Top News:
NY Daily News:
Yankees set to bring A-Rod back - on their terms — Alex Rodriguez may be headed back to the Bronx after all — but on the Yankees' terms. — Despite all of the back-and-forth posturing between the Yankees and A-Rod' camp, the Daily News learned today that the two sides have been discussing …
RELATED:
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Excluding Boras would violate agreement — FOXSports.com, Updated 22 minutes ago — LIKE THIS STORY? — The Yankees will be in violation of baseball's collective-bargaining agreement if they exclude agent Scott Boras from their negotiations with his client, Alex Rodriguez.
Mike Lupica / NY Daily News:
A-Rod might have staying power with Yankees — If Alex Rodriguez wants to come back to the Yankees, and there are people close to him in Miami who think he does, here is how it happens, and maybe happens soon: — He starts by going to Tampa and meeting with George Steinbrenner …
Buster Olney / ESPN.com:
Never say never: A-Rod, Yankees talking deal … The New York Yankees began direct contract dialogue with third baseman Alex Rodriguez on Wednesday. — In a statement released by Rodriguez he said he and his wife Cynthia have spoken directly with Hank and Hal Steinbrenner.
Discussion:
Lady At The Bat
New York Times:
Rodriguez Talks to Yankees Without Agent — Alex Rodriguez said all season that he wanted to stay with the Yankees, and now he is finally backing up those statements. Hank Steinbrenner, the Yankees' senior vice president, said today that Rodriguez has told the Yankees he wants to return.
Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Wedge named AL's top manager — Fifth-year skipper rewarded following Indians' postseason run — CLEVELAND — The American League Manager of the Year Award, in principle alone, is not an honor that suits Eric Wedge. — After all, Wedge is the guy who refuses to even walk into fair territory …
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ESPN.com:
Wedge, Melvin named top managers — NEW YORK — Eric Wedge and Bob Melvin, former backup catchers who found far more success in the dugout than on the field, were honored Wednesday as managers of the year. — Wedge became the first Cleveland manager to win the AL award …
Newsday:
Mets close to a deal with catcher Torrealba — Having lost out on Jorge Posada, the Mets are wasting no time in trying to close a deal with Yorvit Torrealba, and it looks like an agreement could be struck by the end of this week. — General manager Omar Minaya, spurned by Posada's decision …
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Mets eyeing Torrealba-Castro combo — LIKE THIS STORY? — Paul Lo Duca appears out as the Mets' catcher, likely to be replaced by a tandem of Ramon Castro and Yorvit Torrealba, major-league sources say. — The Mets are expected to re-sign Castro on Wednesday, probably to a two-year deal.
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:Buzz: Mets Close to Agreeing with Yorvit
Discussion:
The Journal News, New Jersey Online, New York Post, Hot Stove New York and MLB Trade Rumors
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Hunter to Dodgers just makes sense — LIKE THIS STORY? — The Dodgers are desperate for offense. They want to upgrade in center field. They need a veteran leader to mend their clubhouse. — Perhaps more than any club, they would benefit from the addition of Torii Hunter.
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Tom Haudricourt / Brewers Blog:Here are the names — Among the many paragraphs trimmed …
Discussion:
Hot Foot
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Red Sox, A's Japan-bound in 2008 — Meeting marks fifth international MLB regular-season opener — NAPLES, Fla. — Major League Baseball is opening its regular season in Japan's 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome next March for the third time, it was announced on Wednesday, with the defending World Series-champion Red Sox facing the A's.
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Roger Mooney / Bradenton.com:
Rays deny Crawford trade rumors — Even though Tampa Bay Rays vice president of baseball Andrew Friedman said earlier this month that there are no untouchable players on the team, the rumors out of Chicago that he is about to pull the trigger on a deal that would move Carl Crawford to the Cubs is just that, a rumor.
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Pete Caldera / NorthJersey.com:
Mo has Yanks in bind — The exclusive window of negotiations between the Yankees and Mariano Rivera has slammed shut, and the iconic closer is now at large in the free agent market. — And while it's anticipated a deal will be hammered out between the two sides, there's an element of hardball at work.
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Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
'A World Series team' — That's how Lou Piniella — who today will learn if he is Manager of the Year for '07 — sees the Cubs by '09, Gordon Wittenmyer reports — TAMPA, Fla. — For four games in 1961, Emeterio Cuesta played on the same American Legion Post 248 baseball team in Tampa …
Discussion:
GoatRiders of the Apocalypse
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards willing to deal Rolen — The Cardinals no longer deny the increasingly obvious: Scott Rolen is in play. — General manager John Mozeliak confirmed Tuesday meeting with Rolen's agents and discussing the Gold Glove third baseman's availability for trade during last week's GM meetings in Orlando, Fla.
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Will frugal Padres shell out bucks? — Team checking out free-agent market — Padres CEO Sandy Alderson isn't predicting his club will spend large sums on free agents - but he said the midrevenue franchise has significant dollars to spend. The Padres, unlike many clubs …
RELATED:
Tim Marchman / New York Sun:Jones Could Be Biggest Steal of Free Agent Market
Discussion:
Capitol Punishment
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards express interest in Silva, Lohse — Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak underscored that the team's most pressing needs remain improving its pitching staff through acquiring at least one starting pitcher, and adding depth it obviously lacked during its just-completed third-place season.
