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) — Jose Guillen and Jay Gibbons were suspended Thursday for the first 15 days of next season for violating baseball's drug policy. The penalties are an indication how the sport might treat players named in the Mitchell report, which could be released next week.
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.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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 …
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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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.
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 …
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
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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
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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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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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.
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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) …
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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 …
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
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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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.
