Top News:
Clark Spencer / Fish Bytes:
Marlins not shopping Stanton, and my HOF ballot — Sorry about the absence, but used some vacation time, covered the Sugar Bowl, and watched with detached amusement as the Giancarlo Stanton trade rumors swirled about. The Marlins are not shopping Stanton. They are not dangling him like the carrot at the end of a stick.
Discussion:
Getting Blanked, Fish Stripes, NESN.com, HardballTalk, Amazin' Avenue, MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors
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Dave Perkins / Toronto Star:
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens merit Hall of Fame nod: Perkins — In a day or three, the ever-intensifying baseball Hall of Fame debate will re-emerge, its battle lines freshly redrawn between statistics and morality. In the spirit of opening cans of worms, let it be said that this particular worm …
Discussion:
Hardball Times and Beyond the Box Score
Fox Sports:
Save me your furor if nobody gets in — I already can hear it, the outcry if no player gets elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. — “The Hall is in trouble.” — “The writers are fools.” — “SOMETHING MUST BE DONE.” — Wrong, wrong and wrong again.
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball, Getting Blanked, The Captain's Blog, Baseball Nation and Denver Post
Steve Adams / MLB Rumors:
Brewers Designate Arcenio Leon For Assignment — The Brewers announced that they have designated right-hander Arcenio Leon for assignment in order to make roster space for the recently signed Mike Gonzalez. — Milwaukee claimed the 26-year-old Leon on waivers from the Astros back in November.
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
Richard Deitsch / Sports Illustrated:
A Notre Dame-Alabama TV primer; Bobby Valentine gets a talk show — Brian Kelly wants Notre Dame's first title since 1988; Nick Saban wants 'Bama's third title in four years. — When Notre Dame and Alabama kickoff on Monday night in Miami shortly after 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN executives …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Boston Globe, Getting Blanked, NESN.com and Boston Globe
Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Gerut on mission to protect players' finances — Former Major Leaguer turned agent focused on preventing money woes — Jody Gerut learned to invest his Major League earnings wisely and now wants to help other players. (Matt York/AP) — There was a time when Jody Gerut …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and HardballTalk
Wallace Matthews / ESPN:
GM: Derek Jeter still on target — Derek Jeter has yet to swing a bat, field a ball or run on dry land since suffering a broken ankle in the 12th inning of Game 1 of the AL Championship Series last October. — Still, the New York Yankees insist their 38-year-old captain will be ready …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Nick Cafardo / The Boston Globe:
Will ‘roid rage’ among baseball writers show up in vote? — On Wednesday, the Baseball Writers Association of America and the Hall of Fame will announce the results of the voting that decides which candidates will be enshrined in Cooperstown, N.Y., this year.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, HardballTalk, Metsblog, Let's Go Tribe and MLB Rumors
Wallace Matthews / ESPN:
Discussion:
HardballTalk, The LoHud Yankees Blog and Bombers Beat
Gerry Fraley / Texas Rangers Blog:
Planning underway for Darvish museum — Texas Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish is only 26 years old, but he apparently has accomplished enough in that short time to be immortalized in his homeland ofJapan. — According to Japanese media reports, planning is underway for a Darvish museum …
Discussion:
Getting Blanked and HardballTalk
Associated Press:
Jose Lopez signs with Yomiuri Giants — TOKYO — Former All-Star infielder Jose Lopez is headed to Japan. — He has signed with the Yomiuri Giants of the Central League, the country's most popular team and winner of the 2012 Japan Series. According to Nikkan Sports, he agreed to a one-year deal worth $911,000.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and MLB Daily Dish
Mike Axisa / FanGraphs Baseball:
Rebuilding The Brewers' Bullpen — No bullpen took more losses (33) or blew more saves (29) than the Brewers' relief unit last season. A total of 18 different relievers pitched to a combined 4.66 ERA, the worst mark in the big leagues. Unsurprisingly, GM Doug Melvin set out to remake …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Mo says knee ‘95 percent’ on way toward full health — Baseball's all-time saves leader conducts pitching clinic for Connecticut kids — Mariano Rivera addresses kids at a pitching clinic in Danbury, Conn., on Saturday. (Bryan Hoch/MLB.com) — DANBURY, Conn. — To most of his audience …
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog
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