Top News:
Sports Illustrated:
Yanks, Red Sox in Santana talks — The Twins have opened trade discussions for Johan Santana by asking the Yankees for a package of at least three young players that would include one of their three top starters — Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy — plus center fielder Melky Cabrera.
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Mark Feinsand / Blogging The Bombers:
Dealing Hughes for Santana a questionable move — After a week of family, friends and turkey, the Yankees got back to business yesterday, resuming their pursuit of Johan Santana. — This is not going to be a quick process. Sure, the Twins could deal the two-time Cy Young winner by the end …
TwinCities.com:
Minnesota Twins should trade stars for Boston Red Sox's cheap youth — If I'm the Twins' general manager, here's what I do. (And I'd do it under duress because I'd be working for a cheapskate owner.) I get on the horn with Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein and say, "You want Johan Santana, right?"
Discussion:
FIRE JOE MORGAN
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
Two Series titles evidence of growing Theo-logy — Sometime soon the adjectives will be replaced. For the breadth of his career as Boston Red Sox general manager, Theo Epstein's name has been preceded by some variation of his youth - kid, wunderkind, prodigy, all said with good intentions, and all tinged with derision.
Discussion:
Boston Sports Media Watch
Mark Hale / New York Post:
METS AIMING FOR SOME HELP ON THE MOUND
METS AIMING FOR SOME HELP ON THE MOUND
Discussion:
Dugout Central, MetsBlog.com, MLB Trade Rumors, Take the 7 Train, Mostly Mets and Hot Foot
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.
Discussion:
Brewers Bar, River Ave. Blues, MetsBlog.com, Mets Refugees, MLB Trade Rumors and Bleed Cubbie Blue
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Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs sign Wood for shot at closing
Cubs sign Wood for shot at closing
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune, Bleed Cubbie Blue, Babes Love Baseball, The Curse of Wrigley Field and MLB.com
MLB.com:
Tom McCarthy rejoins Phillies broadcast team — Tom McCarthy, who spent the last two seasons as a play-by-play announcer for the New York Mets on WFAN, is returning to his roots as a member of the Phillies broadcasting team, Rob Brooks, Manager, Broadcasting announced today.
Discussion:
Faith and Fear in Flushing, Zisk Online, Beerleaguer, Can't Stop The Bleeding and Hot Foot
Jesse Spector / Touching Base:
Nine Innings: Dodgers GM Ned Colletti — Technically, I'm still on vacation, which is why you're not seeing any analysis (not that there have been many moves) until I really return to work on Thursday. But when the phone rings for an interview, I'm not going to sit around and twiddle my thumbs for a few extra days.
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Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Wagner lays out challenges ahead — Veteran closer tackles offseason issues facing club — NEW YORK — Part of the Mets' introduction to Billy Wagner two years ago was a warning. "I'm blunt," he told them. And he suggested if candor were upsetting, the club might be better off looking elsewhere for a relief pitcher.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
David Pinto / Baseball Musings:
Starr Witness — MLB FanHouse links to an interview with Larry Starr, long time trainer for the Reds and Marlins. He's out of baseball now and coopertating with the Mitchell investigation, although he refuses to name names. He was aware as early as 1984 that players were using steroids.
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings
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Jim Callis / Baseball America:
Houston Astros — Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible.
Discussion:
Colt 45s Blog
A.J. Daulerio / Philly Mag:
The End Days of Bill Conlin's Online Crap Storm: Interview With Bill Baer — The last few days of Bill Conlin madness have devolved into this weird media sociology study: venerable columnist at a daily newspaper gets into an e-mail spat about his anti-sabermetrics column with a reader …
Adam Rubin / Surfing The Mets:
Omar watching winter ball in Dominican Republic — Omar Minaya spent the past several days in the Dominican Republic. Here's a message I just received from a source in that country: — "Omar Minaya has been here since last Wednesday and he was seen at several winter baseball games.
Sports Illustrated:
Tom Verducci: Six losing teams poised to break out in 2008 — It's been many years since the phrase "five-year plan" has been heard around baseball. Fans won't buy such talk any more because they so often see losing teams become playoff teams from one year to the next.
Associated Press:
Brewers guarantee Kendall $4.25M in new deal — MILWAUKEE — Jason Kendall will be guaranteed $4.25 million under the one-year contract he and the Milwaukee Brewers intended to finalize Wednesday. — The Brewers reached a preliminary agreement last week with the catcher and planned a Wednesday news conference at Miller Park.
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
Agence France Presse:
Mariners star Ichiro says he considered moving to Yankees — TOKYO (AFP) - Ichiro Suzuki said he considered moving to the New York Yankees before deciding — with his wife's encouragement — to stick with the underperforming Seattle Mariners. — "I had been wavering in my mind since early spring …
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.
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