Top News:
Sports Illustrated:
Done deal — Red Sox, Matsuzaka agree to six-year contract — Daisuke Matsuzaka has reached a deal with the Boston Red Sox for 6 years, $52 million, SI.com's Jon Heyman has learned. The deal contains escalator clauses that could bring it up to $60 million.
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Gordon Edes / Extra Bases:
Dice-K en route — The Red Sox contingent in Southern California is currently flying back to Boston with pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka and his agent, Scott Boras, on board. — "You can assume that a deal is done or close," said one source with direct knowledge of the talks.
ESPN:
Red Sox, Matsuzaka headed to Boston — BOSTON — Daisuke Matsuzaka headed to Boston on Wednesday with Red Sox officials, a sign Boston had reached a preliminary contract agreement with the star pitcher. — "They all took off together," Red Sox owner John Henry said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Everybody wins with Matsuzaka deal — When all is said and done, the Red Sox's total payout for Japanese right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka likely will be similar to what left-hander Barry Zito commands as a free agent. — The final numbers — $103 million (six years, $52 million in salary …
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Matsuzaka deal appears imminent — Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein and agent Scott Boras, philosophically worlds apart in the Daisuke Matsuzaka negotiations, put aside their differences at the 11th hour and are near completing a multiyear deal for the coveted Japanese pitcher.
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Matsuzaka deal full speed ahead: Pitcher, Boras flying to Hub with Sox — COSTA MESA, Calif. - Daisuke Matsuzaka and his agent Scott Boras are flying back to Boston with the Red Sox [team stats] this afternoon, a clear sign that the sides are going to be able to strike a long-term deal.
Discussion:
Empyreal Environs
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:Matsuzaka deal worth at least $52 million: Japanese ace hits Hub …
Discussion:
Boston Globe
Michael Silverman / Clubhouse Insider:Matsuzaka wants $11M per year; Sox offering $8M
Discussion:
Boston Sports Media Watch
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:No progress on Matsuzaka — Latest negotiating session lasts only 40 minutes
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Nationals to Trade Vidro for Prospects — The Washington Nationals took a major step toward freeing room on their future payroll and breaking loose a logjam in the middle infield, agreeing to trade second baseman Jose Vidro — who has spent his entire career with the Montreal-Washington organization …
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats to trade Vidro to Mariners — Snelling, Fruto to join Washington, pending physicals — The Nationals are expected to trade second baseman Jose Vidro to the Mariners for outfielder Chris Snelling and pitcher Emiliano Fruto, according to Vidro and a high-ranking baseball official.
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Miles gets new deal from Birds — TENDERED OFFERS To So Taguchi and Randy Flores, who were arbitration-eligible. — NO CONTRACTS Rick Ankiel and Jorge Sosa were not given offers, making them free agents. — As they finalized a contract with Aaron Miles and tendered an offer to So Taguchi …
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ESPN:
Talks ongoing between Blue Jays, Wells — The Blue Jays apparently are serious about keeping budding superstar Vernon Wells in the fold. — Wells, who can become a free agent after next season, was offered a seven-year, $126 million extension by Toronto. No deal has been agreed to, however.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Jeff Blair / globesports.com:
Jays offer Wells monster contract — Toronto — The Toronto Blue Jays have made a formal contract offer to Vernon Wells that would put the centre fielder comfortably among the top-10 highest-paid players in the major leagues and likely exceed the average annual value of the free-agent deal …
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Sox rearranging dominos — Non-tender to Sierra would free roster spot — A small move Tuesday could lead to bigger things for the White Sox. — The Sox were expected to tender contracts to their remaining unsigned players on the 40-man roster, including third baseman Joe Crede and infielder Alex Cintron.
Discussion:
The Bard's Room
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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates retain rights to Chacon, Cota — Also claim reliever Osoria off waivers from L.A. — By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — The Pirates have tendered contracts to all eight of their arbitration-eligible players, including starter Shawn Chacon and catcher Humberto Cota, each thought to be on the bubble.
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Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
M. Giles available as free agent now — Padres General Manager Kevin Towers said yesterday that he could have acquired Braves second baseman Marcus Giles last month if he had been willing to trade reliever Scott Linebrink. Towers held onto Linebrink and now has a chance …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Mike Petraglia / MLB.com:
Kapler announces retirement — Popular veteran named manager of Class A Greenville — BOSTON — Considered one of the most thoughtful and thought-provoking Red Sox players in recent memory, Gabe Kapler wasn't about to enter the next phase of his life on a whim.
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Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Hollins' exit creates room as talks continue with Iwamura … ST. PETERSBURG - Needing to create space on the 40-man roster and room on the field, the Devil Rays dropped reserve outfielder Damon Hollins by not tendering him a contract. — "We obviously have a lot of depth in the outfield …
Associated Press:
Exposing the truth — Mariners' Betancourt allegedly smuggled into U.S. — MIAMI (AP) — Seattle Mariners shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt and the family of Chicago White Sox pitcher Jose Contreras were among the Cubans allegedly smuggled into the United States by an agent and others accused …
