Top News:
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Andy Pettitte To Retire — It's the end of a three-month wait for the Yankees and a 16-year career for Andy Pettitte. The left-hander is set to announce his retirement tomorrow, the team announced. — The Yankees waited all winter for Pettitte and would have welcomed him back for a 14th season in pinstripes.
RELATED:
Wallace Matthews / ESPN:
New York Yankees' Andy Pettitte to announce retirement … NEW YORK — The Core Four is now down to We Three. — As many expected since the New York Yankees 2010 season ended in disappointment in Texas, Andy Pettitte will officially announce his retirement at a news conference at Yankee Stadium at 10:30 a.m. ET on Friday.
Discussion:
Yankees Daily and FenwayNationWorld
Craig Calcaterra / HardballTalk:
Andy Pettitte to retire tomorrow — Yankees announcer and ESPN Radio host Michael Kay just tweeted the following: … Ken Rosenthal has a source that is confirming that Pettitte will retire tomorrow. Jack Curry of YES Network has a full story on it here. He's heading to New York where there will be a press conference.
Discussion:
Pinstriped Bible …, River Avenue Blues, SBNation.com, BronxBanterBlog.com and Over the Monster
Mark Polishuk / MLB Rumors:
Yankees Remain In Contact With Kevin Millwood
Yankees Remain In Contact With Kevin Millwood
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues, Baseball Prospectus, Mike Silva's … and Pinstriped Bible …
NY Daily News:
Lupica: Trustee aims to smear Wilpons — This is what you are supposed to believe now, as the trustee for the victims of Bernie Madoff, a lawyer named Irving Picard, tries to shake down Fred Wilpon, his family, his partners: — That after all these years in New York …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
Ian Begley / ESPN:
Mark Cuban won't initiate bid for Mets
Mark Cuban won't initiate bid for Mets
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, New York Post, Bats, Dodgers Blog, Mike Silva's …, NY Daily News and Amazin' Avenue
Richard Sandomir / New York Times:
Adding SNY to Mets' Sale Pitch Would Increase Allure
Adding SNY to Mets' Sale Pitch Would Increase Allure
Discussion:
Tedquarters and SNY
Mike Ozanian / SportsMoney:
New York Mets Book Value: -$225 million
New York Mets Book Value: -$225 million
Discussion:
ESPN, Mets Merized Online, New Jersey Online, Wall Street Journal and MetsBlog.com
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
White Sox To Sign Lastings Milledge — The White Sox agreed to sign Lastings Milledge to a minor league deal, the team announced. Milledge, 25, has played in parts of five seasons for the Mets, Nationals and Pirates. — The Pirates non-tendered the 2003 first rounder after he hit .277/.332/.380 in 412 plate appearances.
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Fox Sports:
White Sox, Milledge reach agreement — Lastings Milledge is younger than some previous White Sox gambles — Andruw Jones, Ken Griffey Jr., Manny Ramirez. But even though Milledge is still only 25, he, too, is at a crossroads. — The White Sox reached agreement with Milledge …
Discussion:
SBNation.com and Let's Go Tribe!
Fox Sports:
Dye won't settle for minor-league deal — Jermaine Dye was first among AL outfielders in homers from 2005-09, yet can't get a job. — Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since August 2005. He appears weekly on MLB on FOX. Follow him on Twitter.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Projo Sox Blog, SBNation.com, At Home Plate and HardballTalk
RELATED:
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Nats give Meredith, Cora Minor League deals
Nats give Meredith, Cora Minor League deals
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and Nationals Inquisition
Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
Texas Rangers Top 11 Prospects — System In 20 Words Or Less: One of the best systems in the game has dropped dramatically due to a combination of graduations, trades, and disappointments. — Five-Star Prospects — 1. Martin Perez, LHP — Four-Star Prospects — 2. Jurickson Profar, SS
Patrick Reddington / Federal Baseball:
Scott Boras Explains Jayson Werth's 7-Year/$126 Million Dollar Deal With The Washington Nationals. — More photos » Mitchell Layton - Getty Images — Jayson Werth #28 of the Washington Nationals poses in his jersey as he is introduced to the media on December 15 2010 at Nationals Park in Washington DC.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Twinkie Town
Ben Lindbergh / Baseball Prospectus:
A Little Bit Softer Now — “They have crooked arms. They throw crooked, they walk crooked, and they think crooked. They even wear their clothes crooked. You have to figure they're a little crazy.” —Al Schacht … —Ray Miller — “Just because I'm left-handed and quotable doesn't mean I'm from another solar system.”
Discussion:
THE BOOK
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers avoid arbitration with reliever Kuo — LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers and reliever Hong-Chih Kuo reached agreement Wednesday on a one-year, $2.725 million contract, with another $675,000 possible through bonuses. — Kuo is coming off a record-breaking All-Star season.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
RELATED:
Mark Polishuk / MLB Rumors:
Dodgers Avoid Arbitration With Hong-Chih Kuo
Dodgers Avoid Arbitration With Hong-Chih Kuo
Discussion:
ESPN and True Blue LA
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Tigers close door on bringing Bonderman back — DETROIT — What little opening the Tigers left for Jeremy Bonderman to return has now officially closed. Team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski told the Detroit News that the club will not re-sign it right-handed rotation member for the past eight years.
Discussion:
TigerBlog
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Tigers' Jackson targets 40 stolen bases — DETROIT — Give it to Austin Jackson: He isn't setting his goals low. In fact, he's setting them pretty fast. — To Tigers fans at the North American International Auto Show, Jackson might have raised some eyebrows on the team's Winter Caravan stop …
Discussion:
HardballTalk