Top News:
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Wanted: Santana — Sox in aggressive pursuit … The Red Sox [team stats] are actively engaged in trade talks with the Minnesota Twins about Johan Santana and plan to aggressively pursue the two-time Cy Young Award winner, a baseball source said yesterday.
RELATED:
TwinCities.com:
Minnesota Twins should trade stars for Boston Red Sox's cheap youth — If I'm the Twins' general manager, here's what I do. (And I'd do it under duress because I'd be working for a cheapskate owner.) I get on the horn with Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein and say, "You want Johan Santana, right?"
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Top Prospects Merely a Down Payment on Santana — When Johan Santana of the Minnesota Twins thinks about the seven-year, $126 million contract that Barry Zito signed with the San Francisco Giants 11 months ago, it would be natural for him to smile. And when general managers ponder that bloated contract …
Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
Yankees putting package together to get Santana from Twins
Yankees putting package together to get Santana from Twins
Discussion:
River Ave. Blues
New Jersey Online:
Yanks talk to Twins about Santana
Yanks talk to Twins about Santana
Discussion:
New York Post, NY Daily News, River Ave. Blues, MY BASEBALL BIAS, New York Times and New York Sun
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Wagner lays out challenges ahead — Veteran closer tackles offseason issues facing club — NEW YORK — Part of the Mets' introduction to Billy Wagner two years ago was a warning. "I'm blunt," he told them. And he suggested if candor were upsetting, the club might be better off looking elsewhere for a relief pitcher.
Discussion:
New York Post, Hot Foot, Brooklyn Met Fan, the metropolitans, Can't Stop The Bleeding and MetsBlog.com
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Marlins heading back to school — Team employees to take part in Junior Achievement Day — MIAMI — Marlins employees will head back to school on Friday to take part in a Junior Achievement Day. — The event is taking place at Parkway Elementary School in Miami. In all, 26 team employees will be teaching 20 classes.
Discussion:
FishStripes
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Twins still looking to ship Nathan, Santana — LIKE THIS STORY? — Johan Santana might not be the only big-name Twins pitcher who gets traded before Opening Day. Joe Nathan also looks like a goner, especially now that the Reds are on the verge of inflating the closer market …
Discussion:
Hot Foot
MLB.com:
Tom McCarthy rejoins Phillies broadcast team — Tom McCarthy, who spent the last two seasons as a play-by-play announcer for the New York Mets on WFAN, is returning to his roots as a member of the Phillies broadcasting team, Rob Brooks, Manager, Broadcasting announced today.
Discussion:
Faith and Fear in Flushing, Zisk Online, Beerleaguer, Can't Stop The Bleeding and Hot Foot
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Mailbag: Granderson and the MVP — Beat reporter Jason Beck answers Tigers fans' questions — I just don't get it. Jimmy Rollins had a great season for the Phillies, all-around great numbers and won the MVP. But, Curtis Granderson posted very similar numbers, and the same type of glove …
Various Authors / The Biz of Baseball:
Voices on Barry Bonds — There may be no larger lightning rod in Major League Baseball than Barry Lamar Bonds. He is arguably baseball's poster child for performance-enhancing drugs. Nevertheless, he has never tested positive for the use of PED. — In 2003, Bonds testified …
Discussion:
The Progenitor …
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
VP: Focus still firmly on Rays improving — ST. PETERSBURG - The Rays' efforts to win approval for a new stadium they will detail today won't affect their efforts to win more games. — Executive vice president Andrew Friedman said the two missions are "independent" of each other …
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
No worries as Rowand waits — Unlike Paul Konerko two years ago and Torii Hunter last week, Gold Glove center fielder Aaron Rowand isn't stressing over his free-agent status. — "I'm actually enjoying it," Rowand said Tuesday via phone from his home near Las Vegas. "We'll know when the time is right.
Discussion:
South Side Sox
Jesse Spector / Touching Base:
Nine Innings: Dodgers GM Ned Colletti — Technically, I'm still on vacation, which is why you're not seeing any analysis (not that there have been many moves) until I really return to work on Thursday. But when the phone rings for an interview, I'm not going to sit around and twiddle my thumbs for a few extra days.