Top News:
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Rogers cuts ties with agent Boras — Free agent left-hander will represent himself in negotiations — DETROIT — In an unexpected twist to the offseason saga surrounding both free-agent pitcher Kenny Rogers and agent Scott Boras, Rogers has dismissed Boras and now is representing himself …
Discussion:
Detroit Free Press, Detroit Tigers Insider, The Detroit Tiger Weblog, Mets Merized Online and TigerBlog
RELATED:
Fox Sports:
Report: Pitcher Rogers dumps Boras — LIKE THIS STORY? — After being kept out of Alex Rodriguez's negotiations with the Yankees, agent Scott Boras now is being dropped by another client. — Free agent pitcher Kenny Rogers informed major league teams Friday that he will represent himself …
ESPN:
Report: Kenny Rogers severs ties to agent Boras — Free-agent pitcher Kenny Rogers abruptly fired his agent Scott Boras and is now representing himself in present contract negotiations, MLB.com reports. — Rogers, who told MLB.com Thursday that he still hoped to re-sign with the Detroit Tigers …
Discussion:
FanHouse
Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
Reunion? Braves offer free-agent Glavine contract — The Atlanta Braves offered Tom Glavine a contract Friday, the first attempt to reunite the free agent left-hander with the franchise he broke into the majors with 20 years ago. — Glavine's agent, Gregg Clifton, said Friday that Glavine would take less money to join the Braves.
Discussion:
Ya Gotta Believe
RELATED:
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves may be close to signing Glavine — Original offer worth about $7 million; agent makes counterproposal — Tom Glavine was believed to be close to signing with the Braves after receiving an initial offer from the team Friday and making a counterproposal Friday night.
MLB.com:
Astros acquire right-hander Villarreal from Atlanta — Outfielder Anderson sent to Braves; Astros also sign outfielder Yordany Ramirez — HOUSTON — The Houston Astros announced today that the club has acquired right-handed pitcher Oscar Villarreal from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for outfielder Josh Anderson.
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Atlanta gets Houston OF Anderson for Villarreal — ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves traded reliever Oscar Villarreal to the Houston Astros for speedy outfielder Josh Anderson on Friday. — Villarreal went 2-2 with one save and a 4.24 ERA in 51 games for the Braves this season. The right-hander turns 26 next week.
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
Joe Sheehan / Baseball Prospectus:
Barry Bonds is a Ham Sandwich — A grand jury, held open for nearly four years, handed down an indictment yesterday against Barry Bonds for perjury and obstruction. Bonds is accused of lying to a grand jury in the government's case against BALCO, specifically saying that he did not knowingly use steroids …
RELATED:
Tim Marchman / New York Sun:Are Charges Against Bonds Necessary?
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Lowell mulls option(s) — Mike Lowell may be closer to making a decision on whether he'll play for the Red Sox in 2008, but he wasn't letting on when asked about it at Disney World earlier on Friday. — The World Series MVP and his family seemed to have a nice time at Disney World …
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Sources: Royals dip into Japanese market — LIKE THIS STORY? — The Royals, dipping into the Japanese market, are close to signing free-agent reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta to a two-year contract with a player option for a third season, according to major-league sources.
ABCNews com / ESPN.com:
Jeter might owe New York state millions in taxes — NEW YORK — New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter has landed in tax trouble with the state of New York. State officials say the shortstop owes the state back taxes for claiming to live in Florida when his actual residence is New York City.
RELATED:
Associated Press:
White House drug czar hails Bonds indictment — MADRID, Spain (AP) — American anti-doping officials hailed Barry Bonds' indictment as an example of how far the United States has come in the fight against performance-enhancing drugs. — "This is just another story related to the big picture …
Discussion:
ShysterBall
Tracy Ringolsby / Rocky Mountain News:
Rockies lose Torrealba — The Rockies officially began their search for a new catcher today. — Yorvit Torrealba, the No. 1 catcher during Colorado's National League pennant-winning season of 2007, agreed to terms on a three-year contract with the New York Mets, leaving the Rockies to turn …
RELATED:
Neil Best / Watchdog:
YES benches SI's Tom Verducci — Tom Verducci is out as an analyst on YES's "Yankees Hot Stove.'' — Why? His recent, scathing column on SI.com regarding Joe Torre's departure might have had something to do with it. Actually . . . it had pretty much everything to do with it.
Bruce Markusen / Bronx Banter:
Rapping With Rusty — If you were born after 1965, you probably don't have many memories of Rusty Torres in a Yankees uniform. A lean, switch-hitting outfielder in the Roy White mold, Torres played for the Yankees in 1971 and '72 before being packaged to the Indians as part of the deal that brought Graig Nettles to New York.
