Top News:
CBSSports.com Sports News, Fantasy Scores …:
Yanks, Pirates talk about AJ; Raul, Eric wait — The Yankees and Pirates are continuing to talk about a possible A.J. Burnett trade that could lead to more activity in the form of a couple free-agent signings by the Yankees. As of Thursday night, the teams were thought to be a few million apart …
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ESPNChicago com / MLB:
Marlins' Ozzie: It's ‘gambling’ to sign Cespedes — New Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen calls Yoenis Cespedes “pretty impressive,” but he said it's no slam dunk that the Cuban defector ends up in Miami. — Marlins president David Samson has already said that they would like the outfielder …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and Miami Marlins
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ESPN:
Ozzie: Sox's Dunn had problems from Day 1 — It didn't take long for Ozzie Guillen to know his new free agent slugger Adam Dunn was in store for a rough season. — In fact, the former Chicago White Sox manager didn't even need to see Dunn in a regular season at-bat to forecast trouble.
Discussion:
South Side Sox and baseballmusings.com
Howard Megdal / Capital New York:
The whistleblower returns: Noreen Harrington, once the star witness in a Spitzer crusade, testifies that the Mets owners knew about Madoff — Harrington gets a distinguished-alumnus award. adelphi.edu — For just over a year now, the evidence facing Fred Wilpon, Saul Katz …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Kranepool Society
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Michael O'Keeffe / NY Daily News:
Irving Picard responds to NY Mets' owners move to dismiss case with same old arguments
Irving Picard responds to NY Mets' owners move to dismiss case with same old arguments
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Kuiperfan / Joe Posnanski:
Aging (with chart!) — I've never done a chart on here before ... and from the chart above, you can see why. — That chart, though, is supposed to represent something ... this is a mathematically challenged attempt to approximate the aging pattern of every-day baseball players.
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe and THE BOOK
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Sports Illustrated:
How the Rangers plan to transition Yu Darvish to the majors … The day after the Texas Rangers won the bidding for the negotiating rights to pitcher Yu Darvish, a shipment of major league baseballs was delivered to the righthander in Japan so that he could begin training with them immediately.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, ESPN, Dallas Morning News and Baseball Time in Arlington
Ottawa Citizen:
Stadium needs $5.7M upgrade — Staff recommends lease deal for Double-A team — The city should spend $5.7 million spiffing up the 20-year-old Ottawa Stadium on Coventry Road before leasing it to a relocated Double-A baseball team, city staff say. — After a bidding process for the rights …
Discussion:
Batter's Box Interactive …, Amazin' Avenue, ESPN and Real Dirty Mets Blog
Ben Badler / Baseball America:
Cardinals Sign Dominican Righthander Andres Serrano For $750,000 — The Cardinals have signed Dominican righthander Andres Serrano for $750,000, a deal that was agreed to in October and is still pending Major League Baseball's investigation into Serrano's age and identity.
Discussion:
MLB Prospect Watch and HardballTalk
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Nieuwenhuis itching to prove his worth to Mets — Talented center-field prospect heading to spring camp early — NEW YORK — Imagine working a lifetime to reach the highest level of professional baseball, coming within a crow hop of making it, then suddenly and unexpectedly losing that foothold.
Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com:
Cards sign reliever Linebrink to Minors deal — The Cardinals' list of Spring Training non-roster invitees grew by one on Friday with the addition of Scott Linebrink, who signed a Minor League deal just eight days before pitchers and catchers are required to report to camp.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Dan O'Dowd motivated by changing Rockies' culture in offseason makeover — The words come quickly. Without focus, it's hard to keep up with Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd. The same could be said for his offseason. After a disappointing 73-89 record that left the Rockies closer …
Discussion:
Purple Row, MLB Rumors and On the Rox
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Cubs 6-Game Packs feature Opening Day tix — CHICAGO — Want to be at Wrigley Field for Opening Day? What about guaranteeing a seat for the Cubs' series against the Cardinals or White Sox? — You can take advantage of the Cubs 6-Game Pack, featuring tickets to Opening Day, April 5 …