Top News:
Wallace Matthews / ESPN:
Yankees to Derek Jeter: Test the market — New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Tuesday that the Yankees have made a “fair and appropriate” contract offer to Derek Jeter and suggested that if the 36-year-old shortstop thinks otherwise, he should shop himself around to find out.
RELATED:
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Jeter's Predictable Predicament — Tyler Kepner, who covers baseball for The Times, has an excellent article on the contract negotiations between the Yankees and their Hall of Fame shortstop, Derek Jeter. Few players have had a more harmonious relationship with their employer than Mr. Jeter …
Discussion:
Subway Squawkers and New York Times
Wallace Matthews / ESPN:
New York Yankees' Javy Vazquez, not Kerry Wood, offered arbitration — On Tuesday afternoon, New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman said he was likely to offer arbitration to Kerry Wood, who, after being acquired at the trade deadline, became an invaluable part of the Yankees bullpen.
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily, River Avenue Blues, MLB Rumors and The LoHud Yankees Blog
Ken Rosenthal / mlbbuzz:
Why Yankees will offer J. Vazquez arbitration — The Yankees plan to offer salary arbitration to free-agent right-hander Javier Vazquez, but not because they want to retain him. — Vazquez, a Type B free agent, has agreed to reject the Yankees' offer, enabling the team to collect …
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Bronx Baseball Daily and River Avenue Blues
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.
RELATED:
Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Tigers close to finalizing deal with Martinez
Tigers close to finalizing deal with Martinez
Discussion:
The Detroit Tiger Weblog and The Sommer Frieze
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Red Sox fell short in Martinez deal
Red Sox fell short in Martinez deal
Discussion:
Red Sox Monster and HardballTalk
Duk / Yahoo! Sports:
Aggressive Tigers sign Victor Martinez to four-year deal
Aggressive Tigers sign Victor Martinez to four-year deal
Discussion:
NBCSports.com and Bless You Boys
ESPN:
Reports: Victor Martinez to Tigers
Reports: Victor Martinez to Tigers
Discussion:
Cursed To First and The Mighty Quinn Media Machine
Alex Speier / Full Count:
Red Sox prepare for life without Victor Martinez
Discussion:
NESN.com, MLB Rumors, Projo Sox Blog and Fanhouse MLB Blog
Scott Lauber / Boston Herald:
Victor Martinez close to signing with Tigers
Victor Martinez close to signing with Tigers
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com and Associated Press
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Martinez leaving Red Sox for Tigers
Martinez leaving Red Sox for Tigers
Discussion:
SOX & Dawgs, USA Today and New York Yankees Fan Blog
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
35 Free Agents Offered Arbitration — 35 free agents were offered arbitration this year, 12 more than last year. If you're not sure what offering arbitration means, click here to read our free agent arbitration primer. — The following players were offered arbitration today …
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online and ESPN
RELATED:
AdamMcCalvy / Brew Beat:
Brewers offer arbitration to Hoffman — UPDATE at 6:20 p.m. CT: The Brewers indeed had a gentlemen's agreement agreement with Hoffman to decline the arbitration offer, according to a source who would know. It doesn't hurt him at all in negotiating with other clubs, and the Brewers …
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings
Richard Durrett / ESPN:
Rangers' Josh Hamilton wins AL MVP — Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton was named the American League Most Valuable Player on Tuesday by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, becoming the franchise's fifth player to receive the honor. — Hamilton is the first Rangers player …
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T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Hamilton deemed to be AL's Most Valuable — League batting champion centerpiece of Rangers' resurgence — ARLINGTON — Josh Hamilton became the fifth Rangers player to win the American League Most Valuable Player Award on Tuesday, outpolling Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera …
Discussion:
lenNY's Yankees and Sliding Into Home
Joey Votto / Yahoo! Sports:
Rivera joins Jeter in 'what's the deal'? — negotiations might not be the New York Yankees' only problem. They're playing hardball with Mariano Rivera — , too. — While the free-agent closer is seeking a two-year deal, the Yankees are currently inclined to offer him only one year …
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
RELATED:
New York Post:
In this numbers game, Derek's don't add up
In this numbers game, Derek's don't add up
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, The Captain's Blog and Subway Squawkers
Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
Terry Collins introduced as new Mets manager, says team has talent to contend in 2011 — Terry Collins insists he is not evil, or a devil, and there are no indications that he has ever been a witch. With his humanity confirmed, the Mets can only hope that, at 61, the respected teacher …
Discussion:
BronxBanterBlog.com, Bats, Faith and Fear in Flushing and New York Times
RELATED:
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
How the Manager Search Went Down
How the Manager Search Went Down
Discussion:
New York Times, NorthJersey.com, OnTheBlack.com and 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.
RELATED:
Joey Votto / Yahoo! Sports:
Boras defends alleged financial improprieties — Accused the day before of the plying the worst kind of business - buying up clients and their downtrodden families in the Dominican Republic - agent Scott Boras on Tuesday afternoon said the story being told about him is backward.
Discussion:
New York Times
RELATED:
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
Sports Agent's Loans to Poor Players Pose Concerns
Sports Agent's Loans to Poor Players Pose Concerns
Discussion:
Mack's Baseball, Deadspin, Atlanta Braves, HardballTalk and NESN.com
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:
Bronx Baseball Daily, It's About The Money, MLB Rumors and NESN.com
RELATED:
Joe Pawlikowski / River Avenue Blues:
Are the Yanks at Sabathia levels with Lee?
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Boston's Francona on Crawford: “A game changer” — In general, what are your impressions of Crawford? — I think he's a game changer. He's that guy that can change a game defensively, offensively. When he gets on base, he gives you a headache. He has a little bit of that Johnny Damon in him where …
Discussion:
Rays Index and NESN.com
Adam Kilgore / Nationals Journal:
Danny Espinosa to have hand surgery, out six weeks — Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa, the leading candidate to win the starting position out of spring training, hurt his hand playing winter ball in Puerto Rico and will require six weeks to fully heal, according to a release from the team.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
