Top News:
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
The Hall call arrives for Gwynn, Ripken — First ballot players to be inducted into Hall of Fame on July 29 — NEW YORK — As anticipated, the dynamic duo of eight-time National League batting champion Tony Gwynn and Iron Man Cal Ripken Jr. earned election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday …
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Jeff Horrigan / Boston Herald:
Hall door opens slightly: Rice still on outside; Ripken, Gwynn get in — Number 14 was always synonymous with Jim Rice, who wore it on the back of his uniform throughout a memorable Red Sox [team stats] career. After he fell short for the 13th consecutive year in a bid to be enshrined …
baseballhalloffame.org:
2007 Hall of Fame Voting Results — Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. elected to Hall of Fame by BBWAA — COOPERSTOWN, NY: Cal Ripken, holder of one of baseball's most cherished records, and Tony Gwynn, among the game's most prolific hitters, were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame …
Associated Press:
Gwynn, Ripken elected to Hall of Fame — NEW YORK — Mark McGwire fell far short in his first try for the Hall of Fame, picked by 23.5 percent of voters while Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. easily gained baseball's highest honor. — Tarnished by accusations of steroid use …
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Two Elected to Hall of Fame; McGwire Misses — Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn, two iconic players who were renowned for their skills as well as their class, were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame today. But Mark McGwire, a once-deified slugger, fell far short of joining them in his first year on the ballot.
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Joe Hamrahi / Baseball Digest Daily:Ripken and Gwynn Are In — From the official Baseball Hall of Fame press release:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals await Mulder's decision — The Cardinals could learn as early as today whether free agent lefthander Mark Mulder will accept their modified two-year proposal potentially worth about $18 million. — General manager Walt Jocketty met with Mulder and agent Gregg Clifton in Scottsdale …
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Richard Durrett / Dallas Morning News:
Mulder expected to make decision soon — Rangers are among three teams in the running for pitcher — The Rangers should know today or Thursday where free-agent pitcher Mark Mulder will play the next two seasons. — Mulder's agent, Gregg Clifton, said the 29-year-old has all the information …
Associated Press:
Former All-Star catcher Lopez, Rockies agree to deal — DENVER — Former All-Star catcher Javy Lopez drew interest from other teams in the offseason to be a designated hitter, maybe even play an occasional first base. — But Lopez was insistent on catching, and the Colorado Rockies believe he still can.
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Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
D-backs introduce familiar face — Johnson happy to be back in Arizona, chasing 300 wins — PHOENIX — The uniform colors may have changed, but Randy Johnson slipped comfortably back into his No. 51 jersey on Tuesday afternoon as the D-backs' trade with the Yankees became official.
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MLB.com:
Cubs invite 11 more to big league camp — The Chicago Cubs today announced that 11 additional players have been invited to Big League camp with the club. Pitchers Sean Gallagher, Adam Harben, Ryan O'Malley, Carmen Pignatiello and Randy Wells will report to Fitch Park in Mesa, Ariz. …
Baltimore Sun:
Sun interview with Cal Ripken Jr. … Cal Ripken Jr. recently visited The Sun for a wide-ranging question-and-answer session to discuss the Hall of Fame and other matters related to his career. He was interviewed by Sun staff members Dan Connolly, John Eisenberg, Peter Schmuck and Childs Walker.
NY Daily News:
Maine gets a head start — In previous winters, John Maine would have agonized over the Mets' pursuit of various big-name pitchers. Would the possibility of a new star coming to Shea mean Maine would be bumped out of a place in the rotation? — By his own admission, Maine has a track record of fretting over such things.
Associated Press:
Blue Jays agree to deals with Thomson, Frasor — TORONTO — Right-handers Jason Frasor and John Thomson agreed to one-year contracts with the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday. — Frasor was 3-2 with a 4.32 ERA in 51 relief appearances last season, splitting time between Toronto and Triple-A Syracuse.
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T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Young stepping up offseason workouts — All-Star shortstop in Texas working with hitting coach Jaramillo — ARLINGTON — Spring Training is still over a month away, but on a cold January morning, the hands and wrists were still as quick as ever, and Michael Young was smacking the baseball all over the Rangers' indoor batting cage.
Ken Mandel / MLB.com:
Garcia agrees to Minor League deal — Outfielder batted .281 with 34 home runs in Japan — PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies' search for a left-handed pinch-hitter brought them to Japan, where they landed Karim Garcia. — Garcia and the Phillies agreed to a Minor League deal, pending a physical.
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Herrera's next journey daunting, too — Cuban defector takes aim at Pirates' rotation — Right-handed pitcher Yoslan Herrera, 25, defected from Cuba June 13, 2005. — There was no raft in tatters, no shark snapping its jaws, no crashing waves or any dramatic chase from a U.S. Coast Guard patrol.
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