Top News:
Fox Sports:
Sources: Upton rejected trade to M's — Justin Upton is still a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, but not for a lack of effort by the D-Backs in trying to move him. — The Diamondbacks were in agreement on a trade that would have sent Upton to the Seattle Mariners …
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MLB.com:
Hall talks Upton, Spring Training, FanFest in webchat — During his January webchat with fans, D-backs president and CEO Derrick Hall addressed Justin Upton trade rumors and said the surplus of outfielders not only creates healthy competition, but gives the club options and opportunities.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish
Brian Costa / Metropolis:
Q&A: Hal Steinbrenner Talks Free Agents, Payroll, Empty Seats … Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner doesn't often talk to the media, but he stopped to take questions for several minutes on his way out of the Major League Baseball owners' meetings Thursday in Paradise Valley, Ariz. Here's what he had to say:
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog, MLB Rumors and River Avenue Blues
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Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
Yankees not done with offseason moves, ‘need another bat,’ says owner Hal Steinbrenner — 'We've got some work to do,' said Steinbrenner. The Yankees owner also allowed for slight wiggle room in the $189 million payroll target for 2013, as long it helps to ‘put together a championship-caliber team.’
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
Baseball to Expand Drug-Testing Program — WASHINGTON — Major League Baseball and its players union have reached a deal to expand their drug program, agreeing to in-season blood-testing for human growth hormone and to a new test designed to catch players using testosterone.
Discussion:
DRaysBay, HardballTalk, MLB, SI Tracking Blog and Bleed Cubbie Blue
RELATED:
Chad Jennings / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Baseball announces random blood testing for HGH
Baseball announces random blood testing for HGH
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues
Associated Press:
Hall of Famers glad Bonds, Clemens denied — NEW YORK — Nobody was happier about the Hall of Fame shutout than the Hall of Famers themselves. — Goose Gossage, Al Kaline, Dennis Eckersley and others are in no rush to open the door to Cooperstown for anyone linked to steroids.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, ESPN.com and ESPN
RELATED:
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Todd Helton says he will return to Rockies for likely final season — There was no epiphany. Todd Helton just followed his body's lead and listened to his head. Three months of workouts and recent batting practice told him that his surgically-repaired left hip was healed …
Discussion:
Purple Row, MLB.com, HardballTalk, MLB Daily Dish and Baseball Nation
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Oliver not expected back; trade to Texas unlikely — ARLINGTON — The Rangers have spoken to the Blue Jays about left-handed reliever Darren Oliver, but industry sources said a trade is unlikely to happen. — Oliver may end up retiring rather than returning to Toronto.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
Anthony Rieber / Newsday:
Mike Piazza's co-author says catcher provides answers, believes “he's clean” — The man who co-authored Mike Piazza's autobiography said Thursday that the former Mets catcher addresses longtime rumors of steroid use in the soon-to-be-released book. — Veteran scribe Lonnie Wheeler …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Crew signs Escobar, avoids arbitration with Narveson — Limited since 2007, righty inks Minors deal; southpaw agrees to one-year pact — Kelvim Escobar has made one Majors appearance since 2007; Chris Narveson was in his first year of arbitration-eligibility. (AP)
Discussion:
Baseball Nation
MLB.com:
White Sox invite 20 players to Spring Training — The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms on minor-league contracts with right-handed pitchers Jeff Gray and Ramon Troncoso, left-hander David Purcey, catcher Bryan Anderson, infielders Josh Bell and Steve Tolleson and outfielder Stefan Gartrell.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish
Brian McTaggart / MLB.com:
Top Astros prospect suspended 50 games — Singleton acknowledges testing positive for marijuana use — HOUSTON — Jonathan Singleton, ranked by MLB.com as the top prospect in the Astros' organization, has been suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball after violating the Minor League Drug Prevention …
Discussion:
Philly.com, Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish
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Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Jonathan Singleton banned 50 games
Jonathan Singleton banned 50 games
Discussion:
Baseball America, The Crawfish Boxes, HardballTalk and The Good Phight
Keith Law / ESPN:
MLB 25 Under 25 Rankings — Ranking the top players in baseball below the age of 25 — Welcome to the second edition of my rankings of the top MLB players under the age of 25. This year's list runs to 25 players, with my comments on each player broken down into two sections …
Discussion:
Over the Monster and Getting Blanked
Richard Justice / MLB.com:
Time to consider changing Hall of Fame voting system — Are the most qualified people voting? After 80 years of doing things one way, is it time to consider another? Those are among the questions the National Baseball Hall of Fame ought to be asking itself.
Discussion:
Beyond the Box Score, Amazin' Avenue and Baseball Prospectus
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Jayson Stark / MLB:
Stark: What should the Hall of Fame be?
Stark: What should the Hall of Fame be?
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Getting Blanked, Over the Monster and Boston Globe
csnphilly.com:
Hamels OK after offseason shoulder issue — Ruben Amaro Jr. insists that it's nothing to be concerned about, but any time someone hears that Cole Hamels experienced shoulder soreness, well, there's going to be concern. — That's just the way it is with pitching arms. Especially ones critical to a team's success.
Discussion:
The Good Phight, HardballTalk and MLB Daily Dish
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:
HardballTalk, MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors