Top News:
Roch Kubatko / Roch Around the Clock:
Waiting for the good word — Ravens defensive tackle Dwan Edwards will appear at the Sports Legends Museum on Friday as part of the Babe's Birthday Bash celebration. The event runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and commemorates the 113th anniversary of Ruth's birth.
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Sports Illustrated:
Tom Verducci: 7 young pitchers who could be injury risks — So the Yankees have let Johan Santana pass to the Mets and smartly bet the future on Phil Hughes, 21, Joba Chamberlain, 21, and Ian Kennedy, 23. Throw in Chien Ming Wang, 27, and the Yankees have the bulk of their starts covered for years.
Discussion:
Brewers Blog, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Roto Authority Fantasy …, Hot Stove New York and WasWatching.com
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates, Sanchez agree to unusual three-year deal — Signing will come today, pending physical, at PNC Park — The Pirates and Freddy Sanchez have agreed to terms on a three-year contract — two guaranteed years plus an unusual option, with a total worth in the range of $19 million — and expect to make that official today.
Discussion:
ESPN.com, Associated Press, Baseball Musings, FanHouse, The Transaction Guy, Bucs Dugout and Pittsburgh Lumber Co.
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Rios signs one-year contract with Jays — Off best year, outfielder avoids arbitration with $4.8 million deal — TORONTO — A long-term contract will have to wait for now. On Tuesday, the Blue Jays were content with settling on a one-year pact with Alex Rios, who agreed to a $4.835 million salary for the 2008 season.
Discussion:
MLB Fleece Factor
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Associated Press:
Jays, OF Rios agree to 1 year, $4.835M — TORONTO (AP) — Outfielder Alex Rios avoided salary arbitration by agreeing Tuesday to a $4,835,000, one-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. — Rios has career highs with 24 home runs and 85 RBIs last season while batting .297.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Kobrien / On the Yankees beat:
Jeter working out in Tampa — Like I said before, don't read into Derek Jeter working out in Tampa that he is in better shape than Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui. Jeter lives in Tampa. That warning aside, here's a story by the AP with Jeter's comments: — TAMPA, Fla. - Yankees captain Derek Jeter …
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Associated Press:
Report: Jeter settles tax case with New York state — ALBANY, N.Y. — Derek Jeter settled his case with tax officials, who had said the New York Yankees' captain should have paid three years of taxes as a New York state resident. — A state official confirmed the settlement, which was first reported in Tuesday's New York Daily News.
Discussion:
Associated Press
Jeff Barker / Baltimore Sun:
Nationals' treasure — Ballpark, to debut with Nats-O's exhibition, has intimate atmosphere not found at RFK — WASHINGTON - The media got a peek yesterday at Washington's nearly completed baseball stadium. The steel, glass and concrete home of the Washington Nationals is more bland …
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Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Baltimore has interest in Fogg — Typically a pitcher's future is connected to his success against hitters. Josh Fogg, however, has seen his winter tied to fellow starters. With the Erik Bedard trade to Seattle expected to be finalized, the Orioles have expressed interest in the right-hander …
Paul Hoynes / Cleveland Sports News:
Shapiro addresses C.C., other Tribe topics — Let's take this from the top. — No. 1: The Indians, short of an early collapse this season, won't trade C.C. Sabathia. — No. 2: Regardless of Johan Santana's contract with the Mets last week, General Manager Mark Shapiro believes …
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Joe Christensen / Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Departures don't dissuade Nathan from desire to stay — The closer says he remains open to signing an extension and says he doesn't feel an obligation to push salary limits. — With the Johan Santana saga behind them, the Twins are mostly finished with their offseason business, though two questions remain:
Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
Brewers Top 11 Prospects — Four-Star Prospects — Three-Star Prospects — Just Missing: Lorenzo Cain, of; Hernan Iribarren, 2b; Mark Rogers, rhp — 1. Matt LaPorta, OF — Drafted: 1st round, 2007, University of Florida — 2007 Stats: .259/.289/.519 at Short-season (7 G); .318/.392/.750 at Low-A (23 G)
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Lester an early arrival at Sox camp — Mind free of health concerns, left-hander begins throwing — BOSTON — While it wasn't quite enough to erase the sting the entire region of New England was feeling over the Patriots' loss in Super Bowl XLII, the fact that Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester …
Brian Costello / New York Post:
CLEMENS SET TO FOLLOW ANDY OUT TO THE ‘HILL’ — Roger Clemens has followed Andy Pettitte in a rotation, but never quite like this. — Clemens will go to Capitol Hill today to speak with staff members of a congressional committee about his alleged steroid use, one day after his friend and former teammate Pettitte did.
Royals Review:
Revisiting the Beltran Trade — With the Santana drama finally behind us - it was somehow appropriate that JoePo's satirical blast came just before the trade was finalized - I'm sure more than one fan here in the Midwest was reminded of the Royals' predicament at the turn of the century …
