Archives › 2012 › February › 17
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The Athletics and Manny Ramirez could reach an agreement within days
Feb 17, 2012, 9:31 PM EDT
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Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported earlier this week that the Athletics were “likely” to sign Manny Ramirez just before or soon after the start of spring training, so the following information should come as no real surprise. According to Janie McCauley of the Associated Press, the Athletics still have “strong interest” in…
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The Yankees and Pirates have agreed to a deal that will send A.J. Burnett and cash considerations to the Pirates for Double-A reliever Diego Moreno and Low-A outfielder Exicardo Cayones, but it turns out there was another team in the mix. A”mystery team,” if you will. And this one might surprise you. ESPN’s Buster Olney…
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Tim Wakefield just officially announced his retirement and it appears as though his longtime teammate Jason Varitek is finally close to making a decision about his future. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe was told by a friend of Varitek as the Wakefield presser that the veteran backstop is leaning toward retirement. Varitek’s agent, Scott…
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CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman indicates that the Yankees have agreements with left-handed hitters Raul Ibanez and Eric Chavez that will be finalized after the A.J. Burnett deal is approved by the league. The Yankees looked at picking up a left-handed option at DH in a Burnett trade and reportedly had a deal done for Bobby…
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In memory of Gary Carter, who passed away Thursday following a battle with brain cancer, the Empire State Building will shine blue and orange tonight. Carter spent just five of his 19 seasons with the Mets, but the Hall of Famer made a big impression in those years. He drove in 100 runs in two…
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It looks like the A.J. Burnett saga may finally be coming to a close, as Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Yankees and Pirates are “in agreement” on a deal that will send the right-hander to Pittsburgh. Burnett is expected to undergo a physical exam Sunday to make things official and according to Rosenthal…
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For every 10,000 or so players who arrive at spring training amid reports that they’re in the best shape of their life there’s someone for whom the opposite is true. Today that someone is new Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com: #Yankees RHP Michael Pineda said he reported to camp around…
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Johan Santana took the mound today for the first time since September and threw a 25-pitch bullpen session with catcher Josh Thole, saying afterward that his surgically repaired shoulder “felt really good.” Santana appeared in multiple minor-league games last season before setbacks ruined his plan of returning in August or September, so simply throwing a…
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Scott Kazmir held a workout for scouts today and Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports that approximately 10 teams sent someone to take a look at him. Kazmir’s fastball was clocked mostly in the high-80s, which is similar to the diminished velocity he’s shown while struggling during the past few seasons. Kazmir is still just 28…
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It’s a small sample size for sure, but when Jeremy Guthrie was traded earlier this month, I pointed out how the last nine established starting pitchers to leave the AL East lowered their ERAs by an average of a full run upon setting up shop elsewhere. If A.J. Burnett can keep that up after the…
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Boston offered minor-league contracts and spring training invitations to both Tim Wakefield and Jason Varitek. Wakefield opted against battling for a roster spot at age 45, announcing his retirement today, but the 40-year-old Varitek is apparently still trying to make up his mind. Varitek’s agent, Scott Boras, told Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald that…
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Texas has been shopping Koji Uehara all offseason and they may have finally found a taker, as Joe Stiglich of the San Jose Mercury News reports that the Rangers are “getting close” to trading him to the A’s. Uehara almost immediately fell out of favor with the Rangers after they acquired him from the Orioles…
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UPDATE: No word yet on the cause of the failed physical, but the Yankees have released Okajima. ========== Hideki Okajima, who signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees in December, has failed his physical exam according to David Waldstein of the New York Times. Waldstein speculates that the Yankees will void his contract and make…
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Tim Wakefield would never be quite so good again. He debuted with the Red Sox on May 27, 1995, pitching seven innings of one-run ball in a win over the Angels. Three days later, he used his knuckler to shut out the A’s for 7 1/3 innings in a win. Five days after that, he…
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Tim Wakefield will announce his retirement during a press conference tonight, calling it quits after a 19-season career in which the knuckleballer won 200 games despite not making his big-league debut until age 25. Red Sox president Larry Lucchino revealed last week that the team had offered Wakefield a minor-league contract with an invitation to…
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Last year’s story about CC Sabathia giving up Cap’n Crunch and losing weight was red herring. Sabathia wasn’t really in the best shape of his life last season. Especially late in the season when he seemed to be back on the Crunch. And maybe lots of pizza and stuff. But Buster Olney reports that we…
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Without looking, I’m going to assume that we’ve done 50 posts on the Yankees-Pirates A.J. Burnett trade. But maybe it’s almost over! Sources: Yankees and Pirates hope to take their proposed Burnett deal to the Commissioner later today, for approval. — Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) February 17, 2012 Seriously. I don’t think Burnett will play…
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New home for Padres games, FOX Sports San Diego, to launch early next month
Feb 17, 2012, 10:47 AM EDT
Reports vary about the exact details of the Padres’ new television contract, but everyone seems to agree that it’ll be a massive deal and Jay Posner of the San Diego Union Tribune says the team’s new home, FOX Sports San Diego, will launch in early March. Nothing is official yet, in part because MLB must…
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Roberto Hernandez — the real name of the man we know as Fausto Carmona — used a fake identity, got a nice bonus out of it and made it to the majors on the strength of his advancement at a certain, presumed age. But he wants kids in the Dominican Republic to know that it’s…
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David Ortiz and the Red Sox created a whole lot of drama before eventually compromising at the exact midpoint and avoiding arbitration, but publicly at least Ortiz seems fine with the outcome after previously wanting a multi-year contract. “I feel happy since I avoided going to arbitration,” Ortiz told the Associated Press. “People are used…
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Craig Kimbrel and Jonny Venters were rode hard and put away wet last year. So this year, they’re taking it a bit easier heading into spring training. From the AJC: It’s easy to suggest their first-half workload is what caused Kimbrel and Venters to struggle down the stretch, when they appeared to be operating on…
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Tony La Russa doesn’t have a whole heck of a lot to do this spring, what with retiring and all. But he’s good buddies with Jim Leyland — La Russa hired Leyland for the White Sox’ staff back in the early 80s when Leyland was a Tigers’ minor league manager — so Jimmy is doing…
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In honor of the beginning of spring training, Realtor.com has assembled a page of listings of homes of several former and current ballplayers. The players: Adrian Beltre, Pat Burrell, Matt Cain, Barry Larkin, Derek Lowe, Jack McDowell, Jamie Moyer, John Smoltz — whose home we’ve featured previously — and Jonathan Papelbon. There are links to…
