Top News:
ESPN:
RHP Joel Pineiro agrees to $16M contract with Angels — Free-agent right-hander Joel Pineiro agreed Wednesday to a $16 million, two-year contract with the Angels, sources told ESPN's Buster Olney. — Pineiro is due to take a physical Thursday. — Pineiro, 31, pitched a career-high 214 innings …
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Tony Jackson / ESPN:
Los Angeles Dodgers re-sign Vicente Padilla — The Dodgers finally completed their search for a fourth starter, re-signing Vicente Padilla to a one-year, $5.025 million contract after the veteran right-hander became a key member of their starting rotation down the stretch last season.
Discussion:
Memories Of Kevin Malone
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers turn once again to Padilla — Free-agent righty agrees to one-year, $5.025 million deal — LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers replenished their starting rotation Thursday the same way they did last August: with free agent Vicente Padilla. — The club and the 32-year-old right-hander reached agreement on a one-year contract.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Phillies sign Blanton to $24 million extension — Right-hander avoids arbitration with three-year deal — The Phillies have signed Joe Blanton to a three-year, $24 million contract extension, a team-issued news released announced on Thursday. The deal takes care of the right-hander's final year …
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Angels reach 2-year deal with free-agent Pineiro … Right-hander Joel Pineiro, one of the top free-agent pitchers remaining on the market, has reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Angels, sources told SI.com — The contract is $16 million for two years.
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
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Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Rockies sign Payton, Lo Duca — Veterans to seek returns to Majors at Spring Training — DENVER — Outfielder Jay Payton posted a career-high batting average during his 1 1/2-year stint with the Rockies. He'll try to revisit those days in 2010. — The Rockies signed Payton …
Shotgun Spratling / The Blue Workhorse:
Q&A w/ Former MLB Pitcher Jim Bouton — Last month, former Major League pitcher Jim Bouton was gracious enough to take 30 minutes of his time to speak with me in a phone interview for an article about the transformation and evolution of the media that was published today on the LA-based Neon Tommy web site.
Sasha Cohen / Yahoo! Sports:
The Orioles might be movin' on up — Editor's note: Yahoo! Sports will examine the offseason of every MLB team before spring training begins in mid-February. Our series continues at No. 21 with the Baltimore Orioles. — 2009 record: 64-98 — Finish: Fifth place in American League East
Greg Turner / Boston Herald:
Seeds let your lawn grow like Fenway's — Boston Red Sox [team stats] fans will soon have everything they need - short of a dedicated groundskeeping crew - to grow grass exactly like the perfect turf at Fenway Park [map]. — The Scotts Co. yesterday unveiled a grass-seed product that …
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Few spots left for remaining free agents — From Ben Sheets to Orlando Hudson to Johnny Damon, many players still eyeing jobs — Matt Holliday, John Lackey, Jason Bay and Chone Figgins all got their money. But when more than 100 free agents and December non-tenders are still job hunting in late January …
Dejan Kovacevic / PBC Blog:
Pirates, Dotel agree to year, option — The Pirates and free-agent reliever Octavio Dotel agreed to terms on a one-year contract plus a club option for 2011, a source directly involved in the talks told the Post-Gazette tonight. — The agreement is pending a physical scheduled for tomorrow …
Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
Braves Top 11 Prospects — Four-Star Prospects — Three-Star Prospects — Two-Star Prospects — Four More: — 12. J.J. Hoover, RHP: An over-slot 10th-round pick from 2008, Hoover showed excellent control and an impressive sinker/slider mix in his full-season debut.
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Pirates Designate Anthony Claggett For Assignment — The Pirates designated pitcher Anthony Claggett for assignment to make room for Octavio Dotel, according to a team press release. Claggett, 25, posted a 3.07 ERA, 4.7 K/9, and 3.5 BB/9 in 82 Triple A innings last year.
Jimmy Smith / New Orleans Times-Picayune:
Tim Floyd says he left USC because of athletic director, not O.J. Mayo scandal — They were reunited Wednesday night at the New Orleans Arena, the coach who brought him to the national stage and the youngster who has made his mark upon it. — New Orleans Hornets lead assistant Tim Floyd …
Jeff Elliott / Florida Times Union:
Tim Leiper named manager of 2010 Jacksonville Suns — Florida Marlins promote manager from Single-A Jupiter last season — Former Jacksonville Suns infielder Tim Leiper is returning to the team. This time, he'll be in charge. — The Florida Marlins announced a new managerial staff for the 2010 Suns.
Discussion:
Bottom9 Baseball
Chad Finn / Boston Globe:
Papelbon: 'I'm just happy we were able to see eye-to-eye' — The Red Sox in recent years have emphasized locking up their home-grown core players — among them Dustin Pedroia, Jon Lester, and Kevin Youkilis — to long-term contracts well before they approach free agency.
David Laurila / Baseball Prospectus:
Prospectus Q and A: Jack Zduriencik by David Laurila — Jack Zduriencik … David Laurila: Is it fun being a big-league general manager? — Jack Zduriencik: Well, I don't know if I look at it quite like that, but I enjoy my job. I've always enjoyed my jobs, so I've been fortunate in that respect.
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Jays acquire Valdez from Giants — Righty to compete for bullpen role during Spring Training — TORONTO — The Blue Jays added another arm to the mix for a bullpen role on Wednesday, swinging a trade with the Giants to acquire right-hander Merkin Valdez in exchange for cash considerations.
JSOnline:
Brewers reach agreement with Davis — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — Completing a long though sometimes back-burner courtship of Doug Davis, the Brewers have reached an agreement with the free-agent left-hander on a 1-year deal with an option.
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
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AdamMcCalvy / Brew Beat:Brewers bring back Davis
Discussion:
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