AP source: Upton, Braves reach $75M, 5-year deal
(Yahoo! Sports)

ATLANTA (AP) — Free-agent outfielder B.J. Upton and the Atlanta Braves have agreed to a $75.25 million, five-year contract, a person familiar with the deal said Wednesday night.

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http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2012/11/29/ap-source-upton-braves-reach-75m-5-year-dea
l-yahoo-sports/

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Andy Pettitte and Yankees agree to 1-year deal
(Yahoo! Sports)

NEW YORK (AP) — Andy Pettitte needed little time to decide that he wanted to return for another season with the New York Yankees.

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http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2012/11/29/andy-pettitte-and-yankees-agree-to-1-year-d
eal-yahoo-sports/

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RIP Marvin Miller

Two on Marvin Miller's passing, the first from Keith Olbermann:

You can argue that the pendulum Marvin unleashed from its artificial restraint has swung too far to the other side (and you?d be wrong ? who is about to sign a six billion dollar contract? The new Dodgers owners, or Evan Longoria?) You can argue that what Marvin wrought has destroyed competitive balance and especially the small markets (and you?d be wrong ? in the 18 seasons before his ascent, the Yankees had won 15 pennants and the Dodgers had won nine, and the team then in Kansas City had finished last or in the bottom four 13 times). You can argue that the freedom Marvin enabled has destroyed the continuity of players and made the one-team player nearly extinct (and you?d be wrong ? there are 41 Hall of Famers who played for only one team, and a disproportionate number, 11, are from the Free Agent era. The only thing that?s changed is that the players can now initiate their own jarring relocation, not just the owners).

Next up, Tim Brown recounts a meeting between Scott Boras and a Marvin Miller in failing health:

They'd met twice in passing over the previous three decades. Here, for the first and last time, they'd come together for soup and conversation. On one side of the table, the baseball establishment's villain in the era of player unification and bloody labor wars, of Curt Flood and the stricken reserve clause. On the other, its villain at a time of escalating player salaries and rights for drafted players, of Alex Rodriguez and the age of information.

Boras hoped for an hour, maybe two. Miller gave him five. Throughout, Boras would ask Miller if he was OK to continue, if he was up to it, and each time Miller would smile and nod. "Yes," he'd say, and his eyes would fire again as he launched into a story about Bowie Kuhn or Mickey Mantle or one exasperated owner or another.

"I walked on his stage," Boras said Wednesday evening, seven months later and not long after learning of Miller's passing. "And I realized where my wings came from."

It seems to me that the genius of MLBPA is not so much that they can set a floor for player salaries — though this does in fact happen — as that it permitted the market to work freely for the top stars. In this, it operates in the reverse manner of most unions, which attempt to set pay and working conditions for the lowest common denominator. Here I am thinking of teachers' unions, but it is common elsewhere, too.

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http://6-4-2.blogspot.com/2012/11/rip-marvin-miller.html

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AP source: B.J. Upton, Braves agree to 5-year
deal (Yahoo! Sports)

ATLANTA (AP) — A person familiar with the deal says free-agent outfielder B.J. Upton and the Atlanta Braves have agreed to a five-year contract.

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http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2012/11/29/ap-source-b-j-upton-braves-agree-to-5-year-
deal-yahoo-sports/

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MLB union head: Drug test announcements on deck
(Yahoo! Sports)

NEW YORK (AP) — The head of the baseball players’ union says there have been talks with Major League Baseball about increasing the sport’s drug testing program.

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http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2012/11/29/mlb-union-head-drug-test-announcements-on-d
eck-yahoo-sports/

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Exclusive Private Signing Opportunity With Former
NL Cy Young Winner, Eric Gagne!!!

Exclusive Private Signing Opportunity With Former NL Cy Young Winner, Eric Gagne!!! **I have worked with Craig in the past on a lot of private signings and he handles everything very smoothly.  He told me this afternoon that I could … Continue reading →

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http://bapple2286.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/exclusive-private-signing-opportunity-
with-former-nl-cy-young-winner-eric-gagne/

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New Subset Coming To Wednesday Nights!!!

New Subset Coming To Wednesday Nights!!! The title of the post says it all.  I have a new subset to show off, and I will be doing so on Wednesday nights.  I have really enjoyed the subsets that have debuted … Continue reading →

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http://bapple2286.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/new-subset-coming-to-wednesday-nights/

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Pettitte Coming Back For One More

From Bryan Hoch:

Andy Pettitte has said that he feels like his left arm still has plenty of important innings to offer. The Yankees are counting on it.

Pettitte and the Yankees officially agreed to a one-year contract on Wednesday, representing the second major move of New York's offseason following last week's re-signing of right-handed starter Hiroki Kuroda.

The 40-year-old Pettitte will earn a base salary of $12 million for his services, plus potential awards bonuses. In order to make room on the 40-man roster, the Yankees designated catcher Eli Whiteside for assignment.

It's also being reported that the Yankees are close to agreeing on a one-year deal with Mariano Rivera. With the signings of Kuroda, Pettitte and hopefully Rivera, the Yankees pitching staff is looking pretty strong.

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SlidingIntoHome/~3/Zv_0EUhJVlE/pettitte-coming-bac
k-for-one-more.html

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Atlanta Braves Sign Free Agent Outfielder B.J.
Upton

The Atlanta Braves have dipped into the free agent market in a big way, signing center fielder B.J. Upton to a five year $75 million contract -- the largest free agent contact the Braves have ever given a player.

Upton leaves the American League and the Tampa Bay Rays for the National League. He is an eight year major league veteran, but still young at 28 years of age. His relative young age was likely one of the factors that attracted the Braves to Upton as he will be just 33 in the final year of his contract.

He brings with him a rare speed and power combo that will match well with Jason Heyward in the outfield and in the middle of the order. He is also right-handed, which is a big reason the Braves targeted him -- needing a right-handed bat in the middle of the order to balance out the left-handedness of Heyward, Freddie Freeman, and Brian McCann.

Upton is not really a leadoff hitter, as he doesn't get on base enough, so he will likely hit someone in the middle of the order and play center field. Internal leadoff options for the Braves include Martin Prado and Andrelton Simmons. Both get on base enough, and Simmons has good speed on the bases.

The Braves are expected to continue to add to their roster this winter by acquiring a left fielder. But with Upton on board they only have one spot "left" to focus on.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.talkingchop.com/2012/11/28/3703862/atlanta-braves-sign-free-agent-outf
ielder-b-j-upton

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Yankees designate Eli Whtieside for assignment

[...]

Read The Full Article:
http://bronxbaseballdaily.com/2012/11/yankees-designate-eli-whtieside-for-assignm
ent/

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