Top News:
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Angels To Sign Josh Hamilton — For the second time in as many offseasons, the Angels have signed the top free agent position player to a surprising long-term contract. The Angels have agreed to sign Josh Hamilton to a five-year deal, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter).
RELATED:
ESPN:
Josh Hamilton headed to Angels — Josh Hamilton is going from the Texas Rangers to the rival Los Angeles Angels. — Rangers general manager Jon Daniels confirmed Thursday that Hamilton agreed to a contract with the Angels. Multiple sources have confirmed to ESPN that the deal is worth $125 million over five years.
Discussion:
Athletics Nation
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com Sports News …:
Rangers, Hamilton in touch, upping chances he stays with Texas — Josh Hamilton and the Rangers have continued to stay in touch, and while the Mariners and others are showing interest, rivals suggest they believe the chances of Hamilton staying with Texas have increased in recent days.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, U.S.S. Mariner and Sporting News Feed RSS
ESPN:
Sources: Hamilton, Angels agree on $125M deal — Free-agent slugger Josh Hamilton agreed to a five-year, $125 million contract Thursday with the Los Angeles Angels, sources told ESPN.com. — Hamilton's former team, the Texas Rangers, had been in negotiations to retain the 2010 MVP.
Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
Rival executive says Texas Rangers in the market for NY Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey
Discussion:
Metsblog
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Rangers still in the hunt to re-sign Hamilton
Discussion:
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Bucs Dugout, MLB Daily Dish and Lone Star Ball
ESPN:
Shane Victorino officially introduced by Boston Red Sox — The Boston Red Sox on Thursday officially signed switch-hitting outfielder Shane Victorino to a three-year deal. The deal, which runs through 2015, will pay him $39 million, according to sources. — He will wear No. 18 with the Red Sox.
Discussion:
Boston Globe
RELATED:
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Red Sox, Ryan Dempster close — BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox are confident they are closing in on an agreement with free-agent pitcher Ryan Dempster, according to a baseball source. — There were indications Thursday that the veteran pitcher will not require a third year on his contract to seal the deal, the source said.
Discussion:
Over the Monster, Getting Blanked and SI Tracking Blog
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Melvin On Marcum, Dempster, Jackson — If Ryan Dempster signs with the Red Sox, the Brewers might not pursue other free agent starters, Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Melvin indicated free agent starters have shown limited reciprocal interest, according to Haudricourt.
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings
RELATED:
Tom Haudricourt / JSOnline:
Brewers not talking with Marcum — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — Brewers general manager Doug Melvin just told me that he has not talked with free-agent pitcher Shaun Marcum about a possible return to Milwaukee. — I touched base with Melvin because Marcum said during …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and HardballTalk
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Yankees closer Mariano Rivera says he'll be ready for Opening Day of 2013 season — The 43-year-old closer suffered a torn ACL while shagging fly balls in the outfield last May, but he's ‘feeling good’ now as he progresses through rehab. — Mariano Rivera proclaims he will be back on the Yankee Stadium hill on 2013 Opening Day.
Discussion:
SI Tracking Blog, HardballTalk and Sporting News Feed RSS
RELATED:
George A. King III / New York Post:
Damon thinks Youkilis will be ‘fine’ with Yankees
Discussion:
Surviving Grady and MLB Daily Dish
Yonhap News Agency:
S. Korean pitcher Lim Chang-yong agrees to terms with Chicago Cubs — South Korean relief pitcher Lim Chang-yong said Thursday he has agreed to terms with the Chicago Cubs in Major League Baseball (MLB). — Lim, 36, left for the U.S. Thursday to sign the two-year contract.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, NPB Tracker and MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Giants To Sign Andres Torres — Andres Torres is heading back to San Francisco, the Giants confirmed on Twitter. The Giants have agreed to sign the free agent outfielder to a one-year, $2MM contract, Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area reports (Twitter links). The deal between the Giants and the ACES client is pending a physical.
Discussion:
Getting Blanked, HardballTalk, McCovey Chronicles, Amazin' Avenue and MLB Daily Dish
FOXSportsWest.com:
Greinke wraps up Dodgers' spending spree — Joe McDonnell is an award-winning journalist/talk show host. He joined FoxSportsWest.com in February 2011 as a writer/podcaster. Named LA Daily News Sports Talk Host of the Decade, he won the yearly award 7 times. He's also won 2 Golden Mics.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
