Top News:
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Jays have interest in Mike Rizzo — The Toronto Blue Jays have expressed interest in Mike Rizzo, the Washington Nationals president of baseball operations and general manager, as a candidate to replace Paul Beeston as team president and CEO, two industry sources told ESPN.com.
Discussion:
Washington Post, ESPN, Bluebird Banter, Nats Insider, Federal Baseball, HardballTalk, BBTF's Baseball Primer … and MLB Trade Rumors
RELATED:
Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Source: Melky, White Sox have 3-year deal — White Sox manager Robin Ventura talks about the expected position battles and how Chicago's recent additions will help them compete — CHICAGO — The 2014-15 offseason has become the holiday gift that keeps on giving for the White Sox fan base.
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe and Ball Eight
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Sox's stealth pursuit of Melky Cabrera pays off — The White Sox's stealth pursuit of Melky Cabrera paid off late Saturday when the Blue Jays outfielder agreed to a three-year deal. — MLB.com confirmed the 30-year-old Cabrera agreed to a deal worth an estimated $42-$43.5 million, pending a physical.
Discussion:
Royals Review and SBNation.com
Shi Davidi / Sportsnet.ca:
Blue Jays to receive compensatory pick for Cabrera — TORONTO - Melky Cabrera's split from the Toronto Blue Jays, essentially decided when the team signed Russ Martin and traded for Michael Saunders, was finalized Sunday when the left-fielder reportedly reached agreement with the Chicago White Sox on a $42-million, three-year deal.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, CBSSports.com and Bleed Cubbie Blue
Nick CafardoGLOBE / BostonGlobe.com:
MLB teams always wonder if they did enough in offseason — At some point there will be that awkward discussion: Did we do enough? — Every organization has it. You do X and Y, but you run out of money for Z. So, you start the season vulnerable in an area or two.
Discussion:
The Good Phight, HardballTalk, MLB Trade Rumors and Phillies Nation
RELATED:
Boston Herald:
Lucchino on Lester: “We failed”
Discussion:
Union-News, Over the Monster, ESPN, Providence Journal, HardballTalk, MLB Trade Rumors and Full Count
Joe McDonald / ESPN:
Red Sox say Masterson will start
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit, Beyond the Box Score and Over the Monster
Richard Goldstein / New York Times:
Sy Berger, Who Turned Boyhood Heroes Into Brilliant Rectangles, Dies at 91 — Sy Berger, who transformed a boys' hobby into a high-stakes pop culture niche as the father of the modern-day baseball trading card, died on Sunday at his home in Rockville Centre, N.Y., on Long Island. He was 91.
Discussion:
Faith and Fear in Flushing and CBSSports.com
Kristie Ackert / NY Daily News:
Met brass debates taking swing for Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang — The Mets have scouted the 27-year-old and internally seem split on the shortstop. — With reports that Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang will be posted for bidding by major league teams on Monday, the Mets are still “undecided” …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, New York Post, Amazin' Avenue, MLB Trade Rumors and Metsblog
Richard Justice / MLB.com:
Outfielder/first baseman can be as productive as he was with Cardinals — 8/26/14: Allen Craig sends a home run to right-center field in the 11th, scoring Daniel Nava with his first homer in a Red Sox uniform — So your favorite baseball team didn't land Melky Cabrera …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors and Al's Ramblings
Rob Biertempfel / Greensburg Tribune-Review:
Pirates notebook: New catcher Cervelli eager to bond with staff — Francisco Cervelli was not surprised when the New York Yankees traded him to the Pirates last month. — Cervelli, 28, made his big league debut with the Yankees in 2008. Although he often was hailed as their catcher of the future …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, CBSSports.com, Bucs Dugout and MLB Trade Rumors
Bob Dutton / Mariners Insider:
Mariners notebook: Miller's most-likely future? Starting shortstop — SEATTLE —While Brad Miller's athleticism makes him a candidate for a position switch, multiple Mariners officials contend he is far more likely to open next season as the club's starting shortstop.
Discussion:
CBSSports.com, U.S.S. Mariner, Amazin' Avenue, New Jersey Online and HardballTalk
Chelsea Janes / Washington Post:
With no progress made on an extension, Ian Desmond says he's focused on 2015 — When it was time for Ian Desmond to take his turn with the media at NatsFest Saturday afternoon, a little future shortstop in a red Desmond jersey waddled confidently alongside him.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball, CBSSports.com, HardballTalk and MLB Trade Rumors
Patrick Saunders / Denver Post:
COLORADO ROCKIES / MLB — ROCKIES MANAGER WALT WEISS ASSUMES MORE SAY IN TEAM'S OPERATIONS — The Denver Post — Rockies manager Walt Weiss no longer will have an assistant general manager's office in the team clubhouse, next to his own. (Lenny Ignelzi, The Associated Press)
Discussion:
Rockies Zingers Colorado …, Rox Pile and Purple Row
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Phillies Notes: Wood, Utley, Gonzalez — While we wait to learn about the finalization of the deal sending Jimmy Rollins to the Dodgers, let's check in on the latest out of Philadelphia: — The Phillies have asked the Cubs about lefty Travis Wood, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Philly.com and The Good Phight
RELATED:
Matt Swartz / The Hardball Times:
Extending Ryan Howard Is Not What Killed the Phillies
Discussion:
Fox Sports and baseballmusings.com
