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Mark Hale / New York Post:
METS AIMING FOR SOME HELP ON THE MOUND — The Mets won't make a trade with the Twins simply to rent ace left-hander Johan Santana. For the Mets to trade for Santana, they would require a window to discuss a new contract, a person with knowledge of the club's thinking said yesterday.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, MetsBlog.com, Dugout Central, Take the 7 Train, Mostly Mets, Hot Foot, FanHouse and Bless You Boys
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Tim Marchman / New York Sun:
Sell the Whole Farm for Santana — There has never been a pitcher quite like Johan Santana. You could call him a left-handed Pedro Martinez, but that would insult his uniqueness. Once thought too short to be a starter, the reticent Venezuelan hero has been the key to this decade's baseball renaissance …
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
Hank: Yankees talking with Twins about Santana — The Yankees and the Minnesota Twins are talking about a trade that could bring ace pitcher Johan Santana to New York. (Newsday / Kathy Kmonicek) — Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner publicly acknowledged yesterday …
Mark Kriegel / Fox Sports:
A new boss in the Bronx — LIKE THIS STORY? — As the parties convene to commemorate the historic document — Alex Rodriguez's record-breaking contract with the New York Yankees — expect more sanctimony than celebration. This signing will be interpreted like an armistice.
Discussion:
Hot Foot
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Yankees and Twins Start Talks on Santana — Hank Steinbrenner, the senior vice president for the Yankees, said yesterday that the team had had conversations with the Minnesota Twins about trying to obtain pitcher Johan Santana. But Steinbrenner stressed that the discussions were at an early stage.
Buster Olney / ESPN.com:
Rival executives: Cubs are willing to trade Prior … Four years ago, Mark Prior had the kind of stature that Johan Santana has now, as the pitcher that everybody would love to have. But now the Chicago Cubs have made it known that they are willing to trade the former All-Star pitcher, rival executives say.
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Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
D-Backs waiting for Kuroda on offer — The Diamondbacks have extended an offer to right-hander Hiroki Kuroda and are waiting to hear back from the Japanese free agent. — General Manager Josh Byrnes would not divulge details of the offer, but Kuroda could command a deal worth up to $10 million a year for at least three years.
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Jim McLennan / AZ Snakepit:
Turning Japanese? — Something of a curveball, in the news that Arizona have made an offer to Japanese pitcher Hiroki Kuroda. Seattle appear to be the front runners - the Ichiro factor again, in no small part - and my colleague at Lookout Landing has already written about him.
Bob Dutton / Kansas City Star:
ROYALS NOTES: Guillen report denied — The Royals are dismissing reports from the Dominican Republic that say they are close to an agreement with free-agent outfielder Jose Guillen. — General manager Dayton Moore declined to comment on the matter, but indications suggest the Baltimore Orioles …
Discussion:
Oriole Post
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Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Loyalty not an act for this Red Sox fan — Homeboy Matt Damon, who narrates the 2007 World Series DVD that had its premiere last night at the Wang Center, is proud of his bona fides as a Red Sox fan, one who showed up on David Letterman's show last summer wearing a Sox jersey to diss the Yankees his entire interview.
Discussion:
Boston Herald, SOX & Dawgs, Baseball Musings, Red Sox Monster, SOX1FAN and Surviving Grady
USA Today:
Seeking relief: Bullpen aces prime targets in free agency — Relief pitchers are beginning to make their mark on the free agent market again this winter, but how much value remains is the difficult call for teams looking to beef up their bullpens. The recent lesson is money might not be the answer.
Discussion:
Sabernomics
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David Jones / Florida Today:
Former Marlins trainer watches steroids debate with great interest — With a federal indictment looming over Barry Bonds, the steroids issue casts a cloud over the game that continues to grow darker with each passing home run. — Was it real, or was it enhancements?
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates, new hitting coach reach agreement — Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — The Pirates this morning reached a contract agreement with Don Long to become their new hitting coach. — Long, 45, had been the Philadelphia Phillies' minor-league hitting coordinator since 1999 …
Discussion:
Where have you gone …
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals are in familiar situation — Four years ago, the Cardinals reached baseball's winter meetings following a disappointing third-place season in which an incomplete pitching staff fed a frustrating summer and ultimately a collapse in September. — The Redbirds' entourage departed …
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
Jim Molony / MLB.com:
Report: Brocail, Astros agree on terms — Right-handed reliever last pitched for Houston in 1996 — HOUSTON — The Astros and free-agent right-hander Doug Brocail have agreed to terms on a contract, a Houston television station reported on Monday night. — KRIV-TV, citing Major League …
Discussion:
Mets Refugees
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