Identity crisis? Not so fast, say Cardinals
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:52:00 -0500)
Albert Pujols, who once encompassed the identity of the Cardinals, leaves behind an undaunted supporting cast-turned-future core. Those in this bunch talk little about who will be missing, though they also avoid promises of immediate and equal replacement production.

Kershaw inks two-year deal, avoids hearing
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:15:00 -0500)
National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers agreed Tuesday on a two-year, $19 million contract to avoid salary arbitration.

Wolff: Beane, Crowley to sign extensions
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:00:00 -0500)
The Oakland Athletics will extend the contract of general manager Billy Beane through the 2019 season, club owner Lew Wolff said Tuesday in an interview with Bloomberg Television.

Hall signs Minor League deal with Yankees
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:18:00 -0500)
The Yankees have signed utility infielder Bill Hall to a Minor League deal.

Harper confident he can make club this spring
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:04:00 -0500)
How did Bryce Harper feel after hearing manager Davey Johnson is going to give him every chance to make the club? "I feel really positive about going to Spring Training this year," Harper said. "I really feel I have a legit shot at making the club."

Meggie: Green Diamond a memorabilia experience
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:02:00 -0500)
I was recently contacted by the Green Diamond Gallery in Montgomery, Ohio, with an invitation for me to introduce Cincinnati Reds hometown hero Sean Casey for an event. I immediately accepted.

Melvin earns spot in Canadian Hall of Fame
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:24:00 -0500)
Brewers general manager and pride of Chatham, Ontario Doug Melvin will be inducted this summer into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, a body that already includes his baseball heroes.

Veteran Wright signed to Minor League deal
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:15:00 -0500)
The Dodgers on Tuesday signed veteran right-handed pitcher Jamey Wright to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training camp.

Romero welcomes, embraces ace label
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:45:00 -0500)
Ricky Romero is set to embark on just his fourth season in the big leagues, but he already has become the veteran leader of the Blue Jays' pitching staff.

Hot Stove MLBlog: News, notes and analysis
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:23:00 -0500)
The offseason maneuvering is in full swing. Stay up on all the trades, signings, rumors and analysis with the Hot Stove MLBlog.

Jocketty: Reds not pursuing Oswalt
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:05:00 -0500)
Speculation that aggressive Cincinnati has been in talks to sign free agent starting pitcher Roy Oswalt has heated up repeatedly in recent days. Not true, general manager Walt Jocketty claimed emphatically on Tuesday.

LaCassa, Morris embark on promising careers
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:36:00 -0500)
Before taking their newly assigned front-office jobs with the Angels, Hal Morris and Mike LaCassa went the school route. Now, both are taking on new challenges in different ways.

Cespedes to meet with Marlins on Wednesday
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:30:00 -0500)
Cuban sensation Yoenis Cespedes has received a travel visa and is scheduled to meet with the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, according to sources.

Dodgers' progress plan not only about Robinson
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:50:00 -0500)
The Dodgers were front and center in breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball, but the early movement involved more than Jackie Robinson.

Mills steering ship amidst winds of change
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:47:00 -0500)
Brad Mills, entering his third season as manager of the Astros, remains the man in charge of the Astros' rebuilding process. It's a difficult task.

AL East prospect talk starts with No. 1 Moore
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0500)
Who are the best prospects in each organization? Which Minor Leaguers should you get the most excited about seeing on your favorite team? Now it's just a click away, with the rankings of the Top 20 prospects for each club unveiled this week.

Jenkins' 1974 season stands in history books
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:32:00 -0500)
The Oakland Athletics won their third straight World Series in 1974 but there was one pitcher they couldn't beat. Ferguson Jenkins, pitching for the Rangers, was 5-0 with a 0.60 ERA, five complete games and two shutouts in five starts against them.

Bauman: NL should stay traditional, without DH
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0500)
The notion that the National League needs to add the designated-hitter rule so that its clubs can wildly overpay sluggers on the downside of their careers is almost painful to ponder, writes Mike Bauman.

Spencer: Zobrist a jack-of-all-trades player
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0500)
Ben Zobrist is one of the last names you'll find in the Baseball Encyclopedia, but he's near, or at the top, in several highly subjective categories: best all-around defender and most versatile player in the game.

Teen's research brings Negro Leagues to life
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0500)
Cam Perron, a 17-year-old high school senior from Arlington, Mass., is an Internet-savvy sleuth who has tracked down dozens of Negro League players whose stories have never been told.

Madonna to perform at Yankee Stadium
(Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:28:00 -0500)
Fresh off her Super Bowl XLVI performance at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Madonna will perform at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 6, the Yankees announced on Monday.

Atchison clears waivers, is outrighted to Triple-A
(Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:09:00 -0500)
The Red Sox announced on Monday that right-hander Scott Atchison has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Pawtucket. Atchison, who turns 36 in March, has received an invitation to big league camp.

Pedro's focus shifts to foundation, Hall call
(Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:25:00 -0500)
Pedro Martinez threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Monday night's Caribbean Series game between the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, and spoke to MLB.com about the Hall of Fame, his foundation and the future of Johan Santana.

Dirks' standout play makes him a star in D.R.
(Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:07:00 -0500)
Detroit outfielder Andy Dirks is a rock star in the Dominican Republic. He can't walk out of the hotel room where he is living this week without fans asking to take a photo with him or get his autograph. As a member of the Dominican Republic's Escogido squad, he's also a Caribbean Series champion.

Rox acquire Guthrie in trade with Orioles
(Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:29:00 -0500)
The Rockies were looking for an experienced arm to put atop their young rotation, but not just any veteran would do. One of those few names was Jeremy Guthrie, whom the Rockies acquired from the Orioles on Monday in exchange for right-handers Jason Hammel and Matt Lindstrom.

Astros invite prospects to camp, sign Ruggiano
(Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:14:00 -0500)
The Astros added six more players to their Spring Training roster on Monday, signing free-agent outfielder Justin Ruggiano to a Minor League contract and inviting five of their top prospects to Major League camp.

Contract won't dampen Sandoval's motivation
(Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:37:00 -0500)
Pablo Sandoval intends to reward the Giants' faith in him. Apparently destined to struggle with controlling his weight for the remainder of his Major League career, Sandoval still parlayed his considerable skill into a three-year, $17.15 million contract that he agreed to Jan. 17.

Pirates to renew emphasis on conditioning
(Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:34:00 -0500)
The Bucs have hired not one but two strength and conditioning coaches. Ben Potenziano, the Giants' strength and conditioning coach the previous six seasons, has taken over as the Pirates' assistant athletic trainer. And Brendon Huttman, the Dodgers' strength and conditioning coach since 2008, has assumed the same position with the Pirates.

Tigers remain in running to land Cespedes
(Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:32:00 -0500)
The Tigers remain in the running for Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, by all accounts. But while the negotiations between Cespedes and various teams goes on, Detroit made another international signing the club thinks can pay dividends.

Verlander earns award for Super Bowl pick
(Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:00 -0500)
While the Giants were celebrating Sunday night with their second Super Bowl win over the Patriots in five years, Justin Verlander was celebrating on Twitter over his prognostication that the Giants would win with a 21-17 final score, calling him a proud winner.

Orioles have had discussions with Ramirez
(Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:29:00 -0500)
The Orioles have had "exploratory talks" with free-agent slugger Manny Ramirez's agent, executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said on Monday.

Griffey's simple gesture sets historic precedent
(Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:21:00 -0500)
As Black History Month plays out across Major League Baseball, it's not hard coming up with the most significant such moment in Mariners history.

NL East boasts plethora of pitching prospects
(Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0500)
Who are the best prospects in each organization? Which Minor Leaguers should you get the most excited about seeing on your favorite team? Now it's just a click away, with the rankings of the Top 20 prospects for each club unveiled this week. First up is the National League East.

Fantasy launch a sure sign spring is on the way
(Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 -0500)
Slowly but surely, the signs of spring present themselves each year, and one of our favorite signs is now visible with Monday's launch of the 2012 MLB.com Player Preview and the MLB.com Fantasy Baseball 2012 game.

Hot Stove Tracker | Spring Training report dates
(Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:53:45 -0500)