Top News:
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Source: If Boston Red Sox landed Mariano Rivera, Jonathan Papelbon was out — BOSTON — The Red Sox offered reliever Mariano Rivera a two-year, $30 million deal and were prepared to non-tender closer Jonathan Papelbon, according to a baseball source with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Full Count, TYU and Sliding Into Home
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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 …
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog, The Sommer Frieze, The Mighty Quinn Media Machine, Yankeeist, Subway Squawkers, ESPN, The Joy of Sox, Respect Jeter's Gangster, Bronx Baseball Daily, River Avenue Blues, lenNY's Yankees, Blogging The Bombers, The iYankees Blog, Yahoo! Sports, Fanhouse MLB Blog, NESN.com and My Pinstripes
Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
Brian Cashman rappels 22-story building … STAMFORD, Conn. — Wearing a spiked wig with a black bandana featuring white skulls, an unshaven Brian Cashman, the New York Yankees general manager, rappelled from the side of a 22-story building at dawn Friday. — He had no net, just a safety harness …
Discussion:
Mets Today
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
Busy Time for Yankees: Rivera, Dodgers, Crawford — The standoff between Derek Jeter and the Yankees has captured baseball's attention, but away from the spotlight, Brian Cashman, the team's general manager, and Randy Levine, the team's president, have been busy elsewhere, negotiating a major contract …
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog and Bombers Beat
Chad Jennings / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Cashman's alter ego makes it 22 stories and tells the tale
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues, New York Times and BronxBanterBlog.com
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
Rivera and Yanks Near Two-Year Deal
Discussion:
Pinstriped Bible …, ESPN and Sons of Steve Garvey
Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
Source: Yankees, Mariano Rivera agree
Discussion:
The Captain's Blog and Chicago Breaking Sports
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Ron Santo dead at 70 — Chicago Cubs icon failed to reach Hall of Fame — Ron Santo (left) and Billy Williams at the Cubs' spring training camp in 1971. (Tribune archive photo) — Legendary Chicago Cubs player and broadcaster Ron Santo died Thursday night in Arizona. He was 70.
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Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs great Ron Santo dies at 70 — Iconic Cubs player and broadcaster Ron Santo, beloved by fans for his on-air cheers and groans as he was for his 13-year, All-Star playing career, has died. — He succumbed to complications from bladder cancer Thursday in Arizona after falling into a coma, according to multiple reports.
Discussion:
Seattle Times, AZ Snakepit and JSOnline
USA Today:
Cubs legend Ron Santo dead at 70
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, BronxBanterBlog.com and Yahoo! Sports
Richard Goldstein / New York Times:
Ron Santo, Stalwart for Cubs, Dies at 70
Discussion:
Beyond the Box Score
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Legendary Cubs Player and Broadcaster Ron Santo Dead at 70
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Adrian Gonzalez to Red Sox? — BOSTON — While their pursuit of free agents Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth has grabbed most of the attention, Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein has quietly been laying the groundwork for what could be the team's biggest offensive acquisition since Manny Ramirez.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, MLB Rumors, New Jersey Online, Gaslamp Ball, SBNation.com, NESN.com, SOX & Dawgs, HardballTalk, Over the Monster and Fanhouse MLB Blog
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Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Sox deal remains Beltre's preference — Adrian Beltre is ready to make a deal. He hopes something can still get done with the Red Sox. — The All-Star third baseman flew from Los Angeles to the Dominican Republic yesterday to lend his support to a charity event hosted by David Ortiz.
Discussion:
SBNation.com, Full Count, ESPN and Associated Press
Doug Miller / MLB.com:
Jenks, Martin, Okajima among 52 non-tenders — Baseball's annual non-tender deadline came and went late Thursday night, and the already-plentiful free-agency holiday stocking was stuffed with even more goodies. — Intriguing options all over the league will make the bidding season that much more heated …
Discussion:
Mike Scioscia's tragic illness and Gonzo and ‘The Show’
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Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Report: White Sox, Dunn agree to four-year pact
Discussion:
Nationals Inquisition and Britt's Bird Watch
Corey Brock / MLB.com:
Padres on verge of contract with Harang — San Diego resident started 20 games for Reds this past season — SAN DIEGO — The Padres appear close to addressing one of their biggest needs of the offseason: finding a starting pitcher. — According to a source, the Padres are closing …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
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Bill Center / SignOnSanDiego.com:
Are the Padres signing S.D. native Aaron Harang?
Discussion:
MLB.com, MetsBlog.com, MLB Rumors and HardballTalk
Fred Claire / MLB.com:
Murphy is Hall-worthy as person, player — Two-time NL MVP just as impressive off the field as on it — Dale Murphy finds himself on the Hall of Fame ballot for the 13th consecutive year, a reminder of the time that has passed since his 18-year Major League career ended in 1993.
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Blue Jays Acquire Carlos Villanueva — The Blue Jays have acquired Carlos Villanueva from the Brewers for a player to be named later, according to the team's Twitter page. The 27-year-old right-hander posted 11.4 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 52 2/3 innings of relief last year.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Bluebird Banter, Al's Ramblings and Batter's Box Interactive …
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Wakefield: 2011 ‘probably’ his last year — CAP CANA, Dominican Republic — Tim Wakefield indicated today that the coming season would be his last as a player. — “There are still some numbers I want to achieve. But I'm not going to put that much pressure on myself knowing that this probably …
Discussion:
FenwayNationWorld and Fanhouse MLB Blog
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Vlad seeks two-year deal to return to Rangers — ARLINGTON — Free agent Vladimir Guerrero is looking for a two-year deal from the Rangers to return as their designated hitter, according to sources familiar with the discussions. — Guerrero has told other clubs that he wants a three-year contract.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
