Top News:
Inside The Winter Meetings:
Wrapping it up — OK, the Winter Meetings are over. Let's empty the notebook: — * The Brewers are talking about starters David Bush and Chris Capuano with teams. But the interesting thing is that Milwaukee is letting the ace market - Johan Santana, Erik Bedard and Dan Haren - clarify …
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Tom Haudricourt / Brewers Blog:
Brewers haven't talked with Dodgers about Sheets — Nashville - USA Today reported this morning that the Brewers and Dodgers are talking about a deal that would send right-hander Ben Sheets and centerfielder Bill Hall to Los Angeles in exchange for outfielders Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier.
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Jones offers Dodgers plenty of options — LA could look to deal Kemp for starting pitcher or retain depth — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Besides the Gold Gloves and power bat and All-Star resume, Andruw Jones gives the Dodgers something else that makes general manager Ned Colletti smile. — Options.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
ESPN:
Guillen, Gibbons suspended for drugs — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jose Guillen and Jay Gibbons were suspended Thursday for the first 15 days of next season for violating baseball's drug policy, an indication how the sport might treat any players named in the Mitchell steroids investigation.
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Baltimore Sun:
Gibbons suspended, admits to using hGH — O's outfielder suspended 15 days for violating MLB's drug policy; 'I have no excuses and bear sole responsibility for my decisions'; Royals' Guillen also given ban — Major League Baseball today suspended Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons 15 days …
Baltimore Sun:
Gibbons suspended 15 games for hGH — O's outfielder admits to using human growth hormone; 'I have no excuses and bear sole responsibility for my decisions'; Royals' Guillen also given ban — Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons was suspended 15 games, starting with the beginning of the 2008 season, for using human growth hormone.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Associated Press:
Nationals add veteran infielder Boone to bench — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Backup infielder Aaron Boone agreed to a one-year, $1 million contract Thursday with the Washington Nationals, who also avoided arbitration with outfielders Wily Mo Pena and Ryan Langerhans.
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Barry Svrluga / Nationals Journal:
Nats sign Boone, avoid arbitration with WMP — I fell down on pursuing this one, but the Nationals signed infielder Aaron Boone to a one-year, $1 million contract that includes incentives. — They also agreed to the aforementioned extension with outfielder Wily Mo Pena …
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Meetings over, Wade's work unfinished — Astros don't deal, but groundwork in place for future moves — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Astros have many offers on the table and are waiting to hear if they have a deal, and while it appears the Miguel Tejada talks are back on …
RELATED:
Tim Dierkes / MLB Trade Rumors:
Astros Tejada Trade Not Close, But Possible — UPDATE, 12-6-07 at 5:01pm: MLB.com's Alyson Footer checks in with some detail. She notes that no deal is close but it is possible. Hunter Pence, J.R. Towles, and Felipe Paulino are considered off-limits. — UPDATE, 12-6-07 at 3:02pm …
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Could Matsui be on the market? — Some Japanese reporters asked Brian Cashman if Hideki Matsui could be traded and he gave them a "no comment." — There was a time such a question would have been dismissed. But Matsui is signed to a reasonable contract ($26 million over the next two seasons) …
Discussion:
NJ.com, El Lefty Malo, Hot Stove New York, The Bronx Block, Yanksfan vs Soxfan and The Curse Of Jeff Nelson
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Todd Zolecki / The Zo Zone:
Phillies Take 2 Pitchers in Rule 5 Draft — The Phillies selected lefthander Travis Blackley from the San Francisco Giants' organization and righthander Lincoln Holdzkom from the Boston Red Sox's organization in the major-league portion of the Rule 5 Draft.
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Matt Eddy / Baseball America:
San Diego Padres — 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.
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Kobrien / On the Yankees beat:
Rule V draft — The meetings are winding down. We had our last briefing with Brian Cashman, who's flying back to NY this afternoon, a little while ago. Cashman said last night he thought they might lose two players in the Rule V draft this morning. That's a good thing, he said …
Discussion:
NJ.com
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Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Reyes Is Back Home, and Not Going Anywhere — Drive along the dusty, pothole-filled road, careful not to strike the roosters or stray dogs, until it dead-ends beside a stone staircase. Run up the steps, climb over the aqua-colored fence — or, for the less adventurous, slip through an open gate …
Matt Eddy / Baseball America Prospects Blog:
Major League Rule 5 Observations — Observations and (often irreverent) notes from the major league portion of Thursday's Rule 5 draft. — • Lefthander Wesley Wright was the odd man out of the Dodgers 40-man roster crunch, and it was no surprise that he was drafted in the major league phase of the Rule 5 Draft.
Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
D-backs still searching for a starter — General manager Byrnes to continue pursuit of Haren, Kuroda — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As the D-backs front office headed back to Phoenix on Thursday afternoon, they did so with bags under their eyes from a lack of sleep, but not with a starting pitcher …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors

