Top News:
Todd Zolecki / The Zo Zone:
Phillies, Durbin Agree to 1-Year Deal — The Phillies are bringing back a familiar face to fortify their bullpen. — Sources told MLB.com today the Phillies and right-hander Chad Durbin have agreed to terms on a one-year deal, pending a physical. The deal includes a club option for 2014.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, MLB Rumors, The Good Phight and MLB Daily Dish
RELATED:
Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Reliever Durbin returns to Phillies, source says — Reliever Chad Durbin and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed Monday on a $1.1 million guaranteed major league deal, according to a baseball source. — The deal includes $350,000 in incentives, the source said.
Discussion:
Phillies Nation
YES Network:
Michael Kay signs multi-year contract extension with YES Network — Michael Kay, whose voice has been synonymous with the YES Network since its launch in 2002, has signed a multi-year extension with the network to remain its lead New York Yankees play-by-play voice.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and It's About The Money
Fox Sports:
Kelly Johnson, Rays reach agreement — The Tampa Bay Rays have reached agreement with free-agent second baseman Kelly Johnson on a one-year contract, according to major league sources. — The move will enable the Rays to use Ben Zobrist in right field as well at second base …
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball, Bucs Dugout, DRaysBay, Rays Index and MLB Rumors
Matthew Cerrone / Metsblog:
The latest on Michael Bourn, Mets and Draft Picks — The Mets are said to have legit interest in signing free-agent OF Michael Bourn to a long-term deal that would likely be backloaded. — To keep from losing their first-round draft pick as compensation for signing Bourn, Sandy Alderson wants MLB to rule that his pick is protected.
Discussion:
Mets Minor League Blog, Getting Blanked and Al's Ramblings
RELATED:
Nick Cafardo / The Boston Globe:
Braves double down on streaky Uptons
Braves double down on streaky Uptons
Discussion:
HardballTalk, MLB Rumors and Amazin' Avenue
Michael Baron / Metsblog:
Alderson could go watch Brian Wilson again, still looking for relievers
Alderson could go watch Brian Wilson again, still looking for relievers
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:
A's confident they can do it again — Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle — Last year, the Angels made the big offseason splash by signing Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson - but the A's were the surprise winners of the AL West. — This year, the Angels again were the big-news team …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, HardballTalk and MLB Daily Dish
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Infield a formidable strength for Mets — This is the first installment of a four-part Around the Horn series, taking a segment-by-segment look at the Mets' roster heading into Spring Training. Up first: Infield. — NEW YORK — The 2012 Mets were flawed in many ways.
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Brewers Interested In Lyle Overbay — The Brewers are talking to free agent first baseman Lyle Overbay about a minor league deal, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (Twitter links). Overbay, who played for Milwaukee from 2004-05, is talking to other clubs and expected to reach a decision shortly.
Discussion:
Brew Beat and HardballTalk
James Schmehl / MLive.com:
Detroit Tigers' Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer voice displeasure over change to fake pickoff move — DETROIT — For a pitcher like Rick Porcello, a new rule change that will no longer allow pitchers to fake a pickoff to third base and throw to first isn't a big deal. — For Max Scherzer, it's huge.
Discussion:
Detroit Free Press, McCovey Chronicles, Getting Blanked, Bless You Boys and baseballmusings.com
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Prospect Watch: Top 10 outfielders — Cards' Taveras, Rays' Myers, Reds' Hamilton emerging as potential superstars … Talk about setting the bar high. Last year's Top 10 outfielders list was led by the two players who ended up as the Rookies of the Year.
Discussion:
Over the Monster
Jeff Seidel / MLB.com:
Introduction of Taft headlines busy NatsFest — William Howard Taft joined Teddy, Tom, George and Abe in the Presidents Race lineup slated for the 2013 season. (AP) — WASHINGTON — Only in Washington could politics and baseball intertwine so effortlessly.
Darren Rovell / ESPN:
Dodgers launching sports TV network — The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Monday their plans to launch a regional sports network funded almost entirely by Time Warner Cable, a scenario one baseball source says is exactly the type of deal MLB had feared: A team setting up a shell company of sorts in order to pay less in revenue sharing.
Discussion:
True Blue LA
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers won't close door to Lohse — MILWAUKEE — The Draft compensation attached to free agent pitcher Kyle Lohse would not deter the Brewers if his price was right, principal owner Mark Attanasio said Sunday. — Attanasio left open the possibility for more moves in the two weeks that remain …
Discussion:
HardballTalk