Top News:
Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
Yanks make offer to Hiroki Kuroda — NEW YORK — The Yankees have extended an offer to starter Hiroki Kuroda in an attempt to entice the right-hander to pitch one more season in the Bronx instead of retiring or returning to Japan to play, a source with knowledge of the discussions told ESPNNewYork.com.
Shi Davidi / Sportsnet.ca:
Navarro signing means Arencibia all but gone — TORONTO - J.P. Arencibia's time with the Toronto Blue Jays is on the verge of running out. — Three sources told sportsnet.ca that general manager Alex Anthopoulos will non-tender the 27-year-old ahead of Monday's midnight deadline if a trade partner doesn't emerge.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, MLB Daily Dish, Baseball Nation, NESN.com and Bluebird Banter
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Steve Adams / MLB Rumors:
Blue Jays Sign Dioner Navarro — 7:21pm: The Blue Jays have officially announced the signing via press release. — 1:14pm: Navarro's contract will pay him $3MM in 2014 and $5MM in 2015, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (Twitter link). — 9:02am: Navarro's contract is pending a physical …
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter, OutsidePitchMLB LLC, DRaysBay, Sportsnet.ca and Bleed Cubbie Blue
ESPN.com:
Nationals get Doug Fister in trade — The Washington Nationals acquired pitcher Doug Fister in a Monday night trade with the Detroit Tigers — In exchange, the Nationals sent infielder Steve Lombardozzi, left-hander Ian Krol and minor league lefty Robbie Ray to the Tigers.
Discussion:
Hardball Times, Bless You Boys, McCovey Chronicles and NESN.com
Nick Cafardo / The Boston Globe:
Ben Cherington, Red Sox stick to plan while they can — The Red Sox' newfound model of limiting the length of contracts and picking up good-value players won Ben Cherington a World Series and the executive of the year award last month. That was a no-brainer for a general manager …
Discussion:
Boston Globe, AZ Snake Pit, OutsidePitchMLB LLC, CBSSports.com, HardballTalk, MLB Rumors and Metsblog
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Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Cubs face question at second as tender deadline nears
Cubs face question at second as tender deadline nears
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, OutsidePitchMLB LLC and Metsblog
Steve Adams / MLB Rumors:
Mariners Close To Deal With Willie Bloomquist — 11:44am: Bloomquist's deal is expected to be a two-year pact in the $5-6MM range, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic (on Twitter). — 10:49am: The Mariners are nearing a deal with free agent utility player Willie Bloomquist …
Discussion:
U.S.S. Mariner, Seattle Sports Insider, AZ Snake Pit, OutsidePitchMLB LLC and HardballTalk
Denver Post:
Rockies owner Dick Monfort provides detailed look at team's budget, financial structure — ARTICLE COMMENTS — Is your comment not appearing on the article? Read this. — Note: Our article pages automatically refresh every ten minutes. We cannot change this.
Discussion:
ESPN, Metsblog, FanGraphs Baseball, Purple Row, OutsidePitchMLB LLC, HardballTalk and Tangotiger Blog
Kansas City Star:
Royals face decisions before Monday's deadline for tendering contracts — Money talks. Money always talks. But it raises its voice Monday around Major League Baseball as clubs confront an 11 p.m. deadline Central time for offering contracts to all players under their control.
Discussion:
OutsidePitchMLB LLC, Royals Review and HardballTalk
Chris Jaffe / Hardball Times:
The end of the bench — Sometimes, the little things matter. The ability to turn the double play. Taking the extra pitch. Moving the runners over. Sometimes those little things, which can be overlooked easily, add up. Done once or twice, they don't mean much.
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes, HardballTalk, NESN.com and DRaysBay
Steve Fishman / New York Magazine:
Chasing A-Rod — The struggle between Major League Baseball and one of its greatest hitters over steroids is total war—fought with six-figure payoffs in the tanning salons and strip malls of South Florida. — I first met Alex Rodriguez at the Delano, the chic South Beach hotel in his hometown of Miami.
Discussion:
USA Today and HardballTalk
Steve Dilbeck / Los Angeles Times:
Nomar Garciaparra joins Dodgers broadcasting crew — Nomar Garciaparra, who attended Bellflower-St. John Bosco High School and played three seasons for the Dodgers, has been hired as a commentator for the Dodgers' new regional sports network SportsNet LA. (Steven Senne / Associated Press / March 10, 2010)
Discussion:
True Blue LA and Boston Globe
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers debating whether to tender offer to Francisco — Penciled into rotation, Estrada will receive contract before Monday night's deadline — MILWAUKEE — By Monday's end, Juan Francisco will either be a free agent or on track to get a nice raise in arbitration.
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings
Steve Adams / MLB Rumors:
Athletics, Kazmir Nearing Two-Year Deal — 1:06pm: MLBTR's Tim Dierkes reports that it will be a straight two-year deal with no options for additional seasons (Twitter link). — 1:04pm: Kazmir's deal will be for two years when it is finalized, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Discussion:
OutsidePitchMLB LLC and HardballTalk
La Velle E. Neal III / Associated Press:
Righthander Hughes next up to join Twins — Ex-Yankee Phil Hughes is expected to receive $24 million for three years from the Twins, who are also making progress to bring back A.J. Pierzynski. — The Twins are expected to announce the signing of free-agent righthander Phil Hughes to a three-year …
Discussion:
NoMaas.org, Baseball Nation, Twinkie Town, Hardball Times, Bronx Baseball Daily, Bleeding Yankee Blue, GammonsDaily.com, Toronto Blue Jays Blog, Bucs Dugout, Let's Go Tribe, OutsidePitchMLB LLC, HardballTalk, CBSSports.com, Baseball Hot Corner, NESN.com, Amazin' Avenue, MLB Rumors, Metsblog, itsaboutthemoney.net, CBSSports.com Sports News … and River Avenue Blues
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Aaron Steen / MLB Rumors:
Twins To Sign Phil Hughes
Twins To Sign Phil Hughes
Discussion:
Twinkie Town, HardballTalk and OutsidePitchMLB LLC
ESPN:
Sources: Cano, Yanks roughly $80M apart — Robinson Cano and the New York Yankees remain roughly $80 million apart on a new contract, sources told ESPN.com's Buster Olney. — Cano, sources said, asked for a nine-year deal at $28 million a year, with a vesting option for a 10th year at $29 million this past week.
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Bleeding Yankee Blue, Metsblog, Sportsnet.ca and MLB Rumors
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Ken Davidoff / New York Post:
Cano, Yankees near $100 million off: sources
Cano, Yankees near $100 million off: sources
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, NESN.com, An A-Blog for A-Rod, HardballTalk, OutsidePitchMLB LLC and River Avenue Blues