Top News:
Bill Lubinger / Plain Dealer:
To combat dwindling attendance, Cleveland Indians are shrinking their ticket prices — CLEVELAND, Ohio — Losing has its price. — For the Indians, the price of losing 190 games over the last two seasons — in a shrinking market — was the lowest attendance in baseball.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
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MLB.com:
Phillies sign Clliff Lee to five-year contract — Free agent left-hander Cliff Lee signed a five-year, $120 million contract with the Phillies, Senior Vice President & General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced today. Lee's contract has a vesting option for 2016 and includes an awards package.
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues
Christian Red / NY Daily News:
Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. showed interest in Pedro Martinez during winter meetings: source — Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has locked down his dream rotation for 2011, but is there room to add another ex-Phillie who happens to also be a multiple Cy Young Award winner?
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Fox Sports:
King Felix should be untouchable — Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005. He appears weekly on MLB on FOX. Follow him on Twitter. — The Yankees are free to inquire on Felix Hernandez, but the Mariners do not figure to move a pitcher …
Discussion:
Dallas Morning News, MetsBlog.com, Sliding Into Home and It's About The Money
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Ken Davidoff's baseball insider — The Cliff Lee aftermath, Andy Pettitte, Russell Martin and Hideki Matsui — Brian Cashman's mantra of the day was, “Plan B is patience,” and sometimes (not trading for Johan Santana) the Yankees have honored such a philosophy. Other times (the A.J. Burnett signing) not so much.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and Pinstriped Bible …
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Yanks, Prior ink minor-league deal
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Desmond would like to remain with Nationals — WASHINGTON — Shortstop Ian Desmond has heard his name mentioned in trade rumors, but he made it known on Tuesday that he wants to stay with the Nationals. — The Nationals have interest in Royals right-hander Zack Greinke and Rays right-hander Matt Garza.
Discussion:
Nationals Inquisition and Federal Baseball
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Zimmerman excited to have Werth in lineup
Zimmerman excited to have Werth in lineup
Discussion:
The Nationals Enquirer, Federal Baseball and MissChatter
Associated Press:
Minimum salary rises to $414,000 — NEW YORK — The lowest-paid players in the major leagues are getting a raise. — The minimum salary is rising by $14,000 to $414,000, the commissioner's office said Wednesday. — The minimum minor league salary for players on 40-man rosters for at least …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com and HardballTalk
New York Post:
Yankees have survived worse hits than this — Tweet — The last time the unquestioned best starter on the market spurned the Yankees' lavish bid, he also went to an NL powerhouse to join an already elite rotation. — Greg Maddux rejected the Yanks after the 1992 season …
Discussion:
It's About The Money
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Astros Sign Dopirak, Gervacio — The Astros announced that they have signed first baseman Brian Dopirak and right-hander Sammy Gervacio. Both players receive minor league contracts and invitations to big league Spring Training. — Dopirak is a former second round pick …
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Nolan Carroll / Yahoo! Sports:
Navarro gets $1 million deal with Dodgers — LOS ANGELES (AP)—Free-agent catcher Dioner Navarro — agreed Tuesday to a $1 million, one-year contract with the Dodgers, bringing him back for a second stint in Los Angeles. — Navarro played for the Dodgers for parts of two seasons before being traded to Tampa Bay in June 2006.
Discussion:
Memories Of Kevin Malone and True Blue LA
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John McGrath / The News Tribune:
Olerud a Hall of Famer? No, but let's discuss it — A few weeks ago, I was asked how I thought John Olerud would fare in this year's Hall of Fame vote. — “Really?” I said. “John Olerud is eligible for induction this year?” — The question had been answered with that question.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Dodgers To Sign Matt Guerrier — The Dodgers agreed to sign Matt Guerrier to a three-year deal, according to Newsday's Erik Boland (on Twitter). The deal would be for $12MM over three years, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). — The right-hander joins Scott Downs …
Discussion:
Full Count, Fanhouse MLB Blog and True Blue LA
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Casting an important vote for the first time — My first Hall of Fame ballot arrived in the mail earlier this month. It has been sitting on my desk waiting to be mailed back. — When I started out covering baseball, I never imagined spending the requisite 10 years in the Baseball Writers' Association of America to get a vote.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Matt Slocum / Yahoo! Sports:
Joey Votto named Canada's top athlete — Joey Votto is the third Canadian to win baseball's MVP award. — Major League Baseball player Joey Votto — has been named the recipient of the 2010 Lou Marsh Award as Canada's top athlete. — The Cincinnati Reds first baseman had 37 home runs …
Discussion:
The Baseball Zealot
Dallas Morning News:
Cowlishaw: Even without Cliff Lee, Rangers' pitching should be fine — Just six weeks ago, the Texas Rangers were this close to securing their place in World Series history. The San Francisco Giants prevented that by beating Cliff Lee twice. — On Monday, the Rangers were this close …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball and Baseball Time in Arlington
Terez A. Paylor / Kansas City Star:
Finding the right deal for Greinke isn't easy — The Royals are still listening to offers for star pitcher Zack Greinke, but general manager Dayton Moore acknowledged Monday that dealing him isn't as easy as it would seem. — Oh, there are plenty of suitors — Toronto …
Discussion:
Rany on the Royals and NoMaas.org
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Terez A. Paylor / Kansas City Star:
Francoeur is full of hope as he joins Royals
Francoeur is full of hope as he joins Royals
Discussion:
Royals Review, HardballTalk and Can't Stop The Bleeding
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:
Over the Monster, HardballTalk, NESN.com, Full Count, The House That Dewey Built, ESPN and MLB Rumors
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Ted Berg / Tedquarters:
Hold it together — Fun fact: If you asked me yesterday to predict the 2011 NL East winner, I would have said the Braves. They have a bunch of good young hitters and a strong, durable front of the rotation. — Then last night, the Phillies signed Cliff Lee to a reported five-year, $120 million deal with a vesting option.
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