Top News:
ESPN:
Reds trading second baseman Brandon Phillips to Braves — Long rumored to be on the move, Brandon Phillips is finally leaving Cincinnati. A source told ESPN's Buster Olney on Sunday that the Reds have agreed to a trade that will send the second baseman to the Atlanta Braves. — EDITOR'S PICKS
Discussion:
Fish Stripes, NESN.com and WCMH-TV
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Connor Byrne / MLB Trade Rumors:
Braves Acquire Brandon Phillips — The Braves have announced that they've acquired second baseman Brandon Phillips from the Reds in exchange for minor league pitchers Andrew McKirahan and Carlos Portuondo. Phillips is owed $14MM in 2017, the last year of his contract, and the Reds will pay all but $1MM of that sum.
Discussion:
NBCSports.com, Bucs Dugout, ESPN, Bless You Boys, Red Reporter, Brew Crew Ball, CBS Atlanta, Redleg Nation, Yahoo Sports and Talking Chop
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves' Rodriguez to miss significant time for shoulder injury — As pleased as the Braves were to trade for second baseman Brandon Phillips and pay such a relatively small price for the former All-Star, they felt awful about the reason they needed to make the move: to replace injured Sean Rodriguez.
Discussion:
NBCSports.com, Cincinnati.com, SI.com, Beyond the Box Score, Baseball Prospectus, MLB Trade Rumors, Talking Chop and Let's Go Tribe
Kerouac Smith / Fox Sports:
Source: Reds expected to announce trade sending Brandon Phillips to Braves — The Cincinnati Reds are close to finalizing a deal that would send veteran second baseman Brandon Phillips to the Atlanta Braves, a source told FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal. — The deal, expected to be completed …
Discussion:
Red Reporter, Redleg Nation and baseballmusings.com
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Spring training story lines: From the Cubs to the World Baseball Classic — Just 101 days ago, the Chicago Cubs rewrote history. Does it seem longer since the night a smiling, stumbling Kris Bryant tossed the ball across the diamond to Anthony Rizzo, capping a wild Game 7 that clinched …
Discussion:
South Side Sox, MLB Trade Rumors, MLB Daily Dish, Federal Baseball and Washington Post
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs hope late-winter insurance protects rotation from rigors of season — Coming off the World Series win, the Cubs have only a few key roster spots to fill. — But a second consecutive lengthy postseason combined with a longer spring training will necessitate that several seasoned veterans be brought along slower than usual.
Discussion:
ESPN, Bleacher Nation and Chicago Tribune
Baseball Prospectus:
The Top 101 Prospects of 2017 — While it's entirely likely you'll skip right ahead to the rankings, we wanted to provide some context for the list. As always, prospect lists are a snapshot in time—in this case January 1, when the list was compiled. It's possible a prospect's situation …
Discussion:
Athletics Nation, Over the Monster, Viva El Birdos, Amazin' Avenue and Lone Star Ball
Hannah Jeter / The Players' Tribune:
The Derek I Know — This is the first of a new editorial series in which family members, friends, and those closest to them, share special insights into the athletes they love. — I thought he was a pitcher. — I know it sounds strange that I didn't know he was a shortstop.
Discussion:
USA Today, CBS New York, FanRag Sports, East Bay Times, NESN.com, The Big Lead and TMZ.com, more at WeSmirch »
Marc Stein / ESPN:
Magic's Serge Ibaka appears in play as trade deadline approaches — While Kevin Durant was reacquainting himself with Oklahoma City soil Saturday night, former teammate Serge Ibaka was a three-hour drive away from the KD-in-OKC tension, playing for the Orlando Magic in Dallas. — Stay tuned, though.
Discussion:
Hoops Rumors, FanRag Sports, NESN.com and Sportsnet.ca
Joe Piazza / Fox Sports:
Detroit Tigers: Team Owner Mike Ilitch Dies At Age 87 — Longtime Detroit Tigers and Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch has passed away at the age of 87. — In a press release from Ilitch Holdings, Inc., Chris Ilitch (Mike's son) announced his father's passing on Friday.
Discussion:
PR Newswire, Major League Baseball, baseballmusings.com and USA Today
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Associated Press:
Detroit Red Wings, Tigers owner and Little Caesars founder Mike Ilitch dies at age 87
Detroit Red Wings, Tigers owner and Little Caesars founder Mike Ilitch dies at age 87
Discussion:
Bless You Boys, Associated Press, ESPN, Let's Go Tribe, Yahoo Sports, MLB Daily Dish and Sportsnet.ca
Detroit Free Press:
Next Video … The first time Jim Leyland met Mike Ilitch …
Next Video … The first time Jim Leyland met Mike Ilitch …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, FanRag Sports and USA Today
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
How baseball and the Detroit Tigers became Mike Ilitch's true love
How baseball and the Detroit Tigers became Mike Ilitch's true love
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe, USA Today and Ballpark Digest
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Tigers Owner Mike Ilitch Passes Away
Tigers Owner Mike Ilitch Passes Away
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports, Detroit Free Press and Pro Hockey Rumors
Peter King / SI.com:
Tom Brady Tells the Story of the Super Bowl 51 Comeback — Plus more on the Falcons, Terrell Owens, John Lynch and 10 Things — Will the Falcons ever get over Super Bowl loss? — The MMQB's Peter King takes twitter questions from his followers on Twitter.
Discussion:
USA Today, FanRag Sports, ProFootballTalk, NESN.com and It Is What It Is
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Reds Claim Lisalverto Bonilla — The Reds announced on Monday that they've claimed right-hander Lisalverto Bonilla off waivers from the division-rival Pirates. The 26-year-old Bonilla had been designated for assignment in Pittsburgh last week after the Bucs acquired righty Pat Light from the Twins.
Discussion:
Red Reporter and Bucs Dugout
ESPN:
Former Syracuse, Celtics 7-footer Fab Melo, 26, dies in Brazil — Former Syracuse 7-footer and Boston Celtics first-round pick Fab Melo died in his home country of Brazil. — Melo was found dead at his home in Juiz de Fora, in the state of Minas Gerais, Military Police in Brazil confirmed.
Discussion:
The Big Lead, Troy Nunes Is An …, FanRag Sports and NESN.com
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Dodgers To Re-Sign Chase Utley — SUNDAY: Utley's contract is believed to include a $2MM salary plus incentives, tweets FanRag's Jon Heyman. — FRIDAY: The Dodgers have agreed to a one-year deal to bring back infielder Chase Utley, according to Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
Discussion:
True Blue LA, MLB Daily Dish, ThinkBluePC and FanRag Sports
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Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Dodgers To Sign Franklin Gutierrez
Dodgers To Sign Franklin Gutierrez
Discussion:
Bleacher Nation, FanRag Sports and Lookout Landing