WEEI’s Alex Speier has a great look at Boston’s new payroll in light of the Marco Scutaro, John Lackey and Mike Cameron signings and how the team might join the Yankees in paying the luxury tax in 2010. According to Speier’s figures, the Red Sox have a projected luxury-tax payroll of $168.07 million, barely short…

The Dodgers did the disgruntled Juan Pierre a favor by shipping him off to the White Sox and giving him a chance to play regularly, but instead of getting the overpriced pitcher they were looking for in return, the team settled for two modest prospects in right-handers John Ely and Jon Link and ate some…

The Boston Globe’s Nick Carfardo reports that the Red Sox and John Lackey still haven’t finalized a five-year, $82.5 million contract because of issues regarding contract language. According to Cafardo, the Red Sox want something in the contract that would protect them in case Lackey goes down with a pre-existing medical issue, presumably related to…

I feel like have devoted more time to Matt Capps in the past three days than I have to my family. He’s my white whale. Anyway, to review the bidding: The Pirates said they would tender him a contract; The Pirates didn’t tender him a contract; The Pirates blamed media reports that they might non-tender…

Late last night Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the Cards had offered Matt Holliday an eight year deal at $16 million a year.  This afternoon ESPN’s Buster Olney is saying uh-uh, it’s only five years. Buster makes mention of Strauss’ report, but doesn’t characterize it as bogus or anything, so maybe…

SI.com’s Jon Heyman is among the sources tweeting that the Phillies and Roy Halladay have agreed to terms on a three-year, $60 million extension with a vesting option for 2014. That’s the amount everyone has been expecting since last night. There’s little doubt that Halladay left money on the table, but the Phillies knew he…

OK, so it’s not officially a four-team deal, but I’ll treat it like one, since it’s that much more fun. First, a recap of who is landing where (ages as of Opening Day, 2010): Phillies RHP Roy Halladay (32, from Blue Jays) RHP Phillippe Aumont (21, from Mariners) $6 million (from Blue Jays) RHP J.C.…

Aroldis Chapman had his big workout this morning. Scouts from 15 teams showed up to watch him pitch two five-minute bullpen sessions. According to Jorge Arangure, he threw in the 92-93 mph range for the most part and and topped out at 96. The Twittersphere is complaining about his velocity this afternoon, but it’s probably…

David Waldstein of the New York Times reports that the Mets are close to signing Japanese pitcher Ryota Igarashi to a two-year contract. Igarashi is a 30-year-old right-handed reliever who has pitched for the Yakult Swallows since 1999. He saved 37 games in 2004, but has primarily been a setup man since, posting a 2.87…

Buster tweets the words that will likely make Jason Bay a Met: “Official with knowledge of the Yankees’ thinking said there is “not a chance” the team bids for Holliday or Bay this winter.“ So yeah, I guess it was just due diligence.

Ken Rosenthal — writing on a newly-designed FOX website that puts one in mind of the New York Post, for whatever that’s worth — says that the Cubs are going strong after Marlon Byrd now that their primary outfield target Mike Cameron has been snapped up. Worth noting that there wasn’t a single peep about…

Clearly the Phillies’ decision to part with Cliff Lee and bring in Roy Halladay goes beyond each pitcher’s value for 2010. Halladay is apparently willing to sign a long-term deal to remain in Philadelphia while Lee is reportedly intent on testing the free agent market next offseason, which makes it more complicated than simply asking…

Yesterday’s news about Tony La Russa fixing baseball was apparently part of something far more grand: Managers Tony La Russa Jim Leyland, Joe Torre and Mike Scioscia have been selected for a committee that could recommend expanded instant replay and playoff format changes.  The group was selected by commissioner Bud Selig and also will examine…

Over at his personal website Curt Schilling posted his thoughts on the Red Sox signing John Lackey. Summarizing some of the interesting points: * “Holy #$!&!” (Note: That’s a direct quote.) * He doesn’t think signing Lackey “precludes them from signing” Jason Bay or Matt Holliday because “they have the money.” (Note: Presumably he wrote…

Early yesterday it was reported that Cliff Lee was demanding $23 million a year. A few hours later, Philly fans’ hopes of a 1-2 punch of Halladay and Lee were shattered, Lee was on his way west, and Mariners fans were jumping for absolute joy.  The conventional wisdom that has emerged: Lee’s extension demands were…

As if the massive three-team trade wasn’t intriguing enough already, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports that the Blue Jays are acquiring prospect Michael Taylor from the Phillies in order to flip him to the A’s for fellow prospect Brett Wallace. Seriously. Oakland got Wallace from St. Louis in the midseason Matt Holliday trade and seemingly viewed…

I (and a lot of other people) made cracks about yesterday being a bad day for the Yankees, what with Matsui leaving, the Sox getting Lackey and Halladay heading someplace that wasn’t the Bronx. New York Magazine’s Will Leitch is having none of it, however. His take: (1) The Yankees never had a real chance…

Swinging a trade with the Dodgers for Juan Pierre this morning has the White Sox’s lineup looking more or less set for 2010: C – A.J. Pierzynski (.300/.331/.425 in 2009) 1B – Paul Konerko (.277/.353/.489) 2B – Gordon Beckham (.270/.347/.460) SS – Alexei Ramirez (.277/.333/.389) 3B – Mark Teahen (.271/.325/.408) LF – Carlos Quentin (.236/.323/.456)…

Frank McCourt filed documents yesterday accusing his wife Jamie of falsely representing herself as one of the Dodgers’ owners in a trip to Taiwan last week. During the trip, Jamie and her driver/boyfriend presented Taiwanese officials with Dodgers swag and passed out business cards with the Dodgers’ logo on them and everything. This totally ticked…

Gordon Edes, late of Yahoo! late of the Boston Globe and now writing for ESPN Boston doesn’t like Red Sox’ recent moves very much. He notes that the Sox don’t usually sign free agent pitchers to big deals. He outlines Lackey’s health history, making what seems like a more aggressive case for Lackey as an…