Top News:
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Lackey Takes Physical For Red Sox — 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. Still, SI's Jon Heyman heard a five-year, approximately $85MM figure for a Boston deal.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Mariners blog, New Jersey Online, MetsBlog.com, The Fowl Balls, Bronx Baseball Daily and River Avenue Blues
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Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Source: John Lackey taking physical for Red Sox … John Lackey traveled to Boston for a physical exam Monday, and a baseball source said the Red Sox are making progress toward an agreement with the free agent right-hander. — A source said that it is “not likely” that an agreement …
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, Confessions of a She-Fan, Circling The Bases, MetsBlog.com, Over the Monster and MLB.com
George A. King III / New York Post:With Lackey close to Red Sox deal, Yankees likely to back off Halladay
Discussion:
Boston Globe
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
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Bats, Zell's Pinstripe Blog, Jorge Says No!, Halos Heaven, Circling The Bases, The iYankees Blog, River Avenue Blues and 6-4-2
Jim Salisbury / CSNPhilly.com:
Fever Pitch: Trade Talks for Halladay Heating Up — The Phillies' pursuit of Toronto ace Roy Halladay appears to be reaching a boil. — Two baseball sources told CSNPhilly.com Monday that the team is actively talking about a contract extension with representatives for the 32-year-old righthander.
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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 …
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Wang not in hurry to sign amid rehab — While a number of teams have already reached out to pitcher Chien-Ming Wang to express interesting in signing the former Yankee, it's possible that he won't sign for months, according to his agent, Alan Nero. — Wang
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Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:Wang would be an intriguing possibility
Discussion:
It's About The Money, Where Have You Gone …, Over the Monster, Phillies Nation and The Bottom Line
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
New York Yankees eye Justin Duchscherer and Ben Sheets to potentially fill in rotation — Even after bringing back Andy Pettitte and tendering contracts to Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre, the Yankees are looking for more pitching. — Brian Cashman is looking to add at least one more starter …
Charlie Devereux / New York Times:
Santana's Home. Grab Your Glove. — TOVAR, Venezuela — The residents here like to tell the story of how a scout, impressed by Johan Santana's performance at a junior national tournament, drove 10 hours to this small coffee-growing town 6,400 feet up in the Andes to knock unannounced on his parents' door.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Freese arrested on DWI charge — Cardinals third baseman David Freese was arrested in St. Louis County early Saturday morning on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, Maryland Heights police confirmed Sunday. — Maryland Heights Police Capt. Mike Klos declined to provide details of the incident.
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Buzz: Mets offer contract to Kelvim Escobar — According to Jorge Arangure of ESPN, “Venezuelan journalist Efrain Zavarce reports that the Mets have offered free-agent RHP Kelvim Escobar a minor league deal.” — ...of course, i can't tell for whom zavarce writes, and where he wrote this …
George A. King III / New York Post:
Damon: Yankees haven't made offer — Johnny Damon wants everyone to know where negotiations between himself and the Yankees stand. — They don't. — “My friends and family are calling to tell me about this offer and what I want and it's all wrong,” Damon told The Post today.
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Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Source: Olsen's deal incentive-heavy — Left-handed pitcher Scott Olsen, who became a free agent when he was non-tendered by the Nationals on Saturday, has agreed to terms with Washington on a one-year contract for a base salary of $1 million, a baseball source told ESPN.com.
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Source: Jays give Buck 1-year deal — The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to terms with free-agent catcher John Buck on a one-year, $2 million deal, pending a physical, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. — Buck was non-tendered by the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.
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