Top News:
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.
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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.
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,” …
Discussion:
Circling The Bases, Pinstripe Alley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, NBCSports.com and San Francisco Chronicle
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
ESPNChicago com / MLB:Jose Canseco: Mark McGwire, Tony La Russa lying about PEDs
Discussion:
ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, NESN.com, Circling The Bases, 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:
Circling The Bases, TYU, River Avenue Blues, Fox Sports, MLB Rumors, Fish Bytes, The iYankees Blog and Yahoo! Sports
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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 …
Peter Schmuck / The Schmuck Stops Here:
Orioles: Hill appears headed elsewhere — While the Orioles have re-signed a couple of their players from last year to minor league deals, it does not appear that Rich Hill will be one of them. Earlier this offseason, the Orioles offered the left-handed starter a minor league pact …
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.
