Top News:
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.
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David Picker / New York Times:
Blood, Sweat and Type O: Japan's Weird Science — In the end, the Red Sox apparently decided to spend more than $100 million to get the Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka in a Boston uniform for the next six seasons, a daring financial outlay for an athlete who has never thrown a pitch …
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Some friendly suggestions for Matsuzaka — An open letter to Daisuke Matsuzaka: — Dear, Dice-K (OK if we call you Dice-K? Or would you rather D-Mat or Dice Man?), — Welcome to Boston. Thought you might like to know a little about your new workplace.
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Matsuzaka, Red Sox agree to terms — Results of ace's physical awaited to make 6-year, $52m deal official — Doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital will have the final word, but assuming Daisuke Matsuzaka passes his physical, the best young pitcher in Japan will be pitching for the Red Sox next season.
Discussion:
Surviving Grady
Jimmy Golen / Associated Press:
Matsuzaka arrives in Boston — BOSTON (AP) — Japanese ace Daisuke Matsuzaka is in Boston, and it looks like he'll be staying a while. — The Red Sox reached a preliminary agreement with the 26-year-old right-hander on a six-year contract that would guarantee him a minimum of $52 million …
Discussion:
Where have you gone …
Associated Press:
Sox, Matsuzaka reach preliminary agreement — BOSTON (AP) - The $51.11 million the Red Sox offered to pay for the rights to Daisuke Matsuzaka was enough to get the Japanese ace across the Pacific Ocean. — It took that much again, and a little more, to fly him the rest of the way to Boston.
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
This Year, No Anna Benson (Among Others) — A year ago, the Mets' holiday children's party at Shea Stadium was turned upside down by Anna Benson, who wore a revealing crimson dress in her role as Mrs. Claus. — Mrs. Benson has since relocated to Baltimore, where her husband, Kris …
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Michael Morrissey / New York Post:
WRIGHT ON BOARD FOR PITCH TO ZITO — If Barry Zito is interested in taking Manhattan, then David Wright is interested in taking him around it. — Yesterday afternoon, Wright enthusiastically suggested that he would be a tour guide for Zito to woo the top-notch free agent.
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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Kat O'Brien / Dallas Star-Telegram:
Rangers spend day planning for future — The Rangers had a quiet Wednesday, a day after signing center fielder Kenny Lofton and reaching a preliminary contract agreement with closer Eric Gagne. — They were plenty busy, however, with organization-wide meetings.
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Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Club makes contract offer to second baseman Giles — General Manager Kevin Towers said he made a contractual offer yesterday to second baseman Marcus Giles, the former Braves regular who became a free agent on Tuesday night. The proposal is believed to be worth $3 million to $4 million.
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Wainwright appears more likely to be penciled into the rotation — Tony La Russa came to St. Louis brandishing what he argues is an impromptu legal document that binds the biggest name left on the free agent market to the Cardinals' unfinished pitching rotation. — It works only if "signed" is used loosely.
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Rays, Iwamura confident as deal nears completion … ST. PETERSBURG - Owner Stuart Sternberg isn't sending a private plane like the Red Sox did for Daisuke Matsuzaka, but the Devil Rays appear close to landing their own promising Japanese import, infielder Akinori Iwamura.
NY Daily News:
Bombers mull pitch for Pineiro — The Yankees already have Andy Pettitte in the fold, they likely have Kei Igawa on the way and they still have Roger Clemens in their sights whenever he decides about next year. — But a person familiar with the Yankees' thinking said the team …
Discussion:
Off the Facade
Bob Duffy / Boston Globe:
Lugo hopes to hit it big — He finds Fenway a welcome sight — Secret agents have aroused more attention than Julio Lugo's arrival in Boston did. — But that didn't make him any less welcome to the Red Sox, who introduced the shortstop they've coveted for years to a thoroughly distracted media yesterday at Fenway Park.
Discussion:
Over the Monster
