Top News:
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
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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
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:
Baseball Time in Arlington and Lone Star Ball
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Phillies Asked About Pedro Martinez — The Phillies haven't ruled out adding a third Cy Young Award winner to a rotation that already includes Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay. Philadelphia GM Ruben Amaro Jr. inquired about Pedro Martinez's availability at last week's Winter Meetings, according to Christian Red of the New York Daily News.
Discussion:
Tedquarters
Ted Berg / Tedquarters:
Hold it together — Fun fact: If you asked me yesterday …
Hold it together — Fun fact: If you asked me yesterday …
Discussion:
The Biz of Baseball, Mets Merized Online, MetsBlog.com, Patrick Flood and The Sommer Frieze
JonPaulMorosi / mlbbuzz:
Amid Greinke rumors, don't forget Fausto — He's a right-handed starter. He's 27 years old. He pitches in the American League Central. He has garnered a lot of recent interest on the trade market. — Zack Greinke? — Nope. — Fausto Carmona. — Greinke, of course …
Discussion:
NESN.com
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Fausto Carmona Drawing Heavy Trade Interest — Fausto Carmona is drawing heavy trade interest - perhaps as much as Zack Greinke - according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Carmona, 27, drew lots of trade interest leading up to the July 31st deadline, but GM Mark Shapiro held on.
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings
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
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, Pinstriped Bible … and MLB Rumors
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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, MissChatter and Nationals Journal
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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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
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
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
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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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
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
RELATED:
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:
SOX & Dawgs, Full Count, NESN.com, Over the Monster, HardballTalk, The House That Dewey Built, ESPN, MLB Rumors and MLB Daily Dish
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