Top News:
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 …
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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
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.
Tony Massarotti / Boston Herald:
The world's theirs again: Sox' new theme is brass bonanza — When they got on the plane, chests puffed out, you had to wonder if Theo Epstein was carrying Daisuke Matsuzaka under one arm while Larry Lucchino had Scott Boras under another. This is the way it works now at Fenway Park [map] …
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Red Sox, Matsuzaka set six-year deal — Pact worth $52 million reportedly to be announced Thursday — BOSTON — After a topsy-turvy month of negotiations, the Red Sox — according to multiple media reports — have at last landed Japanese pitching sensation Daisuke Matsuzaka …
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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Associated Press:
Report: M's, Nats have tentative deal on Vidro trade — WASHINGTON — Second baseman Jose Vidro would be sent to the Seattle Mariners by the Washington Nationals for two prospects in a tentative trade that is pending physicals for all players involved, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Wednesday night.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
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.
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Wright on deck to pitch to Zito — When Barry Zito is ready to tour New York, David Wright is willing to play tour guide, just as Tom Glavine did during last winter's successful courtship of Billy Wagner. — "I'd be more than open to showing Barry around and trying to sell him on New York …
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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T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Notes: Offseason picking up steam — Rangers' 2007 structure starting to take shape this week — ARLINGTON — Relief pitcher Eric Gagne is scheduled to be in Texas on Monday for his physical after agreeing to a one-year contract with the Rangers this week.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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 …
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers cut loose Werth, Hall — Team tenders contracts to Beimel, Hendrickson — LOS ANGELES — On the day Eric Gagne became a former Dodger, so did outfielder Jayson Werth, catcher Toby Hall and reliever Franquelis Osoria. — With four players eligible for salary arbitration …
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
