Top News:
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 …
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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 …
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.
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Notes: Santana is talk of baseball — Left-hander has pitched well at Shea; Pelfrey never a factor — NEW YORK — The considerable ripples caused by the Mets' conditional acquisition of Johan Santana reached all corners of the hemisphere by Tuesday night.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Michael Rosenberg / Fox Sports:
Cashman should have pulled the trigger for Santana — Detroit Free Press columnist Michael Rosenberg is a contributor to FOXSports.com. An archive of his Free Press columns can be found here. — So if you're Brian Cashman, what is the worst part of this? — That somebody else got Johan Santana?
Discussion:
New York Post, MetsNetwork.com, Around the Majors, iYankees and Seven Train to Shea Mets Blog
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 Fleece Factor, Mariners Blog, Camden Chat, MLB Trade Rumors and Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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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 …
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
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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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.
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
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Interview: Prospects Heading to Minnesota — In a column for , Sunil Joshi takes a closer look Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra - the four prospects who were traded to the Twins for Johan Santana. — ...added to by Jordan Zakarin...
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Joe Cowley / Inside the White Sox:
Cowley's Top 5 ... Top 5 observations to come out of the SoxFest weekend: — 5. Make room: Speedy outfielder Jerry Owens might not win a starting job out of camp, but he will undoubtedly win a spot on the 25-man roster. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen wants him to make it, as does GM Ken Williams.
