Top News:
Christian Red / NY Daily News:
Closer Mariano Rivera to sign two-year, $30 million deal with New York Yankees by Friday night — Punta Cana, Dominican Republic - Yankee fans rejoice: “Enter Sandman” will blissfully be heard for two more years in the Bronx. — According to a source familiar with the negotiations between …
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Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Sources: New York Yankees tell Derek Jeter they'll improve offer — The New York Yankees informed Derek Jeter's agent, Casey Close, on Thursday that the team was willing to improve its original three-year, $45 million offer, according to sources close to the negotiations.
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily, The LoHud Yankees Blog, baseballmusings.com and MLB Rumors
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Yankees To Re-Sign Mariano Rivera — The Yankees will re-sign Mariano Rivera to a two-year, $30MM deal by tomorrow night, according to Christian Red of the New York Daily News. Rivera recently received a three-year offer worth more money from a rival team, but wanted to stay in pinstripes …
Discussion:
Lady Loves Pinstripes, Bronx Baseball Daily and Angels blog
Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
Source: Yankees, Mariano Rivera agree — NEW YORK — Mariano Rivera is going to be the Yankees' closer for two more years, according to a baseball official with knowledge of negotiations between the team and the player's agent. — On Thursday night the Yankees and Rivera's agent, Fern Cuza …
Discussion:
Chicago Breaking Sports
Mark Feinsand / Blogging The Bombers:
Yankees increase offer to Jeter
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog, River Avenue Blues and Sliding Into Home
ESPN:
Source: White Sox land Adam Dunn — The Chicago White Sox have finalized a four-year, $56 million deal with free-agent slugger Adam Dunn, according to a source familiar with the situation. — The deal is pending a physical, which is scheduled for Friday morning, and is not expected to be announced until later in the day.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball, Lone Star Ball, The Nats Blog and Bless You Boys
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Blue Jays Not Close To Signing A.J. Pierzynski — 9:10pm: The Blue Jays are not close to signing Pierzynski, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The White Sox still appear to be in the mix for the catcher. — 6:42pm: The Blue Jays are close to signing A.J. Pierzynski …
Discussion:
Batter's Box Interactive …
Fox Sports:
ChiSox pursuing options, mulling trades
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated, MLB Rumors and South Side Sox
Doug Padilla / ESPN:
Chicago White Sox exercise option on Alexei Ramirez
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Bluebird Banter, MLB Daily Dish and Yahoo! Sports
Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
White Sox finalize deal with slugger Adam Dunn: sources
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Mike DiGiovanna / LA Times Sports Blog:
Chicago White Sox closing in on four-year, $56-million deal for slugger Adam Dunn
Discussion:
Sabernomics, MLB Rumors, SBNation.com, NESN.com, HardballTalk, Nationals Journal and Camden Chat
Adam Kilgore / Nationals Journal:
Adam Dunn agrees to four-year contract with White Sox
Discussion:
The Nationals Enquirer, The Goessling Game and Mr. Irrelevant …
Craig Calcaterra / NBCSports.com:
The White Sox may get Adam Dunn AND Paul Konerko
Discussion:
Babes Love Baseball
ESPN:
Source: Jason Varitek back in Boston — Longtime Boston Red Sox captain Jason Varitek is returning to the team for another season despite interest from at least one other team, a baseball source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick on Thursday. — The catcher will sign a one-year deal for $2 million …
Discussion:
Boston Globe and baseballmusings.com
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Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Red Sox sign Varitek for one year — The Red Sox have signed Jason Varitek to a one-year deal worth $2 million according to a baseball source. The deal includes $300,000 in incentives that likely would be based on how often he plays. — It seems apparent now that the Red Sox are prepared …
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Red Sox caught up in Russell Martin dealings — + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email — Tonight's deadline to tender arbitration doesn't hold a great deal of suspense as far as Red Sox [team stats] players are concerned. — What happens with the Los Angeles Dodgers and catcher Russell Martin is another story.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, MLB Rumors, Yahoo! Sports, sox1fan.com, Dodgers Blog, True Blue LA, VIN SCULLY IS MY HOMEBOY, Halos Heaven and MLB.com
Jon Paul Morosi / Fox Sports:
Three teams show interest in Werth
Discussion:
ESPN, Bless You Boys, Tiger Tales and MLB Rumors
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Beltre hopes to return to Red Sox
Discussion:
SFGate, Over the Monster, Red Sox Monster and NESN.com
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Source: Okajima will be non-tendered
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Over the Monster, Angels blog, River Avenue Blues, Toeing the Rubber, MetsBlog.com and NESN.com
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox Re-Sign Jason Varitek
Discussion:
SOX & Dawgs and BronxBanterBlog.com
David Waldstein / Bats:
Takahashi Agrees to Deal With Angels — Updated — Hisanori Takahashi, who was one of the most valuable pitchers on the Mets' 2010 staff and one of the most versatile in the team's history, agreed to a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels, the team announced Thursday.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Angels blog, LA Times Sports Blog, MLB Rumors, Mets Merized Online, MetsBlog.com and Halos Heaven
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Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Non-tenders: Howell, Aybar, Cormier, Navarro — UPDATE, 10:41: Official word is Rays have non-tendered J.P. Howell, Willy Aybar, Dioner Navarro and Lance Cormier. — Exec VP Andrew Friedman was confident however they could re-sign Howell, which indicates they are more likely just working around …
Discussion:
DRaysBay and Al's Ramblings
MLB.com:
Seattle Mariners sign free-agent LHP Erik Bedard to one-year deal — SEATTLE — Seattle Mariners executive vice president & general manager of baseball operations Jack Zduriencik announced Thursday that the club has signed free-agent left-handed pitcher Erik Bedard to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Fox Sports:
NL West making quick offseason moves — Tracy Ringolsby is a Hall of Fame baseball writer. He is in his 35th year covering Major League Baseball, is a co-founder of Baseball America, and appears on pre- and postgame shows for Colorado Rockies games on FSN Rocky Mountain.
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue and Mets Merized Online
Greg Johns / MLB.com:
Mariners deal Lopez for Minor League pitcher — SEATTLE — The Mariners traded infielder Jose Lopez to the Colorado Rockies on Thursday evening for Minor League pitcher Chaz Roe as Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik got some return on the veteran rather than just release him at the non-tender deadline.
