Top News:
Sports Illustrated:
McGwire talks confession, steroid effects ... and pinch-hitting … The first thing Mark McGwire said was that he felt a whole lot better Tuesday morning. The call was a surprise ... I don't know Mark McGwire. I don't believe I had ever talked to him in anything other than a group setting.
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Craig Calcaterra / Circling The Bases:
Shaughnessy compares steroids to Hitler. I think. — Thank God we finally have Dan “the voice of reason” Shaughnessy's take on the McGwire business. Take it away, Dan: … See, Shaugnessy is dead-on with this. There were clear, rational incentives to take steroids.
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Juicy details just give us 'roid rage — It makes you want to throw up your hands and say, “They're all dirty!” — The fallout from Mark McGwire's carefully scripted Monday confession (Ari Fleischer!) serves only to raise more questions and bolster the theory that everybody's dirty.
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
Associated Press:
Gossage wants dopers barred from Hall of Fame … NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball Hall of Fame reliever Goose Gossage says there should be no place in the hall for Mark McGwire or any other player who used performance-enhancing drugs. — “I definitely think that they cheated,” …
ESPNChicago com / MLB:Jose Canseco: Mark McGwire, Tony La Russa lying about PEDs
Discussion:
ESPN, Circling The Bases, NESN.com, Yahoo! Sports, GoatRiders of the Apocalypse and NBCSports.com
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Precedent-Setting Deal With Florida Marlins Over Revenue-Sharing Has Broad Implications — For years now, there have been questions surrounding whether MLB's collectively bargained revenue-sharing policy has had a loophole in it as wide as centerfield at Minute Maid Park.
Discussion:
TYU, Circling The Bases, River Avenue Blues, Fox Sports, MLB Rumors, Fish Bytes, Yahoo! Sports and The iYankees Blog
RELATED:
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:
MiamiHerald.com:
MLB, union: Florida Marlins need to spend more revenue-sharing money — Marlins president David Samson refused to answer further questions about the matter. But in a joint statement with the league and union Tuesday, Samson said that the Marlins “maintained that there had been no violation of the Basic Agreement at any time.”
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Minicamp: Pirates moving toward three relievers — Dotel, Carrasco, another on horizon; Church will get $1.5 million — BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pirates' contract with free-agent outfielder Ryan Church — one year, $1.5 million — is expected to be completed this morning …
Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Chapman deal months in the making — Reds' approach focused on scouting, selling situation — CINCINNATI — Before their bold and surprising signing of Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman, the Reds didn't even garner a mention during the majority of the bidding process — at least not until the very end.
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Jack Moore / FanGraphs Baseball:
Pirates Add Church — The Pirates added Ryan Church on a one-year contract on Tuesday that will pay the outfielder a 1.5 million dollar base salary which could reach up to 2.8 million if all plate appearance based incentives are reached. Church should become the teams 4th outfielder …
Discussion:
Where Have You Gone …
Buster Olney / ESPN:
McGwire's admission is laced with denial — Mark McGwire wanted to be truthful when he spoke before Congress in 2005. He wanted to talk about his past use of steroids, and turn around to the Hooton family and tell them, from a place of greater credibility, that he was sorry for their loss.
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nationals have interest in Kennedy — Club's first option for second base remains Hudson — If the Nationals are not able to acquire Orlando Hudson, look for them to set their sights on Adam Kennedy to play second base, according to a baseball source. — Kennedy is a person Washington …
ESPN:
Lane Kiffin to leave Tennessee Volunteers for USC Trojans job … Tennessee's Lane Kiffin has been named the next head coach at Southern California, athletic director Mike Garrett announced on Tuesday. — Kiffin replaces Pete Carroll, who jumped to the NFL as coach of the Seattle Seahawks.
Discussion:
Deadspin
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Tigers logical destination for Valverde — Losing draft pick for closer could be small price to pay — DETROIT — The Tigers currently stand as the most interested and most logical destination for free-agent closer Jose Valverde, if they can find common ground on a contract.
