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8:00 PM ET, December 14, 2010

Ballbug

 Top News: 
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Phillies Agree To Sign Cliff Lee  —  The wait is over.  In a surprising development that leaves two top American League teams empty-handed, Cliff Lee has agreed to sign a five-year, $120MM deal with the Phillies.  The contract includes a $27.5MM vesting option for 2016 with a $12.5MM buyout, plus partial no-trade clause.
RELATED:
Trsullivan / Postcards from Elysian Fields:
Cliff Lee is going to Philadelphia Phillies  —  The Rangers were told Monday night that Lee is going to the Phillies, It is a done deal  —  YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!  (RC)^2 (Ar See Squared) Roy-Roy-Cole-Cliff.  The Phantastic Phour!  YESSSSS!!!!!!
NY Daily News:
Martino: Lee might've been better taking the money  —  In signing with Phillies, Cliff Lee chases memory of World Series run, but he may regret decision  —  Tuesday, December 14th 2010, 4:00 AM  —  Cliff Lee returns to Philadelphia where he faces the Yankees in the 2009 World Series …
Dave Cameron / FanGraphs Baseball:
Best.  Rotation.  Ever?  —  After a six week dance with New York and Texas, Cliff Lee has apparently decided to spurn them both and sign with the [Mystery Team] Philadelphia Phillies.  If the Jayson Werth deal was a shocker, this one breaks the Richter Scale.
Ted Berg / Tedquarters:
Hold it together  —  Fun fact: If you asked me yesterday …
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Possible Fits For Joe Blanton
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Cliff Lee's return simply stunning
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN.com:
Sources: Cliff Lee to return to Phillies
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Phillies, Red Sox Discussed Joe Blanton
Matthew Pouliot / HardballTalk:
Let's not pencil the Phillies into the World Series just yet
Discussion: Optimistic Mets Fan
David Waldstein / New York Times:
Darek Braunecker, Agent for Cliff Lee, Is Getting Noticed
USA Today:
Stunner: Cliff Lee headed back to Phillies
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:   Phillies Come Out of Nowhere in Winning Bid for Lee
Fox Sports:
Phillies still bidding for prize ace
MLBReporters / MLB.com Hot Stove blog:
Yankees come to terms with Russell Martin  —  NEW YORK — The Yankees have agreed to terms on a contract with Russell Martin, multiple sources told MLB.com on Monday.  Details of the deal, which is contingent on a physical and will not be made official until Martin does so, were not immediately available.
RELATED:
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Yankees agree to contract with Martin  —  NEW YORK — The Yankees have agreed to terms on a contract with free-agent catcher Russell Martin, multiple sources told MLB.com on Tuesday.  Details of the deal were not immediately available, but it is expected to be announced at some point on Tuesday.
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Yankees take risk on Martin; Albers on Sox radar  —  The teams that were in on catcher Russell Martin certainly have some concern about the former All-Star's right hip, which suffered a fracture during last season.  —  The Red Sox are certainly aware of hip injuries after dealing with Mike Lowell's for a couple of years.
Discussion: NESN.com and MLB Rumors
Aaron Gleeman / HardballTalk:
Yankees sign catcher Russell Martin to one-year contract  —  Moving on quickly after Cliff Lee turned them down, the Yankees “have agreed to terms on a contract with Russell Martin,” according to Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com.  It's believed to be a one-year deal, although the Yankees …
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Yankees Reach Agreement With Russell Martin  —  The Yankees have reached an agreement with catcher Russell Martin, reports MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez.  With Jorge Posada moving into a designated hitter role next year, Martin should be the Yankees' starting catcher.
ESPN:
Source: Yanks to sign Russell Martin
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Pirates Moving Close To Agreement With Lyle Overbay  —  11:44am: The Pirates are moving close to an agreement with Overbay, tweets Morosi.  —  8:37am: The Pirates have been talking with free agent first baseman Lyle Overbay, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  He says it's not clear whether they're making progress on a deal.
Discussion: Yahoo! Sports and Bucs Dugout
RELATED:
Jenifer Langosch / By Gosh, It's Langosch:
Pirates sign 1B Overbay
Joe McDonald / ESPN:
Source: Kevin Gregg, Baltimore Orioles close; Boston Red Sox, Washington Nationals lingering  —  BOSTON — Right-handed reliever Kevin Gregg is close to signing a two-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles worth $12 million, according to a league source.  —  The Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals …
MLB:
Oakland Athletics seal deal with new designated hitter Hideki Matsui  —  OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics have landed their new designated hitter.  —  The A's and free agent slugger Hideki Matsui finalized a one-year contract Tuesday after he passed a physical.
RELATED:
Fox Sports:
Report: Matsui to join A's on Tuesday
Discussion: NoMaas.org
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards reach agreement with Laird as Molina's backup  —  The Cardinals have completed their 25-man puzzle by agreeing with free agent catcher Gerald Laird on a one-year contract, pending Laird passing a team physical.  —  Laird, 31, has appeared in eight major-league seasons and served …
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Yankees To Sign Mark Prior  —  It's not Cliff Lee, but the Yankees have added a big-name pitcher.  The team agreed to sign Mark Prior to a minor league deal, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (on Twitter).  Prior will earn $750K in the major leagues and could earn $750K more in incentives …
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Navarro officially joins Dodgers  —  Catcher returns to LA to compete for backup role  —  The Dodgers officially reacquired free-agent catcher Dioner Navarro when he passed his physical exam on Monday.  —  The former All-Star and former Dodger will compete with A.J. Ellis as backup …
Discussion: Yahoo! Sports
 
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 More News: 
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Orioles To Sign Jeremy Accardo
Discussion: Bluebird Banter
Associated Press:
Reds announce Bruce contract
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Mariners Sign Langerhans, Bautista, Gimenez, Ring
Discussion: Lookout Landing
Terez A. Paylor / Kansas City Star:
Francoeur is full of hope as he joins Royals
Discussion: Royals Review and HardballTalk
 Earlier Picks: 
Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
Mets introduce Terry Collins' coaching staff, team still looking …
Discussion: Mets Fever
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
No deal yet in place for Blanton
Discussion: Surviving Grady and YFSF
Greg Johns / MLB.com:
A's sign right-hander McCarthy
Discussion: Texas Rangers
 

 
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