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Fox Sports:
Sources: Tigers owner OKs two-year, $14M offer to Damon — Fox Sports — Tigers owner Mike Ilitch has authorized a two-year, $14 million offer to free-agent outfielder Johnny Damon, according to major-league sources. — Damon also is considering a one-year, $7 million proposal from the Tigers, one source said.
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Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
White Sox showing late interest in Damon — Club offering less money, years than division rival Tigers — CHICAGO — Late Hot Stove interest from the White Sox in free-agent outfielder Johnny Damon now has become public, with Chicago joining the Detroit Tigers as the primary teams trying …
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The Fowl Balls
Jayson Stark / ESPN.com:
Johnny Damon nearing decision … The Johnny Damon Sweepstakes appeared to be nearing the finish line Thursday, as Damon tries to choose from several offers far less than the two-year, $20 million deal he and agent Scott Boras have been seeking. — Damon — Two sources told ESPN.com …
MLB.com:
Big Hurt decides to call it a career — Longtime White Sox star Thomas is 18th on home run list — The Big Hurt is calling it a career. — Longtime White Sox star slugger Frank Thomas, who is tied for 18th on the all-time Major League home run list with 521, told MLB.com on Thursday evening that he is officially retiring.
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Baseball-Reference Blog, Bluebird Banter, River Avenue Blues, South Side Sox and USA Today
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Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Big Hurt decides to call it a career — Longtime White Sox star Thomas is 18th on home run list — CHICAGO — He was aptly dubbed the “Big Hurt” by long-time White Sox television play-by-play announcer Ken “Hawk” Harrelson. — And his 6-foot-5, 265-pound frame would have been enough for Frank Thomas to earn that nickname.
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Glavine retires, takes job with Braves — Lefty accepts position as special assistant to team president — ATLANTA — Tom Glavine has officially ended his playing career and reunited with the Braves' organization. — The Braves have announced that Glavine has accepted the invitation …
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Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Glavine officially ends illustrious career — Southpaw announces retirement, joins Braves' front office — ATLANTA — Historical accounts will forever remember Aug. 14, 2008, as the day that Mark Kotsay became just the second player in Atlanta Braves history to hit for the cycle.
Evan Grant / Texas Rangers:
Rangers prospect Danny Gutierrez suspended 50 games for testing positive for amphetamine Adderall — RHP Danny Gutierrez, whom the Rangers acquired from Kansas City last fall, has been suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball for testing positive for a banned substance.
Joe Pawlikowski / FanGraphs Baseball:
Four Reasons Teams Are Staying Away from Jermaine Dye — We would like to welcome Joe Pawlikowski to the FanGraphs team. We don't hold his Yankee fandom against him, and neither should you. — When Jermaine Dye finally decides to call it a career, his post-baseball life will likely not include a job in sales.
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David Waldstein / New York Times:
Mets Agree to a Deal With Another Japanese Pitcher — Since 1997, when they signed an obscure reliever out of the Japanese minor leagues, the Mets have had more players from Japan than any other major league team. That international connection remains strong as the Mets added …
Larry Stone / Seattle Times:
Tony Blengino on how the Mariners use statistics — I've been saving this one for more than two weeks now, ever since the Mariners had their spring-training luncheon in late January. There was a flood of information that day, followed by a flood of news. But now I finally …
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Royals Review
Associated Press:
Phil Hughes looking to be Yankees' 5th starter — TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Pitching out of the bullpen, Phil Hughes helped the New York Yankees win the World Series last season. This year, he hopes to make another championship run as the team's fifth starter. — Hughes and Joba Chamberlain …
Sports Illustrated:
Habla usted baseball? Spanish never bland — MEXICO CITY (AP) -The picturesque language of baseball lured Jim O'Neill to the game. Not English, mind you. What got to him was the jargon that fills parks around Latin America. — Take a strikeout. Sure, English has some colorful expressions …
Anthony McCarron / Blogging The Bombers:
A conversation with Jeter — I had a nice conversation with Derek Jeter after his workout Wednesday and there is a story on the website about it. He declined to talk about his contract, which is obviously a hot topic and one that might linger through the season because the franchise icon's 10-year …
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