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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 …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, The Knobler Blog, FanGraphs Baseball, HardballTalk, It's About The Money, Bombers Beat and Bucs Dugout
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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, baseballmusings.com 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 — Trustee says Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz turned blind eye to Bernie Madoff scheme — Irving Picard (below) continues to argue NY Mets owner Fred Wilpon choose to ignore warnings the Bernie Madoff profits were too good to be true.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
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 Rumors, MLB Prospect Watch and HardballTalk
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:
MLB Rumors and Purple Row
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Wainwright wows with his best stuff — Image — JUPITER, Fla. • It was only 30 pitches in February before a collection of 20 players and staff on Field 2 behind Roger Dean Stadium. But it was also Adam Wainwright throwing effortlessly and with command — momentous stuff just two weeks …
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 …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Dejan Kovacevic / PittsburghLIVE.com:
Take the Pirates' money, please — It's one of the many torments of the Pirates' longest-suffering fans, the perpetual thought that somehow, some way, this will be the winter they make that big free-agent splash. — The thought was born, really, when PNC Park opened in 2001 with the promise of spending with the big boys.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Dick Kaegel / MLB.com:
Gordon gets an early gift from Royals — Receives $4.775 million pact on eve of 28th birthday — KANSAS CITY — Now Alex Gordon has something extra to celebrate Friday on his 28th birthday, a $4.775 million contract with the Royals for 2012. — “It was a great birthday present,” he said.
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Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
TV deals for Angels, Rangers open door for other teams — The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox may still reside in Major League Baseball's most exclusive revenue neighborhood, however a gaggle of newly-minted neighbors are poised at the security gates, ready to turn a privileged hamlet into a sprawling subdivision.
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
Bill James / Grantland:
Focus on Sport/Getty Images — An Open Letter to the Hall of Fame About Dwight Evans — The godfather of baseball statistics makes his case for why the Red Sox legend belongs in Cooperstown — I hope you understand that I would never sacrifice my reputation by arguing that a player belongs …
Discussion:
THE BOOK