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, Getting Blanked, MLB Daily Dish and Talking Chop
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Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
D-Backs agree to unload Justin Upton to the Braves … PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks talked about a divorce three years ago with All-Star outfielder Justin Upton, and finally, after numerous ups and downs, name-calling and finger-pointing, they called it quits.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
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
ESPN.com:
Source: Braves acquire J. Upton from D-backs — The Atlanta Braves have agreed to a trade to acquire outfielder Justin Upton and third baseman Chris Johnson from the Arizona Diamondbacks for pitcher Randall Delgado, infielder Martin Prado and minor leaguers Nick Ahmed, Brandon Drury and Zeke Spruill, sources tell ESPN.
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
The Bourn Market: Mets, Braves, Rangers, M's and four more
Discussion:
Metsblog, NY Daily News, New York Post, Getting Blanked, HardballTalk, Talking Chop and MLB Daily Dish
Matthew Cerrone / Metsblog:
D-Backs want a decision on Upton or Kubel by Friday
Discussion:
Getting Blanked, CBSSports.com and Talking Chop
Associated Press:
Martinez Returns to Red Sox as Assistant to GM — BOSTON (AP) — Pedro Martinez has returned to the Boston Red Sox. — On Thursday, Martinez, a three-time Cy Young Award winner and eight-time All-Star, who spent seven seasons in Boston, was brought back to the franchise.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Over the Monster and CBSSports.com
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Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Pedro Martinez joins Red Sox front office — Pedro Martinez said in December that he was interested in returning to the Red Sox in some capacity. — It became official on Thursday when he was named as a special assistant to general manager Ben Cherington.
Discussion:
the joy of sox
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Rays To Sign Luke Scott — The Rays are set to re-sign Luke Scott, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports (on Twitter). Topkin reported yesterday that there was mutual interest between the Rays and Scott, a PSI Sports Management client. — Scott made two trips to the disabled list …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and The Heater Feed
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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
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
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Adam Rubin / ESPN:
Mets, pitcher Marcum agree to one-year deal
Discussion:
Batter's Box Interactive …
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
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
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:
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