Top News:
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Biggio tops vote but no one elected to Hall — Former Astros star finishes 39 votes shy, trailed by Morris, Bagwell, Piazza — NEW YORK — The most highly debated election for entry into the National Baseball Hall of Fame ended Wednesday without a new inductee.
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus, Hit and Run, Gaslamp Ball and Metsblog
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ESPN:
No players elected to Baseball Hall of Fame by writers — NEW YORK — Steroid-tainted stars Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa were denied entry to baseball's Hall of Fame, with voters failing to elect any candidates for only the second time in four decades.
Discussion:
Hardball Times and ESPN.com
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
No Players Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame — In perhaps the most resounding referendum on the legacy of steroids in baseball, voters for the Hall of Fame rejected the candidacy of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens in voting announced Wednesday. For the first time since 1996 …
Discussion:
Athletics Nation and Baseball Nation
Dan Shaughnessy / The Boston Globe:
A Hall of Fame ballot without a whiff of PED usage — Curt Schilling tipped his cap to the Fenway crowd on Oct. 25, 2007, after leaving Game 2 of the World Series. He is on the Hall of Fame ballot this year. — The poison ballot remained on my desk, unopened until Dec. 31. — I knew what was in there.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Comcast SportsNet, MLB Daily Dish, AZ Snake Pit, Bluebird Banter, Talking Chop, The Crawfish Boxes, Baseball Crank, South Side Sox, baseballmusings.com, Brew Crew Ball, Baseball Prospectus, Batter's Box Interactive …, Fire Brand, MLB.com, platoonadvantage.com and Dan Shaughnessy Watch
Howard Bryant / MLB:
Drawing a blank on a HOF ballot — PEDs left no room for a comfort zone, so one voter returned a blank ballot — As it turned out, I sent my 2013 Hall of Fame ballot in blank. This wasn't science. It wasn't a clever attack in the three-front culture war among the players, the SABR s and the BBWAAs.
Discussion:
Full Count, ESPN, The Big Lead, AZ Snake Pit, Baseball Nation and HardballTalk
Craig Calcaterra / HardballTalk:
Ken Burns on Bonds, Clemens, Piazza: “Those motherf***ers should suffer for a while” — I had a good conversation with my friend Norm Wamer of 106.5 The Ticket in Toledo yesterday. We talked about how, as a fan, it's OK to feel anger and resentment any any other number of complicated emotions about baseball players who cheat.
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, Amazin' Avenue and Hit & Run
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
My (overstuffed) Hall of Fame ballot
My (overstuffed) Hall of Fame ballot
Discussion:
ESPN, Baseball Prospectus and Phillies Nation
Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Jonathan Singleton banned 50 games — Houston Astros prospect Jonathan Singleton, a rising star in the organization and the team's first baseman of the future, has been suspended for the first 50 games of the 2013 season for his second violaton of minor league baseball's drug policy.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, The Crawfish Boxes and The Good Phight
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Matt Eddy / Baseball America:
Top First-Base Prospect Flunks Test For ‘Drug Of Abuse’ — The Astros' Jonathan Singleton finished last season in Double-A and ranks as the top first-base prospect in the minors, but his flight to Houston has been delayed with the revelation Wednesday that he failed multiple drug tests administered …
NY Daily News:
Yankees reportedly working on bringing Washington Nationals' Michael Morse to the Bronx in exchange for Boone Logan — Morse became possible trade bait when Washington re-signed first baseman Adam LaRoche. The Nationals already have a core outfield of Bryce Harper, Jayson Werth and Denard Span.
Discussion:
Washington Times, Bombers Beat, MLB.com and MLB Rumors
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Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Rockies give Corpas invitation to Spring Training — DENVER — The Rockies have looked to an old friend to help with their new pitching plan. — Right-hander Manny Corpas, the closer on the 2007 Rockies club that went to the only World Series in team history, rejoined the Rockies on Wednesday …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
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Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
Pirates Acquire Jeanmar Gomez — The Pirates have acquired Jeanmar Gomez from the Indians in exchange for Quincy Latimore, reports ESPN's Keith Law (on Twitter). Cleveland had designated the right-hander for assignment last week. — Gomez, 24, pitched to a 5.96 ERA with 4.7 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 …
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout, HardballTalk and MLB Daily Dish
Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com:
Inbox: Morneau to be traded before Deadline? — Beat reporter Rhett Bollinger answers Twins fans' questions … With Justin Morneau in the final year of his contract, how likely is it the Twins deal him before the Trade Deadline? I think we could bolster our pitching prospects and build for 2014 if we deal him this year.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies' Tulowitzki plans to play for Team USA in WBC tournament — There was a point last summer in his painfully slow recovery process that Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki couldn't lift his leg to tie his shoe. — Surgery to remove scar tissue irritating a nerve in his left groin went …