Top News:
Kat O'Brien / Dallas Star-Telegram:
Rangers set weekend deadline on Zito — The Rangers have let Barry Zito's agent, Scott Boras, know that they don't plan to wait around all winter waiting for his response. The Rangers want to hear by this weekend whether or not Zito plans to accept their contract offer.
RELATED:
Sports Illustrated:
Yankee ingenuity — Bombers poised to make customary offseason splash — The New York Yankees are a team that will switch plans at a moment's notice, a team that will appear to be lost or losing badly and then will suddenly steal the show. That may be exactly what's happening this offseason.
Discussion:
Always Amazin'
NY Daily News:
Make room for Zito — Yanks may eye lefty to replace Big Unit — While the Yankees continued engaging multiple teams in trade talks about Randy Johnson yesterday, they also came up with a possible option to replace him in their starting rotation: Barry Zito.
Joseph A. Reaves / Arizona Republic:
D-Backs wary of Johnson's back — At his first news conference as a new member of the New York Yankees, Randy Johnson was asked what he thought he had to prove in spring training. — "That I don't need a walker," Johnson replied. — He was joking about his age. Mind you, that was two years ago.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Ed Price / New Jersey Online:
Pitch for Johnson better from Padres — NEW YORK — The San Diego Padres have made a more attractive offer for Randy Johnson than the Arizona Diamondbacks, but the Yankees will trade Johnson only if they consider it a good baseball move. — "Unless it's a deal (the Yankees) really want …
Discussion:
Replacement Level …
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Trading Unit a big, bad idea — We compare Randy Johnson's Yankees pitching numbers to those of his prime, and we compare his likability to that of the average mammal, and in both cases, the Big Unit falls well short. — Now, it seems as though an avenue has been discovered for New York …
Joel Sherman / New York Post:SEPARATE WAYS — POTENTIAL UNIT DEAL HAS SPECIFIC GOAL: GET YOUNGER, CHEAPER, DEEPER
Discussion:
Pride of the Yankees
Mike Celizic / MSNBC:Bronx Bombers could have enough to land Zito if they deal Big Unit
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
Jeff Sackmann / Hardball Times:
How Good Is Your #4 Starter? — When pundits talk about a free-agent pitcher, they often refer to him as a "#3 starter" or, say, a "#4 starter for a contender." It's common enough usage that most baseball fans know what that means, or at least know what the pundits are getting at.
RELATED:
Sal Baxamusa / Hardball Times:
The Memory Remains — We often hear about pitchers setting up batters, changing eye level, throwing pitches out of the zone, pitching backwards, etc. Instinct and reaction are of utmost importance in catching, throwing, and hitting, but pitching is deliberate. First pitch strike? Inside or outside?
Tom Singer / MLB.com:
Hillenbrand, Angels agree to contract — Free agent lands one-year deal with club option for 2008 — Juan Rivera, the unexpected Angels sparkplug who suffered a broken leg last week in a Venezuela Winter League mishap, isn't scheduled to undergo an operation until Wednesday.
RELATED:
Ken Peters / Associated Press:Hillenbrand agrees to $6.5 million deal with Angels
Discussion:
Chronicles of the Lads
Tom Singer / MLB.com:
Smith hoping Sutter paved path to Hall — Former saves leader looks to join fellow closer in Cooperstown — Bruce Sutter slammed a lot of doors during his Hall of Fame pitching career. For a change, with his 2006 election, he opened a wide one — through which deserving closers are expected …
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
Cooper: Rangers prospects worth trading McCarthy — It was Don Cooper's turn to talk White Sox fans off the ledge Tuesday. — The Sox pitching coach fully endorses the offseason moves made by general manager Ken Williams, and added, ''I'm not just kissing the GM's ass.''
Ken Mandel / MLB.com:
Phillies take roller-coaster ride in 2006 — Hot late-season run falls short; Howard named NL MVP — PHILADELPHIA — General manager Pat Gillick came to Philadelphia with a track record of successful stints in Toronto, Baltimore and Seattle. He spoke of adding five more wins to the ledger and securing a postseason berth.
Discussion:
Philliesflow
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Tomo Ohka, RH — The deal: Agent said seven teams are talking with him and that Ohka (shoulder) is healthy for spring. Has three 10-win seasons and two 190-inning seasons in career. The Pirates, Mariners and Nationals have interest. — Tony Armas Jr., RH — 2006: 9-12, 5.03 ERA
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Rangers fall short of high expectations — Eyeing shot at division title, Texas endures losing season — The Rangers went into the 2006 season expecting to compete for an American League West division title. Owner Tom Hicks made that clear in Spring Training. — The Rangers did not.
Steve Keane / The Eddie Kranepool Society:
WHAT'S THE FREQUENCY SNY? — So on Christmas Eve I have a house full of family over and after dinner I asked a couple of family members if they want to sneak down to my den and watch TV. "Of course" they say in unison so down we go into my inner sanctum.
