Top News:
Jeff Todd / MLB Rumors:
Giants Extend Hunter Pence — The Giants have signed Hunter Pence to a five-year extension, reports John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter). San Francisco has guaranteed $90MM and granted a no-trade clause to keep its right fielder from reaching free agency …
Discussion:
Minor League Ball, HardballTalk, Amazin' Avenue and Al's Ramblings
RELATED:
Henry Schulman / San Francisco Giants:
SF GIANTS UPDATE: With Pence deal done, team begins talks with Lincecum — UPDATE, 12:15 p.m.: The Giants' five-year, $90 million with Hunter Pence was completed early this morning, but that did not end the conversations between team officials and Pence's agency, the Beverly Hills Sports Council.
Discussion:
Boston Globe and baseballmusings.com
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com Sports News …:
Pence and Giants agree on $90M, five-year deal — Hunter Pence is coming back to the Giants. — The deal is for $90 million for five years, CBSSports.com has learned. — Pence is said to have a no-trade clause in the deal. The deal is pending a physical, according to Giants writers.
Discussion:
CSN Bay Area, MLB.com, San Francisco Giants, MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
Sloppy Rays see streak end, fall to Jays — TORONTO — Friday went so badly for the Rays that even manager Joe Maddon's preferred plan to forget about their ugly and costly 6-3 loss to the Blue Jays was stymied. — “One of the rough parts about being in Canada is that I can't get Netflix …
Discussion:
DRaysBay
RELATED:
Gregor Chisholm / MLB.com:
Blue Jays' final series key to Draft positioning — TORONTO — The Blue Jays' final series of the year against the Rays will have implications for Tampa Bay in the American League Wild Card race, but it will also dictate where Toronto picks in next year's First-Year Player Draft.
Discussion:
DRaysBay, Bleed Cubbie Blue, Bluebird Banter, baseballmusings.com, MLB Rumors and Lone Star Ball
MLB.com:
Potential A.L. Wild Card tiebreaker sequence announced — If Season Ends In Three-Way Tie for the Two A.L. Wild Cards, Tiebreaker Games to Be Played on Monday and Tuesday and Will Be Televised by TBS — Three-Way Tie Would Result in Indians Hosting Rays on Monday and Monday's Losing Club Playing at Texas on Tuesday
Discussion:
Boston Globe and baseballmusings.com
Adam Rubin / ESPN:
Terry Collins nearing new 2-year deal — NEW YORK — The New York Mets are nearing a two-year contract extension with manager Terry Collins that includes a team option for 2016, a team source said. — The deal, which is not yet complete, likely will be announced Monday.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and MLB Daily Dish
Associated Press:
Peralta Plays 1st Game in Tigers' Loss to Marlins — MIAMI — Detroit's Jhonny Peralta played in his first game since completing a 50-game suspension, going 1 for 4 with an RBI in the Tigers' 3-2 loss to the Miami Marlins on Friday night. — Peralta, who was suspended for his involvement …
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
RELATED:
Steve Adams / MLB Rumors:
Marlins Fire Larry Beinfest, Promote Dan Jennings
Marlins Fire Larry Beinfest, Promote Dan Jennings
Discussion:
Fish Stripes, HardballTalk and Sun-Sentinel
Joe Frisaro / The Fish Pond:
Retaining Stanton Miami's priority
Retaining Stanton Miami's priority
Discussion:
Fish Stripes, HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
David Pinto / baseballmusings.com:
Games of the Day — The games of greatest interest take place early Saturday afternoon, starting with the Angels at the Rangers. Unfortunately, we won't be able to see most of them as Fox took the 1 PM time slot for their National broadcast. The Angels send Garrett Richards against Derek Holland in Texas.
Discussion:
Batter's Box Interactive …
Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com:
Duquette: Johnson in O's plans for 2014 — Baltimore will offer contract to closer, who leads American League in saves — BALTIMORE — Closer Jim Johnson, one of several arbitration-eligible Orioles who will be getting a big raise in this winter, will be offered a contract for 2014 …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Star-Telegram / Foul Territory:
C.J. Wilson blames slippery baseballs for control issues — Angels left-hander C.J. Wilson, who has never been shy about not taking responsibility for his poor starts, blamed his wild third inning on a batch of baseballs that hadn't been properly rubbed down.
Discussion:
ESPN, HardballTalk, Halos Heaven and Lone Star Ball
MLB:
Kershaw hushes Rockies as Dodgers romp — LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw is joining the pitching greats in baseball, although the Los Angeles Dodgers ace isn't reveling in his accomplishments. — He'd rather the team win its first World Series championship since 1988.
Discussion:
Purple Row and ESPN
Associated Press:
Kris Medlen, Braves edge Phillies despite Cliff Lee's 13 K's — ATLANTA — Kris Medlen is pitching like an ace. — That's good news for the Atlanta Braves' postseason hopes. — Chris Johnson led off the eighth inning with a homer to spoil an otherwise dominant start by Cliff Lee …
Discussion:
The Good Phight, baseballmusings.com and Talking Chop