Top News:
Boston Globe:
Sox re-sign Kielty to one-year deal — BOBBY KIELTY Memorable homer in Series — While new backup first baseman Sean Casey was being introduced at Fenway Park yesterday, the Red Sox were busy making a signing that could be a harbinger of another move. For their outfield …
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Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Kielty returns to champs — Sox add OF insurance; Casey deal complete … With a bullpen job or two still to be sorted out in spring training, the rest of the Red Sox [team stats]' roster was essentially filled yesterday. — Although the outfielder is not on the roster yet …
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:Kielty added as hedge against CF trade
Discussion:
Siberian Baseball, El Guapo's Ghost Rambles …, SOX & Dawgs, MLB Fleece Factor, Mets Fever and MLB Trade Rumors
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Rangers hire Ryan as club president — Team will introduce Hall of Fame pitcher on Wednesday — ARLINGTON — The Rangers are hiring Nolan Ryan as their new club president, team officials confirmed on Wednesday. — Ryan is expected to be introduced at a 3 p.m. CT press conference at The Ballpark in Arlington.
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Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Nolan Ryan to become Texas Rangers' president — egrant@dallasnews.com — The Texas Rangers will hold a 3 p.m. news conference today to announce the return of Nolan Ryan as team president, according to sources. — The club made overtures to Ryan last month about rejoining the club in some kind of role.
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Munson's legacy remembered — Dinner honoring late catcher invokes many fond memories — NEW YORK — Until Tuesday, Thurman Munson's oldest granddaughter didn't quite understand all the commotion. She knew of her grandfather's legacy, and of the annual awards dinner held each year in his name.
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Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
Santana, Clemens hottest topics at Munson Dinner — The Mets will introduce Johan Santana at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. (St. Paul Pioneer Press photo) — David Wright and Melky Cabrera had particularly good reasons to be excited about the Mets' trade for Johan Santana …
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
David Wright: Phillies the team to beat — JImmy Rollins correctly predicted last year that the Phillies were the team to beat in the National League East. With pitchers and catchers set to report next week, David Wright believes that to be the case this year, too.
John Harper / NY Daily News:
Castillo deal showed Santana way to Shea — To Johan Santana, the trade of Luis Castillo from the Twins to the Mets last summer seemed to be an indication that his team was not likely to make the financial commitment it would take to keep him in Minnesota. — Santana publicly expressed …
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Brian Lewis / New York Post:
GLOVE CONNECTION — CASTILLO TRADE HELPED LAND JOHAN — Luis Castillo still remembers every detail of the day he was traded to the Mets, still has last June 30 etched in his memory. So should the Amazin's and their fans, because that's the day the seeds were sown for their acquisition of Johan Santana …
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Notes: Slowes set for fourth season — Radio man's signature calls to usher in Nationals Park — WASHINGTON — The Nationals have agreed to terms with radio play-by-play broadcaster Charlie Slowes to return to the team for a fourth season, according to two baseball sources.
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Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Around the Horn: Bullpen — Much of unit's fortune hinges on effectiveness of Sanchez … NEW YORK — No, Johan Santana is not in the Mets' bullpen, though he might as well be. He'll have nearly as profound an effect on that group as he will on the rotation.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Carroll Rogers / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Lopez seeks a second act — Catcher clings to notion he can start again in the majors — When the Braves signed Javy Lopez to a minor-league contract this winter and invited him to spring training, their former star catcher had been out of baseball all year.
Discussion:
ShysterBall
Jim Salisbury / philly.com:
Benson spurs Phillies' interest — The Phillies are apparently a lot more serious about free-agent pitcher Kris Benson than they've let on. — Benson has thrown privately for Phillies scout Chuck LaMar twice in the last week, a baseball source said after Benson's most recent audition yesterday in Atlanta.
Richard Wilner / New York Post:
RUDY GETS YANKED BY TOPPS — The digital imaging wizards at Topps baseball cards are at it again - and this time failed presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani makes a cameo appearance on a collectable card. — Only he probably won't be too happy about it. — That's him in the middle …
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Tom Haudricourt / Brewers Blog:
SI.com's numbers on Gallardo were wrong — Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash astutely pointed out to me that the numbers presented were wrong when SI.com's Tom Verducci listed right-hander Yovanni Gallardo as one of the young pitchers at risk in 2008.
