Top News:
Joel Sherman / NY Post:
Yankees sign Randy Winn; Damon done — The Yankees have reached a one-year contract with Randy Winn, The Post has learned. — The deal is believed to be in the $2 million range that the Yankees had allocated for the fourth outfielder job and shuts the door on — any late pursuit of Johnny Damon.
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MLB:
Sources: New York Yankees ink Randy Winn, Johnny Damon left out … The New York Yankees have agreed to terms with free agent outfielder Randy Winn on a one-year contract, pending a physical, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. — Damon — Winn — The contract is worth in the neighborhood of $2 million.
Joel Sherman / NY Post: Hardball:
3UP: Cone, Mets Rotation and Damon — 1. I hear that since David Cone left the YES Network that ESPN has made a run at trying to recruit him without success. Sources tell me Cone also has been approached by the Players Association to join on in at least an advisory role and that Cone is leaning toward accepting such an offer.
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Ken Davidoff's baseball insider — Yankees, Mets, trade rumors and more MLB musings … Sorry for the delay. I had the chance to hop on an early flight home, and I went for it. Good to be back home. — So...with Randy Winn and the Yankees committed to one another, do we finally believe the Yankees are done with Johnny Damon?
MLB:New York Yankees' Brian Cashman not pursuing Johnny Damon
Discussion:
MLB.com, NESN.com, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Circling The Bases, Fack Youk, Yankeeist, Bronx Baseball Daily, TYU, The iYankees Blog and MLB Rumors
Benjamin Kabak / River Avenue Blues:Yanks reach one-year deal with Randy Winn
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog, Yankeeist, Pending Pinstripes, New Jersey Online, Fack Youk, BronxBanterBlog.com and TYU
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Breaking down the Top 50 Prospects — Pitchers, premium position players make grade in 2010 — MLB.com's Top 50 Prospect list is now public for all to see. Let the opinions fly. Should the game's top prospect be Braves outfielder Jason Heyward or Nationals fireballer Stephen Strasburg?
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Dan Steinberg / D.C. Sports Bog:
Jim Bowden interviews Mike Rizzo — So former Nats GM Jim Bowden—co-hosting a SIRIUS XM MLB Home Plate show with Seth Everett—interviewed current Nats GM Mike Rizzo Wednesday morning. That's like Vinny Cerrato interviewing Bruce Allen on the radio. That's like Glen Hanlon interviewing Bruce Boudreau on the radio.
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Keith Law / ESPN:
Rangers' farm system still loaded — As I did last year, I offer this teaser to Thursday's ranking of the Top 100 prospects in baseball by ranking the 30 farm systems based on the current inventory in each organization. This ranking includes only players who are still eligible …
Discussion:
Phillies Nation, NATIONALS NEWS NETWORK, Lone Star Ball, DRaysBay, Fanhouse MLB Blog and The iYankees Blog
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Keith Law / MLB:
2010 organizational rankings — Keith Law ranks the farm systems of all 30 teams, from the Rangers at No. 1 to the White Sox at No. 30.
ESPN:
Dawson may wear Cubs hat for speech — Andre Dawson said he was disappointed the Hall of Fame decided his bust in Cooperstown, N.Y., will feature a Montreal Expos hat, but Dawson plans to acknowledge Chicago Cubs fans during his induction speech in July. — Dawson, who spent …
Discussion:
Wezen Ball, Walkoff Walk, Baseball Beat …, Circling The Bases, BBTF's Baseball Primer …, Bats, Lone Star Ball and Associated Press
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Fred Mitchell / Chicago Breaking Sports:Andre Dawson to enter Hall of Fame as an Expo
Discussion:
GoatRiders of the Apocalypse, Bluebird Banter, Yahoo! Sports, Federal Baseball and Circling The Bases
David Waldstein / New York Times:
The Mets Play Hard to Get, This Time With Smoltz — PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — John Smoltz, who turns 43 in May and would like to extend his Hall of Fame career, has received 2010 contract offers from several teams, his agent, Lonnie Cooper, said Wednesday. The Mets, however, are not among those clubs …
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Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Halladay trade nets two Top 50 prospects — Acquired in offseason, Wallace, Drabek on MLB.com's list — TORONTO — In one dramatic move this offseason, Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos changed the perception of his farm system. Dealing ace Roy Halladay to the Phillies …
Discussion:
Batter's Box Interactive …
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Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers add Inglett off waivers — Milwaukee designates reliever Smith for assignment — MILWAUKEE — The Brewers added another left-handed bat to the roster Wednesday by claiming the versatile Joe Inglett off waivers from the Rangers. — Inglett, 31, has appeared in the Majors …
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Craig Calcaterra / Circling The Bases:
The Dodgers deny that McCourt wants to sell; call me irresponsible — UPDATE: So this morning, I wrote the bit way down below, passing on a rumor I heard that Frank McCourt would like to sell the Dodgers once all of the McCourt v. McCourt litigation blows over. I trust my source on this, but the Dodgers took issue.
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Girardi open to Granderson in left field — Yanks skipper plans to assess situation in Spring Training — NEW YORK — With plenty of ground to cover at Yankee Stadium, Yankees manager Joe Girardi is open to the idea of moving Curtis Granderson to left field and using Brett Gardner in center field after Spring Training begins.
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Inbox: Were Mets wise to stay frugal? — Beat reporter Marty Noble answers fans' questions — Do you give credence to the thinking that because the 2009-10 free-agent class was below average the Mets chose not to spend a lot of money on average-at-best pitchers and/or position players …
