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NY Daily News:
Alex Rodriguez unlikely to return to Yankees, sources say, as third baseman is dealing with new drug scandal and lengthy hip surgery rehab — Even before the latest steroid allegations surfaced, Yankee officials had already privately begun preparing for the likelihood that Rodriguez …
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NESN.com, Baseball Nation, HardballTalk, MLB Daily Dish, Bleed Cubbie Blue, MLB Rumors, Pinstriped Bible, CBS Chicago and WasWatching.com
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ESPN:
A-Rod not planning to retire — A message to the New York Yankees and their fans from Alex Rodriguez: I'm not going anywhere. — “Alex has no plans at all to retire,” one source with close personal ties to the embattled third baseman told ESPNNewYork.com on Thursday.
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Yahoo! Sports, HardballTalk and Riptide 2.0
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Red Sox, Lyle Overbay agree to deal — The Boston Red Sox on Thursday agreed to a minor league deal with first baseman Lyle Overbay, including an invitation to spring training, a team official confirmed. — The Red Sox are thin at the position, with newly signed Mike Napoli …
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Boston Globe and Associated Press
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Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Kalish expected to miss at least six months
Kalish expected to miss at least six months
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Full Count, NESN.com, Over the Monster and HardballTalk
John Fay / Cincinnati Reds:
Rolen Question unanswered — I'm back from vacation. The skiing was good. I was thinking maybe that the Scott Rolen Question would be answered while I was gone — after all Walt Jocketty has been saying “we hope to have solved in the next week” since Christmas. — It wasn't resolved.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, HardballTalk, MLB Daily Dish, CBSSports.com and Redleg Nation
Matt Eddy / Baseball America:
Minor League Transactions: Jan. 21-28 — Official minor league transactions, conveyed to us by Major League Baseball, for the period Jan. 21-28. — Arizona Diamondbacks — Signed: RHP Mike DeMark (re-signed), 3B Chris Nowak (York (Atlantic)) — Traded: 3B Chris Johnson and OF Justin Upton …
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog, Over the Monster and MLB Rumors
Chad Jennings / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Yankees on the verge of deal with Hafner — The Yankees are close enough to a deal with Travis Hafner that it could be announced later today or tomorrow. Sources have indicated that the deal is in place, just waiting for the contract language to be agreed upon.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, MLB Rumors, The Yankee Analysts, Over the Monster, HardballTalk, Pinstriped Bible and River Avenue Blues
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Inbox: Are the Rangers overlooking Gentry? — Beat reporter T.R. Sullivan answers fans' questions — Please explain to me why Leonys Martin gets most of the talk about the center-field position. Craig Gentry, in my opinion, has done nothing but prove himself over and over again.
Discussion:
ESPN and Lone Star Ball
Mark Polishuk / MLB Rumors:
Pirates Avoid Arbitration With McDonald, Walker — The Pirates have agreed to new contracts with right-hander James McDonald and second baseman Neil Walker, avoiding arbitration with the two players, MLB.com's Tom Singer reports (Twitter link). Both players were arb-eligible …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and Bucs Dugout
Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Reds avoid arbitration with Heisey, Simon — Outfielder, reliever ink one-year deals; four remain as arbitration-eligible — CINCINNATI — The Reds and outfielder Chris Heisey avoided arbitration on Thursday, when he was signed to a one-year, $1.325 million contract.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and Redleg Nation
Carlos Torres Bujanda / Baseball America:
Caribbean Series Set To Begin In New Park — HERMOSILLO, MEXICO—The 2013 Caribbean Series will be played in a new ballpark with a new whole competition system. But it will be played with the same passion that has made the event one of the highlights of the offseason.
Discussion:
True Blue LA
Tom Haudricourt / JSOnline:
Brewers sign RHP Alfredo Figaro to minor-league deal — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — As it turns out, right-hander Alfredo Figaro will be in the Brewers' spring camp after all. — The Brewers thought they had a minor-league deal with Figaro, 28, back in December …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, MLB Daily Dish and Brew Crew Ball
Jorge L. Ortiz / USA Today:
Sandoval celebrates second championship, MVP award … Pablo Sandoval has a triple crown in mind, a different one but no less meaningful to him than the one attained by countryman Miguel Cabrera. — Sandoval is two-thirds of the way there, and both times he has been rewarded with MVP honors.
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles
Star-Telegram / Foul Territory:
Rangers RF Nelson Cruz denies reported involvement with PEDs — The attorneys for right fielder Nelson Cruz have issued a statement saying that any allegations that Cruz used performance-enhancing drugs, as reported by the Miami New Times earlier this week, are false.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Lone Star Ball
Corey Brock / MLB.com:
Padres, Headley agree to $8.575M deal for '13 — SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres avoided arbitration with third baseman Chase Headley on Wednesday, agreeing to a one-year, $8.575 million deal with the 2012 Silver Slugger and Gold Glove winner. — Headley, who finished fifth …
Discussion:
Baseball Nation
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