Top News:
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
No joy in Metville; Omar has struck out — Columnist Ken Davidoff feels the Mets have taken a step back by not signing the high-profile pitcher. — The Giants completed their seven-year, $126-million agreement with Barry Zito very late Wednesday night, and immediately …
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
RELATED:
San Francisco Chronicle:
Giants finally make a big splash, sign Zito to largest pitcher contract ever — (12-28) 13:50 PST — A four-dollar toll? That's nothing. — The Giants have reached deep into their wallets and agreed to pay $126 million to bring longtime A's ace Barry Zito across the Bay Bridge …
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
With Zito off market, Mets move on — Mets GM says it's a 'long shot' team will acquire an ace — NEW YORK — No team ever has won or lost a pennant or even a game in December. Of that Omar Minaya is certain. So the Mets general manager, while disappointed Barry Zito …
Rich Draper / MLB.com:
Zito agrees to huge deal with Giants — SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants' rotation just got better. — Left-handed pitcher Barry Zito has agreed to a seven-year, $126 million contract, according to The Associated Press and an MLB.com source. — Zito, 28, who has starred for the Oakland A's …
Transaction Oracle:
Giants - Reportedly have Signed Zito — San Francisco Giants - Have reportedly come to terms with P Barry Zito on a 7-year, $126 million contract. — When I see the "7-year, $126 million contract" I think that I'm looking at some NFL contract in which a team gives this amount to their QB …
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
ESPN:Sources: Zito's Giants deal worth about $18M per year
Discussion:
Dodger Hill, Yankees Chick, Blogging Baseball, The Big Lead, SBG, The World's …, Baseball Crank, Roto Authority Fantasy …, El Lefty Malo, Pride of the Yankees, Gaslamp Ball, Evening Perambulations, Giants Cove, The Parrot, Yanksfan vs Soxfan, MiracleMets.net, Yankees 2000, GROTA, With Leather, MLB.com, New York Post, Mike's Mets, YanksBlog.com, Lookout Landing, Zisk Online and It's Outta Here!
NY Daily News:
Yanks, D-Backs close to Unit deal — The Diamondbacks have been the most aggressive suitors for Randy Johnson and sources close to the negotiations said yesterday that the Yankees and Arizona could complete a trade to send Johnson back to the desert before next week.
Discussion:
Replacement Level …, AZ Snakepit, YanksBlog.com, Pride of the Yankees, MLB Trade Rumors and WasWatching.com
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Bombers reunion on tap in April — The Big Cat's big honor, induction into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, will likely extend beyond a formal banquet. The Rockies are planning to honor the Blake Street Bombers in conjunction with Andres Galarraga's induction on April 10.
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Murcer surgery called a success — Bobby Murcer emerged in good spirits yesterday from six hours of surgery to remove a brain tumor and, according to close family sources, the Yankee legend's doctor was "completely happy" with how the operation went. — According to former Yankee publicist Marty Appel …
Rocky Mountain News:
Ringolsby: Endorsed checks for Gwynn, Ripken — Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. represented what baseball would like to be during their playing careers. — Each played for only one team - Gwynn with San Diego for 20 years and Ripken with Baltimore for 21 - ignoring the lure of the bright lights …
Discussion:
Purple Row
Enrique Rojas / ESPN:
Ramirez will have precautionary shoulder checkup … MIAMI — Hanley Ramirez, last season's NL Rookie of the Year, arrived in Miami for a checkup on his left shoulder due to a recurrence of soreness while playing with the Licey Tigers in the Dominican winter league.
Discussion:
FishStripes
Sun-Sentinel:
Larry Beinfest — Marlins — 2006 highlights: Beinfest could already boast sculpting a World Series champion in 2003, but last season the front office did some of its finest work. Faced with the task of trading all of the club's high-priced veterans, Beinfest and his lieutenants assembled …
Discussion:
FishStripes
Jeff Sackmann / Hardball Times:
More Fun With Rotation Numbers — My article on Wednesday, How Good Is Your #4 Starter, presented some counterintuitive findings on starting rotations, such as—big surprise—how good an average #4 starter is. Due to injuries and the related fact that the guy who starts the year …
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.
