Top News:
Anthony De Rosa / Hot Foot:
Mets Might Gain Rights To Matsuzaka — The Sons Of Sam Horn Wiki, which is one of the most well respected Red Sox websites around, even frequented by the Red Sox owner as well as Curt Schilling, has a copy of the rules and procedures of the Japanese Player contract agreement.
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Jeff Horrigan / Boston Herald:
Sox, Boras still at odds: Matsuzaka talks on hold — Talks between the Red Sox [team stats] and the agent representing Daisuke Matsuzaka were limited and unproductive over the weekend, increasing the possibility that the Seibu Lions star will not be signed by Thursday night's deadline …
Discussion:
Ben Maller's Sports …
Gordon Edes / Extra Bases:
Tumbling Dice...Pitcher not yet falling Sox way — With Thursday's midnight deadline for signing Daisuke Matsuzaka looming, the Red Sox are in a position of wondering, as one well-placed source said yesterday, whether agent Scott Boras is "running out the clock'' on negotiations.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Pettitte no bargain for Yankees — Enough fawning over the Yankees' signing of free-agent left-hander Andy Pettitte. From the size of the contract to the condition of Pettitte's elbow to the decline in his 2006 performance, the deal is not as attractive as it appears. — First, the contract.
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Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
Marquis, Cubs working on details — Despite a flurry of reports early Saturday that a deal was done, the Cubs haven't completed negotiations with free-agent right-hander Jason Marquis, though a tentative agreement could be reached today or Monday. — ''There is still a long way to go,'' a source said.
Discussion:
Sabernomics
Richard Durrett / Dallas Morning News:
Rangers close to deal with Lofton, interested in Gagne — Veteran would fill Rangers' CF vacancy; Gagne also on radar — The Rangers' top option in center field appears to be Kenny Lofton. — Club sources confirmed that the club is close to agreeing to terms with Lofton in an attempt …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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Jeff / Brew Crew Ball:
Another CF option gone — We've lost out on Juan Pierre (phew!) and Dave Roberts (thank you!), and now it looks like Kenny Lofton is also going to sign elsewhere. He's been discussed quite a bit as a "cheap" option to the higher-priced CFs out there, and while he may no longer be a plus defender …
John P. Lopez / Houston Chronicle:
Team Andy shovels, and it's not snow — It might be the season of searching for a good deal, but if you're buying the stuff Team Andy is shoveling, then you probably shop at the same place as New York's, make that, Deer Park's favorite son. — It's that place where defective merchandise comes cheap.
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Peter Abraham / The Journal News:
Pettitte buys Yankees some time with young arms — Phil Hughes, Jeff Karstens and the rest of the young starting pitchers the Yankees are stockpiling don't know it yet but they caught a break when Andy Pettitte agreed to terms on Friday. — The addition of Pettitte relieves any pressure …
John Perrotto / Beaver County Times & Allegheny Times:
LATEST NEWS: Pirates to sign pitcher Kuwata; LaRoche deal still on? — The Pittsburgh Pirates are close to filling their need for a veteran right-handed starter by signing long-time Japanese League pitcher Masumi Kuwata as a free agent, baseball sources from Japan told the Times on Monday.
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Chris Constancio / Hardball Times:
A Closer Look at James Loney — Today, I will continue my series on prospects who I believe are widely underrated with an examination of the past and future of James Loney, a first baseman in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. Loney won a batting title in the Pacific Coast League in 2006 …
Enrique Rojas / ESPN:
Outfielder-first baseman signs with Yankees … SANTIAGO, Dominican Republic — The New York Yankees signed Cuban prospect Juan Miranda to a four-year contract worth $2 million, the player told ESPNdeportes.com. — The deal, which includes a signing bonus of $500,000 …
Sam Mellinger / Contra Costa Times:
Sacrifices made for difficult players — Stars like Bonds, Ramirez and Clemens get certain privileges from their respective teams — Here's a new one: teams asking for an indictment clause in player contracts. — That's apparently one issue that's holding up Barry Bonds' $16 million re-signing …
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Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Oliver leaves Mets to head to AL, Angels … Free-agent reliever Darren Oliver has reached preliminary agreement with the Los Angeles Angels on a one-year contract with an option for 2008, a baseball source told ESPN.com. — It's believed the total package could be worth $3.5 million if the option year vests.
Jim Baumbach / Newsday:
Cards may need time to see all of Carl's files — The Cardinals have asked to view Carl Pavano's expansive medical records, according to a report in yesterday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a sign that the Yankees might be able to get out from under that albatross of a contract.
Discussion:
Pride of the Yankees
Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
Spree at last, but is it enough? — What's next for the Cubs — When the dust settles — pending a completed deal with right-hander Jason Marquis — the Cubs will have spent more than $300 million on free agents weeks before the first official day of winter.
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Acta reassures Church — New Nationals manager talks to young outfielder — Nationals manager Manny Acta placed a call to outfielder Ryan Church on Friday, with Acta giving Church nothing but positive reinforcement. — Church, according to Acta, was happy to hear from his new boss …
