Top News:
Jorge Arangure Jr / MLB:
Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman throws for scouts in Houston — Fomer Cuban national team starting pitcher Aroldis Chapman threw a bullpen session on Tuesday in Houston in front of representatives from 15 major league teams. — On Tuesday morning at the Baseball USA complex …
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Gene Duffey / MLB.com:
Chapman holds impressive workout — Representatives from the Majors get first glimpse of hurler — HOUSTON — Aroldis Chapman, the unsigned 21-year-old pitcher from Cuba, threw a bullpen session Tuesday morning for about 50 Major League scouts, impressing them with his size and velocity.
Randy Moss / Yahoo! Sports:
Chapman unveils 97 mph fastball for suitors — For the dozens of baseball men wondering whether Aroldis Chapman's official unveiling was worth the trip, the left-hander had an emphatic, 97-mph answer with his final pitch. — Sure was. — Executives and scouts came out of Tuesday's 30 …
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Chapman puts on a show in Houston — There were 15 teams at the Baseball USA complex in Houston today to watch Aroldis Chapman throw. By all accounts, he was impressive. — His fastball sat at 92-94 mph and topped out at 97 according to one scout in attendance. Chapman also showed a slider and changeup.
Mark Feinsand / Blogging The Bombers:
Yankees not interested in Bay — Jason Bay to the Yankees? Not so fast. — Despite a published report linking the Yankees to Bay, it's unlikely that the Bombers will join the Mets as serious bidders for the free-agent All-Star outfielder. — According to a Yankees source …
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Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Source: Greenberg Group Selected by Hicks for Texas Rangers — 9:30pm - Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports that Greenberg has a 45 day exclusivity window with which to complete the sale. Interesting in that the window for the Cubs sale for Thomas Ricketts was set at 30 days …
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Evan Grant / Texas Rangers:
Hicks, Greenberg and Ryan officially on to next step — This press release just landed in the inbox:
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:A closer look at Tom Hicks' Texas Rangers decision
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Contract language delays Lackey deal — The Red Sox and Steve Hilliard, the agent for pitcher John Lackey, are in the final stages of finalizing a five-year, $82.5-million contract, but it's being held up as the sides work out language that would protect the Red Sox from a pre-existing medical issue.
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David Waldstein / Bats:
Mets Near a Deal With Ryota Igarashi — The Mets are close to signing Ryota Igarashi, a Japanese pitcher, to a two-year deal, according to a person briefed on the situation. Yes, they need an outfielder to hit in the middle of the batting order and another starting pitcher, but they also needed to improve their bullpen.
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Associated Press:
Report: New York Mets near deal with Japanese reliever Ryota Igarashi — NEW YORK — A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that the New York Mets are close to completing a two-year contract with Japanese reliever Ryota Igarashi.
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Commissioner forms advisory committee — Members will analyze ways to improve game on the field — NEW YORK — Commissioner Bud Selig announced on Tuesday that he will chair a new 14-man special committee to analyze ways of improving Major League Baseball on the field.
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Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
MLB sets up mechanism that could ban DH — (Jim Prisching, Associated Press / November 19, 2009) — Commissioner sets up non-binding rules' committee — On Baseball — Is the designated hitter rule finally on its way out with Major League Baseball?
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
Bruce Levine / ESPN:
White Sox acquire OF Pierre from L.A. — The Chicago White Sox acquired outfielder Juan Pierre and cash from the Los Angeles Dodgers for two minor leaguers. — Pierre said he's ecstatic to get an opportunity to possibly play every day after being in Manny Ramirez's shadow with the Dodgers.
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:White Sox get Pierre, cash from Dodgers in trade
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online
MLB.com:
Nationals sign six players to minor league contracts — The Washington Nationals today signed right-handed pitchers Joel Peralta, Logan Kensing and Ryan Speier, catcher Jamie Burke, infielder Pete Orr and outfielder Jerry Owens to minor league contracts. Nationals Senior Vice President …
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Richard / SportsJustice:
I miss Drayton already. He's one of a kind. — I'm going to miss Drayton. He was fun. He was accessible. No owner in professional sports was as available as Drayton. If you needed him, he'd get back to you no matter what you'd written and regardless of whether he was in Poland, China or Temple.
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Jose De Jesus Ortiz / Houston Chronicle:McLane admits he nearly sold Astros
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Sources: Cards leaning to 5-year offer — The Cardinals continue to talk about re-signing outfielder Matt Holliday, and in their internal deliberations, the intention is to stand on a five-year offer, sources said. — It's always possible the Cardinals could alter their offer to Holliday, and add to it.
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues, Circling The Bases, The iYankees Blog, Yankeeist, The Real Dirty Mets Blog, MetsBlog.com and MLB Rumors
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Marquis interested in Nationals — Right-hander went 15-13 with 4.04 ERA for Rockies in '09 — Last week at the Winter Meetings, it was revealed that the Nationals had interest in free-agent right-hander Jason Marquis. It turns out that the feelings are mutual.
