The Yankees sign veteran OF Raul Ibanez, who spent the last three seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, to be their lefthanded DH for the upcoming season. His timely late-game home runs will be key in defeating the upstart Baltimore Orioles for the AL East crown and in the ALDS.

ByTom

The Yankees sign veteran OF Raul Ibanez, who spent the last three seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, to be their lefthanded DH for the upcoming season. His timely late-game home runs will be key in defeating the upstart Baltimore Orioles for the AL East crown and in the ALDS.

The A’s sign slugger Manny Ramirez to a minor league contract, ending a retirement that began last April when he prefered to hang up his spikes rather than face a 100-game suspension for violating the Major Leagues’ drug policy. He still faces a 50-game suspension before the A’s can add him to their major league roster.

ByTom

The A’s sign slugger Manny Ramirez to a minor league contract, ending a retirement that began last April when he prefered to hang up his spikes rather than face a 100-game suspension for violating the Major Leagues’ drug policy. He still faces a 50-game suspension before the A’s can add him to their major league roster.

Before a 3-1 loss to the Devils at the Bell Centre, the NHL’s Canadiens pay an emotional tribute to the late Gary Carter with a five-minute video set to The Eagles’ New Kid in Town. The players don No. 8 Carter jerseys during warmups, and the team’s mascot Youppi!, who once represented the city’s National League team, wears the Expos colors in place of his usual bleu-blanc-rouge (blue, white, and red), honoring the memory of the only Montreal player enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

ByThis Day in Baseball

Before a 3-1 loss to the Devils at the Bell Centre, the NHL’s Canadiens pay an emotional tribute to the late Gary Carter with a five-minute video set to The Eagles’ New Kid in Town. The players don No. 8 Carter jerseys during warmups, and the team’s mascot Youppi!, who once represented the city’s National League team, wears the Expos colors in place of his usual bleu-blanc-rouge (blue, white, and red), honoring the memory of the only Montreal player enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

The Yankees find a taker for P A.J. Burnett, whose inconsistency over the past two years has given management gray hairs. They send him to the Pirates for a couple of players from the low minors, Diego Moreno and Exicardo Cayones, but have to agree to pay $20 million out of the $33 million due in salary to Burnett for the next two seasons for the privilege of having him taken off their hands.

ByTom

The Yankees find a taker for P A.J. Burnett, whose inconsistency over the past two years has given management gray hairs. They send him to the Pirates for a couple of players from the low minors, Diego Moreno and Exicardo Cayones, but have to agree to pay $20 million out of the $33 million due in salary to Burnett for the next two seasons for the privilege of having him taken off their hands.

Major League Baseball sets up a vetting committee chaired by Bill Bartholomew, chairman emeritus of the Atlanta Braves and including six other major league owners, to evaluate the merits of the various bids to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers. 11 groups have cleared the initial round of qualification. The final choice is to be made by current owner Frank McCourt, who will first select five bidders to be submitted to the newly-formed committee for approval; the final sale also requires the approval of U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross. The complex process must be completed by April 30th, when McCourt is required to pay a $131 million divorce settlement to his ex-wife Jamie.

ByTom

Major League Baseball sets up a vetting committee chaired by Bill Bartholomew, chairman emeritus of the Atlanta Braves and including six other major league owners, to evaluate the merits of the various bids to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers. 11 groups have cleared the initial round of qualification. The final choice is to be made by current owner Frank McCourt, who will first select five bidders to be submitted to the newly-formed committee for approval; the final sale also requires the approval of U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross. The complex process must be completed by April 30th, when McCourt is required to pay a $131 million divorce settlement to his ex-wife Jamie.

Major League Baseball announces that it will void the contract reached by the Baltimore Orioles with teenage Korean pitcher Seong-Min Kim on January 30th. The Korea Baseball Association filed a formal protest after the signing, alleging that the O’s have breached protocol by inking Kim without obtaining prior clearance from Korean baseball authorities.

ByTom

Major League Baseball announces that it will void the contract reached by the Baltimore Orioles with teenage Korean pitcher Seong-Min Kim on January 30th. The Korea Baseball Association filed a formal protest after the signing, alleging that the O’s have breached protocol by inking Kim without obtaining prior clearance from Korean baseball authorities.

Oakland signs OF Yoenis Cespedes to a four-year contract worth $36 million

Oakland signs OF Yoenis Cespedes to a four-year contract worth $36 million

ByTom

2012 – The A’s sign OF Yoenis Cespedes to a four-year contract worth $36 million, a record for a Cuban defector, outbidding at least five other teams. The signing belies some of the A’s other off-season moves in which they traded established young players in return for prospects, but they see Cespedes as a future franchise player, and his outstanding rookie season will be a key contribution in the A’s unexpected AL West division title.