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 …
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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 …
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FanHouse
Lynn Henning / Detroit News:
Rogers fires agent Boras — Kenny Rogers, whose signing had been an off-season priority for the Tigers, may have moved closer to a 2008 contract with the Tigers Friday when he abruptly fired his high-profile agent, Scott Boras. — Rogers, a 43-year-old left-hander who has won …
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Sox, Lowell keep talking — Lucchino: 'We want him back' … The Red Sox [team stats] continued to speak with representatives for free agent third baseman Mike Lowell yesterday, but team sources said that details about how the talks are proceeding and whether the club is pressing for a resolution are private.
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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 …
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.
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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.
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Ya Gotta Believe
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.
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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.
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Bucs Dugout
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.
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Mets eye David Eckstein — Mets officials dined with free-agent infielder David Eckstein in Greenwich, Conn., this week in the hopes he'll fill the second base vacancy in Flushing. — By employing the same kind of treatment that wooed Billy Wagner and Tom Glavine during previous offseasons …
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 …
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ShysterBall
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 …
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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.
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