Top News:
ESPNChicago com / ESPN.com:
Jose Canseco: Mark McGwire, Tony La Russa lying about PEDs — Mark McGwire admitted Monday to using steroids during his career, but Jose Canseco contends McGwire is not being entirely forthcoming about the matter. — Canseco, whose book “Juiced” fueled congressional hearings …
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Richard Sandomir / New York Times:
The How-To of an Admission in the Steroid Era — The strategy that Mark McGwire used on Monday to lay out his admission to using steroids demonstrated that lessons were learned from other baseball stars who preceded him in making mea culpa about their drug use.
Bob Klapisch / NorthJersey.com:
Steve Trachsel feels vindicated for giving up Mark McGwire's No. 62 — GREENWICH, Conn. - For more than 11 years, Steve Trachsel has lived on the wrong side of history, having served up Mark McGwire's 62nd home run. Of course, the former Mets' right-hander (a Cub at the time) …
Sports Illustrated:
Joe Posnanski: Time to forgive Mark McGwire … Every so often, I will watch something — say a presidential debate — and then I'll watch and read the reactions and realize that I saw the debate all wrong. I thought this candidate won when, apparently, the other one did.
New York Post:
Yank Signings and Damon Update — The Yankees have signed lefty reliever Royce Ring, and outfielders Reid Gorecki and David Winfree to minor-league contracts, the Post has learned. Meanwhile, their chances to re-sign Johnny Damon remained remote. — The Yankees are telling agents …
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MLB.com:
Statement from MLBPA, Florida Marlins and MLB regarding Marlins' compliance with revenure sharing provisions of the Basic Agreement — The following joint statement was issued today by the Major League Baseball Players Association, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball and the Florida Marlins:
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Associated Press:
Union, Florida Marlins reach agreement to up payroll — MIAMI — The perennially frugal Florida Marlins have reached an agreement with the players' union to increase spending as a result of complaints the team payroll has been so small as to violate baseball's revenue sharing provisions.
Houston Chronicle:
New York investment group leading effort to buy Astros — The out-of-town investment firm leading the effort to buy the Astros is Great Court Capital of New York, a person familiar with the negotiations confirmed today. — Astros owner Drayton McLane has granted exclusive negotiating rights …
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Kelly Thesier / MLB.com:
Castro returning to White Sox as backup — Catcher signs one-year deal with club option for 2011 — Ramon Castro is headed back to Chicago to once again fill the backup catcher role for the White Sox. — The White Sox announced Tuesday that they have re-signed Castro to a one-year …
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Sheets' cost tempers Cubs' interest — Club targeting right-handed relief at back of bullpen — CHICAGO — The Cubs will be among the teams watching Ben Sheets, but the right-hander's reported contract demands do not appear to fit into their budget. — Sheets, 31, who missed …
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Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Maddon on what Rays need, have, see — Manager Joe Maddon was in town and at Tropicana Field on Tuesday to watch the group of 22 top prospects participating in the team's first winter development program, and shared a few thoughts on what he saw and what's going on with the big-league team.
Sports Illustrated:
Del Rio will stay with Jags for 2010 season … After a profitable meeting with owner Wayne Weaver this morning in Jacksonville, Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio will stay in his current job for at least the 2010 season. — Del Rio, 58-57 in seven seasons at the helm, was thought to be on shaky ground with Weaver for a few reasons.
Will Carroll / Unfiltered:
Leading The Discussion — In the last day, BP has posted two articles — one a quick Unfiltered post about Mark McGwire and his steroid confessions, another a longer statistical look at aging curves by an outside writer — that have had long, involved discussion threads.
Christina Kahrl / Unfiltered:
Baseball Research Journal — Many of you who are members of SABR already know this, having received your copy of the latest issue of the Baseball Research Journal, and Matt Swartz is too modest to mention it, but a version of his series on home-field advantage was included as one of the more sabermetric pieces.
Discussion:
sabr.org
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Pirates Add Bass, Carlin, Myrow — The Pirates reached agreements with pitcher Brian Bass, catcher Luke Carlin, and outfielder Bryan Myrow on minor league deals, according to a team press release. — Bass, 28, posted a 4.90 ERA, 5.6 K/9, and 4.6 BB/9 in 86.3 relief innings last year.
Matt Eddy / Baseball America:
Minor League Transactions — The transactions update you've been clamoring for is here . . . in part. This installment takes us up through the end of 2009. We'll get caught up next week. — Bear in mind that these transactions updates come directly from the horse's mouth.
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