Top News:
Sports Illustrated:
Done deal — Red Sox, Matsuzaka agree to six-year contract — Daisuke Matsuzaka has reached a deal with the Boston Red Sox for 6 years, $52 million, SI.com's Jon Heyman has learned. The deal contains escalator clauses that could bring it up to $60 million.
RELATED:
Gordon Edes / Extra Bases:
Dice-K en route — The Red Sox contingent in Southern California is currently flying back to Boston with pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka and his agent, Scott Boras, on board. — "You can assume that a deal is done or close," said one source with direct knowledge of the talks.
Discussion:
Sports Scope, Can't Stop The Bleeding, The Feeding the Monster Blog and Over the Monster
ESPN:
Red Sox, Matsuzaka headed to Boston — BOSTON — Daisuke Matsuzaka headed to Boston on Wednesday with Red Sox officials, a sign Boston had reached a preliminary contract agreement with the star pitcher. — "They all took off together," Red Sox owner John Henry said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
No progress on Matsuzaka — Latest negotiating session lasts only 40 minutes — As day turned into evening in Southern California yesterday, a source with a direct pipeline to the Daisuke Matsuzaka negotiations reported "no progress" in the Red Sox' attempts to sign the Japanese pitcher …
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Matsuzaka deal full speed ahead: Pitcher, Boras flying to Hub with Sox — COSTA MESA, Calif. - Daisuke Matsuzaka and his agent Scott Boras are flying back to Boston with the Red Sox [team stats] this afternoon, a clear sign that the sides are going to be able to strike a long-term deal.
Discussion:
Empyreal Environs
Boston Herald:
Sox want D-Mat's answer — NEWPORT BEACH, Calif - The Red Sox [team stats] made it clear last night to Japanese star pitcher Daisuke Matzusaka and his agent Scott Boras that if Matsuzaka is not on owner John Henry's private jet today when it leaves Southern California, there is no chance of a deal getting done, according to a source.
Michael Silverman / Clubhouse Insider:
Matsuzaka wants $11M per year; Sox offering $8M — COSTA MESA, Calif. — Pessimism from both sides of these Daisuke Matsuzaka talks rules the day, or early morning, but talks are not dead and the deadline is still not until Thursday (in case you hadn't heard).
Discussion:
Boston Sports Media Watch
Bob Ryan / Boston Globe:
Team had to know how game is played — The hours are dwindling to a precious few, and Daisuke Matsuzaka remains unsigned. If midnight Thursday comes and he remains so, we can then indulge in one of modern America's favorite rituals: The Blame Game. — There's nothing new about The Blame Game.
John P. Lopez / Lopez@Large:Red Sox to be Clemens' Christmas stocking?
Discussion:
Boston Dirt Dogs
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
M. Giles available as free agent now — Padres General Manager Kevin Towers said yesterday that he could have acquired Braves second baseman Marcus Giles last month if he had been willing to trade reliever Scott Linebrink. Towers held onto Linebrink and now has a chance …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
RELATED:
Jim Baumbach / Newsday:
Marcus Giles intrigues Mets — The Braves' decision to not offer Marcus Giles a contract by Tuesday night's midnight deadline and make him a free agent opened a potentially intriguing door for the Mets. — Jose Valentin already is signed for $3.8 million next year, but the Mets still appear …
Kat O'Brien / Dallas Star-Telegram:
Rangers look like a winner to Lofton — ARLINGTON — The Rangers lost their center fielder and leadoff hitter when Gary Matthews Jr. signed with the Los Angeles Angels last month. They found a new center fielder and leadoff hitter when they signed Kenny Lofton to a one-year, $6 million contract Tuesday.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
RELATED:
Jeff Blair / globesports.com:
Jays offer Wells monster contract — Toronto — The Toronto Blue Jays have made a formal contract offer to Vernon Wells that would put the centre fielder comfortably among the top-10 highest-paid players in the major leagues and likely exceed the average annual value of the free-agent deal …
Matthew Leach / MLB.com:
Miles re-signs; Ankiel non-tendered — Flores, Taguchi offered contracts; Sosa a free agent — ST. LOUIS — Rick Ankiel's lengthy saga with the Cardinals may be over. Or it may have just been given new life. — Ankiel, once a star pitcher now trying to make it back to the Majors as an outfielder …
RELATED:
Jeff Sackmann / Hardball Times:
Issues of National Concern — In the midst of the annual free agent frenzy, there are always a few teams that don't get involved. This year is no different. As of press time, there are only three teams that haven't signed a player to a major league contract or made a trade for a major league player …
RELATED:
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Hollins' exit creates room as talks continue with Iwamura … ST. PETERSBURG - Needing to create space on the 40-man roster and room on the field, the Devil Rays dropped reserve outfielder Damon Hollins by not tendering him a contract. — "We obviously have a lot of depth in the outfield …
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Tigers make room on roster for Mesa — Gomez non-tendered, but could return for Minor League pact — DETROIT — Alexis Gomez became an unlikely Tigers hero in the playoffs after being taken off the roster twice during the regular season. On Tuesday, he made room for a third time this year.
