Top News:
Ken Davidoff / New York Post:
Marlins-Blue Jays deal upsets MLB owners — AT THE OWNERS MEETINGS — ROSEMONT, Illinois — Jeffrey Loria, the Marlins' maverick owner, reported to the Major League Baseball owners' meetings looking and sounding cantankerous. — “Not today, boys,” Loria told a group of reporters …
Discussion:
Fish Tank blog, HardballTalk and Bluebird Banter
RELATED:
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Girardi, Yanks prepping for life in tougher AL East — Blue Jays' potential mega-deal with Marlins could shift balance of power — NEW YORK — Yankees manager Joe Girardi expects the challenge of repeating as American League East champions to grow even tougher next season …
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog
Evan Drellich / MLB.com:
Red Sox, Tribe, Bucs GMs react to trade reports — Cherington, Antonetti, Huntington hear buzz at alumni event — BOSTON — Three Major League general managers were about to go on stage Tuesday night when they learned of the impending Blue Jays-Marlins trade like everyone else: on the web.
Discussion:
Boston Globe and Over the Monster
Joe Frisaro / The Fish Pond:
Marlins not intending to trade Stanton
Marlins not intending to trade Stanton
Discussion:
Hit and Run, Fish Stripes, Miami Marlins, Brew Crew Ball, River Avenue Blues, Sports Illustrated, MLB Daily Dish, MLB Rumors, Full Count and HardballTalk
Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Bruce seeking to finish his career in Cincinnati — Reds outfielder eyes extension to current deal that runs through 2016 — CINCINNATI — Reds right fielder Jay Bruce has long-term commitments on his mind of late — both of the personal and professional variety.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, HardballTalk, Red Reporter and MLB Daily Dish
Fox Sports:
Will Royals be tempted to deal? — Will Kansas City be the next team to pull a blockbuster trade? — Royals general manager Dayton Moore, according to one rival executive, is “feeling the heat” - in a sense, not unlike Toronto Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos did when agreed to his 12-player trade with the Miami Marlins.
Discussion:
Royals Review, Over the Monster, MLB Rumors and MLB Daily Dish
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Marlins feel trade will fill several need areas — Miami envisions Escobar at third, Hechavarria at short, Alvarez as No. 3 starter — MIAMI — Once the dust settles and emotions simmer from the still-pending blockbuster trade with the Blue Jays, the Marlins feel confident that they've addressed a number of their needs.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Debby Wu / MLB.com:
Philippines jumps on sloppy Thailand in qualifier — XINZHUANG, Taiwan — The Philippines took advantage of Thailand's defensive struggles en route to a 8-2 victory on Wednesday in the World Baseball Classic qualifier on Wednesday at Xinzhuang Stadium. — Eighteen-year Major League veteran …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue and HardballTalk
Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
Braves To Sign Gerald Laird — The Braves have agreed to sign Gerald Laird, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). MLB.com's Mark Bowman, who first reported that the two sides were close to a deal, says it's a two-year contract (on Twitter). Laird is a CSE client.
Discussion:
Bless You Boys, Talking Chop and MLB Daily Dish
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com Sports News …:
Yankees remain hopeful on Kuroda, but competition comes on several fronts — CHICAGO — The Yankees continue to negotiate with free-agent pitcher Hiroki Kuroda in hopes of beating several other suitors — the Dodgers, Red Sox and now the Angels — plus another country.
Discussion:
Hot Stove, MLB Rumors, Over the Monster and The LoHud Yankees Blog
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Crew proactive with injury prevention at symposium — Medical director Roger Caplinger (with Carlos Gomez in 2010) says the Brewers are “at the cutting edge of medicine.” (AP) — MILWAUKEE — Brewers medical director Roger Caplinger will gather the organization's doctors …
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings and JSOnline
Sam Miller / Baseball Prospectus:
Single-Number Metrics and MVP Leaderboards … 1. If the point is to get it right, then the answer is probably yes. This assumes we could agree upon a single-number metric, but considering that usually the single-number metrics line up fairly well, well enough that there's not a great deal …
Discussion:
THE BOOK