Top News:
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
RELATED:
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:
Miami Marlins and MLB Rumors
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 …
RELATED:
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
RELATED:
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
Jbox / Gaslamp Ball:
Padres' Garfinkel says USA Today's sources wrong, television deal not worth $75M a year — Padres President/COO Tom Garfinkel called into XX Sports Radio (MP3) this morning to talk about upcoming promotions. He was just minding his own business when suddenly and without warning he was forced …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
TV deals for Angels, Rangers open door for other teams
TV deals for Angels, Rangers open door for other teams
Discussion:
The Seattle Times and Baseball Nation
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:
Viva El Birdos and Yahoo! Sports
Terence Moore / MLB.com:
Staying clean and sober pays off in the end — Drug and alcohol abuse has derailed many great careers — First, Josh Hamilton proved again that alcoholism is incurable. Then, during an unrelated move, the Baseball Hall of Fame announced a drug educational program for students and young adults.
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Returning to third base, Cabrera slims down — Avila: Slugger sheds 20-25 pounds for move to hot corner — DETROIT — Time will tell whether Miguel Cabrera can make the move back to third base, as the Tigers have planned. As the reigning American League batting champion prepares …
Discussion:
TigerBlog
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 …
Tom Haudricourt / Boston Herald:
Drug-test hearing for Brewers' Ryan Braun clouded in semi-secrecy — MILWAUKEE — Had the date of Ryan Braun's appeal hearing not leaked to the media, one would have no way of knowing that the recommended deadline for rendering a verdict is near. — But, just as the positive drug test …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.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, THE BOOK, Lookout Landing and Fox Sports
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:
ESPN, MLB Rumors, Dallas Morning News and Baseball Time in Arlington
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