Top News:
ESPN:
Sources: Zito's Giants deal worth about $18M per year — Barry Zito is staying in the Bay Area with the San Francisco Giants. — Sources told ESPN's Peter Gammons that Zito will receive a seven-year contract from the Giants, with the deal averaging approximately $18 million per season.
Discussion:
The Big Lead, Baseball Crank, Pride of the Yankees, McCovey Chronicles, El Lefty Malo, Roto Authority Fantasy …, SBG, The World's …, Gaslamp Ball, MiracleMets.net, Giants Cove, GROTA, MLB Trade Rumors, Evening Perambulations, Yankees 2000, Lookout Landing, With Leather, Zisk Online, It's Outta Here!, Mike's Mets, YanksBlog.com and Batter's Box Interactive …
RELATED:
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Source: Zito to Giants — The Rangers have been told that Barry Zito is signing elsewhere. One source said that the Rangers expect Zito to sign with the San Francisco Giants. The Rangers offered Zito a six-year deal worth approximately $80 million. But apparently it wasn't enough to lure him to Texas.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Giants and lefty Zito reach contract agreement — The Giants have identified their centerpiece of the post-Barry Bonds Era, only it's not a hitter. — The team has reached preliminary agreement with free-agent left-hander Barry Zito, FOXSports.com has learned.
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
FRISCO COULD BE ZITO FRONT-RUNNER — The Giants, despite reports, have no interest in Randy Johnson. However, they are very, very interested in a left-hander who could impact a New York team's plans. — The Yankees did contact San Francisco about Johnson.
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog, MiracleMets.net, Balls, Sticks, & Stuff and Can't Stop The Bleeding
Rich Draper / MLB.com:
Zito agrees to huge deal with Giants — SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants' rotation has just got better. — Left-handed pitcher Barry Zito has agreed to a seven-year, $126 million contract, according to The Associated Press and other sources. — Zito, 28, who has starred for the Oakland A's …
Discussion:
Always Amazin'
Associated Press:
Giants, Zito reach whopping $126M deal, biggest yet for pitcher — CBS SportsLine.com wire reports — NEW YORK — Barry Zito and the San Francisco Giants reached a preliminary agreement on the largest contract for a pitcher in baseball history, a $126 million, seven-year deal.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Sports Illustrated:
Zito to sign with Giants — Free agent agrees to seven-year, $126 million deal — Barry Zito has agreed in principle to a deal to jump across the Bay and join the San Francisco Giants after starring for six years with the rival Oakland A's, SI.com has learned.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
BruteSentiment / McCovey Chronicles:Source: Zito to Giants. 8 Years???
Discussion:
The View From The Bleachers
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Murcer battles brain tumor — Yankee legend Bobby Murcer is scheduled to undergo surgery today in Houston for the removal of a brain tumor. — Murcer, 60, a Yankee institution as a player and broadcaster for 40 years, had been experiencing headaches and a loss of energy in recent days and …
RELATED:
Jack Magruder / East Valley Tribune:
Yankees want 3 pitchers in swap for Johnson — The New York Yankees are seeking a package of three young pitchers from the Diamondbacks for Randy Johnson, including at least one reliever, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations. — The Yankees have expressed interest …
RELATED:
David Gassko / Hardball Times:
DIPS, LIPS, and Hips — Thank Jay Jaffe for this column. Or, alternately, send your hate mail his way—either way, all that follows is due to him. — See, Jay e-mailed me about a week ago asking for some DIPS 3.0 numbers. I had actually calculated everything at the end of the season, but had forgotten about it.
Richard / SportsJustice:
As spring training approaches, the Astros are still busy. — Just 49 days until pitchers and catchers report to Kissimmee... • This is an interesting part of the off-season because the big-ticket acquisitions are pretty much done. Now teams begin stocking their roster with low-profile additions.
Paul Hoynes / Plain Dealer:
Indians nearing deal with Foulke — Keith Foulke, conceivably the last addition to the Indians' new bullpen, continues to inch closer to Cleveland and a one-year deal. If an agreement is reached, it probably won't be announced until next week. — The deal is contingent on Foulke's physical exam …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Jay Mariotti / Chicago Sun Times:
Posey a goon, Wade too good to be true — As a defensive back, James Posey would be considered a headhunter. As a basketball player, he's an out-of-control thug who continues to seek and destroy Bulls players like he's on some maniacal video-game mission.
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Buzz: Now What Happens to the Rotation — ...at this point, based on what we know from the last couple of weeks, if the Mets intend to add a quality starting pitcher to their rotation, as they clearly hoped to do, they now have no choice but to bring him in via trade...
Tim Kurkjian / ESPN:
Since Williams, no greater hitter than Gwynn … Tony Gwynn loved hitting so much, he visited the Hillerich & Bradsby factory more than once so he could handpick the billets of wood for his bats. His bats were his magic wands, and they had to feel right in those little hands of his.
