MLB News Blog

The Cubs and ace Carlos Zambrano are headed for arbitration Tuesday, which could get ugly. Instead, Ken Rosenthal says in his latest notebook, the sides should be able to agree on a contract before that. Say five years, $80 million?
Read the full story.

Randy Johnson arrived at spring training ready to work his way back from surgery, while Jered Weaver is confident his sore arm won’t slow him down too much. Back with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Johnson made the familiar trek down Interstate 10 from his Paradise Valley home and found his name on the same spring [...]

Even after a rough first season in Chicago, Jacque Jones felt right at home Saturday when he showed up at the Cubs’ spring training facility. The debate all winter in Chicago wasn’t whether Jones would play right field or center field for the Cubs, it was whether he’d play for the Cubs at all. Jones [...]

The New York Mets missed out on signing a big-name pitcher this winter, which means general manager Omar Minaya has money left to spend if he can find one in a trade. “He has room,” owner Fred Wilpon said Saturday. Wilpon visited Tradition Field as his team held its first workout for pitchers and catchers.
Read [...]

Felix Hernandez looked like a defensive tackle. Or an overweight water boy. The Mariners’ wonder kid from 2005 had 246 pounds drooping from his pudgy, 19-year-old face and soft body when he reported last spring training to begin his first full season in the major leagues. By the time his season ended, Hernandez had 14 [...]

When the Chicago White Sox offered a contract extension last season, Mark Buehrle’s response went something like this: No thanks. Not that he wants to leave. “Everybody knows I want to stay here,” Buehrle said Saturday, when pitchers and catchers reported and began workouts. “If it happens, good. If not, it’s not the first time [...]

Miguel Cabrera became the first player to win in arbitration this year when the Florida Marlins’ All-Star third baseman was awarded a $7.4 million salary on Saturday instead of the team’s offer of $6.7 million. Cabrera made $472,000 last year and was eligible for arbitration for the first time. He was second in the NL [...]

Florida Marlins third baseman Miguel Cabrera apparently won one for the players.
Read the full story.

Randy Johnson made the familiar trek down Interstate 10 from his Paradise Valley home and found his name on the same spring training locker he occupied during the best seasons of his extraordinary career. After two tumultuous years with the New York Yankees, the Big Unit is obviously comfortable with his return to Arizona.
Read the [...]

Shortly after the Houston Astros acquired Jason Jennings from Colorado in December, general manager Tim Purpura called his new pitcher to emphasize how much the Astros were committed to success. “One of the first things I said to him was, ‘We’re all about winning. We eat, sleep and drink it,”‘ Purpura said.
Read the full story. [...]