Top News:
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Sunday reading: Mark McGwire, Derek Lowe, John Lackey and Nick Johnson — In the absence of real baseball news going on, and with space to fill in our newspaper, I decided to divulge a decision that I've made, that probably won't shock the regulars: I'll be voting for Mark McGwire on this year's Hall of Fame ballot.
RELATED:
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Lowe prefers not to be spun out of Braves' rotation — Derek Lowe acknowledges he was “horrible” the last two months of the season and that the Braves have a plethora of starting pitching, but does that mean he is going to be traded after one season in Atlanta?
NY Daily News:
New York Yankees could enter bidding war with Boston Red Sox for Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay — Yankee officials were heartened Saturday by the news that Roy Halladay has told the Blue Jays he would waive his no-trade clause for a deal that would make him Bronx-bound.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Derrick Goold / Associated Press:
Cards, Pujols wait it out — The Cardinals' best approach this winter to entice Albert Pujols into a new, long-term contract may mean not offering him one at all. — Entering this offseason, chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said the timing was ripe to sign Pujols beyond his existing contract …
RELATED:
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Cardinals Rumors: Pujols, Holliday, Nady, Beltre — The Cardinals know it will take a lengthy and substantial offer to keep Albert Pujols in St. Louis, but the slugging first baseman would like to see what the Cards do this offseason before beginning serious contract talks, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Patrick / NPB Tracker:
Free Agents: Saito, Nishi, Kobayashi — A couple of items from the nichibei free agent market... - According to Sponichi, Takashi Saito has eight teams interested, including the White Sox, Cubs, Braves and Mets. The Braves had some interest in Saito way back in 2002 but he wound up remaining with Yokohama.
Mike Newman / Scouting the Sally:
Starting Pitcher Showdown - Banuelos vs. Kelly — Manny Banuelos and Casey Kelly were the two most polished starting pitchers I had the opportunity to see in person during the 2009 season. After writing game reports on both, Yankee fans have questioned my placing Casey Kelly above Manuel Banuelos as a prospect.
Discussion:
MVN
John Schlegel / MLB.com:
Selig reiterates plans to retire in 2012 — Commissioner reportedly unswayed by inquiry to stay on — Commissioner Bud Selig has said for months that he plans to retire from Major League Baseball's highest post when his current term expires in 2012, and he reportedly made that clear …
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Geoff Baker / The Seattle Times:
Marco Scutaro confirms Mariners have approached him — ADDITIONAL NOTE 8:03 p.m.: It seems that today's story is causing all kinds of fuss down in Texas, where fans are wondering why the Rangers would be pursuing Marco Scutaro at third base when they already have Michael Young.
Discussion:
MLB.com, MLB Rumors, Fenway West, The iYankees Blog, Hot Stove Blog, Lone Star Ball, NESN.com, Full Count, Boston Globe and Circling The Bases
RELATED:
MLBastian / Major League Bastian:Scutaro prefers Red Sox, Dodgers
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter, Mike Scioscia's tragic illness, Boston Globe, Circling The Bases and MLB Rumors
Gordon Edes / ESPN:There's one problem with the Red Sox trading Mike Lowell
Discussion:
U.S.S. Mariner
NY Daily News:
Plenty of foul picks for dubious award as News picks Top Ten baseball Turkeys of 2009 — No shortage of turkeys in baseball this year. All season long, into the postseason and even beyond, it was a smorgasbord of monumental ineptitude, intolerable bad behavior and insufferable arrogance.
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
David Laurila / Baseball Prospectus:
Prospectus Q and A: Mike Boddicker by David Laurila — Mike Boddicker … David Laurila: According to The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, you had the best curveball of the 1980s. — Mike Boddicker: No. It wasn't; Bert Blyleven's was the best.
Discussion:
Main Board
Peter Mucha / Philly.com:
Two million for the Phils? Swing and a miss — When attendance figures are tossed out like confetti, the mistakes can add up. — On Oct. 31, 2008, after the Phillies won the World Series, rivers of red - caps, sweatshirts, jerseys, and jackets - lined Broad Street as Budweiser Clydesdales …
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Whispers — On Baseball — Collusion is expected to be a big topic at the players union's board meeting this week in Scottsdale, Ariz., where Michael Weiner (left) will be approved formally as successor to Donald Fehr. Agents quietly are pushing Weiner to file a collusion charge. ...
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
