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9:05 AM ET, December 18, 2006

Ballbug

 Top News: 
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Meet the new boss?  —  Zito, Boras seem likely to get together with Minaya shortly  —  The Mets are moving forward with their plans to meet face-to-face with Barry Zito, their top remaining free-agent target.  —  "We are looking at doing something next week with Zito," Mets general manager Omar Minaya wrote in an e-mail yesterday.
RELATED:
Contra Costa Times:
Zito not in N.Y. state of mind  —  There isn't much mystery surrounding Barry Zito these days.  Only one team has that come-hither look in its eye at this point, and that's the team most people had Zito pegged for all along:  —  The New York Mets.  —  The Red Sox did their shopping abroad this winter.
NY Daily News:
Mets, Zito get ready to meet  —  Omar Minaya hopes to speak with Barry Zito and Scott Boras this week.  On which coast the face-to-face meeting takes place and exactly when it'll occur could be resolved today, the Mets GM said.  —  "We will have dialogue this week," Minaya wrote in an E-mail.
Discussion: MetsBlog.com
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Gonzalez enjoying homecoming  —  New skipper spends time with fans at 'Select-a-Seat' event  —  MIAMI — It's been a busy week of meeting and greeting the South Florida community for Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez.  —  Over the past week, Gonzalez has taken part in a handful of team functions …
Discussion: FishStripes
RELATED:
Dave Hyde / Sun-Sentinel:
Bargains scarce for Marlins  —  Larry Beinfest never thinks about being one of those Richie Rich general managers.  He knows what the Marlins can't do.  They can't stroll down the free-agent shopping aisle and, if they need relievers, just throw a couple in the cart.  —  And that $15 million outfielder?
Discussion: FishStripes
Mike Petraglia / MLB.com:
Report: Drew to get second opinion  —  Red Sox concerned about shoulder; deal not yet finalized  —  BOSTON — Monday could be a pivotal day in the effort to finalize J.D. Drew's five-year contract with the Red Sox.  —  The Boston Globe reported Sunday that according to a Major League source familiar …
Discussion: Empyreal Environs
RELATED:
ESPN:
Report: Drew to get second opinion Monday  —  Are the Red Sox having second thoughts on signing J.D. Drew?  They at least want a second opinion on the outfielder's physical exam results, The Boston Globe reported Sunday.  —  Drew is scheduled to have a second opinion Monday on a shoulder issue …
Discussion: Fenway Fables and Lone Star Ball
Yahoo! Sports:   Sportsticker Baseball Notebook
Nick Cafardo / Extra Bases:   Second opinion on Drew
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Williams on ball with Hall signing  —  Sometimes small moves can be important ones.  That figures to be the case with the White Sox's signing of backup catcher Toby Hall on Sunday, which completed a productive weekend for general manager Ken Williams.  —  Hall, 31, had been Tampa Bay's primary catcher …
Discussion: South Side Sox
RELATED:
Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Sox bring catcher Hall aboard  —  Free agent comes to terms on two-year deal with club option  —  CHICAGO — At the conclusion of Saturday afternoon's conference call to announce the acquisition of left-handed reliever Andrew Sisco from Kansas City, Ken Williams hinted at another White Sox transaction soon to come.
Dave van Dyck / Chicago Tribune:
Sox pick up a catcher
Discussion: The Bard's Room and Sox Machine
MLB.com:
White Sox and Toby Hall agree to terms on two-year contract …
Discussion: DRays Bay and MLB Trade Rumors
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
LaRoche rumors just won't stop  —  Ah, yes, another 70-degree global-warming December day, another Adam LaRoche trade rumor.  —  Where there's this much smoke _ the trade rumors, not the planet _ there's usually fire, so don't be too surprised if the Braves first baseman is traded before opening day.
RELATED:
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Yankees are just one of Pirates' options with Gonzalez  —  Team sees Braves, Red Sox in trade mix, too  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  Whether Mike Gonzalez opens the 2007 season with a tomahawk across his chest or draped in pinstripes, this much is certain: His profile has been raised quite a bit this offseason.
Discussion: Bucs Dugout
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Marcus Giles close to joining Padres  —  The Giles family reunion is on.  —  Free-agent second baseman Marcus Giles is expected to sign with the Padres early this week, joining his older brother, right fielder Brian Giles, FOXSports.com has learned.  —  Marcus, 28, likely will agree to a one-year deal and possibly a club option.
Discussion: Baseball Musings
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Stopgap center fielder an option for Hendry  —  Veteran could fill bill in case Pie not ready  —  With little available in the free-agent market, the Cubs might elect to sign a veteran, defensive-minded outfielder who can play center field in case Felix Pie doesn't prove in spring training he's ready to become an everyday player.
Discussion: GROTA
Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
O's agree to terms on one-year deal with Gomez … The Orioles have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with utility man Chris Gomez, who will return for his third season in Baltimore.  —  Gomez hit .341 last season with two home runs and 17 RBIs in 55 games last season.
Discussion: Camden Chat
 
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 More News: 
Bill Center / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Brocail coming back against all odds
Discussion: NY Mets Blog
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Hot Stove: Pirates turning to Japanese
Discussion: The Parrot
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
High stakes for holidays
Discussion: Purple Row
 Earlier Picks: 
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More talent could hit Mark
Discussion: Lone Star Ball
T.J. Quinn / NY Daily News:
Here's the deal  —  Why Giants put stock in Bonds
Discussion: The Griddle
Todd Zolecki / Philly.com:
Baseball stats guru sees good in Phillies, even Burrell
Discussion: Phillies Nation
 

 
From WeSmirch:

NHL.com:
Pierce, NHL.com Wild writer, Twin Cities fixture, mourned by hockey world

Amanda Peet / New Yorker:
Amanda Peet on Getting Breast Cancer While Losing Her Parents

Jonathan Dean / The Times:
Paapa Essiedu on his Harry Potter trolls: They say, 'Quit or I'll murder you'

 
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