Top News:
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves make offer for Arizona's Upton — Eight weeks after signing B.J. Upton to the biggest free-agent contract in franchise history, the Braves are trying to land his brother, Arizona's Justin Upton, in a trade that could give them one of baseball's most dynamic outfields with a pair of Uptons and Jason Heyward.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, MLB Daily Dish and Talking Chop
RELATED:
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Braves agree to acquire coveted outfielder J. Upton — Source says Prado, Delgado, three prospects to D-backs; Johnson to Atlanta — ATLANTA — The Braves have reached a preliminary agreement to acquire Justin Upton from the D-backs in exchange for five players, including Martin Prado.
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
The Bourn Market: Mets, Braves, Rangers, M's and four more — Star free agent Michael Bourn remains the best player without a team. But suitors are starting to show up now for the center fielder who by some advanced-stat estimates has saved 80 runs or more with his defense over the past four years.
Discussion:
NY Daily News, New York Post, HardballTalk, Metsblog, Getting Blanked, Talking Chop, MLB Daily Dish and CBSSports.com
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
The Braves are said to have increased their pursuit of Justin Upton recently, and sources suggest the Diamondbacks could make a trade involving either Upton or Jason Kubel within the next few days. — Arizona is said to be talking to the Orioles about Kubel, as it tries to decide which outfielder to trade.
Discussion:
Baseball America, CBSSports.com, Beyond the Box Score, Bucs Dugout, McCovey Chronicles, Talking Chop and Federal Baseball
Matthew Cerrone / Metsblog:
D-Backs want a decision on Upton or Kubel by Friday
Discussion:
Getting Blanked, Talking Chop and HardballTalk
Fox Sports:
Sources: O's eye Kubel, Porcello
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Minor League Ball, AZ Snake Pit, Talking Chop and Baseball Nation
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Orioles Pursuing Jason Kubel
Discussion:
Metsblog and MLB Daily Dish
Associated Press:
Ex-Brewers OF Morgan to play for Japan team — YOKOHAMA, Japan — Free-agent outfielder Nyjer Morgan has signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Japan's Central League. — The team says the 32-year-old Morgan will join the BayStars on a one-year-deal worth $1.6 million.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, HardballTalk, MLB Daily Dish and Bucs Dugout
NY Daily News:
Manti Te'o girlfriend hoax perpetrator Ronaiah Tuiasosopo impersonated ‘Lennay Kekua’ female voice over phone to speak to Notre Dame player — The soul-baring chats between the star linebacker and the man posing as his phantom girlfriend were the linchpin of their fake fairy-tale romance.
Discussion:
ESPN, The Big Lead, Deadspin, CBSSports.com, SBNation.com and ProFootballTalk, more at WeSmirch »
RELATED:
ESPN:
Te'o phone logs show hours of calls to ‘Kekua’
Discussion:
ProFootballTalk, The Big Lead, Deadspin and NESN.com
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Prospect Watch: Top 10 shortstops — Rangers' Profar, Tribe's Lindor head list of offensively and defensively gifted players … 1. Jurickson Profar, Rangers: When you homer in your first big league at-bat, you might think there's no place to go but down.
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
Marc Topkin / The Heater Feed:
Farnsworth set to return — The Rays completed a deal to bring back reliever Kyle Farnsworth. — The veteran right-hander, who spent the last two seasons in their bullpen, has been considering a return for weeks and finally made a decision. According to ESPN and Fox Sports …
Discussion:
DRaysBay
Fox Sports:
Sources: Cubs, Hairston agree to deal — The Chicago Cubs, adding another veteran to their outfield, have reached agreement with free agent Scott Hairston on a two-year contract, according to major league sources. — Hairston, 32, figures to platoon with another free-agent signee, Nate Schierholtz, in right field.
Discussion:
Metsblog and CBSSports.com
Michael Baron / Metsblog:
Mets agree to sign RHP Shaun Marcum — The Mets and free-agent RHP Shaun Marcum have agreed to a one-year deal, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. — Marcum, 31, went 7-4 with a 3.70 ERA in 21 starts for the Brewers in 2012, during which he missed two months of the season with an elbow injury.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Getting Blanked, Amazin' Avenue and HardballTalk
David Murphy / Philly.com:
Delmon Young, and the potential tragicomedy called the 2013 Phillies — A baseball player, a lawyer and a rabbi walked into Ruben Amaro Jr.'s explanation for signing Delmon Young yesterday, and now a once-proud baseball team enters 2013 as a potential off-Broadway farce.
Discussion:
The Good Phight
Clark Spencer / Fish Bytes:
Marlins sign Kevin Slowey, Mitch Talbot to minor league deals — The Marlins have reeled in two more players hoping to resurrect their big league careers in pitchers Kevin Slowey and Mitch Talbot. The two right-handers — neither of whom has pitched in the majors since 2011 …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and MLB Daily Dish
