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Fox Sports:
Berkman close to signing with Texas — The Texas Rangers — closing in on a new designated hitter — are finalizing an agreement with free agent Lance Berkman, according to major-league sources. — The contract is expected to be for one year, and also might include a vesting option for 2014, sources said.
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Zach Links / MLB Rumors:
Rangers To Sign Lance Berkman — The Rangers finalizing an agreement with Lance Berkman, a source tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The deal is believed to be for one year and might include a vesting option for the Moye Sports Associates client. — Berkman will bring offense to a Texas team …
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CBSSports.com Sports News … and River Avenue Blues
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com Sports News …:
Aubrey Huff intends to play in 2013, hopes an opportunity opens up — Aubrey Huff, the consistent power producer and 2010 Giants hero derailed by an episode of panic attacks in 2012, is looking to make a comeback in 2013. — “He wants to play,” Huff's attorney Ed Hayes said by phone.
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San Francisco Giants Baseball, HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
Lee Enterprises / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Berkman, Lohse looking for fits as free agents — • By Derrick Goold dgoold@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8285 — With spring training in sight, Lance Berkman acknowledges he's mulling options and “still a little bit in limbo” when it comes to next season and his Hamlet dilemma: to play or not to play.
Anthony Rieber / Newsday:
Alex Rodriguez on schedule for hip surgery — Alex Rodriguez has not suffered any setbacks in his preparation for hip surgery and has a tentative date for the procedure, according to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. — “We have a tentative date, but I'm not going to reveal it,” Cashman said Friday.
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The LoHud Yankees Blog and River Avenue Blues
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Dan Martin / New York Post:
A-Rod's surgery remains on hold; Yankees GM says to expect fewer homers — No date has been set for Alex Rodriguez's hip surgery and it's not expected to be performed until the middle of the month — at the earliest. — When asked for a potential return date for the third baseman …
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The LoHud Yankees Blog, Red Sox Monster, MLB Daily Dish, HardballTalk and River Avenue Blues
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com Sports News …:
Showalter extension may add three years to his Orioles deal — Manager Buck Showalter's contract extension, which may be announced next week, is expected to be for three years, which would keep him in Baltimore through the 2016 season, people familiar with the talks suggested.
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SI Tracking Blog, HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
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Roch Kubatko / School of Roch:
Showalter nearing agreement on contract extension
Showalter nearing agreement on contract extension
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Sporting News Feed RSS, HardballTalk, MLB Daily Dish and Camden Chat
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies show some interest in pitchers Brandon Webb, Jeff Karstens — While remaining open to a trade to add pitching, the Rockies have expressed mild interest in low-risk free agents Brandon Webb and Jeff Karstens. — Bill Geivett, the Rockies' director of major-league operations …
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MLB Rumors, Purple Row and HardballTalk
Richard Sandomir / New York Times:
Infusion of $160 Million Gives Mets a Chance to Spend, Perhaps on Talent — The Mets' owners, who were financially hobbled by Bernard L. Madoff's immense fraud scheme, now have about $160 million in new money to spend. — The cash infusion, as refreshing to the co-owners Fred Wilpon …
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Metsblog, The LoHud Mets Blog and Amazin' Avenue
Juliet Macur / New York Times:
In Reversal, Armstrong Is Said to Weigh Admitting Drug Use — Lance Armstrong, who this fall was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles for doping and barred for life from competing in all Olympic sports, has told associates and antidoping officials that he is considering publicly admitting …
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Sporting News Feed RSS, Deadspin and SI Tracking Blog, more at WeSmirch »
Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
Dodgers Moving Towards Deal With J.P. Howell — The Dodgers are moving towards a one-year contract with J.P. Howell, reports Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). The deal has not been finalized, however. The left-hander is a Legacy Sports Group client.
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Los Angeles Times, ESPN, MLB Daily Dish, Federal Baseball, HardballTalk, True Blue LA and SI Tracking Blog