Top News:
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Hanley Ramirez, Red Sox agree — The Boston Red Sox agreed with Hanley Ramirez Monday on a four-year, $88 million deal with a vesting fifth year for an additional $22 million, according to a major league source. — Ramirez, who turns 31 on Dec. 23, has primarily played shortstop through …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
ESPN:
Agent confirms Sandoval to sign with Boston
Agent confirms Sandoval to sign with Boston
Discussion:
Surviving Grady, Associated Press and MLB Daily Dish
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Red Sox nearing deals to land Panda, Hanley
Red Sox nearing deals to land Panda, Hanley
Discussion:
Purple Row and True Blue LA
ESPN:
Report: Boston, Ramirez finalizing $90M deal
Report: Boston, Ramirez finalizing $90M deal
Discussion:
U-T San Diego stories and Seattle Mariners blog
Dave Cameron / FanGraphs Baseball:
Hanley Ramirez and the Logjam in Boston
Hanley Ramirez and the Logjam in Boston
Discussion:
Metsblog and BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Big Unit, Pedro, Smoltz headline Hall of Fame ballot — Take a look back at Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Gary Sheffield and John Smoltz's incredible careers en route to the 2015 HOF election — For a second consecutive year, the National Baseball Hall of Fame player ballot …
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Paul Casella / MLB.com:
In third year on ballot, catcher joined by former Mets Pedro, Sheff, Delgado, Kent — MLB.com writers Marty Noble, Barry Bloom and Mike Bauman share their thoughts on Mike Piazza falling short of election for the Hall of Fame — NEW YORK — Mike Piazza is hoping the third time is the charm …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, Royals Review, Amazin' Avenue, baseballmusings.com and Metsblog
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Mariners, Kyle Seager Agree To Seven-Year, $100MM Extension — The Mariners and third baseman Kyle Seager are on the verge of completing a seven-year, $100MM extension, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. The contract contains an option for an eighth season which could be worth as much as $20MM …
Discussion:
U.S.S. Mariner, Athletics Nation, MLB Daily Dish, Lookout Landing, Lone Star Ball, HardballTalk and Amazin' Avenue
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ESPN.com:
M's give Kyle Seager $100M deal — The Seattle Mariners and third baseman Kyle Seager have agreed to a seven-year, $100 million deal that includes an option for an eighth year, a league source confirmed to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. — The deal was earlier reported by Yahoo! Sports.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
NY Daily News:
Yankees great Joe DiMaggio was overrated, says MLB historian — 'There is a trend toward baseball analytics now and the more you apply them, the more you chip away at the DiMaggio myth. On his 100th birthday you can still call him an all-time great but he was not the peerless center fielder …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Rany / Rany on the Royals:
The Legacy Of The 2014 Royals, Part 1. — It still hurts. I suspect it will always hurt, at least a little. There will always be a scar on my baseball psyche, with Madison Bumgarner's name tattooed over it. — But every day it hurts a little less. I'm actually kind of surprised …
Discussion:
Royals Review
Lee Enterprises / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Kantrovitz leaves Cards for return to Oakland — • By Derrick Goold dgoold@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8285 — ST. LOUIS • Dan Kantrovitz, the St. Louis native who oversaw the Cardinals' drafts that landed pitchers Michael Wacha and Marco Gonzales as the team's director of amateur scouting …
Discussion:
Baseball America
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Released: Jose Molina, Cole Figueroa, Ramon Cabrera — Here are the day's minor moves ... - The Rays have placed catcher Jose Molina and infielder Cole Figueroa on release waivers, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Both were designated for assignment recently.
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout and HardballTalk
Roch Kubatko / School of Roch:
Melky Cabrera a “fallback option” for the Orioles — So, how do you feel about Melky Cabrera? — I'm just curious, since I've heard from multiple people that he's a “fallback option” for the Orioles if they can't re-sign Nick Markakis. His name has been discussed. He's on the radar, as the kids say.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, CBSSports.com, MLB Trade Rumors, Hot Stove and Camden Chat
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Dodgers Acquire Juan Nicasio, Designate Ryan Jackson — The Dodgers announced that they have acquired right-hander Juan Nicasio from the Rockies in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. To make room for Nicasio, who was designated for assignment last week …
Discussion:
True Blue LA and Purple Row
Jayson Addcox / MLB.com:
Molina considers Sandoval ‘like a son’ — SAN FRANCISCO — When catcher Bengie Molina broke into the Major Leagues with the Anaheim Angels in 1999, he wasn't fortunate to find a mentor in the clubhouse. — Molina learned what he could from former Angels catchers Phil Nevin …
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles