Top News:
Bob Raissman / NY Daily News:
Michael Kay rips Joe Torre, but not on YES Network — Why was Michael Kay treading lightly on Alex Rodriguez and jolly-stomping Joe Torre? That is the question a caller to Kay's ESPN-1050 Tuesday soiree asked. — The inquiry agitated Mr. Kay. — "There are things about Joe Torre …
Discussion:
Bugs & Cranks, SportsJustice, New York Post, ShysterBall, The Joy of Sox and WasWatching.com
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Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Exhibition games vs. Yankees set for Dolphin Stadium — Joe Girardi will get his final tuneup for his first year as New York Yankees manager against his old team. — The Yankees play the Marlins on March 28 at 7:05 p.m. and March 29 at 6:05 p.m. at Dolphin Stadium to close both teams' exhibition schedules.
Clark Spencer / MiamiHerald.com:
A-Rod in Marlins' future? — Florida's Larry Beinfest would not discount the idea of Alex Rodriguez playing in his hometown in 2008. — AIM cspencer@MiamiHerald.com — A-Rod to the Marlins? — Although it's a long shot, don't dismiss him entirely. — Five days after Alex Rodriguez opted …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Jeff Jacobs / Hartford Courant:
A New York Fielding Drill For Girardi — Joe Girardi ended the formal portion of his introductory press conference with a rhetorical question. — "How am I different than Joe Torre?" said the new manager of the most famous franchise in sports. "Give me a chance and you'll find out.
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Posada-Girardi rift? Not really; he should be back — There's a buzz working its way through the media, if nowhere else, that Jorge Posada doesn't want to play for Joe Girardi. That the Mets have hope, after all, in recruiting the lifelong Yankee over the Triborough Bridge.
Discussion:
NY Daily News, New York Post, Lady At The Bat, MetsBlog.com, Yanksfan vs Soxfan and MLB Trade Rumors
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:Girardi Will Wear Goal on His Back: No. 27
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Sources: A-Rod was seeking $350M from Yankees … Before Alex Rodriguez opted out of his contract with the Yankees earlier this week, the team was told that it would not be able to meet with the third baseman unless it presented an offer of at least $350 million, sources say.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, MetsBlog.com, The LoHud Yankees Blog, River Ave. Blues and WasWatching.com
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Tracy Ringolsby / Fox Sports:
Hot Stove about to hit Orlando — LIKE THIS STORY? — After giving up three of its top five pitching prospects in July of 2006 to acquire Livan Hernandez from Arizona, and then shelling out a two-year, $26 million deal to get Randy Johnson — bad back and all — to return, Arizona finds itself searching for rotation help.
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
Brian Cashman says Robinson Cano will stay at second base — Brian Cashman says he hasn't started the process of landing a third-base replacement for Alex Rodriguez, but the Yankee GM insisted he doesn't expect to ask second baseman Robinson Cano to make the move across the diamond.
Ed Price / NJ.com:
Yankees pick up Abreu's option — The Yankees have picked up the $16 million option for 2008 on right — fielder Bobby Abreu. A person informed of the decision, who asked not to — be named since the Yankees had not yet made an announcement, confirmed — the move today.
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Andrew Ryan / Boston Globe:
Fans catch treat at Varitek home — NEWTON - This Halloween, Jason Varitek gave trick-or-treaters something infinitely more valuable than a king-sized Snickers bar. The Red Sox captain sat in a lawn chair at the top on his driveway and handed out autographs, signing baseballs, hats, shirts …
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Paul Meyer / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Manager decision possible Monday — Neal Huntington could be on the verge of making a decision about who will be the next manager. — Yesterday, he met with Cleveland third base coach Joel Skinner, who might have been the Pirates general manager's final interviewee for the position.
Discussion:
Bugs & Cranks
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Red Sox Monster:
YouTube goodness: Dice-K's high school no-no — What do you do when baseball season's over? — Well, besides for playing "Choose Your Own Adventure" with Alex Rodriguez, how about peeping the video of Daisuke Matsuzaka's famed high school no-hitter? After seeing this …
Bill James / Sports Illustrated:
Bill James: MLB's Top 50 Young Players — Groundbreaking analyst Bill James, who is Senior Baseball Operations Advisor for the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, has published this provocative new Young Talent Inventory in The Bill James Handbook 2008, available as of November 1, 2007.
Amy K. Nelson / ESPN:
Veteran Stairs, Blue Jays agree to 2-year contract … The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to terms with utility man Matt Stairs on Friday, signing the veteran to to a two-year deal, his agent said. Stairs, who will turn 40 in February, will get $3.5 million for two years, agent Bob Garber said.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
It's official: Dodgers hire Torre — Ex-Yankees skipper brought in to replace Little in LA — LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers made it official on Thursday, hiring future Hall of Fame manager Joe Torre to replace Grady Little, who resigned on Tuesday. — Why Joe Torre?
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