Top News:
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Yanks sign Thames, make Winn official — Left fielders expected to be compete with Gardner for time — On the day the Yankees finalized a one-year deal with a potential left fielder for the 2010 season, they reportedly reached agreement with a man who could give him even more competition.
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Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Yankees Sign Marcus Thames — The Yankees signed Marcus Thames, tweets SI's Jon Heyman. Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that it's a minor league deal worth $900K if he makes the team. Thames originally came up through the Yankees' system but was traded to the Rangers in '03 for Ruben Sierra.
Discussion:
Circling The Bases, BronxBanterBlog.com, The Fowl Balls, TYU, NESN.com, River Avenue Blues and WasWatching.com
Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER:
Send Mark to spring training — When I launched this site one week ago, I honestly had no idea what to expect. I knew I wanted to provide another outlet for news and analysis of the Washington Nationals. But with no method of advertising other than word-of-mouth, I didn't know how many people that content would reach.
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball, NATIONALS NEWS NETWORK, FJB, Nationals Farm Authority and NationalsFanboyLooser
JSOnline:
Selig to get statue at Miller Park — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — The Brewers announced today that they will honor Major League Baseball Commissioner and former team owner Bud Selig with a statue at Miller Park's Home Plate Plaza. — Selig's statue will join …
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Mike Celizic / msnbc.com:
Ex-ESPN analyst rues ‘damage’ of sex addiction — Steve Phillips had affair with 22-year-old, lost job: 'I broke my wife's heart' — It's a familiar story: Celebrity male is caught cheating on his wife, declares himself a sex addict, goes through a treatment program, and comes out looking for forgiveness.
RELATED:
Espn Com / MLB:Steve Phillips in interview: 'I'm fully responsible for what I did'
Discussion:
Associated Press
Curt Schilling / 38 Pitches:
Why you sign Josh Beckett, today. — The ‘comps’ are flying, everyone is writing about Josh and his worth to the team, his potential value this winter, his health, all the things you hear when someone enters a walk year on a contract. — Here's why, barring some freakish medical issue …
Joel Sherman / NY Post: Hardball:
3UP: Jeter, Beltran and Damon — The Super Bowl is out of the way, so there is nothing but clear field between here and pitchers and catchers - unless the slam dunk contest is just too much for you to resist. — So I figured I would open this week with three questions on my post-Super Bowl mind:
Discussion:
Mack's Mets, New York Mets Fan Blog, Mets Merized Online, Caught Lookin' and Circling The Bases
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
A look at the new sky blue jersey — UPDATE, 3:54: And now it appears mlb.com has taken the jerseys down. — DEVELOPING: The Rays were planning on waiting to unveil this new sky blue alternate jersey, but, as raysindex.com noted, since they are for sale on mlb.com (for just $219.99 generic …
Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com:
Caribbean Series won by Dominican Republic — Mets' Martinez named tournament's Most Valuable Player — MARGARITA ISLAND, Venezuela — The pulsing sounds of merengue overpowered the concourse, and fireworks lit up the sky above center field on a clear night at Estado Nueva Esparta.
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Did Boras Fail Damon, Washburn, & Lopez? — Last offseason, the Scott Boras Corporation brokered approximately $341MM worth of free agent deals. It was a strong showing, with three of the four big-money contracts already looking regrettable (Derek Lowe, Manny Ramirez, and Oliver Perez).
Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
Dodgers Top 11 Prospects — Four-Star Prospects — Three-Star Prospects — Two-Star Prospects — Four More: — 12. Andrew Lambo, OF: He isn't an athletic corner outfielder, and is instead a bat-only prospect who might not have enough bat. — 13. Allen Webster, RHP …
Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com:
Getting in position — By this time next week, I'll be tossing clothes in a suitcase and wondering how much AirTran will charge me for the privilege of checking in for my flight to Sarasota. — Southwest doesn't fly into that city, which is one strike against the Orioles' spring training relocation.
AdamMcCalvy / Brew Beat:
Players out of options — Tim Dierkes from the terrific site mlbtraderumors.com e-mailed this morning asking for a list of out-of-options Brewers for a project they are working on. I, in turn, went to the equally-terrific Brewerfan.net because the guys there spent a lot of time this winter coming up with an accurate list.
David Appelman / FanGraphs Baseball:
FanGraphs Splits — For a couple years now I've wanted to get better splits up and running on FanGraphs, but other things have taken priority. We've had Lefty/Right and Home/Away splits in the graphs sections for almost four years, but never have there been any tabular splits.
