Top News:
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
Unit gets pact, needs physical — A physical examination today is all that stands in the way of the Yankees finalizing their divorce from Randy Johnson, and possibly setting up a reconciliation with Roger Clemens. — The Big Unit's agents reached agreement with the Arizona Diamondbacks …
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Unit agrees to new deal; physical likely Monday — NEW YORK — Randy Johnson agreed Sunday to a $26 million, two-year contract with Arizona, leaving physicals and final approvals to complete his trade from the New York Yankees back to the Diamondbacks. — Johnson most likely …
ESPN:
Simulation: Hall of Famers vs. non-Hall of Famers … The same passionate arguments are made this time every year — for Pete Rose, for Jim Rice, for Bert Blyleven, and many others. And year after year, the same players are denied entrance into baseball's most exclusive fraternity, the Baseball Hall of Fame.
RELATED:
Tim Sullivan / San Diego Union-Tribune:
The swing voters — Gwynn will get in, but it won't be unanimous; it never has been — Tony Gwynn has as many batting titles as an octopus has arms. He owns eight Silver Bats, five Gold Gloves and, come July 29, a bronze bas-relief likeness in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Tim Sullivan / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Writer who turned in blank ballot says it's not a sign of disrespect — Paul Ladewski is likely to make some enemies this week. Maybe millions of them. — In signing his Hall of Fame ballot without checking the name of a single candidate, the Chicago sportswriter has ensured …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Miami ballpark deal progressing — DuPuy says finishing details is 'highest priority' — BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Major League Baseball is closing in on finalizing a new ballpark deal in downtown Miami that would keep the Marlins in South Florida for a generation, the sport's No. 2 official …
RELATED:
Sal Baxamusa / Hardball Times:
Inside Job (Part 1) — While checking out Greg Rybarczyk's awesome Hit Tracker website, I noticed that some of this year's homers didn't even travel 300 feet from home plate. It took me a minute to realize that these were inside-the-park home runs. I've heard that triples are the most exciting play …
MLB.com:
How our writers voted — MLB.com scribes reveal their Hall of Fame picks … Mike Bauman — Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken Jr., Bert Blyleven, Goose Gossage, Lee Smith, Jim Rice, Andre Dawson — Gwynn, an eight-time batting champion with a lifetime .338 average, is automatic for the Hall.
John Beamer / Hardball Times:
Zoooomaya and speed guns — Radar guns, and their efficacy have always been a hotly debated topic, largely because no one is ever sure how accurate they are. This year the tongue wagging intensified with the emergence of perhaps the hardest thrower ever to step on to a pitching mound: the flame-arm tattooed Joel Zumaya.
Discussion:
TigerBlog
NY Daily News:
Mets, Yankees wise to save their money — In contrast to the mind-boggling signings by so many other teams, one would have to admit it's been a rather frugal and prudent winter for our local nines. — While Omar Minaya has seen to it that the Mets will be AARP's team of the year …
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Hot Stove: LaRoche remains hot topic with Pirates ... including players — By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — Yesterday marked the one-month anniversary of the Atlanta Braves pulling the plug on the trade that would have sent slugger Adam LaRoche to the Pirates for closer Mike Gonzalez.
JSOnline:
Brewers spread wealth with Suppan — Big payments come after Sheets' deal ends — The four-year, $42 million contract the Milwaukee Brewers gave free agent pitcher Jeff Suppan is heavily back-loaded, but general manager Doug Melvin said there was no intent to ease the club's financial burden over the next two seasons.
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings
