Top News:
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Hank Steinbrenner praises Mets' move — More than anyonein the Yankee hierarchy, Hank Steinbrenner wanted to trade for Johan Santana and once said publicly that the Bombers had made the best offer and that the Twins knew it. — But the Yankees ultimately decided not to pursue the Minnesota ace …
Discussion:
It IS about the money, stupid
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Larry Dobrow / CBS SportsLine.com:
Thoughts in a bottle: The day after Santana changed baseball — Finally, some consummation in the Johan Santana derby. My God, it's like finally being allowed to eat after staring at the cold-cuts spread for 11 hours. Ten thoughts: — 1. The Mets are the best team in the National League East.
Discussion:
MetsNetwork.com
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
PHIL'S PITCHING FOR A JOB - CASHMAN'S — BRIAN Cashman better be right. Phil Hughes better be special. Not good. Special. — Because if Hughes is just another pitcher, dependable but not dominant, then he might find himself spending his time in New York hearing who he is not - namely, that he is not Johan Santana.
New York Post:
DON'T EXPECT JOHAN TALKS TO HIT SNAG — The Mets need Johan Santana. Desperately. But the Mets are not the only entity with something to lose if contract negotiations fail. So does Santana. — And because of that, most people in baseball expect the sides to finalize a deal …
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
MLB umpires angry over background checks — NEW YORK (AP) — Umpires are livid that Major League Baseball has sent investigators to their hometowns, asking neighbors a series of questions that include whether the ump belongs to the Ku Klux Klan. — “The questions that we found out are being asked …
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Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
MLB Investigation Asks if Umpire is Member of KKK — File this under “ugly”. — In August of last year, MLB announced that it was going to conduct credit checks for all umpires in the wake of the Tim Donaghy betting scandal in the NBA, much to their chagrin. The umpires are unionized under the World Umpires Association.
Discussion:
FanHouse
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:Umpires' union: MLB background checks go too far
Discussion:
It IS about the money, stupid
Jim Street / MLB.com:
Bedard deal remains undecided — Last-minute attempt by O's to sign ace holding up trade — SEATTLE — A last-minute attempt by the Baltimore Orioles to sign Erik Bedard to a multi-year contract appears to be the only thing standing in the way of a proposed trade that would send the left-hander …
Discussion:
Rays of Light, MLB Rumors, MLB Fleece Factor, Mariners Blog, Camden Chat and MLB Trade Rumors
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Baltimore Sun:
MacPhail: Angelos didn't veto Bedard deal — O's president says owner not obstacle to proposed trade with Seattle — Orioles owner Peter Angelos didn't veto a proposed trade that would have sent ace pitcher Erik Bedard to the Seattle Mariners for a package headed by young outfielder Adam Jones …
Don McKee / philly.com:
Phils fall back in arms race — The Phillies' attempt to win back-to-back National League East titles for the first time since 1978 just got a lot nastier. — The New York Mets yesterday agreed to send four minor-leaguers to Minnesota for two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana.
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates eyeing Bako to compete at catcher — Another free-agent pursuit, Estrada, chooses Nationals — The Pirates lost out on Johnny Estrada yesterday, but another free-agent catcher should be added soon. — The team is negotiating with Paul Bako, who spent all of last season with Baltimore …
Charles V. Bagli / New York Times:
Office Tower to Rise in Harlem for Baseball TV Network — Major League Baseball plans to build a home on 125th Street, Harlem's premier boulevard, for its cable network, which is scheduled to make its debut early next year with some 50 million subscribers, real estate and baseball executives said on Wednesday.
Discussion:
ShysterBall
Russ McQueen / Baseball Analysts:
The Yellow Hammer — [Editor's note: Russ McQueen and my brother Tom were All-CIF pitchers on the Lakewood High School team that won the California Interscholastic Federation championship at Anaheim Stadium in 1970. Russ played on four consecutive NCAA championship teams at USC.
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Notable Mets trades — Since their inception in 1962, the Mets have made numerous trades, dealing the likes of Hall of Famers Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver, while acquiring legends like Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter and Mike Piazza. — April 5, 1972: Acquired Rusty Staub from the Expos for Ken Singleton, Tim Foli and Mike Jorgensen.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
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Joe Posnanski:
Royals don't land Santana ... KANSAS CITY — Royals general manager Dayton Moore did not deny that the Royals finished a very close second in their efforts to acquire two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana on Tuesday. — “Come on,” Moore said. “You're just being stupid now." — OK, fine.
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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Baseball America ranks the prospects — The Baseball America Prospect Handbook came in the mail today. Here is their top 30 for the Yankees: — 1. Joba Chamberlain, RHP — 2. Austin Jackson, OF — 3. Jose Tabata, OF — 4. Ian Kennedy, RHP — 5. Alan Horne, RHP — 6. Jesus Montero, C
