Top News:
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 …
RELATED:
Newsday:
Yankees might be shopping Matsui — The Yankees might be able to acquire some pitching from San Francisco in exchange for leftfielder Hideki Matsui. (Newsday / Paul J. Bereswill) — NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Brian Cashman left the winter meetings "not optimistic" about ongoing trade talks.
Discussion:
WasWatching.com
Pete Caldera / NorthJersey.com:
Yanks bank on Mussina — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — When the subject is Joba Chamberlain, general manager Brian Cashman doesn't stray from his script. — "The plan is for Joba to go in the rotation," the Yankees' GM said. "We believe he has high-end capability as a starter."
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Getting Help for Bullpen Moves to Yankees' Front Burner — The Yankees left the winter meetings Thursday with one new relief pitcher and a lot of public optimism about their pitching prospects. But young starters need to be supported by strong relievers, and the Yankees' bullpen is a free-for-all before closer Mariano Rivera.
Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs mean bid-ness with Japanese star — Fukudome also coveted by White Sox, Padres; Prior could be on way out — NASHVILLE - Now that the winter meetings have ended, the Cubs can start taking care of their offseason business. — Four days in Nashville yielded the Cubs a couple …
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Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Rays taking patient approach to next move — The Dodgers' Andre Ethier is on the Rays' radar for a lefty bat. — NASHVILLE - The end of the winter meetings could be the start of the Rays' push for a left-handing-hitting outfielder. — Executive vice presidentAndrew Friedman flew home Thursday afternoon …
Discussion:
Rays of Light
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Marlins seeking new face at third base — Cantu on radar; offer rumored for Phillies' Helms — MIAMI — The Marlins are aggressively searching the market for a third baseman. In fact, they may end up acquiring several choices for the job. — One of the more likely options is Jorge Cantu, who was put on waivers by the Reds.
RELATED:
USA Today:
Clubs taking cautious approach to making deals — NASHVILLE — The baseball winter meetings ended Thursday with just one major trade completed in four days, leaving general managers to wonder if perhaps some of their peers are fearful of making trades. — "So many teams are skittish …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
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 …
RELATED:
Tracy Ringolsby / Rocky Mountain News:
Carroll likely headed to Indians — The Rockies are set to trade infielder Jamey Carroll to the Cleveland Indians for a minor league player. They just have to decide which player. — While the Rockies were finalizing the details for the departure of Carroll, they also were emerging …
Jim Baumbach / Newsday:
Catching up with Mackey Sasser — Like every head coach on every level of baseball, one of Mackey Sasser's responsibilities at Wallace Community College in Dothan, Ala., is to throw daily batting practice. — Except for Sasser, the routine act of throwing stopped coming natural to him many years ago.
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 …
Tom Haudricourt / Brewers Blog:
Brewers trade for Pirates' Torres — Before leaving the winter meetings Thursday in Nashville, Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said he was looking for "one more arm out there" for his bullpen. — He found that arm Friday. — Continuing to retool his bullpen after the losses …
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 …
Discussion:
Oriole Post
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Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
Rule Five Wrapup — For the teams themselves, the Rule Five Draft can have an incredible return on investment. For the media? Not so much. As a ratio of talent to the amount of time and work put into doing previews and trying to get scoops and all that good stuff …
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Mostly quiet on the player movement front in Nashville … NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Was it really only a few days ago that we predicted a winter meetings with sizzle? With action? With big names moving and headlines erupting? — Sheez, where do we get these nutty ideas?
