Top News:
Fox Sports:
Source: Detroit, Martinez near 4-year deal — FOX Sports — The first major free agent is about to fall. — Catcher Victor Martinez is close to signing with the Tigers, a source confirms. — Ignacio Serrano, a reporter for Venezuela's El Nacional, reported that Martinez will receive a four-year, $50 million contract.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Over the Monster, Lone Star Ball and Chicago Breaking Sports
RELATED:
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Martinez leaving Red Sox for Tigers — Victor Martinez is leaving the Red Sox for the Detroit Tigers, having accepted a four-year deal worth $50 million. — The story was broken out of Venezuela this morning by Ignacio Serrano of El Nacional. — Serrano reported that Martinez …
Discussion:
New York Yankees Fan Blog, SOX & Dawgs and Projo Sox Blog
Alex Speier / Full Count:
Red Sox prepare for life without Victor Martinez — Victor Martinez appears to be ready to sign with the Detroit Tigers. (AP) — As of Monday night, multiple major league sources said, the Red Sox recognized the likelihood that Victor Martinez was slipping away to the Detroit Tigers.
Discussion:
NBCSports.com, Projo Sox Blog, NESN.com, Bless You Boys and Fanhouse MLB Blog
ESPN:
Reports: Victor Martinez to Tigers — Free-agent catcher Victor Martinez is bolting the Boston Red Sox to sign with the Detroit Tigers, according to multiple media reports on Tuesday. — Two weeks ago, Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein expressed his strong interest in re-signing Martinez and third baseman Adrian Beltre.
Discussion:
The Mighty Quinn Media Machine
Scott Lauber / Boston Herald:
Victor Martinez close to signing with Tigers — Last week, general manager Theo Epstein said free agent catcher Victor Martinez was aware of how much he was valued by the Red Sox [team stats]. — Apparently, it wasn't enough. — A major-league source has confirmed a report …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com and Associated Press
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Tigers Close To Deal With Victor Martinez
Discussion:
Sabernomics and NESN.com
Fred Claire / MLB.com:
Mets made right managerial choice — Collins' inner fire was evident early in his baseball career — It was a bitterly cold April night in Waterbury, Conn., in 1973 and the farm director of the Los Angeles Dodgers was bundled up behind home plate as he watched his team's club …
Discussion:
NY Daily News, MetsBlog.com, Mets Fever and New York Post
RELATED:
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
How the Manager Search Went Down — The more I hear from people close to the team and in the know, and read quotes and reports of what transpired, and why decisions might have been made, and in ‘reading the tea leaves,’ I'm 99 percent positive this is what went down in Citi Field over the last week so...
Discussion:
New York Times, baseballmusings.com and OnTheBlack.com
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Live: Here at Citi Field — You should follow me on Twitter, by clicking here. — Terry Collins told TV reporters that he talked to David Wright by phone last night, and hopes to meet him here at Citi Field in the coming weeks. He intends to talk with the entire roster before Spring Training.
Discussion:
SNY
Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
New Mets manager Terry Collins mulls staff, may promote '86 hero …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, Mets Fever and Mets Merized Online
Steve Popper / NorthJersey.com:
New manager Terry Collins will lay the groundwork
Discussion:
New York Post and New York Times
Adam Rubin / ESPN:
Thole, other young players say new skipper's firm but respectful …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Associated Press, Faith and Fear in Flushing and Mets Merized Online
George A. King III / New York Post:
Cashman: ‘Nothing baffling’ about Jeter talks — Tweet — According to the Yankees, there hasn't been anything confusing about contract negotiations with Derek Jeter and his agent, Casey Close. — Close described the Yankees' negotiating strategy on Sunday as “baffling” …
Discussion:
Paul Daugherty, Subway Squawkers, CBS New York and BronxBanterBlog.com
RELATED:
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Yankees Prefer To Offer Rivera One Year
Discussion:
TYU, Bronx Baseball Daily, MLB Daily Dish, Mike Silva's …, The LoHud Yankees Blog, lenNY's Yankees, NESN.com and River Avenue Blues
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Baseball sources see Yankees offering arbitration to Derek Jeter …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Jon Paul Morosi / Fox Sports:
Source: Giants nearing deal with Huff — The San Francisco Giants have agreed to a two-year contract with free-agent first baseman Aubrey Huff, major-league sources told FOXSports.com. The deal is pending a physical examination. — A source indicated that the guaranteed value of the deal will be close to $22 million.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, Yahoo! Sports, HardballTalk, El Lefty Malo, MLB Rumors and The LoHud Yankees Blog
RELATED:
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
Sports Agent's Loans to Poor Players Pose Concerns — The company of Scott Boras, baseball's pre-eminent agent, provided tens of thousands of dollars in loans and payments to the families of poor Dominican teenage prospects, according to people with ties to Mr. Boras, raising questions …
Discussion:
Mack's Baseball, Deadspin, HardballTalk, Sox Machine and NESN.com
RELATED:
John Manuel / Baseball America:
Scouting reports for the Top 10 Prospects (How to subscribe) — The American League Division Series almost obscured an otherwise storybook 2010 season for the Twins. — Minnesota opened Target Field and played home games outdoors for the first time since 1981.
Discussion:
Around the Majors
Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
Towers: Nothing new on Upton trade front — D-backs listening to offers but no move is imminent — PHOENIX — All was quiet Monday on the Justin Upton trade front. — “Nothing new to report there,” said D-backs general manager Kevin Towers. — Towers created quite a stir last week …
Discussion:
Fox Sports, MLB Rumors, HardballTalk, Purple Row and NESN.com
insidethebook.com:
Do great young players tend not to improve as they get older? — Warning: To the regulars on this site who are sabermetricians in their own right, this post is obvious. You can ignore it if you like. You DON'T need to tell us how obvious it is. There are many readers, lurkers …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Doug Harrison / CBC News:
Q&A: Larry Walker on NL MVP Joey Votto — Larry Walker, the first Canadian to win the NL MVP award in 1997, was 2010 winner Joey Votto's hitting coach at the 2009 World Baseball Classic. 'The talent was there, says Walker. (Frank Gunn/Canadian Press) — Larry Walker didn't have an answer.
RELATED:
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
New Dodgers coach Davey Lopes already has his first special project: Matt Kemp — Lopes, the former Dodgers second baseman who will coach first base for the team, is friends with Dave Stewart, his former teammate and now Kemp's agent. Both men are confident Lopes will communicate well with Kemp …
RELATED:
Tony Jackson / ESPN:
Davey Lopes returning to Los Angeles Dodgers as first-base coach
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Jarrod Washburn / Yahoo! Sports:
Washburn draws interest despite sitting out 2010 — , the 36-year-old left-hander who sat out last season while considering retirement, continues to generate interest as a free agent, according to sources. — The Milwaukee Brewers, whose starters had the second-worst ERA in the National League …
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Reds To Sign Dontrelle Willis — The Reds have agreed to sign Dontrelle Willis to a minor league deal, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. Still just 28, Willis has gone from rookie phenom to ace to trade chip to bust to reclamation project in his eight-year MLB career.
Discussion:
Babes Love Baseball, El Lefty Malo and Red Reporter
RELATED:
Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Dontrelle Willis signs minor league deal
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and NESN.com
