Top News:
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 and FanHouse
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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 …
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
Associated Press:
Twins, Yankees in preliminary talks about Santana — NEW YORK — The New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins have started trade talks involving Johan Santana. — Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said Monday that discussions are ongoing but it was too early to tell whether they would lead to a deal.
Discussion:
Hot Foot, Associated Press, FanHouse, Boy of Summer, Twins Killings, MetsBlog.com, MLB Trade Rumors, MY BASEBALL BIAS and New York Post
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.
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.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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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.
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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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.
David Lennon / Newsday:
Estrada just a bargaining chip for Mets? — The Mets may not be totally settled on Johnny Estrada as their catcher for 2008. (Getty Images Photo) — The Mets' primary goal heading into next week's winter meetings in Nashville was to clear the way for the pursuit of a top-flight starting pitcher …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Hampton hurt again; whither Andruw? — A quick one, before he's away at the Winter Meetings (OK, that was fairly lame paraphrasing of the The Who's rockin' second album title). — If it seems like negotiation wheels are grinding slowly for free agents such as the Braves' Andruw Jones, Ron Mahay and Octavio Dotel, well, they are.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
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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 …
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Joel Sherman / New York Post:
A-MISTAKE — BONUS BUCKS PRESSURE A-ROD DOESN'T NEED — JUST give Alex Rodriguez the money. Give him the $30 million. It just isn't worth the soap operas and headaches ahead for the Yankees to distribute his bonuses during the next decade. — The Yankees should know by now …
Discussion:
The GYS Network
Jim Molony / MLB.com:
Astros bring in five new scouts — Club appoints Bratton as Midwest scouting supervisor — HOUSTON — The Astros, as part of their ongoing efforts to upgrade the club's player development pipeline, on Monday added five new scouts to the organization and named longtime scout Ralph Bratton as Midwest scouting supervisor.
Discussion:
FishStripes
Washington Post:
Sean Taylor Dies in Miami — Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor died early Tuesday from the gunshot wound he suffered a day earlier in his Miami home. — "He did not make it through the night," said Taylor's attorney, Richard Sharpstein, who called the incident "a ridiculous, unnecessary tragedy."
Chicagosports / Hardball:
Wood welcomes closer's role — Kerry Wood called it a "pretty easy decision" to return to the Cubs, and left no doubt he's psyched about the opportunity to replace Ryan Dempster as the closer in 2008. — "I would think anybody that plays this game wants to be in that position," …
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