Top News:
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Sox near deals with Penny, Bard — The Red Sox are nearing an agreement with free-agent righthanded starting pitcher Brad Penny, according to baseball sources. The one-year deal would be worth $5 million, with $3 million in performance bonuses believed to start at approximately 160 innings pitched.
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Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Sox to sign Penny — Bard also in sights as backup catcher — Although it might not compete with the big-money, big-name signings by the Yankees in recent weeks - and certainly not with the more than $400 million the Bombers have spent in the offseason - the Sox are set to fill one of their open spots with a more modest acquisition.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Rob Bradford / WEEI Blogs:
Penny confirms deal — Brad Penny confirmed to WEEI.com that he has reached a preliminary agreement with the Red Sox on a one-year deal with a base salary of $5 million, which was first reported by FoxSports.com. The contract has the potential to reach a total of $8 million for the year with incentives.
Discussion:
MLB FanHouse, Mets Today, The Joy of Sox, Mets Merized Online, Mets Fever, Boston Globe and El Guapo's Ghost Rambles …
Sean McAdam / Boston Herald:
Red Sox agree with Brad Penny, Josh Bard — The Red Sox [team stats] have an agreement in place with pitcher Brad Penny that will be finalized tomorrow, a source confirmed tonight. — The one-year deal will have a base salary of $5 million. Incentives and performance bonuses can increase …
Discussion:
The Bottom Line, wicked clevah, MetsBlog.com, Sox and Pinstripes, iYankees, Sliding Into Home and Fire Brand of the …
Baltimore Sun:
O's, Hendrickson agree on contract terms — Looking to increase their pitching depth, the Orioles have agreed to terms with free-agent left-hander Mark Hendrickson, who will take a physical this week to finalize the deal, according to team sources. Terms of the deal aren't known.
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Russ Smith / SPLICETODAY.COM:
Save Your Yankees Disgust — The Yank's owners are rude, flamboyant and obnoxious, but don't blame them for spending money to improve their team. — This man is worth $180 million. — Friends, Americans and baseball fans around the globe, lend me your eyes: I'm writing to praise the New York Yankees, not to bury them.
Discussion:
Hardball Times
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Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Mets keeping starting options open — NEW YORK — The Mets ought to have a better read about their projected starting pitcher rotation by the end of the week. — They intend to make offers early this week to at least two and probably three free-agent pitchers — Derek Lowe …
Dave Studeman / Hardball Times:
The drama index — The other day, I wrote about something I called the Season Leverage Index. The idea is simple: I want to quantify how much more important victories in September are compared to victories in April. — After the fact, of course, they're not more important at all.
Todd Jones / Sporting News:
Money won't buy the Yankees a championship — First there was CC Sabathia. No one thought too much about that signing. The Yankees usually act like the spoiled only child who threatens to hold his breath until he gets what he wants. They wanted pitching, so they signed him.
Kevin Pang / Chicago Tribune:
Catching up with Cubs announcer Len Kasper — When we profiled Cubs broadcaster Len Kasper right before spring training, expectations for the team were sky-high. — Well, you know what happened. The wounds of the faithful are still healing. Still, Kasper remembers 2008 as his favorite year in baseball.
Shawn / Squawking Baseball:
Has Losing Become Chic? — Or, at least, losing for the sake of winning in the future. I think it has, and the Pirates are the latest example. — The Rays, of course, are the new prototype. The team lost, and lost, and lost... until they won. The difference wasn't so much in the core of the roster …
Discussion:
whygavs.com
Murray Chass / Murray Chass On Baseball:
A MAN BEHIND THE TIMES — As the owner of the Milwaukee Brewers for only four years, Mark Attanasio is a mere babe in baseball. Like many players, he might not know what came before him. Baseball life, to Attanasio, began in 2005. — He could be excused, then, for not realizing the storm …
