year deal, CBSSports.com has learned. — Details of the deal beyond the seven years are not known. — Scherzer was reported by the Washington Post to have been “very close” …
Discussion:
The Big Lead, New York Post and The LoHud Yankees Blog
Jeff Sullivan / FanGraphs Baseball:
Nationals Build Potential Super-Team, Add Max Scherzer — Here's maybe the simplest way to put this: a season ago, by his peripherals, Tanner Roark was about a three-win pitcher. By his actual runs allowed, he was about a five-win pitcher. He actually finished with a higher RA9-WAR …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Federal Baseball, Baseball News Source, South Side Sox, baseballmusings.com, NESN.com and HardballTalk
Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:
Signing Max Scherzer makes Washington Nationals better — right now and beyond — When a baseball team signs one of the best pitchers in baseball to a long-term free agent contract, then it just got significantly better. There's risk. It might have overpaid. In a few years, today's jewel could be tomorrow's fool's gold.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Amazin' Avenue and Federal Baseball
ESPN.com:
Reports: Scherzer, Nats agree on $210M deal — Free-agent pitcher Max Scherzer has agreed to a seven-year contract with the Washington Nationals, a source confirmed Sunday night to ESPN.com's Jim Bowden. — The deal is for $210 million with half deferred, according to multiple reports.
Discussion:
MLB, Bleacher Report, ESPN and BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Charlie Wilmoth / MLB Trade Rumors:
Cubs Acquire Dexter Fowler For Valbuena, Straily — The Astros and Cubs have officially announced that the Astros have traded outfielder Dexter Fowler to Chicago for infielder Luis Valbuena and righty Dan Straily. It's a win-now move for both teams, with the Cubs trading from depth to upgrade …
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs acquire Dexter Fowler from Astros — The Chicago Cubs intensified their push toward 2015 playoff status by acquiring switch-hitting leadoff center fielder Dexter Fowler from the Houston Astros in exchange for infielder Luis Valbuena and pitcher Dan Straily.
Discussion:
Ultimate Astros and baseballmusings.com
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Cubs acquire Fowler from Astros for Valbuena, Straily
Discussion:
Purple Row and Cubs 101
Edward Creech / MLB Trade Rumors:
Rangers Acquire Yovani Gallardo — The Rangers have acquired right-hander Yovani Gallardo from the Brewers. Going in return are a group of young players: infielder Luis Sardinas and righties Corey Knebel and Marcos Diplan. Milwaukee will pick up $4MM of Gallardo's salary …
Discussion:
The Latest, Brew Crew Ball, Beyond the Box Score, Al's Ramblings, Athletics Nation, Lone Star Ball, Bucs Dugout and Amazin' Avenue
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Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Rangers close to landing Gallardo
Discussion:
JSOnline, Fox Sports, MLB.com and Lone Star Ball
William Boor / MLB.com:
Righty appeared in 20 games for Angels in '14 — 9/21/14: Yoslan Herrera induces a grounder from Adam Rosales, starting the inning-ending double play and escaping a bases-loaded jam — The Angels have released Yoslan Herrera in order for the right-hander to play for Yokohama …
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Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Wacha says he's ‘extremely healthy’ — Before he grabbed a pen to sign autographs at the Cardinals' Winter Warm-Up, pitcher Michael Wacha spent an hour or so of his offseason where he spent so much of the season. — Wacha had another MRI scan Sunday morning so that team physicians could pry …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Lagares, Granderson, Cuddyer key to New York's success in 2015 — MLB.com's Mets reporter Anthony DiComo talks about the Mets signing Michael Cuddyer to a two-year deal … NEW YORK — Last winter, the Mets signed Curtis Granderson to add legitimacy to the middle of their lineup. It didn't work.
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