Top News:
ESPN:
Yanks agree to deal with Ibanez, sources say — The New York Yankees have agreed to a one-year deal with Raul Ibanez worth $1.1 million plus incentives, baseball sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney on Monday morning. — Ibanez can make up to $4 million total with the incentives, the sources said.
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily, It's About The Money, NoMaas.org and MLB Daily Dish
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Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Yankees sign Ibanez to DH on one-year deal — Veteran expected to fill left-handed role, provide outfield depth — TAMPA, Fla. — The Yankees reached agreement with Raul Ibanez on a one-year, $1.1 million contract on Monday, securing the left-handed designated-hitter option they had coveted.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Jon Star / MLB.com:
Yankees sign Ibanez to DH on one-year deal — Veteran lefty hitter's agreement for $1.1 million plus incentives — The Yankees agreed to a one-year contract with free agent outfielder/designated hitter Raul Ibanez on Monday, a source confirmed to MLB.com. The deal is worth $1.1 million and includes performance-based bonuses.
Discussion:
It's About The Money
Jim Callis / Baseball America:
2012 Aggregate Bonus Pools — As part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams are now assigned an aggregate signing bonus pool for their picks in the first 10 rounds of the draft. Each has a predetermined value, from $7.2 million for the No. 1 choice to $125,000 for pick No. 300 and any subsequent .
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily, Twinkie Town, Bucs Dugout and River Avenue Blues
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Francisco Rodriguez mulls legal action against former agents — PHOENIX - Milwaukee Brewers reliever Francisco Rodriguez, believing his former agents deceived him, may file a grievance or lawsuit against them this week, his attorney told USA TODAY. — Attorney Richard Johnson said Rodriguez …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Baseball Nation, MetsBlog.com and JSOnline
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Richard Griffin / Toronto Star:
Selig needed to ask if Burnett trade was in best interest of baseball — Back on June 15, 1976, as the first wave of MLB serfs-in-spikes was about to hit the open market under the original rules of free agency, a commissioner's decision cited as “in the best interests of baseball” was made by then-commissioner Bowie Kuhn.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Bucs Dugout
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Buster Olney / ESPN:
Sources: A.J. Burnett trade official
Discussion:
Associated Press, Yahoo! Sports and Baseball Nation
ESPN:
Manny Ramirez says he'll join A's — Manny Ramirez told ESPN's Pedro Gomez on Monday that he has agreed to a deal with the Oakland Athletics. — Ramirez — Sources tell Gomez the deal is worth about $500,000. Ramirez is obligated to serve a 50-game suspension without pay before beginning play …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and ESPN
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Yankees GM Brian Cashman says stalking scandal has been ‘difficult,’ won't let it affect job with Bombers — Cashman: I'm going to continue to do my job to the best of my abilities — New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman addresses the media in Tampa for the first time since the news of the stalking scandal broke.
Discussion:
ESPN, Pinstripe Alley and IT IS HIGH!
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Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
Brian Cashman keeping focus on job
Discussion:
HardballTalk and It's About The Money
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Rangers sign Cotts to Minor League deal — SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Rangers have signed left-handed reliever Neal Cotts to a Minor League contract. He will not be in Major League camp, but he will report to the Minor League side. — Cotts has not pitched in the Major Leagues since 2009, when he pitched for the Cubs.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Henry reacts to Crawford's comments — FORT MYERS, Fla — Carl Crawford said upon his arrival at JetBlue Park today that he was surprised to hear that John Henry was against the signing. — Henry had made the comments last fall in the context of trying to indicate that he stayed …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Westbrook hopes less of him is more — JUPITER, Fla. — Jake Westbrook hopes to bring more to the Cardinals rotation this year than he did during an inconsistent, frustrating 2011. He will attempt to do so by bringing less of himself into camp. — Westbrook threw himself into an intensive diet …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Kendrys Morales to take another step in rehab from broken ankle — Angels slugger Kendry Morales hits a two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium in the 2010 season. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times / April 21, 2010) — Tempe, Ariz.—
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
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Dick Kaegel / MLB.com:
Yost speculating early on top of lineup — Giavotella could bat No. 2; manager likes Gordon at leadoff — SURPRISE, Ariz. — It's very early, but Royals manager Ned Yost did some musing about the top of his lineup on Sunday, confirming that second baseman Johnny Giavotella is his first choice to bat in the second slot.
