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 …
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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.
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 …
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.
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
Winter meetings winners and losers — NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Baseball's winter meetings have turned into the sport's version of Us Weekly. They're supposed to be glitzy and glamorous, and they end up full of bad rumors, tainted innuendo and very little of consequence.
Discussion:
We've Got Heart
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Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
Williams splits after strange comment — His team no longer poses a threat to Tribe, Tigers, but Pierre or Rowand could help — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Ken Williams was among the first wave of general managers to escape the confusing maze of lobbies at the Opryland Resort today, choosing to cancel his daily briefing with reporters.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Epstein returns empty-handed — Sox will remain in hunt for Santana — NASHVILLE - For now, anyway, the Ellsbury and Lester families may want to hold off on ordering tickets to see their sons in Boston next summer. — Baseball's winter meetings, which may still retain some value …
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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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 …
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
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.
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
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Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Youth May Be Served Up — After being frisked by pistol-toting security guards, fans passing through the turnstiles at Estadio Quisqueya are greeted by vendors selling the essentials of any authentic baseball experience: empanadas, cold Presidente and breath mints.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
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 …
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Nancy Marrapese-Burrell / Boston Globe:
NESN wraps up Sox' hit season — Looking for the perfect gift this holiday season for the baseball fan in your life? Look no further than NESN's DVD that chronicles the championship journey of the Red Sox. The DVD is entitled, "Champions Again: The Story of the 2007 Boston Red Sox."
Discussion:
Surviving Grady
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Yankees talking to LaTroy Hawkins — NASHVILLE - Brian Cashman left the Opryland Hotel without Johan Santana, but he did head back to New York with his three prized young pitchers still in pinstripes. — The Yankees made just one official move during the winter meetings …
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Mets move on, but still eye an ace — NASHVILLE - Omar Minaya departed the winter meetings sounding like a man prepared to head to spring training needing only minor tinkering to his roster from this point forward. That said, the Mets GM wouldn't resign himself to losing out on Johan Santana, Dan Haren or Erik Bedard just yet.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
