Top News:
John Tomase / Clubhouse Insider:
Beltre turned down more money to play for Sox — The Red Sox have always liked Adrian Beltre. For much of free agency, they just didn't like his price. — But that changed when Beltre decided one year in Boston was worth more in the long run than three or four somewhere else.
Discussion:
Jorge Says No!, MVN, The Joy of Sox, Red Sox Monster, Circling The Bases, A Die Hard Yankees Fan and Sliding Into Home
RELATED:
MLB:
Sources: Seattle Mariners to acquire Casey Kotchman from Boston Red Sox — The Seattle Mariners are expected to acquire first baseman Casey Kotchman from the Boston Red Sox in return for at least one minor leaguer, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
Fox Sports:
Beltre deal is a steal for Red Sox — The Red Sox are stealing Adrian Beltre. — Doesn't matter if Beltre's contract ends up as one year, $10 million, two years, $14 million or even two years, $20 million. — Free-agent third baseman Chone Figgins signed a four-year, $36 million deal with the Mariners early in the off-season.
Discussion:
Boston Globe
New York Post:
Notes, Thoughts on Mets Signing of Bay — I wanted to see the first major press conference held at Citi Field so I interrupted my vacation to attend and here are 10 tidbits I picked up that I thought would be interesting to our readers: — 1. The Mets were pleasantly surprised early …
Steve Silva / Boston Globe:
Red Sox Truck Day is coming... Friday, Feb. 12 — In what has become an annual sign that spring is around the corner in Boston, Truck Day will arrive on Friday, Feb. 12, when the Red Sox moving van will be loaded at Fenway Park for the 1,467-mile trek to the team's spring training complex …
Chad Jennings / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Shelley Duncan signs with the Indians — Look out Cleveland. The storm is coming through. And it's running right up on you. — Turns out, The Band had it right all along. — Shelley Duncan has signed with the Cleveland Indians. Their depth chart lists two young players …
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Ellsbury to LF, Cameron to CF — As soon as the Red Sox signed Mike Cameron, manager Terry Francona said he knew what he would do. It was obvious to him that Jacoby Ellsbury belonged in left field, and that he'd prefer Cameron to man center. He just needed to check with general manager Theo Epstein and bench coach DeMarlo Hale.
Rob Bradford / WEEI:
IT WASN'T EASY, BUT THE RED SOX FINALLY GOT THEIR MAN — NEW YORK - The Red Sox and Adrian Beltre had come close before. — Following the 2004 season, the Sox had hoped to trade Manny Ramirez with the idea of freeing up money with an eye towards signing Beltre, a free agent who was coming off a 48-home run season with the Dodgers.
Discussion:
Sabernomics
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:Red Sox agree to deal with Beltre
Discussion:
It's About The Money, MVN, Seattle Times, Over the Monster, BronxBanterBlog.com, IT IS HIGH, IT IS FAR, IT IS and NESN.com
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:Adrian Beltre Agrees To Deal With Red Sox
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated, El Lefty Malo, Over the Monster, Twinkie Town, Fanhouse MLB Blog and Circling The Bases
Howard Megdal / MLB Rumors:Red Sox, Mets Discussed Castillo For Lowell
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, Circling The Bases, The Real Dirty Mets Blog, Boston Globe and Over the Monster
MLB.com:
Broadcaster Rory Markas passes away — ANAHEIM, CA: Angels Baseball Tuesday announced that veteran broadcaster Rory Markas passed away yesterday at his home in Palmdale, CA. No other details are available, and funeral service information is pending. — Markas, 54, spent eight seasons calling play …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
RELATED:
Bill Shaikin / LA Times Sports Blog:
Angels' announcer Rory Markas dies — Rory Markas, one of the Angels' play-by-play announcers since 2002, has died. The Angels' team-owned radio station, AM 830, announced his death this morning. The station did not announce a cause of death. — “I think now everybody should just celebrate …
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Mets to unveil Bay on Tuesday — Outfielder passes physical; conference to be held at 11 a.m. — At about noon ET on Monday, the Mets officially secured one of their biggest reasons for optimism heading into next season. — The Mets announced a Tuesday news conference at 11 a.m. to unveil Jason Bay …
Discussion:
New York Magazine
RELATED:
MLB:
Cleveland Indians sign Shelley Duncan to minor league deal — CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians have signed free-agent outfielders Shelley Duncan and Austin Kearns to minor league contracts. — The 30-year-old Duncan was the MVP of the International League last season …
RELATED:
Sports Illustrated:
Shanahan's to-do list after taking 'Skins job … WWSD? What Would Shanahan Do? That's the question on the minds of so many Redskins fans today as they close in on finalizing a contract with former Denver head coach Mike Shanahan, and I thought I'd tell you the four things I think he'll do early in his regime:
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Source: Shoppach, Rays agree to deal — Catcher Kelly Shoppach has agreed to a guaranteed two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays worth about $5.5 million, a baseball source told ESPN.com. — The contract takes Shoppach through his final two years of salary arbitration, and includes a club option for his first year of free agency.
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Mariners On Verge Of Signing Gutierrez To Four-Year Deal — The Mariners are on the verge of signing center fielder Franklin Gutierrez to a four-year, $20.5MM deal with a fifth-year club option, according to a Dave Cameron tweet citing Venezuelan reporter Francisco Blavia.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
David O'Brien / Atlanta Braves with David O'Brien:
Damon could be good fit atop Braves' order — A few thoughts while wondering if Johnny Damon would wear his hair Boston-era caveman style or Yankees-era short when he signs with the Braves — OK, if he signs with Braves — and trying to figure out how it's colder in Atlanta this week …
