Top News:
Jayson Stark / ESPN.com:
Source: Los Angeles Angels in serious talks with DH Hideki Matsui — The Los Angeles Angels are in serious discussions with Hideki Matsui about supplanting Vladimir Guerrero as their designated hitter, a source familiar with the team's thinking told ESPN.com. — Matsui
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Jon Heyman: Phillies reach deal to get Halladay, send Lee to Mariners — The Phillies are in agreement on a three-team trade with the Mariners and Blue Jays to acquire star pitcher Roy Halladay, SI.com has learned. All indications are that Cliff Lee will likely be heading from Philadelphia to Seattle in the trade.
Discussion:
The Fightins, Beyond the Box Score, Fox Sports, Amazin' Avenue, BronxBanterBlog.com, The Seattle Times, Can't Stop The Bleeding, Batter's Box Interactive …, crashburnalley.com, LA Times Sports Blog, The700Level.com, Over the Monster, The Big Lead, SBNation.com, Respect Jeter's Gangster, Phuture Phillies, Halos Heaven, NESN.com, Chicago Breaking Sports, Fanhouse MLB Blog, Sports Blog Net, Lookout Landing, WasWatching.com and Bottom9 Baseball
ESPN:
Source: John Lackey agrees to 5-year deal with Boston Red Sox … The Boston Red Sox have reached a tentative deal with right-handed pitcher John Lackey, pending a physical, worth slightly more than the $82.5 million, five-year contract A.J. Burnett signed with the New York Yankees last year …
Fox Sports:
Sources: Jays, Phils talk Halladay-Lee blockbuster — Roy Halladay is in Philadelphia and may be a Phillie soon, according to major-league sources.
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox, John Lackey Reach Agreement — 2:55pm: Heyman says the Red Sox and Lackey are in agreement in a five-year, $85MM deal. — 1:41pm: Yahoo's Tim Brown has an Angels source who believes they're still in the running for Lackey and the pitcher has not accepted a Boston offer.
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Lackey near 5-year, $85 million deal with BoSox … Top free agent pitcher John Lackey is said to be in agreement on a five-year, $85 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, sources say. Lackey has scheduled a physical with the team. — Lackey's deal with the Red Sox is similar to the $82.5 million …
Discussion:
Sabernomics, Full Count, Respect Jeter's Gangster, It's About The Money, Baseball Rumor Mill and yankeesdaily.com
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Phils, Ms, Blue Jays Agree On Halladay-Cliff Lee Blockbuster — 7:11pm: M's shortstop prospect Carlos Triunifel could be in the deal in place of Saunders, tweets Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. — 7:04pm: Drabek and “other top [Phillies] prospects” will be involved in the deal, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter).
Jayson Stark / ESPN.com:
Sources: Roy Halladay to Philadelphia Phillies, Cliff Lee to Seattle Mariners deal close — Trading Aces — It looks like the Phillies might be dealing one ace for another. It could still be an upgrade for Philadelphia, though, as Roy Halladay fared slightly better than Cliff Lee last season.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball, Bats, Circling The Bases, The Musings and Prophecies …, The Good Phight and YanksBlog.com
Tyler Kepner / Bats:
Matsui Agrees With the Angels — Hideki Matsui and the Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a one-year contract, ending Matsui's seven-year run with the Yankees that culminated in a World Series Most Valuable Player award last month. — According to an official involved in the negotiations, Matsui agreed with the Angels on Monday.
Andy Martino / Philly.com:
Halladay and agent in Philadelphia — Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay and his agent have checked into a Philadelphia-area hotel, according to two Inquirer sources. — It is not known if a trade sending Halladay to the Phillies is imminent, but if Halladay and the Phils are negotiating …
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Source: Cameron, Red Sox closer — The Boston Red Sox are making significant progress toward a two-year deal with free agent outfielder Mike Cameron, a baseball source told ESPN.com on Monday. — Cameron — The addition of Cameron to play left field — coupled with Monday's $80 million-plus investment …
George A. King III / New York Post:With Lackey close to Red Sox deal, Yankees likely to back off Halladay
Kevin Goldstein / Unfiltered:
Aroldis Chapman: D-Day? Done Deal? De-Valued? — One of the biggest scouting events of the year takes place tomorrow when Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman will hold a workout for interested teams in Houston. For several teams, this will be the first opportunity to see Champman throw since the World Baseball Classic.
Discussion:
SOX & Dawgs, Circling The Bases, Over the Monster, MetsBlog.com, Confessions of a She-Fan and MLB.com
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Rob Neyer / ESPN:
Top 100 players of the decade — Tough call between Pujols and A-Rod for the top spot. The problem is, who's next? — ESPN.com — When making a list like this — the 100 greatest players of this decade, which by the way I've officially and irreversibly dubbed “the 0's” — it's easy to look at statistics.
