Top News:
Boston Globe:
Sox, Twins may be close — NASHVILLE - It was after midnight in the Music City, and the Red Sox and Minnesota Twins were exchanging medical information on pitchers Johan Santana and Jon Lester, indicating that the clubs may be closing in on a deal for the two-time Cy Young Award winner.
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Jayson Stark / ESPN:
After Yanks' deadline passes, Red Sox jump into lead for Santana … NASHVILLE — While Hank Steinbrenner set deadlines and publicly lusted after Johan Santana, the Red Sox just bided their time and stayed in the game. — And what do you know? As Monday night turned into Tuesday morning …
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Sources: Yankees passing on Johan Santana, turning toward Dan Haren — NASHVILLE - Cross Johan Santana off the Yankees' holiday shopping list. — The Yankees' self-imposed deadline came and went Monday night at the winter meetings without a deal being reached with the Twins …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings, River Ave. Blues, MetsBlog.com, NJ.com, The LoHud Yankees Blog and WasWatching.com
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Yankees might pull out of Santana talks for good … NASHVILLE — With the Yankee's self-imposed deadline approaching, the Twins and Yankees were getting nowhere Monday night in their attempt to complete a deal for Johan Santana. So the Yankees were again making noises that they might pull out of the Santana talks for good.
Discussion:
River Ave. Blues, BBTF's Baseball Primer …, A Red Sox Fan …, WasWatching.com, SOX & Dawgs, NJ.com, MetsBlog.com, Hot Foot and MLB.com
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Sox, Twins end talks for night ... but deal appears close — The Red Sox and Twins are through negotiating for now. Both Sox GM Theo Epstein and Twins GM Bill Smith have called it a night, but momentous news may await in the morning. As Amalie Benjamin reported an hour ago …
Sports Illustrated:
Yanks, Twins at 'impasse' — Minnesota resumes Santana trade talks with BoSox — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — With the Yankees and Twins making limited progress as the Yanks' self-imposed midnight deadline came and went, the Twins rekindled talks with the Red Sox early Tuesday and asked Boston …
Mark Hale / New York Post:
METS MAKE MOVE TO ADD JAPANESE RIGHTY KURODA — The Mets are very much in the mix for Japanese righty Hiroki Kuroda, to the point they have moved past what was essentially an opening round of bidding, The Post has learned. — The Mets have legitimate interest in Kuroda …
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Baltimore Sun:
O's Bedard a wanted man — As contract talks with Orioles cool, interest from around majors heats up — NASHVILLE, Tenn. - With Minnesota Twins ace Johan Santana reportedly headed to either the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox, Orioles left-hander Erik Bedard has become the most coveted pitcher at baseball's winter meetings.
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs looking at all options — Fukudome on radar, but Reds' Hamilton also a possibility — NASHVILLE — The Cubs are unlikely to walk away from the winter meetings with Kosuke Fukudome under contract, and general manager Jim Hendry gets a little touchy whenever the Japanese outfielder's name comes up in conversation.
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Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:Towers shopping for stopgap at second base
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Braves get Ohman, Infante from Cubs — FOXSports.com, Updated 20 minutes ago — LIKE THIS STORY? — The Braves, filling their need for a left-handed reliever, have acquired Will Ohman and infielder Omar Infante from the Cubs for Class AA reliever Jose Ascanio, according to major-league sources.
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Jim Keller PA SportsTicker / Yahoo! Sports:
Cubs trade IF Infante to Braves — NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) — The Chicago Cubs freed up payroll on Tuesday when they reached an agreement to trade utility infielder Omar Infante and lefthander Will Ohman to the Atlanta Braves for righthander Jose Ascanio.
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Nationals Acquire Troubled Dukes — The Washington Nationals began baseball's winter meetings Monday with a dramatic and potentially controversial move, trading for troubled Tampa Bay outfielder Elijah Dukes, a 23-year-old whose skills are undisputed but whose long and varied list of legal issues sent his standing in the game tumbling.
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Enrique Rojas / ESPN:
Source: Royals, Guillen agree to preliminary 3-year, $36M deal … NASHVILLE — Outfielder Jose Guillen and the Kansas City Royals have reached a preliminary agreement for a three year, $36 million deal, a relative of the ballplayer told ESPNdeportes.com. — The agreement will be complete …
Discussion:
Kansas City Star, Baseball Musings, Royals Review, Steroid Nation, Talking Chop, Mariners Blog, Lone Star Ball and MLB Trade Rumors
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Sources: Marlins, Tigers talking blockbuster — FOXSports.com, Updated 21 minutes ago — LIKE THIS STORY? — The Marlins, stalled in their attempts to trade third baseman Miguel Cabrera, could be laying the groundwork for an even bigger deal. — The Marlins and Tigers are engaged …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
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Associated Press:
Pennsylvania baseball team's mascot gets new name after 'PorkChop' deemed offensive to Latinos — ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Two days after naming its mascot "PorkChop," the Philadelphia Phillies' new Triple-A affiliate abruptly dropped the moniker after receiving complaints from Hispanics that it was offensive.
