Top News:
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 …
RELATED:
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Gibbons, Guillen handed drug suspensions — NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Indicating how baseball might treat players named in the Mitchell report, Jose Guillen and Jay Gibbons were suspended for the first 15 days of next season for violating baseball's drug policy.
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.
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
Baseball Suspends 2 Over Banned Substances — Major League Baseball announced today that two players linked to shipments of banned substances had been suspended for 15 days, a template that will likely be used after George J. Mitchell's report on performance-enhancing drugs is released.
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Guillen & Gibbons Suspensions Prelude to Mitchell Report — When the news first hit that deliberations were involved in a possible suspension of Jose Guillen, no one saw what was about to happen. Not only was Guillen suspended, but so was Jay Gibbons of the Orioles, while Scott Schoeneweis …
Mets Blog:
No ban for Schoeneweis — Mets reliever Scott Schoeneweis will not be punished as a result of media reports that his name surfaced in a national drug investigation by the district attorney in Albany. — ESPN.com had reported Schoeneweis received six shipments of steroids in 2003 and 2004.
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 …
RELATED:
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers will still pursue pitching — Jones gives them options, one of which is Japan's Kuroda. Colletti needs a jaw-dropping offer to give up Kemp. — NASHVILLE — The addition of Andruw Jones could end up providing the Dodgers with more than a bat in the middle of the lineup and 10-time Gold Glove winner in center field.
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
For Experience, Nats Add A. Boone — Club Also Signs Peña to Extension, Selects Two in Rule 5 Draft — On their way to the airport Thursday, as they scattered across the country for a long weekend — team president Stan Kasten to Atlanta, Manager Manny Acta home to Orlando …
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nationals make trio of moves — Team brings in free agent Boone; signs Pena, Langerhans — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Nationals continue to show how much they want to win in 2008. On Thursday, they signed infielder Aaron Boone to a one-year, $1 million contract, Wily Mo Pena to one-year …
RELATED:
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 …
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
RELATED:
Tim Dierkes / MLB Trade Rumors:Astros Tejada Trade Not Close, But Possible
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Associated Press:
Padres pursuing Bradley, Fukudome — SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Padres have offered a one-year contract to left fielder Milton Bradley, who tore up his right knee late in the season when his manager spun him to the ground while trying to keep him from going after an umpire.
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
RELATED:
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.
RELATED:
Todd Zolecki / The Zo Zone:Phillies Take 2 Pitchers in Rule 5 Draft
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball, philly.metro.us, Mets Merized Online, MLB Trade Rumors, Balls, Sticks, & Stuff and The700Level.com
Selena Roberts / New York Times:
A-Rod's Properties and Charity Suggest Some Stinginess — The veneer of Alex Rodriguez's real estate empire of working-class housing is staged to disguise his inner Mr. Potter. — Past a psychic's storefront and coin laundry on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Tampa, Fla., a sign reading …
Discussion:
ShysterBall
Rich Lederer / Baseball Analysts:
BBWAA Opens Up Its Membership to Web-Based Writers — "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." — Chinese Philosopher — The Baseball Writers Association of America voted yesterday to open up its membership for the first time to web-based baseball writers.
Discussion:
The Griddle
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Hooked Fish: Cabrera, Willis now Tigers — Detroit, Florida make eight-player Meetings trade official — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — One phone call from owner Mike Ilitch started the Tigers offseason in a different direction just before the Thanksgiving holiday.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nationals make a splash at Meetings — GM Bowden adds both youth and talent to the equation — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Nationals made two things clear at the 2007 Winter Meetings: They want to get younger and better. As the Meetings came to a close on Thursday, they felt they accomplished both.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
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
RELATED:
