Top News:
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
The place might be the thing — Why not trade for a change of scenery? — I never really understood why there aren't more “swap meet” type deals in baseball. As in, “You take what I can't use and I'll take what you can't use.” — There was a consensus among the general managers I spoke …
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
A rundown of key free agents … DANA POINT, Calif. — With a trio of megastars who are free agents (and several more very good ones), plus at least two more huge stars on the trading block, the Major League Baseball GM meetings begin Sunday and Monday with a lot of discussion about millionaires …
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:Texas Rangers' seek catcher-for-pitcher deal
Discussion:
WasWatching.com, MLB Rumors, Bless You Boys, The Crawfish Boxes, Lone Star Ball and Baseball Musings
David Murphy / Philly.com:
Phillies select Amaro as new GM — This just in. . . Ruben Amaro Jr. is the new Phillies general manager. — Sources close to the situation confirmed to the Daily News' Paul Hagen that club president Dave Montgomery met with assistant general manager, scouting and player development …
RELATED:
David Lennon / On the Mets beat:
Wright to Rollins: We don't like you either — Kudos to David Wright for not backing down when asked on Saturday about the Phillies' obsession with the Mets during this postseason. — With Jimmy Rollins and Phillies GM Pat Gillick both saying the Mets were the most hated team in the NL East, Wright seemed fine with it.
Discussion:
Dom D's Mets Fan Blog
George King III / New York Post:
NO ‘OPTION’ FOR MARTE — Add Damaso Marte to Jason Giambi and Carl Pavano as players the Yankees aren't likely to exercise options on - which will make them free agents. — Giambi has a $22 million option with a $5 million buyout and Pavano has a $15 million option with a $1.95 million buyout.
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Let the offseason races begin — Most of baseball's 30 general managers will arrive in Dana Point, Calif., Sunday and Monday for the annual GM meetings, the unofficial beginning of baseball's offseason. — It's going to be a busy winter, with huge names out there for the taking.
Katie Thomas / New York Times:
After a Steep Fall, Leyritz Tries to Rebuild Life — FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Autumn had always been good to Jim Leyritz. — Most of the time, Leyritz was just a workaday Yankee on a team of stars, but the postseason seemed to be his stage, as he twirled his bat at the plate and hit home runs when it mattered most.
David Lennon / Newsday:
Mets' Wright issues challenge to NL East — David Wright has a message for Jimmy Rollins: I don't like you guys either. — Wright, the star attraction at yesterday's Topps baseball camp inside the Hofstra bubble, was aware of the Phillies' latest volley of verbal attacks …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
John Perrotto / Baseball Prospectus:
Every Given Sunday — Off-season Moves — Baseball is officially into the offseason now that the Phillies sit atop the sport after beating the Rays in a five-game World Series this past week, but everyone knows that there is really no such thing as an offseason.
Tracy Ringolsby / Rocky Mountain News:
O'Dowd: Rockies will be ‘aggressive’ shaking up team in offseason — Dealin' Dan is back in town. — After relatively little roster revamping the past couple of seasons, Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd is ready to shake things up, looking to revamp a team that went from National League champion …
JSOnline:
A new role for Sveum — He will take over hitting coach spot — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — Dale Sveum will be back on the Milwaukee Brewers' coaching staff in 2009 but not as third base coach. Or bench coach. — Looking for a different challenge …
Discussion:
ShysterBall
